Facebook Files: What Kind Of Hobbyist Are You?

By Ishaan . November 22, 2009 . 8:03am

Welcome to Facebook Files, where we talk about nerdy things. Here’s a rundown of how things work: Every week, we look through our Facebook group for the best community discussions. The ones that stand out are published on Siliconera as part of this feature every weekend. If your topic isn’t chosen one week, don’t lose heart…it might get picked up the next!

This week’s discussion revolves around our hobbies. Some of us are into videogames and not much else. Others are nerdier, and also indulge in collecting comics and action figures. Some of us even like to do normal things like reading books (not related to games!) and cook. Tim decided to find out what his fellow Siliconerites were into.

Tim wrote:

So I want to know what everyone is into, and what kind of games your into as well.

For games, I’m into almost everything, I play mostly everything that comes out of Japan to here, and quite a bit of FPS. All the triple A titles in NA I usually pick up, not saying I play them all but I’m part collector, and if its hyped right, I’m usually on that ride. RPGs are my fave though, but way too time consuming. I’m way into anime, manga (North American versions of manga collection 1000+) and figure collecting, pretty much anything to do with the anime culture of Japan really.

Music is pretty much for everyone, I don’t consider it a hobby of mine, but anyways, I listen to J-musics only

Another hobby of mine is cooking. I plan to make traveling around the world a hobby of mine when I’m rich too…

Anton wrote:

I’m mostly an RPG type of gamer. Majority of my collection consists of JRPG’s. But there is bit of variety in there.

As far as other hobbies, I’m way into music. It’s been my passion since I was little. I play guitar and drums, and was teaching myself piano at one point. However, I mostly just enjoy listening to music. Rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, jrock, metal, electronica, punk, ska, jazz, old-school country, whatever!

Mind you, I only listen to good music. It’s weird to say that, but I’m sure other music fans out there know what’s good and what’s not. I own hundreds of albums, be it on cassette, CD, or vinyl. My favorite band is dredg. If you’ve never heard of them, check them out.

Stephen wrote:

Also into anime, but I’m a big fan of just a select number of series. It’s rare that I watch a new series, but I do every now and then if I find it interesting enough. I don’t usually bother watching most of what’s out there though. As for manga, I’m not really a fan but I certainly don’t dislike it.

Outside of games/anime, I’m a huge classical music fan. So much that I would dedicate my life to a career in it, but I’m not sure if I can as I’m 19 and don’t play any instruments. I should seriously start though, as it could lead somewhere if I put enough dedication into it.

Mattias wrote:

I don’t know if you can call this a hobby but I’m a composer by trade. I’ve scored a few indie games and I’m studying to become a full-time composer both in electronic and traditional "classical" music. I’ve taken classes in Musicology and Film Music and I love to casually analyze music in most context. I’m an especially big fan of Igor Stravinsky and american minimalism like Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

I’m also part of OverClocked ReMix, both on staff and as an artist. I’ve got numerous remixers up under the handle "Another Soundscape" and I have credits in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. I even collect retail VGM releases. I’m basically a HUGE video game music nutter in every way imaginable.

So, how nerdy or non-nerdy are you? Fire away in the comments; we’d love to know. Me? I tend to have games on my mind 70% of the time, but I do like cooking (or trying to, at the very least) and reading. I used to scanlate once upon a time as well. Recently, I’ve been getting back into manga and anime after taking a break from both for a while. I even watched TV for the first time in a year the other day! (It was The Shawshank Redemption)

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speedstersonic

Let's see here. I own over 400 video games, an NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy SP, all the generations of DS, PSP 1000 and 2000, Playstation 1,2, & 3, Xbox and 360, a fully rigged gaming PC, Neo Geo Pocket. Many, many gaming paraphernalia, about 180 of the Sonic the Hedgehog comics. I'm a big Sonic the Hedgehog freak as my name would infer. I buy guides for almost all my games. I own almost every console rpg ever made. I'm also an rpg freak. I went to college to learn Game Development Programming. I also import video game piano music from Japan and can play it all. Yeah I'm a nerd, but to me it's worth the title.

denpanosekai

Allow me to talk about my blog for a second. I've been writing about DENPA music for the past 2 years now, including interviews with akibapop giants MOSAIC.WAV and LOVE BULLETS. A few siliconera readers have actually contacted me for more info after following the link from my disqus profile. I even get emails from Japanese readers who wonder why the blog uses English... they're STUNNED to find out some foreign devil is behind what amounts to the most complete source of denpa information out there. So yes I import music, but also get it from Comiket and M3 events.

As for games... I have about 600 different items give or take, mostly locked up in plastic bins as I spend more time on the road than inside these days. I find a big part of the fun is uncovering bargains in the wild. Walking into a random pawnshop and buying a mint Suikoden 2 for 10$ is an invigorating experience.

Also I translated Brandish 2. That was a lot of fun and I even kickstarted a community at the same time.

And I'm a spacecraft engineer. My code revolves around the earth! So yeah total nerd.

MelodyKitn

Omg, I need to walk into a similar pawnshop for a Suikoden II O.O

Anosou

Blergh, seems my last comment didn't get through so here it is AGAIN (slightly altered)

DUDE BRANDISH 2!!! YOU WIN THE GAME!!!

Also, DENPA intrigues me. If I ever get my degree in Musicology I'd be willing to write a serious paper on the subject, will you be my go-to guy?

denpanosekai

Absolutely!

Mr_Qoo

Everything I learned about Denpa, I learned from denpanosekai. =)

Joanna_T

I play mostly all types of RPG: JRPG, SRPG, ARPG, etc. I'm also mostly a handheld gamer, and I try to pick up most of the RPGs available on the DS. It's getting difficult with all the releases but I'm still attempting it. I have a few other genres as well in my collection like regular strategy games (Advance Wars), Platformers (Mario games, Henry Hatsworth), Mini Game Collections (Chocobo Tales), Puzzle games (Puzzle Quest) and Action games (Castlevania, Ratchet & Clack).

I watch anime, but I only collect manga (and a few manhwa too), and only series that I really like. I have around 180 volumes, not much by some standards, but I try to buy some here and there in between game purchases. I think the big draw for manga with me is that I love to draw (even though I'm not that good at it) and I like seeing other artists styles as well as stories. I also enjoy reading and own a few of my favourite books as well.

Joanna_T

won't let me edit, but I forgot to add sims, I love simulation games as well. (Harvest Moon, Magician's Quest, Trauma Center) and adventure games (Phoenix Wright, Time Hollow).

matty

Ah, I thought I came across Mattias somewhere ;) I listen to Prophecies almost every day.

Gaming player and observer is my thing! I love hearing and reading people's opinions, experiences and interpretations on games from different game communities on forums and Youtube. It's like reading a book. At this point in time I'm spending more time watching other people play games than getting it done myself. Showing support to the younger crowd and hanging with the older ones.
Other than that, not much else. I used to major in music, but dropped that (along with school) and mainly focus on daily matters now. Music is still a passion of mine. Planning on finally getting that banjo and sitar someday.

Oh, I also used to scan too! I would import artbooks and doujins (mostly of Azumanga/Yotsuba copies at a forum I frequent). Then troll when I'm really board...

Anosou

Don't wanna ruin everything but I'm the Mattias and I have never done anything called "Prophecies" :D

matty

Oh, I meant the track by Phillip Glass that he composed for Koyaanisqatsi.
I loved ambient music, too! Brian Eno was a musical hero of mine and his philosophical views on art could really connect well into video games.
He's kind of a punk, though, but I guess we all are to some extent ;)

Anosou

Aaaah, now that makes more sense! I'm less fond of Glass than I am of say, Steve Reich but he still composes enjoyable music. Anthem fro Powaqatsi is a favorite.

MelodyKitn

Now that I'm back working, my geekery and gaming is much less, but when I can squeeze the oddbit of randomosity here and there, I do a little bit of everything.

I guess I never tend to stick to one particular hobby for very long, though the ones that have lasted on and off are reading (love books), art (mostly sketching, but I do themes on the side), and listening to music.

I like dabbling in cooking, but I'm not very good at it (I'm a klutz and burn and cut easily XD ).

I've taken up both crocheting and knitting with some sewing thrown in on the side, but that only lasts for so long every couple of months where I tend to forget everything I've learned.

I tried scrapbooking for a while.

I used to love anime and manga, but have since toned it down since I've had to save money after moving to be with the hubby. When I was into it I had just a random assortment of junk. Wall scrolls my brother sent me from Hong Kong coupled with poster off of random magazines I'd get every so often. I was into CLAMP for a long while and had a beautiful figure of Belledandy from a great friend I now miss. I had soundtracks, Tshirts, a corkboard of action figures, my prized Bahamut from FFVIII my brother bought me, stationary, and all sorts of doodads and whatsits. Hell, I even saved Hello Kitty gum. Since moving, I've less shelf space for anything. I had to leave my old collection behind, by try to remedy it with a growing collection of video game and anime art books.

As for video games, again, the need for funds has kept me from spending on it as much as I used to, but I love a little bit of everything except for some sports games and flight sims. I'm a fan of the Harvest Moon, Suikoden, and Fatal Frame series, love the ole Guilty Gear music, and play MMOs here and there (mostly the free to play junk). My DS goes with me everywhere, but it's finally showing its age.

I've got a vast growing collection of random Eeyore junk to add to what's left of my toy and gaming schwag collection. Not to mention random hats I wear to work.

Loving the hubby is a full time gig in between hobbys.

Umm.. a website I sort of blog in every so often, though not lately.

An uh.. yeah, now to end the mountain of text :D

Slashlen

Games and Anime, basically. For games, it's generally JRPGs, then fighting games and open world action games like Infamous and Assassin's Creed. I have every current console/handheld except for the PSPGo. I am almost strictly a console gamer. The only PC games I have are eroges(and a few doujin games). I'm not against the PC as a platform, but when my gaming interests are where they are there just isn't anything coming out for me.

My anime collection is rather large. I don't know how many disks it is, it's better measured in bookshelves. Right now I got a couple large ones filled, but these include some games. Then I have a closet with the top shelf filled, and some others just lying on the bottom(generally the crap in my collection). My TV stand is also full. I need more shelving.

I don't have many CDs, most of them are soundtracks that came with anime or games. I have maybe 8 that I actually bought seperately. I have a few manga, maybe 25 or so. Only buying Berserk right now. I don't have anything in wallscrolls/posters. I'd really like to get some since I have the wallspace, but I'm just really picky about the art. I think my idea of what a poster should be like and what companies generally put out aren't that close.

I don't have any figures, the main barrier is price. I consider myself a huge nerd, and the only thing that holds that back is that I'm also cheap. I try to get the best deals I can on stuff, and most of the time I'm willing to wait on a game/anime if I think I can get it cheaper later. I try to stretch my nerd dollar as far as I can, and it's hard to pick a figure over a season of anime or a game.

MelodyKitn

I used to remedy my cheapness and want of figurines with the middle route of buying gashapon. There's a few affordable ones that still look decent. Now.. the big figures.. that's another story.

Joanna_T

same here. I feel like my money would be better spent on more games/manga then figurines. But then again, I never really liked figurines, so I never had the urge to buy any.

Ishaan

I used to buy Marvel and DC figurines as a kid. Transformers and G.I.Joes, too. This was well before I seriously started collecting games though. Once I got into that, I had to drop pretty much everything else (including buying comics and manga) so I could afford the games I wanted. Makes it really hard to juggle hobbies when you live in a country where the used game culture hasn't caught on.

Pichi

I guess above average when it comes to games. Mainly I know more of the news then actually having the time to play them, lol! So I have a lot of knowledge there. I also have other hobbies like TV shows, anime, and listening/playing music. So all those things are my top, but I don't really follow the news to as much as gaming news, but try to for my top shows.

Don't really collect alot of the figures and the likes. Have plenty of games though! Few drawers worth and some in other rooms! But I wouldn't call it too nerdy. Also have too many sheet music to stuff around as well. I just need a house for personal storage because I'm a pack rat type, I guess!

Hiryuu

Nerdism?

I guess the strongest point for me goes to the fact that I produce simfiles for StepMania which, for the uninitiated, is a PC simulator of games such as DDR, ITG, PIU and related. Have been doing that since 2004, although with the advent of life and actually getting out into the world in a career that was aiming for, I've done less and less as of late. Then again, I am in my mid-20s so maybe I just don't express it with the same enthusiasm anymore when it was 'cool' to do so? Ah dunno...

Outside of that the most I'll get going on something outside of gaming would be writing on the side and that really doesn't go very far - it's not something I'd pursue a career in, or anything, unless the opportunity presented itself. Maybe as a scenario writer? I'm not sure. I've never really given it a lot of thought in that regard.

I mean the stuff I'm in right now is building up consoles and repairing them that make shape-cutting and burning machines work to cut metal. It's a machine with friggin' lasers attached. Lot of computers, mechanical work and wires. Lots and lots of wires. And other boxes that are electrical or computer-full. Would confuse or intimidate the average joe in a second. Did me for the first three months I started there.

As for TV? Not big on it. I don't even have cable or satellite. Most of my media content exists on my comp. Besides, I've got three screens attached to this quad-core of mine I've built from the ground up. Two monitors exists for regular stuff and my 32" 1080p HDTV is for watching things upscaled in HD. Some of those YouTube and other-site vids scale up well.

Console-wise I've gone through the following: NES, SNES, GB(C), GCN, PS1/2/3. Not really that inclined to console gaming, anymore, as I would be for computer gaming, though...and even then I don't really play stuff like that a lot. I also tend not to get into things that are HEAVILY hyped for normal audiences. Heavy hype for niche audience? Maybe.

That's about all I can think of.

UVERoo

I would have a crazy poster dvd toy filled otaku room but I cant afford any damn thing i want so Im not that bad.

Ishaan

Quick heads up for anyone that cares. Considering this for next week's FF if participation is good: http://tinyurl.com/yavlj55

It's on Zelda Wii, so I suspect a lot of people will have things to say. All I ask is that you read the first post before throwing in your two cents!