What’s your gaming level?

1. Collectors. These gamers like to amass stuff. If it’s game-related, they probably have it, or are working on getting it. If you meet one of these people, they are likely going to have some of the most bizarre game-related things that you will ever see. They are good at identifying odd pieces of hardware should you bring them somthing. They keep their stuff in great shape and occasionally play a game or two. Some of them have definate themes to their collections from ‘Everything ever made’ to ‘Nintendo Nintendo Nintendo’ to whatever. They sometimes will go to odd lengths to add to their collection. They frequent yard sales, flea markets and eBay.

2. Enthusiasts. Enthusiasts want to learn, and consequently do learn, quite a bit about games. They read, they play, they probably have several old systems right alongside their new systems. They are knowledgeable and enjoy gaming for the sake of gaming. They may not have the biggest collection you’ll ever see, but they do have some nice games.

3. Players. Players usually aren’t too interested in collecting, per se, but they do have a nice library of games for whatever systems they do have. They might have a system or two from ‘one generation ago’ for one reason or another, but as a rule, they don’t go out seeking anything that isn’t manufactured any more. If they can’t go buy it at Wal-Mart, then it really wasn’t worth getting anyway.

4. Pseudo-players. Pseudo-players want to be enthusiasts, or even collectors, but don’t know how to do it (think of a poseur). This person probably has an enormous archive of ROMs and emulators on their computer for the ‘older’ systems, but none of the actual hardware. He really wants you to know that he’s an ‘old-school’ gamer because he has access to all of these games, but he’s probably only played a tenth of what he has stored away on his computer somewhere. He won’t go and hunt for the old stuff because it ‘takes too much time’ or he ‘doesn’t have any money.’ They might be great people. Who knows?

5. Latest-Gamers. LGs are the ones that always have to have the newest stuff. When the PS2 came out, he sold his PS1 and all his games to finance his purchase. He always has the latest and greatest at the expense of the earlier and not-as-greatest (sorry, I couldn’t think of anything clever to put there). This guy is likely to have Madden 200X and none of the other ones. He likes the trendy, mainstream games. Pretty boring.

6. Casual-Gamers. CGs are the ones that may not even own a system at all. They like to play some games once in a while when they are around their friends, but that’s it. They might have accidentally bought something game related at some point in their life, and maybe even have kept it. They’re usually up for a quick game of whatever’s easy to pick up and play (usually Tetris), but don’t expect a challenge.

7. Anti-Gamers. I don’t like these guys. They hate games and anyone that plays them more than an hour a year. They are usually associated with body builders and sports figures, but those barriers are breaking down, an AG could be anybody.

I think that about covers it. I think I am somewhere between 1 and 2 on that list.

It’d make more sense if you toured my house.