Me the Gamer, and Gamer Sins

So, I haven't been very good at keeping up with the NBI Writing Prompts that have gone down. I caught the first and second prompts but didn't really have much to say on them. For the first one, I really didn't want to get into GamerGate, so promptly avoided the prompt (sorry, Izlain!), and the Kickstarter one was a great topic... except I've only ever backed one Kickstarter in my whole life, and it was just recently for some dice.

But I do want to try to cover the other two topics (timeliness... I know. I'm hoping Blaugust will help with that!), because they're pretty awesome, so here goes!

What Made Me a Gamer

Jaedia posed this topic for the third week of the Talkback Challenge.

I remember playing the Berenstain Bears when I was about five on the computer (back when the 8-inch floppy was a thing). I remember being one of the only kids in school having a computer, because my Dad needed one for work. I played the crap out of that game. Any time my parents would let me on the computer.

We didn't have a gaming system, though. At least not until my grandmother (to the annoyance of my parents) bought my brother and I an N64 (which my brother has claimed...damn!)  for Christmas one year. I had, before then, played on a friend's PlayStation (some Monster Rancher and Rhapsody, mainly), and watched my cousins play various Disney-related games on some sort of system. I don't remember which one at this point in time (all I remember is that I always kicked their asses).

Soon after that, my parents accepted the fact that it was something my brother and I enjoyed doing--playing video games. So they started letting us purchase a game here or there from the store for the N64. I also remember my father purchasing my younger brother Lego Island to play on the computer. I think I totally played it more than him, though. He just really liked the cars and race track. I remember "rage-quitting" the game because I couldn't ever chase down the Brickster. I just kind of cried and sulked and didn't play it again.

I also remember the hours I spent watching my father play Myst. I couldn't ever really solve the puzzles myself, but I thought the scenery was the most amazing thing ever.

From there, I kind of jumped into gaming and geekery head-long. My brother and I got Game Boy colors for Christmas from our parents one year, and played them for the longest time, until we sold them to get the Game Boy Advance (which I'm sad at myself for doing). And then I sold my Game Boy Advance to get the original DS (which I still have).

My parents have always been geeks/nerds--we were raised on Star Trek, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings. I feel like gaming was just a natural extension to this because of the stories some games told (I'm still miffed I got rid of my Golden Sun games!).

I also remember being grumpy about the fact that as a girl into gaming, there weren't many games for me. I mean, there was the Tamagotchi game for GBA I played the crap out of, but I was considered "weird" because I bought things like, well, Golden Sun, or Donkey Kong. But that's a completely different topic.

Seven Gaming Sins

Joseph Skyrim posed this interesting topic for the fourth week of the Talkback Challenge.

Lust – Do you enjoy games more if they have scantily clad and “interestingly proportioned” avatars? Do you like playing as one of these avatars? Why or why not?
I think there's a difference between "sexist" and "sexy" characters. As a curvier woman, I want my lady avatars to have curves! But I want them to be semi-realistic. Not K-size breasts, a stick waist, and a butt worthy of Apple Bottoms. Sure, keep the K-breasts, and Apple Bottoms, but add a little more proportion to the middle. Same goes for the outfits. Unless it's going to be equal opportunity booty shorts (let's go, WildStar! I want my male booty shorts! I will roll a Granok Male just for this!).

Gluttony – Do you have a game backlog of unfinished games but still buy new games regardless? Why or why not?

BAHAHAHA. >.> Me? Backlog of games? NEVER! <.<

Yes, I have a backlog of games. It's the fault of Humble Bundle, really. Do I still buy new games? Well, I've become a bit more selective in my choice of Humble Bundle deals. If there's not more than two games that really catch me, I'm going to pass it up. I've started adding more to my Steam list, though, in comparison to when I just willy-nilly bought Humble Bundle deals.

Greed – Do you enjoy hand outs in a game? Have you ever opted to NOT do an action / in game activity because the rewards were lacking? Why or why not?

Define handouts, first and foremost. I think everyone sees different things as handouts. Yeah, there are activities in games I do or don't do, but it's more the intrinsic motivation, rather than extrinsic (though, sometimes, it really is for the bragging rights, or that badass mini-pet).

Sloth – Do you ever leech or AFK in a party? Do you discourage others from attempting things that you feel are difficult? Have you ever seen someone that needed help, but decided not to help them? Why or why not?

Absolutely not. We have kicked folks from the WildStar guild from doing such things (AFK/leeching). And in WoW, I never liked getting "run-through" because it felt cheapened. I also didn't really like doing it for other folks, either. I don't discourage folks from attempting things that I feel are difficult--it just might mean that I don't participate in that particular thing. Like raiding in WildStar, for instance. I want to become attuned because it's a neat (and tedious--and I love tedious, for some reason), but I don't think I'll ever raid current content. FFXIV, however, maybe I'll get to raid some at level 60.

As for helping folks, yeah, there have been times I haven't helped. I generally do, but sometimes I either don't have enough time, I need some time where I'm not being social, etc. Most of the time, a "I'm sorry, I'm working on some other things at the moment, maybe later." suffices.

Wrath – Ever get angry at other players and yell (or TYPE IN CAPS) at them? Have you ever been so angry to stalk a person around in game and / or in the forums? Why or why not?

I'm a Mama Bear. Of course I get angry at other players, especially when they diss my guildies or are asshats. Do I type in all caps? Occassionally, and most of the time it's a joke thing. Do I stalk? Never.

Envy – Ever felt jealous of players who seem to be able to complete content you can’t? Do you ever suspect they are hacking or otherwise cheating? Why or why not?

Yeah, sometimes, but then I remind myself that it's not something that interests me, and unless I want to put in all that time and effort for something that doesn't interest me, then it's not something I really should be jealous about. Y'know? As for hacking/cheating... unless there's something that clearly defines it as such, no, I don't suspect that.

Pride – Are you one of those people that demands grouping with other “elite” players? Do you kick players out of your team who you feel are under-performing? Why or why not?

I sometimes see myself as a prideful person. However, elitist behaviors are not prideful behaviors. Am I "an elitist"? I damn well try not to be. And no, I don't kick under-performing folks. Everyone has to learn at some point. In WoW, we would run with a Boomkin who wasn't the best at mechanics, and sometimes brought the group down, but he was the sweetest guy, and appreciated the help we gave him. And you know what? Despite him not being the best at first, we still got some server-first kills in 10-man runs. And no, I don't feel like we carried him. Because he was always alive on the first down.