[tcaudilllg]

If you'd take the time, rate yourself according to these four scales:

• consulting vs formulating
  
• practical vs impractical
  
• summarily judging vs maxim perceiving
  
• heart-controlled vs head-controlled
  

Explanation:

• Consulting people prefer to rely on others' mental energy, trying to minimize their own use of the same. They think others may be more knowledgeable than them, possibly more likely to have good ideas or to understand potential pitfalls concerning their own ideas. Formulating people are distrustful of others' opinion, preferring to put them through a filter of self-affirmed knowledge IF they are requested at all.
  
• Practical people like to keep things concrete and "real". "We've got real concerns, I've got mouths to feed, I've got a forum to take care of, etc." Impractical people like to wander off into far away worlds and ponder impossible, fantastic things.
  
• Heart-controlled people are likely to make logically incorrect decisions if those decisions make them feel good about themselves. Head-controlled people will make logically correct decisions even if they are uncomfortable to make.
  
• Summarily judging people like to take in all the available information they can find about a specific matter of concern, issuing a summary judgment about the situation as they see it. Maxim perceivers rely on "rules of thumb" which they hone gradually, preferring to look for signs of familiar situations and carrying over past decisions to new situations based on how similar the conditions are to situations where the same strategy worked. Maxim perceivers keep a tool box of available decisions (maxims) so that they don't have to weigh the individual pros and cons of decisions. ("Stimulus checks worked last time the economy was bad, so let's try them again!") Summary judgers think much harder about their decisions, placing a much greater priority on the likelihood that a strategy will succeed before endorsing it.
  

Finally, I'd like for you to choose which you prefer to play, mostly linear JRPGs or mostly open-ended CRPGs. I'd also like for you to state your opinion as to whether story or gameplay is more important.

Thank you for contributing to this research. Your input is deeply appreciated.

[RampantCoyote]

Heh - okay, I'll bite.

C vs F - Probably more F. I am an indie because I want to make my own games, and exercise creativity. Doesn't mean I don't consider other's ideas (which really are often better than my own) and incorporate them where I can. I just love figuring it out myself.

P vs. I - I'd say practical with a major dreamer streak. I just prefer to see even an incomplete, imperfect dream made real.

SJ vs. MP - Um, I'd have to say middle-of-the-road here. I think my practical streak means I default to MP out of fear of "analysis paralysis" with the alternative, so perhaps I have a bit more of a tendency there. But I'm also very wary of tradition / common knowledge that isn't regularly tested and re-examined.

Heart vs. Head - I like to think of myself as logical and basing my thinking based on careful, detached thinking, evalutation, and consideration rather than emotion. However, same careful detached thinking, evaluation, and consideration has led me to realize that I make more decisions based on emotions than I'd care to admit. If you asked my closest friends, they'd probably agree that if it's based on a deep-seated ideal or relationship, I can be horribly stubborn - but for most day-to-day decisions, I tend to rely on my head more than my heart.

Sorry, not super clear, is it?

It gets worse. I really love open-ended worlds and linear JRPGs about equally. I'm a weirdo that way. I think I have a slightly higher tendency to finish a linear, story-based game than an open-ended one. But - sheesh, maybe not. I have a lot of unfinished JRPGs laying around...

But I will favor a game with excellent, interesting game mechanics and a mediocre storyline than one with a great storyline but pedestrian mechanics. Otherwise, I'd just go read a book.
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Tales of the Rampant Coyote - Old-School Game Developer talks Indie Games, RPGs, and the Games Biz

[tcaudilllg]

Oh that's fine. Hmm... yeah gives me a lot to think about and consider.

You've always come off to me as an MBTI ENTJ type. Is that right in your estimation? What you describe actually sounds INTJ.

[RampantCoyote]

Actually, when I take the test, I usually get ENTP or - rarely - INTP (more when I was younger).
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Tales of the Rampant Coyote - Old-School Game Developer talks Indie Games, RPGs, and the Games Biz

[tcaudilllg]

ENTP... that's a surprise.

The official test has a different scoring system than some of the other tests. INTJ is INTP between the two tests, and vice versa.

Basically, INTJ is the theory builder and INTP is the planner. ENTP is the ideas guy and ENTJ designs money-making strategies.

[RampantCoyote]

Maybe that explains why Frayed Knights hasn't shipped yet. :)

We all change with time (even from day to day). At one point, I despised business and marketing people. Necessary evils, I figured. I thought I had them pegged (and met enough weasels to confirm my prejudices). Especially as a basically creative guy who gets passionate about what I do, these folks seemed to be The Enemy.

Since then, life experiences and other people have taught me differently. I've learned a lot more about people, and about passion, since then. And I've learned to love a lot more things about life than my narrow focus back then.

So - I hope I keep changing and growing.
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Tales of the Rampant Coyote - Old-School Game Developer talks Indie Games, RPGs, and the Games Biz