GAMER CLASSIFICATION CODE v0.1 ============================== CREDITS By Gurth -- GCC0.1: Y!>?.nl[Zld] G90 SCP/F:@@[SR] B++(+++) f RM rm rr+ l- m(+) s+ GM++(!) GS(+) h++ LA CG F(-) c+(+++) Inspired by, and partly based on, Robert Hayden's Geek Code and the Shadowrun Geek Code. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. What you do with the GCC once you've created it is entirely up to you. I suggest you put it into your signature or something... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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@ would indicate 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAMER CLASSIFICATION CODE IDENTIFIER Start your code off by the letters GCC followed by the version of the code, and then by a color (:). As this is version 0.1, that means you should start the code with "GCC0.1:". 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, starting with whether you're a man or a woman. X Female gamer Y Male gamer Z Why should I tell you? 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? :) Other options for your age are the following: ! You don't need to know when I was born. ? I'm immortal. 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 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'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 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 (/). For example, SCP/F is someone who prefers playing in a setting that's a combination of cyberpunk and fantasy. SCP Cyberpunk SF Fantasy SHI Historical SHO Horror SME Mecha SMO Modern-day (or near-future) SPA Post-Apocalypse SSF Science-Fiction SSP Steampunk SO Other (a catch-all category for anything that doesn't fit the above choices) S@ Any and all settings Then add a colon (:) and two letters indicating the kind of character you usually play. The first is a capital letter to show your favored race/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 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 * Other race (usually game-specific, like aliens in SF settings) a Average person (someone without special skills or abilities) c Criminal (gang member, rogue, thief, etc.) e Entertainer (bard, jester, rocker, and so on) f Fighter or other combat-oriented type (barbarian, samurai, solo, etc.) h Computer hacker i Investigator l Law-enforcement type m Magician p Psionicist s Superhero or -villain t Techie (mechanic, technician, tinkerer, and so on) v Vehicle operator (pilot, starship captain, tank crewmember, etc.) 6 Troubleshooter @ Anything that suits your fancy when you're creating the character * Other occupation (not listed above) 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, SPA:Ht[T2K] indicates your favorite game is the Twilight: 2000 post-apocalypse RPG, in which you like to play human criminals. (NOTE: This list is really far from complete, and needs many more entries.) 1889 Space: 1889 7S 7th Sea A Amber AD&D Advanced Dungeons & Dragons AM Ars Magica C Champions CF Castle Falkenstein CORPS CORPS CP Cyberpunk 2020 CS Cyberspace CTD Changeling: The Dreaming D20 Any system using d20(R) rules D&D Dungeons & Dragons DC Dark Conspiracy DL Deadlands DLHE Deadlands: Hell on Earth DR Dragonraid ED Earthdawn EW Everway FUDGE FUDGE GURPS GURPS HG Heavy Gear HOL HOL: Human-Occupied Landfill HTR Hunter: The Reckoning IN In Nomine K Kult LOTR Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game (either by Iron Crown Enterprises or Decipher) LS Living Steel ME Millennium's End MERP Middle-Earth Role-Playing MSC Mage: Sorcerer's Crusade MTA Mage: The Ascension MW MechWarrior OTE Over The Edge P Paranoia RI Rifts RM Rolemaster RU Rune SLA SLA Industries SM Spacemaster SR Shadowrun ST Star Trek (any) SW Star Wars (either the West End Games or Wizards of the Coast offering) T2K Twilight: 2000 T Traveller TMNT Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness TS Top Secret VDA Vampire: The Dark Ages VTM Vampire: The Masquerade WH Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay WOD World of Darkness (any of the games in this setting) WTO Wraith: The Oblivion ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 rulebooks 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--- I borrow the books I need from the other players in my group. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 letter 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," but I'm not a man... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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). 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. rr+++ Real Roleplayers are the only true gamers. Mark Rhein*Hagen is my idol! 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. 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. 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 know exactly what to make of Munchkins, but they're too tough for me to try. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FAVORITE PROBLEMSOLVING 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. s+++ "This calls for a very special blend of psychology and extreme violence." s++ I try to get into the opposition's mind to come up with a solution. s+ I use common sense to come up with the most practical way out. s I discuss it with the group, then we'll figure out something together. s- I tend to follow my intuition. s-- I've seen a few situations where violence didn't help, but not many. s--- Blast it until it dies, then blast it some more. s---- There isn't a situation that I can't talk my way out of. s? The other players always tell me how to solve problems... s! My character never actually solves problems in the game -- I use my charme 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. Tell the world about your experiences: 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- It's not for me, I prefer being on the other side of the GM 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'm always stuck being the GM because nobody else wants to! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GAMEMASTERING STYLE Not all gamemasters are created equal. How do your adventures normally go, and how do you treat the players? GS+++ My players just sit back and relax because they know nothing bad will ever happen to them. Their snoring sometimes disturbs my concentration. GS++ I give the players lots of breaks, so that they have do something pretty stupid not to get out of trouble in one piece. GS+ My games tend to favor the players, but I'm not against giving them what they deserve. GS I try to balance things out, so everyone has a fair chance without giving players undue breaks. GS- Life's a bitch and then you die -- so why should it be different for your character? GS-- I kill characters whenever I feel like it, whether they deserve it or not. GS--- All the players walked out on me... GS! I don't GM, how many times do I have to tell you? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 was perfect without 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. h! I write rulebooks for a game publisher. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, and addicted untold numbers of non-gamers as well. Although it's not as bad as it once was, CCGs are still around and a force to be reckoned with. Tell us what you think. 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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 a gaming club. c+++ I travel halfway across the world to go to conventions. c++ I go to all the local and major conventions in my neck of the woods. c+ I usually make it to one or two conventions a year. c I go to one or two local cons every year. c- I don't go to conventions. c-- I've 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.