Where the hoo-ha did "Toon" come from?

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3 by my settings, by the way.

When I say "cartoon", I'm never referring to a video game. So, I'm not the one draping it with more meaning than what's really there.

It's one of those topics that, for some reason, touches a sore spot with some people. Similar to threads complaining about guys playing girl characters, although those are more volatile due to the rampant homophobia...

I think of a cartoon as anything animated, which video games could fall under. Granted, it's not what I (or most others) generally use it for.

Haven't seen any of those. They're probably filled with hilarity (i.e. ignorance.)

It's not the shortening that people take issue with, but the use of "cartoon" at all to refer to a video game character. It, to many people, tends to put forth a more childish image of what it is. ( Yes, I know there are very mature cartoons out there, but the broad perception of a cartoon is still "kids' stuff" ). Shortening a different word to refer to characters wouldn't be met with so much opposition: "char" or "av" ( for "avatar"). "Alt"/"main" tends to work as well

Except that to the best of my knowledge, in the entire history of superhero comic books prior to the MMO age, characters were never called toons by readers, fans, writers, artists, or editors. If you're going to extrapolate from a cultural antecedant prior to Everquest, then "it makes sense" only if you think of this game as having children's cartoons as its foundation, not superhero comic books.

I think the juvenile-sounding "toon" better fits the "just for kids" conceptual template that video games subconsciously conform to in the minds of even its most ardent players, and largely because CoX probably looks and feels to them like an interactive children's cartoon, not a virtual superhero comic book (which quite a lot of players have probably read very few of anyway).

Edit: Didn't see Tyger42's post above prior to writing mine...we seem to be thinking along the same lines here.

It's generally specifically applied to film/TV animation. I've never actually heard anyone refer to video games as "cartoons" except for the folks using "toon" to refer to their characters. Even then, it's only ever been "toon". I've never heard anyone call a character a "cartoon". That also brings up part of the issue with the term. People aren't calling their characters cartoons, they're specifically calling them "toons". Which brings to mind Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Silly, goofy, childish, slapstick buffoons.

Is that still a "thing"? I thought people generally got over that brand of silliness years ago.

Nah, it still rears its ugly head from time to time. more in some MMOs than others.

I didn't realize it was ever a "thing". How odd.

So video games aren't considered "kids stuff?" Or comics?

Also, do you watch any cartoons?

I can't figure out a way to respond to this that doesn't end with me viciously insulting you so I'm just gonna say "yes" and leave it at that.

Again, you're the only attaching a childish image to a word that doesn't carry that meaning. I don't view cartoons as being for children, so I have no problem referring to something that is animated as a cartoon. As far as video games not being cartoons (as someone else said; don't feel like quoting it), that is true, but comics are basically cartoons, and have been animated countless times.

Good grief this argument is dumb. Every time I think I've partaken in the dumbest argument ever, I somehow manage to end up in one that's even more stupid.

The best part is that he's using Roger Rabbit as his go-to example. A movie almost 30 years old. Since that time cartoons have clearly become more than simply "kid's stuff." I mean we have animated movies being nominated for Best Film Academy Awards, prime-time cartoons (Family Guy, Simpsons, Cleveland Show, etc) which are certainly NOT for children, nostaligic cartons coming back for the older fans and that's not even getting into anime.

And, again, aren't video games and comics considered for children by the vast majority of people who don't play/read them? Who cares what they think?

This strikes me as true only in a superficial way, ignoring decades of cultural history behind both "cartoons" and superhero comics.

Not for a long time now. The more mature "cartoons" aren't even generally called cartoons anymore, by the way. Usually terms like "animated films". ( "Anime" catches the whole range of Japanese animation, from the kids' stuff to the adult stuff )

Yes. And I've never seen one where I could control the characters in it.

No, I'm obviously not or this thread wouldn't be here. Other people in this thread have also expressed the same view I have. Have you not been reading?

Word.





I put a lot of time, effort, and love into my TOONS. I never assume whether or not you put any time, effort, and love into your toons. Why do you care what I call them? It's not like it changes how much time, effort, and love you've put into them. I've got bigger fish to fry than your feelings on a term used in a pretendy fun time game.

I also call them chars and characters, but I never call them avatars. For some reason, "avatar" sounds pretentious. lol

Originally Posted by Dispari I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.

Yes, cartoons have become more than simply kid's stuff, but that has not changed the overall perception of them in American culture. Simply being "more than" is not enough to erase many decades of calcified perception. The adult-oriented cartoons that we're all aware of are still significantly outnumbered by the animated content produced for children. The exceptions do not get to become the rule just because they are well known exceptions.

And yes, video games and comics are indeed considered for children by the vast majority of people who don't play/read them. But I believe they are considered a children's pasttime even by many of the adults who do play/read them just the same. Just because they participate as adults doesn't mean they think of the activity as any less juvenile, or are any less prone to apply juvenile-sounding terminology.

This is an issue of perception vs reality. What we're discussing here is common perception.

This. It's really that simple. It's just a synonym for character.

Toon, avatar, character, main, alt...I've used all those words to talk about my various characters/toons/avatars/main/alts.