"Gamer"

By dysphorique. 27/07/11, 09:48 pm

All you video game fans/enthusiasts - or should I say, gamers, how do you all feel about being labelled as a "gamer"?

I personally, quite dislike the term. When someone mentions the word "gamer", a kid yelling into his xbox mic immediately comes to mind.
For some time, I limited myself to F2P MMORPGs, and thought I didn't 'deserve' the label. After branching out to other genres, I realized how much I hate the term, "gamer".

If it's the case of a "professional gamer", then I suppose I'll let it off.

Sorry if this has already been brought up before haha;;

By Lowkey. 27/07/11, 10:08 pm

Okay, uhm, what else are we going to call ourselves?

A painter paints. A gardener gardens. A reader reads. A gamer games. Just because there is a negative stereotype about our culture doesn't mean the term is inherently offensive. You can't let negative stereotypes chase you out of a perfectly reasonable descriptor for what we are.

By mystix-candy. 27/07/11, 10:17 pm

It's not like there'a anything else we can call ourselves.
But I do understand where you're coming from ^ ^"

My younger brother was playing MW2 earlier today and you could hear all these little kids talking into their mics B| So much for being M16 or whatever.

I guess it's just something we have to deal with? D:

By Yush. 27/07/11, 10:18 pm

Positive synonyms = Beast, boss. (Jk)

Haha,
Well actually the kid yelling into his mic would be called the 'noob'...so...yeah.

By dysphorique. 27/07/11, 10:24 pm

@Lowkey
A video game enthusiast/fan, I suppose. Iunno, I just sorta cringe when I hear/see it x_x; I guess it's for the sake of convenience since "video game fan" is fairly long.

@Yush
U kno it ;D
Haha but yeah iunno, it's probably the way the term's being thrown around.

The term "girl gamer" irks me on many levels, too .___.

By Lowkey. 27/07/11, 10:26 pm

By dysphorique. 27/07/11, 10:38 pm

I wouldn't call someone who nerdrages, a noob - honestly, I believe anyone who communicates with other players whilst playing a game has at least once raged/yelled into their mic Dx

... I think I'm kind of contradicting myself now =o= Maybe my spite towards the term 'gamer' is unjustifiable and unreasonable OTL

By Sorien. 28/07/11, 12:10 am

I can't really add too much more to this conversation. I agree that the term gamer has negative connotations, and there's not too much you can do about it. I'm sure that people who are bi/homosexual and hear the word 'gay' thrown around get agitated with that too.

Gaming is definitely becoming more mainstream however, I think that's why conventions like Armageddon are tending to get a different audience from the standard anime/manga fans. One term which I find to be somewhat more offensive than gamer, is "Casual Gamer". It suggests that you've dabbled in gaming, but really aren't committed to it, kinda do things willy-nilly. Then there's "hardcore gamers"...I guess that's maybe more what your association goes with, yeah?

By dysphorique. 28/07/11, 12:31 am

Eh, now that you bring the whole "gay" thing up, maybe I am being too problematic about it xD

I'm somewhat fine with the term "casual gamer", though to me it means someone who plays a game for not many hours a day, if every day at all. Or maybe someone who plays casual games like PvZ o 3o

"Hardcore Gamer" is just... eugh. In this case, you're either a 'gamer', or a 'professional gamer' - who gets paid to play (or has participated/won gaming events etc, I haven't really looked into professional gaming so I'm not too sure what the exact definition is)

By Pyro. 28/07/11, 12:47 am

I use gamer-- I think it's a perfectly legitimate term, for the reasons outlined by Ithurial above. I also use the term casual gamer, mostly because I think it's a reasonable way to discern between the people who play PvZ and Singstar, and the people who play Final Fantasy and Halo.

The term I don't 'get' is 'hardcore gamer'. It seems like every definition of hardcore gamer is different and thus, the term irks me a bit. See, everyone has a different usage of it based on their standpoint. I'm a hardcore gamer to the girl playing PvZ, but to the visual novel enthusiast I am a lower being not worthy of the term. And it's generally a term of admonishment, in that if you're branded with it by others, they're usually being spiteful and if others use it on themselves, they're probably putting down your own gaming abilities.

So that's the term that annoys me-- I am cool with being a gamer, and I understand that casual gamer is a legitimate 'thing'. Professional gamer is a career, so that's obviously legit. But hardcore gamer is just bad whatever the usage. :/

And there's my 2c.

By dysphorique. 28/07/11, 01:28 am

Usually anyone who labels themselves with "hardcore ___" irritates me, to be honest .-.

'Gamer' is perfectly fine, technically -- a painter paints, a worker works, etc. I was wondering what everyone thought of the term, whether or not you guys shy away from it for various reasons, such as the stereotype(s). Personally I don't feel the need to label oneself in such a way, unless you're a professional gamer, which is essentially your occupation, I guess.

By XOrengenOX. 28/07/11, 01:39 am

I'm a gamer and proud, bro.

By Lowkey. 28/07/11, 01:43 am

By sweet georgia brown. 28/07/11, 02:12 am

i don't think it's something to be proud of

it's an immutable fact. you're either play games or you don't; unless the act of playing games strikes you as worthy of pride somehow this seems kinda weird

hardcore gamer isn't a term i've ever heard being thrown around negatively, but that's probably largely because most people i keep company of are gamers to some degree

imo it's more of a mindset thing

though both hardcore and other gamers might play metal slug, only the hardcore one is going to try to 1cc it or see what the smallest amount of jumps you can use to get through the game is. a hardcore gamer is going to learn the infinites in king of fighters or get through panzer dragoon using only basewing, while a standard one will be content with clocking the game or getting all the achievements

whatever though the term is still pretty dumb and thrown around way too much by the gaming press
just to signify like
a hard game
or one that is vaguely 'arcadey'

also it is used as a label, as is 'skateboarder'. which doesn't mean that when someone calls you or themselves a gamer they mean anything more than 'plays videogames' and if they do they're probably kinda ignorant or being post-ironic

also labeling yourself is gay as heck
don't do that at any point ever

By dysphorique. 28/07/11, 02:27 am

I don't see myself associated to any 'things' which describe what one does, so it's probably why I'm having trouble understanding others' viewpoints. I personally wouldn't be proud of a label I've put on myself -- I hate labelling myself, really. But that's just me, so I respect the fact that you take pride in being a gamer, XOrengenOX =w=

But I agree with sweet georgia brown, I really don't understand the need to label oneself at any point :/

I appreciate your opinions ^^ I've had my mind on this for a while and this thread's made me realize that I've been somewhat closed-minded -- shying away from a term due to its stereotypes and disliking labelling oneself are two different things, I've realized.