Basically what the title says. What do you think makes a game "hardcore" or "casual"? Where is the line drawn? What attributes can only hardcore or casual games have? Discuss
What Makes A Game "Hardcore"?
- Thread starter dfcrackhead
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So, there's literally not a single hardcore game available.RUINER ACTUAL said:
I always considered war games to be about as "hardcore" as it gets, while games that are made with families in mind are more "casual." But that's just me.
This.L3m0n_L1m3 said:
If the game is made for families and kids or doesn't appeal to the adult demographic then it is not hardcore.
it's many thing not every feature is needed but mostly a few styles or common themes arrivedfcrackhead said:
Casual game often lack a branching narative stick to mostly aracde style mechanics so something like minesweeper really simple single mechanic no narative to progress on
Wii sports is another example gameplay is mastered in a few minutes with no new mechanics being brought into play, also mantains a pick up and play style.
A solid RPG say like dragon age falls on the hardcore side, long extensive narative thats requires not massivly long play sessions but still requires frequent play sessions so not to become disengaged from the narative or lose sight of the progession of what you have done and where you need to go.
Typically introduces and requires new skills to be learnt so like gaining new spells and having to combine them now that more options are available, or having tought choice now that in game funds allow a greater variety of equipment that effects more skills askiung the player to think more carefully about how thoses mechanics interact.
Tetris for example is a great casual game, you can't forget how to play, rotating blocks is all you are ever asked to learn, having repetive gameplay means that even 15 mins of play is not much different to playing for 2 hours.
Hardcore like dragon age really does not lend itself to pick up and play much like how you would never read a book 80 pages at a time and only picking up the book every couple of months or so, read another 80 pages and put it down again.
A casual game can be experienced like that whereas hardcore games really can't 15 mins in dragon age might be totally spent just shopping for items or other busy work that is quite dull but when you play for say a 2 hour slot you do other more interesting things.
5 minutes of tetris is as fun as anyother, you really wouldn't fire up dragon age if you were going out in 10 minutes time.
Have to agree.Zhukov said:
And to the people saying that kids don't play hardcore games... Kids play everything, especially "hardcore" titles. How many 13 year olds have you met recently (or ever) that would buy Mario's Happy Colo(u)r Game rather than Realism: Modern Battlefeild 2033 Part 12: Revenge of The Brown People?
I'm not saying these kids all have hardcore games, heck some of the parents out there can read the little box in the corner, but if they had a fake ID a fake mustache, already had beer and cigarettes or whatever else you use fake ID's for, and they wanted to buy a game tell me they'd buy the happy, colo(u)rful one. Now try it with a straight face.
To summarize jamesworkshop's very intuitive post with my interpretation and opinion:
A hardcore game is a game that, for whatever reason, necessitates either frequent or extended playing sessions.
This includes multiplayer based games because they require large amounts of playing in order to make progress in the developer's stat advancement of choice.
This also includes long RPG games because they require frequent playing in order not to lose sight of the narrative and/or to complete the story.
This, however, does NOT include 'casual' games because one does not need to play multiple times or for long periods of time in order to get the entirety of said game's purpose, even if one feels inclined to. This means that a person can play a casual game in a hardcore manner, but does not make that game hardcore itself.
A hardcore game is a game that, for whatever reason, necessitates either frequent or extended playing sessions.
This includes multiplayer based games because they require large amounts of playing in order to make progress in the developer's stat advancement of choice.
This also includes long RPG games because they require frequent playing in order not to lose sight of the narrative and/or to complete the story.
This, however, does NOT include 'casual' games because one does not need to play multiple times or for long periods of time in order to get the entirety of said game's purpose, even if one feels inclined to. This means that a person can play a casual game in a hardcore manner, but does not make that game hardcore itself.
For me, hardcore games are immersive, can provide straight HOURS of entertainment, and entice you to come back as soon as possible for more fun/punishment.
As for casual, a quick pick-up, short, smaller replay value, more like something to do when bored...
As for casual, a quick pick-up, short, smaller replay value, more like something to do when bored...
I would certainly buy a Mario game, over Modern Battlefield 2033 Part 12: Revenge of the Brown People.StBishop said:
For me personally, hardcore games are immersive, incredibly fun, usually having puzzles and action (Like PoP, or Commander Keen), and can provide hours of entertainment, even after I've beaten the main campaign.
Also, Minecraft is totally hardcore, even though it only fits one piece of the criteria.
Ahem, its just a label, it isn't a real thing. When I was a young man, my mates and I would have epic Mario Kart duels, some individual bouts lasting ten minutes or more. We played Mario Kart hardcore, despite not many people considering SNES mario kart a hardcore game. It's all in how you play.
To be fair, oblivion with guns is about as "pick up and faceroll" casual as bejeweled. On any difficulty.RUINER ACTUAL said:
