Gamer Community

[Homburg]

I started gaming when I was eight. I'm thirty-six.

I cut my teeth on AD&D and basic D&D, and moved on from there to a variety of other games. I think I was around seventeen or so when I started painting miniatures, and have been doing it since.

I make side money off my painting now, and used to run a painting service. It actually made enough money to support me, but that was while I was in college so it wasn't like I was paying rent. Still, I did pay all the rest of my bills with my paintbrush. Not a bad deal.

I've played just about every genre out there, and run most of them. For a while, I had a penchant for really obscure games, so I can talk Synnibar (you'd think I would spell the name of the most insane game ever right as I still own the book), Empire of the Petal Throne, Powers and Perils, and even a little bit of Jorune.

I have something of a weakness for heroic gaming. I don't get into evil gaming, aside from WoD. Not my bag. Villainy is too easy.

I got into EQ in 99, back when there were only a few servers. I don't remember why I picked Quellious, but I'm glad I did. Even though I've not logged into EQ in many years, there are people that I met on Quellious that I will call "friend" until the day I die. Hell, I even logged into WoW for a while just to hang out with said friends when they moved over to it.

And I am SO not a powergamer. My barb shaman in EQ had the magical ability to predict when Sony was going to raise the level cap, as he would hit max and the announcement that the cap was going up would hit no more than two weeks later. I had some greats alts though =)

I could tell stupid gamer stories for weeks. No extra-curricular activity in my life has both eaten and enriched as much of my time as gaming.

 

[Recidiva]

I started gaming when I was eight. I'm thirty-six.

I cut my teeth on AD&D and basic D&D, and moved on from there to a variety of other games. I think I was around seventeen or so when I started painting miniatures, and have been doing it since.

I make side money off my painting now, and used to run a painting service. It actually made enough money to support me, but that was while I was in college so it wasn't like I was paying rent. Still, I did pay all the rest of my bills with my paintbrush. Not a bad deal.

I've played just about every genre out there, and run most of them. For a while, I had a penchant for really obscure games, so I can talk Synnibar (you'd think I would spell the name of the most insane game ever right as I still own the book), Empire of the Petal Throne, Powers and Perils, and even a little bit of Jorune.

I have something of a weakness for heroic gaming. I don't get into evil gaming, aside from WoD. Not my bag. Villainy is too easy.

I got into EQ in 99, back when there were only a few servers. I don't remember why I picked Quellious, but I'm glad I did. Even though I've not logged into EQ in many years, there are people that I met on Quellious that I will call "friend" until the day I die. Hell, I even logged into WoW for a while just to hang out with said friends when they moved over to it.

And I am SO not a powergamer. My barb shaman in EQ had the magical ability to predict when Sony was going to raise the level cap, as he would hit max and the announcement that the cap was going up would hit no more than two weeks later. I had some greats alts though =)

I could tell stupid gamer stories for weeks. No extra-curricular activity in my life has both eaten and enriched as much of my time as gaming.

I started gaming when I was...I can't count. Forever. And I'm 42.

I remember playing Adventure. "You are in a maze of twisty little passages."

I don't think computer gaming goes much further back than that. Getting a floppy disc from someone.

Zork, Adventure, Planetfall! Bard's tale, Wizardry, "King's Quest" on the PCjr.

 

[Arkhilokhus]

I do like variety, but I like my variety in DPS classes. I hate having to hit the same buttons, in the same order, over and over. I like to play with my food.

I tend to really enjoy Elementalist mages for that reason, and Hybrid Druids. Rogues are too limited to be really fun. Shadowpriests have too few tools.

And a lot of my dithering in Warcraft, I think, I due to the inability to play my preferred character - the Ranger, a steathy archer type. I remember walking around with my Hunter muttering, "What kind of Hunter can't freaking STALK?!"

 

[Recidiva]

I do like variety, but I like my variety in DPS classes. I hate having to hit the same buttons, in the same order, over and over. I like to play with my food.

I tend to really enjoy Elementalist mages for that reason, and Hybrid Druids. Rogues are too limited to be really fun. Shadowpriests have too few tools.

And a lot of my dithering in Warcraft, I think, I due to the inability to play my preferred character - the Ranger, a steathy archer type. I remember walking around with my Hunter muttering, "What kind of Hunter can't freaking STALK?!"

I made a night elf, so I could at least shadowmeld.

I favored night elves and undead.

Shadowmeld and cannibalize were just too cool to pass up.

 

[Arkhilokhus]

I started gaming when I was...I can't count. Forever. And I'm 42.

I remember playing Adventure. "You are in a maze of twisty little passages."

I don't think computer gaming goes much further back than that. Getting a floppy disc from someone.

Zork, Adventure, Planetfall! Bard's tale, Wizardry, "King's Quest" on the PCjr.

Zork is the gold standard. God, the hours I spent trying to figure out how to get through a doorway. "S" "There is a door in the way." "Open Door" "The Door is locked" "Unlock Door" "Unlock Door with what" "Unlock door with key" "..." "S" "There is a door in the way" *head explodes*

 

[Recidiva]

Zork is the gold standard. God, the hours I spent trying to figure out how to get through a doorway. "S" "There is a door in the way." "Open Door" "The Door is locked" "Unlock Door" "Unlock Door with what" "Unlock door with key" "..." "S" "There is a door in the way" *head explodes*

I know! I'm perversely attracted to games that do that. But also really quick to look up the answers once I've hit my frustration factor limit. At least now there's gamer-supported forums where I can look it up for free.

I used to call the help lines and PAY for hints.

 

[Arkhilokhus]

I know! I'm perversely attracted to games that do that. But also really quick to look up the answers once I've hit my frustration factor limit. At least now there's gamer-supported forums where I can look it up for free.

I used to call the help lines and PAY for hints.

Sometimes you just need to walk away. Computers are too expensive to throw.

 

[Homburg]

i am a new recruit to the world of rpg, and i am loving it. we just finished a d+d game, in which i took my character all the way through 20th level. freaky powerful, that.

some great inside jokes came out of it.

Oddly enough, this is the first time I've ever run a D&D game straight through from first level all the way to twenty. And it was the first time I've had a 3E game go over eleventh level or so. I'm usually much more into lower level campaigns. Small parties level up faster though, especially when you are gaming five nights out of seven in a week on average, for a couple of hours each night.

 

[Recidiva]

Sometimes you just need to walk away. Computers are too expensive to throw.

I did eventually walk away from entire genres.

Now I don't really play first person shooters or platformers. Anything that has to do with timed jumping or fast reflexes.

I do remember getting to the end of one of the Zelda games after a freaking insane amount of timed jumping and just not being able to kill the boss.

Up to that point I had really JUST KEPT GOING beyond all reason or sanity until I WON.

But that was a serious "FUCK THAT" moment.

 

[Homburg]

I started gaming when I was...I can't count. Forever. And I'm 42.

I remember playing Adventure. "You are in a maze of twisty little passages."

I don't think computer gaming goes much further back than that. Getting a floppy disc from someone.

Zork, Adventure, Planetfall! Bard's tale, Wizardry, "King's Quest" on the PCjr.

Oh, I played me some Zork and Adventure. I'm surprised to see Planetfall on that list. I figured I was one of the few people left that played that game. And I SUCKED at it. Could never figure out how to do anything. Same with the Hitchhikers Guide text game. HOURS of ranting frustration...

I adored Bard's Tale though. I can still hear those songs beeping out of my Apple //e speakers. Heck, I could probably remember my characters' names. Other great classics were Car Wars, Centauri Fist (another game nobody else seems to have heard of), and Wasteland.

Wasteland was probably my all-time classic old game favourite. I even ran a couple of Gamma World games in that setting. Also ran a short Star Hero game in the Centauri Fist setting. The Wasteland game was particularly good, as the PC's were a "Ranger" patrol, and were looking for a name for their patrol. In their first travail outside the Ranger Compound, they found a box of canned nacho cheese dip. Given the rather limited choice of foods and taste in a post-apocalyptic society, this was a big deal. One of the PC's was even a particular type of New-Man that had an enhanced sense of taste and a penchant for wanting new foods. They wind up bringing the case (sans cans that they ate) back to the Ranger Compound, and bartering about half of it away for gear and political favour. The New-Man PC gave three cans to his direct superior as a bribe, as said superior was the same sort of New Man.

Suffice to say that it was not long before they were "Nacho Patrol." This lead to a line of really, ahem, cheesy jokes...

 

[Arkhilokhus]

Oddly enough, this is the first time I've ever run a D&D game straight through from first level all the way to twenty. And it was the first time I've had a 3E game go over eleventh level or so. I'm usually much more into lower level campaigns. Small parties level up faster though, especially when you are gaming five nights out of seven in a week on average, for a couple of hours each night.

The first campaign I ran was a Dragonlance campaign. Took us all through High School, basically, to get to 20. Good times.

The best time I've ever had with tabletop, though, was a GURPS Supers game where we all played ourselves, then got superpowers. The roleplaying of trying to figure out what our powers were was hilarious ("Hey, maybe you're invulnerable. Hold on, lemme go get a knife."). That was also the last summer before the four of us each went our own ways. Fond memories of that summer.

 

[Recidiva]

Oh, I played me some Zork and Adventure. I'm surprised to see Planetfall on that list. I figured I was one of the few people left that played that game. And I SUCKED at it. Could never figure out how to do anything. Same with the Hitchhikers Guide text game. HOURS of ranting frustration...

I adored Bard's Tale though. I can still hear those songs beeping out of my Apple //e speakers. Heck, I could probably remember my characters' names. Other great classics were Car Wars, Centauri Fist (another game nobody else seems to have heard of), and Wasteland.

Wasteland was probably my all-time classic old game favourite. I even ran a couple of Gamma World games in that setting. Also ran a short Star Hero game in the Centauri Fist setting. The Wasteland game was particularly good, as the PC's were a "Ranger" patrol, and were looking for a name for their patrol. In their first travail outside the Ranger Compound, they found a box of canned nacho cheese dip. Given the rather limited choice of foods and taste in a post-apocalyptic society, this was a big deal. One of the PC's was even a particular type of New-Man that had an enhanced sense of taste and a penchant for wanting new foods. They wind up bringing the case (sans cans that they ate) back to the Ranger Compound, and bartering about half of it away for gear and political favour. The New-Man PC gave three cans to his direct superior as a bribe, as said superior was the same sort of New Man.

Suffice to say that it was not long before they were "Nacho Patrol." This lead to a line of really, ahem, cheesy jokes...

I LOVED Bard's Tale and Wizardry. Major causes of sleep deprivation.

I can still type TILTOWAIT really fast.

But that's not unique because now I can type everything really fast.

 

[Homburg]

The first campaign I ran was a Dragonlance campaign. Took us all through High School, basically, to get to 20. Good times.

The best time I've ever had with tabletop, though, was a GURPS Supers game where we all played ourselves, then got superpowers. The roleplaying of trying to figure out what our powers were was hilarious ("Hey, maybe you're invulnerable. Hold on, lemme go get a knife."). That was also the last summer before the four of us each went our own ways. Fond memories of that summer.

Heh, I've done a couple of those play-yourself games. The best was one where a friend sprang it on us one day as a pick-up game. He said we could have only the equipment we had on us, or in our cars. This was SUCH an error. I had all sorts of things on me, but had enough gear to survive a week in the woods comfortably. And, being a gamer, had a few hand-weapons in the car as well. Fortunately, these days I can explain away some of the rather dangerous looking 'tools' as stuff for work.

--

I LOVED Bard's Tale and Wizardry. Major causes of sleep deprivation.

I can still type TILTOWAIT really fast.

But that's not unique because now I can type everything really fast.

Heh, yeah, I don't know "how" to type as I've never taken a course, but I get the job done pretty darned well. Online gaming helps. My typos, however, can be epic...

 

[WriterDom]

I'm glad I grew up when there were no home computers and only three channels on the tv. Games were something for rainy days. If we weren't in school we were outside. You don't see kids playing outside much any more.

And there was no fear back then. We could pretty much do what we wanted.

 

[Recidiva]

I'm glad I grew up when there were no home computers and only three channels on the tv. Games were something for rainy days. If we weren't in school we were outside. You don't see kids playing outside much any more.

And there was no fear back then. We could pretty much do what we wanted.

My dad worked for IBM, so we had one of the first PCs available.

But I spent my summers in a cabin with no TV or phone, much less hooked up.

I had extremes of both worlds.

 

[Homburg]

Computers were not a significant part of my life until junior high or thereabouts. The Atari 2600 came out around the time I was in middle school though, so that ate some time. Really though, I still got out and played a lot. Lots of open spaces, safe enough environment, etc.

My neighbourhood is not too conducive to kidplay. Out front is the street which is a mess of basically blind corners, and people drive way too fast on them. Out back is an unofficial swamp. I have no clue what to do about the wetness problem out there, but rain within the past week or so means the back yard has standing water in it. Not fun for the kids. The get to play at my mom's place, but that's on the weekends. Other than that, we have to take them to the park to really get the proper space to play.

Tabletop RPG's were a great thing for me. I loved to read, and was happy to just curl up with a book. Gaming let me feed that impulse socially.

 

[Arkhilokhus]

Tabletop RPG's were a great thing for me. I loved to read, and was happy to just curl up with a book. Gaming let me feed that impulse socially.

I'll second that. RPGs gave a lot of kids who otherwise would have been pretty much loners a reason to be social.

 

[Recidiva]

I'll second that. RPGs gave a lot of kids who otherwise would have been pretty much loners a reason to be social.

I end up being antisocial in games anyway though.

Last time I tried a table top group I had a DM who favored his wife - an immortal bard who had a unicorn and every cool thing available to fantasy. She never died. Ever. If she did, someone would find a miracle under a rock that could bring only her back to life.

The rest of us had to schlep around with him telling mages that only have access to lightning spells that they're standing in water.

I eventually stopped going when the wizard to my left and the warrior to my right kept passing notes asking me out and getting themselves killed for my sake because the DM kept trying to kill off all the female competition because his wife was looking at him with THAT look.

 

[MisterSir]

You know, with the amount of gamers here we could probably muster a pretty adequate group. I'd be down for it if somebody could teach me D&D.

Also, since I was thinking more in terms of video gaming than anything else, I also play Warhammer 40K. Have done since I was about 12, on and off, but I only have a small army currently - all the rest has been given away, thrown away or stolen, quite possibly because they were...not painted well.

 

[Arkhilokhus]

I end up being antisocial in games anyway though.

Last time I tried a table top group I had a DM who favored his wife - an immortal bard who had a unicorn and every cool thing available to fantasy. She never died. Ever. If she did, someone would find a miracle under a rock that could bring only her back to life.

The rest of us had to schlep around with him telling mages that only have access to lightning spells that they're standing in water.

I eventually stopped going when the wizard to my left and the warrior to my right kept passing notes asking me out and getting themselves killed for my sake because the DM kept trying to kill off all the female competition because his wife was looking at him with THAT look.

That would make a lot of people antisocial, I think.

It does remind me of a guy that joined my Dragonlance campaign for one session. He insisted on playing his female 150th level Cleric. I rolled with it, and had his character ambushed. While she was beating the intial attack to a pulp, a half-elven Cleric/Thief snuck up behind her and hit her with a Harm spell. She went from however many thousands of hitpoints to 3. Then a Wizard cast a fireball. She made her save, but still got half damage. Dead.

I handed him an extra set of dice and the Player's Guide and told him to make a new character. Strangely enough, I never saw him again.

 

[Recidiva]

You know, with the amount of gamers here we could probably muster a pretty adequate group. I'd be down for it if somebody could teach me D&D.

Also, since I was thinking more in terms of video gaming than anything else, I also play Warhammer 40K. Have done since I was about 12, on and off, but I only have a small army currently - all the rest has been given away, thrown away or stolen, quite possibly because they were...not painted well.

The "outside world" concept of gamers is that they're obsessed with dice and rules and gaming. And some people are like that.

But the folks I hang out with just have an excess of creative energy and are out there being silly and thoughtful and having fun.

 

[Recidiva]

That would make a lot of people antisocial, I think.

It does remind me of a guy that joined my Dragonlance campaign for one session. He insisted on playing his female 150th level Cleric. I rolled with it, and had his character ambushed. While she was beating the intial attack to a pulp, a half-elven Cleric/Thief snuck up behind her and hit her with a Harm spell. She went from however many thousands of hitpoints to 3. Then a Wizard cast a fireball. She made her save, but still got half damage. Dead.

I handed him an extra set of dice and the Player's Guide and told him to make a new character. Strangely enough, I never saw him again.

Did you ever read the "Dream Park" series?

Awesome books. Has gamer mentality DOWN. I loved them.

 

[Homburg]

I'll second that. RPGs gave a lot of kids who otherwise would have been pretty much loners a reason to be social.

Absolutely. Gamers are some of the least social socialble people I've met. Thankfully MMORPG's have given us the chance to hide away in our caves while having a pretense of being social. Perfect solution to that "I don't want to get out of my Superman underoos today" problem.

--

I end up being antisocial in games anyway though.

Last time I tried a table top group I had a DM who favored his wife - an immortal bard who had a unicorn and every cool thing available to fantasy. She never died. Ever. If she did, someone would find a miracle under a rock that could bring only her back to life.

The rest of us had to schlep around with him telling mages that only have access to lightning spells that they're standing in water.

I eventually stopped going when the wizard to my left and the warrior to my right kept passing notes asking me out and getting themselves killed for my sake because the DM kept trying to kill off all the female competition because his wife was looking at him with THAT look.

Wow, that is pretty much grounds for a stabbin. GM's shouldn't suck that bad, or at least that blatantly.

--

You know, with the amount of gamers here we could probably muster a pretty adequate group. I'd be down for it if somebody could teach me D&D.

Probably. It's fairly easy. I won't touch the current edition though. *blech*

Its easy to play through the net with a small group. Less so when it gets larger. Much less so when some people are using mac and others PC. There are a few pieces of software that apparently work very well (Battlegrounds is one, IIRC). I would guess that people set up a Teamspeak style server to go along with that. I've got a friend that uses similar software in her tabletop game. She's a bit control freakish though, and is the type to sit for hours plotting everythign out minutely. I'm mor elikely to write a half sheet's worth of cryptic notes and run everything else off the top of my head.

Also, since I was thinking more in terms of video gaming than anything else, I also play Warhammer 40K. Have done since I was about 12, on and off, but I only have a small army currently - all the rest has been given away, thrown away or stolen, quite possibly because they were...not painted well.

Simple Green is your friend. Most acrylics will leave off once they've been soaked in Simple Green for a few days. Then some scrubbing with a toothbrush under warm running water will take the paint off.

 

[Homburg]

Did you ever read the "Dream Park" series?

Awesome books. Has gamer mentality DOWN. I loved them.

I read two of them, Dream Park itself and the one with the Weight-loss story. Were there more?

And there was a game that came out based on that series. I found the idea a hoot, as you were running a game about a park where people run holographic games. Not quite as meta-meta-game as "Killers" was, but still neat. And, well, far less incredibly depressing than "Killers". I love John Tynes, but sometimes he's a bit dark even for my taste.

 

[myinnerslut]

I end up being antisocial in games anyway though.

Last time I tried a table top group I had a DM who favored his wife - an immortal bard who had a unicorn and every cool thing available to fantasy. She never died. Ever. If she did, someone would find a miracle under a rock that could bring only her back to life.

The rest of us had to schlep around with him telling mages that only have access to lightning spells that they're standing in water.

I eventually stopped going when the wizard to my left and the warrior to my right kept passing notes asking me out and getting themselves killed for my sake because the DM kept trying to kill off all the female competition because his wife was looking at him with THAT look.

and this would be the anomaly known as the "GM's girlfriend"?