Brothers, sisters! Let us resolve the hardcore debate!

[Chipperz]

That's definately not bad at all. However, I feel it lacks the elements of knowledge and appreciation of both the industry and the history of gaming that some might consider a hardcore gamer should possess.

yeah... that's kind of under "following up on gaming news". I don't think you really need to know the "history of gaming" to be a hardcore gamer, this especially applies to the newer generation.

I quite like this. Gamers that call themselves Hardcore are so stuck up their own arses that they consider motion controls 'shovelware', it'd help fit if we could force the definition to include "knows fuck all about games". Or, or, just as a suggestion, we could encourage gamers to educate themselves so we see a general reduction in "day 1 DLC should have been in the game", "motion controls are responsible for shit games" and the ilk, saving the internet's precious bandwidth.

OT - if you are aged 15 and under AND cry or get pissy when you lose, you probably define yourself as "Hardcore" Other symptoms include referring to everything as 'gay' and genuinely believing that games are bad because they don't have photorealistic graphics, or are of a genre you don't play yourself.
If you refer to all consoles as 'your playstations' and still play SOMETHING on at least a weekly basis, you're Casual.
If you don't fall into either category above, but still play games, you're a Gamer.

 

[DSK-]

I don't think this (IE an exam) is a good idea. Case in point there are many questions in the quiz's on this site which I have no idea about. I wasn't fortunate in my younger years for my family to be able to afford the old consoles like NES, SNES and Megadrive and had limited experience with them through my friends.

The counter argument from the Council of Hardcore (that's not me by the way, I'm just playing devil's advocate) would say you could read about them on Wikipedia or up the old consoles to play the games. As an alternative you can play a lot of old games via online download such as the Virtual Console. IMHO I think knowing about older games and sometimes the developers behind them can help you to make informed choices about the new games to buy. (John Romero being one of the exceptions to this rule)

You have a good point but those games don't really interest me now. I think you need to have an active interest in the game and be motivated to put the time into.

Why should I care about being or not being hardcore? what does it even mean exactly? I just play games because I enjoy them. Does taking working out and jogging seriously make me a hardcore fitness enthusiast? no I don't think so. I just want to get the most out of what I'm doing and challenge myself.

 

[fuckwit]

How many Pokemon are there?

151.

NO MORE

 

[SlasherX]

I think to be a hardcore gamers you should play at least 10 or more hours of video games a week and stay plugged in to the gameing community and stay up to date on the most important gaming news.

 

[almostnot]

Something that strikes me as I read the comments on this thread, although I wasn't the original idea of posting is that no-one seems to refer to themselves as a hardcore gamer.

My idea behind a quiz/test/assessment was to resolve the issue that many people would be clammering to be seen as one while dismissing those who don't deserve the title but that doesn't seem to be the case at all.

Where then does this term come from? The industry, the media?

While I was typing the above this article [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101581-Microsoft-Kinect-Not-For-Core-Gamers] popped up...

*sigh*

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

two words: grow up

 

[warprincenataku]

I think there are subclasses to hardcore gamers. I myself am no longer a hardcore gamer, but I am quite knowledgeable about certain genres still like RTS's and RPG's. I still play a good one from time-to-time.

 

[khaimera]

How about we stop using made up labels and be individuals.

There are greater things in life to worry about. Just play what you like.

 

[almostnot]

How about we stop using made up labels and be individuals.

There are greater things in life to worry about. Just play what you like.

Clearly, looking at the latest headlines from The Escapist the terms aren't going to go away. Marketing is all about made up labels. If we want to get rid of labels we'd have to convince the games industry to stop selling us games or paying the developers a salary. The terms exist because they are useful. However, digging deeper it does appear that it's a term which is far more popular with the industry and the media than it is with the actual gamers...

 

[khaimera]

How about we stop using made up labels and be individuals.

There are greater things in life to worry about. Just play what you like.

Clearly, looking at the latest headlines from The Escapist the terms aren't going to go away. Marketing is all about made up labels. If we want to get rid of labels we'd have to convince the games industry to stop selling us games or paying the developers a salary. The terms exist because they are useful. However, digging deeper it does appear that it's a term which is far more popular with the industry and the media than it is with the actual gamers...

I agree with you 100%.

However, we as gamers do not need to spend any mental energy thinking about which marketing category we belong in. I know I'm a very hard to clasify gamer because I tend to play everything and for different reasons.

 

[jultub]

How many Pokemon are there?

151

And I consider the term "hardcore gamer" about as valid as "hardcore book reader". It simply isn't something where the term "hardcore" can be applied.

 

[Mr.Kitetsu]

nothing defines a hardcore gamer.absolutely nothing.
for the sake of argument lets say there are hardcore gamers if there were:
its a delusion, when you've sunk enough time time into a game to a point
were they feel separation is necessary

What kind of seperation? Have you got any specific game in mind?

the "we are better than you kind as if they reached a higher state of being and cannot
mingle with the non hardcore aka different
and just general games

 

[hurfdurp]

How many Pokemon are there?

493. Does I wins?

OT: These debate can only be resolved when someone gives a clear cut definition of 'hardcore gamer', which will never happen.

Wow, that many now? I remember such a simpler time ;_;.

 

[NoblePhilistineFox]

How many Pokemon are there?

[HEADING=1] F*CK THAT NOISE[/HEADING]
Im going home right now if thats a question.

OT:
I think that the gaming quiz should be about personall feelings rather than nerd knowledge, ona count of not everyone is able to have the same knowledge readily available.

 

[dfcrackhead]

The definition of "hardcore gamer" is open to interpretation and personally, I don't care if I'm classified as a hardcore, casual or whatever. I enjoy the games I play and I avoid farmville and the like and I couldn't be bothered to take a test just so I could label myself.

 

[Mr. In-between]

I really, really hate the fact that people use terms like "hardcore" to describe anything other than a subgenre of punk rock that had its heyday in the 80s and early 90s. As a matter of fact, I hate the term "hardcore" about as much as I hate the term "old school" and I wish that both of those phrases would be erased from the popular lexicon.

 

[almostnot]

it wouldn't be fair to deny people the right to be hardcore, based on a test

however, it seems fun, so i submit:
Where does Travis Touchdown live?
Where does Gears of War take place?
What gang is CJ a member of in GTA: San Andreas? Where was he living before moving back to San Andreas, and why did he come back?
And most importantly, can you DO THE MARIO?

Take one step and then again,
Come on it's time to go do the Mario!

I used to have a VHS of it and at the end of the song he would jump into a pose, stumble and then straighten back into the pose. So very very funny...

 

[aPod]

The negativity in this forum as depressing at times, the presumptions people make are interesting tho. Perhaps it reflects the state of modern culture that we are quick to defend ourselves and seek the negatives.

I'm not trying to identify a way that we can all define ourselves as hardcore gamers so we can look down our noses at others. Why not look to define the experts and champions within the gaming community to turn to for opinions and gaming advice?

Edit: With that in mind I don't think it's good enough for people to simply label themselves as hardcore gamers, I could call myself a great artist if I wanted to but I wouldn't make me one...

I don't think i was being negative, thats just the way i see it. You can't define a hardcore gamer better than anyone else here has done. Too me it seems like people want to define a hardcore gamer as someone who is either really good at a particular game, plays many many hours, knows a lot of trivia, or plays a wide variety of games... so i would then ask you... a fellow gamer... how many of those criteria do you fit? Probably a majority of them, and the same is true for most everyone on these forums so then what is the purpose of trying to define a hardcore gamer?

"Why not look to define the experts and champions within the gaming community to turn to for opinions and gaming advice?" -almostnot

We already have that though, its called the forums and the entire community with a wide variety of interest and knowledge. I'm not being pessimistic when i say people who try to define themselves as hardcore gamers try to appear to have more gravitas than the lowly casual gamer crowd. That's exactly what they are doing, and on a gaming forum it's the equivalent of being in a country club and all the "high class" socialites look down on someone of lesser status. Yes, we do that in the gamer culture. Why do you think Casual is tossed around as negative and bad.

As for your edit i think you are trying to make a joke about what Keava is saying but you also answer the question yourself. You say With that in mind I don't think it's good enough for people to simply label themselves as hardcore gamers, I could call myself a great artist if I wanted to and then because you are aware of what you are or arent you say but I[t] wouldn't make me one...

Right exactly, but because you know you arent one you wouldnt say you were a great artist. Just like if you knew you were one, or you thought you were one you would be or at the very least say you were. And as Keava stated if you say you are then you are, its simple and sweet and to the point. A test would only appease those in the community who think you have to prove you are as good or better than them.

Anyways a pessimist is what an optimist calls a realist.