The pursuit of beauty...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.. his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein

I've seen a lot of discussions on are you a nerd, or a geek or a fanboy type gamer, or what have you, and the definitions of each, how they differ, etc etc. Though everyone in the world probably has a facet of all of that to them, many don't quite fit so cleanly into those definitions.

I'd like to propose the Romantic subtype to the gamer stat block as it were. Someone who enjoys the world of fantasy as a sort of return to beauty.

To the Romantic, the game is not necessarily to hide away from the world, or indulge in self gratification, or simply because elves are UBER COOL! Those are good enough reasons as any, but the Romantic may be just as interested in the story, the free release of ideas and imagination, and the building of a sense of mystery and adventure.

When a cup is never just a cup, or a stone but a stone... are you a romantic?

[StickMan]

I think I'm close I'm more of the dreamer. Simmilar to the romantic but my worlds are so far gone so fantastic, that while often romantic they can all so be quite horrifying. Green jungles with mutant beast and endless cities thats floors don't feel the sun light is where my adventures fly.

[Lord Tataraus]

I think I'm close I'm more of the dreamer. Simmilar to the romantic but my worlds are so far gone so fantastic, that while often romantic they can all so be quite horrifying. Green jungles with mutant beast and endless cities thats floors don't feel the sun light is where my adventures fly.

Second to dreamer. I'm definitely a dreamer. I make worlds for the fun of creation and just making something, that is my craft. I love creating wondrous worlds of beauty and captivating magic or despair and gritty struggle. I've been creating and dreaming up worlds since I was five, I never dream while asleep, only my constant scenarios of my day dreams, cataloging numerous heroes and worlds that I haven't even put to paper. I make campaign settings for fun, its what I do. Then I like to throw my players into that world and let them roam and explore. I usually prefer it to being a player because I can make stuff the way I want.

[Vella_Malachite]

Hmmm...yeah, I know a few people who fit into the 'romantics' section (though I have to second 'dreamer')

I do wonder if we are attracted to overcategorising things in our day and age - just look how many different types of metal are there that you know of? We have music, books, TV shows and people categorised until we can't possibly be categorised any further, and, while that's good for being able to immediately identify things, we lose a little freedom and are unable to help falling into one category or another. I think, for the sake of the people, we should refrain from overcategorising the gamer community, too.

Just IMO, no-one has to agree.:smalltongue:

[Tom_Violence]

Sounds quite accurate for me, I reckon. I wouldn't go in for the 'dreamer' thing since the overly-fantastic has never washed well with me as my disbelief only suspends so far. But the sense of adventure with just the right amount of added extra is definitely what gets me going.

[Castaras]

Dreamer.

I dream and imagine and hope. It's what keeps me going through the days.

[Om]

Bah romanticism as a subculture should stay dead. Constructivism however is making a comeback in me... :smallbiggrin:

[Kaelaroth]

I am, rather. :smallredface: But, Vella's right. Some things should be left unclassified. I don't like being put in a box, however lonely and spacious it may be.

[UserClone]

I suppose that if I were to be forced into a category, the romantic is as good as any. Unfortunately, the games I have been involved with usually have a fairly poor story element, and devolve quickly into fragfests, so I've also had to become quite a bit of a powergamer to compensate.:smallannoyed: In truth, I'd prefer to play in an RPG where it didn't matter if you succeeded or failed, battled or talked, only that the story continues until it's resolved. No one I game with wants that same ideal. *sigh*

[MrEdwardNigma]

I think you have just quite accurately described me, Sir Tribble, though I would have personally not quoted Einstein but one of the many other people who have put forth similar theories. Quoting Burke, Wordsworth or Coleridge if I'm not mistaking might have been more appropriate, but then again that's just my very personal opinion. Also, sirs StickMan, Lord Tataraus and Vella_Malachite (and Castaras, but I'm quite sure she wouldn't enjoy being called "sir") I do believe what you describe as the "Dreamer" pretty much is the Romantic. The horrifying does tend to take up a large part of the Romantic's ideas and dreaming is most certainly his most important occupation.

On an entirely different note, I'd like to congratulate you on your splendid outfit, Sir Tribble. Purple, a bolar hat and a questionmark cane? Spiffy, that's what I say to that! My somewhat similar outfit was in fact chosen for the very reason of being a Romantic, as you described, since the outfit does tend to be tied to a certain sense of Mystery, no?

[Tragic_Comedian]

I've always thought of my self as a bit of a romantic (paradoxically, everyone else thinks I'm much too cynical). Yeah, I like the idea, I've always enjoyed those things about gaming.

[insecure]

Second to dreamer. I'm definitely a dreamer. I make worlds for the fun of creation and just making something, that is my craft. I love creating wondrous worlds of beauty and captivating magic or despair and gritty struggle. I've been creating and dreaming up worlds since I was five, I never dream while asleep, only my constant scenarios of my day dreams, cataloging numerous heroes and worlds that I haven't even put to paper. I make campaign settings for fun, its what I do. Then I like to throw my players into that world and let them roam and explore. I usually prefer it to being a player because I can make stuff the way I want.

That sounds exactly like me!

[MrEdwardNigma]

I've always thought of my self as a bit of a romantic (paradoxically, everyone else thinks I'm much too cynical). Yeah, I like the idea, I've always enjoyed those things about gaming.
People think of me as both. I've always though those two go sort of hand in hand. Escapism from a harsh world through a cynical eye?

[Gem Flower]

I'm like a secret romantic. If you went to my school, you would never guess. Shh!

[Tragic_Comedian]

People think of me as both. I've always though those two go sort of hand in hand. Escapism from a harsh world through a cynical eye?
That's a very good way to put it.

[rubakhin]

I've actually head D&D mentioned multiple times in discussions about the modern reaches of Romanticism. Which I have gotten into, multiple times. I have got to stop hanging out with English majors.

*whisper* you types might be interested in the freeform game linked in my sig

[Lord Tataraus]

I suppose that if I were to be forced into a category, the romantic is as good as any. Unfortunately, the games I have been involved with usually have a fairly poor story element, and devolve quickly into fragfests, so I've also had to become quite a bit of a powergamer to compensate.:smallannoyed: In truth, I'd prefer to play in an RPG where it didn't matter if you succeeded or failed, battled or talked, only that the story continues until it's resolved. No one I game with wants that same ideal. *sigh*

I have the same problem...except I'm the DM and it extremely hard for me to get my story with a bunch of hack-n-slashers. Sometimes I just give up and then one guy sometimes brings me back with a fanatastic display of RP....then it goes back to hack-n-slash.

@ MrEdwardNigma: Well as StickMan said, a dreamer is very much like a romantic but a bit different. In the end its just a different label, I guess I just prefer the word "dreamer" and what it entails, but in essence I am a romantic...except that I declare myself to not be, thereby making me not a romantic, but then I still sort of am...yeah, paradox.

[randman22222]

Very Puritan.

[Phae Nymna]

I am a romantic. So was Theodore Roosevelt. I believe in the world beyond the finite capabilities of science. I believe in the unknown and in a literary lifestyle of artistic grandeur and Machiavellian theory. I believe in the world as it was through what it is now, not what it wants to be or tries to be.

[BizzaroStormy]

I have the same problem...except I'm the DM and it extremely hard for me to get my story with a bunch of hack-n-slashers. Sometimes I just give up and then one guy sometimes brings me back with a fanatastic display of RP....then it goes back to hack-n-slash.

Well, you also forget that we are easily distracted by /b/'s computer which I hear has been taken of. Your monotone voice also kinda prevents us from really getting into the story. This is why our first pbp went as well as it did up until the point where it was shot down by a history lesson. I don't particularly need fighting as much as i just need to be involved in the game.

Anyway...

My reasons for gaming greatly vary depending on what the game is. I play D&D because I dislike reality, It's just fun, and I can never really find any other reason to hang out with the people in my D&D group.

[MrEdwardNigma]

@ MrEdwardNigma: Well as StickMan said, a dreamer is very much like a romantic but a bit different. In the end its just a different label, I guess I just prefer the word "dreamer" and what it entails, but in essence I am a romantic...except that I declare myself to not be, thereby making me not a romantic, but then I still sort of am...yeah, paradox.

My point was actually that a "Romantic" and a "dreamer" are exactly the same thing, as the only differences StickMan claims there are, aren't there at all in my opinion.