I might have started as a console gamer with my brothers and father, but once I grew up my perspective changed. I admired PC gamers more than any other in the past. It was always like the PC community had the popular kids at school, if you can understand what I mean.
The gamers who played strategy and shooters caught my eye the most based on different traits. I was also heavily involved with these communities, so there’s just certain kinds of gamers that stood out among the others.
These days there are many different traits I admire about gamers, and I’m happy to say it’s not all about PC gamers anymore. I’d like to share these gamer traits I admire with you. Note: Unless I’ve met female gamers frequently in-games or in person, which is still kind of rare, most of the descriptions have he/him.
The Humble MadSkillz
This gamer doesn’t go out of his way to say he’s the best in the chatrooms, voice chat,, forums, or anywhere really. Without realizing it, this gamer uses the actions speak louder than words concept. He’s humble about his skills because he’s seen better, probably. He’ll join the game and just own everyone or maybe he’s just the best teammate you’ll ever have. In my time, I’ve met so many gamers like him online. I’ve also had the pleasure to meet them in person. Often times they are just as humble in person as online. These gamers also never stay in a game with people who aren’t good as them. You might see them join a game, and once it’s finished they will find another one that meets their skill set. Everyone wants to be this gamer, but sometimes it comes naturally or with tons of practice, or both. This gamer often gets accused of being a cheater because they are unbelievably that good. Once this gamer does go to a LAN party, they are skills are validated when they use another person’s computer or console. Obviously, word spreads across the community that this dude is for real, and he sometimes becomes a legend among that community.
The Game Trainer
This gamer isn’t an actual trainer, and they aren’t always the best at the game. For instance, I’ve been able to tear them to pieces once they’ve taught me the basics. They just know a lot about the game. I’ve met so many gamers with these traits, but sadly, they were mostly found with communities like the Quake, JediKnight, Command & Conquer, and Unreal Tournament. With my experience in console communities these gamers are rare to find. This gamer tends to make you feel important without realizing it. When you are lost in an online game as a new player, they’ll go out of their way to help even if they are going to get heckled by others for helping. Sometimes, they’ll take you to another server or game just to help out. I’m always impressed with their courage in facing the trolls and taunting. It’s almost like you become their mission, and the only thing that matters at that time is to train you to be the best out there. Some of these gamers have been playing that game for so many years that it’s always a pleasure to meet new players, so maybe that’s why they do it.
The Silent Mystery
This gamer often reminds me of the guy in the mask, kind of like Batman. He’s always there in the game. He’s not the best of all of the players but he has some decent skills. He’ll back you up as a teammate better than most because he knows the objective. He kind of follows you around in the game to cover you, but he doesn’t use voice chat nor does he use text to communicate. His actions are there in the game so you know that he hears your voice and reads your text in chat because he reacts to what is being said. Maybe he just doesn’t like to chat or use voice chat? Either way, he’s the kind of the gamer that you want to know better because you’ll miss him as a teammate. Actually, I have met some Silent Mystery gamers in person, and they are either super outgoing, or super shy. It’s hit or miss.
The Classy Joker
This gamer might be in abundance among the console communities these days, but the classy joker isn’t about taunting and beating his chest. He’ll play tricks or make jokes about what’s happening in the game. When you’re new to a community, this gamer is annoying. But, if you’ve been around a community for so long, you’ll find that he’s just going to make redundancy in a game more exciting.
The Creator
The gamer that can create his own levels, character models, modifications, or game really should be admired. They can bring a game that you’ve played for years into a new scenario, objective, or surrounding. These gamers aren’t always the best at playing the original game, or even their own creations, but it’s a pleasure to establish friendships with them. They’ll let you check out their projects in development and share screenshots of what they plan on doing. I have met so many in my time from multiple shooter and strategy game communities.
The Decent Lady Gamer
She’s classy, and doesn’t go bragging in every occasion that she’s female, but most people know it. She might not always be the best player at certain games, but works towards becoming better at the games. I’d say this gamer often has tons of friends without trying to. She’ll help others in the game if they are lost, might even taunt the trolls back in the game, but for the most part, she likes to be everyone’s friend. This gamer might be in an all female clan and considered motherly to female gamers. But, she’s also been found in coed teams with kind of that motherly attitude to everyone in the clan. I admire this gamer because she might be sassy at times, but she’s always missed by everyone when she’s not around. The console game communities have these female gamer more than ever before. There were some rare gems from the Unreal Tournament, Quake, Half-Life, Delta Force, RTCW: Enemy Territory game communities.
Denial of Being a Female Gamer
This lady gamer is pretty classy at what they do. Sometimes you never know that they’ve been female all along. They don’t strut around telling people that they are female because they’d prefer being treated equally. They’ll also go out of their way to never be associated to any female gamers that share that they are a game girl in every occasion they get. You will not see this female gamer in a girl only clan. I’ve had the pleasure to meet these kinds of ladies in person to find that they are pretty good at the game. One downside though, these gamers rarely can get along with any girls online or in person because they just can’t stand these personality types. It also takes a while for another female gamer to prove that they are in it for the games. The best of them will just ignore the “I’m a game girl” personality types though.
The Social Gamer
He/she’s your best friend, and maybe good enough at the games, but often found starting discussions and later finishing them up after the game is over in the chatroom or in person. This gamer is the kind you want to hang out in person at a LAN party, convention, but you’ll NEVER get better playing him/her. But, you’ll play every new game with this gamer because he/she buys them and wants to play. [Hah, I’m so going to get punched in the arm by numerous gamer friends over this one. *hides*]
The Once Upon A Time, Hater
This gamer happens to be your best gamer friend later, and often falls under the Social Gamer category by then. He’ll cause a scene in the game or in any community you deal with because he doesn’t believe you play games. He’ll try everything to prove that you aren’t. Often times meeting these gamers in person resolves the problem, especially at a LAN party. Once these gamers see you in the game, and sitting across from them, and well, they get owned still, they can’t use the “your brother is playing” excuse.
The Professional
I listed this gamer last because he/she already gets so many pats on the back for pretty much being sponsored (paid) to play games professionally. So, I’ll just say that I’ve met enough of these gamers in person to know that many of them are pretty cool!
I’m curious if any of you have met any gamers with one or more of these traits that I admire the most? If not, do you have a description of gamers you’ve encountered?