Terminology. Why does it bug me and others?

[Ryuni]

TOON. kills me every time.

This, +1

Also any abbreviation/acronym that is incorrect AND is longer than the correct abbreviation bugs me as well. Just like the "Pally" example. PLD or Pala are both shorter and correct.

Could someone explain to me what's so terrible about "toon"? English isn't my first language, so perhaps the reason I don't understand the problem is that something is lost in translation.

Because toon doesn't sound like anything game-like and I don't see why people can't just call it "char"/"chara" or "character" as they have been from the beginning.

There was no reason at all to invent a new term when "char" is just as short.

[Tolmos]

People who never played WoW or hate WoW are more stuck on that game than anyone else. Terms like DPS, Toon, and Pally have been used in several games BEFORE WoW, including Everquest and Ultima Online. But all these people want to see is World of Warcraft.

Every time I see a thread like this or heal someone say something like this, I can't help but wonder if they think WoW was the first MMO...

Because toon doesn't sound like anything game-like and I don't see why people can't just call it "char"/"chara" or "character" as they have been from the beginning.

There was no reason at all to invent a new term when "char" is just as short.

Toon is from before even EQ. I first saw it in Ultima online back in '97. The thought process was basically character -> cartoon character -> cartoon -> toon. There was a certain disconnect to characters back then, due to both graphics and gameplay styles, so players were neither as attached to nor as immersed in their characters in games like that as they are now.

After 15 years, I still use the term to to this day.

[Ryuni]

People who never played WoW or hate WoW are more stuck on that game than anyone else. Terms like DPS, Toon, and Pally have been used in several games BEFORE WoW, including Everquest and Ultima Online. But all these people want to see is World of Warcraft.

Every time I see a thread like this or heal someone say something like this, I can't help but wonder if they think WoW was the first MMO...



Toon is from before even EQ. I first saw it in Ultima online back in '97. The thought process was basically character -> cartoon character -> cartoon -> toon. There was a certain disconnect to characters back then, due to both graphics and gameplay styles, so players were neither as attached to nor as immersed in their characters in games like that as they are now.

After 15 years, I still use the term to to this day.

My point still stands. It was called character/char before people started using toon. It's just one of those unnecessary terms, I never knew about the thought process about it and even now when I know it, I don't see the point of it.
I'm not overly fond of unnecessary terms/abbreviations.

[Tolmos]

It was called character/char before people started using toon. It's just one of those unnecessary terms, I never knew about the thought process about it and even now when I know it, I don't see the point of it.

This is highly debatable. The first time I personally saw it was in 97, but that was hardly the first year of MMOs. It's been attributed as far back as MUDs, so I'd venture to guess both have been used nearly an equivalent amount of time.

Plus, saying "char" outloud just sounds silly to me. Probably as silly as "toon" sounds to you. We're not carebears.

So, my point still stands. Toon is just as valid, and probably as old, as "char".

[Leonas]

This is highly debatable. The first time I personally saw it was in 97, but that was hardly the first year of MMOs. It's been attributed as far back as MUDs, so I'd venture to guess both have been used nearly an equivalent amount of time.

Plus, saying "char" outloud just sounds silly to me. Probably as silly as "toon" sounds to you. We're not carebears.

So, my point still stands. Toon is just as valid, and probably as old, as "char".

Char confuses me and makes me think I'm playing Guild Wars again. :P

I've used the term "toon" ever since EQ, hell, even used it on MUDs to refer to a character.

[Arriverderci]

What the hell is Snow and Board lmao?

For me...Toon ultimately. Screw me, I HATE TOON!! D<
We aren't Looney Toons, Tiny Toons or from Toon Town. It just irritates me and
that is the first thing to comes to mind.
Awful. I also don't really like, "LM TANK AND GTG." I keep thinking Gotta go? xD!
But yeah Toons just go over my head lmao.

Ok tunes...but whatever! XD

[Rivienne]

I only have come across one term that bothers me thus far, which is of course. "toon". They are characters, not toons. Toon is shorthand for a cartoon film/show. It sometimes has been used to also be a synonym for a personal on-screen avatar which is how it is being used here. In this game however they are not supposed to represent you, they are supposed to be characters in this world, which you play. They aren't some cartoon representation of you, they are a character you are playing.

I know few people agree with me on this, so I typically will just let it slide but I will never approve of it.

Also pally is a little weird to me, because it isn't short hand (PLD is easier), so what purpose does it serve? I suppose it could come from environments where audio chat is the norm, since pally might be easier to verbalize than paladin. (And no one would say PLD).

[Furio]

We say;

dps
/whisper
buff
debuff
DoT
HoT
proc
pally
war
toon
lfg
lfm
etc...


It doesn't seem to matter. People in general are smart enough to understand what you mean. Also, these terms are so widely spread in the MMO world, almost everyone knows them.

Why would anyone care if you say sum, summ or smr. If you don't understand summ means summoner you're just stupid. Whining about how others refer to their toons is even worse. Get a life man.

[Powderkeg]

DD and DPS are both pretty vague no matter how you say it because an AFK DRG doesn't do either of the following.

[OMEGAlomania]

I much prefer "DPS", but ghad I hate "toon". No idea why. I say "PC", or just "character".