sci-fi and gaming interests baffle me

[bikerscars]

i've noticed many interests in gaming and sci-fi on this site and this surprises me...

to me these interests would appear frivolous(like following sports) and not worthy of intj's time...i am obviously wrong and am wondering what is the attraction of these pursuits

is it just killing time or are there aspects other than just fun that i don't see

[OneBadMother]

Probably killing time and exercising the mind. My INTJ friend likes strategy games, which sounds like a good mental workout. He also like to game because he has a condition that provents him from being allowed to do much physical exercise, so winning at SSBM is a way of still being able to participate in group activities and beat people at something.

[rwyatt365]

I'm not so much into gaming (probably a generational thing) also I just can't seem to get the hang of the controls so I'm pretty bad at them so it's no fun.

SciFi is another thing though. For me it gives me the opportunity to expand my horizons beyond the ordinary. Extrapolating human society into the future, or exploring non-human viewpoints is fascinating. That applies mostly to SciFi literature. The writers there think through the scenarios that they present, for the most part, so that there are relative few "stupid mistakes" made in the stories.

TV SciFi, on the other hand, is a different thing altogether. The norm is that the characters are one-dimensional and the plots are stereotypical. For those that fall into that category I watch them; a) because I'm a sucker and can't resist, and b) to criticize them unmercifully. I like the tag-lines on the SciFi Channel commercials (yes, I watch the SciFi Channel!) for "The Most Dangerous Night on TV". You know, "Tip #42, Don't go skinny-dipping at midnite, alone...naked".

LOL

[lollercancer]

I play games, but not like most people do.

I'll buy around 6 games a year. They are almost always multiplayer games. Also, I'd get very upset if a game isn't well balanced. The second it's no longer a fair "proving ground" it's a stupid and poorly designed game.

The smash series draws a lot of people because it's basically the only well made fighting game, in terms of high level play.
Blizzard Entertainment always makes a balanced and wellmade game. Their games are known to be extremely popular for 10+ years.

Games are like any other kind of art, there's good and there's pulp. Everyone starts on the pulp, but some of us learn how to decipher good from bad and really get to enjoy artistic and fun games.

[Firelie]

When I was into gaming, it was mostly for the social aspect of it. I've mostly grown out of my need to talk to people in that way, though, and I've been trying to make actual friends that live in my actual city that I can actually hang out with and do stuff. I think the gaming taught me some good teamwork skills, though.

[Guido]

I like gaming purely for the competition. It's often one of my perfection outlets. I get as good as I can with something and pit my skills against others. Single player games aren't so bad either, so long as they have skill invovled to play them.

[anul]

It's really hard for me to complete a video game unless it's able to captivate me. Otherwise I'll grow bored in a day or two and never beat it. Strategy game and game that are more competitive are easier for me to play because it's a challenge.

I always wanted to get into science fiction my whole life, but I never can. I'll try to get into it, then ten minutes into it I'll get bored and go do something else. I find the universe terribly interesting, but for some reason science fiction is extremely boring to me.

[Rei]

Gaming: Definitely the competition. Plus you get to do things you don't get to do in real life. Which reminds me that I want to go paintball-ing ;D

Sci-fi: Reason for may be that we're the most idealistic of thinkers. I find it fulfills my periodically necessary dose of 'perfection'... even if it's fictional. I think this genre actually brings up some good ideas/possibilities. (well some of them anyway)

[Jezebel]

Because the real world is more restrictive than imaginary ones.

Most of the games I play involve building something up, be it a civilization or a character. I can get really involved with planning out the designs, figuring out strategies, and thinking about what effects the decisions I make will have. Sure it isn't useful to the real world, but it gives me control over designing my own little world that I would never get to make in real life. Then I get to see everything play out and I find that fascinating.

Interest in the science fiction genre is similar. I get to see systems other people came up with and how they affect the civilization.

[rwyatt365]

Because the real world is more restrictive than imaginary ones.

Most of the games I play involve building something up, be it a civilization or a character. I can get really involved with planning out the designs, figuring out strategies, and thinking about what effects the decisions I make will have. Sure it isn't useful to the real world, but it gives me control over designing my own little world that I would never get to make in real life. Then I get to see everything play out and I find that fascinating.

Interest in the science fiction genre is similar. I get to see systems other people came up with and how they affect the civilization.

Now that I think of it, I was doing Sim City pretty heavily earlier this year. I guess that's similar to what you're talking about.

[Jezebel]

Now that I think of it, I was doing Sim City pretty heavily earlier this year. I guess that's similar to what you're talking about.
Simulation/tycoon type games appeal to me a lot.

[Rei]

Now that I think of it, I was doing Sim City pretty heavily earlier this year. I guess that's similar to what you're talking about.
Simulation/tycoon type games appeal to me a lot.

SIMS 2!!! *gets all excited*

I'm so glad I don't have it on my laptop, or my while semester would be trashed b/w this forum and SIMS2 ::)

[Frank]

Well I can understand it if you don't like video games. I myself enjoy Rome Total War, Civilalization and other serious strategy games. And I occasionally dable in you fisrt person shooter like medal of honor because it excites me. But I when i was younger I played more trivial games on nintendo and these eventual lost their charm I geuss the PC is more imersive than the other console games.

[Frank]

BUt as for not liking Sci Fi ... ... Whats a matta with ya!!! :P
The escapeism apeals to me and with different way of approach views on life. I would recommend the Twilight Zone.

[rwyatt365]

SIMS 2!!! *gets all excited*

I'm so glad I don't have it on my laptop, or my while semester would be trashed b/w this forum and SIMS2 ::)
My wife "does" Sims, I "do" SimCity; she does the people, I do the places.
We're weird!

[StJimmy]

hi, i am a gamer. i'm all hardcore and stuff. i like mmo's. WAR IS COMING!!

:suspicious:

so yeah. i got online with diablo 2 and never looked back. dark age of camelot after they fux0rd the LoD expansion.

from there i've played everything from world of warcraft, city of heroes/villans, and i briefly tried shadowbane, guild wars, lord of the rings online, dungeons and dragons online, but the first two were the only ones i spent any significant time on. an mmo's gotta have compelling team based pvp to hold my interest. i could go into specifics but i won't.

i also waste vast amounts of time on rts games like warcraft, the total war series, civ games, etc.

trying to explain why i like games is analogous to trying to explain how my brain functions. i relish both the human competition of mmo's, and the macro/micro management aspects of rts's.

as far as sci fi goes (books mainly) yes i look at it as just another sort of mental gymnastics. i am very future oriented and extremely interested in what possibilities lie ahead.

[Firebert]

Personally, I think that all INTJs have a little bit of a god complex.

I love RTS games for the sheer fact that you can build things however you see and conquer whatever you want. A great game if nobody's played it is Black and White. In the game you can be God and pretty much do anything.

I'm big into my MMO's because it gives you a second life where you can meet other nerds and do things that you never really get to do.

Sci-Fi intrigues me because 9 times out of 10 it's a social commentary, challenging the values of our current society. I really appreciate the fact that there are still people out there who will blatantly question our sense of right and wrong.

[Rich]

I enjoy RTS and other strategy games. Currently I'm playing Civ III, Total Annihilation, StarCraft, Rise of Nations, and that's about it because I own a Mac (which I love).

I also enjoy Sci-Fi. StarGate, Solaris, zombie movies, apocalyptic movies, and the like interest me because - as others have said - provides an escape from the everyday.

These exercises are a nice diversion.

[bikerscars]

I enjoy RTS and other strategy games. Currently I'm playing Civ III, Total Annihilation, StarCraft, Rise of Nations, and that's about it because I own a Mac (which I love).

I also enjoy Sci-Fi. StarGate, Solaris, zombie movies, apocalyptic movies, and the like interest me because - as others have said - provides an escape from the everyday.

These exercises are a nice diversion.


that's what non-intj's are for

[snoogit]

Sports interest me not so much for the game itself, but the business BEHIND the game. I follow the scouting reports, and the recruiting lines. When I play a sports video game, I don't play it for the sports part, I partake in the draft, and free agency, and guiding the team to the championship game, while simming out the actual games themselves. I have a feeling if an INTJ was in the business of sports, they'd most likely be the general manager, or a scout, and not the coaches or players.

As for games, I tend to bounce around a lot on games, unless its a good turn based strategy game, or a Sim City style game. I could see myself absorbed in Civ 4, Rome Total War, and similar games for hours, except I can't seem to get into RTSes since they tend to be "Who can build their tank rush faster?" And I'm much more interested in other things then that.

I hate most MMOs (I have to do what 400 billion times to level up?) they get boring realllly quick. The only MMO I liked was City of Heroes, and thats only because I had a good group to play with.

[iamnotspock]

I read sci-fi and cyberpunk to relax my brain. But I left games behind around tenth grade. Just don't like to feel that I am spending so much time developing a "useless" skill.

For example, how many ppl who are excellent at first person shooters can handle a real weapon?
How many virtual tycoons become real ones?

For me, reality is the ultimate game.