Gaming Dedication Likert Scale - How do you characterize yourself?
- Thread starter Mercurius
- Start date
That's just the one on the table- I have a few others, including a ten footer.
Mercurius
Legend
@NotZenon , you can "unvote" and then re-vote, I think. Sounds like you are Serious in your heart, which is really what I was going after. Frequency of play is secondary to how much you'd like to play if you could. So for me, for instance, I would love to have a weekly game, but haven't played in about a year and when we start up again in January, it will be twice-monthly at most. But my heart wants 1/week.
@Mallus , it definitely sounds like you're in the Very Serious category - similar to me, actually, although I evidently have a lot more books, probably due to my nasty materialist/collector gene.
@Dannyalcatraz , I'm not buying the Very Serious ;-). You definitely seem in the diehard range, at least based upon that very good room and little hints dropped here and there (not to mention your 28,000 posts!). As I said in the OP, a diehard gamer might have other serious hobbies, but none surpass gaming - meaning, its up there with anything else. A Very Serious gamer loves gaming, but might have some hobby or art form they love even more, and their life might take them away from even thinking much about gaming for longish periods of time. Even the fact that you admit to "surviving" just a month away from gaming is telling (in a good way!)
Of course you have the very right to characterize yourself - you just sound more Diehard than Very Serious to me.
@Mallus , it definitely sounds like you're in the Very Serious category - similar to me, actually, although I evidently have a lot more books, probably due to my nasty materialist/collector gene
.@Dannyalcatraz , I'm not buying the Very Serious ;-). You definitely seem in the diehard range, at least based upon that very good room and little hints dropped here and there (not to mention your 28,000 posts!). As I said in the OP, a diehard gamer might have other serious hobbies, but none surpass gaming - meaning, its up there with anything else. A Very Serious gamer loves gaming, but might have some hobby or art form they love even more, and their life might take them away from even thinking much about gaming for longish periods of time. Even the fact that you admit to "surviving" just a month away from gaming is telling (in a good way!)
Of course you have the very right to characterize yourself - you just sound more Diehard than Very Serious to me.
Ah, but gaming isn't my most important hobby. #1 & #2 would be art and music. I've been involved in both since childhood. If you were to stop me at a checkpoint and investigate my briefcase, among the client folders and what all, you'd find a sketchbook and something dealing with music.
Third might be my reading- there are thousands of sci-fi, fantasy and horror books all over my house. That's after having some boxes of them lost in my last move.
Gaming IS in my top 5, but it isn't #1.
And that drought of which I spoke was "months-long"- specifically, its been boardgames and poker since December 6, 2012. I can date it that accurately because the PC in that campaign is in the Notes app of my iPad, which shows you when it was last altered.
...and I just received notification that the next campaign starts up on Nov. 12.
Third might be my reading- there are thousands of sci-fi, fantasy and horror books all over my house. That's after having some boxes of them lost in my last move.
Gaming IS in my top 5, but it isn't #1.
And that drought of which I spoke was "months-long"- specifically, its been boardgames and poker since December 6, 2012. I can date it that accurately because the PC in that campaign is in the Notes app of my iPad, which shows you when it was last altered.
...and I just received notification that the next campaign starts up on Nov. 12.
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Mishihari Lord
First Post
I didn't vote because I'm not quite sure where to place myself. I was "very serious" for about a decade and a half but with all of my various commitments my gaming has been very sporadic for years.
I voted "Very serious", but I'm not completely sure if that's what I am.
I've been a player and a game master for about 18 years. RPGs are definitely my favorite hobby, but there are some more important things in my life nowadays.
I play about once every two weeks, when I can - in practice, it's usually once a month, because of other people's schedules. And when I try to set up a session and can't get the group together, I get frustrated.
I visit fora and blogs on RPGs. I try to stay up to date with new trends in game development. I house rule, customize systems, homebrew my own games.
On the other hand, I have less than ten physical RPG books. I have some pdfs - but mostly indie games that I could buy for $15 or less. I don't spend much on RPGs, maybe $10 a month on average. No "collecting", no games with a lot of supplements. And definitely no game room.
How serious gamer I am?
I've been a player and a game master for about 18 years. RPGs are definitely my favorite hobby, but there are some more important things in my life nowadays.
I play about once every two weeks, when I can - in practice, it's usually once a month, because of other people's schedules. And when I try to set up a session and can't get the group together, I get frustrated.
I visit fora and blogs on RPGs. I try to stay up to date with new trends in game development. I house rule, customize systems, homebrew my own games.
On the other hand, I have less than ten physical RPG books. I have some pdfs - but mostly indie games that I could buy for $15 or less. I don't spend much on RPGs, maybe $10 a month on average. No "collecting", no games with a lot of supplements. And definitely no game room.
How serious gamer I am?
Yeah, I put 'serious' but it's a crude guide.
I probably have a couple of dozen books now, often indie games which only have one book. I don't collect or buy for the sake of buying - I only buy a game now if I'm fairly sure it will see play... which requires my friends being into it as well as me and us finding the time to devote to it.
I do very little prep, and put very little thought into settings or campaigns prior to GMing. Maybe an hour - sometimes over a beer as we sit down to play. I may create a npc or two, or just envisage the key aspects and characters and relationships in a pirate haven. My game worlds are sketched by the players and then fleshed out by me at the table as the players interact with them.
On the other hand... I've been a gamer for 30 years, played and run countless games and systems. And rpgs are just one strand - even now a gaming session is usually an all weekend deal which will feature an RPG as well as Netrunner or Game of Thrones, Innovation, Mage Wars, Elder Sign or Spartacus or Red November.
I sometimes teach friends more weighty games - Twilight Struggle, Sword of Rome, Napoleon's Triumph, ASL. I may take some 1/1200 scale Napoleonic ships or 1/4800 WW2 ships and some rules and a blue cloth and get people playing Seekrieg V or Signal Close Action. And I'm happy solo-ing board wargames although it's an occasional thing.
So somewhere between 'serious' and 'very serious' I'd say. I don't have a single-minded focus, but gaming - as in role-playing, boardgaming and wargaming - is a consistently rewarding hobby.
I probably have a couple of dozen books now, often indie games which only have one book. I don't collect or buy for the sake of buying - I only buy a game now if I'm fairly sure it will see play... which requires my friends being into it as well as me and us finding the time to devote to it.
I do very little prep, and put very little thought into settings or campaigns prior to GMing. Maybe an hour - sometimes over a beer as we sit down to play. I may create a npc or two, or just envisage the key aspects and characters and relationships in a pirate haven. My game worlds are sketched by the players and then fleshed out by me at the table as the players interact with them.
On the other hand... I've been a gamer for 30 years, played and run countless games and systems. And rpgs are just one strand - even now a gaming session is usually an all weekend deal which will feature an RPG as well as Netrunner or Game of Thrones, Innovation, Mage Wars, Elder Sign or Spartacus or Red November.
I sometimes teach friends more weighty games - Twilight Struggle, Sword of Rome, Napoleon's Triumph, ASL. I may take some 1/1200 scale Napoleonic ships or 1/4800 WW2 ships and some rules and a blue cloth and get people playing Seekrieg V or Signal Close Action. And I'm happy solo-ing board wargames although it's an occasional thing.
So somewhere between 'serious' and 'very serious' I'd say. I don't have a single-minded focus, but gaming - as in role-playing, boardgaming and wargaming - is a consistently rewarding hobby.
Wicht
Hero
I voted for Diehard, as gaming is one of my two primary hobbies (the other being reading) and as I have done professional design and writing for it. I have a game room (my wife is lovingly tolerant), though my gaming includes board games in addition to rpgs, and hundreds of gaming books. However, mentality wise, I'm probably serious to very serious about it. It is, after all, just games.
That's just the one on the table- I have a few others, including a ten footer.
See what I mean? When the size of a man's "map" matters, how are we to be safe in categorizing ourselves?
When I whip it out, it hits the table with a mighty *fwapp*, accompanied by squeals of joy.
The funny thing about that one is that we rarely use it. Its bigger than the table I have in that room, so if used in that space, we have to keep part of it rolled up.
Usually, its reserved for when one of the other guys is hosting. At a couple of locations, we game in their dining room...for which such a mat is perfectly scaled.
We also use it if I'm hosting and otherwise alone in the house. On those occasions, we set up in my dining room- see above- which is not only right next to the kitchen, it also enables me to let the dogs in & out of the yard without having to trek downstairs.
The funny thing about that one is that we rarely use it. Its bigger than the table I have in that room, so if used in that space, we have to keep part of it rolled up.
Usually, its reserved for when one of the other guys is hosting. At a couple of locations, we game in their dining room...for which such a mat is perfectly scaled.
We also use it if I'm hosting and otherwise alone in the house. On those occasions, we set up in my dining room- see above- which is not only right next to the kitchen, it also enables me to let the dogs in & out of the yard without having to trek downstairs.
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Sword of Spirit
Legend
I'm pretty much right on the dividing line between Very Serious and Diehard. I picked Diehard because of the emphasis on game design, and because "Diehard" sounds cool.
But I don't self-identify as a geek, which appears to make me a bit of an anomaly (or least small minority).
But I don't self-identify as a geek, which appears to make me a bit of an anomaly (or least small minority).
crazy_monkey1956
First Post
I'm the second "uber" voter. I'm not financially comfortable enough to have a game room or a collection in the thousands, but the desire is there. And my wife and I both work in the industry in different ways.
I'm not financially comfortable enough to have a game room or a collection in the thousands, but the desire is there. And my wife and I both work in the industry in different ways.
Yeah, after thinking about it, I voted "very serious". As I've gotten older, gaming has become my primary social hobby. Yakking it up with friends in bars has fallen to a distant second, a development which my liver probably thanks me for.@Mallus , it definitely sounds like you're in the Very Serious category - similar to me, actually, although I evidently have a lot more books, probably due to my nasty materialist/collector gene
As for non-social hobbies, I also find, kinda to my chagrin, film now edges out literature. I blame Netflix -- but who am I kidding, the fault lies completely within me
.I'm also really glad I don't have the collector/completist streak, despite my recent effort to watch every Zatoichi movie ever made.
Scrivener of Doom
Adventurer
That's just the one on the table- I have a few others, including a ten footer.
See what I mean? When the size of a man's "map" matters, how are we to be safe in categorizing ourselves?
Absolutely.
I am going to go and get a larger one tomorrow.
15' x 5'.
Beat that, [MENTION=19675]Dannyalcatraz[/MENTION]....
Ain't gonna happen. If you can get one, go right ahead, 'cause I don't have a use for a 15' battlemat. I gots me GUITARS to buy!
Scrivener of Doom
Adventurer
Hehe.
I've changed my mind. I'm changing the floor tiles to 1-inch squares. This room is 27' x 12'. Now that's a battlemap....
You're not the first person to think of that*, but there are problems: pets, kids, and getting your buddies to play games on the floor.**
* says the guy who claims to be on the borderline of "Very Serious" and "Diehard."
** see, I really have thought about that.
* says the guy who claims to be on the borderline of "Very Serious" and "Diehard."
** see, I really have thought about that.
Scrivener of Doom
Adventurer
OK, so maybe I haven't completely thought it through....
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