Gamer as an insult

[Archemetis]

People don't really insult me, they tend to go straight to the whole, throwing their fists at the back of my head...

Gamer,in my opinion is a title that has to be earned.
Have you built mods for a game? beta-tested for a pre-release game? Spent thousands of dollars on games and peripherals? Consumed unhealthy amounts of food and/or beverages while staying up 2 days playing a game either online or single player?

Can you tell me the best team in Tecmo Bowl?

If you can finish the sequence to:
up,up,down,down......

then you can be called a gamer.

Ok, just noticed this, As much as I agree with your point at the beginning about idiots who've had a PSP for a week and think they're the greatest gamer ever 'cos they can ace a game on medium are douchebags, and not gamers.

Don't you consider it a little elitest that you're admittedly probably jokingly laying down the prerequisites for how to be a gamer, but really, I always considered the term "Gamer" to be placed on someone who genuinely enjoys games, for what they are, They enjoy the experience they gain from playing, as a person who really takes in a decent game over all the idiots who buy games, play them until they've ritualistically collected everything and unlocked all the special things before trading it in, getting another one and repeating the process.


I don't consider those people gamers, I consider them robots.

Sure, you're rules that you've layed down there make sense if there is genuine compassion behind them, which I'm sure for you is likely the case, but at the same time, there are people out there who can answer all those questions, have done all those things and they didn't do it for the enjoyment or the experience, they did it for a ridiculous sense of inflated personal grandeur, because they thrive on "beating everything".


So really, I don't consider it an insult if I'm called a gamer or insulted for the games I like (which is the much more common one) because I derive personal enjoyment from it, I love to play the games I love to play.

and for that I'm a Gamer, So fuck off.

What I find insulting about the term is people are branded as such for the following things.

- They ritualistically play, just for the sake of collecting pixelated trophies and achievements.

-They're a douchebag who knows nothing about gaming, where it came from and how far it's come, they're jsuta gamer because they happen to have been seen with a control pad in their hands, most likely an 360 one...

[disclaimer]: That "Dig" at the 360, while unwarranted was not a biased comment, I happen to only have a 360 and I'm fully aware of the kind of people who play games on them. (Albeit those people are likely a minority).

 

[TotallyFake]

Yes, it's an insult. In the same way that Jock is. Or nerd. Or geek. Or musician. Chav, guido, layabout, runner, gardner, fencer, vicar, dentist, emo, goth, scene-kid etc.

It's a description. It ignores the majority of your life/personality and instead pigeonholes you as one specific thing. It reduces you to a label, and does you a disservice.

 

[RagnorakTres]

Well, I've been called a gamer as an insult, but I never let it get to me. I'm a gamer, a geek, a musician, an actor and any number of other things that have been considered less than savory over the history of humankind. If I let it get to me, I'd never get anything done.

 

[NoriYuki Sato]

not as an insult no, mainly just when i tell people i play game s alot, they make fun of the console, or make fun of me, simply because they dont have one...it's kind of funny really

 

[NoriYuki Sato]

Well, I've been called a gamer as an insult, but I never let it get to me. I'm a gamer, a geek, a musician, an actor and any number of other things that have been considered less than savory over the history of humankind. If I let it get to me, I'd never get anything done.

Oo Rah to that my friend...Oo Rah

 

[dreadmaster]

ya but the people that call me that eat there own shoes

 

[thatstheguy]

I hang out with a friend who has a little brother whos a little big for his britches if you know what i mean

There's only one way he'll learn to shut up...if you know what I mean.

...waving an ice-cream bar in front of his face and not giving it to him unless he shuts up?

 

[thatstheguy]

People don't really insult me, they tend to go straight to the whole, throwing their fists at the back of my head...

Gamer,in my opinion is a title that has to be earned.
Have you built mods for a game? beta-tested for a pre-release game? Spent thousands of dollars on games and peripherals? Consumed unhealthy amounts of food and/or beverages while staying up 2 days playing a game either online or single player?

Can you tell me the best team in Tecmo Bowl?

If you can finish the sequence to:
up,up,down,down......

then you can be called a gamer.

Ok, just noticed this, As much as I agree with your point at the beginning about idiots who've had a PSP for a week and think they're the greatest gamer ever 'cos they can ace a game on medium are douchebags, and not gamers.

Don't you consider it a little elitest that you're admittedly probably jokingly laying down the prerequisites for how to be a gamer, but really, I always considered the term "Gamer" to be placed on someone who genuinely enjoys games, for what they are, They enjoy the experience they gain from playing, as a person who really takes in a decent game over all the idiots who buy games, play them until they've ritualistically collected everything and unlocked all the special things before trading it in, getting another one and repeating the process.


I don't consider those people gamers, I consider them robots.

Sure, you're rules that you've layed down there make sense if there is genuine compassion behind them, which I'm sure for you is likely the case, but at the same time, there are people out there who can answer all those questions, have done all those things and they didn't do it for the enjoyment or the experience, they did it for a ridiculous sense of inflated personal grandeur, because they thrive on "beating everything".


So really, I don't consider it an insult if I'm called a gamer or insulted for the games I like (which is the much more common one) because I derive personal enjoyment from it, I love to play the games I love to play.

and for that I'm a Gamer, So fuck off.

What I find insulting about the term is people are branded as such for the following things.

- They ritualistically play, just for the sake of collecting pixelated trophies and achievements.

-They're a douchebag who knows nothing about gaming, where it came from and how far it's come, they're jsuta gamer because they happen to have been seen with a control pad in their hands, most likely an 360 one...

[disclaimer]: That "Dig" at the 360, while unwarranted was not a biased comment, I happen to only have a 360 and I'm fully aware of the kind of people who play games on them. (Albeit those people are likely a minority).

This is why people shouldn't be sarcastic on the internet. It's also why sarcasm should be taught in schools.

 

[akmarksman]

*snip*

I was mainly talking about the people who play The Sims or just stick with the occasional Halo and Guitar Hero because their friends are there..
You can call them gamers..I choose not to. IMO a gamer doesn't just stick with one game just because all their friends are doing it..Such as the guitar hero games.

My 8 year old niece I would call a gamer because she's played a large majority of my games and she's quite capable.
Granted my 360 library is about 30 games..a large majority being FPSs but I started in PC gaming with Road and Track's Need For Speed.
Probably one of my first "shooting" games was Syndicate..on a 586 running at a blistering fast 133Mhz.

There was another game..I forget what it was called,but the game came out in the early '90s and the main character looked like Boba Fett,but his armor was red.

 

[Archemetis]

People don't really insult me, they tend to go straight to the whole, throwing their fists at the back of my head...

Gamer,in my opinion is a title that has to be earned.
Have you built mods for a game? beta-tested for a pre-release game? Spent thousands of dollars on games and peripherals? Consumed unhealthy amounts of food and/or beverages while staying up 2 days playing a game either online or single player?

Can you tell me the best team in Tecmo Bowl?

If you can finish the sequence to:
up,up,down,down......

then you can be called a gamer.

Ok, just noticed this, As much as I agree with your point at the beginning about idiots who've had a PSP for a week and think they're the greatest gamer ever 'cos they can ace a game on medium are douchebags, and not gamers.

Don't you consider it a little elitest that you're admittedly probably jokingly laying down the prerequisites for how to be a gamer, but really, I always considered the term "Gamer" to be placed on someone who genuinely enjoys games, for what they are, They enjoy the experience they gain from playing, as a person who really takes in a decent game over all the idiots who buy games, play them until they've ritualistically collected everything and unlocked all the special things before trading it in, getting another one and repeating the process.


I don't consider those people gamers, I consider them robots.

Sure, you're rules that you've layed down there make sense if there is genuine compassion behind them, which I'm sure for you is likely the case, but at the same time, there are people out there who can answer all those questions, have done all those things and they didn't do it for the enjoyment or the experience, they did it for a ridiculous sense of inflated personal grandeur, because they thrive on "beating everything".


So really, I don't consider it an insult if I'm called a gamer or insulted for the games I like (which is the much more common one) because I derive personal enjoyment from it, I love to play the games I love to play.

and for that I'm a Gamer, So fuck off.

What I find insulting about the term is people are branded as such for the following things.

- They ritualistically play, just for the sake of collecting pixelated trophies and achievements.

-They're a douchebag who knows nothing about gaming, where it came from and how far it's come, they're jsuta gamer because they happen to have been seen with a control pad in their hands, most likely a 360 one...

[disclaimer]: That "Dig" at the 360, while unwarranted was not a biased comment, I happen to only have a 360 and I'm fully aware of the kind of people who play games on them. (Albeit those people are likely a minority).

This is why people shouldn't be sarcastic on the internet. It's also why sarcasm should be taught in schools.

Really, thank you for posting, I feel I have truly benefitted from your staggering wit, truly.


Alright! So here we go.


How Archemetis handles his posts!:

-When Archemetis is quoting someone in a thread that already has established view points in them, he uses roughly the first few sentences to talk about what he's quoted, and then immediately moves onto his own views.

-If he thinks or knows full well that someone is likely joking but is using their post to help put his point out there, he will likely make mention of it. (e.g:"Don't you consider it a little elitest that you're admittedly probably jokingly laying down the prerequisites for how to be a gamer".

-Just because Archemetis is being serious about his point, doesn't mean he didn't get the joke...

Thank you.

 

[Archemetis]

*snip*

I was mainly talking about the people who play The Sims or just stick with the occasional Halo and Guitar Hero because their friends are there..
You can call them gamers..I choose not to. IMO a gamer doesn't just stick with one game just because all their friends are doing it..Such as the guitar hero games.

My 8 year old niece I would call a gamer because she's played a large majority of my games and she's quite capable.
Granted my 360 library is about 30 games..a large majority being FPSs but I started in PC gaming with Road and Track's Need For Speed.
Probably one of my first "shooting" games was Syndicate..on a 586 running at a blistering fast 133Mhz.

There was another game..I forget what it was called,but the game came out in the early '90s and the main character looked like Boba Fett,but his armor was red.

I know what you mean, my neice is like 4 years old, and I got her playing old sonic games, admittedly because I'm not about to start her off on stuff like what I'm playing, although Fable, Banjo Kazooie nuts & Bolts or even Katamari Damacy aren't exactly difficult.

Hell earlier today I had her trying out World of Warcraft, Sure she was only running around, but she was enjoying it, which I guess means she's got the spirit of a gamer at least, I'm not doubting that skill and eagerness to play and collect are important traits to see in a Gamer and really the more defined gamers have these traits.

I think our points are very much similar, We don't agree that people who've picked up the one game and procclaimed themselves as gamers should really have the "right".

And that really being a gamer is something that's built up over time, which is where my point came in, without willigness and a love for the games then what's the point other being a mindless idiot who plays only for the collection aspect to help boost their virtual egos.

I'm not saying it makes people less of a gamer if they DO do that, I'm just talking about motivation behind it.

 

[L-J-F]

Not really all that much, maybe in secondary school but that's about it. The thing is though, games are like a mild version of porn in terms of social reactions, it has that "oh .." sort of effect in a way, "how quaint ..."

It's an emerging artform, not yet respected yet, in time games/gamers will be just like movies/movie ... ah ... watchers ... or something.

 

[taloz]

Being called a gamer really doesn't insult me. It's something i honestly enjoy doing and talking to other people about. I've been called a gamer as an insult before by my brother's jock friends. I just shrug it off because people don't understand the skill and intelligence it takes to be a good gamer.

 

[Airbear101]

im more of the closet gamer its top secret

 

[Ajaysallthat]

Wow some CRAZY debate up in here.
heres what i believe
I believe that people call us gamers because we enjoy other traditions and talk about other things (because what are gamers but a sub culture)without enjoying what i call a "game day"
a day with unplugged phones and locked doors, and my older games that i beat over and over again
Im sure this prejudice would stop if people just TRIED PLAYING GAMES! who knows it might just blow your minds!

How is playing a game of 2fort on TF2 with friends different from going to the mall with friends?

How is racing a buddy in your favorite racing sim different from riding bikes?

Even gaming by yourself is a great way to blow off steam and unwind
As for me, videogames represent my comfort zone, my solace, and my sanctuary
opening portals to worlds in which i can be a skilled assassin, a feirce warrior, and a racecar driver all with the change of a disc and the push of a button.

Also how is being a gamer less acceptable than being a skater, or a jock?

Its not! The gaming community has become synonymous with the nerds and geeks, and thats fine the rest of the community needs a scape goat!

The people who judge the gamer community on their hobbys are simply prejudice
And i wish them the worst of luck!

 

[Hyrulian Hero]

even if he meant it as an insult, you really take offense to being called a gamer? Really? I have nearly 900 games and own more shirts with video game characters/logos on them than not. I even have a tattoo of Knuckles. I have been called a gamer many times, and was never insulted... I've been called many other things... but Gamer is one of the ones I can accept proudly.

900? Are you kidding!

I thought owning 350 was alot...

yeah... actually, it's 893... and it's across 25 different consoles. But, I have been collecting for 20 years and I never sell or trade in any game, so I still have my original games from my childhood.

I hadn't sold any of my games for the longest time, but then I had some events happened which caused great financial hardship...

I would love to have my huuuge collection (which I would say is around 600) back, but I can't justify buying the absolutely horrendous games I once owned.

Why not? The bad games are the most fun to own. Well, not the MOST fun, but they are entertaining... Get a bunch of friends, turn on the old UHF TV and laugh at the worst games ever made. Sword of Sodan, Shaq-Fu, Big Sky Troopers, Italian Job, E.T., Custer's Revenge, Sewer Shark, Hotel Mario... I own all of those, they all blow, and it was hysterical to tear them apart with my friends. Plus, the crappy games are usually pretty cheap, because even collector's don't want some of them.

There used to be a website dedicated to destroying every copy of Shaq-Fu for example. And trust me, if you've ever played it, you'd know why.