Things you learn about yourself from video games

[Pulp Hero]

I've been playing Left4Dead a lot recently, and as a complete and utter zombie geek, I get really easily immersed in this game.

I've noticed that I always seem to fall into the pattern of playing the rear guard. I think its partially out of self preservation and partially out overwhelming paranoia- I hate leaving angles uncovered. I've also noticed that I have no problem using other survivors as bait to lure out zombies. I usually only rack up a decent kill count on normal zombies, but almost always have the most special zombie kills because I consider them an actual threat and have a good eye to distinguish one at long range. Also, I'll usually go back to save someone, but more than once I've thrown a molotov cocktail between myself and a horde of zombies attacking another survivor in order to make a break to a safehouse or good position.

I think I might be that guy in zombie movies. The guy that says "fuck that" and chooses to live, but only when I think I have a chance to make it without help.

[Stark]

I'm an assault-crazy pointman. I'm always at the spearhead taking new ground and generally getting pinned and killed by lack of support. With decent players (like the guys I play with in Gears, Hav, Flash, JSF, etc) it works fine so long as there's no laser fence around.

[phred]

I've noticed that I like to keep my enemies at arm's length.

Sniper rifle in fps
Ghosts and siege tanks in Starcraft
always the caster in RPGs

[Gandalf]

I learn that I'm godawfully useless in most "crisis" situations, so I'm best left out of any actual combat. This means stuff from a distance like artillery or sniper fun.

[JointStrikeFighter]

I'm an assault-crazy pointman. I'm always at the spearhead taking new ground and generally getting pinned and killed by lack of support. With decent players (like the guys I play with in Gears, Hav, Flash, JSF, etc) it works fine so long as there's no laser fence around.

On the subject on crazy assaults I am Carl Von Clausewitz incarnate in World in Conflict. ENGAGE ENEMY IN DECISIVE BATTLE! PENETRATE REAR AREA! PEW PEW THEIR SUPPLY TRAIN IS DEAD! Of course without decent players backing you up [most importatnly AA] it dosnt work out so well.

Shooters I am more of a chillaxin dude, Hose down the enemy, when they all dead move up etc. Unless i get locked out of the laser fence VROOM VROOOMM GRRRRR BLARRGGHHHNHH *JSF chainsawed 5 guys*

[The Defenestrator]

I've learned that I have a talent for running around like a maniac, hosing down anything that moves with semi-aimed automatic fire.

I've also noticed that I'm much less stressed in Left 4 Dead while playing on the zombie team.

Me as survivor: "Let's go let's go let's go GOD DAMMIT WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU KEEP MOVING!"
Me as zombie: "Good work guys, I think we got them down to one health pack. Hey, nice puke, dude."

[weemadando]

I'm the guy who goes to the team: "FORGET CHECKING EVERY ROOM! RUN LIKE HELL AND GET TO THE SAFEROOM! WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING!"

[Havok]

I am a slow methodical searcher and have to complete tasks. I am also a sniper that will hang back letting situations develop. Occasionally I will go on the Mexican Rage shotgun rampage.

It's ironic actually, because in real life, I have always been the one to say "fuck it" and be the first one into a fight if it comes to it.

[charlemagne]

From MMORPGs I've learned that I'm more a meele than a ranger/sniper type.

I tend to run around headlessly in pvp situations when things get "hot". Like, starting to run away, then thinking "fuck it", turning around to at least go down fighting and getting killed in the process without dealing any damage whatsoever.

In normal group play I tend to be the "go go go we'll do fine because we're so imba OH FUCK I FORGOT ABOUT THE PAT" guy.

[Ravencrow]

- I prefer head-on confrontations, then sneaky backstabs.

- I'm better at visual or mechanical puzzles then puzzles involving numbers or wordy logic scenarios.

- I like to stick to and see how a plan works out before making changes, even though I get the feeling things might not work out.

- I like collecting things (in real life I don't, although I think if I have the space, I probably would.)

[Teleros]

I've noticed that I like to keep my enemies at arm's length.

Generally the same... although it doesn't explain why I play a ret paladin & DK in WoW .

[Rye]

I find I like using others as human shields but am usually nice enough to heal them afterwards. I also like running in first in games where I know that tactic won't get you horribly wasted. When it does get you horribly wasted, I wait back and just call in airstrikes while fire's distracted by my friends/barney the security guard.

[Twoyboy]

I'm slow and meticulous. I'm the one who tiptoes into the room stabs one monster, tiptoes out and then repeats, even if it takes all night to clear the level. In Diablo II I was the guy who would inch forward to draw some monsters out, then retreat to a safe place to fight before continuing while my teammates would dive in, heal on the run and I'd be left trying to pick up each gold piece.

[Tolya]

Two things:

Im hectically deadly when I don't have to worry about any of that teamplay stuff. Like in deathmatches. Back in the day of Delta Force 1 I could win 95% of the deathmatches (once I did this 7 times in a row on a public server mostly, with a 30 kill limit I had about 10 kills more than the second guy). Also, funny thing, but Im also very good at unconventional maps. Like Morpheus in Unreal Tournament. At a LAN party everyone voted to change a map because I kept pwning everybody there for the fifth bloody time.

Mind you It's not due to any supernatural reflexes. I think it's more due to adrenaline rush that appears when I am 100% concentrated on killing opponents. It happens very often in DM games, while I am pretty mediocre when there is some sort of team involved.

The other thing is that Im actually very good at sneaking and fooling people. Which again amounts to acting alone and concentrating on one thing.

[Stark]

All primary snipers are cowards if they can't fight any other way. It's a rule of the internet that anyone who plays artillery, sniper or other ranged units exclusively is a) worthless, b) a coward or c) both. It helps this rule that 50% of everyone is a coward.

[Gandalf]

All primary snipers are cowards if they can't fight any other way. It's a rule of the internet that anyone who plays artillery, sniper or other ranged units exclusively is a) worthless, b) a coward or c) both. It helps this rule that 50% of everyone is a coward.

I'm not a coward, I'm have you know that I'm a worthless slacker who freezes up a lot.

It's best for everyone if I'm not anywhere important.

[Stark]

Yeah, I wonder where your performance anxiety comes from with a hopelessly negative attitude like that???!?!!!

It's funny because most ranged guys have no idea of area security or support, so they'll just hide all the time trying to find an easy kill, so you either drive up beside them and kill them or just avoid them and win anyway. Worthless pussies that they are. Hav is a proper sniper; he's just a good shot who can pull out the shotgun and fight normally when he has to.

[Schuyler Colfax]

I'm a trash-talker, which most people don't like, which is why I'm partial to single campaigns.

[Stark]

No no the thread is 'things you learn about yourself in videogames'. So what you learned is that you're a coward who can't shut up or face others.

Shit man we have to get SC in on a Gears game. He'd cry.

[Lagmonster]

I hate engaging the enemy when I play big FPS games like Battlefield. I'm the guy who will crawl on his belly for the better part of ten minutes from rubbish barrel to ruin on my way to a critical capture point (usually an enemy vehicle depot. Nothing like controlling all the major sources of vehicles). I don't care HOW MANY enemy soldiers I'll pass with their backs to me in gleefully easy kill positions - I don't give my position away, period. I've even been known to sneak through front line entrenchments in bottleneck situations, with equal parts luck and patience.

I'm the guy of whom people say, "How come that motherfucker keeps capping the rear flag??? Isn't anyone paying attention back there!?!?"

[Schuyler Colfax]

You know Stark, that really hurt.

[Stark]

I hate engaging the enemy when I play big FPS games like Battlefield. I'm the guy who will crawl on his belly for the better part of ten minutes from rubbish barrel to ruin on my way to a critical capture point (usually an enemy vehicle depot. Nothing like controlling all the major sources of vehicles). I don't care HOW MANY enemy soldiers I'll pass with their backs to me in gleefully easy kill positions - I don't give my position away, period. I've even been known to sneak through front line entrenchments in bottleneck situations, with equal parts luck and patience.

I'm the guy of whom people say, "How come that motherfucker keeps capping the rear flag??? Isn't anyone paying attention back there!?!?"

It's sad that most games don't have maps that support this kind of play; you could do it in Battlezone too with wide flanking manoeuvres. It's also similar to the JSF School of Rear Penetration in WiC, where you go wide outside the LOS of all the enemy and appear next to their rear-area units and disrupt their whole organisation just by existing.

[Temjin]

I find that whenever I play multiplayer, I always end up being support. I'm the guy that tries to make sure the rest can do their jobs.

In MMO's, I'm the healer.
In, I'm always the medic.
And I'll almost always be defense in capture the flag.

Strangely enough, I find I'm one of the few people out there that actually enjoy these roles.

[Vanas]

In RPGs where I have a choice, I generally find myself to be a dick. Sure I'll save the world and won't kill you and everyone you've ever known and loved, but you'll certainly be robbed blind. In the recent Knothole island pack for Fable II I found myself choosing the good ending not because I felt for the people but because dicking over the evil people is more satisfying. They've got more to lose.

FPSs, I switch wildly between either close range psychosis or long range plinking. There is no middle ground. Well, there is, but it's filled with bullets and Angry People™. CoD:WaW has provided me with plenty of option 1, assaulting trenches with a flamethrower and a knife or charging the Reichstag, molotov in one hand, knife in the other as well as Gears, where I am a fan of the shotgun for it's good weight balance and excellent swing. At long range, I'm fairly happy plinking away, though I miss more when I aim then when I blindly snapshot.

Still, in TF2 and Battlefield 2 and things like that, I prefer to Medic. I will hold your very lives in the balance and be lauded for it.

[Temjin]

I find that whenever I play multiplayer, I always end up being support. I'm the guy that tries to make sure the rest can do their jobs.

In MMO's, I'm the healer.
In, I'm always the medic.
And I'll almost always be defense in capture the flag.

Strangely enough, I find I'm one of the few people out there that actually enjoy these roles.

gah. Missed the edit window. That should read "In FPS's, I'm always the medic"