Hardcore gamers

[lebuff]

I found this on the web, it seems to describe well (I admit the argument is biased) the people developers are trying to sell games to.

[QUOTE=](This commentary is written from the view of someone who technically qualifies as a Hardcore Gamer but, absolutely hates the majority of his peers. If you happen to be an HC gamer, that still manages to NOT look down on all those who don't conform to your style or that you are NOT somehow owed something from your hobby, than this does not apply to you. Not all HCG's are like this. The below is however, how the vocal majority wish to be seen. This is for them, and the bad name they give us all.)

Hardcore Gamer:

A very vocal, arrogant minority of gamers that assume that the gaming industry revolves (or should revolve) around them.

Consider their own skills, and preferences and, those of their peers, to be the only acceptable use of a recreational medium.

Often use the term "True Gamer". An arrogant, idiotic term invented by insecure people to justify their own gaming style.

The irony is, the gaming industry was born from the notion, that these are games, pinball dating back as far as the 40's was designed for people to relax and enjoy.
Pong brought it home, followed by other game systems that were designed for fun and recreation.

However, like all hobbies, there will always be those "stop having fun guys" that ruin it for everyone else.
People who feel that the industry belongs to them.
People who fail to realize that there will always be a place for them but really just want it all. If casual players get their way the whole industry will collapse and the world will end.
People who adopted the medium as their own and decided that they were the only ones worthy.

Refuse to accept that, like board games, video games are made to be enjoyed. They aren't made for you to feel good about yourself. there are hardcore boardgamers out there too and, they also miss the point.

Hardcore gamers are no less ridiculous than a "pin the tail on the donkey" elitist, who shows up to a birthday party with their own pins and blindfold, won't shut up about you're "spinning all wrong" then looks shocked, as to why the rest of the guests find them socially repulsive.

Hardcore gamers are generally cliquish, rude, snide and belligerent.
When they aren't attacking casuals, they're attacking each other for the dumbest ****.

"Yeah you beat that boss but, I did it without using half my abilities, blindfolded, with no healing items, on hardcore extreme killer blood-hell mode!"
Don't sell yourself short kid, you also did it with your head up your ass.

This comes from a culture where sarcasm is way more important than ideas.

To be hardcore, a game pretty much needs to be "difficult".
That's all hardcore games really are. Tedious and long, and dragged out and hard.
Because the life of a hardcore gamer generally isn't very taxing, they can turn to games to "challenge" them.

Often times they'll wax on about how casual gamers are gradually killing the market, while ignoring the fact that the market has always had room for both players and, that some people have a life to kick their ass. That, when they sit down to play a video game, it's not so damn important that a player needs to turn it into some perfectionist job you don't get payed for.

That maybe, a person who doesn't piss 90% of their paycheck on games also deserves to enjoy a game.

Me? I qualify as a hardcore gamer, but I hate the term. I'm ashamed of HC gamers and how awful they make gamers look. How ignorant they are. How arrogant and myopic. How they taunt and belittle people simply for failing to take a f*cking game too seriously.

Hardcore gamers want the entire medium of electronic games for themselves. They don't care about anyone else. They're selfish, ignorant tools who want to stay in the basement, never getting laid.

There is a big difference, between wanting a challenge and, demanding everyone should. See past your own god damn skills for once in your lives. Learn to accept that not everyone can sit in front of a monitor for hours mastering a game.
If you need to insult a person's gaming preference, you're the one that needs to stop playing.
Hardcore gamers want games to be hard for the sake of compensating for an empty, easy life. They have nothing else to be proud of so they look to gaming for some shred of pride.
If only they displayed that pride with some manner of grace and civility. [/QUOTE]

[AvatarOfLight]

Why do you say that?
It seems to me developers are leaning more and more to the casual gamers, than the hardcore ones.

Urban Dictionary: Hardcore Gamers

[Stworca]

I like hardcore gamer term to be associated with "Plays the game the hardest possible way", not "Tells other people they suck, because he plays the game the hardest possible way". I may fit the first one, but the second one are not "hardcoregamers" or "softcoregamers" or even "softcorepornactors", they're morons.

However, should we really care about types of gamers? Isn't it better to just PLAY them?

In my opinion the games are more casual each year, and i don't like that too much.. However, there is a simple solution : Playing the old ones.

Oi.

[Ares2382]

In my opinion the games are more casual each year, and i don't like that too much.. However, there is a simple solution : Playing the old ones.

Oi.

There's only so many times you can play the same games over and over again, until they become not as fun anymore.

[Xandax]

Games have become more casual over the years, but the main reason for that is that they've also become much more mainstream over the years. Back when gaming began - so to speak - it was a very niche segment playing games, now it is a very wide segment. Especially with the introductions of the more family style consoles as well a larger than ever segment have been opened up to the concept of gaming and therefore such segments are also considered when making - for example - PC games.

Other arguments as well are that the "hardcore" gamers (how ever you want to define the segment) have played many games, and therefore they're not as easily stumped anymore as they were back in the days. More experience, more knowledge about games and how they work etc will make modern (and old) games seem easier.
I've replied many old games the later years and for the vast majority of them, the nostalgia surrounding them had clouded my opinion about quality and difficulty. Many are still great and difficult, but others I simply remembered wrong because they were new shiny toys in a brand new world.

Also to follow that trail, but many of the ones who started the whole "hardcore gaming" scene have now since grown up and gotten a lot more responsibilities in real life, but still wants computer games to play. Developers know this as well.

Anyways - mainstream games will therefore be more casual than many remember them as from their "older days".
However - if you then want more hardcore or niche inspired games, you're also looking the wrong place if looking at the mainstream market.
Many indie and niche productions still exists where you can get new games.

[sesobebo]

Refuse to accept that, like board games, video games are made to be enjoyed. They aren't made for you to feel good about yourself. there are hardcore boardgamers out there too and, they also miss the point.

A bit unfounded generalization there. I don't think anyone playing any game doesn't get some sort of enjoyment out of it (Deerhunter roulette like games excluded). There is satisfaction to be had even from as arbitrary thing as playing the game for weeks or months to obtain the skill and know-how to play the game well.

However - if you then want more hardcore or niche inspired games, you're also looking the wrong place if looking at the mainstream market.
Many indie and niche productions still exists where you can get new games.

Sums it up quite nicely. Don't look at Yours Biowares for hardcore games, look for the companies that might be the next Bioware.

[The Traveller]

It seems to me developers are leaning more and more to the casual gamers, than the hardcore ones.

Yep, it makes economic sense as there are a lot more casual gamers than hardcore gamers. Nothing wrong with a good immersive experience mind you, but a too-blinkered focus is rarely healthy.

I dunno, this rant could have been copied and pasted over from any hobby really.