GAMER CLASSIFICATION CODE v0.3 ============================== 16 October 2002 CREDITS Principal writing by Gurth -=- GCC0.3: y!>?.nl[Zld] G90 SCP/F:@@[OTE] B++ f= RM rm= rr+ l- m=(+) w= s=:+ GM++:=(-):=(+) h++ p*!(++$) LA= mf++(**) W=(+) C=(--) CG= OG+ F=(-) c+ K- The GCC would look very different if it were not for the contributions and suggestions of: Iridios Jeff Pawlowski Jeremie Bouillon Lone Eagle MC23 Peter Snake Eyes And thanks to "Real Men, Real Roleplayers, Loonies and Munchkins" by Jeff Okamoto, Sandy Petersen, and lots of others (from which small bits of text were taken); "The 28 Types of Game Master" by Scott Butler and J.D. Frazer (ditto); and the games listing at GROG . Inspired by, and partly based on, Robert Hayden's Geek Code, Roger Stenning's IMMEW Code, and the Shadowrun Geek Code. If you like the GCC, and/or have any suggestions for things to be included or changed in future versions, please mail them to Gurth, who can be reached at gurth@xs4all.nl. This document is copyright (c) 2002 by Gurth . It may be freely distributed (the further, the better) but it may not be modified except for your own, personal use. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS The Gamer Classification Code (GCC) consists of a number of categories, each represented by one or more letters and qualifiers. Use these to tell other gamers about your game-related interests by going through each category and picking the qualifier that best describes you. If you can't find one that exactly matches you, take the one that is closest, and/or use the variables (see below) to fit you better. Put a space between categories to separate them. Please note that all categories and qualifiers are case-sensitive. "F" is different from "f", for example -- one is used to indicate how you like game fiction, the other for how frequently you play RPGs. Notes for Geek Code Users Though the Gamer Classification Code has been based to some degree on the Geek Code , it does not use the exact same conventions. The two most important differences are that the ! variable is used differently (see below) and that the "average" level of each category uses an = sign rather than just the letter. Thus, whereas in the Geek Code you would use just "C" to indicate computers are just a tool to you, its equivalent in the Gamer Classification Code would be to use "C=" to say you've played a few computer games. This last one is mostly to make "wannabe" and variable qualifiers easier to use: CG->= and f++(=) are clearer than CG-> and f++(). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- VARIABLES In addition to the basic ratings given in each category, you can use the following symbols to add a bit more detail. This will mostly be when you can't find a qualifier that describes you perfectly. > Indicates you fit a certain qualifier, but would like to be another one (and, preferably, that you're striving to get there). For example, m->+ indicates you attack Munchkins on sight, but are working toward tolerating them enough to give them a chance. () Indicates that the qualifier varies from the main one you assigned, to the one in the parentheses. GM+(---) means you generally like being the gamemaster for your group, but at times you get quite sick of your players' attitudes. @ Indicates the qualifier varies all over the place. LA@ says that you play a lot of live-action games at times, but at others don't like LARPs at all, with everything in between also being possible. ? If this is not defined otherwise in a specific section, it means you don't know or understand the category. For example, h? says you don't know what house rules are. $ You can add $ after the qualifier in a category if you regularly make money from it, either as a full-time job or on a freelance basis. This won't apply to most categories and qualifiers -- c-$ would mean something like "I get paid not to go to conventions," which is a bit strange, but p++$ means you regularly get paid for writing gaming materials, which is not strange at all. ! See the category in question for the meaning of !, if it has any. (This note was added mainly for those used to the Geek Code, where ! means "I refuse to participate in this category" but which it does NOT do in the Gamer Classification Code!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAMER CLASSIFICATION CODE IDENTIFIER Start your code off by the letters GCC followed by the version of the code, and then by a colon (:). As this is version 0.3, that means you should start the code with "GCC0.3:". Everything else will come after this. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GENDER, AGE & LOCALE To aid other gamers, use this category to give a short and (very) basic description of yourself. Gender Let's start with whether you're a man or a woman. x Female gamer y Male gamer z Why should I tell you? (And yes, you can use the > variable here if you really want to :) Age After this, add the last two digits of the year in which you were born: x78 would be a female gamer born in 1978, for example. (No, this is not Y2K-proof, but do you seriously expect that to ever become an issue? :) If you don't want to provide the exact year of your birth, you can indicate just the decade by replacing the last digit by an asterisk (*), like so: x7* is a female gamer born in the 1970s. (Note for those used to the Geek Code: this method was chosen instead of specifying actual age, like the Geek Code does, because it needs less updating. A person's year of birth is not known to change much, unlike his or her age.) Other options for your age, which replace the year indicator entirely, are the following: ! You don't need to know when I was born at all. ? I'm immortal. Thus, y? is an immortal male, while z! doesn't want to tell you much of anything about him- or herself. Locale To help other gamers in your area make contact with you, now add the Internet country code for your country. This is often the ".xx" at the end of your e-mail address, though if you're from the USA, use ".us". If your address ends in .com (or .org, .net, etc.) but you're not from the USA, it should be easy enough to find out what code you should use by looking at some newspaper adverts or TV commercials. Thus, x78.fr would be a female gamer, born in 1978, who lives in France. Optionally, you can add some kind of indicator for the part of the country you're in. Many countries have standardized abbreviations for the names of provinces, states, major cities, and so on that you can use, or else you can fall back on all or part of your postal (zip) code or telephone area code -- as long as someone from your general area will recognize it as being in his or her area as well, it will do the trick. Add this in square brackets [] after the country code. For example, someone from Florida in the USA could add .us[FL] because FL is the standard state abbreviation for Florida. Similarly, a person from eastern London could use .uk[E17]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SINCE WHEN HAVE YOU BEEN A GAMER? The identifier for this category is "G". Follow this by the last two digits of the year you started gaming (for example, G92 is 1992, G00 is 2000, etc.). If at some point you took a break from gaming, add a dash (-) and the year you stopped, then a slash (/) and the year you picked it up again (or, if you never did, leave off the slash and final year). For instance, G80-87/92 means you started gaming in 1980 but didn't from 1987 to 1992, then started again. Other possibilities are: G? I don't remember when I started gaming. (You can also use G7?, G8?, etc. if you only remember the decade but not the exact year.) G* I'm Dave Arneson or E. Gary Gygax. G! I want to be a gamer, but I've never actually played an RPG. G!! I only player computer RPGs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FAVORITE SETTING & CHARACTER TYPE Indicate the type (or genre) of game setting you prefer playing in with one of the following codes. If you mainly enjoy cross-over settings, separate them by a slash (/), listing the principal setting first. For example, SCP/F is someone who prefers playing in a setting that's mainly cyberpunk but has fantasy elements as well, while SF/CP would indicate a setting which is principally fantasy, with a degree of cyberpunk added to it. You can make this as convoluted as you like, but if there are more than three setting types, you might be best off simply going for SO (Other) or S@ (Any and all). SCP Cyberpunk: near-future settings with high technology, faceless corporations and uncaring people. SF Fantasy: usually medieval-like settings with plenty of magic, brave heroes, a struggle of Good vs. Evil, etc. SHI Historical: settings based closely on real history, but not set in the modern world. SHO Horror: settings where, regardless of the time and place, the idea is to scare the players and characters. SHU Humor: settings or games intended to be a good laugh. SME Mecha: science-fiction settings where giant robots reign supreme. SMO Modern-day: settings in the real world or the near future, without science-fiction technology. SPA Post-Apocalypse: settings in which civilization has taken a major hit as a result of a drastic catastrophe. SSF Science-Fiction: settings, usually in the distant future, in which technology has proceeded far beyond current levels. SSH Superhero: settings in which heroes and villains with fantastic powers battle it out, often for world domination. SSP Steampunk: historical settings where technology has improved faster than it did in the real world. SO Other: a catch-all category for anything that doesn't fit the above choices. S@ Any and all settings: for those who don't care for any particular genre, but like to try them all. Favored Character Type After the game settingindicator, add a colon (:) and two letters indicating the kind of character you usually play. The first is a capital letter to show your favorite race or species, and the second a lower-case letter for the occupation or class you like best. Pick one from each of the two lists below. A Halfling (Hobbit for the Tolkien-purists) D Dwarf E Elf G Gnome H Human O Ork (or Orc, if you prefer) R Robot (or android, terminator, etc.) S Supernatural (angels, demons, faeries, etc.) U Undead (ghosts, vampires, zombies, and so on) @ No preferred race/species * Other race/species (usually game-specific, like aliens in SF settings) a Average person: someone without special skills or abilities. c Criminal: anyone breaking the law for personal gain, for example a gang member, rogue, thief, etc. e Entertainer: someone making a living entertaining others, like a bard, jester, rocker, and so on. f Fighter: a combat-oriented type, such as a barbarian, samurai, soldier, etc. h Computer hacker: someone who's main tool is a computer, and who uses it to occasionally (?) break the law. i Investigator: a non-police officer who investigates crimes or mysteries, such as a journalist or a private detective. j Jack-of-all-trades: someone who can do just about anything, but isn't specialized in one specific area or skill. l Law enforcement: a person who catches criminals in a professional capacity, like a police officer or a sheriff. m Magic user: anyone capable of using magic as his or her primary ability. p Psionicist: someone who can read and/or manipulate minds, such as a telepath. r Religious: a person who sees to the spiritual needs of others, for example a cleric, druid or priest. s Superhero or -villain: someone with superpowers, using them for his or her own good (villain) or for society's (hero). t Technical: someone who is good with technology, like a mad scientist, mechanic, tinkerer, etc. v Vehicle operator: someone whose main job is to work in or on a vehicle, like a pilot, starship captain, tank crewmember, etc. 6 Troubleshooter: if you need to be told what a Troubleshooter does, then that information is above your security clearance. @ Anything that suits my fancy when I'm creating a character. * Another occupation, which is not listed above. Optional: Specific Game Indicator If you want, you can add an abbreviation for the specific game you like above all others, from the list below. Add this in square brackets [] after the setting/character type code. For instance, SMO/PA:Hc[T2K] indicates your favorite game is the Twilight: 2000 modern/post-apocalypse RPG, in which you like to play human criminals. For ease, included after each game's name in the list below is the setting code which fits it best, in the author's opinion. Feel free to differ, though, and note that you don't absolutely _need_ to choose a game that fits the category you picked earlier -- you could prefer superhero games on the whole, but have one of the Star Trek games as your favorite individual game, like so: SSH:@@[ST]. Note that the list below does not include all games ever published. A complete list would require a file several times the size of this one, and never be actually finished. If your preferred game system isn't shown, simply don't include it in your GCC. 23 2300AD (SSF) 89 Space: 1889 (SSP/SF) 7S 7th Sea (SF) AB Aberrant (SSF) AE Amazing Engine (S@) AF All Flesh Must Be Eaten (SHU) AD&D Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (SF) AL Alternity (SSF) AM Ars Magica (SHI/F) AOE Age of Empire (SHI) AR Amber (SF) B5 The Babylon Project (SSF) B23 Battlelords of the 23rd Century (SSF) BC Bubblegum Crisis (SSF/ME) BD Bram Stoker's Dracula RPG (SHO) BESM Big Eyes, Small Mouth (SSF) BNW Brave New World (SHU) BP Blue Planet (SSF) BU Bushido (SHI/F) BVS Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG (SMO/F) CC Call of Cthulhu (SHO) CD Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (CMO/F) CF Castle Falkenstein (SSP/F) CG Cybergeneration (SCP) CH Champions (SSH) CL Chill (SHO) CM Chainmail (SHI/F) CO CORPS (S@) CP Cyberpunk (SCP) CS Cyberspace (SCP) C&S Chivalry & Sorcery (SF) CX Conspiracy X (SMO/SF) CTD Changeling: The Dreaming (SMO/F) D20 Any system using the d20 System rules (S@) D&D Dungeons & Dragons (SF) -- any edition or version DC Dark Conspiracy (SMO/HO) DCH DC Heroes (SSH) DCT Dark Continent (SHI) DCU DC Universe (SSH) DD Daredevils (SHI/SH) DFA Dragonlance Fifth Age (SF) DL Deadlands (SSP/F) DLHE Deadlands: Hell on Earth (SMO/F) DR Dragonraid (SF) DSA Das Schwarze Auge (SF) -- also any of the translations ED Earthdawn (SF) EL Elric! (SF) EW Everway (SF) FF Forgotten Futures (SSP) FS Feng Shui (SMO/F) FU Fudge (S@) GB GangBusters (SHI) GH Golden Heroes (SSH) GK Gear Krieg (SHI/ME) GMN Gemini (SF) GU GURPS (S@) GW Gamma World (SSF) HA Harn (SF) HG Heavy Gear (SME) HKAT Hong Kong Action Theatre! (SMO/HU) HM HackMaster (SF) HOL HoL: Human-Occupied Landfill (SHU/SF) HS Hero System (SSH/@) HTR Hunter: The Reckoning (SMO/HO) HU Heroes Unlimited (SSH) HW Hollyworld IM Immortal (SMO/F) IN In Nomine (SF/MO) IT It Came From the Late, Late, Late Show (SHU) JB James Bond 007 (SMO) JI Justice Inc. (SHI/SH) KT Kult (SHO) LOTR Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game (SF) -- either by Iron Crown Enterprises or Decipher LM Lawnmower Man RPG (SCP) LS Living Steel (SSF) MB MasterBook (S@) ME Millennium's End (SMO) MERC Merc (SMO) -- don't confuse this with Merc: 2000 (see Twilight: 2000, below) MERP Middle-Earth Role-Playing (SF) MP The Morrow Project (SMO/PA) MSC Mage: Sorcerer's Crusade (SHI/F) MSH Marvel Super Heroes (SSH) MSPE Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes (SMO) MTA Mage: The Ascension (SMO/F) MW MechWarrior (SSF/ME) MWWG Macho Women with Guns (SHU) MZ Mekton Zeta (SME) NE Nephilim (SF) OTE Over The Edge (SMO/HU/SF/HO/F) PA Paranoia (SHU/SF) PD Pendragon (SHI) PF Palladium Fantasy (SF) PL Puppetland (SF) PW PsiWorld (SSF) RC Recon (SMO) RI Rifts (SSF/F) RL Renegade Legion: Legionnaire (SSF) RM Rolemaster (SF) RQ RuneQuest (SF) RT Robotech (SME) RU Rune (SF) SB Stormbringer (SF) SF Star Frontiers (SSF) SJ Skyrealms of Jorune (SF) SLA SLA Industries (SSF/HO) SM Spacemaster (SSF) SO Space Opera (SSF) SR Shadowrun (SCP/F) ST Star Trek (SSF) -- any of the games set in this universe SU Suzerain : Mortal Realms (SF) SW Star Wars (SSF) -- either the West End Games or Wizards of the Coast offering SZ Shatterzone (SSF) T2K Twilight: 2000 (SMO/PA) -- including Merc: 2000 TFOS Teenagers from Outer Space (SHU) TL TimeLords (SSF) TM Timemaster (SSF) TMNT Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness (SPA/F) TO Toon (SHU) TORG Torg (S@) TR Traveller (SSF) -- any of the different editions TS Top Secret (SMO) T&T Tunnels & Trolls (SF) TY Trinity (SSF) UA Unknown Armies (SMO/HO) UG Underground (SCP) VI Violence (SMO/HU) VDA Vampire: The Dark Ages (SHI/HO) VTM Vampire: The Masquerade (SHO) V&V Villains & Vigilantes (SSH) WC WitchCraft (SMO/HO) WGW Wraith: The Great War WH Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (SF) WOD World of Darkness (SMO/HO/F) -- any of the games in this setting WTA Werewolf: The Apocalypse (SMO/F) WTO Wraith: The Oblivion (SHO) WV Whispering Vault (SF) WWW Werewolf: The Wild West (SHI/F) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAME BOOKS LIBRARY It's difficult to play RPGs without access to the rule- and sourcebooks published for them. How many do you have? B+++ I own more books than the local game store. B++ I have shelves full of books for games that I never actually play. B+ I have most of the books for a few games, and/or the more important books for several others that interest me. B= I've got the basic books for the main game(s) I play. B- I own one game book. B-- I don't own any game books. B--- The other players in my group read to me from their books when I need to know something. B* I am the local game store's walking database . A special variable is to add ! after the indicator, such as B+!. This means "I should be one or more levels higher up in this category, but people who borrow my books never return them!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAMING FREQUENCY Not everyone manages to get a game together regularly, while some people just can't be removed from one no matter what you try. f+++ I game all the time, stopping only to order food and get the occasional bit of sleep. f++ I play an RPG three or more days/nights a week. f+ I game twice a week. f= I have a regular weekly game to go to. f- I can get to a game session every few weeks. f-- I get to play every couple of months. f--- I'm lucky to play once or twice a year. f! I've never gamed in my life. f@* The only gaming I do is in Play By E-Mail games (PBEMs) or gaming forums on the World Wide Web. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- REAL MEN, REAL ROLEPLAYERS, LOONIES AND MUNCHKINS A historic document by Jeff Okamoto, Sandy Petersen, and lots of others divides gamers into four categories: Real Men, Real Roleplayers, Loonies and Munchkins. Pick the category you fit in best, and add the appropriate indicator to your code. RM Real Man: The tough macho type who walks up to the attacking dragon and tells him to leave before he gets hurt. RR Real Roleplayer: The intelligent cunning guy who tricks the constable into letting you all out of prison. L Loonie: The guy who will do anything for a cheap laugh, including casting a fireball at ground zero. (Loonies who don't like the letter L may pick any other letter as long as it isn't already in use in this code.) M Munchkin: Need we say more? M! I don't understand what "Need we say more?" means, but I don't fit any of the other categories! RM! I'd pick "Real Man," if I were a man... RR* I am Mark Rein*Hagen ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INTER-PLAYER RELATIONSHIPS Now you know what you are, how do you relate to other players? Since all of them fit into the same four categories, just rate yourself for how you feel about them (including the category you picked for yourself). Real Men rm+++ Whoah Real Men! rm++ You can depend on Real Men to get the job done. rm+ I can appreciate Real Men's no-nonsense attitude. rm= I get along with Real Men OK. rm- Who do Real Men think they are? rm-- Real Men are macho jerks. rm--- The world would be a much nicer place without Real Men in it. rm? I don't know what to make of Real Men. Real Roleplayers rr+++ Real Roleplayers are the only true gamers. rr++ There aren't enough Real Roleplayers in the world. rr+ Other players can take an example from Real Roleplayers. rr= I'm pretty indifferent toward Real Roleplayers. rr- Maybe Real Roleplayers are taking things a bit too far? rr-- Hey, Real Roleplayers! It's just a game! rr--- Real Roleplayers are Mazes and Monsters waiting to happen. rr? I don't know what to make of Real Roleplayers. Loonies l+++ Loonies are hysterical! l++ Games with Loonies are a lot more fun than ones without. l+ There's never a dull moment with a Loonie around. l= Loonies are kind of funny... l- As long as the Loonie doesn't bother me, I don't mind. l-- I try to keep my character as far away from a Loonie's as possible. l--- Loonies are hysterics! l? I don't know what to make of Loonies. Munchkins m+++ Munchkins of the world, unite! m++ Munchkins are cool. m+ Give the Munchkins their fun for a while; they'll learn. m= Just ignore Munchkins, they'll go away. Eventually. m- I attack Munchkins on sight. m-- I kill Munchkins where I find them. m--- I go out looking for Munchkins to kill. m? I don't know what to make of Munchkins. m! I know exactly what to make of Munchkins, but they're too tough for me to try. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WHO DO YOU PLAY WITH To play a role-playing game, it's generally accepted that you need more than one person. w+++ I prefer to play at conventions, with total strangers. w++ I play at a gaming club, where anyone can join in on the game. w+ I play in a group that frequently sees players come and go. w= I play with a (more or less) fixed group of friends. w- I generally only play with people I know well. w-- I refuse to play with people I don't know. w--- I exclusively play in Play By E-Mail (PBEM) campaigns. w? I'm looking for a group -- contact me if you need an extra player! w! I don't get to play at all. w!! I refuse to play with anyone. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FAVORITE PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGY Since an RPG leaves you free in your actions, there are a great many ways in which you can attempt to solve the problems that your character invariably encounters. Some people are more successful at it than others, though. Because there are two main ways to solve problems, this category is split into two sections. Pick a qualifier from each, and separate them with a colon (:). Negotiating One way to solve problems is by thinking them through, and/or talking your way out of them. s++++ I am Cthulhu. s+++ I am Hannibal Lecter. s++ I am a psychiatrist, psychologist, or trained hostage negotiator. Or could pass for one, anyway. s+ I have pretty good intuition, and rely on it to negotiate, talk, or manipulate my way out of most situations. s= Violence isn't the only answer -- let's think this over first. s- I tend to over-analyze most situations, and am punished accordingly. s-- I can't think/talk my way out of a paper bag. s--- I privately curse my GM's relentless persecution of me with all of these absurd machinations and cruel mind tricks. s---- I let one of the Real Roleplayers talk us out of everything. s* "These are not the droids you're looking for." Violence The other way of solving problems is to blast them until they go away. Here you get to indicate how likely you are to resort to violence. In character, that is. To indicate this, add a colon (:) after the qualifier from the last section, and then the qualifier for this one. For example, s-:+ indicates you tend to over-analyze situations before shooting your way out of them. s:++++ I am the Terminator. s:+++ I have no regard for the sanctity of human life, and will destroy with maniacal glee anything that gets in my way. s:++ I love the smell of napalm/fireballs in the morning. s:+ I prefer to negotiate using the barrel of my gun/the edge of my sword. s:= Enough talk -- sometimes you have to resort to violence. s:- Bloodshed makes me squeamish, but don't push me. s:-- I am a practicing pacifist. s:--- You go ahead; I'll bring up the rear. s:* "You sure you used enough dynamite there?" Other possibilities, which come in place of both of the two qualifiers above, are the following. s? The other players always tell me how to solve problems... s! My character never actually solves problems in the game -- I use my charm on the GM to make them disappear. s!! I've got a relationship with the GM, so my characters don't ever _have_ problems they need to solve. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BEING THE GAMEMASTER Many gamers have been the gamemaster (or Dungeon Master, referee, Storyteller, or any one of a number of other terms) for their group at some point in their career. Now 's time time to tell the world about your experiences with this side of gaming. This category is split into three parts, divided by colons (:). Choose the appropriate qualifier for each section. Gamemastering Itself Some love it, some hate it. Tell us how you feel about being the gamemaster for your group. GM+++ My whole reason for gaming is to make my players' lives difficult! GM++ Whenever I'm not GMing during a game, I feel like something's missing. GM+ I like being the GM. GM= I've GMed some games. GM- I can GM if I have to, but I prefer being on the other side of the screen. GM-- GMing needs more brainpower than I have to spare. GM--- How can you stand the players' whining about anything and everything?! GM! I don't GM. (Skip the other sections in this case.) GM* I'm always stuck being the GM because nobody else wants to! Adventure Style Adventures come in all sorts of styles and types, but each gamemaster tends to favor a particular kind. When you crawl behind the GM screen, what's the experience going to be like for the other players? Add this rating after the previous one, separating them with a colon (:). For example, GM+:= indicates a person who likes being the gamemaster, and makes adventures with something for everyone in them. GM:+++ My adventures are grand stories of intrigue, drama and politics. We have a combat every couple of months at most. GM:++ I try to avoid combat scenes and focus much more on the social and investigative sides of roleplaying games. GM:+ Investigations are the main feature of my adventures, but a good fight every so often doesn't hurt anyone. GM:= I try to make my adventures contain something for everyone. GM:- It'd be unwise to go out without your weapons and armor in my adventures. GM:-- Good, old-fashioned dungeon bashes are still the best adventures for me. GM:--- If the characters aren't up to their knees in blood, gore and severed body parts 99% of the time, I let someone else be GM. GM:---- I run HackMaster. GM:----- I'm a MegaDungeon Loyal Minion. Gamemastering Style Not all gamemasters are created equal. How do your adventures normally go, and how do you treat the players? Again, add a colon (:) after the qualifiers from the previous sections, and then the qualifier from this one. Thus, GM+:=:-- would be a person who likes to GM and creates balanced adventures, but kills their characters at a whim. GM::+++ My players just sit back and relax because they know nothing bad will ever happen to them. Their snoring sometimes disturbs my concentration. GM::++ I give the players lots of breaks, so that they have do something pretty stupid not to get out of trouble in one piece. GM::+ My games tend to favor the players, but I'm not against giving them what they deserve. GM::= I try to balance things out, so everyone has a fair chance without giving players undue breaks. GM::- Life's a bitch and then you die -- so why should it be different for your character? GM::-- I kill characters whenever I feel like it, whether they deserve it or not. GM::--- I am Friend Computer. Picking any other qualifier is treason. GM::---- All the other players walked out on me... Optional: Specific Gamemaster Type To be even more detailed about the kind of gamemaster you are, you have the further option of specifying which of the 28 standard types of gamemaster fits your profile best. The following are the 28 types recognized by another historic document, "The 28 Types of Game Master" by Scott Butler and J.D. Frazer. Add this in square brackets [] after the GM code from the previous sections; for instance, GM+:=:--[SFD] is a gamemaster who likes being the GM, creates balanced adventures, kills characters a lot, and is a stickler for detail. Note that this step is optional. You don't need to indicate your exact GM type if you don't want to. A+ AD&D'er A- Anti-AD&D'er AM Absolute Monarch CH Cheater DM Die Modifier DP DePalma School of Blood and Gore DZ Design Zealot EN Enforcer EX Executioner GH Ghoul GG Gibson School of Writing Graduate KI Killer KM Killer Munchkin LO Leading and Overbearing MH Monty Haul MU Munchkin NO No Originality NP No Poker Face NV Novice PF Poker Face SC Schmuck SD Stickler for Detail TI Timid TM Troublemaker UN Unimaginitive VE Verbose VG Vengeful WM Whining Munchkin ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HOUSE RULES There is hardly a gamer in existence who hasn't tinkered with the rules of a game system at some point or other. h++++ My group uses its own home-brew game system -- we don't use commercially-available rules at all. h+++ The rulebook is nothing but a basis to build your own rules on. Anything I don't like from it, I change or replace. h++ I've spent a fair amount of my time writing up house rules, some of which will probably never get used. h+ I haven't found a game yet that couldn't use a few house rules. h= I use a few house rules to deal with the more obvious gaps and errors. h- Having a few house rules is a necessary evil. h-- Games should be played the way the publishers intended them to. h--- My favorite game is perfect as it is, and doesn't need any changes. h---- I'm Ivy Ryan. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GETTING PUBLISHED Game companies large and small need people to write the books they publish. Many of these authors started out as humble gamers, and for all we know, you could be one of them. p++++ I am Steve Kenson. p+++ I'm a freelance game author whose work gets published quite a lot. (You'll probably want to add the $ variable here.) p++ I (semi-)regularly write stuff that gets published in gaming magazines or game supplements. p+ Something I wrote got published once/I do some playtesting for a game publisher. p= When I write something, it's for my own (or my group's) use. p- The few things I write are generally not well-received. p-- I'm happy with letting others do the writing. p--- I thought a big computer cranked out all these books...? p---- I am Kevin Siembieda. p* Most of what I write, I give away for free on the Internet. p! I never seem to actually finish anything! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LIVE-ACTION ROLE-PLAYING (LARP) Some gamers love to play live-action games -- instead of sitting around a table on hard chairs, they dress up in their character's costume and get together out in nature somewhere with other, like-minded people to actually play out their characters actions. This category also includes games like How To Host A Murder, or Killer. LA+++ I own several complete costumes and go to all LARP events that I can. LA++ I play a few LARP games every year, usually at conventions or big events. LA+ I've LARPed a few times, and I enjoyed it. LA= I want to try a LARP someday, but I haven't found one I like yet. LA- LARPs don't appeal to me. LA-- Waving latex swords around? Give me a break... LA--- Who in their right mind would want to dress up like an idiot and run around in a forest pretending to be a warrior or a wizard? LA! I refuse to play LARPs. LA!! I used to LARP, but I'm so ashamed of it that I try to hide this fact from my friends. LA* While I may admit to having participated in some LARP-like activities, don't you dare call me a LARPer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MINIATURE FIGURINES Roleplaying games grew out of wargames, which are played with small metal figurines, commonly known as "miniatures." Inevitably, miniatures began appearing to represent RPG characters, and lines are available for many of the more popular games. As a result, a lot of gamers buy them, and some even bother to paint them as well. mf++++ I work for Games Workshop. mf+++ I get environmentalist groups protesting outside my house because of all the lead. mf++ I own several shelves or large boxes full of miniatures. mf+ I like miniatures, and have bought enough different ones to use in most games I play. mf= I've bought a few miniatures to represent my characters. mf- I don't own any miniatures, but not for any particular reason. mf-- I don't like miniatures because they're too limited. mf--- Miniatures distract from the make-belief aspect of RPGs, forcing players to see things a certain way. I don't use them. mf* I actually paint the miniatures I own. mf** I paint them to a fairly high standard, if I may say so myself. mf*** I sculpt my own miniatures. mf*! I tried painting the miniatures I bought, but they ended up looking worse than before I started :( ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WARGAMING Talking about miniature figurines, as said RPGs grew out of wargaming. Do you like to play out the occasional battle without having to worry if it's "in character" for your troops to charge the enemy, or if you should let them be slaughtered "because it's historically correct"? W++++ I'm Stuart Asquith. W+++ DBA or 40K, I play it all. My house has extra-thick concrete floors to support the weight of my figure collection. W++ I play wargames in several different periods and have the miniatures for them. W+ I have a favorite set of rules and enough figures to play a game with, and I do so from time to time. W= If I don't have anything better to do, a wargame is as good a way to spend some time as anything else. W- Moving small metal figures across a table is not what I consider a thrilling hobby. W-- As a passtime, wargaming is on a par with trainspotting. W--- Wargamers are sad people who should get a life, or at least use their energies for role-playing instead. W! All those damn Games Workshop brats running around these days give gaming a bad name. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- COMPUTER GAMING Besides being useful tools for all sorts of everyday work, computers are widely used to play games on. Many roleplayers do this as well, but are you one of them? C+++ I make Half-Life/Baldur's Gate mods. C++ I play Everquest every night. C+ Computer games are fun, I play them when I have the time. C= I've tried computer games. C- I've heard about computer games. C-- Computer games steal players away from real games! C--- Real roleplayers don't need computers to get their fix. C? You mean there is more than e-mail and the world wide web on computers?? C! I've got a flame-thrower ready just in case I meet a computer gamer... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD GAMES In the mid-1990s, a new craze swept through the gaming world like an infectious disease: collectible card games drew many gamers from roleplaying, in addition to addicting untold numbers of non-gamers. Although today it's not as bad as it once was, CCGs are still a force to be reckoned with. Tell everyone how you feel about them. CG++++ I'm Richard Garfield. CG+++ I used to be an avid roleplayer, but CCGs take up so much of my time that I haven't played an RPG in years. CG++ I own thousands of cards for and play it any chance I get. CG+ Card games are a fun way to pass some time, so I keep a few decks around. CG= I like to play the occasional card game, but it won't get me away from RPGs. CG- I was once a card gamer, but gave up when it started costing me far too much money. CG-- CCGs ruined the market for real games. CG--- Any CCG is good for lighting my BBQ with. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER GAMES This category includes games of all descriptions that are played by the general public rather than just that small part of the world population that calls itself "gamers." Examples are checkers, chess, or go, but also Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, or Settlers of Catan -- but card or casino games (dice, blackjack, roulette, etc.) also fall into this category. You probably played games like these when you were young(er), and some gamers keep playing them throughout their lives. Are you one of them? OG++++ I am Gary Kasparov. OG+++ I take part in board game tournaments/I often go to a casino. OG++ At my regular game session, we play board games instead of RPGs. OG+ Playing a board every once in a while game is a lot of fun. OG= I play games at family get-togethers. OG- I played board games when I was a kid, but haven't for years. OG-- Board games are too complicated for me. OG--- I lose at tic-tac-toe even when I get the first move. OG---- I play Tic-Tac-Toe-One-In-A-Row against I.M. Weasel. OG! I've never played these kinds of games. RPGs all the way! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAME FICTION "Fiction" is the word generally used to describe short stories, and even whole novels, set in a game universe. Some people like them as a useful insight into the setting, others loathe them because of their quality (the frequent lack thereof, that is). What's your point of view? F+++ Why haven't any of these authors won the Nobel Prize for literature yet? F++ I've bought and read all the novels published for my favorite game setting. F+ Game fiction is a refreshing break from serious literature. F= I like game fiction for the way it helps build a picture of the game setting, but I don't consider it literature. F- While the "official" novels are often tolerable, fan fiction should be banned. F-- What drug has given these people the delusion they can write? F--- When you buy it in rolls, toilet paper is a lot cheaper. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAME CONVENTIONS Every year, a large number of game conventions are organized, from large, commercial ones like GenCon, Origins and Spiel to small local ones run by gaming clubs or stores. c+++ I travel halfway across the world to go to conventions. c++ I go to all the local and major conventions in my part of the world. c+ I usually make it to one or two major conventions a year. c= I go to one or two local cons every year. c- I don't go to conventions. c-- I used to go to conventions, but they've lost their appeal. c--- Game conventions are full of geeks. Why would I want to go to one? c! I've never been to a convention. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE There's a comic called Knights of the Dinner Table that is widely-read by gamers for the mirror it holds up to the hobby. Are you a fan? K+++ I am Jolly Blackburn. K++ I have read them all at least 5 times. K+ I am a subscriber. K= I read them from time to time, but it was more fun in the old days. K- It's fun, but what's the big deal about it? K-- What's the point of this comic? K--- KODT is far too realistic to be funny. K? Knights of the what? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THERE YOU ARE! Now you've gotten this far, you've hopefully picked a qualifier (or more than one) from each category, and put them together into your very own Gamer Classification Code. What you do with this GCC now is entirely up to you, but I suggest you put it into your signature or something...