So I'm a jack of all trades. So?

[Beautiful End]

Ok, so this is something that...I believe I am right but I dunno. So let's see.

When I was younger, I'd play a game and complete it 100%, I just had more time and determination back then (Too bad trophies/achievements weren't around back then). But now, I don't have a lot of spare time and I just like to play games for the heck of playing them. I enjoy them. Completing 100% isn't important to me if it interferes with me having fun.

Anyway, I love RPGs. I wouldn't say I'm an RPG expert but I'm okay. Same with platformers, puzzle games, FPS, etc. I can't think of a single game where I can say "Yeah, I'm pretty badass at this game and I'll prove it" without feeling like I'm lying. On the other hand, most of my friends can claim they're really good at CoD. Another friend of mine is really good at Portal. Some other is badass at any sport game. Another friend of mine puts my Minecraft creation to shame. And like I said, I'm decent at most genres/games but I'm no expert at none of them. Jack of all trades, master of none.

But is that really bad? A friend of mine teases me by saying I'm not a "real" gamer because of that. He's joking, of course, but I can't help but feel like there's a lot of people who might think like that in all seriousness.

So what do you guys think? Can a gamer choose to not be an expert at a genre or game and still be taken seriously or should we all have at least one game we're good at?

Note: For anyone who's about to go "Oh, ANOTHER one of those whiny threads", don't. I will retaliate with a "Oh, yet ANOTHER pissy guy commenting on a topic he clearly has no interest on AGAIN!". I'm not whinning, I'm not talking about a specific game I played, I just wanna know what everyone else thinks. TO everyone else. have a nice day.

 

[hazabaza1]

Doesn't matter if you're absolute shit or amazing at everything, if you're playing as much as you want to and enjoying yourself, the who cares, right?

 

[FalloutJack]

Christ, not this again. Lemme put it on the loud speakers for those guys.

[HEADING=2]Games are for having fun![/HEADING]

Expertise... Gimme a break.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Honestly, I think that if there is not at least one game that you keep on going back to even though you have seen it all then it probably means you have a shallower interest in games than you could. But that doesn't mean you have to be the best at the game or some sort of world leading authority on it.

 

[Zhukov]

How could it possibly matter to anyone in any way whatsoever?

If someone seriously thinks less of you because you don't specialize in a particular genre of game then... well, fuck... just laugh at them, because you are clearly in the company of the truly pathetic. So tip your head back and laugh until your ribs break.

 

[veloper]

Letting that obsessive compulsion to complete or fully master your games go is the first step to getting some recreational value out of this hobby.

Unless you aim to become a pro who has a real chance at winning tournament money (Starcraft), then there's no glory, no benefit in being an "expert" at a game.
Becoming better at a certain game is a proces you really have to enjoy, else you're just wasting your time.
Me I have dozens of games I haven't finished and unless I feel I'm in the mood for playing I'm not going to pick them up, no regrets.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

Yeah pretty much what everyone else is saying. If you enjoy a game it doesn't matter if you excel at it.

I mostly play single-player games and I enjoy the heck out of taking my time and enjoying myself. Right now I am going through Demons Souls and getting my ass handed to me by a giant creature in the Latria tower level. I'm still having a hell of a time.

 

[Guffe]

Depends, if your goal is to become really good at a game then go for it, if you, just like me and you OP, just want to enjoy games then play them for the fun of it!

 

[gigastrike]

Who cares? Just play it.

 

[AngloDoom]

[HEADING=2]Games are for having fun![/HEADING]

Yeah, if you're worrying about this sort of thing I think you need to take a break from gaming websites for a while, play something like Crash Bandicoot and relearn to take pleasure in bright colours and simplicity.

 

[krazykidd]

I have played in a couple of local fighting game tournaments . I didn't win , but i didn't go 0-0 . It's fun. Having not mastered a game, doesn't make you less of a gamer . But you sound like you would like to . Do you?

 

[NathLines]

I'd say you are lucky. I enjoy games the most when I'm new and not very skilled at them. I remember when I was younger and it seemed like an impossible feat to beat a lvl 9 bot in Super Smash Bros. That was fun. I can probably pick the game up now and beat 3 of them without any effort.

I found League of Legends way more fun when I was still learning about all the champions, runes and skills. 2000 games later, there is only competition left. I do like to be competitive every now and again, but most of the time I just hate it. I don't have anything to prove in a game. That's pretty much why I prefer to play co-op games; any skills help other players instead of helping to beat them.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

So you like to play all kinds of games, I fail to see how that's a problem. Besides, didn't you say that you're just playing for fun anyway?

EDIT:

Christ, not this again. Lemme put it on the loud speakers for those guys.

[HEADING=2]Games are for having fun![/HEADING]

Expertise... Gimme a break.

Exactly. If you're not having fun, then you're doing it wrong. Or rather you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

 

[thesilentman]

No, OP. People can be good at many things at many times. I myself am in the same situation as you; I beat everyone in COD (I don't own the game) most days, I'll ace through tower defense like Plants vs. Zombies, and I have an absolute blast in RPGs such as Dark Souls and the TES games.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

It's fine if you're enjoying yourself, but there are some things you may miss out on, which likely won't bother you because if they did you'd likely already be working to resolve the issue. For example, clans in shooters and RTSs, raid groups in MMOs, sometimes even particular co-op games...other players may not want you teamed or clanned with them, in lieu of someone more dedicated, experienced or skilled. That's about the only downside I can think of to not mastering a particular class, character, map, faction, etc.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

But is that really bad? A friend of mine teases me by saying I'm not a "real" gamer because of that. He's joking, of course, but I can't help but feel like there's a lot of people who might think like that in all seriousness.

So what do you guys think? Can a gamer choose to not be an expert at a genre or game and still be taken seriously or should we all have at least one game we're good at?

Sounds like your friend is winding you up because he knows he's going to get a reaction out of you. This is what friends are for, really.

Realistically, there is always someone better than you. I made it to Starcraft 2 diamond league way back, and I bet I wasn't even in the top 20%. Hell, I don't even really think I deserved to be in DIAMOND. One of the pro players could've put me in their back pocket 25 seconds into a match. I see no reason to brag about your skill in anything, really, no matter how good you are, unless you're A) trying to psych out an opponent or B) trying to impress a girl, and you'll probably do better at B by being humble anyway.

 

[Ledan]

Sometimes I have that feeling as well, especially when I haven't touched a shooter for a while and spend the first two hours getting my arse handed to me.
Then I remember that the reason I play games is because I enjoy it, and gamers have a bond because we all enjoy playing games and have had similar experiences in games. I doesn't really matter if i don't play competitively, I'm still a gamer.