What is your gamer stereotype breaking hobby?

[piinyouri]

I play drums, which can be an incredibly exhausting activity and quote the workout so I'm pretty far away from the overweight gamer stereotype.
That's all I got really.

 

[Zantos]

That sucks. All of my friends who are into gaming and whatnot are well up for drunken shenanigans. There's nothing better than going to a pub with a few people and talking about Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and the Internet in general, over many pints.

Try to get your non-nerdy friends into some of the things that interest you? Alternatively, encourage the socially awkward people to leave the house? Or is that just totally not an option?

I totally agree with the drunken shenanigans, my friends and I have had such lively debates about geeky things in the pub that people have sat round just to watch. Our power weapons vs. lightsabers debate was immense just for the number of people we didn't know that ended up joining in. It's such a good laugh.

OT: I play the banjo and brew my own beer, which I think counts because it doesn't fit in to any stereotype really. Well, that's a bit of a lie, I use malt extract since I don't really have the equipment to make my own wort at the minute (or at least do it to a decent standard), but I'll be saving up my pennies in time for my winter bitter.

 

[The Funslinger]

That sucks. All of my friends who are into gaming and whatnot are well up for drunken shenanigans. There's nothing better than going to a pub with a few people and talking about Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and the Internet in general, over many pints.

Try to get your non-nerdy friends into some of the things that interest you? Alternatively, encourage the socially awkward people to leave the house? Or is that just totally not an option?

Well, I would, but nothing sucks harder than being the guy that relentlessly talks about stuff that nobody's interested in.

As for my socially awkward friends, I have tried. They're very stubborn though. One being literally a person I could not convince to eat and walk at the same time when we were standing outside in the dead of winter, and I didn't have gloves, and he'd just opened a packet of fucking mini cheddars. And I pride myself on being fairly persuasive.

Ha! What a bastard.
Did you at least get some of the mini cheddars?

No, I slapped the Mars Bar out of his hand when he started to unwrap that, too.

 

[TheOneGuyInNebraska]

I love watching, following and playing sports,
and I'm pretty sure most people think game nerds hate all sports

 

[Kegsen]

Took up kayaking last year, and never regretted it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hISgoq8V_qo

As for other non game-related hobbies, I guess playing a bit of guitar, screaming somewhat grungy into a microphone from time to time, and going hiking either in the wilderness - or from pub to pub. Sensible shoes, and not so sensible drinking go hand in hand.

 

[Angie7F]

I guess being into beauty and fashion counts?
But in the end it is all about whether you can be obsessed about things or not.
Non nerdy people seem like they hardly have any real interested to me.lol

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I play the bass, but considering I tend to play metal it's not exactly far from the stereotype. Other than that... I don't think drinking or going to raves (proper raves) are really hobbies, but I do them a lot.

 

[Cloudydays]

I was thinking something similar. I like to paint but half the time I'm painting, it's a space ork for 40K. Even other arts I'm into like glassblowing involve a lot of the skills (and hand muscles) developed from video gaming. It wont make you a pro but it helps. Martial arts, basketball, cars are also very gamery.
But I have a lot of hobbies and there have got to be a couple that few other gamers are into.
I guess my most stereotype breaking ones would be hair & makeup.

Exactly though, most of my abilities and skills have been shaped, if not at least improved, by gaming. You've got more muscle control in your hands and fingers - key for any artis, better hand-eye coordination (especially if you play with something like the Wii), etc. I mean, we can look at things and say that "Hey, this hobby isn't very gamer-ly" but most of them have been at least facilitated by games.

That's just what it seems to me.

As far as my art goes, apart from digital work that requires hand-eye coordination when using a drawing tablet, I also do pieces in charcoal, acrylics, ink, sometimes even scratchboards or the sort. It varies.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

I played DnD...

No, wait, hold on, comic books?

No, wait, that's not right, I must have some hobby that makes me stand out. Well, I'm in one of the head student leadership positions at my school. That's about all I can think of right now.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

I have a similar problem, but one that (to me, at least) is more of a stumbling block. There's no overlap between my friends who like to discuss games, anime, sci fi, Marvel, etc and my friends with whom I can get drunk and go on shenanigans with.

Such a shame, because drunken conversations about those topics would be so wonderful. All my 'nerdy' friends are stereotypically socially awkward.

You're a Yorkshire man like me. I thought that all Yorkshiremen, even the nerdiest and most introverted, had to get pissed at least once in a while.

 

[The Funslinger]

I have a similar problem, but one that (to me, at least) is more of a stumbling block. There's no overlap between my friends who like to discuss games, anime, sci fi, Marvel, etc and my friends with whom I can get drunk and go on shenanigans with.

Such a shame, because drunken conversations about those topics would be so wonderful. All my 'nerdy' friends are stereotypically socially awkward.

You're a Yorkshire man like me. I thought that all Yorkshiremen, even the nerdiest and most introverted, had to get pissed at least once in a while.

One of them is of Scotch descendency (I know, same rule applies, but still), one is Geordie, and one is a Jesus looking fella.

It's not that they don't drink, it's just that their idea of a good drink is sitting in a quiet pub, just us and have primarily cokes, and maaaaaybe one pint. Mainly because they're so socially awkward they don't have the balls to order alcohol, despite being of the legal age.

 

[Jeremy Skitz]

Well, I'm a musician who's working to get into drama school. I'm also really ill right now from all the drinking at download festival this weekend. XD

 

[AngloDoom]

I go to the gym as often as I can and desperately want to learn to sing and dance now that I've learnt I can't do martial arts for a few years.

Oh, and I find it extraordinarily easy to talk to absolutely anyone the first time, even if they don't particularly like me. Women especially, though I think it's because they think I'm gay ("but not 'gay gay', like, just somehow not like other men") which I'm still not sure whether to be complemented by or not.

 

[Ieyke]

I think my hobbies pretty much cover the entire geek spectrum, but I also have hobbies that go into pretty much all the rest of the spectrums too...

So

Roughly in order of time consumption from most to least:

- 80% of my real friends (and all of my closest friends) are incredibly attractive women. I spend a ton of time hanging out with them.
(^This, I suppose, is where it becomes immediately obvious that I'm not the "stereotypical" gamer.)

- I'm always knee-deep in investigating some new topic or other.

- I keep up with all manner of science news.

- I devour music like a hungry Snorlax devours Cheetos.

- [THIS IS WHERE GAMING WOULD PROBABLY ACTUALLY BE ON MY LIST]

- I get bored and I organize and find more efficient ways to do things.

- I'm an art student (I hesitate to call myself an artist, though I guess I most certainly am)

- I read (thought not nearly as much as I should.

- I cook.

- Martial arts.

- Firearms.


Honestly, I don't even so much think of myself as a gamer... Gaming is just the thing I most naturally gravitate towards while waiting for something better to do.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I was thinking something similar. I like to paint but half the time I'm painting, it's a space ork for 40K. Even other arts I'm into like glassblowing involve a lot of the skills (and hand muscles) developed from video gaming. It wont make you a pro but it helps. Martial arts, basketball, cars are also very gamery.
But I have a lot of hobbies and there have got to be a couple that few other gamers are into.
I guess my most stereotype breaking ones would be hair & makeup.

Exactly though, most of my abilities and skills have been shaped, if not at least improved, by gaming. You've got more muscle control in your hands and fingers - key for any artis, better hand-eye coordination (especially if you play with something like the Wii), etc. I mean, we can look at things and say that "Hey, this hobby isn't very gamer-ly" but most of them have been at least facilitated by games.

That's just what it seems to me.

As far as my art goes, apart from digital work that requires hand-eye coordination when using a drawing tablet, I also do pieces in charcoal, acrylics, ink, sometimes even scratchboards or the sort. It varies.

I love scratchboards, it's like 2d sculpting.
You're right. All my hobbies and skills have probably been improved by gaming in some way shape or form. And when you stop and think about it, as games have evolved, so have gamers. Many of the games I played as a kid just tasked you with jumping a character from platform to platform and hitting enemies on a 2d plane. There were no stats (maybe a health bar and/or special weapon allotment) or flanking. Current games require the gamer to keep track of a whole lot more information at the same time and respond to changes in patterns and circumstances more rapidly than before. It may not be as edifying as some sports and other brain building activities but it's definitely a workout for the brain...well, most games at least.
Lets face it, some are just mindless fun.

 

[TheDoctor455]

I write mainly science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Tried semi-historical fiction once. Didn't go well. Neither did my first attempt at a fantasy novel. Both were written before I really started to develop my voice.

Was working on a cyberpunk-ish novel until my computer decided to reformat itself. (that right there is why I'm not worried about an AI uprising in the future; they'll just reformat themselves and forget why they're rebelling in the first place)

Also...

I used to do some acting. Haven't had much chance to perform lately though.

 

[Cloudydays]

I was thinking something similar. I like to paint but half the time I'm painting, it's a space ork for 40K. Even other arts I'm into like glassblowing involve a lot of the skills (and hand muscles) developed from video gaming. It wont make you a pro but it helps. Martial arts, basketball, cars are also very gamery.
But I have a lot of hobbies and there have got to be a couple that few other gamers are into.
I guess my most stereotype breaking ones would be hair & makeup.

Exactly though, most of my abilities and skills have been shaped, if not at least improved, by gaming. You've got more muscle control in your hands and fingers - key for any artis, better hand-eye coordination (especially if you play with something like the Wii), etc. I mean, we can look at things and say that "Hey, this hobby isn't very gamer-ly" but most of them have been at least facilitated by games.

That's just what it seems to me.

As far as my art goes, apart from digital work that requires hand-eye coordination when using a drawing tablet, I also do pieces in charcoal, acrylics, ink, sometimes even scratchboards or the sort. It varies.

I love scratchboards, it's like 2d sculpting.
You're right. All my hobbies and skills have probably been improved by gaming in some way shape or form. And when you stop and think about it, as games have evolved, so have gamers. Many of the games I played as a kid just tasked you with jumping a character from platform to platform and hitting enemies on a 2d plane. There were no stats (maybe a health bar and/or special weapon allotment) or flanking. Current games require the gamer to keep track of a whole lot more information at the same time and respond to changes in patterns and circumstances more rapidly than before. It may not be as edifying as some sports and other brain building activities but it's definitely a workout for the brain...well, most games at least.
Lets face it, some are just mindless fun.

Mindless fun, woo!

No, but you make a good point here. Games evolve and so do the gamers with them. Since we're attributing games with improving our own skills, it makes sense to say that our own skills improve as games do. I mean, we still have platform games and really simplistic stuff but games are now made with different goals in mind, for different purposes - not just fun but education as well. You have to pay attention to so many stimuli all at once. If anything, it helps exercise our brains to pay attention to more minute details and yeah - respond to changes in our environments quickly.

 

[Darren Carrigan]

I'm a Poet
Sports Journalist
Experienced interview Journalist
I play football too (soccer)

 

[generals3]

I guess it depends, if we use the "basement dweller" stereotype the fact i often go out with friends goes against the gamer stereotype.
I also picked up jogging which wouldn't really fit the basement dweller stereotype either.

 

[mjelaine]

I'm a queer tattooed social worker who also loves sports, camping and swimming. Former lifeguard who is used to spending most of the summer outdoors by a pool (but gamers never go outside!!)