What type of GEEK are you?

[Pikate]

Obviously, this is a "gaming" site but does anyone else feel like gaming isn't necessarily their passion or why they visit this site? Traditional "Gaming sites" (i.e. IGN etc) don't interest me really, the only sites like that I do visit regularly are The Verge or Kotaku but The Verge is a bit techy (The iPad 3 runs three degrees hotter than the iPad 2!!!! HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!!!!) and Kotaku is a bit US-centric and the comments section usually ends up as a massive argument between idiots (not that I have an account or post there).

So basically the only sites I enjoy regularly for game stuff are Wikipedia and Here. Despite our disagreements over "the merits of the 1970s", "Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2" and "Yoshi's Island being my favourite retro game even though I've never played it" you guys are actually an excellent resource because of your impeccable tastes.

Obviously, I'm a vacuous Apple/Nintendo tart who's tastes revolve around things that come in cute little Japanese Boxes and games which could easily be a part of the Hello Kitty universe. And on the flipside some here are probably the stereo-typical World of Warcraft-playing, Kilingon-speaking, IT 'Dungeon'-dwelling "Nerds". But what is it that we all have in common and come here for?

A lot of us seem to own/covert Japanese stuff so are we just all Japan-o-philes who enjoy getting lost in the exoticism of incomprehensible Kanji and Anime Mascots or does it go deeper and this site caters to people who like good design? My logic being Japanese packaging does tend to be infinitely prettier and some of you seem to be designers/artists and while I'm not myself I do spend an alarming amount of money in IKEA, Selfridges, Chanel on things that serve no purpose that to be pretty. So yeah. Long ramble-aside what kind of geek are YOU? What do you guys think we get here other gaming sites don't give us?

[Charlie]

Yeah, gaming ain't exactly my passion either. There was a time it was, but things change. I don't really visit any other forums or gaming sites on a regular basis so can't say what this site provides over others, I only know many of the members on this site have a phenomenal knowledge of gaming - something I appreciate, furthermore I like several of the personalities on here (incuding many I seldom agree with, many who seemingly don't like me). And that's why I like it here - the mixture of knowledge and personalities.

[Brad]

Good question. I think what separates us from everyone else is that folk here question things more. A game gets a 4/10 across the board. So what? It still might be awesome. maybe everyone else is wrong (and often they are). Discussions might get heated rarely turn into arguments. Moderating this place is - comparatively - a piece of cake most of the time. The trading section is great too, no one trying to gouge people for example. There is great, niche knowledge in abundance here. The number of times I've googled something only to find the first hit takes me right back here.

The quality of writing on here, even just forum posts, trumps most other places too.

All that coupled with a righteous sense of superiority.

I believe the swear filter helps too.

EDIT: Just spotted Charlie's post and I want to second the feeling that there are a few on here who don't really like me but I don't care and I still enjoy reading their posts and views, even when greatly different from my own. On other boards I would have blocked a number of members by now I'm sure, but not here.

[speedlolita]

I agree that traditional gaming sites don't interest me, such as IGN. There's some information that's worthwhile on sites like GameFAQs - but only when I'm stuck on a game. I've never seen the appeal of Kotaku though. I used to post on assemblergames a little when all the obscure stuff was alien to me but now I've seen most of it I have no interest in that site really. Arcade Otaku is another site that's fun to browse just to look at heritage, as I love arcade gaming.

I think a knowledgeable user-base with thoughtful opinions most of the time is why I come here. There also seems to be a very minor barrier to entry which keeps some of the more annoying types of posters away.

In terms of being a geek I'd say I'm a bit of an audio geek, although I don't really have the income to be an audiophile I do like to appreciate what I do own. Looking forwards to buying the amp that my headphones require next month, to fully utilize them although I can't decide if I want a DAC or not. I'd also say I'm a PC geek in that I build my own etc, read reviews and all that. My own personal desktop is personalized for my own use currently and so is near silent as I don't game so require no GPU. My latest laptop I fully restores and upgraded too which I had a lot more fun doing than actually using it so that's neat too. I also read copious amounts of doujinshi, watch a decent amount of anime and spend most of my free time browsing 4chan - the anime and technology boards at least. I tend to spend most, if not all of my money on hardware of some kind or another. Bad habit really.

I think I have more interest in hardware than actually playing games these days oddly enough. I recently restored a VSHG back to it's former glory and now I feel a bit sad that I don't have a project anymore.

Hopefully I'll grab a X68000 that needs a complete board recap somewhen and I'll be able to make that my project.

Now I've begun self indulgent rambling so I shall stop. Kind of interesting topic though.

[prinnysquad]

I don't really post much in the gaming sections. I still love games and have hundreds of them, but unless a game really captures my imagination I'm not too bothered about talking about it. Long gone are the days when I'd get hyped for new titles, bar a few notable exceptions.

I focus more in rambling and ranting in the off-topic section, cussing everything in the football forum, or chatting about films and tv. There's three of us on here who have a combined knowledge of martial art films that could be described as 'reasonably detailed'. Even within that niche topic, however, there's niche-ness. Two of the guys know more about modern entries, whereas I go for older stuff, films that few people have ever heard of. Now that's my geek standard.

[Baseley09]

Pop music is my specialty really, i'm reasonably encyclopedic on late 80's/early 90s systems & AV equipment though I don't consider myself to be a dork, for instance I don't watch modern anime and cringe at the J-drama thread rearing its head on here

[Skull Commander]

I'm not entirely sure what sort of geek category I fall into. Gaming is a huge thing for me, and although it I let it seep into my personality and life it isn't all consuming. I do read a lot about gaming but I don't care for the technical side of things and I'm not one of those people that obsesses over technology (I'm still using a 15 year old Sony behemoth stereo system which is sadly on it's last legs).

The thing that attracted me to this site was the knowledge and the relative maturity compared to other forums. I do refer myself as a bit of a geek, but I think if there was someway of quantifying how much of an overall geek you are I'd be pretty low in the grand scheme of things.

[nakamura]

I love gaming again, had a break from it from about 2004-2009 before it took hold again. I mainly use this place as my first port of call as the members on here are simply brilliant. I don't have a problem with any member on here, even ones I have disagreed with in the past, everyone has a personality that makes this place so fresh.

I certainly don't consider myself a geek in the traditional sense. Yes I love gaming and gaming music but I also love sport, cars, music and so much other 'cool' stuff. The difference is, I don't hide the fact i'm happy to sit in on a saturday night playing Secret of Mana or some other relic from the past (not saying others on here hide it).

[Pikate]

Pop music is my specialty really, i'm reasonably encyclopedic on late 80's/early 90s systems & AV equipment though I don't consider myself to be a dork, for instance I don't watch modern anime and cringe at the J-drama thread rearing its head on here

Yeah, I saw the J-drama thing and was a bit "oh dear, Eastenders in Japanese, sorry that's never going to be cool" but then I read a blog post by Jimmy Choo's son (Jimmy Choo the famous shoe designer, all men get that right?) about how he grew up in London in foster care and was bullied and would play old VHS tapes from Japan in the background and stuff. It was really sad. It's definitely worth a read actually.

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/26094/How+Discovering+Japan+Changed+My+Life.html

[speedlolita]

Danny Choo grew up in London? Didn't know that.

That reminds me of Beckii Cruel for some reason. Of whom I have a signed calender.. :3

[Pikate]

I certainly don't consider myself a geek in the traditional sense. Yes I love gaming and gaming music but I also love sport, cars, music and so much other 'cool' stuff. The difference is, I don't hide the fact i'm happy to sit in on a saturday night playing Secret of Mana or some other relic from the past (not saying others on here hide it).

I actually think it's cool to be a geek these days? As a relatively style conscious young lady I'd say thanks to Urban Outfitters and The Big Bang Theory it's cooler to have a Game Boy and a MacBook Pro than it is to have a souped up Toyota and a Man U season ticket... Those people are the new nerds I think (Fast and Furious type crowds are basically the modern day Street Fighter Tournament)...

Like the song says... "Milky Bar Kid got me melting, Sugar, with that geek-chic all the way" ...or something I dunno, I like Arctic Monkeys et al myself.

[nakamura]

I used to have a 'souped up Toyota'.

[Charlie]

I actually think it's cool to be a geek these days?

What's cool, in my opinion, is being yourself. Doesn't matter what it entails, whether it measures up with society's expectations or definition of cool, whether it means being masculine or feminine, traditional or unconventional, or whatever. It's always cooler to be who you are than someone you ain't.

[Baseley09]

Yeah, I saw the J-drama thing and was a bit "oh dear, Eastenders in Japanese, sorry that's never going to be cool" but then I read a blog post by Jimmy Choo's son (Jimmy Choo the famous shoe designer, all men get that right?) about how he grew up in London in foster care and was bullied and would play old VHS tapes from Japan in the background and stuff. It was really sad. It's definitely worth a read actually.

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/260...d+My+Life.html

That is an interesting read, and he's interested in some cool things, but for some reason I findthe geekdome that surrounds swapping your culture out for another (particularly Japanorama), the ultimate low in uncoolness. Each to their own and all that.

I'm all for people being deeply interested in niche past times, but the point where it effects your general being or the presentation/identity of yourself, is beyond the pale.

[ETC]

I don't really post much in the gaming sections. I still love games and have hundreds of them, but unless a game really captures my imagination I'm not too bothered about talking about it. Long gone are the days when I'd get hyped for new titles, bar a few notable exceptions.

I focus more in rambling and ranting in the off-topic section, cussing everything in the football forum, or chatting about films and tv. There's three of us on here who have a combined knowledge of martial art films that could be described as 'reasonably detailed'. Even within that niche topic, however, there's niche-ness. Two of the guys know more about modern entries, whereas I go for older stuff, films that few people have ever heard of. Now that's my geek standard.

Being a Sunderland fan you need to take the mick out of everyone in the football thread and you forgot BEER!

I guess my Geek on is cooking and baking and the gadgets to do it. You want to know the temperature yeast needs to be to make perfect bread I'm the guy you want to know where to buy the cheapest Sous Vide cooker I can tell you heh heh. I think this place works as everyone in general gives everyone the space to act the fool or serious and doesn't judge them for having differences. The average member of here seems to have a higher IQ than most other forums and I for one like that