What does it take to be a Hardcore Gamer?

[Pete Oddly]

I consider a hardcore gamer anyone who plays a game until they have mastered it, in all forms, and cannot be beaten except by people who also have this kind of dedication.

I'm just a regular gamer, unless we're playing Goldeneye for N64. Then I am a GOD.

 

[Tommy T.]

There isn't such thing as hardcore gamers. It's just bunch of kids whining how something sucks and how they "PWN n000bs" in their spazzy FPS games. With so called HC gamer comes casual gamer that's just a excuse for devs to make a game that are piss easy, cheap to make and print cash like a narwhal on fire.

In the end it's something shit that will result in to a flame war.

 

[SantoUno]

I'm sure nobody will pay much attention to this, but I refuse to use the term "hardcore" to describe someone who is actually into playing games throughout their life and playing new games that come out to stay in the current trend of gaming. I would rather call this kind of person a "dedicated" gamer.

To put it more simply:

• You play games often, few times a week minimum.
  
  You have had a history of playing games.
  
  You look forward and plan to buy future games.
  
  You have developed your own taste in games (which genres you prefer, etc.)
  
  You are up-to-date in the current trend/generation of games (you play something other than Nintendo 64 games because you are not intimidated by today's expanded video game universe).

 

[Twad]

I'm not into the whole 'hardcore' or 'casual' thing. If you play games, you're a gamer. I don't think there's any need for more subdivision than that.

How will they make themselves feel special if they are just like everyone else? No, they must create some blurry, arbitrary category where the way they play is «better», «superior» to the lesser «casual» players.

 

[AdambotLive]

Hardcore is nonexistant.

 

[The_Deleted]

My opinion is to be a hardcore gamer you have to know your stuff and if you don't know anything about a particular game or console or anything really, don't try and act like you do know.

Those that are hardcore know when to shut up and learn. Being good at games also helps this.

Good answer. It's not about playing one game well to the detriment of others enjoyment, it's about knowing your hobby and always looking for new experiences, be it any console from any genre.
Hardcore is not a dirty word if you have the right attitude.

 

[MGlBlaze]

May be a bad example, but; football or any other major sport. At one point it probably started off as some child's game no-one took seriously, and look how such a stupidly big deal they have become.

I will give you that games are a past-time that is meant to be fun, but other games (most notable first person shooters and real-time strategy) require fast thinking, fast reflexes, strategy, planning, skill and determination. Kinda like most sports, actually. Funny, that. There are tournaments for games, after all.

There's nothing stopping people from saying they're a fun past-time, because that's true; saying that it's wrong to take them seriously at the same time, though, is a mark of ignorance. The bottom line is, if you want them to just be fun, then that's okay. Just don't expect everyone else to share your views all the time.

You seem to have gone and ignored your own point. Soccer and other sports did start off as nothings and slowly over time they grew to be accepted parts of society, and accepted socially to be played competitively. This doesent mean that the people who first played it weren't being silly when they proclaimed themself hardcore soccer players (if they did, its an analogy). If gaming grows to be this kind of thing then great, there can be 'hardcore' people as much as a dislike the phrase. However in the present, which is all that matters there aren't and its not.

I have made a mistake... but it isn't what you listed. My mistake was placing some small faith in human beings to realise that my analogy was to draw attention to things that seemed rediculous or wrong in the past that have become commonplace now; including how games apparently all "corrupt people" despite Television, movies, jazz and God-knows what else having apparently done the exact same thing not all that long ago. No, I asked to much from those miserable creatures. I need to state myself more explicitly.

The point was to try and look to the past for a more enlightened and intelligent view of the present; looking at similar events in the past to what things are like now to try and reach a more open-minded state for things to come, but again I was apparently asking too much.

Now I suddenly remember EXACTLY why I hold the general human race with nothing but contempt.

Edit;
Also, if some of what I said loops around on itself a bit, that's because I'm really tired right now.

Ha, the funny thing about what you have just said is how massive a leap it is. First of all, this 'explicit' point you're making is not only one everyone has been over a hundred times, it is one that does not contradict what I have just said.

So, because I have interpretted your (as you suggest, subtle/poorly written) post differntly to how you meant it I have somehow angered you so much you now hold the entire human race in contempt. Truly laughable. If however you're trying to say that I have reminded you of why you hate it, the point of people fearing every new medium is not nearly as stupid as you suggeat. Just because the ones in the past have done no harm does not mean we can assume that the ones in the future are fine. Doing some studies and looking at it logically, surprise suprise, is the logical thing to do. Just because it impedes on your hobby does not make it hideous.

I looked back on the past, assesed it intelligently and considered your view before coming to my own conclusion. It is your arrogance and anger that disappoints me.

I already held the human race with contempt long before you came along, believe me. Of course, I hold 'people' and 'a person' as entirely different things, so don't get me wrong.

And yes, there is nothing wrong with scrutinising the hobby, but a lot of people are simply assuming it's bad and are NOT looking at it logically. This may be somewhat tangential, but remember the ridiculous story surrounding Mass Effect being a 'porn simulator'? Games teaching kids how to shoot? Grand Theft Auto being nothing more than a 'murder simulator'? That's the problem. It is true that it is wrong to assume that games are fine because everything else before it was fine, but it is also just as wrong to assume that games are/will be different.

What I said wasn't intended to directly contradict what you said; it was meant to bring into light a point you seem to be ignoring. Namely, what I just said. Allow me to reiterate;
"It is true that it is wrong to assume that games are fine because everything else before it was fine, but it is also just as wrong to assume that games are/will be harmful instead."

And yes, my point is something people have gone over to the n'th degree, but the problem is, again, that it is STILL often ignored.

Or should I just give up trying to explain myself (I am notoriously bad at this; it's not entirely my fault, actually.) properly at this point and end in a case of 'agreeing to disagree' with our views?

 

[Lazy Kitty]

You need to play with your controller/mouse <color=red>ON FIRE. All the time.

So that's what I've been doing wrong! *Starts looking for a box of matches, gives up, takes flamethrower instead*

 

[robinkom]

You need to not use such asinine labels like "hardcore gamer."

If you're truly "hardcore," you don't need such empty praise and you DON'T run your mouth about how good you are. You just do it... and leave the spectators and opposing player(s) in awe or disgust.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

To be a "Hardcore Gamer" you have to be an elitist douchebag with the annoying tendency to look down your nose and scorn everyone else.
Or this:

http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/0902/hardcore-gamer-loser-vigin-virginity-nerd-gaming-gamer-demotivational-poster-1234151474.jpg

/thread

 

[MGlBlaze]

I understand your point but all I'm saying is your preaching to the choir. Hell I've written to Atkinson personally. I'm sorry if it seems that I'm blowing off your point, because it is valid.

You're explaining yourself perfectly well.

I don't feel that we should agree to disagree because it seems that through this miscommunication we both agree with eachothers points. So, I guess we can bid eachother good-day. Have a good week and hell, have a good christmas/new year.

/edit, wait I never asked. Do you believe in his 'hardcore gamer'?

In this case, I think it really was a serious miscommunication. It's fine, I had you figured wrong too, there's no need to apologise. I have a habit of doing that as well as saying things the wrong way myself, unfortunately. It can make talking to me a bit... hard sometimes. To say the least.

Thanks, and you too.

 

[NickCooley]

To be an arrogant gamer you need to be an arrogant burke that spends a lot of time playing games. There's nothing wrong with gaming a lot. But thinking you're better because of it is really just pathetic. Simple really.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

A 'Hardcore' gamer is someone who takes gaming seriously, and has at least a moderate amount of talent. Note: Talent and skill are not the same thing. Talent is something you're born with, while skill you can gain over time.

 

[Punisher A.J.]

If you look at a cosplay convention and know every video game character.... Its something that shames me to this day....

 

[Captain Pancake]

Well, first off you'll need too much spare time.

 

[mr gonzomatic]

An old friend of mine and I had a convo just like this about a month back as she was with me as I picked up Muramasa and HotD: Overkill; she was returning her bricked X-360 for the nth time.

We determined the gamer's come with three main flavors with those in between being more common.

Casual- The gamer that plays occasionally and typically with only one console and a few favored genres. Like Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders fans who play Madden specifically to see their favorite team become the greatest gridiron dynasty 'evar'.

Enthusiast- These are the gamers that typically own more than one console, handhelds not included as these will almost always have at least one handheld even if it may be their favorite Tiger game as a kid. They play because it's fun and a nice way to blow away a rainy day. Game purchases are typically made after demoing, rentals, and researching said game. After all if a million people say it's good, it has to be at least decent.

Hardcore- These are the gamer's that are outright scary. They own every console that ever broke into the mainstream or the gamer with a favored console who gobbles up everything for said console touting it as the 'best console EVAR'. Don't even say anything bad about the hardcore gamer's favorite console as he/she WILL resort to pushing and throwing fists. X-360's lack of proper ventilation and faulty optical drives? Never happened. PS3's heavyweight crown and lack of six-axis support making it an expensive add-on that is rarely used? Not possible. The Wii's initial charm hiding it's roots as a (more or less) gimmick system? Mum's the word. Although ironically, most gamer's in this category fall into the gramer sub-category.

 

[Hiphophippo]

No life.

Seriously though, putting flame stickers over the vents of your 360. It makes it go faster.

lol'd pretty hard.

ot

just a real passion for the hobby. nothing else needed.