I use games to release the seething cauldron of hatred I tend to develop each day with the human race.

Other than that, I'm a pretty easy going guy.

I play to have fun, be immersed and escape. Something that requires my interaction to be entertainment, as opposed to watching television.

Without venturing too far into the "gaming as catharsis" argument, I should note that I'll probably be sitting here psychoanalyzing all responses. I have a feeling that the games people play (and thus the wants they seek to sate via games) have a strong correlation to the players themselves.

For example: I solo because I spend all day hiding and keeping my head down. I am not really looking for more real, human interaction or any sense of community.

Why I game is highly dependent on the game I'm playing.

If I want to escape, I'll play WoW solo.
If I want to work out frustrations, I'll FPS.
If I want to solve puzzles, I fire up Grim Fandango (or go program).
If I want to drink and half ass socialize, I'll play WoW in a group or BF2142.

But ultimately I play games because other forms of passive entertainment bore me quickly.

After working all day, it's a really good stress release, especially when bughunting has gotten me irritated enough to seriously consider putting my fist through my display.

Besides, I love stories.

I agree with a lot of what you said, but wanted to touch on this one point. I think your view on community is too focused on in-game interaction when perhaps the most enjoyment can be derived from sharing experiences in forums like this one. Sure, Dead Rising was single-player only but the community here posted pages on their love for the game.

I agree with you on that. To be clear, I wasn't saying that the article was wrong. I was just providing counter-examples of gamers who don't fit the same mold. I, personally, never really dug the online friends scene. GWJ is helping me come out of that shell.

Well, I never dug friends online except for that AOL chat room phase in the '90s. That... let's just try and forget about that.

Ah, but some of us aren't so great. We just ...really like going to every building in the game and stealing things?

There is a superhero who is so good at video games that its his power. Watch Megas XLR!

True dat.

although he does have an "up" on me in the form of a giant f*cking robot.

Whatever happened to that show? Thanks for the reminder!

Addiction.

If I may pry, any idea what makes the games "fun" or addicting for you?

The reasons behind my gaming have changed over the years.

Back when I was a youngster with the stars in my eyes and a hockey helmet under the bed, I started gaming for the same reason I was convinced I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up. Escape. Pure and simple. Mars was probably far enough away from my family, but I'd put up with low earth orbit if that was the best anyone could do. Genetics and etc kind of put the kibosh on that, though, and I had to do something. One of my friends got a D&D set for her birthday, and another one got a Vic 20. The portal to the foot of the Bifrost Bridge opened right there.

Now a days, I mostly game for connection. Not online, but the people right around me. I married a guy in my jr. high. gaming group, and it was just natural while we were married to keep playing. Now that we're divorced, I'm trying to keep a line open to the four teenagers in my house.

Left to my own devices once they're grown, I imagine I'll be playing games for something to do once it's too dark to garden. I'll be the weird little old lady on the end of the block all the little kids in the neighborhood think is a witch. You know. The one living in an old house behind a high hedge with eerie shifting blue lights leaking out the around the window blinds at night. I'll have a contained spot with plenty of room for my terrain tables so I can keep the grandkids out of them when they visit, and enough bandwidth flowing in and out to rival SoCal Edison.

Who can say. Some people watch TV. I play the occasional video game.

Quoted for truth before I went to college.

Now that I'm an undergrad, my few precious hours of gaming per week are used as a relaxant from all the working and studying I've done. I don't like getting drunk, and television bores me, so.. yeah. Not much else to do since my schedule is polar opposite to most of my social circle's.