Soapbox features allow our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random things they’ve been chewing on. Today, Nathan looks at how his analytical mind and love of data affects his recreational time…
I am the oldest of four brothers. Over the past four years, we have used video games as a means of connecting with each other. But not in the way you might expect. We didn’t play together. Instead, we have an annual tradition of holding weeks-long discussions and debates about games, game music, and most recently, to crown our collective favorite game ever.
Our annual discussions were a convenient way to bond. They also provided me with a unique learning experience. I noticed, more clearly than ever, how my personality is reflected in how I experience gaming, a hobby that I have maintained for almost my entire life.
30 day challenges
Our annual tradition started as a COVID lockdown activity. I came across a “30 Day Video Game Music Challenge” chart on the web and thought it would be fun to complete. The chart has 30 video game music categories, one for each day, including “Title Screen Music”, “Credit Music” and everything in between.
Raw data wasn’t enough for me – I had to uncover the s tories behind the data.
As I filled it out, I wondered how my brothers would answer the same questions and how their answers would differ from mine. After all, we grew up in the same house.
Everyone agreed to the challenge and it took us a week or two to prepare. I started a messaging thread and every day at 8am we answered that day’s question together. The answers came in the form of a link to a YouTube video of our song choice, along with a short explanation.
Number crunching
Of course, I recorded everything in a spreadsheet.
I say, “naturally,” but this was the first indication that my approach to gaming was different from that of my brothers. All four of us enjoyed listening to each other pick songs, but I was the only one looking for trends in our answers. I wanted to dissect and analyze. Raw data wasn’t enough for me – I had to uncover the stories behind the data.
Who among us was the most nostalgic? Which console appeared the most? Which franchises were overrepresented?
These were questions that demanded my attention and required my analysis. I brothers made fun of me when I talked about my thoughts, but it was clear that they weren’t as “into it” as I was. I approach was different.
Leading the way
During the first round, we relied on that pre-made “music game” challenge. Next year, 2021, I decided to get creative by designing my own 30-day challenge. This time, each question would be answered with the name of the game.
Categories included “First video game you remember playing,” “Underrated game,” “Favorite or memorable boss fight” (I’ll never forget the first time I killed Hitler in Bionic Commando!) and “A game that would make a good movie”, and so on.
Once again I sent out the daily survey and tallied the results in my trusty spreadsheet. I was the ringleader, organizer and driving force behind this second round of the Lockard Brothers challenge.
I continued the tradition in 2022 (Essential Movies) and again in 2023, when I coined my magnum opus, “Lockard Bros. Best. Game. Ever” tournament group.
Bracket
This was our most complex challenge yet. Compiling the bracket game list took hours upon hours, and that’s not even mentioning how much work went into constructing the bracket itself.
The entire streak had 208 games spread over two smaller streaks (retro and modern), 189 head-to-head matches, 15 play-in streaks and a top-8, double-elimination playoff bracket to cap it all off. Maybe I exaggerated. Clearly, I’ve been thinking about video games a lot more than I’ve been playing them.
The tournament was a lot of work to prepare, and even holding it was no picnic.
Here’s a pro tip for anyone interested in a tournament bracket: make sure you have an odd number of voters. I three brothers and I reached a 2-on-2 stalemate 36 times in our group. That’s almost one out of every five matches.
This exposed my other personality trait – I’m a bit of a boss. I acted as arbitrator in these 2 to 2 votes. Maybe it’s a consequence of being the oldest (birth order and all), but I made sure that any deadlock was resolved amicably. Every 2-on-2 became a 2-plus-2. And somehow we’re still friends.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Super Mario World came in first place.
Personality types
I brothers and I haven’t held the 2024 edition yet. To be honest, crowning the best game ever will be a tough act to follow. If you have any ideas, I’m listening.
Even if last year’s challenge turns out to be the last, the damage is done: I am now well aware that my personality is laid bare in my gaming habits.
I had as much fun planning and crunching the numbers in these gameplay challenges as I did actually playing the games. Maybe more.
I am a software architect by profession. Another consequence of my structured, analytical personality. What do I say? I like to organize and analyze. And not just in my code repositories. I love making lists, inventorying my collections and looking for the best sales.
Is it any wonder then that I’m a fan of tactical strategy games? Or that I always try 100% every game I play? Heck, I probably spend as much time cataloging and organizing my physical and digital video game collections as I do playing them. Clearly, it is my mindset (which has been amply exposed in the annual challenges) that drives all of these behaviors and tendencies.
At this point you may be wondering where I’m going with this. Either that or you’re reliving that DiCaprio meme, frantically pointing at the screen while yelling, “That’s me!” Either way, I hope you’re thinking about how your personality and passions are reflected in your approach to gaming.
As Socrates said: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of wisdom.” I know more about myself because of several 30 day challenges. Hopefully some wisdom is on the way.
Do you find that your personal or professional preferences influence the way you enjoy video games? Is the effect always positive? Let us know in the comments.
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