Simulation Games - The Introverts Role Playing Game
I am a child of the 70s who came into her own in the 80s. I am also an introvert.
An introvert is defined as a person who feels more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas and gain energy from solitary activities; they are typically reserved, quiet, and introspective and may find too much social interaction draining; they often enjoy spending time with just one or two people, rather than large groups or crowds. If you have had the joy of having team building and leadership development experiences, then you likely have taken some sort of inventory, like the Myers Briggs, that gave you a summary of you. I am not just an introvert, I used to be so far down the scale that I should have been a recluse. Thankfully my other personality components help me to balance this out; often people who discover this about me do not believe me. Despite having other factors provide balance, being an introvert does have an impact.
Like all children, I started playing games as part of my development. As a child of divorce (I am not going into the impact of divorce as I do not agree that divorce is the root of all evil), I never left home without my Lincoln Logs, Legos, Matchbox cars, and my Star Wars action figures. I would play independently for hours, creating a world on a couch, coffee table, or the floor, creating my own world. Afterschool, I loved making roads in the dirt connecting my world to that of my friends. That Matchbox Trans Am with the headlights that you could flip on so easy carried Luke Skywalker to his next adventure with Leia and Han.
As I got older, I moved to a Large City where suddenly I had cable Tv. MTV, Tales from the Dark Side and after school cartoons were my focus. I had heard of Dungeons and Dragons, and I watched and read all the fantasy I could get my hands on, but I could never work up the nerve to search out anyone who played.
I still do not know anyone in my high school that ever played. I remember, with pride, the days I purchased my own 18” black and white TV for my room, and later a Game Boy. While I grew up in suburbia of a large city, we did not have a lot of money, so I relied upon playing console games at friends’ houses. Yes, I too got grounded due to coming home from the arcade late.
I got my first console game in college, and soon thereafter I got a computer. As internet gaming grew, I played solitary games, first person games, games that did not involve chatting with some unknown stranger through the wires of my computer. As games evolved, I stayed in my comfort zone, I played Sim City, Zoo Tycoon, and Paradise Beach (a very small game that likely few remember). My daughter was bit by the World of Warcraft bug, and it terrified me. As a therapist in forensic mental health, my concerns were many. Would she meet the boogeyman, well, not on my watch. I’m quite sure now, my adult daughter, would regale you with tales of her mom’s lectures on Internet safety and how not to give out personal information. I did not scare her off these games, in fact, she still plays.
I then met my soulmate, who had played Dungeons and Dragons, and who got me to play. I was reluctant as I did not understand the rules and I like being prepared. You would think that this would finally be a perfect fit. Fantasy, great art, wonderful characters, magic, and dragons (my first tattoo at the age of 18 – a dragon). I did have had fun playing, though I prefer face to face, but understand the evolution of role-playing games to online. I still describe myself as a reluctant player; what do you say, introverts being reluctant.
As I thought about writing this article, I considered the pattern of my game playing. I enjoy world building, from the early days with Lincoln Logs, to fantasy video games like the Zelda and Final Fantasy, to my current games of Tropico 6 and Survival, the Aftermath. I enjoy the simulation building that is an integral part of these games, as well as managing systems over time. I will continue to explore Dungeons and Dragons, as well as other role-playing games, but it will never feel as comfortable as snapping that Lego into place or building that bridge connecting one piece of land to another. Maybe, as my level of comfort grows, I can better balance the introvert. Perhaps my soulmate is right, and I should try to be the builder of a game. Perhaps all of us introverts out there can cease to be reluctant and become fierce builders of these fantasy worlds. Perhaps one day I will write about the introvert transforming into a Dungeon Master, but for now, its time to build a theme park. Cheers.
