Are you your username?

[Draygen]

Well, my handle used to be Guitar Hero, and I had a cool story to back it up, but then the game Guitar Hero came out, and even though its a *decent* game I didn't want to seem like one of those xxxHaloRulzxxx or whatnot fanbois, so I had to shake things up. I was playing some MMO or another at the time and Draygen was born. I like to think Draygen is a bit of an alter ego. Draygen can be calm where I'd be throttling a throat. Draygen can compose and select his words carefully, where I may stumble or get tongue tied.

That's not to say I'm socially inept. I've been called eloquent more times than not, and I make friends rather easily. As Draygen though, I don't have to worry about making friends. I can be calm, logical and reasonable with Draygen, whereas with just plain old me I get to just make a joke and hope nobody notices that I'm actually intelligent.

Spoiler: Cool story to back it up

Back in high school I played in several different garage bands at various times, and also hung out with several other groups. One group had a guitarist that would often miss gigs. While I generally sang in my own bands, I played guitar on solo projects. So I would step up to the plate and fill in. Word circulated, and I filled in for a sick member of another band, and another that had to miss a gig due to personal issues. After a while I became known as the Guitar Guy, and later the Guitar Hero.

 

[RPJesus]

For the most part I am myself (SIMON THE DRILLER! ), ignoring of course the sheer absurtity of entering a discussion between people you don't know in real life (I mean, entering the conversations in real life).
Of course, that assumes I have a persona in real life. I've always considered myself something of a shapeshifter, adapting to whatever suits me best. Admittedly a lot of my panache remains intact, but I generally need to read the room and determine how far I need to reign in my crazies.

 

[blindey]

Unlike an actual game, in which a player has an actual manifestation of a seperate, controlled character, a forum only allows a visual and a pennameto associate the user with.

So, are you your username? Or are you controlling a loosely defined character?

For me, I feel like only few fascets of my entirety are expressable on the internet, and I personally view, "Erana" as a mere outlet for my nerdieness.
Of course, the mere thought of "Erana" being a seperate entity is kinda odd, considering how much I say, "I"...
Well, lets just say that there was a long, internal monologue, and that I do only play the role of Erana.

Hmm...If I'm understanding your question rightly, My persona online is myself in real life, with only minor exceptions (the fun-craziness that I display online, I don't get any opportunities for it much in real life. Bonus e-points for me being called blindey and being legally blind. ^.^

 

[Gamegeneral]

Yes. I am THE Gamegeneral. I have seen one other person using this name, and the only reason he still lives is because I lack the time or money to track him down.
You see this name in a game, it's me.
I see the Gamegeneral as the TF2 Soldi type, only with video games.
I am completely crazy 70% of the time, less around living, breathing humans;
I haven't considered a day "good" without a headshot since my last trip to Six flags;
I have fun doing tricks with weapons;
Finally
In the event of ANY type of survivable apocalypse, my days will be spent rampaging down the streets killing the undesirables (Zombies, mutants, animals, etc), picking up any survivors who look half-decent at killing, then entering a home with a gun for every day of the year, and sandbags piled around the door.
When I got too old, I would stock up on nonperishables and sandbag my door, diving for a gun, and scaring anyone who might want my precious, precious beans away for fear of lead enema.
Other things that make me my Username are:
I can, and will speak in a barrel-chested military drawl.
I've fired guns in real life (Firing range-no need to fear me unless I'm revenging or something)
I'm well built, and can perform arduous physical tasks (Lineman camp ftw)
Last, but not least:
I PWN BITCHES IN FPS's
Point. Click. Problem solved.

(Oh, and artist formerly known as Guitar Hero- Did you get that name from filling in for a gig, and then one of the band members going "Dude! You saved our asses! You're my guitar hero!"

 

[Malkavian]

First post from me on these boards.
It is an odd question, for who can really say for sure? In modern society, individuals has to fit into a number of different social relations, and for each of these the individual has to take a certain role. Some of these roles are completely contradictory, and others are merely differing aspects of the same character.

I have always viewed the great bounds of the internet as the place I can be myself, in the context that I am not to worry about the judgement that I might face. But this is not entirely true: I act differently, depending on where I am posting. In most cases I am "standard me" the first couple of times I log on, and then I usually change, depending on how the mood of the boards is.

But one might argue, that this is not really a role one plays, but merely different fragments of the same person. I guess that is the view I hold, and the answer to the question; I am my username - but I am also more.

 

[Draygen]

(response to Max)


Well, back when I actually played, I prefered guitar. Of course, as the primary songwriter, I generally got stuck singing. Mostly because I would have a particular style that I wrote the song in, and one time after yet another failed attempt to get the singer to understand how it was supposed to sound, the drummer just said, "Dude, why don't you just sing it and teach him the guitar for it." That seemed easier, and I got stuck with the role for the rest of my musical career. And unfortunately I couldn't effectively play and sing at the same time, so filling in for guitarists was as close as I got.

Side note, one band actually got scouted and signed to an Indie lable during a gig that I filled in for!

 

[blindey]

Thanks highbrow, my first report. GJ on the stupidity and sexist comment. (Need a word with less syllables than homophobia (which is a misnomer but people still use it))

Longshot, that was rather elegant in its frankness and simplicity =)

 

[DanRSL]

Not only am I always only myself, I dislike personas so much that I actually use my real name and real following initials and don't have a user image because really - you can't see me, so what's the point?

I grew out of trying to come up with neato online personas about a year after the internet was available to me (over a decade ago) when I realized any one person is far more interesting and genuine than any imaginary mask they can concoct, which often get caught up in their own neato BS and have trouble retconning themselves to themselves.

 

[blindey]

Dan, but ahh there's the rub: We don't act the same to everyone, do we? We *all* have different masks, different sides of ourselves that we show to some people, and not to others. An example would be: Let's say you love reading books, and intellectual pursuits, and videogames; your friend only likes video games and isn't much into fancy reading. So therefore, you wouldn't show that side of yourself to him/her. So therefore, a part of your personality wouldn't be shown, painting you with a seemingly different brush.

 

[rekabdarb]

My user name is my name backwards so... yes

 

[Malkavian]

Longshot, that was rather elegant in its frankness and simplicity =)

Well, thank you good sir

 

[gigastrike]

No, I just thought it sounded cool.

 

[Highlandheadbanger]

I'm a man strong of passion for my homeland, I also am true lover of metal, punk, and rock. I believe my name is a bit self-explainitory.

 

[Sacman]

Of course it's me but I don't think u wanna know y they call me sacman.