Short Stuff
When I was in third grade, I got in a fight with someone who called me “shortie” (yeah yeah, everyone is short in the third grade, but that’s beside the point — I was very sensitive about my height). The principal called me in, and seeing how despodent I was over being less-than-average height, gave me a bizarre pep talk about the virtues of being short that ended with — and I kid you not — saying that short people have an easier time getting around submarines.
Which, I guess is true. Although third graders don’t get into a lot of submarines for some reason.
So I’ve never been a man of great stature; I come from a short family and I’m pretty sure I’m not going to hit my final growth spurt by the time I’m 34, so I’ve reconciled to the fact. Many of the kids I work with are taller than me by the eighth grade, including some of the girls. I’ve never rejoiced in being short, but I’ve made peace with it.
Considering all that, answer me this: why do I naturally gravitate toward the “short” races in MMOs? Because I really do. In WoW my main was a gnome; in WAR it was a dwarf. In City of Heroes I would routinely make the shortest body type possible, and if I could’ve made a Hobbit Captain in LOTRO, chances are I would’ve. Now, in DDO, I’m happy as a clam being a halfling.
If we choose our avatars based on our idealized standards of beauty, masculinity and perfection, why do I keep choosing the short stacks?
I think part of it is that I revel in defying the norm. If the norm is tall, and it usually is in most MMO races, then to the short section I flee. If gnomes are mocked for being cute little critters in a “serious” world of man-cows and elves with severe eyebrow problems, then I’ll make one and stick my tongue out at everyone who dares make a comment about it.
I go short because, for me, there’s something cool in the unexpected kicking butt. Sexist as it may sound, it feels more awesome to play a female character who’s a lethal weapon than to be a male avatar; likewise, nobody expects the little pint-sized fella to suddenly unleash a can of ka-POW on the bad guys and come out smiling.
Many short people I know have larger-than-average personalities, perhaps as compensation, perhaps because we need to be a bit more colorful for the world to look down and notice us. That mentality transfers easily to short avatars I play — it’s like it gives me permission to be more of a card than if I was a tall, bumbing orc. The short guy in cartoons and fantasy films are always the most memorable, anyway.
So short I shall be. And when Middle-Earth or Eberron or Azeroth is attacked by submarine-driven pirates, I’ll be the first one hopping on board.
- Posted in: General
I think most people would like their avatars to have some representation of themselves, or of something they want to change in themselves.
For instance, I am 6″1, so I make my characters as tall as can be, with a little bit of fat (because I’m fat LOL). While I can never get the face right, I always aim for a nice clean-cut look that is an idealized version of my asian features.
At 6’5″ IRL I’m not too biased when it comes to in-game avatars. I’ve played dwarves, goblins, and kobolds for the “short” races and I’ve also played undead, humans, and elves for the “tall” ones.
I’m of a medium build and I generally don’t play “husky” avatars, so maybe there’s a bit of snobbishness after all.
I’ve always liked the smaller races too, but I’m 6’1″ IRL. I guess I’ve always held to the notion that the smaller stature toons should have more personality, character and intelligence since they couldn’t rely on the first impression of large physical stature. Gnomes and Dwarves always just seemed more like the fun races to me.
I’m a human IRL, why do I want to be one in a game? Unless there is some technical or beneficial game play reason I usually go short. The most recent exception is my affinity for Tauren in WoW, which comes mainly because the flamboyant armor in that game is much more visible on them than on Gnomes or Dwarves.
Syp!
Check your spam filter to see if my comments are getting caught by Askimet! I’ve commented on your posts so many times and I just realized none of them show up on your site!
Assuming you haven’t blacklisted me, I think its a common problem. I’ve had this problem before on other wordpress blogs, perhaps that’s the issue.
I don’t know if its the spelling of my user name, the dot info domain name, or something else but I bet I’m seen as spam
Brent from A Wall of Text
I tend to gravitate to the outliers because I reflexively fight following the herd. This might mean playing a Gnome, Dwarf or Shaman, or even making Puzzle Pirates (or Wizard 101) my “main” MMO. I don’t go out of my way to be contrary most of the time, I just trend to the “different” because that’s what is most interesting to me.
I’m a fairly large guy. I’m 6’0″ and weigh in around 270. I’ve always found myself gravitating toward smaller races, too, partially because I’ve been despondent toward my body image for some time.
In EQ and WoW, my first characters were gnomes and my main for years in WoW has been a dwarf. I wanted more than anything to have a Rodian Jedi in SWG, but I got stuck with a Wookiee one since I missed my hologrind by 1 profession when “the village” was implemented.
Since then, I’ve become a lot more comfortable with my RL body, and because of that, perhaps, I’m finally comfortable playing the larger races in WoW: my DK and Shaman are both Draenei.
However, each time I try a new game, I always make the smallest avatar possible to begin with. I have a pixie in Free Realms and a Goblin in WAR. I am still toying with a free SWG trial just to play with a Rodian Jedi before TOR comes out. When LOTRO finishes downloading, I’ll probably make the smallest race who can be a minstrel.
Is it silly and/or pathological/neurotic? Likely.
But oh well.
Hey Brent — yup that’s what happened — you’ve been filtered into the spam folder for some reason… weird…
LOL, Getting around more easily in submarines?! Now that’s one I haven’t heard! I’m only 5’2″ on a good day, and if I can make a character really tall and beefy (like in Guild Wars, Aion, or AoC), I will.
If I can’t be tall, then I make the absolute ugliest character I can. I think it has to do with feeling like I’m rebelling against the female stereotype of playing pretty avatars. My main in WoW was a female orc, while my favorite WAR character is my goblin shaman, who’s so ugly he’s cute.
I’m 6 foot male and I still make the smaller races most of the time. I’m not quite sure why.
When I make a taller race, it’s almost always as a female. If I have to look at their arse all day while gaming, it might as well be more enjoyable to watch sway.
Halflings and gnomes, usually create as female. Dwaves though, always a male. I’m still not convinced there actually are female dwaves in most of these games
Part of my reason for picking the shorties is similar to yours Syp. I like seeing that little (usually female) beat the snot out of the mobs. It’s even better when they are tanking a huge giant and your avatar is barely the size of the giants toe nail
Interesting read. I disagree with your assertion that “we choose our avatars based on our idealized standards of beauty”.
I am quite tall, 6’3″, and have never wanted to be short and do not find small stature attractive in a female. However, I choose dwarfs in all games due to their culture and disposition. That is exactly why I greatly dislike the elves and cannot make myself play one even if the class looks interesting.
For me, I must be interested in the lore surrounding a race, not necessarily their outward appearance.
I don’t trust the short races in fantasy MMOs. They always seem devious and plotting!
Dwarves are okay, sure, but gnomes? Really? Gnomes are like a ticking time bomb. Who knows what horrors they’ve created by tinkering.