My Game Group and the Odds and Ends That Make it Up: Part Deux
Well, here we are again! Part two of the description of my game group and the different aspects of this group! When we last left off, I was describing Baby Yoshi's (read the last post for a good definition of the term). And in this post we will define the player types of the members of my group (according to my personal observations) and I will even give you their names this time around!
So, lets start it off with some names. We will start with our regulars. We have Zack, Shane, Devon, and myself (Caleb). We may have Devon's little brother Taylor joining us soon, but he has yet to play so he won't be included. In our group we also have a few people that play on random occasions. So, the stragglers are JJ and Dana (couple that has played with us a couple of times now), Jake, Chris, and on certain occasions Andrew.
Now, we have a few different player types that have emerged in the group. Remember, these are purely my opinion and should in no way be construed as anything else (i.e. these are purely for fun and do not describe anyone in particular)! Also, almost everyone displays each of these different player types at some point during the groups life. It's a good thing. And now it is with great fervor that I present these cautious observations!
First we have the Thinker. He is a careful player but at the same time he doesn't spend hours on his turns. I think that he is probably closer to me in the kind of player that he is than anyone else in the group. I have never really seen him try specific strategies or stick to a certain strategy in particular games. He really adapts well to situations and is a strong player due to this.
Next is the Sporadic player. This isn't a knock on him or anything, it is just the way he plays. He doesn't really use obvious strategies or anything but at the same time he does try to win. It certainly creates a lot of random situations. Other times he really hunkers down and comes up with some really good, thought out ideas.
The next is a tougher person to tackle. I haven't played as many board games with him as the other members, and this is due to the fact that someone that talks during the entire game is rare. However, when he does, he is a beast of distraction. He is a Talker. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can be a nuisance when everyone else is trying to concentrate on their turns. And this is his goal. To win by way of distraction! But it adds a lot of lightheartedness to the games that he does make it to. This is a really good type to have in a game where a couple of the players are really racing for first or when we have been playing a game for 5 or 6 hours and could use a few laughs.
And then we have the Overlord. He is constantly moving the pieces for the other players, giving advice to everyone, and reminding others of the correct ways to play. He is present at every session no matter what and makes that presence known. He must be in control. If there is a banker, he is it for only he is capable correctly allocating resources and goods to the other players. Yes, the Overlord is quite a character...
And finally we have the Compulsive Organizer. He likes every last piece in some sort of order. If something seems out of place then he fixes it. He organizes his playing pieces into formations. He will sometimes organize the other players pieces. He organizes his money by value. He straightens the pieces on the board or moves them from ambiguity to a defined space. He does this in every single game we play. It is his addiction.
And these are the player types that I have encountered in my gaming group. Admittedly, I fall into every single category at different times, and this is to be expected. Whether we play to win or play for fun (or both), we always display some type of discernible behavior pattern. And it is important to note that no player type is better than the other and that all of them have redeemable value in creating a particular atmosphere to game in. Whether we want to move the game along or take our time and have a few laughs, every player type has a role to play. They all help to create the unique experiences that board games provide us. And this is something to be very thankful for. If every gaming experience were the same than we wouldn't come back to it now would we?
Next episode: Age Differentials and Gaming
So, lets start it off with some names. We will start with our regulars. We have Zack, Shane, Devon, and myself (Caleb). We may have Devon's little brother Taylor joining us soon, but he has yet to play so he won't be included. In our group we also have a few people that play on random occasions. So, the stragglers are JJ and Dana (couple that has played with us a couple of times now), Jake, Chris, and on certain occasions Andrew.
Now, we have a few different player types that have emerged in the group. Remember, these are purely my opinion and should in no way be construed as anything else (i.e. these are purely for fun and do not describe anyone in particular)! Also, almost everyone displays each of these different player types at some point during the groups life. It's a good thing. And now it is with great fervor that I present these cautious observations!
First we have the Thinker. He is a careful player but at the same time he doesn't spend hours on his turns. I think that he is probably closer to me in the kind of player that he is than anyone else in the group. I have never really seen him try specific strategies or stick to a certain strategy in particular games. He really adapts well to situations and is a strong player due to this.
Next is the Sporadic player. This isn't a knock on him or anything, it is just the way he plays. He doesn't really use obvious strategies or anything but at the same time he does try to win. It certainly creates a lot of random situations. Other times he really hunkers down and comes up with some really good, thought out ideas.
The next is a tougher person to tackle. I haven't played as many board games with him as the other members, and this is due to the fact that someone that talks during the entire game is rare. However, when he does, he is a beast of distraction. He is a Talker. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can be a nuisance when everyone else is trying to concentrate on their turns. And this is his goal. To win by way of distraction! But it adds a lot of lightheartedness to the games that he does make it to. This is a really good type to have in a game where a couple of the players are really racing for first or when we have been playing a game for 5 or 6 hours and could use a few laughs.
And then we have the Overlord. He is constantly moving the pieces for the other players, giving advice to everyone, and reminding others of the correct ways to play. He is present at every session no matter what and makes that presence known. He must be in control. If there is a banker, he is it for only he is capable correctly allocating resources and goods to the other players. Yes, the Overlord is quite a character...
And finally we have the Compulsive Organizer. He likes every last piece in some sort of order. If something seems out of place then he fixes it. He organizes his playing pieces into formations. He will sometimes organize the other players pieces. He organizes his money by value. He straightens the pieces on the board or moves them from ambiguity to a defined space. He does this in every single game we play. It is his addiction.
And these are the player types that I have encountered in my gaming group. Admittedly, I fall into every single category at different times, and this is to be expected. Whether we play to win or play for fun (or both), we always display some type of discernible behavior pattern. And it is important to note that no player type is better than the other and that all of them have redeemable value in creating a particular atmosphere to game in. Whether we want to move the game along or take our time and have a few laughs, every player type has a role to play. They all help to create the unique experiences that board games provide us. And this is something to be very thankful for. If every gaming experience were the same than we wouldn't come back to it now would we?
Next episode: Age Differentials and Gaming
Comments
This reminds me of another post on gamer types that I read:
The boner, the point calculator, the live and let live player, the "play the player not the game" player, the analysis paralysis player,