Working Title 11.13.08: Working Timetable

Posted by Jordan Williams on 11.13.2008

What is a Gamer? How many types are there? It's time we examine how much time playing a video game can effect you and where exactly you fit in this wonderful world of ours.

Welcome to the #1 Column to know why I'm going to type this next number really fucking big, Working Title!

98

Yes, there is a reason why I did that. That's all you need to know. So how is everyone today? By the time you read this we'll have a new president (for my American readers). Things can only get better from here right?...Right? Yeah, I don't do well when it comes to politic jokes. I'll stick to obvious jokes about video games.

Cloud and Sephiroth totally have butt sex.

Anyway, last week I had a Halloween special of sorts that detailed some of the most gruesome and horrible video games known to man, and this week I'm going to steal use an idea that was given to me a few weeks ago by David the Awesome. It's safe to say that everyone that reads this column considers themselves a gamer in some way or shape. Be it a hardcore gamer, a casual gamer, or even a newbie gamer. The fact is that a lot of us devote time to the world of video games. But does how much time we put into our hobby effect other things? Does it change the way we live our life or how we view other things?

Probably not. But its fun to exaggerate and make things up for a quick laugh isn't it?



Yeah, it's old and busted, but you tell me ONE Jack Thompson joke that isn't? I rest my case.

Working Timeframe

How many hours do you devote to video games a day? Go ahead and be honest. I'm sure a lot of us here have jobs so they do take a huge chunk of our time, but how much time outside of that do you spend sitting in front of the PC or the TV while ticking away the video game hours?

Well let's examine that, huh? Let's take the average adult. They have a job and/or school which say takes up about 8 hours of your time that leaves your days at about...16 hours. Now let's go ahead and average that on a week scale NOT counting weekends which would leave us at about 80 hours a week. So that's what our average day and week will look like as we examine just what the hell gaming has and will do to your lives if you spend this much time playing with yer vidya games on the good old boob tube.

Seriously, boob tube sounds dirty no matter how many times I hear it, it's like meeting someone named Richard who insists you call them Dick. It just doesn't feel right ever.

Note: These are all massive generalizations meant for entertainment purposes, so just because you play only 3 hours a day doesn't mean you're a casual gamer.

UP TO 1hr/day 3hrs/week: The Minor Gamer

The Minor Gamer isn't quite a casual gamer yet, they are the ones who have that got an ill-thought out video game console for Christmas by that one aunt who's really out of touch and thinks that ALL kids like video games. They still have all of the original packaging and books and the same one or two games they got with the console that day. They bust it out very rarely and most of the time just uses it at a second DVD player (if applicable).

The Minor Gamer doesn't take part in many gaming discussions online and in fact probably can't even accurately explain the very game they are playing; they are fine and dandy playing that same level over and over in Crash Bandicoot because they don't care if they ever get far enough to do any real damage to it. In fact The Minor Gamer probably doesn't even own a memory card because they don't care at all.

The Minor Gamer also houses a list of other gaming stereotypes:
The Early Child Gamer, who only plays whenever their parents let them and it's always edutainment.
The Borrowing Gamer, who doesn't own a console of their own, and instead do any and all video game at someone else's house.



As you can see The Minor Gamer isn't someone who is necessarily a gamer at all, they are barely there long enough to make decent headway. Sure, they can tell you who Mario is but that's only because Mario Sunshine is still the only game they have for their Nintendo Gamecube, or as they call it "The Purple Box". The Minor Gamer still manages to comfortably leave enough times for things such as homework and post-work work, as well as a personal life and time for simple things such as exercise and a good night's sleep.

1-2hrs/day 3-5hrs/week: The Casual Gamer

Clocking in just after The Minor Gamer is the current bane of every so-called 'true' gamer's reality; The Casual Gamer. The Casual Gamer only plays a few hours a day and doesn't take part in any gaming discussions online that are worth anything. They are usually referred to a new to the gaming world because while they do play more than The Minor Gamer, the game they most likely play are games that are very short in attention and very low on skill. They also tend to only own one console OR a handheld console, and it's usually from a previous generation.

The Casual Gamer is a but deceptive however, while they may only play games for a short amount of time The Casual Gamer has the tendency to be OBSCENELY good at those games. Seriously, a Casual Gamer that may only play Tetris most of the time will probably SMOKE a bitch who considers themselves 'hardcore' simply because this is the ONLY game they freaking play.

With that standing, The Casual Gamer also falls fault to genre favoritism. Due to the casual nature of their play they generally only stick to one or two games, and those games are usually always in the same genre. A common misconception is that casual gamers always stick to puzzle games, but you must keep in mind that casual also relates to the amount of time they play as well as the type. So while we are seeing games that require short attention spans and are usually low on skill that doesn't mean that they are ALL casual games, it's very possible that a casual gamer could be into Call of Duty 4, but they only play it a few hours a week which would make them a casual gamer.

Just like The Minor Gamer, The Casual Gamer houses several other sub-genres of Gamer:
The Newbie Gamer, this is someone who is brand spanking new to a particular game, and has yet to become good at it but has a passing knowledge of the skills required.
The Genre Gamer, this is the gamer that sticks solely to one genre be it sports, fighting, or puzzle games. They might play more than The Casual Gamer but due to the fact that they stick just within a single genre means that they haven't really branched out much.
The Party Gamer, this is the gamer that ONLY plays party games and usually plays them...at parties. That frat dude who has Guitar Hero or Rockband, or that guy who busts out Boom Box and Wii Sports to break the ice. They play games to compliment the fact that they are most likely fucking shitfaced and are just doing to it kill time before they pass out.



Like the Minor Gamer, The Casual Gamer still has enough time to a normal life. Due to the fact that they play only a few hours a day, it doesn't take away from time that could be used for sleeping or eating or handling other things around the house. They might occasionally pop open a game at work or at a time when they shouldn't, but for the most part they still look at gaming as something to do to pass the time rather than a full blown hobby or lifestyle.

2-4hrs/day 7-9hrs/week: The Basic Gamer

And now we have The Basic Gamer. This is what many might refer to as 'average' in the world of gaming. They put some decent time into their video game playing habits and can actually handle a few of the tougher games out there as well as the world of internet discussions. They have broad horizons and like to test the waters of many games before they find one genre to settle down on. The Basic Gamer knows what the hell they are doing when it comes to video games, and they have no problem speaking about them online of admitting that they have an interest in them, in fact at this point gaming to them is a full on hobby.

At this point gaming isn't necessarily something you do for to pass time; it's more so something you do to for fun as a legit form of entertainment. While others may be using their TV to watch a TV show or a movie, The Basic Gamer is using their TV to rack up some time on an RPG or some kills on an FPS.

Hell, The Basic Gamer actually knows what those acronyms stand for.

When it comes to the consoles and what kinds of game The Basic Gamer has, it's still pretty simple. The Basic Gamer most of the time has two consoles, one from the current generation as well as one from the previous generation, even though most consoles can play older games. They will also own a handheld console in conjunction with this because they also have taken gaming to a point where they actively play handheld games when away from a TV.

The Basic Gamers' genre of choice is still up in the air, while they are not big on direct competition that still might dabble in sports games and FPS games that put them against other players, but at this point they are still gaming for the fun of it not for the SPORT of it, so they are most likely sticking to RPGs, Action/Adventures, and other games where direct competition isn't a factor as much as overall fun.

This doesn't mean that The Basic Gamer is afraid of competition; it just doesn't define their entire gameplay experience.

Gamer sub-genres that would fall into the family of The Basic Gamer are:
The Co-Op Gamer, this gamer lives for split screen and co-op. This doesn't mean that the suck alone, it simply means that they like the fun of teaming up to achieve a common goal rather than fighting against each other to do so.
The Young Gamer, this is the gamer that's aged into the pre-teen and early teenage years. They no longer are limited to only edutainment and bad Nickelodeon THQ games; they can actually get out there and kick some ass with some real games.
The Frat Gamer, as the name implies, this is the gamer that has only a limited time to play between drinking, sleeping, and schoolwork. So they tend to play games mainly in their dorm and stick to only a few genres, but still play more so than a Casual Gamer.

Now that we've hit the basic level of gaming, we are starting to see things change. Now you are starting to put off homework and other duties until later times in order to squeeze some more time into your favorite time. You're staying up maybe an hour or two later or spending more of your non-video game playing free time reading video game publications or listening to the views and rants of someone who is in no way qualified to discuss anything about video games.

*ahem*

Even with that, however, gaming isn't taken over your life. You are still in control and you can quit at any time. You can go one, two, maybe even three days without your fix. You're one of the lucky ones...because here on out...it starts to get ugly.

5-10hrs/day: The Hardcore Gamer

Welcome to the Thunderdome, bitch. You notice that I don't even bother calculating how many hours you must be playing a week to become Hardcore? That's because any Hardcore gamer will tell you that you're playing every fucking day, and if you're not you're nothing but a fucking little casual gamer bitch.

Anyway, The Hardcore Gamer is that one guy who not only plays the games, but gets into HEATED discussions about them online, and even probably expresses his views through a blog or some sort of weekly column.

*ahem*

The Hardcore Gamer has now officially devoted more time to video gaming than to a majority of other things. In fact, almost everything else they do is done ONLY to free them up for more video gaming. They have a job so they can buy more video games; they go to school so they can eventually get a better job to get more money to buy more video games. They walk, talk, eat, shit, and sleep video games. They not only one console, they more than likely own at least two of the current generation consoles on top having a handheld gaming system AND a mid-range gaming PC. They want to make sure that no matter what situation they are in, they will be able to get their game on in a big way.

The Hardcore Gamer is also the point where gaming stops being about fun, and starts being about PWN. This is where being competitive in the world of gaming starts to make a difference. The Hardcore Gamer has already had a lot of fun with himself and with friends in a Co-Op setting and now they are branching out to the internet. While they are online they might not be the best players in the world, they might not even be that good, but the idea of testing out their skill against another human opponent has got them jonsing for some action.



The genre of choice for The Hardcore Gamer changes depending on their taste. It's possible to be a Hardcore Fighting Gamer or a Hardcore Shooting Gamer, it's more so the level of effort, time and skill they put into the game rather than what exactly they play. Although they do tend to lead towards games that have a depth in the story and gameplay, which means most 'casual' games are left by the wayside because they simply are not entertaining enough for The Hardcore Gamer.

Like the others, The Hardcore Gamer actually houses some gamer sub-genres:
The Slacker Gamer, where as the average adult actually does have a job or school the slacker has neither or doesn't have the NEED for either and still spends all of their time playing video games.
The Counter-Op Gamer, where the Co-Op Gamer loves to play with friends, this one is starting to like the idea of playing AGAINST friends and will take this chance whenever possible.
The Import Gamer, this is the gamer whose horizons have broadened to the point where they don't even play games from their home country any more. They simply can't wait to get their hands on a new game so badly that they import it from other countries or have their consoles modded to play games in other regions. They are also the type of gamer who fight the ongoing war between WRPGs and JRPGs

The Hardcore Gamer has also hit a point where video game playing begins to take precedence over other things in life. Sleeping takes a back seat for some late night gaming, you eat while in a 16 player Deathmatch on COD4, you skip out on work and take a sick day in order to spend a whole day with Madden (I've seen people DO it.). In some cases your personal life begins to falter and things begin to get sort of weird. Gaming to you is no longer a hobby, it's a way of life that is as natural to use as breathing. If only you could make money doing what you love....

10-12hrs/day: The Pro Gamer

Hello there.

So, we've already talked about how gaming starts out as something that passes the time, and then it evolves into a form of entertainment, then a hobby, then a lifestyle, and now we've hit the point where gaming is a career. The Pro Gamer is a rare breed indeed, but something that is actually taking the world by storm. The Pro Gamer is pretty self explanatory; The Pro Gamer gets paid and/or makes money from playing video games. Now this doesn't mean they are a member of a CGS team or anything of the like, The Pro Gamer could very well be someone who frequents video game tournaments for money such. The main thing outside of money that defines a Pro Gamer is what and how they play.

Up until this point all of the gamers have had pretty broad horizons as far as what they play, while there may be some that stick to a certain genre for the most part they tend to dabble around in all genres depending on the game they like. However for The Pro Gamer, this just can't be. They make their living off of being better than someone else at games which means that games that focus on competition are more their cup of tea. First Person Shooters, Racing, Sports, Fighting, even a few puzzle games. Those are the games that The Pro Gamer will have in their library simply because these are games where competition is a direct foundation of their core. It's not unusual to see them actually inject competition to games that don't have it. Speed Runs are a good example of this formula.

Now, another major part of The Pro Gamer is their consoles of choice. The put it simple, they go wherever the action is. Meaning that The Pro Gamer's console of choice is wherever their game of choice is on; in most cases this means that it's most likely a current generation console with online capabilities and a high-end gaming PC. Why the PC? Because any Pro Gamer will tell you that FPS games just don't cut on it consoles.

As far as outside gaming things, remember that at this point being a gamer to them is a full time career. So their work revolves around gaming and if they do have a second job it's most likely taking a backseat just to earn money in-between tournaments and even THEN it's probably something in line with the gaming industry such as working at a GameStop or building PCs. Sleep takes a backseat to practice because especially on the evolving world of online gaming if you miss a week you could be easily blown away due to lack of practice and new strategies.

As far as sub-genres we have:
The Cheap Gamer, this is that guy. You know the one, the little turd who uses the cheapest possible characters online or always camps with a fucking bazooka. He's good enough at the game to smoke you, and on top of that he knows all of the cheapest and sneakiest ways to do just to make you look like that much more of a bitch.
The Counter-Up Gamer, No, this isn't a typo. I actually put this twice for different reasons. In Hardcore Gaming the CU Gamer is someone who is JUST relishing in the idea of competitive gaming, at the Pro Level this is someone who eats, breathes, and SLEEPS competitive gaming. He's the one that relishes death matches and capture the flags. He wants you headshotted, chainsawed and hurdled before the round is over. And he'll do it, too.

At this point in the culture of gaming, The Pro Gamer is the Holy Grail. While most people willingly top out at Basic and Hardcore Gamer, The Pro Gamer is for those who really want to take their gaming to the next level and want to get paid for it. But just because it's at the top of most gamer's lists doesn't mean that it's THE top...believe it or not, there's something actually above Pro Gamer...and it's not pretty.

12-15hrs/day: The Shut In Gamer

You see, at this point gaming goes from being a lifestyle to a goddamned addiction. The Shut In Gamer isn't a Pro Gamer, they are barely a Hardcore Gamer...they are something far more dangerous. The SIG is a Gamer that you see portrayed in the media a lot. You know the type, the 40 year old who's living in their parent's basement as they veg out on WoW all day and night? Yep, that's the one.

The SIG is addicted, plain and simple. Their console of choice is whatever they can get their hand on, they are the ones who will sit in front of a computer or on the couch ALL DAY and play their respective games. Those precious few hours they are not playing are most likely spent sleeping or outside...but in that dreaded sunlight. They may have a job, but it's probably a job they can do either from home (such as selling off WoW accounts) or something that doesn't require them to stray very far from home and has painfully short hours.

If the Pro Gamer represents the top of the Gamer Lifestyle, then The SIG is the sweaty acne ridden asshole of said lifestyle. Sadly more people will notice a legit SIG more than they would notice The Pro Gamer because of how they are portrayed and used in the media as the generalization of ALL gamers, Minor, Casual, Basic, AND Hardcore.



Unlike the others, The SIG doesn't have a sub-genre. It stands alone due to the fact that most SIGs are so rare and elusive that they rarely are studied by man, so no one really knows what other sub-genres would be inside of the SIGs world. The fact of the matter is that NO ONE wants to be the SIG. If you're reading this and you believe that you are in danger of becoming an SIG I urge you to go outside right now and buy a hooker.

It doesn't even have to be a good hooker, just buy one. NO don't ask her to play a game with you either. Unless it's hide the sausage...then you can play that.

As the name states, the SIG doesn't do much else besides sleep and play video games, and even then the former is just out of necessity. Their lives revolve around video gaming in the wrong way.

And there you have it, probably the most in-depth and analytical column I've ever friggin' written. I hope you psych nuts out there loved it.

Working Classifieds

WANTED: ANYONE WHO HAS PHOTOSHOP SKILLS WHO CAN DO A DECENT BANNER FOR WORKING TITLE.

WANTED: ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO WRITE A SHORT PEICE FOR WORKING TITLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Enquire at [e-mail]

Working Question

So...you read the article right?

Right?

So...which one are you?

Also, was anyone else very disappointed with Heroes this week? On top of that is anyone else disappointed at the lack of fucking Morgan on Chuck? Seriously. What's going on there? Big Bang Theory is still fucking awesome, though.

Until next time, I'm Jordan Williams and...

98