Secret gaming code

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

So according to you I have to have an extensive knowledge about games. I have to know specific facts and trivia if I am to receive this title. And I have to take gaming seriously. You there are people who take their Farms EXTREMELY seriously in farmville. They will spend 12 hours a day playing Farmville and City Ville. While I play for maybe. 2-3 hours a day. That would make them Gamers and me Casual even though I own over 30 games for this generation. The definition of "Gamer" changes all the time. I prefer it "Gamer is someone who plays Games." End of story. No matter what the format. A game is a game.

You're putting words into my mouth that I never spoke. As I said, the key word is entusiast. Someone who is entusiastic about a hobby, as a gamer, a reader, a petrolhead or others, spends money and free time on their hobby. There was no implied level of seriousness. In fact I distinctly said a gamer should enjoy and/or take seriously their hobby. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Anyone who spends 12 hours on Farmville in a day, or any game for that matter, is not a gamer but an obsessive individual who needs to rethink unhealthy habits. 2-3 hrs is the top end of healthy and far from casual; it's a serious investment. Being a gamer is well defined and understood by anyone who is a gamer and has nothing to do with trivia knowledge (though that is a side-effect of being an enthusiast about anything). The definition hasn't changed, though our games and gaming habits have.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

You could say "Was the president ever kidnapped by ninjas?" If they get that then you both know a bit about each other. If the other person don't then a simple "yes" might suffice, and then you just spin on the conversation from there.

 

[Aetera]

There IS a phrase for this. The phrase is, "For the Horde."

 

[Darknacht]

It looks interesting, however Steam is selling it for 30 USD. I will have to wait for it to go on sale. Good thing it isn't high graphics, that means I can actually play it
...
Only question is: Is empire Total war a good Strategy game or is that more or less a watered down for the "Grand" strategy games?

Many people have problems with the Steam version, they typically can be fixed by disabling steam updates and replacing a few files, Also the DLC tends to be a bit buggy on Steam. If you are willing to deal the the problems from Steam it should still work, but Gamersgate and D2D don't have the extra problems and tend to be just as cheap or cheaper(D2D is selling Victoria 2 for $15 right now).

Grand Strategy just means that you control an entire country and only focus on troops to the level of movement of groups of troops, not control of individual troops on the battlefield. So the Total War games are not Grand Strategy.

 

[Therumancer]

Every time I'm talking to someone that I don't really know, and the subject gets on to games (which doesn't happen very often), they don't believe me when I say I'm a gamer, and they just assume that I just play CoD or whatever. It's times like these when I wish there were a phrase you could say that instantly gives you gamer cred, and makes the other person know you're a gamer.

For example, they would ask "Are you a gamer?"
And you would reply with "[small]insert gamer phrase here[/small]"
And they would instantly know.

Every time I'm talking to someone that I don't really know, and the subject gets on to games (which doesn't happen very often), they don't believe me when I say I'm a gamer, and they just assume that I just play CoD or whatever. It's times like these when I wish there were a phrase you could say that instantly gives you gamer cred, and makes the other person know you're a gamer.

For example, they would ask "Are you a gamer?"
And you would reply with "[small]insert gamer phrase here[/small]"
And they would instantly know.

Some people dont believe it straight away when i say im a gamer, if they know im a builder first.

What, a tradesman who likes videogames and not sports? inconceivable!

To respond to the OP and first response which seemed to cover the bases, it's like this:

A "gamer" is someone whose first priority is gaming. People have tried to broaden that definition to include pretty much everyone who plays games, especially those in the gaming industry who don't see such a term being exclusionary as being in their best interests, and try and argue it by "literal definition" rather than it's assigned meaning. Sort of like how many people do not understand what a "role playing game" is or try and call themselves role-players based on a literal definition.

Being a gamer is a lot like being a punk (before real punk more or less died, but that's another arguement entirely) on a lot of levels. One does not do anything to become a real gamer, you either are one, or you aren't. If you feel the need to sell it, or there is confusion, you aren't one. It's sort of like how some guy can get a 4' spiked Mohawk, a leather jacket, combat boots (or Chuck Taylors), and a "Sex Pistols" T-shirt and not be considered an actual punk despite following the mould (which is more or less the entire problem). Incidently being something doesn't nessicarly mean your even well liked within a given community, plenty of poseurs who get along with punks might be well liked better than people who ARE fellow punks, but just aren't part of that group.

See, if your a builder first, and just happen to like games, then by definition your not a gamer. Your some guy who likes games.

It's not a perfect analogy, but it works to some extent.

Attempts at labels like "hardcore" gamer or "lifstyle" gamer are simply ways people have come up to try and relabel the term so seperate gamers from the general term so it can be applied to a wider range of people.

Now, if your a REAL gamer, then you don't really need to know a pass phrase, or make some kind of a referance. See, there are things similar to this but they change all the time based on the community and what is current at the moment. As a real gamer your going to be right there on the pulse of gaming, watching all of the newest developments and latest games as soon as they come out. Making a referance to what people who are doing that are talking about generally works. One of the fastest ways to be sort of singled out as not a serious "gamer" is to be five minutes too late so to speak, making referances to a game that the mainstream has already seriously embraced (so to speak).

It also works when you also remember very old games, and can make analogies to the very old along with the bleeding edge. See being able to say make a clever referance to the original "Wasteland" or "Scavengers Of The Mutant World" when discussing the newest Fallout add on, shows someone who has more interest in gaming than your typical person who plays games who tends to consume, and then forget.

In the end though, being an actual gamer isn't something that can be taught, you can do everythihng perfectly and fake it, but find yourself not being recognized and fitting in. You either are one, or you aren't. If it happens you'll find yourself there, and it likely won't be because you set out to make it happen.

 

[FilipJPhry]

I'd just say, if you enjoy video games, then you are a gamer!

I sometimes get bagged on by some self-proclaimed nerds for liking Black Ops, Madden or NHL games. I call those social experiences because I usually play them online with friends. And yes, I do enjoy playing them.

They don't know I played the entire Fallout series, Magic: the Gathering, KoTOR, Pokemon or Dragon Age. Why? Because they don't ask. I would defend games I like if someone were talking shit about them, but the only games these days that get heat are FPS and sports genres.

 

[chaosyoshimage]

I'm that kind of dork that wears his love of games (And other things) on his sleeve. I have quite a few video game T-Shirts and regularly wear my Yoshi ones because I think they're adorable and cool at the same time. I wear a Zelda wristband anytime I wear short sleeves, and one time with long sleeves. I had to wear a school hoodie for our Scholar/Quiz Bowl team, so I rolled up a sleeve to show off my Zelda love, and got some props from a guy with a Silent Hill T-Shirt.

Also, I carry my 3DS with me wherever I go (Only got one StreetPass, but I'm basically a shut-in in the middle of nowhere...). So anyway, yeah, people expect me to like video games. They also expect me to be good at Ping Pong, not quite sure what's up with that one...

 

[Truehare]

Well, I've skimmed through the first page and haven't seen an answer to your question. So, not to get into the whole "what is a gamer" argument, you simply have to mention some obscure game you've played, preferrably a fairly old one (I would personally use Sanitarium for impact, but it's your call, really) and proceed to talk about your experience playing that game.

Mentioning odd little deatils you came across while doing so could add up to the effect -- in my Sanitarium example, I would talk about how annoying it was to have Olmec moonwalking half of the time. Simple enough.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Every time I'm talking to someone that I don't really know, and the subject gets on to games (which doesn't happen very often), they don't believe me when I say I'm a gamer, and they just assume that I just play CoD or whatever. It's times like these when I wish there were a phrase you could say that instantly gives you gamer cred, and makes the other person know you're a gamer.

For example, they would ask "Are you a gamer?"
And you would reply with "[small]insert gamer phrase here[/small]"
And they would instantly know.

Every time I'm talking to someone that I don't really know, and the subject gets on to games (which doesn't happen very often), they don't believe me when I say I'm a gamer, and they just assume that I just play CoD or whatever. It's times like these when I wish there were a phrase you could say that instantly gives you gamer cred, and makes the other person know you're a gamer.

For example, they would ask "Are you a gamer?"
And you would reply with "[small]insert gamer phrase here[/small]"
And they would instantly know.

Some people dont believe it straight away when i say im a gamer, if they know im a builder first.

What, a tradesman who likes videogames and not sports? inconceivable!

To respond to the OP and first response which seemed to cover the bases, it's like this:

A "gamer" is someone whose first priority is gaming. People have tried to broaden that definition to include pretty much everyone who plays games, especially those in the gaming industry who don't see such a term being exclusionary as being in their best interests, and try and argue it by "literal definition" rather than it's assigned meaning. Sort of like how many people do not understand what a "role playing game" is or try and call themselves role-players based on a literal definition.

Being a gamer is a lot like being a punk (before real punk more or less died, but that's another arguement entirely) on a lot of levels. One does not do anything to become a real gamer, you either are one, or you aren't. If you feel the need to sell it, or there is confusion, you aren't one. It's sort of like how some guy can get a 4' spiked Mohawk, a leather jacket, combat boots (or Chuck Taylors), and a "Sex Pistols" T-shirt and not be considered an actual punk despite following the mould (which is more or less the entire problem). Incidently being something doesn't nessicarly mean your even well liked within a given community, plenty of poseurs who get along with punks might be well liked better than people who ARE fellow punks, but just aren't part of that group.

See, if your a builder first, and just happen to like games, then by definition your not a gamer. Your some guy who likes games.

It's not a perfect analogy, but it works to some extent.

Attempts at labels like "hardcore" gamer or "lifstyle" gamer are simply ways people have come up to try and relabel the term so seperate gamers from the general term so it can be applied to a wider range of people.

Now, if your a REAL gamer, then you don't really need to know a pass phrase, or make some kind of a referance. See, there are things similar to this but they change all the time based on the community and what is current at the moment. As a real gamer your going to be right there on the pulse of gaming, watching all of the newest developments and latest games as soon as they come out. Making a referance to what people who are doing that are talking about generally works. One of the fastest ways to be sort of singled out as not a serious "gamer" is to be five minutes too late so to speak, making referances to a game that the mainstream has already seriously embraced (so to speak).

It also works when you also remember very old games, and can make analogies to the very old along with the bleeding edge. See being able to say make a clever referance to the original "Wasteland" or "Scavengers Of The Mutant World" when discussing the newest Fallout add on, shows someone who has more interest in gaming than your typical person who plays games who tends to consume, and then forget.

In the end though, being an actual gamer isn't something that can be taught, you can do everythihng perfectly and fake it, but find yourself not being recognized and fitting in. You either are one, or you aren't. If it happens you'll find yourself there, and it likely won't be because you set out to make it happen.

I can see what your saying, but i am definitly a gamer. I was one long before i ever got my current job.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

I usually ask questions about what games they've played, if they've played the Baldur's Gate games and before you even bat an eye i will stab you if you say yes about the PS2 games.

Those were actually pretty solid Hack-n-slashes, though. Not as good as Champions of Norrath, but still.

 

[Bernzz]

People believe me when I say it. Not because I carry a certain authority when I say, it's that most people I know are gamers as well so if they mention a game I like I start talking about it excitedly.

So yeah. Of course, it helps that I'm a guy.

Would suck to get generalised to "You just play CoD." or "You're just saying that to get guys." for you though.

A secret handshake would be pretty cool.

No wait! I've got it. Interpretive dance.

 

[Mogget128723]

Always depends on what kind of games they play.

Most CoD and Bad Company fanboys I run into think Minecraft players aren't gamers, and most Minecraft fanboys think CoD and Bad Company players aren't gamers, so it really depends on where their heart lies.

I play everything from CoD to Braid to Minecraft to Human Revolution to MechWarrior 4, and people are always shocked that I like 'that stupid, shallow shooter' or that 'ugly, slow simulator' because they like something different.

 

[Aurgelmir]

Every time I'm talking to someone that I don't really know, and the subject gets on to games (which doesn't happen very often), they don't believe me when I say I'm a gamer, and they just assume that I just play CoD or whatever. It's times like these when I wish there were a phrase you could say that instantly gives you gamer cred, and makes the other person know you're a gamer.

For example, they would ask "Are you a gamer?"
And you would reply with "[small]insert gamer phrase here[/small]"
And they would instantly know.

EDIT: The reason people usually don't believe me is because I'm a girl, and they think I'm just saying that to get guys.

Well cudos to you that you are a gamer, but why would we need a phrase like that when a lot of us are trying to move away from the term altogether?

I can understand that you as a girl want to get gamer cred, but from whom? Other Gamers? or the general public?

You gain gamer cred by being able to discuss games, so just do that

 

[kouriichi]

Before, i was proud to call myself a gamer.

Now i hate the title. After the 15th match of LoL where the person choosing Ryze was more useless then Karthus not taking Requiem at level 6.

And then of course you have the "new school" way to play Call of Duty, which seems to involve lagging, exploiting every little poor game design, and using unoriginal XBL names. "XxR3APERxSoulsxInuyahsaxX"
"XH3ADSH0TSN1PERZxD3AM0NSLAYERxX"


Being a "Gamer" used to mean something. But now, anyone who can hold a controller or type more then 10 words a minute on a keyboard can be one.

So when people ask, "Are You a Gamer?",

The only reply i can muster up is, "I beat Bushido Blade 10 times in a row without dying."

 

[RadiusXd]

"Hi! my name is Urist Mc[your name here]."

 

[Lance Arrow]

If you enjoy games, you're a gamer.

Stop acting like bearing the title of 'gamer' is a big fucking deal, because this is literally how simple it is (or should be).

 

[Vault101]

ask them what the cake is...

and then promptly punch them in the face if they say its a lie.....

 

[Vault101]

Every time I'm talking to someone that I don't really know, and the subject gets on to games (which doesn't happen very often), they don't believe me when I say I'm a gamer, and they just assume that I just play CoD or whatever. It's times like these when I wish there were a phrase you could say that instantly gives you gamer cred, and makes the other person know you're a gamer.

For example, they would ask "Are you a gamer?"
And you would reply with "[small]insert gamer phrase here[/small]"
And they would instantly know.

EDIT: The reason people usually don't believe me is because I'm a girl, and they think I'm just saying that to get guys.

in my case whenever my gaming habits come up its usually when I've got a game and I'm enthusiastically un-shrink wrapping it, so theres no doubt there (or its in my house....which is plastered with posters/figurines)

anyway if somone accused you of doing it just to get guys you could simply start talking about games...

and NEVER shut up

 

[Trippy Turtle]

I'd get strange looks if didn't say I spent my life reading/gaming. We could always have some super secret code word?

 

[trollnystan]

I don't feel comfortable calling myself a gamer really; I tend to just say that I like to play computer/video games. I just don't feel I can claim that title.

Despite that I run into the same problem as OP with people immediately wanting to play CoD or the like with me, and that's not my kind of game. Either that or they look at me with a look that says, "But you're 28. And a GIRL."