I've considered myself a gamer since I was a kid. The good ol' days of the SNES will never be rivaled. Mostly because it had Doom instead of Call of duty.
What defines you as a gamer?
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I have always identified myself as a gamer. I mainly play single player games, and I tend to try and experience as much of the game as I possibly can, completing as many side quests as I can find, just experiencing the game as much as I am able. As a result, it often takes a long time for me to complete games, and I tend not to buy more games until I have completed the ones I already own.
I've identified myself as a gamer since a few years ago. At that time I realized that I critiqued games extensively and had a much better understanding of the components of "what makes a good game" more that most at that age.
You do know that's like saying; "SuperScrub said:
Hey, don't thing about two girls and one cup.", and then expecting people not to think of it. Right?Also,
BOO!
;p
;p
This.Colour Scientist said:
And if I had to use a term, I'd go with player over gamer. Makes more sense to me.
Q: Who's playing the game? A: The player.
Q: Who play games? A: Players.
Q
o you play games? IF A is: Yes.Then you are a player.
:/ Though, I suppose that can get ruined just like gamer as soon as some people go around saying things like; "You're not a real player! You don't play the "right" games!"
To those who feel that way.
All of it.
I reckon we should replace "gamer" with "ludophile" because art.Imp Emissary said:
[small]Please kill me if this ever happens.[/small]
OT: I dunno what would define me. I love me some Counter-Strike just as much as I love Metal Gear Rising or Blackwell. I like all kinds of games.
Although I guess I'm more gameplay-focused overall. Most of the time when I want to play a game, it's the gameplay that I want to experience. It's quite rare that I'll pick up an explicitly story-focused game, unless it's an indie (just because of the price, not the quality; although I never buy any game for more than £25 or so).
I'm a gamer, basically what defines it is since Gameboy I tried to not leave my home without a bottle of soda and an handheld along with money and keys. Played since I've was little and ever since I bought my first game with my first pay check have been an collector needing everything I liked till finally there is way to many games I want to play that I can't afford or have time to play anymore ((damn you bills))
But at this point just owning them feels good and knowing someday I'll be bored enough to play it.
That said I would have never given MS a dime if XBone still had that always check in once a day crap knowing full well I'll want to keep my games long after the console dies.
But at this point just owning them feels good and knowing someday I'll be bored enough to play it.
That said I would have never given MS a dime if XBone still had that always check in once a day crap knowing full well I'll want to keep my games long after the console dies.
Hm. I basically do everything a gamer can do: I play since i'm ~3 years old, I played on an Atari, an Amiga and a PC while growing up, I played (though not directly own) on every console of every console generation, I play every genre, i play filthy casual and highly competitive and i read good lore-books about games.
But that's not where it stops. I like all kinds of board- and cardgames too. Me and my friend already have a collection of ~30 modern Boardgames and i've played around 5 diffrent TCG's in my life.
I also participated multiple Pen&Paper RPG (Mainly DSA,D&D,SR) - both as a player and a GM.
I'm also highly interested in game design - also a reason why i jumped onto the golden era of boardgames. Because game design is much more visible and felt stronger as a player in a boardgame than in most videogames. And if i hadn't started my bachelor of economics i may signed up for the "Gamedesign" course in Zürich. But since Switzerland has basically no videogame nor boardgame industry at all and i like both economics and game design...
Ah jeah, and me and my boardgame buddy are currently tinkerin' at our own boardgame, since we already designed 1 complete & 1 uncomplete playable MTG set contaning 400 cards each.
Tl;dr: What defines me as a gamer: I play shittons of games.
But that's not where it stops. I like all kinds of board- and cardgames too. Me and my friend already have a collection of ~30 modern Boardgames and i've played around 5 diffrent TCG's in my life.
I also participated multiple Pen&Paper RPG (Mainly DSA,D&D,SR) - both as a player and a GM.
I'm also highly interested in game design - also a reason why i jumped onto the golden era of boardgames. Because game design is much more visible and felt stronger as a player in a boardgame than in most videogames. And if i hadn't started my bachelor of economics i may signed up for the "Gamedesign" course in Zürich. But since Switzerland has basically no videogame nor boardgame industry at all and i like both economics and game design...
Ah jeah, and me and my boardgame buddy are currently tinkerin' at our own boardgame, since we already designed 1 complete & 1 uncomplete playable MTG set contaning 400 cards each.
Tl;dr: What defines me as a gamer: I play shittons of games.
Imp Emissary said:
Seriously, isn't a little odd to post that, then admit your aversion to a term?
Although I like the thought that Anita as Voldemort. I wonder what seven evil feminist artifacts one would have to destroy to finally be able to defeat her.
Does that mean you're not a real gamer girl?Colour Scientist said:
(Sorry, couldn't resist. I failed a Will save)
OT: I love to be entertained. I'm a casual gamer who plays games for fun. I'm also a social gamer. I play multiplayer almost exclusively to play with friends.
Hm, I almost never use the term gamer to define myself, but as for reasons why I would consider myself to be apart of that category? I grew up with games, since roughly 3 years old, and I still actively play them today. A big thing though, is that they are a major topic of discussion with me, that I can whole-heartedly enjoy talking about, rather than to just pass the time, I am interested in keeping up with news relevant to game companies, and not solely the games themselves, and it's rare that I just pick up a game and know absolutely nothing about the company behind the game, or the mechanisms/practices of the console with which it was released upon.
tl;dr: I grew up with them, like talking about them, like following the game industries, and I still actively play them.
tl;dr: I grew up with them, like talking about them, like following the game industries, and I still actively play them.
I don't fear the word gamer, or whatever the heck it's suppose to mean.Zachary Amaranth said:Imp Emissary said:
Seriously, isn't a little odd to post that, then admit your aversion to a term?
Although I like the thought that Anita as Voldemort. I wonder what seven evil feminist artifacts one would have to destroy to finally be able to defeat her.
D: I warned you!
Does that mean you're not a real gamer girl?Colour Scientist said:
(Sorry, couldn't resist. I failed a Will save)
OT: I love to be entertained. I'm a casual gamer who plays games for fun. I'm also a social gamer. I play multiplayer almost exclusively to play with friends.
I just prefer to use a different word instead of it, that when you get down to it, means about the same thing.
Though, with the Voldemort comparison, I guess you could argue them being similar situations.
:/ Semantics and what not.
Dx NO. I will never kill you!ScrabbitRabbit said:
I'm a philosopher primarily, a gamer secondarily. I examine gaming from a historical perspective in an attempt to articulate the precise cultural significance of the artform. I explore the relationship between global capitalism and gaming, how historical events impact gaming culture, and how mainstream culture impacts gamers, among others.
I examine the interconnections between reality and virtual reality.
I examine the interconnections between reality and virtual reality.
Like the OP I primarily play campaigns/ single player and that's what I judge games based on largely however I'm also on a tight budget so my game purchases are almost all at least a few months old. Also I've been a Playstation guy pretty much exclusively since I started gaming so I guess that defines my gaming to an extent. I tend to be strongly opinionated on games and while I think gaming is an art form I don't see any sense in pushing that idea onto others and instead prefer to think about how enjoyable a game is.
I'm not a huge fan of "gamer" as an identity, but if I were going with it for the sake of the question, I'd have to give a boring non-answer like "I like what I like, and that's what I play".
Because with time, my tastes have changed, the time I can devote to gaming changes, the types of gameplay that I find rewarding changes, so there's nothing concrete to use as a self-definition.
Because with time, my tastes have changed, the time I can devote to gaming changes, the types of gameplay that I find rewarding changes, so there's nothing concrete to use as a self-definition.
I'm primarily a singleplayer person, but I do enjoy some multiplayer titles if they offer enough ways to enjoy myself with friends (i.e. I prefer local to online multiplayer) or if the game is well designed enough. I don't seek out the greatest challenges imaginable, as I generally have more fun on the Normal difficulty. With that said, though, I will not shy away from a challenging game (ex. Dark Souls) or the greatest challenges a game has to offer (ex. Super Mario Galaxy 2's special galaxies). I have no real preference for story or gameplay, even if the story is what I generally recognize as incredibly important in my three favorite games (Xenoblade Chronicles, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Tales of Vesperia). I also prefer platformers to all other genres, with RPGs and FPS games being near even for second. From a presentation standpoint, I have no real preferences except for a more colorful art style, but I will say that any game that is dominated by a techno, dubsteb, hip-hop, or similar soundtrack will never be found in my library unless there is a Mute All button for the music so I can play my own music instead. Other than that, there really isn't much to say.
Highest difficulty available of any game that interests me from the get go. Also I've been getting into more artsy games of late but mostly just trying to play the games as they were intended. Online games with friends. RPGs getting immersed and random clusterfests blowing people up and what have you.
I think the fact that I get immersed in the universe of the game I'm playing defines me as a gamer? I really like reading up on the lore of a particular game a lot. I guess the fact that I just game when I have free time than do anything else also defines me as a game :|
There are two things I like most of all: depth, and variety. I like to swim in an ocean, in a believable world which I can explore and play with to my heart's content.
It's also the way I play games. I have a very fluid playstyle. I like to mix things up. I often only use a weapon for so long until I get bored of it and pick another one. I like constant change, plowing through the selection of items, weapons, etc, experimenting with tactics. I'm happiest when I can modify weapons, use different sets of armour, and have plenty of NPCs and monsters to interact with.
But past that, I'm also kept interested by a narrative, a compelling reason to keep going and anticipate what happens next. Whether it's creating my own or playing to another, a good, epic story and well-written characters keep me interested.
In multiplayer, I have to be the person who picks a different class in co-op. I have to do things my own way. I'm a bit of a show-off, and like to mess with other players, either by griefing or just screwing about in subtle ways. I like in-game rivalry and drama, or just playing creatively. Nothing is more boring than co-op shooters where everyone is doing pretty much the same thing. I don't get that whole team vibe. There has to be some sort of tension. Perhaps not so much competition as messing about. I like to do crazy things to other players just to get a reaction. It doesn't matter who wins or loses, it's just being playful. I throw a grenade in your car, you kill me with hilarious physics, and we're even.
I guess I like the feeling of agency most of all. When I play a game, I'm a free agent.
It's also the way I play games. I have a very fluid playstyle. I like to mix things up. I often only use a weapon for so long until I get bored of it and pick another one. I like constant change, plowing through the selection of items, weapons, etc, experimenting with tactics. I'm happiest when I can modify weapons, use different sets of armour, and have plenty of NPCs and monsters to interact with.
But past that, I'm also kept interested by a narrative, a compelling reason to keep going and anticipate what happens next. Whether it's creating my own or playing to another, a good, epic story and well-written characters keep me interested.
In multiplayer, I have to be the person who picks a different class in co-op. I have to do things my own way. I'm a bit of a show-off, and like to mess with other players, either by griefing or just screwing about in subtle ways. I like in-game rivalry and drama, or just playing creatively. Nothing is more boring than co-op shooters where everyone is doing pretty much the same thing. I don't get that whole team vibe. There has to be some sort of tension. Perhaps not so much competition as messing about. I like to do crazy things to other players just to get a reaction. It doesn't matter who wins or loses, it's just being playful. I throw a grenade in your car, you kill me with hilarious physics, and we're even.
I guess I like the feeling of agency most of all. When I play a game, I'm a free agent.
Yes, semantics, which was pretty much my point. It's strange to preach against aversion and display aversion simultaneously.Imp Emissary said:
I wouldn't really say it's the same.Zachary Amaranth said:
To stay with the Harry Potter theme, it's like saying; "I'm not going to call him Voldemort. I'm going to call him Tom."
Both are technically his name, but they both carry different baggage.
I'm saying that I like to chose semantics that fit my tastes.
Making a obvious reference about someone that compares them to a fictional character so feared that the populous has taken to referring to them by a vague title, isn't quite the same as someone picking to say player over gamer.
Unless Anita Sarkeesian translates to "spooky person everyone is afraid of".
:/ It could... I mean heck. If literally doesn't mean what it literally means anymore. Then I literally can't be 100% sure.
I guess the way I treat them somewhat seriously? I get immersed in playing games. But then, I also get immersed when reading a good book. So I don't know how valid that might be.
That's really about all I can think of. I'm not really into any kind of "geek culture" besides the video games themselves, honestly.
That's really about all I can think of. I'm not really into any kind of "geek culture" besides the video games themselves, honestly.