What Makes a Gamer?

[CatCopter]

"Gamer" what a horrible phrase, shudder!.

[Asura]

I've always believed that there's only one thing that makes a gamer, and that's the willingness to suspend disbelief and, for the purpose of entertainment, allow yourself to think that something matters which ultimately doesn't.

I think this is really well illustrated by the South Park episode Make Love, Not Warcraft, when some of the characters are trying to explain to Stan's mother that their in-game characters are going to die. Her response is simple - "So?"

Naturally, Stan's mother is right. It's utterly meaningless that those characters are going to die, in the grand scheme of things. However, as gamers we attach value to the things we've done and the accomplishments we've made that only really make sense to us, and other gamers.

I rolled back two hours of Mass Effect 2 to make sure

->Open Spoiler<-

Garrus

survived, because it mattered to me.

In this respect, all gamers, casual, core, JRPG fanatics, WoW addicts, someone who only plays Angry Birds - we all have this in common. Someone's Farmville farm might matter to them just as much as the crew of the Normandy mattered to me. Just as much as I needed to protect Yhorda, needed to destroy the Colossi, needed to find and kill Sephiroth.

So to me, that's what makes a gamer - the ability and desire to be moved emotionally one moment, and then turn off the screen and go back to your regular life the next.

[gunrock]

Just thought I'd +1 Dogg Thangs post just because everyone else ignored it.

Asura makes a bunch of great points. I identify as a gamer but don't like to do so as gamers are generally asses. I feel the same way about my fave band, The Specials. I always say, the worst thing about The Specials are Specials fans.

[Dogg Thang]

Just thought I'd +1 Dogg Thangs post just because everyone else ignored it.

Aw thanks man. To be fair to everyone else, they probably didn't see it because I'm on their ignore list.

[darkangel]

Anyone who still desperately hopes that Shenmue 3 will happen, still rages over Silent Hill HD remake collection and regards the Dreamcast as one of the best consoles EVAR!!!! Is a gamer in my book. ;p

[dataDave]

No one get offended!

I'm all of those. Apart from the girl ones, and the indecisive one, and the under-age one.

[Guts]

For me personally:
1.
5.
6.
7.
13. (the 90's WERE the golden age of gaming, FACT)
14. (not anymore)
15.
18. (Bethesda ruined Fallout, also a FACT)
19.
22.
23.
26.
27.

[importaku]

Damnit theres no "buys weird quirky import games nobody's heard of" catagory. How the hell am i supposed to fit in?