# Video games - Martial artist role playing



## Steel Accord (Feb 26, 2017)

I would never call my study of the martial arts an obsession but it is a big part of me. It's something I actually do but which the highest levels of contain endless legends of skill and power, some more blatantly fantastical than others. 

When it comes to games, I'm one of those "game as expression" players. When I play video games, I like to have my choices in cosmetics, skill sets, theme, class, etc. say something about who I am.

So naturally the two of these have some overlap.

When I play _Pokemon_ my team mostly consists of fighting types. My main toon in WoW is a Monk, (Pandaren, represent!), in games that allow it, I spec for melee combat over ranged. Even in games such as _Borderlands_ or _Mass Effect,_ I usually have a character concept of a martial artist for the setting kicking around in the back of my mind. Obviously it also has the effect on which games I play as a whole. Games like _Street Fighter _or _Sleeping Dogs._

What about you guys? Do you find your lifestyle or hobby has any say in something like video games or other forms of self-expression?


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## Gerry Seymour (Feb 26, 2017)

Steel Accord said:


> I would never call my study of the martial arts an obsession but it is a big part of me. It's something I actually do but which the highest levels of contain endless legends of skill and power, some more blatantly fantastical than others.
> 
> When it comes to games, I'm one of those "game as expression" players. When I play video games, I like to have my choices in cosmetics, skill sets, theme, class, etc. say something about who I am.
> 
> ...


Oh, definitely. When I play fantasy RPG's, I tend toward the Monk types, because I relate more to what they do. I also tend to like playing solo, to the point where in my Shaiya guild I was known as the guy who worked solo and only showed up when others needed help. I pick character classes and skills that suit the way I'd want to fight. I tend to prefer what fits my real-world fighting style, rather than the physics of the game.


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## Steve (Feb 27, 2017)

I like the idea of developing a back story and playing interesting characters, but not because of martial arts.  when I played role playing games (mostly table top RPGs) coming up with some kind of interesting twist is what made the game fun for me.  For example, in D&D (version 3.0), my DM at the time was kind of old school.  He felt like orcs and half-orcs would be shunned, and really made it clear that he didn't want anyone to touch the race.

So, of course, I rolled up a half-orc bard.  It was really fun.  The character started a civil rights movement in the world on behalf of all half-humans.  I'd roll into towns and use skills related to speech and bluff, along with the bardic abilities and really got things moving.

I played a hooker with a heart of gold character for a while that was fun.  I played a thief who didn't know how to pick locks or disarm a trap...  his catch phrase was, "Hey guys.  I'm not that kind of rogue."  I played a straight up fighter with a 3 intelligence and a 3 dexterity.  you can imagine how much fun he was in a monster infested, trap heavy dungeon crawl.  

About the closest I ever came to something like this was inspired by an old Andre Norton book called Quag Keep.  So, the idea in this campaign is that we were playing ourselves.  It was pretty fun, but honestly, not the most successful campaign I played.

In video games, I tend to like stealth and if there is an option to avoid combat or killing, I gravitate to that.


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## Gerry Seymour (Feb 27, 2017)

Steve said:


> In video games, I tend to like stealth and if there is an option to avoid combat or killing, I gravitate to that.


This is true of me, too. When I played Splinter Cell, I always went the no-kill route. I didn't like the complete avoidance (I don't like leaving conscious enemies behind me), so I knocked everyone out. And I mean everyone - no body I could get to stayed awake, even if I didn't need to go near them. The same with Dishonored. I keep wanting to try the high-chaos ending, but I can never quite bring myself to do so. I go on the occasional killing spree when I mess up and get cornered - at that point, everyone must die. Otherwise...everyone sleeps.


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## Tony Dismukes (Feb 27, 2017)

Steel Accord said:


> What about you guys? Do you find your lifestyle or hobby has any say in something like video games or other forms of self-expression?



I usually go for magic using classes in video games if they're available. I'd train that in real life as well, but unfortunately it doesn't work. 



Steve said:


> I like the idea of developing a back story and playing interesting characters, but not because of martial arts. when I played role playing games (mostly table top RPGs) coming up with some kind of interesting twist is what made the game fun for me.



Me too. I like the examples you gave. That's some good role-playing there.



Steve said:


> In video games, I tend to like stealth and if there is an option to avoid combat or killing, I gravitate to that.





gpseymour said:


> The same with Dishonored



Me too, but I end up with the problem that I only have a limited amount of time and motivation for video games and the non-lethal routes typically take a lot of time.


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## Steve (Feb 27, 2017)

Yeah.  But it saves a lot on money.   I'm still working through dishonored 2. And I am still playing both skyrim and fallout 4.


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## Gerry Seymour (Feb 27, 2017)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I usually go for magic using classes in video games if they're available. I'd train that in real life as well, but unfortunately it doesn't work.


I tend to start a magic class first, but if it's something my wife wants to play in multiplayer, she'll want a magic class, so I'll take something complimentary. And the monk classes always eventually draw me in. I'll play a single game for a couple of years, because I'll want to play more than one class (and I can't commit a lot of time to it all at once).


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## Steel Accord (Feb 27, 2017)

gpseymour said:


> I tend to start a magic class first, but if it's something my wife wants to play in multiplayer, she'll want a magic class, so I'll take something complimentary. And the monk classes always eventually draw me in. I'll play a single game for a couple of years, because I'll want to play more than one class (and I can't commit a lot of time to it all at once).



Sword and sorcerer, husband and wife. <3


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## KangTsai (Feb 28, 2017)

Steve said:


> In video games, I tend to like stealth and if there is an option to avoid combat or killing, I gravitate to that.


I play MGSV, and the only reason I tend not to kill people, is so that I can knock those Russians and/or Africans out, and then parachute them into forced slavery at my private military.


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## Dylan9d (Mar 1, 2017)

gpseymour said:


> I tend to start a magic class first, but if it's something my wife wants to play in multiplayer, she'll want a magic class, so I'll take something complimentary. And the monk classes always eventually draw me in. I'll play a single game for a couple of years, because I'll want to play more than one class (and I can't commit a lot of time to it all at once).



My wife plays Aion since release she loves it. I don't have the patience anymore for MMO's but when I did I use to play a tank.

These days I'm enjoying games like For Honor and upcoming week Ghost Recon Wildlands on the PS4.


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## Gerry Seymour (Mar 1, 2017)

Dylan9d said:


> My wife plays Aion since release she loves it. I don't have the patience anymore for MMO's but when I did I use to play a tank.
> 
> These days I'm enjoying games like For Honor and upcoming week Ghost Recon Wildlands on the PS4.


I liked tanking, but they need a group to be truly effective. I never had the hours to commit to guilds, so did most of my MMO play solo. I did solo a tank to level 40-ish in a couple of games, but it was grueling.


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## Steve (Mar 1, 2017)

I played one MMO, but stopped.  They are too much of a time sink.


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## Gerry Seymour (Mar 1, 2017)

Steve said:


> I played one MMO, but stopped.  They are too much of a time sink.


Agreed. I played some in years past. I enjoy them, but don't have the time they need.


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## Steel Accord (Mar 1, 2017)

Steve said:


> I played one MMO, but stopped.  They are too much of a time sink.





gpseymour said:


> Agreed. I played some in years past. I enjoy them, but don't have the time they need.



I still play WoW but it's more of a hobby. I don't, and have never, spend like half a day playing it. Usually a half hour session at max is enough to get the quests I need done and do some RPing with my guild.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Mar 1, 2017)

Steve said:


> I played one MMO, but stopped.  They are too much of a time sink.


I asked a friend of mine who played an MMO a lot why, and he explained the reasoning was that it is a time sink. He would go on in order to talk to the people there, and the game itself would just be something for them to do while talking. Interesting perspective on it (although I wouldn't have the time for an intentional time sink like that).


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## Dylan9d (Mar 2, 2017)

Horizon Zero Dawn seems to be a popular choice these days haha.

Guerilla Games is a good developer though.


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## KangTsai (Mar 2, 2017)

Dylan9d said:


> My wife plays Aion since release she loves it. I don't have the patience anymore for MMO's but when I did I use to play a tank.
> 
> These days I'm enjoying games like For Honor and upcoming week Ghost Recon Wildlands on the PS4.


The beta for Wildlands was fun indeed. I can confidently say that the stealth is a joke, and sniping is foolproof.


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