GeekInsight
United States
La Mirada
California
Giant Fire Breathing Robot
gfbrobot.com
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This week's discussion topic:
While perusing the interwebs, I came across an interesting article by Dave Lartique over at Analog Gaming. It describes the most common gamer archetypes. It made me smile because, over the course of many years of gameplay, I've pretty much run into every type of person described. I contacted the site and they were kind enough to give me permission to reproduce the gamer types here for discussion.
I've made some edits for length, spelling, and grammar, but I'd encourage you to read the original article here.
1. Deep Thought
Is it this player’s turn? Hope you brought a magazine! Deep Thought has to completely analyze every possible move he can make and extend it out to its logical conclusion to determine which is the optimal one. If there’s math in the game, he’ll do it. He wants to know how much money everyone has, how many points, who has actions left this round, the relative humidity, if anyone is diabetic, current position of Saturn; anything that can possibly factor into his calculations must be taken into account before he can risk any all-important decision. (And all decisions are important.) Trying to hurry him up will just make him lose count and have to start over.
2. The Coach
The Coach enjoys his turn so much, he makes it last through your turn as well. After all, he’s a much better player than you and you can probably benefit from his helpful advice. Why would you want to make your own decisions when The Coach can easily show you better ones? He’s not trying to sabotage your game, either, just make you a more worthy opponent. Wouldn’t you rather just be there to move pieces for him so that he can essentially play himself — the only true challenge he has at this table?
3. Blood Ninja
Blood Ninja wants to win. Period. Oh sure, we all want to win, but Blood Ninja lives only to win. No less will do. If he does not win, something went horribly wrong. Either someone wasn’t playing right, or there’s too much randomness in the game, or sinister forces conspired to deny him a victory he so obviously earned. He may find a way afterward to explain that, although it doesn’t seem like he won, when you think about it, he really did. That’s only if he doesn’t win. And during the game, if his winning makes things utterly miserable for everyone else, so be it. The important thing is that he wins. Because really, what else matters?
4. Social Joe
Hey everyone, Social Joe is here! Boardgaming is a social activity and no one knows that more than Social Joe. Say, that card you just played reminds me of a story! Hey, I’m gonna go have a smoke! Oh hey, where’s your computer? You gotta see this YouTube video! Oh yeah, I have to make a move, don’t I? Screw it, I’ll just do this. I don’t even know what’s going on anymore! Hey, anyone want another beer?
5. Serious Joe
What are you talking about? Serious Joe also likes having a good time. A good time is quiet, focused play with opponents who are all working at their best. Sure, sometimes things get a little raucous and someone chuckles, but we tend to keep that kind of horseplay away from the game table (along with all food and drinks, because maybe you want your games to look like garbage, but I don’t). The good news is, Serious Joes pretty much can’t stand to play with anyone who isn’t a Serious Joe, so they tend to self-segregate.
6. The Negotiator
Everything has a price. Everything’s negotiable. So says The Negotiator. No matter what the game, what the situation, he’s ready to make a deal. Don’t take the action I want and I’ll not take the action you want. If you leave me alone, I won’t play this card against you. Sure, that’s a featured part of many games, but the Negotiator makes it the main part of every game. Even if he’s completely stomping you and you don’t stand a chance, he has an offer for you to consider. (He can also, in a pinch, explain how everyone at the table except him is a threat to you right now, and they only way you stand a chance is to team up with him against them.) Very often his offers consist of something you can do for him for which, in return, he won’t attack you, but “threat” is such an ugly word.
7. Whiney Whinerson
Double-dubs never does good at this game. And the cards aren’t shuffled well. Also, dice hate him. People are teaming up against him for no reason. That guy isn’t playing right. He didn’t get much sleep last night. He can’t see which cards are in front of you. There’s glare on the board. It’s hot in here. He’s not used to playing by these rules. That one strategy is unstoppable. People are playing too fast. People are playing too slow. Someone’s playing a denial deck. He can’t seem to draw a magic item. The start player has too much of an advantage. This board layout is strange. That card is broken and un-fun. Can we get better light in here? He’s just used to playing green. And then he wins.
8. Johnny Takeback
When Johnny Takeback plays a videogame, he saves his game constantly. Unfortunately there’s no such thing in boardgames, but he makes do. While Deep Thought agonizes for years over his move, he eventually makes one and sticks with it. Johnny Takeback does the same agonizing but can’t settle. He’ll make and unmake a move several times, paying and restoring his cash or resources or whatever each time until only he has any idea what his “save game state” is. He’s not cheating, he just can’t settle on a course of action. In addition, once his turn is over, he still hasn’t decided. He may need to re-think it again. Or he might have forgotten to get his money. Or maybe he was going to do a point of damage to you with his war wizard, but he forgot. Is it okay if he just goes ahead and does that?
9. Someone’s Friend
Usually Someone’s Girlfriend, but not always. Someone’s Friend showed up for game day! Now, if that friend is really interested in trying out boardgames, this is great. More often than not, though, Someone’s Friend has just been dragged into this. They have no interest in playing, can’t (or won’t) follow the rules, are pretty much just doing whatever Someone tells them to do, and pretty much having a miserable time. This is not the fault of Someone’s Friend (though often they will continue to insist on participating even after it’s more than clear that they’re not really interested), it’s the Someone who will keep pushing them into this. Nevertheless, you can count on a pretty lousy time for everybody.
10. Captain Chaos
Have your boardgames become too stale and predictable? Captain Chaos is here to liven things up! He doesn’t care if he wins or loses, so long as he has a good time, and what he considers a good time is making the entire game unbearable for everyone else. Do you have any kind of strategy whatsoever? Too bad, because Captain Chaos is going to behave in a completely unpredictable manner and do things that don’t help him in the slightest just to screw with you. If you get frustrated by all this, lighten up, it’s just a game! And God help you if he somehow ends up winning.
11. Mr. Fix-It
You’ll know you’re playing with Mr. Fix-It before you even open the box. He’ll take a look at the cover and tell you how the fonts and color choices are all wrong, and what they should have done. Then he’ll examine the components and be totally amazed that any serious company would make these kinds of mistakes with them. He can tell you what kind of cardstock they should have used and why the finish is all wrong for the board. And speaking of the board, who the hell came up with that awful design and color scheme? Through Mr. Fix-It you’ll find out how the rules SHOULD have been written and what player aids they should have included. Once you start playing, he’ll determine, on first play, what strategies are "broken" and how poorly the game was playtested. After that first play, he’ll have the whole game figured out and a list of ways to improve it. He’s got the answers.
In my group of about seven regular players, we have a Negotiator, two Social Joes, one Blood Ninja, two Serious Joes and one guy that just sort of plays. We're converting him from a casual. One of our Social Joes sometimes will turn into a Captain Chaos depending on the game situation.
Of course, I see little bits of myself in a lot of these descriptions. I know I've had periods of being a Deep Thought on occasion, and I'm guilty of some Johnny Takeback behaviors from time to time. But, I think I'm closest to a Serious Joe. I'm not nearly so serious as the description, but I do like highly competitive games with all players playing to win it. And I refuse to play with any Whiney Whinersons.
What about you? What category do you fit in? Who plays at your table?
Join the discussion on my blog as well: GeekInsight
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Suzan
Netherlands
Enschede
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I'm Johnny (Jane?) Takeback
Sometimes I just have to see it on the board to realise something isn't a good move.
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Phantom Stranger
Canada
Ottawa
Ontario
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I've been guilty of being The Coach before, but I've actively fought those urges and gotten away from it. Playing against mini-mes just isn't that fun. Right now, I'm a composite of Serious Joe and a bit of Johnny Takeback. I'll occasionally morph into a WW though (damn you Settlers and your demonic rolling statistics!).
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David Gomez
United States
Daytona Beach
Florida
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I'll have a Diet Coke and a number 5 please, extra spicy.
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Chad
United States
Kentucky
I drink your milkshake!
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My wife would tell you that I'm Deep Thought, but I think I'm taking a perfectly reasonable amount of time. Probably a bit of Serious Joe thrown in there.
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nordlead
United States
Liverpool
New York
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I'm guilty of being The Coach a lot. I try not to tell people they are about to make a mistake, but sometimes I can't help myself. At least the last time I had the urge I actually tied because I kept my mouth shut. My father bought more resources than he needed in power grid on the last turn. I didn't say anything because he had told me earlier in the game to keep my opinion to myself
I can also be Captain Chaos if I start losing badly. I'm not horrible about it, but I have no problem buying up your resources or taking your spot even if it gives minimal benefit to me. I'll never do anything that directly hurts both of us though. I've pulled out some comebacks this way, but typically it is already beyond hope.
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Christopher Young
United States
Tenstrike
Minnesota
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Another Serious Joe, here. Oh, how I wish for the ability to self-segregate, but my gaming group (such as it is) essentially consists of myself, 2 or 3 Social Joes, a Johnny Takeback, and an endless stream of Someone's Friends.
(singing) Someday... oh, yeah... gonna get, gonna get OUT-of-this-place... mm-mmm
I suppose Mr. Fixit would be pretty appropriate, for me. I do have 14 sets of alternate rules and improved cards uploaded to the geek. In my defense, I do all of my game-tinkering while not actually playing with people. That makes it less of a gamestyle and more of a lifestyle.
Ugh.
I imagine Serious Joes probably make up the bulk of the people likely to be on this site, reading this thread in the first place.
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Guido Gloor
Switzerland
Ostermundigen
The statement below is false.
The statement above is correct.
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Guess I'm Captain Chaos I often do things that are horrible in regards to victory conditions, but make perfect sense to me in my little world where logic and background and having a good time together matter more than winning - which can lead to unpredictable moves I guess
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Spacegras
Canada
St. John's
NL
HooDoo Operator
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Hey,
I'm for the most parts made up of Negotiator, social Joe, and Johnny takeback. I have had bouts of WW mainly during Settlers. We have a couple of negotiators in our group, a Deep thought, and some that are part social joes.
Chris
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John Perry
United States
Burbank
California
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I'm guilty. I'm a Johnny Takeback. Though I don't combine AP with it - I tend to think about what I want to do leading up to my turn, but many times I'll do what I planned quickly and then realize why it doesn't work. And then I'll undo it and do something else.
It's a bad habit.
Lately I've been trying to reform - if I have the urge to do a takeback while the next person is still contemplating their move, I might ask, but if the next person has started their move, I'll just let my bad play stand.
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Justin
United States
Fredericksburg
VA
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I am CAPTAIN CHAOS!
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Sarge in charge!
Germany
Bremen
Ash nazg durbatulûk
Speak "thriend" and enter!
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I'm probably a Deep Thought Chaos Coach with a social attitude.
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Jamie Osborn
United States
Tacoma
Washington
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75% Serious Joe, 25% Social Joe for me.
When I play games, I'm there to play games, but some beer and banter makes it more fun.
I can't much stand to play with Blood Ninjas and Captains Chaos. One of my old gaming groups was so dominated by the BN's that I don't think I actually ever won a game...or so they said as their starships blew up.
There needs to be a special #12 category reserved for my mother-in-law: The Lyin' Cheatin' Cap'n Chaos. Drives my father-in-law (a Serious Joe) nuts.
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Carl Patten
United States
St. Paul
Minnesota
No, no, I'm fine. How are you?
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madslaust wrote: I am CAPTAIN CHAOS!
No, I am CAPTAIN CHAOS!
So be it!
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Jesse Dean
United States
Orlando
Florida
Pound for pound, the amoeba is the most vicious predator on Earth!
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I am a mixture of Serious Joe and Johnny Takeback. Though I never ask to take back my move once someone else has done their move.
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Martin Gallo
United States
O'Fallon
Missouri
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I am not so sure this is a realistic list - Maybe 'realistic' is the wrong word and 'comprehensive' would be better. Those are all generally negative descriptions and if my group contained only those types I would not play with them any longer. Note that I am not saying those are not valid descriptions of some characteristics, especially since we all seem to see part of ourselves in some of them.
Anyway, thanks for pointing the article out and posting your summary.
Anyone considered making a poll?
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Stephen R.
United States
Knoxville
Tennessee
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I'm a Serious Joe usually surrounded by Social Joes.
Please save me 
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Justin
United States
Fredericksburg
VA
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Myok wrote: madslaust wrote: I am CAPTAIN CHAOS! No, I am CAPTAIN CHAOS! So be it!
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Bit of a schizophrenic I guess.
Somewhere between a 'Blood Ninja', 'Serious Joe' and 'The Negotiator'
Actually, think I'm a paranoid schizophrenic now as I need to check does my game style piss others off. Hope not 
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Better a Dull Blade than a "shape" knife!
United States
Florida
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I'm none of those. I might have a tiny bit of Deep Thought, Serious Joe, and Jane Takeback, but generally I just love to play and move the game along. I let other players do their thing while I do mine.
All of them are negative. Where are the positive ones?
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Wendell
Spain
Arlington
Virginia
All the little chicks with crimson lips, go...
Hey, get your stinking cursor off my face! I got nukes, you know.
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You could do an 11-dimensional graph (no I can't imagine it, I was a political science major not mathematics or physics) to determine the degree to which you have those characteristics, because I imagine for many of us, we see ourselves to some degree in more than one.
I am occasionally guilty of Deep Thought, though I am generally a fast player.
I have been known to be a Coach, and I am fighting very hard to quell the urge, because I know people don't like it.
Social Joe vs Serious Joe depends on the game; the heavier the game, the more serious. But still with plenty of time for good-natured insults, jokes, etc.
Some Negotiator, especially in games where that is needed. Though my tendency to stick with a deal when I've made it may hurt me.
And finally I've been known to whine about the dice.
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David Arbury
United States
Los Angeles
California
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EgorjLileli wrote: I'm none of those. I might have a tiny bit of Deep Thought, Serious Joe, and Jane Takeback, but generally I just love to play and move the game along. I let other players do their thing while I do mine.
All of them are negative. Where are the positive ones?
If you have to ask, you are Serious Joe.
Me? I'm the Coach, probably...though I have traces of Social Joe.
Also? I wish I could thumb this list more than once.
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Chris Blakeley
United States
Seattle
Washington
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I have a tendency towards Serious Joe, I suppose, when it's been a long week.
I love a social game, I love being able to laugh my ass off with my friends through a game (be it Power Grid or Apples to Apples) and by all means, let's take a minute because [Player #3] just went to the bathroom and it's his turn, no big, I'll get a can of pop.
But there are nights when that just doesn't happen. Or it happens too much. Or the conversation stopped being about the game and has turned into an epic debate about how, exactly, you pronounce "Riga" that morphs into phonetics and goes on to... oh for the love of little green apples, SHUT UP!
And if I have to remind someone that it's his turn for the fifth round in a row? Yeah. About that.
But the rest of the time? Bring on Race and we'll commiserate about Rebel Cantina v. Alpha Centauri.
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Keith Sletten
Canada
AB
At least, I used to kill dragons. But then I took an arrow to the knee.
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I'm a bit Deep Thought and a bit Serious Joe, but only to the point that I'm not rash and I dislike a bunch of irrelevant clowning around during a game. I just like playing fun games, win or lose, and realize that I have more fun if others are having fun and therefore, just let them enjoy themselves. Is there a name for that?
There is one game in particular, however, that I'm Deep Thought/Blood Ninja...and I hate that that's the case and am trying to fix it.
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DK Kemler
United States
Sacramento
California
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I'm #12: The Contradictory Gamer.
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