Why Call Your Characters 'Toon's?

Danikat

I always say character.

Toon makes me think of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Tiny Toon Adventures. Both brilliant, but not at all what I want to associate with my characters. Also I'm not sure why but I just don't like the sound of the word.

I quite like avatar, which is what Ultima Online used following the main Ultima series where the main character was known as The Avatar through most of the games. But to me that implies that the character is a representation of me - my way of putting myself into the game world - and that doesn't fit at all for me.

Character feels completely appropriate to me. Although I don't really role-play I always like to make up backstory for them and think about how they look and act, and then play in a way which matches it. So they are a character I've created to fit into the story.

I used to say char (which I'd pronounce as the first half of charred, as in burned) but I stopped doing that when I got into Guild Wars 1 and 2, because one of their races are called the charr and I found it too confusing (I'm slightly dyslexic, it doesn't take much for words to confuse me). Besides I can type quickly enough that writing out the full word isn't a problem.

carlos424

I always thought it was short for attunable. Like the attunable crafting stations. Something that can be molded to your liking. Just turned it into a noun. : )

Banana

Its easy to spell

TheNuminous1

Yolokin_Swagonborn wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

Cause it shorter than "character".

One syllable vs 3. Pure laziness.

when you type on the xbox that saves you a significant amount of time.

bloodthirstyvampire

Same reason I hate altmer bosmer dunmer, I just do

Tan9oSuccka

I don’t mind the use of “toons”.

Just don’t call dreugh wax, “drew wax”.

Zalicius

dhrew whax

WakeYourGhost

The use of the term “toon” makes my flesh crawl.. it tries to escape.. I won’t let it, but it still tries.

jedtb16_ESO

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... and why i do it.

zyk

I think 'toon' makes sense to some people because to them virtual environments are like virtual cartoons. They didn't see WoW as being derived from a lineage that includes Dungeons and Dragons. They saw WoW as being derived from Saturday morning cartoons -- which, its art style was consistent with.

CaiWenji

I don't like this term either. Doesn't fit the game and reminds me of this:

srfrogg23

Rise, thread, RISE!

IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIVE!!! MUAHAHAHA!!!!

Nyladreas

Always called them "Chars" "heroes" or "alts". Always hated "toon" lol

Rouven

srfrogg23 wrote: »

Rise, thread, RISE!

IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIVE!!! MUAHAHAHA!!!!

May 2016 - that must be one of the oldest ones I've seen so far!

ZOS_Mika

Hey there everyone! Since this thread dates all the way back to 2016, we have decided to close it down. Thank you for your understanding.