Life and the Game

[Abciximab]

Let's see... Throughout my gaming history I've been...

Student/fast food employee
Military
Student/Computer Software Retail Salesman

Now I work in healthcare. Of the people I have gamed with (a rather long list) the ones I know...

A few GI's (of course)
2 in Law enforcement
2 Biologists
Loan Officer
At least 3 Teachers
Electrical Engineer
Civil Engineer

 

[Sordath]

Currently finance analyst in banking, formerly back office investment operations.

Dream job: Fisherman in the British Virgin Islands with a little cafe bar near the beach =)

 

[the_bruiser]

Investment Banker / Leveraged Finance earlier in my career. Now I'm involved in oversight / management of fixed income trading operations (corp bonds, rates, commodities, fx, CDS, CLO/CDO, etc.).

Yeah, my institution helped ruin Christmas, but we're a small shop in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Wik]

Hunh. Interesting idea.

Currently, I work as a low-level grunt in the government. My job is to pull files, and do entry level data stuff. (I'm in my mid-twenties). My branch deals with monitoring security guards, private eyes, and the like. I really don't do much relating to that, though - I just pull files.

That being said, I hope to soon start training to become a paramedic (and maybe more, down the road). I was supposed to start today, but the course got cancelled a few days ago, so it's been pushed back to mid May. After that, I dunno... I may get a free ticket into school, and finish up my Anthropology degree or something. It's all in the air, right now.

I've also worked janitorial (yuck), Fast food (not quite as bad), and in a deli in a grocery chain (actually kind of fun, plus now I know a lot about cheese. Like, a LOT). Plus a couple of other mini-jobs (during high school, I was actually an editor/writer for a local travel magazine).

Now, the more important part of the question. Gaming.

I prefer rules-light games with a bit of freedom for the GM to "wing it". I really enjoy DMing horror games, or mystery games - but I'm not picky. My favourite genre of play is definitely post-apocalyptic, though I also love any "gritty" survival-based game.... DARK SUN is my favourite campaign setting for D&D.

As a player, I enjoy a bit more "crunch" in the rules (I'd rather play D&D than run it - for all editions). My favourite class is spellthief, because it is a versatile class that requires on the spot thinking, and more than a little creativity. I like characters who have to think outside the box to get things done. Personality-wise, my characters tend to be a bit abrasive... or have some other major character fault. I define my PCs by their faults, not by their strengths.

Recently, I've played a cowardly wizard, a sarcastic mage, a greedy dwarf, and I'm about to play a cynical spellthief. If I don't play such "flawed" characters, I have a tendency to take charge of things too much, and I don't like it when I do that. So, I deliberately play characters that make the rest of the group seem cooler by comparison. (this changes a bit in internet-based games, where I have time to "calm down" and not immediately take charge).

 

[Ycore Rixle]

My only career has been as a teacher. Right now I teach high school physics, but I've taught everything from 5th-grade computer science to 12th grade calculus. I've also freelanced for companies ranging from WOTC to NASA. So I checked the science, liberal arts, and private business boxes.

 

[Jack7]

My branch deals with monitoring security guards, private eyes, and the like. I really don't do much relating to that, though - I just pull files.

You're not missing much.

So I checked the science, liberal arts, and private business boxes.

That'll work.

Yeah, my institution helped ruin Christmas,

Well Bruiser, nobody's perfect...

Dream job: Fisherman in the British Virgin Islands with a little cafe bar near the beach =)

You and me both. You and me both...

 

[Jack7]

Something I find really interesting is that Art and Business are running neck and neck for second place and have been since the beginning of the poll.

A couple of other related ideas occurred to me when reading some of your responses:

1. Suppose RPGs had never been invented. Suppose video and related games had never been invented. What would you be doing otherwise with the time you now devote to gaming and how would your life be different minus gaming?


2. Last year I began to experiment with building a Second Life character. I did this for tow reasons. I wanted to see if the technology had developed to the point that it would make a viable expenditure of business energy and resources to build a Second Life character and business on that platform. Or in any related Virtual World. The second was that I was aware that for some time various foreign governments, as well as various business concerns were exploring the possibility (and actually had been active for some time) of using Second Life as a means of gathering both corporate and national intelligence and engaging in both corporate and governmental/agency acts of espionage (through Second Life). Now these were my particular reasons but many people of course develop Second Life characters for purposes of social interaction and for purposes of entertainment and communication in a manner they could not explore in other ways.

Now given that do you think it is possible that gamers engage in gaming as either a form of Second Life (by that I mean a form of Alternative or Different life), or maybe even a Secret Life (by Secret Life I mean a life kept secret or unadvertised from basically most people other than the people with whom they game)?

Do you see aspects of a Second and/or Secret Life in your gaming hobbies?

 

[FireLance]

1. Suppose RPGs had never been invented. Suppose video and related games had never been invented. What would you be doing otherwise with the time you now devote to gaming and how would your life be different minus gaming?

I generally use gaming as an outlet for both creativity and problem-solving, so if RPGs and video games had never been invented, I guess I would be splitting my spare time between chess, logic puzzles and creative writing.

2. Do you see aspects of a Second and/or Secret Life in your gaming hobbies?

Ten to twenty years ago, I might have. Right now, however, one life keeps me busy enough that I don't have the time or the energy to devote to a second. For the foreseeable future, gaming can be no more than a recreational diversion that doesn't require me to invest a lot of time or effort. My answer may change again after I've retired and my children have grown up.

 

[Edgewood]

As some may know already I'm a police officer. I have had many jobs in the past but this one is by far the coolest to me. It's weird to think that I have become the success that I have always wanted to be. I had doubts that I could make it but here I am!

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I'm an ecologist and the rest of the people I've gamed with do not have creative, artsy jobs (aside from one actor). We were all into gaming while in high school, so maybe RPGs fulfilled our creative needs and that's why we didn't gravitate to careers that offer more creative outlets.