What is a...?

[MuleAxe]

Please forgive my ignorance in this question, but reading many of these threads, one can't help but to think there are multiple perceptions and interpretations of different play styles.

Terms like "Power Gamer"; "Elitist"; "Casual Players", "Flower Sniffers" all have certain connotations that may invoke different feelings from people. I've often wondered what group I fall into; not for identification purposes, but more out of curiosity than anything else.

Perhaps throwing this out there to obviously very knowledgeable and experienced people will help me to understand, and perhaps others that might be wondering the same thing, where I fall in this broad range of classifications.

What group do I fit into?

Short history:

I come from a PnP background, from both a Player and DM perspective. I enjoy the lore, exploration, and in-game camaraderie with other players. I love the game and all the unique unique lore that has been created by Turbine.

Play style:

I like to play at a fast pace, and often get bored when frequent "stop and wait" scenarios happen, but for the most part I enjoy most content. I do a lot of TRing on my main, and not a lot of Epic content. I enjoy the epic stuff, but just not ready to immerse myself in that content yet. I'm fine with repetition; not for gear, but for XP. I find it extremely irritating to have to grind for gear. I enjoy making builds that work well; not for innovation, but for practicality and playability and survivability. I don't enjoy soloing quests very much, but will do it if there aren't groups up. I will join PuG groups, and I'll put up LFM's. I have little patience for people who don't try to learn or put effort into making their characters decent; there's a difference between no knowing how to doing something and asking, and not caring.

I'm flexible in how I approach the content, I don't mind having to change my gear around, or change my builds because of changes in new releases. Every change brings an opportunity to try something new. I play at least 15 hours a week, mostly on one character. I do have 4 other 3rd life characters, but am on the TR kick on my main at the moment.

So, and I a power gamer because I like to run hard and fast; am I a casual gamer because I don't get all hot and bothered by game changes, and don't focus on end game content; am I something else that hasn't been defined?

Again, I ask this question purely out of curiosity

[HAL]

With a preference for fast pace and multiple TRs I would call you a Power Gamer or Experienced player.

The problem is that many people think all these terms are mutually exclusive when they are not. Some people equate Flower-Sniffers with new or casual players. However 2 of the static groups I'm in do quests on Elite but are Flower-Sniffers.

[hunterjwizard]

My take is that the terminology has more to do with your own attitude towards the game than what you actually do in it. There are "casual gamers" and "flower sniffers" with triple-completionist characters; how much time you've spent playing the game has nothing to do with your attitude.

Here's how I separate out the elitists: a regular player just runs content; an elitist only runs content on the highest difficulty level, gets indignant when anyone suggests that lower difficulty levels should even exist, and insults people for playing on lower difficulty levels.

Then again I pretty much divide everyone into "elitists" and "people I actually enjoy playing with". Based on your description, I welcome you with open arms into the second group.

[Azarddoze]

It really doesn't matter but i'll play.

If you'd be playing mainly with other people as skilled or fast paced as you, I think you'd end up as a pure power gamer. But right now you're just a normal player like the masses doing what he feels like doing. And that has nothing to do with how skilled you are but more what your final motivations are. For exemple, a power gamer wont be "power gaming" (whatever that is) 24/7 but his main way of getting the most fun out of the game will be related to pwning stuff, getting better and his character getting stronger vs "A nice story arc that was!"

But i'll also clear some stuff up.

End gamer : Looking for fun at cap. They like their characters to be at their full potentiel power wise.

Power gamer : Looking for fun through min/maxing and doing "what has to be done" efficiently in order to succeed. Usually, a true power gamer will be skilled because his motivations are what they are. (*For me, zerging is one of the thing that makes the game fun because I otherwise feel that the game is simply too slow and easy (not always) to my taste. But being an Action Game, you can push the pace to your likes and that is awesome. Things like that CAN BE more fun for real.)

Elitist : This is more of an attitude and not a game style. It also doesn't have anything directly linked with skills but it's fair to say that a couple of those developped the "elitist" attitude from a gaming ego - so they're somewhat average to great players. It designs people who always seem on top of the world regarding the game and for them, everyone beyond their level (what they think their level is) is a noob.

Casuals used to be possibly defined but since nowadays it seems to be "casual or power gamers", the term seem to cover such a wide variety of people that it almost doesn't make sense to use it anymore. It can be defined by time investment and/or in-game motivations.

Flower sniffers are what they are.

[Ivan_Milic]

I belong in group called *******.

[Psiandron]

It really doesn't matter. How's that for an answer?

Seriously though, hardly anyone ever fits neatly into any conveniently small box. This often angers and frustrates humans as they are very good at defining and classifying things. It's one of the things that helped the human race survive and prosper. However, at this point humans are finally beginning to see that such pigeonholing has huge and grievous shortfalls and may completely frustrate any real attempt at understanding.

I'm as apt to use such jargon as anyone, but you always need to remember that when looking at anything of even a small amount of complexity such a classifying system is a gross oversimplification and therefore a lie.

I belong in group called *******.

Sometimes I feel like we should have meetings, but I guess that really wouldn't work out well.

[Azarddoze]

There's one thing I am sure of.

When I see someone's character turning around using only the keyboard arrows (no mouse), I'm pretty positive it's a flower sniffer! Or a 1 handed power gamer perhaps?

Just kidding.

[Angelic-council]

Sounds to me you just a normal player, who loves the game.
like some people mentioned, it doesn't matter really.. nobody cares anyways(not trying to be mean).
All your achievements in game are probably going to be wasted, but memory. You have to find good friends to party with.. enjoy the game, and be yourself
at the end of the day.. it's your time.