There are many who hear or see the word ‘Gamer’ and instantly think of
20+ men on a couch in cheeto-stained shirts, screaming at their TV, or
into their Mic about how some Noob is being a fucktwit, or how that
fucking boss just ganked their ass when they were inches from defeating
them. You might think of ‘geeks/nerds’ with no life, no girlfriend and
an unhealthy obsession with Zelda, or which castle they can find their
princesses in. Hell, some of you might be thinking of all those sexy
chicks posing in front of consoles that aren’t plugged in, but love to
look seductive to all the men (and women!) that just LOVE gaming.


Let me tell you what Gaming is to ME, and why I love it so much, and am
proud to call myself a gamer.


Now, before you all start hating, I know there are different
types/levels of gamers, Just because I might not play <insert game name
here> or don’t have <insert game console here>, doesn’t mean I am -not-
a Gamer. Trolls me trolls, I love you all anyways.


I started off my ‘Gamer’ beginnings with Tomb Raider, Soul Reaver, Blood
Omen 2, Tekken 1-3, and Bloody Roar 2. I really enjoyed just exploring,
adventuring, and of course killing things! That thrill you get when that
certain music starts up and you just -know- something’s about to happen.
Your heart pounds in your chest and you are SO ready to let a whole
barrage of bullets off at whatever might pop out from anywhere! Or that
edge of the seat feeling when you’re kicking ASS and open up access to a
new character in your fighter game. Aaaah that satisfaction never really
fades.


Then I found myself thrust into the world of MUDs (Multi User Dungeons -
AKA - Text RPGs). It was like reading and being a part of a book. At
least that was my initial impression, but the games I first got into I
later came to find out were lacking in actual RP, and were more
glorified Hack and Slashes with RP ‘events’. At any rate, it opened my
world to RPI’s (More Text based games, But Role-Play Intensive. And as
the name suggests.. It is intense!).. I began my introduction on RPI’s
on a game called Shadows of Isildur (Yay Tolkien!) My very first
character was forced into slavery by some southerners. OI! SLAVERY! My
FIRST character and already I am shoved down into the dirt. Actually the
role play was SO MUCH FUN, despite my character not being ‘free’. She
was actually higher in status due to who grabbed her up. People hated my
character because they were forced to respect her, because disrespecting
her meant they disrespected her Master. When her Master was murdered,
that’s then things got really difficult, thrust out into the street with
only the clothing on her back. It was hard. But I earned RPP! (Role Play
Points) Which can be used in character creation to make a better,
stronger character.


At any rate, RPIs.. They really were somewhere I felt I belonged,
because I was meeting people that enjoyed just, writing out a story and
playing a character with flaws, and perks and quirks of all sorts.


I suppose what I am trying to say with all this is.. What being a gamer
is all about, to me, is being something, creating a life and world of
your own. Being what you could never be in the ‘real’ world. You can’t
be a goblin plundering loot from the houses of tavern wenches and
stealing their pies from their windows. But in a game?… you can be
anything. You can be the good guy, you can be the bad guy, you can be
just about anything you want to be, because that’s what games are. They
are a living fantasy brought to you in the beautiful packaged form of
your TV, your PC, your Gameboy.. Whatever it is you have.. Your
tabletops with your DMs and endless possibilities. You have at your
disposal, not ONLY endless possibilities to play with, but also a link
to people who are just as passionate about the various arts and
philosophy and lore of games as you are. Granted, there are a TON of
twinky, prickless douche bags out there.. So you kinda have to wade
through the garbage to find a good group of people. But they’re out
there.


Being a Gamer just isn’t about lounging on a couch munching on three day
old pizza and sipping Soda. It’s about letting go, for a moment or two,
of the stress.. The drama.. The utter crap that can be the real world..
And thrusting yourself into a world of drama, stress and utter crap in
the amazing -fantasy- world.. because at least for a Gamer.. We have an
off switch to punch when it gets to be too much for us. =P