Terminology. Why does it bug me and others?

[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.