So... who are you?

[Bungleau]

Wyv's comments to me helped me remember a belief I've long had... that the kinds of characters you prefer to play when gaming are a true indication of who you really are. A friend of mine from years ago who is a shaman and american indian religiously played druids... but not rangers, interestingly.

So that brings me to my question... who are you? I'll go first...

I used to play mages when I was younger, but after all my gaming experience (whatever that means [img]smile.gif[/img] ), I now tend to play a mage-fighter -- primarily a mage, but with a tip of the hat to the importance of fighting skills. And that's true in real-life as well... I work with technology primarily (and, as Arthur C Clarke said, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic), but I can still do a number of non-technology things fairly well as needed (building, repairing, designing, and so on).

Okay. Who are you, in the games and in real life?

[Marathon]

Interesting thought - A good friend of mine and I have discussed this, and while I side with you, he always thought one's gaming persona tended to be the opposite of what you were in real life. Like playing out a forbidden existance. However, he also played a mage/fighter, and is a Java developer...

I play Paladins primarily in DND games, sometimes clerics or monks, although in Wizardry and probably W&W I prefer Samurai's (I haven't gotten that status in W&W, but am aiming for it with my main character). I like the combination of a specialized character with fighting skills, honor and some magic thrown in to boot. Thiefs, barbarians and fighters have never been my cup of tea.

In real life - I work for an IT consulting firm on the business side (recruitment management and account management - so much for honor - right?), and have a CIS degree. I love to run (hence the name), although marathon running has been curtailed since my daughter arrived.

[Griefmaker]

Hey guys! It's good to see that there are quite a few techy people around. I am a computer engineer and have always thought of that as being a more mage-like quality (using your brain to solve problems). But, when I look at my strategies in any sort of competition, I would have to say that the Stalker kit from BG2 is how I often get the upper hand.

I would not classify myself as a "thief", because when I think of thief, I think of qualities like sly, cunning, intelligent, and nimble--and also qualities like weak, cowardly, dishonorable, and a person who needs protection from the big boys.

I would also not classify myself as a "fighter" because I think of pure fighters as being people who rush head on into the thick of things without thinking through their actions beforehand. If someone gets in their way, the fighter smashes through that person. However, fighters are also very predictable, which allows others to either avoid the fighter or come up with a counter strategy to defeat the fighter.

Why I see myself as the Stalker type is because I like to sit back unnoticed and see the entire playing field while formulating a plan of attack (sort of like a thief hiding in the shadows). Once I come up with a strategy, then I like to make a surprise move against my enemy (sort of like a backstab) that is powerful enough for that person to not be able to retaliate. If, however, my enemy is still able to fight back, then I like to have enough power to be able to hold my own and defeat that person by myself (basically have the strength of a fighter).

This strategy is what I almost always use when I play any sort of game, or make a pathetic attempt at paintball I have also found it useful in many real life applications against any conniving bastards of co-workers, or people who are just out to get me for some reason. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Radek]

Me? A priest - but only in the game [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] My hero is always an archmage but he must be an above average fighter as well. In the game, I rely on weapons supported by powerful defensive magic. If you meet a guy covered with icons from top to toe and with a daedric katana in hand then you can tell him: "Hello, Radek! How are you? ..." [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] On the other hand, I use offensive magic only seldom.

If you meet a real Radek then do not expect a priest. Negate the priest completely if you want to know what you should expect.
I am a theoretical physicist, a mathematician, and an OS/2 programmer.

[jsalsb]

Way back when, in my first AD&D campaign, I started playing a cleric because someone handed me a character. I liked that he could use spells and decent weapons and wear armour. It was a long time before I played anything else. And he was human. But then, when my own personality took over a bit, I switched to playing elves almost exclusively, and mixed classes, like fighter/magic-user/thief, my favourite!

But in the switch to CRPGs my main character is always either an elven ranger or an elven mage. and I rarely switch classes - except to upgrade within a profession (like mage to warlock)

I think the tendency for me is to gravitate towards the type of person I dream of being, not what I actually am doing. I am a development anthropologist by training, but most of my job deals with data analysis and database programming in health research. Not very fantastic or magical.

BUT... What I WANT to be doing is anything on a horse! I grew up with horses, spent summers in canoes and was actually an archery instructor at one point. So you can see the woodland connection there! To me that's the fantasy. That's the allure of playing an elven mage I guess - and elven ranger is obvious too!

[ 04-15-2005, 08:17 AM: Message edited by: jsalsb ]

[Wyvern]

oooo!!! Good topic, Bungleau!!!

I'm an ost.

((what the heck is an ost??))

Osts are small dragons. They are cute, funny and have an inside that is larger than their outsides. They like berries and donuts. They behave like mood rings - their color reflects their mood. They are charming and can accidentally cause problems for their traveling companions or be of immense help.

Too bad I never seem to have the option of playing an ost in computer RPGS.

Years ago I wrote a RPG to be played in online chat. I ran the game for more than a dozen years. I also always played a character in the game: WD (dubbadee), short for Wind Dancer - an ost. Lots of fun to play that character.
One of the major campaigns of the game was to locate the lost Library of the High Culture. The osts were most disappointed but decided that the name was appropriate: LIE BERRY - not a berry to be found anywhere (except in books and you can't eat books).

In other online RPGs (chat games) I tended to play mages or a Samurai. In CRPGs, I tend to like the games where you have a party of characters so I don't have to choose just one profession. I generally out fit a group of 6 as Paladins, Mages and Wizards and a Thief (for locks and chests). When playing a game where I have only one character, I tend to choose the hybred classes - that have a mix of fighting and magical skills.

I have known players that played opposite their real life personallities but have seen far more play true to their personallities. I have done both at one point or another.

I totally dislike the games that want you to choose Lawful, Neutral or Chaos. I always end up going for Neutral in those simply because I don't care for the whole alignment thing. Chaos is often represented as being evil which is contrary to my own beliefs about chaos. To quote the I-Ching: Chaos - where brilliant dreams are born.

[bsftcs]

Why - I am a thief, of course. Just like my occupation in real life.

[Lord]

Who am I? The kind of guy who loves philosophy and long walks on the beach [img]tongue.gif[/img]

No, jk ...needed to stick in a little fun [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 04-15-2005, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: Lord ]

[aleph_null1]

Very interesting, B. Now that you mention it, it does seem that our romantic leanings in games reflect themselves in our lives.

I always play rogues; not necessarily Rogues (in W&W I tend to start a Wizard or Priest & work my way towards Monk / Ninja / Assassin), but a rogue in spirit. Not really theives, but the character who relies on stealth, speed, and swift violence to avoid real combat. Much more likely to avoid a fight than to start one, and the sort to kill before the enemy knows there's a fight on.

By trade, I'm in the Silent Service: a submariner. Currently A-gang officer, marooned stateside away from the fun.

[Mierkos]

Great Topic! I agree with the idea that gamers tend to play characters that are different from their actual selves. The first character I ever played was a thief. The reason was the party I joined needed one. I named him from the letters that came up from the throw of 5 Boggle cubes. He was everything I am not. He will always be my favorite character to play. On the flipside, I do have one character that is almost a mirror image of me--Brother Elias, a monk. I say almost because I have no skills in the martial arts. But Elias is a wise, scholarly,affable, and reserved mentor type, who likes to play around with a strange musical instrument called a guitar.
In real life I'm an English teacher currently on medical leave after an almost deadly bout with menangitis. It is during my recovery that I started playing W&W. I received this game a few years ago when I was at a convention and I won a door prize with all kinds of software in it. Until my illness the only things I used from the door prize was the anti virus program and the grade book program. It's a good thing I'm a pack rat or this recovery would be really boring.