Poll: are you a "secret" gamer or "public" gamer?

[RA92]

C'mon people!

I make non-gamers feel inadequate when I tell them about my glorious RTS and shooting abilities. I make them feel old and out-of-touch when I tell them the entire mythos of Mass Effect and Bioshock and make them feel they are missing out the newest form of narrative devices. I make them feel awestruck when I show them my beast of a gaming rig and the kind of dedication that goes behind my machine.

In fact, people feel so inferior in my presence that they never hang out with me.

 

[Trogdor1138]

I can't even...is this...what? Surely you must be joking. (and don't call me Shirley.)

Are you that insecure with yourself that you can't even speak about this stuff openly? I'd be more offended if you pulled me down as a friend and talked about me like you are on here. Seriously, grow up. 250 friends on fb? Grats bro. *shakes head*.

I'm a gamer and damn proud of it.

I have to agree with him. I don't see why this is a big deal, what is there to hide about from your "popular" friends? If they're that judgemental then screw them. I've NEVER been ashamed over something as trivial as this and I don't see why you concern yourself. Facebook friend count also doesn't mean jack shit. I had about 400 at one time and I talked properly to about 3-4 people, before clearing the excess out and I still have well over 200. How old are you?

So yeah, don't need to throw it around as a hobby to define you, but you shouldn't try to hide it. Gaming has been mainstream for a VERY, VERY long time...

 

[The Madman]

If someone brings it up I'll talk about games, otherwise I generally try to avoid the nerdier stuff when meeting new people. Just makes things easier I find, plus having every conversation revolving around my hobby tends to get boring after awhile.

 

[Tsunimo]

I suppose most people know that I am, but I don't point it out unneeded.
Course I don't try to hide it either.

 

[darth.pixie]

So you pulled him down, shut him up and were too ashamed to discuss something with him...and still call him your friend? Because you have more Facebook friends?

I don't understand kids today. I was pretty damn popular in high school and everyone knew I was a nerd. Hell, I talked about games 24/7 and still do. I don't even see how these two are connected. You need to get your priorities straight because if you think that the "popular" status actually means anything and makes you treat your friends that way.

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

I'm not open about it but I don't exactly hide it either. Now if you'd have asked "are you open/honest about the amount of time you spend gaming?" I would have answer "no way I'm in self-denial over how many hours fly by."

 

[ethaninja]

I don't deny gaming. But it won't be the first topic of choice I'd bring up in a conversation.

 

[ImprovizoR]

Those who know don't care that I am, and I don't care about them. And I definitely don't care about those who don't know. I realize that most people around me don't play video games so I don't bother them with it.

 

[Someone Depressing]

I play games, and on occasions go to a gaming tournament at my local library. So yes, I'd express my gaming nature to people if they asked.

EDIT : I started hard-core gaming when I was about 8, back then I was really sub-conscious about it and really anti-social. But that was a looooong time ago.

 

[TheXRatedDodo]

I'm 20, don't hide that I play games, don't shout it out. *Shrug*
Pretty much everyone I've known throughout my life has played games or been cool with people who do play them, and why shouldn't they be? \o/

 

[SimuLord]

When not around my geek friends (which is to say, when I'm not online) I rarely talk about video games. If someone asks "what did you do this weekend?" in class on Monday I'll probably mention Friday Night Fights or the NBA game I watched or the date I went on if I'm fortunate enough to have gotten a date on the weekend. I just really don't have any gamer friends outside of the Internet.

 

[Phantom_IEC]

I would say i'm both, at work and in a professional setting then it is not something that I openly discuss. Not to say I actively keep the fact that I game secret it just isn't something I discuss in that setting.

However with friends and outside of a professional setting i'm very open about the fact that I game.

 

[GiantRaven]

Why should I shy away from the fact that I love videogames to bits? Why should I shy away from anything that I like?

 

[TheeBassMasta]

I shy away from it when I'm talking to girls

 

[Guffe]

(i have 250-ish face book friends, he has 100-ish)

You didn't just use that as an argument??!!
I couldn't care rats ass if you have 1000 friends on Facebook, that means exactly nothing. I mean many of the friends I have on facebook are people whom I went to the same school with and rarely even spoke with.
That's my opinion for that argument not meant to flame or anything but I don't think you can value your social status based on facebook.

Back to the Topic.
I don't play that many games but on the contrary many people seem to think I play loads and that I am a nerd who only spends his money on games while only my friends seem to know that this isn't the case. If someone starts a discussion about something I like I am not afraid to discuss about it in the open. I take pride in what I like and if someone doesn't like that and they have actually tried it out then that's their opinion, people are different.

 

[Tharwen]

*Only* 100 facebook friends D:

 

[VaudevillianVeteran]

What's wrong with people knowing that you play nerdy games? I'm very public about my love of games and hell if I have to hide that I spent 2 months playing Dragon Age to perfect it.

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

Games are a common thing now, most people plame them, there is no reason to hide it.

 

[Double A]

I play games, don't have Facebook, and hate Capatcha. Those three issues have come up in this thread.

By me not having Facebook, I mean your poll is flawed. Gamers don't always use Facebook.