Your views of Casual vs Hardcore gaming.

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Danpascooch

Zombie Specialist
Apr 16, 2009
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I want to know what the Escapist thinks of Casual gaming vs Hardcore gaming, just a free forum for ideas on what you think of the growing permeation of casual games on the market.


To sum up my opinion on the subject, I think the difference between casual gaming and hardcore gaming is the difference between cinema and Youtube, and that casual gamers are missing out.

EDIT:
Before people start making assumptions, let me point out something about my opinion:

I feel that casual gamers are missing out, but it's their choice, and I don't think playing casual games is "wrong" I just feel like MOST of those people would probably enjoy hardcore gaming more if they tried it out.

The only time I actually get annoyed by casual gaming is when it affects hardcore gaming negatively, for example, the fact that casual gaming denied hardcore gamers a real Nintendo console for this generation

EDIT2:
Someone asked me what I believe makes a hardcore game hardcore, and I think I should specify.

It's hard to look at one defining characteristic that makes a game hardcore, but the closest thing I can find to a common separating characteristic between Hardcore and Casual games is the presence of a story arc.

A hardcore game is something that could be turned into a novel (more often than not a shitty novel though) while a casual game often has no story at all, much less a proper conflict-resolution story arc. I find this to be the main difference that separates games like Portal and Mass Effect from games like Wii Sports and Wii Carnival Games.

Please note though, this is not the only difference, and this does not apply to all games (for example, many racing games) it is just what I found to be the closest single difference I could find. I am also not saying that a storyline is what makes hardcore games better than casual games (although I definitely think it's a factor) I am merely using it as a sort of litmus test, a characteristic that you will notice most hardcore games have, and most casual games do not.
 

delet

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Nov 2, 2008
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I think I enjoy playing whatever game I enjoy playing so I don't care whether it's considered 'hardcore' or 'casual' as long as I can enjoy it.
 

Sneaky Paladin

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Jan 21, 2009
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Yeah people who go to the cinema are missing out....

ANYWAY I think casual gaming is fine if it encourages them to try more hardcore games later. DOING IT WRONG: Farmville and most nintendo games. DOING IT RIGHT: many flash based games that encouraged me to get into games like zelda and metal slug and onto more and more hardcore games
 

atalanta

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Dec 27, 2009
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Why does it matter? Seriously, what exactly is SO HORRIBLE AND UPSETTING about people wanting to play, say, exclusively PopCap games and not Halo? Why should casual games push people into more hardcore games? Furthermore, why draw such a huge distinction between casual games and hardcore games?

People will play the games they want to play, and that's awesome.
 

Danpascooch

Zombie Specialist
Apr 16, 2009
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Furburt said:
I have no problem with casual gamers, as long as their side of the hobby doesn't take precedence over the more serious side. I think both sides should have equal say, and that it's annoying to see companies and gamers constantly take sides in a futile debate. It just irritates me.

Let the casual gamers do as they please.
I agree to this, my main problem is that Casual gaming has denied the hardcore gamers a real Nintendo console for this generation
 

Outright Villainy

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Jan 19, 2010
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o0pwnman0o said:
DOING IT WRONG: Farmville and most nintendo games.
Mario, Pokemon and Zelda turned millions of kids into serious gamers.
However, I will admit stuff like wii play sucks ass. Major assage.
 

SnootyEnglishman

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May 26, 2009
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I personally dont care games are games after all. It's the people that get so into the extreme's of either side of the coin that they feel as if they're the ultimate Paragon of gaming and that everyone is beneath them that gets on my tits.
 

Daveman

has tits and is on fire
Jan 8, 2009
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I think people should have a casual attitude to gaming. It's fine to play games a lot but once you start bragging about K:Ds you are instantly a douchebag in my eyes. Unless you basically only play deathmatch then it doesn't mean shit. Usually it just means you're a pussy who never helps out his team.
 

HellsingerAngel

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Jul 6, 2008
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I don't see games as a definable genre of "hardcore" and "casual". Games are games are games and they all have a particular degree of difficulty. Where the "hardcore" and "casual" titles stem from are people who take games seriously, versus those who play for fun.

Honestly, I have no idea why people still harang on about this. People who don't want to perform will enjoy a game no matter what and, for the most part, shouldn't mix with those that do care about performance. That isn't to say that I approve of every attitude that these types of gamers breed, such as the mockery of those less skilled when they try to play seriously, or the jesting of some taking games "too seriously". Though each has a breaking point (if you really do suck, don't claim to be playing competitavely/don't go robbing yourself of other enriching experiences to memorize map fluidity) most people tend to put down others before those breaking poitns are reached. To each their own, so long as those that are playing clearly understand the intentions of those they're playing with.
 

Danpascooch

Zombie Specialist
Apr 16, 2009
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Furburt said:
danpascooch said:
I agree to this, my main problem is that Casual gaming has denied the hardcore gamers a real Nintendo console for this generation
Eh, I still play the Wii every day. I find casual gaming fun, but I couldn't do it as my sole gaming experience.
What do you play on the Wii? I got it pretty much at launch, then played it for 3 months, since then it's been collecting dust.
 

Danpascooch

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Apr 16, 2009
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Furburt said:
danpascooch said:
What do you play on the Wii? I got it pretty much at launch, then played it for 3 months, since then it's been collecting dust.
Twilight Princess, Red Steel 1+2, Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Super Paper Mario, Resident Evil 4 Wii edition, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, House of the dead Overkill, No More Heroes 1+2, Wario wii game (can't remember the name), Madworld, Mario Strikers Football, Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Medal of Honour Heroes 2, Okami, World Of Goo, Bully: Scholarship edition, Geometry Wars, and I'll be getting Monster Hunter Tri when I can.
Good list, most of those I either beat in the three months before I decided the Wii wasn't worth any more time, or I played them for another console.
 

Souplex

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Jul 29, 2008
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You're oversimplifying it.
There are Gamers, Gramers, and casuals.
The Gramers came in during the N64/PS era and popularized things like Madden and generic shooters.
Casuals are no threat to anything, except the gramer's perceived masculinity. It's really Gamers Vs. Gramers Vs. Casuals.