EN Worlders: Are You Normal Gamers

[Jack7]

Considering the people I play with I do not think myself different from the norm.

However whenever I go into larger groups of players (not all groups of players, but the vast majority of them) such as you find at comic book stores, or at large gaming groups, or conventions (and I've only been to a few), I am usually a totally different animal than they.

I dress differently, look differently, have different interests, and usually act differently.

So among my group I am very much the same, among larger groups of gamers I am very different.

(I now just wondered if what I said related in some ways to Dannager's excellent point.)

 

[Ahnehnois]

No. And I'm proud of it.

I've only ever had one (fluid) group. We developed our own style. I suspect it is quite different from what is played in game stores and homes around the world, and that I have very little in common with most D&D players. Am I the odd person within my group? No. So I'm not really sure what the thread question is getting at.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Isn't "normal gamer" an oxymoron?

 

[Umbran]

I play in the occasional larp, as well as post on... and moderate... a gaming message board. I'm pretty sure that's a bit away from the center of the gamerdom set of behaviors.

But then, the concept of "normal" is overrated, in my humble opinion.

 

[Roland55]

Nah, not so normal. Not even in the dim past when I was just a kid.

Always been ... odd.

 

[Roland55]

I play in the occasional larp, as well as post on... and moderate... a gaming message board. I'm pretty sure that's a bit away from the center of the gamerdom set of behaviors.

But then, the concept of "normal" is overrated, in my humble opinion.

Perhaps the real question is: "What is the standard deviation?"

In the great 'normal distribution' of life, just how far off the median can one be and still be considered, say, only a few sigma out?

 

[Oryan77]

Well, I would pick #1 because for the most part, I'm normal. But then, the poll is asking about if I'm a normal "gamer" and would I stand out among gamers.

So should I be answering something like, "I'm normal, so therefore I would stand out among gamers"? Or are we saying a normal gamer is not the stereotypical gamer? Cause I don't know if I fit in with hardcore gamers or not. They may feel like I'm not gamey enough if I don't have as wide of a range of gaming experience.

To go even further, are we talking specifically about EN World gamers? Cause I don't even feel like I fit in around here, which I guess would make me stand out even more among EN World gamers.

*Disclamer* I'm not saying EN Worlders are less normal gamers or worse. I mean that there is a huge lack of tolerance around here and a guys gotta tip toe around himself just to not hurt someones feelings or whatever. Which is why I have never felt like "one of the guys" like I have on other forums. If being like that is what a "normal En Worlder" is, then I need to know.

Your question is a lot more complicated than you may have realized!

 

[SnowleopardVK]

I'm the odd one out at the table. I'm not incredibly paranoid.

Give it time....

 

[S'mon]

I mean that there is a huge lack of tolerance around here and a guys gotta tip toe around himself just to not hurt someones feelings or whatever.

I love the strong, even-handed moderation here on ENW. On rpgnet you can swear, if you're in the protected group you can do pretty much whatever you want (and anyone who responds to you gets banned), and political opinions are fine, if they're the right political opinions (anything else is 'creating an oppressive environment'). The zero-moderation approach of therpgsite is better but the we're-the-ones-other-rpg-sites-rejected atmosphere can be wearying. On ENW we can talk about rpgs and rpging, and that's really the point, right?

 

[The Shaman]

I saw a psychiatrist once.

She had herself committed the next day.

I'm not in here with you. You're in here with me.