What is your Gamer DNA?
I am a firm believer that people and their personalities are made up of the interactions and experiences in their lives. I also believe that gamers and their preferences are built in a similar way, through the games they have played and the people they’ve played with. I like to call this your gamer DNA.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend the KBMOD ExtraLife LAN and was able to witness a large, cohesive group, but each individual with their own unique gamer DNA. People playing sci-fi space adventures (on a beautiful, giant 4k monitor), fantasy MMORPG’s, team based FPS, MOBA’s, and side-scrollers among many others. It was such an amazing display of gamer diversity and it got me thinking about my own gamer DNA. What games do I vividly remember playing while growing up? And how did they make me into the gamer that I am today?
My first memories of gaming came from being told I was too young to play. However, I was content to watch my brother play Punch Out! on NES, and proceed to put bite marks into our controller after getting outworked by Piston Honda. Also, watching my cousins play Leisure Suit Larry at age 6, because our parents had no idea that video games could be inappropriate for kids. Those were the good ole days.
Giggity
When I was old enough to really enjoy video games, I was never a solo gamer. I always wanted a sense of community, so I always leaned to multi-player or co-op style games. The sense of community started with my friends, naturally. We tended to play the same few games for many years. Twisted Metal with Spectre banned, because screw that guy! Goldeneye with OddJob banned, because screw that guy! WCW vs. NWO: Revenge with no one banned, because that game is perfect and you don’t mess with perfection.
Then came the online gaming phase with my high speed 56k modem. I didn’t vary much with the games when I started with online games. Team Fortress Classic was it. I played competitively for a few years before eSports was a big thing, so I guess that makes me a hipster. I also like free trade coffee and rebelling against the mainstream, but I can’t grow a beard and skinny jeans just don’t fit my body type, so you tell me if I still qualify.
As we got older, my friends all slowly stopped playing video games, which led me down a dangerous gaming path. I went to college and fell down a deep dark hole, chasing the dragon that is World of Warcraft. I lost all of my old gaming friends and made new friends that also played WoW. They would call me at 3 or 4 in the morning, “Come chase this dragon with us! We need you!”
Eight years, eight years I played WoW and only WoW, because my time couldn’t possibly be spent elsewhere. Who was going to farm pots for you on raid nights? No one, because raid spots were hard to come by and no one wanted to cross our strict but fair leader, Bamx (what up Server first Nef on Executus!). The one thing WoW did teach me is how to have a sense of commitment and obligation to your team. You have a role, and you need to be there. Very rarely would I come up for air and that would only be to briefly play Team Fortress 2, when it was released.
I have a problem. The only reason I don’t have 1st-3rd is because they don’t exist.
As I slowly dragged myself out of the Warcraft vacuum, I have brought myself to where I am today. I still will dabble with dragon chasing from time to time, but only responsibly and only with friends. I fell in love with the lore, and I still find myself playing through the new expansions just to see where the story goes. The biggest difference is that I now have a broader repertoire of games that I play. I have found communities that are truly non-toxic and I find myself much more open to learn new games without fear of public ridicule.
The culmination of these games and memories are the nucleic acid sequence of my gamer DNA and define me as a gamer. All of these experiences included me enjoying time with family, friends, or fellow dragon chasers. I am community focused. If I am not playing with others, I just don’t have as much fun. That is my reality, which I know is not everyone’s.
What kind of gamer are you? What games make up your gamer DNA? Leave a comment below or send a tweet to @kbmodgaming with the hashtag #GamerDNA and let us know!
zumar
ZumarWriter & Editor. I have a passion for all things video game. I love to focus on the origins and inspirations for games, new and old. I have an appreciation for good whiskey.
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