Fantasy gamers: we all know them, or think we do. They're those kids who sit in the back of the room, by themselves, with their laptops, looking totally focused (or totally... um... awkward).
These students are doing something other than studying: they're plotting, strategizing, trying to figure out which character would give them more "mana," or pondering whether the Pprotoss" or the "Zerg" would make the wiser decision. Far be it from you to interrupt them.
But for Tufts sophomore Phillip Lobo, there is much more to fantasy gaming than sitting behind his computer all day and cutting off communication from the non-gamer world.
It all started when he was in sixth grade.
"It was the thing to do among my friends and I," he said. Lobo began to play different games on and off every weekend.
He soon, however, assumed the coveted role of Game Master (GM) - meaning that he created single characters who lasted for the duration of the game and were then retired. Lobo also created the "worlds" in which each character lived.
To someone not acclimated to the world of fantasy gaming, these different games may all seem the same. But there are significant differences between each one. "'Dungeons and Dragons' is a role-playing game (RPG), which focuses on the characters," he said.
"There are also computer RPGs, like 'World of Warcraft' and 'Final Fantasy,' which are a lot less open," he added. "And 'Magic' is a customizable card game, which means that players buy cards, make decks and fight each other. These don't have that much emphasis on character."
"Then there are games like 'Warcraft' and 'Starcraft,' which are real-time strategy games, as opposed to turn-based strategy games, which are played turn by turn," Lobo said. Examples of such games, include "Civilization" and "Master of Orion."
"And then there are 'war' games, which are played using miniatures and tokens," Lobo went on. "Those are more expensive, and I played them a lot more in middle school. Now I only play them so I don't waste [the money I spent on them]," he laughed.
Wasted money may be one aspect of being a fantasy gamer, but what about the whole geek reputation?
"Oh, [fantasy games are] in the realm of geekdom," Lobo admitted.
But in Lobo's case, his interest in fantasy games serves him an actual purpose: as an English major and aspiring writer, Lobo uses his gaming experiences in his work.
According to Lobo, there are "a lot of dangers" with writing fantasy fiction. Besides the fact that he feels "there hasn't been anything new since [J.R.R.] Tolkien," fantasy writers also "spend so much time creating a world, as opposed to creating characters and conflict."
But this is where gaming comes in: Lobo chooses to write works based on the worlds he creates as a GM. As a result, storytelling and gaming have an interrelated relationship: Lobo is currently working on a novella set in his RPG world, which features characters he created along with his friends.
Lobo said that his goal as a writer is to entertain people: "It's good to have deep meaning in your work, but sometimes you just want to give people a fun experience," he said.
"It's sheer escapism," he added. "All of the problems and conflicts aren't yours. There are dragons and men that aren't really men - none of it follows any literary rules, but that's exactly why I like it. If you can write it and people like it, that's great."
Lobo drops the names of famous authors who aren't known for their literary calibre, such as Stephen King, saying that he admires them nonetheless.
"He brings so much joy to people through his writing, which is certainly better for them than watching 'Temptation Island' or something," he said.
And because he learned early on how to create characters and situations through gaming, Lobo is better able to express them in his writing, making it all the more enjoyable for his readers.
Gaming has also led Lobo to take an active role in the Strategic Gaming Society at Tufts. "It's pretty loose," he said. "We meet at 1 p.m. on Saturdays in the Campus Center. We usually play tabletop strategy and board games until 6:30 p.m., and then those involved in the present RPG will remain and play as late as 11 p.m."
Lobo always stays: he doesn't want to leave the PCs, or Player Characters. "Being a GM is similar to being a writer," he said. "As a GM, you're telling the story for the PCs' enjoyment, so your primary goal is to have the PCs enjoy the experience."
What does Lobo have to say about the nerdy, stereotypical conception of gamers?
"A lot of people who play fantasy games do so because they want an escape," Lobo said. "It takes a certain amount of intellect. There are definitely socially inept gamers, but it's a very insular community - completely over other people's heads."
"It's hard for gamers to get along with other people, but that's like any other minority group," he said. "If gamers freeze up in social situations, it's because they never had the ability to get out of their shell."
Lobo, however, is a naturally outgoing person who aims overall to embrace people through both his gaming and his writing.
"It's a wicked-cool thing," he said.
