Monday, August 31, 2015

Blaugust Day 29: Family, Gaming and sometimes Both

Hello, my name is Tyrannodorkus and… and I have a family. Yes, I’ve had them for sometime now. No, it’s not a wife and kids (haven’t made the leap yet), it’s a mother, father, brother and sister's kind of family. I take care of them as best as I can, but their wild side can still show up sometimes. I’m lucky though, some are gamers, like myself, and are far more understanding of my lifestyle. The rest know I’m a gamer, but sometimes I wonder if they understand I’m a gamer.

So for all you gamers out there with family that has non-gamers in them, this is a post for you.

What’s it like to be a gamer

Being a gamer is like any other hobby, I suppose. We have our jargon, our toys and our places of worship. Sometimes we’re a son or daughter, and sometimes we’re Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy, and sometimes we’re a tauren warrior fighting orcs. This is our lifestyle, this is who we are.

Living with non-gamers

Hearing quotes like “playing that game again?” or “you’ll never make a living playing games” have become pretty standard by non-gamers to gamers. Even though that latter quote is completely untrue, these usually stem from a misunderstanding or general lack of knowing anything about games. Non-gamers need our sympathy and patience. They are like a fish that needs to acclimate to the water temperature of a new tank, a gradual teaching of our hobby. Tell them too much and they become overwhelmed quickly. Try to use relatable subjects to them to explain what it is you’re doing in game. In the middle of a raid? Tell them it’s like a sports team, and each person has their own position and role to fill out on the field. Crafting armor? Tell them it’s like making clothes that’ll help protect you and give you a new look.

To non-gamers

Greetings non-gamers. I assume you skimmed most of this article, which is cool (we don’t want you to know our secrets). This section is for you, on how to live with gamers in your family.

Sometimes we can’t just stop the game. There could be cutscenes (in game movies to watch), or unstoppable story that we need to hear. Before you want to conversate with us, give us a nudge first if it’s ok. Something like “Hey, got a minute? Just want to talk.” In which we’ll probably tell you, “Sure, just a minute. Let me finish this first.”

We know you told us to take out the trash. Let us get to a good stopping point. The trash has been there all day, 5 more minutes won’t mean the trash will explode all over the floor, it’ll still be there. But don’t let us forget either, as we can easily forget about the trash, a gentle reminder is nice.

Lastly, as a kind gesture on your part, try and learn something about their hobby. Like the name or the brand they like to play on; Nintendo WiiU, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac.

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We can all live in harmony, and more respectful of each other’s hobby more. You can find more about Blaugust at the 2015 Blaugust Initiative Page.

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