Apparently, I’m an INTJ sort of guy (78/75/25/56). Bartle pegs me as an EASK (100/50/50/0). Western astrology nuts think I’m a Scorpion, and the Chinese think I’m a Fire Dragon. I self-select Hunters or Druids (strong solo classes with flexibility) or their equivalent in MMOs.
Yay, I’ve been successfully pigeonholed! Right? My past, present and future are foretold, and I can happily slot myself into my grand destiny.
Actually, I’ve never really bought this. Yes, I’ve cited my Bartle genotype on occasion, but even that’s a fairly skewed diagnosis, considering the binary and rather transparent nature of the test. Astrology is pretty bottom of the barrel stuff, and I’ve always been able to identify with any of the critters in either system. Astrologists are masters of peddling feelgoodisms and vague prophecies that let hearers take what they want away from them. I’ll admit, I like dragons, but I don’t identify myself with them. It’s just one step removed from a “ninja vs. pirate” test. [Me and my big mouth… I’m a Nautical Ninja. Yay for curved katanas!]
The Higgs Boson, er, Myers-Briggs scheme is a slight bit more methodical and has some subtleties that aren’t present in other such personality prophecies, but reading some of the class descriptions reminds me rather forcefully of astrology. Again, it’s fairly easy to “see myself” as almost any of the classifications, and I don’t identify strongly with any of them.
This might be why I keep thinking about classless game designs. *shrug*
At any rate, yes, this is building to something a little more than navel-gazing. Well, sort of. (more…)
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