What Does it Mean to be a Gamer?

[Matt Mortem]

Hey guys.

I'm working on a project about gaming and I thought I'd reach out to my fellow Hype members and get some feedback and info from y'all. Like the title says I want your guys' opinion on what it means to be a gamer. What does gaming mean to you? What's your favorite part of gaming? What's your favorite and least favorite parts of the gaming community?

I think this would be fun to discuss so take it away.

 

[X Knight]

interesting.

for me, a gamer is someone who likes games ( duh ) and the stories, characters, franchises, and experiences associated with games.

you can be casual or hardcore, a solo player or competitive multi player, but you have to enjoy the experience you get while playing games.

 

[spiderman2]

To me being a gamer means you have fun playing video games and that you own systems and play more then like once a month and that you look up video game news on the internet even if its not ever day.

 

[Mandon Knight]

I think a major part of 'gaming' is that it can be as immersive (on-line play) or as solitary (just you, in a room, on your own) as you like.

Its a past time that can bring achievement whilst being relaxed, or competitive if a sports game for example.

In other words, it has everything for everyone and that is a great thing.

 

[metaphysician]

A Gamer: Someone who plays games.

Nothing more, and nothing less. Any attempt to define it further is an exercise in self-promotion.

 

[Matt Mortem]

Let me ask then - why do you guys look for in a game and in gaming? What are your favorite types of games?

 

[Mandon Knight]

I like a variety of types of games as such, but am 'loyal' to a few characters that I've invested time in over the years, for example, have played all the Hitman games in each version over the PS2,3, and now 4.

I'm not a 'very good' gamer in the sense of ability or capacity to complete a game, but I simply enjoy being part of an immersive world, I am not a 'sporty' person but I enjoy sports games, Football, American Football, Ice Hockey etc.

Adventure & Exploratory games, although am not a violent person or craving for violence nor killing in 'real life', I like detective, crime, those featuring guns and games with shoot outs (like Heat for example, that kind of experience).

 

[Iceman]

For me being able to interact in huge imagined worlds in epic stories with great characters.

Co-op is a separate team up style of gaming that can offer amazing camaraderie within entertainment.

And fair multiplayer can provide edge of your seat excitement and is very rewarding when you see yourself improving.

 

[X Knight]

Let me ask then - why do you guys look for in a game and in gaming? What are your favorite types of games?

My favorite types of games are fighting games and RPGs. I also favor games where you can create your own character or games that star female protagonists.

The main things I look for in games are the story, characters, and gameplay. And being a visual medium, the art style of the characters and visual effects are also very important to me.

 

[spiderman2]

Let me ask then - why do you guys look for in a game and in gaming? What are your favorite types of games?

Few thoughts first my favorite franchise of all time look like this.

1. Zelda
2. Batman Arkham
3. Tony hawk
4. DK
5. Ratchet and clank

I like platformers a lot don't like shooters they all fell the same to me and I hate first person view like 3erd person view. Like action adventure games like sports games has I love sports over all has sports are my number one passion and hobbie over video games but at the same time I don't play a lot of sports games any more because there are only so many hours in the day and with school, home work, work and trying to watch sports its hard to get time to play video games and sports games take a lot of time to really do much like play a seasons and so it takes time away from being able to play other good games. I am not big into like creating stuff type of games like mincraft they tend to bore me has I am just not a creative person like at all.

I love Nintendo and sony. I like that Nintendo is different and they make some of my favorite games. Sony I love because they also make great games. Microsoft I don't care for at all there excusives have sucked sinces they started making consoles to me.

What do I look for in games? Just do they look fun, interesting and if they look different that is always nice. I prefer more realistic art style but graphics are not the biggest thing and even though I prefer realistic art style I love Zelda BOTW art style has it looks great and very different cant think of a game that looks like it.

When it comes to what I find most important to a game it goes like this.
1. Gameplay
2. Soundtrack
3. story
4. Graphics

If game play is not fun then nothing else really matters. If you have a great soundtrack it can really add to the game and its athmospher. Story is something I like but I can also live with out it if the gameplay is good. Graphics I do enjoy good looking games and if a game has good graphics it may get me interested some what but if game play don't look good then that intereste is not going to last. Also if graphics where that big of importants I wouldn't like ever play any per ps3 games any more.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Game choices specifically, I would put The Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption, the Hitman games, Freedom Fighters (on the old PS2) as my favourite ever games.

 

[Jick]

I think a gamer is the one who regularly plays games but he doesn't just play it, he invests himself into it.

For example, when I'm playing and I get a great vista, I always take my time to enjoy it. I want to feel immersed in the world I'm playing.

 

[Iceman]

Let me ask then - why do you guys look for in a game and in gaming? What are your favorite types of games?

Beautifully realised fantasy worlds.

Great story and characters.

Tight controls in gameplay and a rewarding long term development system.

 

[Lily Adler]

You write slashfics, have a waifu, do let's plays on Twitch or YouTube, and collect games without opening the package cause you just emulate them.

 

[Brother Jack]

I'm not a huge fan of the term, largely because I'm that much into "gamer culture" as it is, or at least I have serious reservations about it. But I recognize the convenience of it for categorizing people who enjoy video games.

As far as taste goes, I feel like I have a fairly inclusive palette. I've played a lot of FPS's in my day, platformers, RPG's. I'm not big into fighting games or racing games, but there are certain ones in those genres I like (I've loved Smash Bros. for years). I've often been drawn to single-player games, particularly those narrative driven.