Journal Entry 8

One of the greatest things about gaming is that each player has their own unique way of approaching how they play their games.  No two gamers are alike.  Each gamer likes different types of games, and chooses to approach playing these games differently as well.  I have the privilege of living with three other gamers, each with their own unique style of playing.

I, personally, would classify myself as a competitor.  A competitor strives to be better than his fellow game players.  I play a lot of sports games, and every time I play against one of my roommates, the only thing that I want to do is run them into the ground.  I am constantly on the edge of my seat and am in a zone that can rarely be broken.  I am constantly playing online and always trying to be the next challenger.  Sometimes things get a little heated when I’m losing.  I get increasingly frustrated and start to focus intensely on what I’m doing.

Now, I don’t freak out on the level of this kid, but I do hate losing.  It is the worst feeling in the world.

My roommate Chris loves open world style games such as Skyrim and Boarderlands.  He is what they call 

an explorer. Chris plays to experience boundaries of the game world and loves to discover what others do not yet know.  There are many times when I step into Chris’s room to watch him game, and he is in some dense forest doing nothing more than trying to find a cave or a secret stage that no one has yet found.  He is also a collector.  He plays these games not only to explore the vastness of the world he is involved in, but he also plays to acquire the most unlockables and loot in the game.  He is always trying to upgrade his weapons, or find that next piece of armor that will make him nearly invincible to his enemies.   I somewhat enjoy this type of gaming, but it is too big an investment to me. 

Ty, my third roommate, is classified as an achiever.  These game players play not only to be better now, but to be better in rankings over time, or thrive to have the most wins or championships over time. Ty is notorious for simulating lengthy careers in NBA2K13.  He sometimes plays the games, but he likes to see how well he can do over a 15 yea r career as he makes MVP caliber players and wins many world championships.  Sure he likes to play against other people, but he gets satisfaction from seeing how good he can become over time.

Kiel, my fourth roommate, would be classified as a Joker type player.  These players could care less if he wins or loses, but he just plays for the fun of the game alone and enjoys the social aspects of gaming.  Kiel loves playing Halo, but Kiel hates playing Halo alone.  He has way more fun when we are all playing together, exchanging trash talk and beating up on each other.  I too would consider myself as a joker type player as well because that is the main reason why I game, to have fun with friends.

References: Klug, G.C., & Schell, J. (2006). Why people play games: An industry perspective. In P. Vorderer, & J. Bryant (Eds.),Playing Video Games: Motives, Responses, and Consequences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, New Jersey