Why Call Your Characters 'Toon's?

ArchMikem · May 2016

I had 80 notifications, and it's all because of this thread.

kevlarto_ESO · May 2016

I use toon because it is shorter and faster to write than character, all the same to me.

Khajiit_Ri · May 2016

Alts and mains originated in forums and IRCP. That and pen and paper Rpg.

Inarre · May 2016

Why call your toons "characters"

Nyx2 · May 2016

Even if there were cartoon-ish graphics they'd still be characters which you can shorten as well.

"Toon" just sounds silly and inaccurate.

Grunim · May 2016

clocksstoppe wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

Cause it shorter than "character".

char?

Yep, I still type out char from my MUD days where character was usually abbreviated to char. When I speak it, I'll say character but when I type it, it's shortened to char.

Tandor · May 2016

GivvumBoane wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Lumenn wrote: »

Back when EQ1 launched the characters looked like cartoons(at least, we thought they did, up until WOW launched.......

I played EQ from beta and don't recall the word "toon" ever being used, although I'm from the UK and I suppose it could have been a US thing like that constant reference to Chuck Norris that threw me for ages until I decided to google it and then wished I hadn't bothered.

Much like the other favoured term "rouge". I have always assumed these terms really date from the WoWification of the MMO playerbase. I certainly regard anyone using those terms as being of a certain level of age and maturity, doubtless wholly unfairly but such is the impression they give.

Rouge? Like french for red? Never heard that one. Or is that a typo that was supposed to be rogue? Not trying to be a smart a**. Genuinely curious

It's commonly (mis-)used for rogue.

Asherons_Call · May 2016

It's an old gaming term that has roots in the phrase "cartoon character" and was shortened to just "toon". Old games had no realism so your avatar looked like a cartoon character. I never used that term because I agree that it sounds stupid. I prefer char or character

Asherons_Call · May 2016

Duiwel wrote: »

I use alt.

As in "alternate character".

Shorter than everything that has been previously mentioned.

Lazy FTW

(side note ^ Suzie works too... from now on calling my Nord 2H giant with a beard Suzie)

Alt is an entirely different meaning than toon/char/avatar. Alt literally means a secondary character that you don't put as much time into as your main character

GivvumBoane · May 2016

Tandor wrote: »

GivvumBoane wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

Lumenn wrote: »

Back when EQ1 launched the characters looked like cartoons(at least, we thought they did, up until WOW launched.......

I played EQ from beta and don't recall the word "toon" ever being used, although I'm from the UK and I suppose it could have been a US thing like that constant reference to Chuck Norris that threw me for ages until I decided to google it and then wished I hadn't bothered.

Much like the other favoured term "rouge". I have always assumed these terms really date from the WoWification of the MMO playerbase. I certainly regard anyone using those terms as being of a certain level of age and maturity, doubtless wholly unfairly but such is the impression they give.

Rouge? Like french for red? Never heard that one. Or is that a typo that was supposed to be rogue? Not trying to be a smart a**. Genuinely curious

It's commonly (mis-)used for rogue.

Ah ok, so, same situation as the pwn, own typo. At least rouge is a word, not like pwn

XANTITHESISX · May 2016

KingYogi415 wrote: »

A term from WoW that means cartoon character.
Cheers!

even further back for me in EQ.. we said ALT as well since it 1 syllable as well.

Gidorick · May 2016

Even though I don't use it, I always like the term "Avatar"... I think James Cameron ruined that for me.

Uriel_Nocturne · May 2016

Ra'Shtar wrote: »

When the term started to being used MMOs used really cartoony graphics that's why toon was used, but that is only known by people who have been playing MMOs for a very long time.

This is true.

Myself; I still call my characters "Characters", "Avatars", "Main", "Alt", or something such as that. I don't really enjoy the term "Toon", and never really have.

Gidorick · May 2016

Uriel_Nocturne wrote: »

Ra'Shtar wrote: »

When the term started to being used MMOs used really cartoony graphics that's why toon was used, but that is only known by people who have been playing MMOs for a very long time.

This is true.

Myself; I still call my characters "Characters", "Avatars", "Main", "Alt", or something such as that. I don't really enjoy the term "Toon", and never really have.

Me neither @Uriel_Nocturne ... it makes me think of Roger Rabbit...

Not that I dislike Roger Rabbit, it's just a bit more goofy than I like to think my characters are.

TortUred_mAlice · May 2016

Assault rifles use clips not magazines.

*runs as fast as this one can to grab popcorn*

nimander99 · May 2016

In MMO's they are supposed to be referred to as char's not toon's...

ContraTempo · May 2016

Slang is slang. Cope.

DUTCH_REAPER · May 2016

I got 8 toons. My mDK is meh main. I couldn't give 2 turtle heads if people like the term or not. Been playing since leisure suit Larry on Commodore 64. Pfft "let's all be politically correct so we don't offend people"

Go find your safe place.

Mordiez · May 2016

I thought it came from UK gamers, i used to hear it on diablo1 back in '99

Jakhajay · May 2016

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Gidorick · May 2016

Jakhajay wrote: »

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Do you pronounce that as "Cars", like "Charred", or maybe like "Care"... @Jakhajay?

Jakhajay · May 2016

Gidorick wrote: »

Jakhajay wrote: »

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Do you pronounce that as "Cars", like "Charred", or maybe like "Care"... @Jakhajay?

Charred

Mettaricana · May 2016

First time I ever heard toon was that lame toon town game... I use character

Gidorick · May 2016

Shouldn't we all be calling them "Vestiges" though?

I think I'm gong to start using Vestige.

Betheny · May 2016

I call them "chars" (short for characters). As for "toons", personally I hate that particular slang...sounds like it's short for "cartoon" characters, I like to think it's probably because back in the day the people calling them "toons" played horrible games with horrible graphics that made their chars look like cartoons.

Nyx2 · May 2016

DUTCH_REAPER wrote: »

I got 8 toons. My mDK is meh main. I couldn't give 2 turtle heads if people like the term or not. Been playing since leisure suit Larry on Commodore 64. Pfft "let's all be politically correct so we don't offend people"

Go find your safe place.

Aren't you just the coolest? No need to get all defensive over other peoples opinions.

milkbox · May 2016

Gidorick wrote: »

Jakhajay wrote: »

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Do you pronounce that as "Cars", like "Charred", or maybe like "Care"... @Jakhajay?

I hear "chars" in my head the way someone would say "cars" with a heavy Bostonian accent.

Abeille · May 2016

Gidorick wrote: »

Jakhajay wrote: »

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Do you pronounce that as "Cars", like "Charred", or maybe like "Care"... @Jakhajay?

English not being my native language, I hear it in my head with a "sh" sound (equivalent to "ch" in Portuguese), "shars", rhyming with "cars".

In voice chat, I just say "characters" to avoid sounding too much like an idiot by mispronouncing "chars".

Nyx2 · May 2016

milkbox wrote: »

Gidorick wrote: »

Jakhajay wrote: »

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Do you pronounce that as "Cars", like "Charred", or maybe like "Care"... @Jakhajay?

I hear "chars" in my head the way someone would say "cars" with a heavy Bostonian accent.

... Why would you even think of saying it any other way than the complete word shortened?

milkbox · May 2016

Nyx2 wrote: »

milkbox wrote: »

Gidorick wrote: »

Jakhajay wrote: »

I call them chars as a group, individually I call them by name. My guildies mostly do the same.

Do you pronounce that as "Cars", like "Charred", or maybe like "Care"... @Jakhajay?

I hear "chars" in my head the way someone would say "cars" with a heavy Bostonian accent.

... Why would you even think of saying it any other way than the complete word shortened?

Because Gidorick suggested "Charred" or "Care"- neither of which have the right vowel sound. I agree with you, but his question made me think that maybe people pronounce it differently.