"Toons"... are we playing Loony Toons?
By
8Seconds,
Posted on: 2006-09-22 10:36 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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The only rational way to solve this disagreement is to pick an independant third party. Someone intelligent. Important. Someone named after a god. Someone with a son named Khan. You know.. that kind of person is always good to settle debates like this. Then just ask that person how the world should proceed and then everyone can just do as that person (whoever that person happens to be) says.
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Ha! No one who named their son "Khan" could possibly be intelligent. Come up with better criteria for choosing!
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All kidding aside, it baffles me every time I see someone refer to their character as their "toon"... Maybe it's because I'm a P&P RPGer and not a video gamer, but where in the heck did that originate? I think it sounds pretty silly.
Thanks 
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The first place I heard 'Toon' used was on The Realm many years back, where it was common. Apparently, the 'toon' vs. 'character' thing largely depends on what your introduction to online gaming culture was. There isn't really much of a difference.
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I was introduced to MMOs by The Realm, it was where the first Zikar was created and yes, everyone there called the 'toons' since the graphics where totally 2D, thus is gave the impression of a cartoon. That's why I use toon and why I guess it's trickled into common usage.
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ps. ICF_Zombra ... "The Dark Darkness" excellent
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Haha, much appreciated 
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I guess "toon" is quicker to type than "character", this is internet after all.
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Which is why most people use "char" or "alt". 
Bugs Bunny is a toon. A video game character ain't. Unless it -is- Bugs Bunny or his ilk.
Virtue Server
Avatar art by Daggerpoint
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I never got the "toon" thing either. To me it's a bit too frivolous a term to be applying to any of MY characters, but what the heck, if other people think of it that way, I can't stop 'em.
Buttered Cat
Nerf-Herder - Spines/Regen
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'Cause "Buttered Cat" and "Nerf-Herder" are such serious names?
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There is a rather huge difference between "frivolous" and "humorous". Even if you don't like the joke.
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Oh, I like the joke. I just don't buy the "huge difference between 'frivolous' and 'humorous'". Those are narrow shades of meaning, dear.
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I guess "toon" is quicker to type than "character", this is internet after all.
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Which is why most people use "char" or "alt". Bugs Bunny is a toon. A video game character ain't. Unless it -is- Bugs Bunny or his ilk.
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Says who? Toon is shot for cartoon, something to which comic books (a technically far more degrading title) are tied.
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I guess "toon" is quicker to type than "character", this is internet after all.
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Which is why most people use "char" or "alt". Bugs Bunny is a toon. A video game character ain't. Unless it -is- Bugs Bunny or his ilk.
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Which brings me to Cute Zoot. She actually is an anthropomorphic bunny child who came to Paragon from Disney's Toontown(tm). When I speak of her, "toon" really does mean "cartoon".
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Which is why most people use "char" or "alt". Bugs Bunny is a toon. A video game character ain't. Unless it -is- Bugs Bunny or his ilk.
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I remember a thread quite a while back where someone complained about the use of "alt". I think the argument was that it trivialized the characters, implying that they were all "alternates" and only a second (or third or more) choice.
"Char(s)" has also been rejected before as being too confusing to the power Char. "Charrie" has been rejected for sounding twee.
So I suppose the only thing that seems acceptable is "characters" in full.
Current main:
Schrodinger's Gun, Dual Pistols/Mental Blaster, Virtue
Avatar: Becky Miyamoto from Pani Poni Dash. Roulette roulette~
My most favorite term is 'toon', since 'character' is a more literary creation related to written work. Since we are dealing with animated creations with limited ranges of physical expression based on the game engine, they are more closely related to cartoons and animated movies. Also from the sense of ability, heroes do things which are out of character for bonafide human beings, but again, viable within animated realms. Finally, 'toon' is a slang word which has been around for quite a while. Recall that in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Toontown? And the use of the word 'toon' was common in it's dialog. It would seem awfully awkward to use the term 'Character' in such an instance.
A 'Character' is a more rounded personality with less structured boundaries and movement within it's realm. More related to acting or within books, bounded by only the author/writer/playwright's direction. An actor brings a Character to life, and a reader of a book does likewise in his mind's eye.
And yes there is crossover where toons become characters and characters become toons.
So don't get too hung up or uptight about the words, learn to enjoy the experience!
"It is that balance, the ground between EB and AV, where the PvP struggle should exist. Where a 1v1 becomes a struggle of equals, and 1vMany gives the benefit to the 1."
Freedom: Fireocity, Electro Imp, Gotya
Infinity: Meteor Storm, Mutai Kid, General Bot, Da Smasher
It is simple.
Toons have no character.
My GF and I were watching TV just now. One of the actors says he is leaving.
Out of the blue she says. "Bummer he was one of my favorite toons."
I hereby pronounce "toon" haters are DOOMED.
It is simpler than that, for me anyhow.
I use "toon" to remind myself and everyone else that this is a game and the point is to have fun.
"toon" is the cartoon. The collection of colored pixels, and a data base of information stored someplace on magnetic media.
"player" is the mind behind the toon. The toon's character comes from the player. The player is the person on the other end of the internet connection from me. These are the people I have fun with, interact with, build memories with. They are what brings value to the toon.
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"Char(s)" has also been rejected before as being too confusing to the power Char.
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-That- I really don't understand. I mean you'd really have to be spacing out, not paying attention when hearing "Yeah, I have a level 34 char who's a Martial Arts/Regen Scrapper... he's pretty cool" or "Lemme hop on a different char" to mistake the "char" in that phrase to mean the Fire Power. It would be very rare to find a situation where a phrase was typed where one could honestly have any confusion there.
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It is simple.
Toons have no character.
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Hehehehe
I use "character" or "char", but then, I've always hated Looney Toons, so maybe my dislike of the term "toon" stems from that. I just don't equate CoX to cartoons, I suppose.
Say, does anyone use the term "avatar"? I've only used it occasionally, though again, I'm not certain of its origin (as far as games).
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I've played and beta tested a bunch of MMORPGs and other games, played some MUDs before the MMO days, played text-based games, PnP RPGs for years, and so on. But CoH is the first time I had EVER heard an RPG character called a toon...and whenever I see or hear it, I always think of THIS.
I just can't help but hear Bob Hoskins in my head saying, "Toons!" with disgust.
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Amen Brutha! I am glad I ain't the only one who thinks of Roger Rabbit when people use the term "Toon" here.
Current obsession:
Coffee!!!
I use character as a carry over from my Pen and Paper RPG days. I will use toon if other people in the group are using it just to stay in context.
Personally, there is little difference in my mind. One may argue that saying toon means you take the RPG element less seriously - they are there for pure entertainment, not an extension or alteration of one's personality. Either way, it is just a different way of refering to one's character.
Maybe I'll start calling mine E.P.s.
CatMan - some form on every server
Always here, there, and there again.
I use both terms, they mean the same to me. It's not like we don't know what the other is refering too when either term is used, they both serve the same purpose in conversation.
Yeeesh... You say potato, I say poe-tah-toe.
I've met people who are fun to play with no matter the term. If someone else is using a term like "toon" and you cringe as though it were a biggot's ignorant verbiage spewing from the hole under his nose... ya may need a break. Just sayin'. Seems to be too tiny a detail to be such a concern. I brought that up to a good friend of mine, when she blasted the use of the word. I'll use "toon" in reference to my characters on the fly... I never considered "chars"... it's just a preference. More often than not, if I'm speaking about someone else's, I type out "character" because of this touchy crowd.
I might add, I've noticed that the folks I play with that don't care what you call your "concept" are usually the folks I enjoy spending time with in this game. I'm not sayin' that *everybody* who hates the word "toon" is uptight, but in my experience about 85% of the folks I've seen damning the term are. Character concept is great an' all, but I offer that perhaps this isn't an issue to be addressed or "corrected" in or out of character... just ignored, if you don't care for it.
"What in tarnation's a Rofflemow!!!?" -Priesteater on ROFLMAO
Real Objections Of Genius
"Toons" stems from the earliest of MMO's (most notably the Realm and Ultima Online) in which character WERE very cartoon-y. WoW has only made this term more prevalent.
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"Toons" stems from the earliest of MMO's (most notably the Realm and Ultima Online) in which character WERE very cartoon-y. WoW has only made this term more prevalent.
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And THIS is the answer I was looking for from the getgo... thank you, StrikeFalcon
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"Toons" stems from the earliest of MMO's (most notably the Realm and Ultima Online) in which character WERE very cartoon-y. WoW has only made this term more prevalent.
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And THIS is the answer I was looking for from the getgo... thank you, StrikeFalcon
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_castle_ said it first... on page 2... it's in the dev digest... 
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Which is why most people use "char" or "alt". Bugs Bunny is a toon. A video game character ain't. Unless it -is- Bugs Bunny or his ilk.
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I remember a thread quite a while back where someone complained about the use of "alt". I think the argument was that it trivialized the characters, implying that they were all "alternates" and only a second (or third or more) choice.
"Char(s)" has also been rejected before as being too confusing to the power Char. "Charrie" has been rejected for sounding twee.
So I suppose the only thing that seems acceptable is "characters" in full.
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Always gonna be someone who has a problem with whatever term you choose. However, I think that "toon" tends to rub more people the wrong way than any of the others. Mainly 'cause "toon" implies silly and childish.
Virtue Server
Avatar art by Daggerpoint
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All kidding aside, it baffles me every time I see someone refer to their character as their "toon"... Maybe it's because I'm a P&P RPGer and not a video gamer, but where in the heck did that originate? I think it sounds pretty silly.
Thanks
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i played PnP RPGs for about 28 years before getting into MMOs... and i call the MMO characters "toons" because they are animated and are very limited in what they can do. my characters in PnP RPGs could pick up anything they could carry. they could carry a rope, a bucket, a small child (with injury of course), and were mine to control in every way shape and form. MMOs toons are handed to us. we get to pick some of the outer look but we are very limited in our actions. most times even the outer look is limited.
i call them toons because they are animated versions that while some are very close to how i imagine them or want them to be they are never JUST right. in a PnP RPG i can describe my character and while you might not see him in your mind how i see him... in my mind he is JUST how i want him to be.
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"Toons" stems from the earliest of MMO's (most notably the Realm and Ultima Online) in which character WERE very cartoon-y. WoW has only made this term more prevalent.
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And THIS is the answer I was looking for from the getgo... thank you, StrikeFalcon
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_castle_ said it first... on page 2... it's in the dev digest...
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True, but this time UO and WoW, as well as referencing that the early MMOs looked very cartoony was mentioned.
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I think that was my first mmo, such as it was back then.
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All kidding aside, it baffles me every time I see someone refer to their character as their "toon"... Maybe it's because I'm a P&P RPGer and not a video gamer, but where in the heck did that originate? I think it sounds pretty silly.
Thanks
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The first place I heard 'Toon' used was on The Realm many years back, where it was common. Apparently, the 'toon' vs. 'character' thing largely depends on what your introduction to online gaming culture was. There isn't really much of a difference.
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Ah, The Realm. I beta tested that when I worked at Dynamix.