The Diversity of Gamer Breeds |
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The level of enjoyment of any multi-player gaming experience is heavily dependant upon your fellow gamers. Whether it be teaming with a bud in a co-op couch game of Contra or joining an online bout with hundreds of unnamed souls in Worlds of Warcraft, it still boils down to the same - are the people you are interacting with cool? This was never so evident to me after the massacre I stomached during my recent online gaming experience (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2). Gamers come in all shapes and sizes as well as dispositions. This mirrors the varied communal landscapes that we respectively reside within. The diversity of the players truly make the gaming experience, but let's face it - they are those that we would be A-OK to never see or hear from again. The following pokes a little fun at the each of these types by describing the pros/cons of playing with them.
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The BFF-Wannabee
a.k.a. Overly Friendly Dude | The Gaming Posse / Clan
a.k.a. Brothers Fo' Eva' |
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| Pros | o Pretty affable and easy to get along with
o They are always encouraging even if you suck | Pros | o Their good teamwork can really rock the score
o Sometimes their bantering can be humorous |
| Cons | o Tend to get on your nerves rather quickly
o Talks way too much during a gaming session | Cons | o Can have a self-driven, elitist mentality
o Slow to make a decision - no alpha wolf present |
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The Overly Charged
a.k.a. The Cry Baby | The Night of the Living Dead
a.k.a. Catatonics 'R Us |
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| Pros | o They'll definitely keep the team objective focused
o No question as to what they are thinking/feeling | Pros | o Good team players and receives direction well
o Doesn't clutter the airwaves with useless musings |
| Cons | o Easy to throw off their game with a little goading
o Constant whining is akin to that of a 9 year old | Cons | o Hard to tell if they are even alive and breathing
o They are about as much fun as a 24-hour Dentist |
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The Serious Joe
a.k.a. Too Smart For My Own Good | The Big Easy
a.k.a. Laisser-faire United |
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| Pros | o These achievement whores will carry your team
o Will take 'point' on difficult tasks/objectives | Pros | o Goes with the flow - never makes waves
o Open for any variation of the game, at any time |
| Cons | o I Am An Island (they don't really care about you)
o Most are basically egocentrically a-holes | Cons | o Sloooow player... this isn't chess holmes!
o Easily loses focus while admiring game scenery |
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The Flirt
a.k.a. Anonymity Rocks!! | The Drunk & Stoned
a.k.a. Pass The Cheetos Dude! |
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| Pros | o Always nice hearing a sexy sounding female voice
o Gets imagination thinking it might be Jessica Alba | Pros | o This guy is a riot to play with when not puking
o Easy to send in as the sacrificial guinea pig |
| Cons | o Unnecessarily distracts your hard-up teammates
o Jessica Alba is NEVER on the other end of the mic | Cons | o Leaves the game every 5 minutes for munchies
o Asks many questions; forgets own name allot |
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The Unfocused Multi-Tasker
a.k.a. ADD Sufferers | The Hater
a.k.a. Mad At The World Guy |
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| Pros | o Juggles multiple team assignments well
o Pretty OK when changing games | Pros | o Fun to rile them up - easy target for verbal abuse
o Hmmm... I honestly can't think of anything else |
| Cons | o Usually never knows what the heck is going on
o Spends time dicking around instead of playing | Cons | o Always making excuses and blaming others
o Basically they are a pain in the ass |
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The Legend
a.k.a. The Old Fart | The Child Prodigy
a.k.a. The Most Hated of All Gamer Types |
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| Pros | None, unless you are are looking for...
o ...a history lesson on games like PONG
o ...a true Alpha Wolf to make decisions (j/k pups) | Pros | None, unless they are your kid and can have them...
o ...fetch your favorite beverage during a session
o ...set you up for life by winning game tourneys |
| Cons | o Leaves game every 5 minutes for the bathroom
o They ARE the 24-Hour dentist
o Basically sum of Cons above, just a bit different | Cons | o They don't even have to try to beat you
o You will never be as good as they are at age 10
o Trash talk, show-boating, etc. Need I go on??? |
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What Other Gaming Types Did I Miss??
Which One(s) Would You Consider Yourself?
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Obviously this writing plays upon some common stereotypes and associated personality quirks. We all have our unique peccadilloes and probably can honestly pick a few of the Pros / Cons from the various types depicted above. Special thanks to the anonymous pictured in the above public domain pictures featured in this article for allowing us to have a little fun.
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