Toon

Draaconis

If anyone cares, the correct term is actually avatar. Just throwing that out there if anyone wants to file it away.

Tuerai

Maybe my MMO experince is just a bit weird. I've played Runescape, Graal, Maplestory, SilkRoad Online, Guild Wars 2, and now this. Runescape is what I've spent the most time playing, but until these forums, I had never heard anyone use the term "toon" to refer to an in-game character. As far as the people going with it being shorter, it's not shorter than "char" or "av" which I find viable alternatives to character and avatar when brevity is a concern.

SadisticSavior

Tuerai wrote: »

What game did some of you play that you refer to your characters as "toons"?

Reading it just rubs me the wrong way, and I want to know what community it came from.

Ditto...I've always hated that word.

I think the reason why is because it devolves the game into a giant RTS. It basically reduces your character to a 1 dimensional game piece. Which is not the point of an MMORPG.

Salsadoom

Draaconis wrote: »

If anyone cares, the correct term is actually avatar. Just throwing that out there if anyone wants to file it away.

Avatar is usually used to describe something that represents you (or represents someone/something else). A character is something that doesn't represents someone else/you.

Greydog

Trouvo wrote: »

Ive been using "toon" since SWG myself, since that was one of my first mmo's...it was common vernacular on there...and has just stuck with me ever since

Same here. SWG was my first MMO so I've always thought it was common. I never heard anyone refer to it as a bad thing till I got here

ClaudiaMay

Salsadoom wrote: »

IMO Toons applies to games where you are playing something that purposefully doesn't look real. AKA cartoonish. When used to describe something meant to look real it rubs me the wrong way.

I would imagine the divide is how seriously the player takes what he is playing, an unscientific guess would be that RPers and casuals will tend toward using character over toon.

To me, a character is something that has had time and effort invested into it.

I rather take offense to this.

Just because I sometimes call my character something other than you does not in anyway imply I'm less "serious" than you. I take a great deal of enjoyment, and invest plenty of time, into the toons that I play. It's simply a term I picked up along the way during my gaming career.

Salsadoom

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

IMO Toons applies to games where you are playing something that purposefully doesn't look real. AKA cartoonish. When used to describe something meant to look real it rubs me the wrong way.

I would imagine the divide is how seriously the player takes what he is playing, an unscientific guess would be that RPers and casuals will tend toward using character over toon.

To me, a character is something that has had time and effort invested into it.

I rather take offense to this.

Just because I sometimes call my character something other than you does not in anyway imply I'm less "serious" than you. I take a great deal of enjoyment, and invest plenty of time, into the toons that I play. It's simply a term I picked up along the way during my gaming career.

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

oldkye

I love the term toon lol cause you know exactly what they are talking about "my toon" means my animated character of which can only be "their" characters I've always liked it better then when people use things like "my char", char is both a name of a person and race from other games and MMO's I've played lol and is synonymous with "monster" to me.

Which means if your talking to me and want to me understand you need to say "my character", "my avatar", or "my toon"

Character refers to any NPC or other player if you don't say "mine" and personally being dyslexic myself without a in game spell check two C's two A's and two R's is a nightmare when your dyslexic lol so I don't like using it.

Avatar is the proper term but no one uses it or ever considers using it lol and when you say it they think you are talking about the movie or cartoon so I tend to not use this one either.

So with Character, Char, and Avatar out that leaves "toon" this term is immensely out of place nothing in the world is referred to as a cartoon lol the only possible thing "toon" could be talking about is a player character and the term has been around for forever lol anyone who as played more then one or two MMO's has heard it.

If given the chance I always prefer "toon" but at the very least don't use "char" please lol.

Enteum

Toon, Twink, Alt, Char, Character. I'm not sure it really matters so much. It is trivial. I don't know how it can offend anyone whatever they call their virtual on screen polygons.

To me, it is my character. That's what I refer to her as and also by name. But for myself, really...call them what you will. Surely it does not matter 'that' much.

ClaudiaMay

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Salsadoom

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

Shimond

Salsadoom wrote: »

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

In what world do you live in where opinions cannot offend someone?

oldkye

Salsadoom wrote: »

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

I think it's that you implied the term somehow beneath you when it's a common term used for years that no longer refers to "cartoon" like most evolved terms for example Nimrod means "great hunter" and is a reference to a biblical figure but was used as a insult by Buggs Bunny to insult Elmer Fudd that he was a "great hunter" not knowing what it meant people assumed it was a insult which it now is lol.

My favorite is the term "Mob" referring to monsters comes from old school MUD's it which some objects were stationary and others "Mobile" this term was shortened to "Mob" to refer to mobile or paroling objects later used to describe "patrolling monsters"(also shortened themselves to "pat") it became a term to describe groups of monsters which could also be referred to as a "mob" of monsters.

In other words the terms remain due to a long history and many people understanding them saying "you don't like them" well perfectly fine not to won't change their usage.

Quinz128ub17_ESO

I got the usage of 'Toon' from City fo Heroes... Which started before WoW... So take that... <.<

Salsadoom

Shimond wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

In what world do you live in where opinions cannot offend someone?

I never take insult to broad generalizations stated as opinions.

Salsadoom

oldkye wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

I think it's that you implied the term somehow beneath you when it's a common term used for years that no longer refers to "cartoon" like most evolved terms for example Nimrod means "great hunter" and is a reference to a biblical figure but was used as a insult by Buggs Bunny to insult Elmer Fudd that he was a "great hunter" not knowing what it meant people assumed it was a insult which it now is lol.

My favorite is the term "Mob" referring to monsters comes from old school MUD's it which some objects were stationary and others "Mobile" this term was shortened to "Mob" to refer to mobile or paroling objects later used to describe "patrolling monsters"(also shortened themselves to "pat") it became a term to describe groups of monsters which could also be referred to as a "mob" of monsters.

In other words the terms remain due to a long history and many people understanding them saying "you don't like them" well perfectly fine not to won't change their usage.

Not beneath me, just different, not everyone cares about character development. True statement.

Greydog

oldkye wrote: »

My favorite is the term "Mob" referring to monsters comes from old school MUD's it which some objects were stationary and others "Mobile"

I always wondered where that came from ...thank you

oldkye

Salsadoom wrote: »

oldkye wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

I think it's that you implied the term somehow beneath you when it's a common term used for years that no longer refers to "cartoon" like most evolved terms for example Nimrod means "great hunter" and is a reference to a biblical figure but was used as a insult by Buggs Bunny to insult Elmer Fudd that he was a "great hunter" not knowing what it meant people assumed it was a insult which it now is lol.

My favorite is the term "Mob" referring to monsters comes from old school MUD's it which some objects were stationary and others "Mobile" this term was shortened to "Mob" to refer to mobile or paroling objects later used to describe "patrolling monsters"(also shortened themselves to "pat") it became a term to describe groups of monsters which could also be referred to as a "mob" of monsters.

In other words the terms remain due to a long history and many people understanding them saying "you don't like them" well perfectly fine not to won't change their usage.

Not beneath me, just different, not everyone cares about character development. True statement.

True but most of these terms arise for a reason and stay for another like I said "char" in guild wars for example is the name of a race thus making it a poor method of shortening the term "character."

For examples like "pat" and "inc" come from necessity as most MMO's the keyboard is used for attack and movement stopping to type "incoming patrolling monster" could get someone or yourself killed but not letting people know could also get them killed.

Typing "inc pat" or just "pat" immediately lets the whole group know it's about to hit the fan in 3-6 letters and has personally saved many of my groups in raids on other MMO's.

The game will likely give rise to it's own terms and has already started as people shorten dungeon and attack names those terms will likely be carried into other games they play where people will make comments like yours that they don't like them but will also likely not stop the spread lol.

The internet and MMO's change language every day as scary as it is for high-school English teachers lol.

cubansyrusb16_ESO

I personally have always said "Char"

IDK what it is about "Toon" but it rubs me the wrong way for no apparent reason

Salsadoom

oldkye wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

oldkye wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

I think it's that you implied the term somehow beneath you when it's a common term used for years that no longer refers to "cartoon" like most evolved terms for example Nimrod means "great hunter" and is a reference to a biblical figure but was used as a insult by Buggs Bunny to insult Elmer Fudd that he was a "great hunter" not knowing what it meant people assumed it was a insult which it now is lol.

My favorite is the term "Mob" referring to monsters comes from old school MUD's it which some objects were stationary and others "Mobile" this term was shortened to "Mob" to refer to mobile or paroling objects later used to describe "patrolling monsters"(also shortened themselves to "pat") it became a term to describe groups of monsters which could also be referred to as a "mob" of monsters.

In other words the terms remain due to a long history and many people understanding them saying "you don't like them" well perfectly fine not to won't change their usage.

Not beneath me, just different, not everyone cares about character development. True statement.

True but most of these terms arise for a reason and stay for another like I said "char" in guild wars for example is the name of a race thus making it a poor method of shortening the term "character."

For examples like "pat" and "inc" come from necessity as most MMO's the keyboard is used for attack and movement stopping to type "incoming patrolling monster" could get someone or yourself killed but not letting people know could also get them killed.

Typing "inc pat" or just "pat" immediately lets the whole group know it's about to hit the fan in 3-6 letters and has personally saved many of my groups in raids on other MMO's.

The game will likely give rise to it's own terms and has already started as people shorten dungeon and attack names those terms will likely be carried into other games they play where people will make comments like yours that they don't like them but will also likely not stop the spread lol.

The internet and MMO's change language every day as scary as it is for high-school English teachers lol.

:: nods ::

But don't forget term usage is also derived from the environment where it is picked up from the general usage there.

Take WoW for instance, Toon is a common reference there, if a person first became involved with gaming via WoW they would naturally think Toon is the correct terminology without understand the context.

Now take someone that was in acting, played D&D, Larped, or played primarily RPGs. To them character is more likely to be the term used. Why? Because that is the how it is described in those environments.

So yes, while the meanings of commonly used words may change overtime and lose their meaning, don't forget the context of the experience of the person using the word also plays a role.

That would be why I stated my opinion earlier the way I did, as people who use the term 'character' are probably more likely to have gotten the term from actually 'being in character' hence why it is in their vocabulary to describe the action. Not saying obviously you can't have people on opposite sides of the fence mind you.

oldkye

Salsadoom wrote: »

oldkye wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

oldkye wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

ClaudiaMay wrote: »

Salsadoom wrote: »

That would be why I made sure I prefaced with 'I would imagine' and 'to me' and 'IMO' to indicate it was only 'my opinion'

Of course it's your opinion, this is the internet. But, as it is opinion, I can still dislike it. Especially if implies that my simple use of verbiage characterizes the very essence of how I supposedly play games.

But that's just my opinion

Yup, I have no issue with you disagreeing, infact I find disagreements more useful than blind agreements, I just don't understand how you were offended when I made sure to indicate it was an opinion and not an attempt to state fact.

I think it's that you implied the term somehow beneath you when it's a common term used for years that no longer refers to "cartoon" like most evolved terms for example Nimrod means "great hunter" and is a reference to a biblical figure but was used as a insult by Buggs Bunny to insult Elmer Fudd that he was a "great hunter" not knowing what it meant people assumed it was a insult which it now is lol.

My favorite is the term "Mob" referring to monsters comes from old school MUD's it which some objects were stationary and others "Mobile" this term was shortened to "Mob" to refer to mobile or paroling objects later used to describe "patrolling monsters"(also shortened themselves to "pat") it became a term to describe groups of monsters which could also be referred to as a "mob" of monsters.

In other words the terms remain due to a long history and many people understanding them saying "you don't like them" well perfectly fine not to won't change their usage.

Not beneath me, just different, not everyone cares about character development. True statement.

True but most of these terms arise for a reason and stay for another like I said "char" in guild wars for example is the name of a race thus making it a poor method of shortening the term "character."

For examples like "pat" and "inc" come from necessity as most MMO's the keyboard is used for attack and movement stopping to type "incoming patrolling monster" could get someone or yourself killed but not letting people know could also get them killed.

Typing "inc pat" or just "pat" immediately lets the whole group know it's about to hit the fan in 3-6 letters and has personally saved many of my groups in raids on other MMO's.

The game will likely give rise to it's own terms and has already started as people shorten dungeon and attack names those terms will likely be carried into other games they play where people will make comments like yours that they don't like them but will also likely not stop the spread lol.

The internet and MMO's change language every day as scary as it is for high-school English teachers lol.

:: nods ::

But don't forget term usage is also derived from the environment where it is picked up from the general usage there.

Take WoW for instance, Toon is a common reference there, if a person first became involved with gaming via WoW they would naturally think Toon is the correct terminology without understand the context.

Now take someone that was in acting, played D&D, Larped, or played primarily RPGs. To them character is more likely to be the term used. Why? Because that is the how it is described in those environments.

So yes, while the meanings of commonly used words may change overtime and lose their meaning, don't forget the context of the experience of the person using the word also plays a role.

That would be why I stated my opinion earlier the way I did, as people who use the term 'character' are probably more likely to have gotten the term from actually 'being in character' hence why it is in their vocabulary to describe the action. Not saying obviously you can't have people on opposite sides of the fence mind you.

Well it depends "toon" has nothing to do with WoW itself it was neither first used there nor is it a accurate descriptor of those characters either well compared to other games they may seem cartoons most WoW fans think nothing of the sort.

How well they are accepted depends more on the player base then the game toon is ok in WoW because the vast majority of people who first played WoW played many other MMO's that used it new players then learned it and it stayed.

Here a huge group of players are new to MMO's and use to single player elder scrolls games well this will likely shift with time to more common MMO fans if the game lasts this is where the disconnect is between it being fairly balanced between new and old players.

What I find interesting is terms like "Re-Roll" which came from D&D when you had to "roll" for your starting stats(hence RE-Rolling meant making a new character) is fine and wildly accepted because even without playing many MMO's most players "are" familiar with D&D even though you don't roll for stats and it has nothing to do with this game.

Salsadoom

Oh I wasn't trying to imply toon started in WoW, it was just an easy game to draw from the hat with a large number of people having at one time played it making it a likely bet that people would understand the reference. I don't ever recall hearing 'character' commonly used there ever though I am sure it was used some.

It will be interesting to see if toon or character becomes the norm here.

Consider this, why does Toon have a negative vibe to some people whereas you never hear the same amount for Character(not that it doesn't happen just not as common)?

liolae

demendred wrote: »

Toon always sounded like a childish word. I always used alt, which I think I got from an old mud game, or Wyvern.

I've always used "alt" to describe my non-main toon. Ya know the 'alternate' character you made when your main character was maxed out. I would take it as saying you have more than one toon. Twink, is also referring to a specific type of character, therefore not interchangeable with toon, char, character, or avatar. A twink in gaming is keeping your character at a low level, while maxing out the available gear, thus allowing pwnage in PvP settings.

Toon.

liolae

Tuerai wrote: »

Maybe my MMO experince is just a bit weird. I've played Runescape, Graal, Maplestory, SilkRoad Online, Guild Wars 2, and now this. Runescape is what I've spent the most time playing, but until these forums, I had never heard anyone use the term "toon" to refer to an in-game character. As far as the people going with it being shorter, it's not shorter than "char" or "av" which I find viable alternatives to character and avatar when brevity is a concern.

It's more of a verbal shortening in speech rather than typing. Char*ac*ter (3 syllables) vs toon (1). When speaking (voice chat), "char" sounds weird to say the 'h' and "care" doesn't even sound like you are talking about a character without context clues.

Cabot

gamebouncerb16_ESO wrote: »

Well my "toons" and "Alts" have discussed and they don't like being called Mules either as they don't bray and in this game can't carry much

Do they "Kick @ss&quot; when they fight with each other?

ragdollyspannerb16_ESO

Drachenfier wrote: »

Only reference to 'toon' for characters that I've ever seen is WoW players mostly. I hate 'toon', and 'peeps'. I insta ban people from my world when they use these terms.

Imagine all the great people you might have missed out on meeting all because they use a word that isn't really offensive at all.

Personally I use character instead of toon but I'm pretty easy going with what other folks call their character.

oldkye

ragdollyspannerb16_ESO wrote: »

Drachenfier wrote: »

Only reference to 'toon' for characters that I've ever seen is WoW players mostly. I hate 'toon', and 'peeps'. I insta ban people from my world when they use these terms.

Imagine all the great people you might have missed out on meeting all because they use a word that isn't really offensive at all.

Personally I use character instead of toon but I'm pretty easy going with what other folks call their character.

I agree I found that post to be funny most people who use the term are seasoned MMO players well not all of them use it it's like saying "If I see people that might know what they are doing I insta ban them from my world" that's going to really bite you back when more end game content rolls around lol.

Ulvik

When I played Anarchy Online we used the word "toon". I switched because people didnt understand it :P

ragdollyspannerb16_ESO

I should add that the first MMO you ever play forms a lot of your expectations and behaviour in other games. I still have habits that I learned in EQ1 that I hold to 10 years later, despite the fact that I have played so many other MMO's since then.

Which is why folks may call their characters different things.

oldkye

ragdollyspannerb16_ESO wrote: »

I should add that the first MMO you ever play forms a lot of your expectations and behaviour in other games. I still have habits that I learned in EQ1 that I hold to 10 years later, despite the fact that I have played so many other MMO's since then.

Which is why folks may call their characters different things.

Very true I find you can often tell what MMO's someone has played by what terms they use, do they call it Mez or CC? is it a interrupt or a disable? is it a DPS or a damage dealer? is it a battle ground or a arena? the list goes on and there are often more there two for each term often some times with different meanings(on list above had toon, alt, twink, and character well character and toon mean the same alt and twink are special the first being a "alternate" character or not a main on and the other a low level with the best gear for his level.)

Rather then tell everyone they are wrong I find it best to ask and learn all the terms so you not only can understand them but you can understand where they are coming from.