Gaming Pride / Gaming Shame

[FunkBGR]

I hide it. I don't come across as a gamer, or even really a nerd when people first meet me.

I close the door to my game room when it's not in use, and don't show it to people who visit my place.

I work with a number of engineers, and if conversation ever steers toward something remotely dorky, I play dumb.

It's not that I don't embrace my geek. It's just not something I share willingly with others.

 

[Obryn]

I haven't ever hidden my gaming for any extended lengths of time. I quite seriously don't worry about it. It's never defined my social life. Even though I've moved in circles with plenty of gamers, they've largely been of the socially-competent-fun-to-party-with variety.

Back in high school, my buddies and I were known as gamers. They're still my closest friends.

In college, I simply didn't game much, but never hid my love of RPGs, sci-fi, and fantasy. I played more MtG than RPGs, honestly.

Grad school? I made some of my best friends through gaming - and only because I was pretty up-front about it.

Later in life, most of my friends were in various geeky circles through Belegarth. That's a medieval fighting organization; if you've been to Gen Con and you've seen Edhellen Armories, that was a huge part of my life for 8 years. Not everyone was into D&D, but it was hardly anomalous. (I'd say Warhammer FB and 40K were a tad more popular with the Belegarth crowd, though.)

When I signed up on eHarmony, I noted gaming in my profile. And met my wife anyways, even though she is not herself a gamer.

Mind you, I don't have big posters of dragons and wizards in my cube at work, but that's mostly because that crap is tacky. Otherwise, I've never been ashamed of my hobbies and interests.

-O

 

[Ander00]

I don't go and shove the fact into everyone's faces but I'll certainly not try to hide it. The miniatures are out in plain sight, and so forth.


cheers

 

[garyh]

No shame here. When you enter my house, my RPG books take up the top several shelves of the bookshelf you immediately see. And I've sat in my lunchroom at work reading the 4e books when I first got them.

Of course, I also sit in the lunchroom and read fantasy and sci-fi novels and graphic novels. One of the senior types here who had noticed me (re)-reading Lord of the Rings and mentioned he liked Tolkein asked me about the 4e PHB when he saw me reading it, and asked what my wife thought of D&D. "She's playing a halfling rogue," I replied.

So yeah, I don't hide my D&D/fantasy/sci-fi/comic geekery at all. I don't go out and proseletize, but I don't hesitate to talk about it if asked. Maybe it's because I'm 29 and was too young to be into D&D or notice when the Pulling stuff was airing on 60 Minutes, and when I got into fantasy and D&D in junior high / high school, Werewolf and Vampire were already out and making their own waves.

 

[fba827]

I am completely in the gamer-closet.

Family, Coworkers, and friends do not know.

Whether it is all in my head or real, some just wouldn't understand, some would consider me more of a nerd, and some would just think me weird.

 

[OneWinged4ngel]

The first thing people see when they walk into my apartment is a wall and bookshelves full of RPG and gaming stuff. It's right there when you open the door. Why would anyone be ashamed of it and actively hide or conceal their nature? The idea seems silly if not outright dishonest to me.

 

[Aus_Snow]

No shame whatsoever, but nonetheless, I still don't advertise the fact that I'm a roleplayer. Except, on occasion, to fellow geeks of whatever stripe(s).

No, if my life is the subject at hand, I'll generally go for current endeavours, plans and complications, (other) creative areas I'm involved in, and have been, the 'proper' jobs I've had, other kinds of work I've done, and various other qualifications and experiences post-secondary schooling (e.g., uni.) Even the not so great bits and pieces - that doesn't bother me - or other people - much.

RPGs just don't make the grade, 9/10 times. Again, this is not because I have any issues with the hobby, but because so many people can turn out to be weird about it.

I have wondered why that's so. Then it occurred to me that, well, it's pretty weird itself, by most standards. So fair enough, and I play along for the most part. People > hobby.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I tend to hide it socially. I'm really not comfortable talking about it to non-gamers, even if I never was teased because of this hobby. I still consider D&D as incredibly nerdy, and maybe I'm being elitist in a weird way, but "normal people don't want nothing to do with D&D".

My stuff is not hidden at home (my minis and books are on shelves in my study), but even if people ask me about it, I'm a very reluctant talker. "It's a game, you wouldn't be interested".

Eh. I don't know where all of this comes from.

AR

 

[Sunderstone]

I am completely in the gamer-closet.

Family, Coworkers, and friends do not know.

Whether it is all in my head or real, some just wouldn't understand, some would consider me more of a nerd, and some would just think me weird.

^this

I do run a WoW horde guild though and it seems that many "used to play" and I suspect some still do (only 2 of my guildies are out of the closet so to speak).

edit*** Kind of weird but Im ok with people knowing I play computer games or the PS3. When it comes to tabletop RPGs its almost like I lead a double life. Always had two sets of friends for over 25+ years. Occasionally they would mix at a party or something, of course RPG gaming never comes up though.

 

[haakon1]

I'm out of the closet, but I don't advertise it.

When I was called for jury duty and the judge asked us to state our hobbies during voir dire, I stated "computer games and D&D". I'm not sure anyone knew there's a difference, but nobody seemed to react.

Of course, this being a King County court room -- King County, WA being where WOTC, Paizo, Microsoft, Nintendo, Penny Arcade, etc. are located -- saying you're a gamer is not a shocking relevation.