Hello everyone.
I found myself in a conversation tonight where somebody mentioned that they cosplay while they’re playing their space sim. This individual stated that they feel more connected to the game, making it a more immersive experience. Therefore, they can more fully leave the real world and freely indulge in the imagination. I thought perhaps I would pose some questions to all of you, both for the sake of conversation and because I am genuinely curious.
First, do you cosplay while you sim? This could be anything from wearing a pair of flight gloves all the way up to wearing enough gear you could climb into a fighter jet straight away. If so, what do you do?
Secondly, do you feel that people who cosplay are “nerds”? I ask this because this person was hesitant to tell me because he thought I would think he was a nerd and not want to associate with him.
Third, do you feel cosplay would enhance the experience? Moreover, does having type specific hardware or a physical cockpit count as cosplay?
Here is how I feel:
First, I don’t cosplay and I never have- but I would be open to it in the right circumstances. The simulation experience is an individual one and the enjoyment one gets from it is going to be based on your own individual experience.
I can see how a person dressed like a fighter pilot, flying a fighter, might more fully connect with that experience. I can also see how it could distract from it. I can’t imagine that the gear is all that comfortable, and indeed it probably wasn’t designed to be, but perhaps that’s part of the experience.
Does one dressing up in military gear, wearing a captain’s uniform, or even a star fleet t-shirt when they play make them a nerd? Maybe. But even if it does, is that so bad?
I suppose to summarize, I see no harm in it and I can see a benefit so long as the person doesn’t assume the identity of what they are pretending to be (i.e. don’t tell people you’re an F-16 pilot if all you do is fly DCS).
I would love to hear what you all think about this. If you would rather not admit to this in public, feel free to private message me. I am genuinely curious about your answers.