Can You Tell What Type of Gamer You Are??? With all the different types of games and ways to play them in the world today, can you pinpoint a specific type of “gamer” you may be? Each one has its own specific uniqueness. For example, do you like to play on a console like the Xbox, PS3, or PC? Maybe you like to act out a fantasy in medieval times in real time, such as; live action role playing or LARPing. Some have a large imagination and like to roll the dice to determine their fate in table top games like Dungeons and Dragons or D&D. These gamers are known as Virtual Gamers, LARPers, and Tabletop Gamers. . Virtual Gamers like to play video games, whether it is on a console like the Xbox 360 or on a PC. These people control the game with a controller or keypad and it is the most modern way of gamming. It provides visual graphics in HI-DEF and awesome quality sound. You can play with or against people all across the world and never have to leave the comfort of your room or living room. Virtual Gamers depend on electronic devices to set them in their alternate reality, such as a TV and a device to play the game from. There are many different types of video games out these days and can range from SYFY to horror and fantasy to action and adventure to sports and education. Video Gamers have been sought to be mindless drones by people but in fact, studies have shown that people that play video games are known to have excellent hand-eye coordination, split second decision making, and more likely to think clearly under pressure. Live Action Role Playing, or LARPing, is interesting as well because you literally act out your character in a fantasy realm that you and your friends plan or make up as you go. Most LARPers like to set their story in medieval times or in the renaissance era. They are not usually professional actors, and enjoy escaping reality through a live action story. Some like to LARP because they are around people that can except them and not have to worry about being made fun of by others. Another form of LARPing is called COS-Play or costume play. This is played by putting on a costume and acting out a specific character. The difference between LARPing and Cos-Play is LARPERS plan out their stories and plots then act them out accordingly. Cos-Players pretty much put on a costume of a famous person, or comic book/ manga character, and act them out as if they were that person. Also with LARPing, if you have weapons you need to be able to hit the person with it and that is why LARPers make them out of “LARP safe foam.” Cos-Players weapons, if any, are just props and are usually made from cardboard, wood, or foam. Whether it is Cos-Play or LARPing the bottom line is having fun not being yourself and escaping the everyday stress that life throws at you. Lastly, we have the table top gamers that enjoy rolling the dice in a game called Dungeons and Dragons or the draw of cards in a game called Magic the Gathering. D&D is a game that depends on how well you can roll the dice to see if you character you created can attack or evade. The dice consist of server types that rage from a three sided die to a twenty sided die. Each one has its own out come upon the roll in the game. The character’s stats and classes are made up from specific books made for D&D. You also roll the die to see how well your characters base score or attributes can be. The game is usually played with little figurines and acted out using your imagination. There is a main story teller called the Dungeon Master and the characters range from three or more players. The Dungeon Master is the one that sets the tone for game play. Every player then acts out their character according to the story and his or her class. Table Top Gamming is similar to LARPing in a way but you’re just playing out the story around a table. With Magic the Gathering; players have a deck of cards that coordinate spells and actions with the flip of a card. The game is determined on how powerful your deck is or how well you play your hand. With D&D the game is determined on the story the DM sets forth. With both if you have some knowledge of strategy and an imagination; you could find yourself having the time of your life. So are you a Virtual Gamer, LARPer, or Table Top Gamer? Personally, I am a Table Top Gamer and I also like to play video games on my PC. I highly enjoy playing D&D with my fiancé and friends. Also, I enjoy RTS (real time stately) games on my PC. Most people that are LARPers/Cos-Players are game developers, computer programmers, Nerds/Geeks, Scientists, etc. The same can be known for Table Top gamers. Virtual Gamers, in my opinion, lack creativity or imagination because they rely on graphics on a screen. No matter what classification of gamer you may be, remember to have fun with it. It’s a chance for you to be anyone or anything you want to be and relieve stress. Bottom line no matter what kind of gamer you maybe, we are all Nerds and some of us do it for a living. Don’t let anyone make you feel any lesser than you because of your game style.