Not Your Average Gamer?
by AnomalousSilence

Within the online gaming world, there are people of a nearly unfathomable variety.

Although they come from different professions, ethnic backgrounds, age groups, and more, some who play online games are not “the norm”. When one mentions online gaming, or gaming in general, male high school and college students are typically pictured, but as the MMORPG market grows, this is less often the case.

Following are four interviews which I conducted with “out of the norm” members of the Vanguard: Saga of Heroes community. These interviews include an older gamer, a female gamer, a college and working gamer, and a military gamer. I hope you enjoy learning about these individuals as much as I did!

The Older Gamer

AnomalousSilence: Thanks for joining us, Jim. How old are you currently?
Jim: 51
AS: How has your age affected your online gaming?
Jim: In no way I can see, possibly reaction time or ... twitch reactions
AS: So you never feel "left out" with the lingo? Have you adopted it or just don't use it?
Jim: Much of the lingo I can "adapt" to, and usually it's game related abbreviations.  Anything extra usually is easy enough to understand in "context" of a given situation.
AS: Do any of your friends play online games that are around your age?
Jim: No, actually I know of no one else in my age group involved in online games, and also feel a sort of "stigma" attached to myself when I announce it as an interest.
AS: What is that like? Surely it is awkward in some way.
Jim: Not really, I feel it's just that I have an interest that another has no concept of, that they have set opinions based on limited knowledge... also that usually they are also not as computer literate as I, and that's not saying much
AS: *laughs* I have to ask this one... are you able to pull those late night raids or have a full gaming session of at least 6 hours?
Jim: Most definitely, so long as my timeframe meets the others, meaning my shift begins and ends at the same time as everyone else.
AS: What other online games have you played in the past, and how did you come to discover Vanguard?
Jim: My list of MMORPGs are in my profile, not so many [UO, Eve, AO, WoW, and Horizons]... I only play what I feel I will enjoy. As for VG: SoH, my good old UO friend suggested the game, and once I discovered the overall philosophy and target group (core gamer) I felt that best defined me. So I learned of this from an old pal that I also know from gaming.
AS: Speaking of, have you became close friends with anyone you've met online? If so, are any within your age group?
Jim: My UO friend is the only one that has lasted over time... I had many other UO friends for a while after that game dissolved, but alas, with time the group dwindled to one solid friend. Actually the best and most preferred internet friend I've made since online. He is mid 30's in age now, so I've always been the "oldest", although I have known older people playing online.
AS: Well, Jim, thanks for sharing your experiences and giving us an insight into "older" gamers.
Jim: Not a prob...  the game I hope will end up bringing back a community I've sorely missed over the years (in MMOs). cya's
AS: Take care!

The Working College Gamer

AS: What is your age, and what do you do currently?
Erik: 18 years old, I work for a telemarketing company and I founded Vanguard Rangers. [vgrangers.com]
AS: So you are also a freshman in college as well, I assume?
Erik: Yep.
AS: What degrees do you plan on getting?
Erik: I am not 100% sure. I would love to get a degree in education so I can teach Japanese. I was inspired by my own Japanese teacher in high school, he was a great guy who always went the extra step to help people learn. He even would go out and record films around the city to help teach the language, every interesting. But I would not mind getting a degree that would help me jump into the gaming industry. Be that for making a game's website, being a coder, or just someone who sits in a cubicle all day thinking of new ideas. Like I said, I really am not sure.
AS: Interesting mix of possible degrees. So... how do you balance online gaming, work, college, and owning a website?
Erik: Well, I am not sure how I do it to be honest. I suppose being able to multiple task helps a lot. Perhaps my lack of sleep is another explanation. I developed that many years ago from EverQuest. I am not sure if I should thank or curse that game sometimes. You may notice a handful of the Vanguard Ranger updates are around midnight or even later.
AS: *laughs* Have you grown accustomed to little sleep?
Erik: Yep, all thanks to those long night playing EverQuest. It is amazing what a game can do to you. I remember being in high school and not having any morning classes, but I was responsible for taking my brother and his friend to school. It was not unusual I would fall asleep around 3am after a raid or doing a quest, and then waking up at 6am. During those years I could go back home and sleep. Now I stay up the entire day working on anything I can.
AS: *laughs again* Seeing as you are talented in the arts of little sleep, you've obviously had many long gaming sessions. What has your longest one been?
Erik: Well, I don't think I can avoid this question but the majority of the readers understand how addicting MMOs are. Without sleep, I would say 21 hours total. Though the most memorable sessions in terms of raiding would be raiding Vex Thal, finish, and then heading to school or work without any sleep. What a zone...
AS: What is your average session time?
Erik: It depends on a lot of variables as I have a lot of projects going on. If a day is not too chaotic and I get home after work or school and can sit down to enjoy a game, typically 6 to 8 hours. That is without anything major in the way of course. I try as hard as I can not to skip work like I did back with EQ *shivers* Though I currently do not have an MMO to play *twiddles thumbs waiting for Vanguard* so that helps with all these projects and goals.
AS: Lastly, how did you come to find out about Vanguard: Saga of Heroes?
Erik: Well, a lot of people I know well in-game know that I am a huge fan of Brad McQuaid for several reasons. I played on the same server as him, Firiona Vie (well, his server if you want to get technical), he is a role-player, a ranger, and a creative person. We share a lot of similar traits I think. I do not remember exactly when, but the news of Brad McQuaid making a new MMO popped in guild chat one night a few years back. I went to the official site and forums and dug up as much information as I could. It was not until recently I found out there was no ranger community, so I retired from my guild the day after and made the site. I am very passionate about class specific communities, which is one of the things Sigil is promoting. But yeah, it just took a few words in guild chat a few years back to get me hooked.
AS: Interesting. Thanks for your time, Erik.
Erik: No problem, thanks for having me.
AS: Take care.

The Female Gamer

AS: What's your age?
Jeanne: age 45
AS: Wow, a female gamer with some years. *looks nervous*... What's it like? Do you ever get free things, quest help, etc. more so than males?
Jeanne: In past games I have, BUT I usually return the favor. Oh wait.. Heck, I met my hubby in one so I would have to say "YES" I did get "freebies" LOL
AS: How did you get started in online games, including past online games?
Jeanne: Oh goodness where to start? I've played MUDS that where on the UT Austin grid in the 80's.  Then onto Galacticomm and BBS MUDS. One day friend of mine at DEC turned me onto ZORK.  I loved the fact that when you chose what bathroom you used meant the sex of your character (you feel the urge). I was really hooked: I then bought Ultima (in a baggie) from a cool little electronics place in Austin called Tinkertronics.  While in Tinker I met some folks that had just started working for Origin and helped out them at their Halloween parties. I've been MMORPG gaming ever since. I’ve played UO, dabbled in EQ1, DAOC, Shadowbane, Horizons, CoH, Guild Wars, and WOW, which I’m still playing somewhat. 
AS: Do you play a male or female character in online games?
Jeanne: I've never played a male as a main; I've made male alts but it kind of creeped me out being called DUDE all the time. LMAO!
AS: How did you find out about Vanguard?
Jeanne: I'm always watching the new games that are soon to hit the market, I think I first heard about Vanguard on Slashdot.
AS: Being an older female gamer, do you ever feel out of place?
Jeanne: Do I ever feel out of place? No not really. I tend to blow a lot off!  People are basically the same at any age; I've met very mature young players and very immature older players. You just live and learn or you don't live long!
AS: Are there any older female gamers you know of and are friends with?
Jeanne: I do know a lot female players but I think I am close to the oldest so far (but just barely).  "Old" is in the mind.

/giggles and runs out the door, screaming "yes I'm a nerd"

AS: *chuckles and shouts “Bye, and thanks for joining us!”* She has a good mindset, eh? =)

The Military Gamer

AS: What's your age, and occupation?
Johnathon: 21, Intel Specialist
AS: You mentioned you were in the Navy. What is it like playing online games?
Johnathon: It's not that different from playing online games with a regular job. Only real difference is when you have to leave for a large amount of time because you’re being deployed.
AS: What position are you in within the Navy?
Johnathon: I'm only an E-3 (seaman) but I'll be making E-4 in August.
AS: How did you decide you wanted to be in the military?
Johnathon: I decided when my family wouldn't help me pay for college. I live in California and the only way I'd be able to afford college on my own without anyone as a co-signer I would have to hold down a normal job and go to school full time. I decided to join the Navy because not only would I be able to afford college but go to school and get my degree.
AS: Can you still have long play times and large scale raids?
Johnathon: Yes unless I'm out on the ship. When at base the job is pretty normal other than the fact that I gotta stand duty every once in a while. But when I'm not on duty I'm usually on the computer raiding and playing for hours on end. Ship is pretty much no online games. But on base it's only online games for me.
AS: How did you find out about VG?
Johnathon: My cousin told me about it. When I heard who it was made by I had to check it out. It looks pretty awesome and I can't wait to play it. Only two things bug me about it right now. The lack of info on rangers and the release date gives me about a week before I am on the ship for a six month cruise.
AS: How did you get started in online games?
Johnathon: My cousin again. He got me hooked with EverQuest back just before the Shadows of Luclin expansion came out.
AS: Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. =) Take care, now!

I set out to do these interviews to learn more about some different types of online gamers. As I have come to find out, however, they aren’t as different as I had imagined. From military gamers to college gamers all the way through older gamers, we are all playing for one thing: to have a great time!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Karen is H.D.i.C. (Head Druid in Charge) at EQHammer. She likes chocolate chip pancakes, warm hugs, gaming so late that it's early, and rooting things and covering them with bees. Don't read her Ten Ton Hammer column every Tuesday. Or the EQHammer one every Thursday, either.

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