Why Do You Have To Be Good At Video Games To Be a Gamer?

[BurningDoom]

I suck at video games. I usually get my butt handed to me in fighting games and FPS. Bullet-hell shmups are pretty much impossible for me to get any further than the 2nd or 3rd level. And I couldn't even beat the first boss on the original XBox Ninja Gaiden. But at the same time, I probably play more video games than anyone else I know (barring this website, of course).

Yet the prevailing mentality is that gamers are good at video games, and if you aren't you're a noob. Hardly the case with me, since I'm 29 and I've been gaming since I was 5.

Why is this? And am I the only one around here that sucks at video games, yet still enjoys them just fine?

[emwearz]

The same reason people who would class themselves as a musician can generally play a instrument well? The more you do something, generally the better you become.

That being said, video games are a form of entertainment, if you are entertained by them, your a gamer. My 2c.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I have a few friends that play just as many games and are much worse.

If you play games as one of your main hobbies, I'd say you're a gamer. Regardless of skill.

[flojocabron]

yes. I do suck at some games. Only a few games really do get my attention and those I like to play to competion.

Some people know all the Characters moves on fighters and some stick to one.

I dont have a head set and I dont know how to game with one. I've played some resistance, homefront and killzone on the ps3 but not online.

I am barely dipping the toe into online gaming.

Also many ask me if i've completed all the games that I have. Sadly no. So yeah I am gamer and I'm not good at games (or completing them).

nothing wrong with that.

[Anapan]

I'm pretty sure you don't...
...tho any 10-year old Halo addict could easily hand my ass to me in Halo...

[Menegrothx]

Many gamers have sinked tens of thousands of hours to Quake/Counter Strike/World of Warcraft/Starcraft/Warcraft 3/insert competitive game here/. A collector who only plays single player games and has thousands of games most likely can't make that kind time commitment to just one game. Even many single player games like simulators, strategy games, some early crpgs and games like Dwarf Fortress and Net Hack take a lot of learning to get into. Many people dont have that kind of attention span, espescially if they have tons of other games waiting to be played.

Although if you get good in some game, it's not like you'll loose all your skills when you switch from game A to game B if they are same genre and play similarly. But you still have to put enough time and effort into playing one particular game of the genre that you get good at it, playing 1 game and getting good at it teaches you way more than trying out briefly 20 different games and just scratching the surface.

[Ivo]

You don't have to be good at video games to play them, clearly...
Just as you don't have to be good at a sport to play it, or to be good at playing music to do it.
Granted, it usually helps to be good to enjoy these activities but it is not a requirement.

You would have to be good at video games to be a professional player, just like with sports and music, but doing it because you want to? You don't have to be good at it, there is no law against it

Now of course you may catch some flack for not being good at it if you involve other people - but if you are enjoying single player by yourself you don't owe anything to anyone other than yourself.
Once again, this mirrors what occurs with sports (in team or competitive sports you may get flack if you are not good, but not if you do it by yourself) and music (playing in a group or with someone listing may get flack if you are not good, but not if you do it by yourself).

So the problem is not you, the problem is other people

Ivo.

[BoneSnapDeez]

For all intents and purposes, I'm terrible at games. Generally the only ones I can ever finish are turn-based (ie: require no dexterity or hand-eye coordination whatsoever).

I'm generally pretty bad at anything fast-paced. I've never beaten (or even made any progress) in any of the classic "Nintendo Hard" games. I can't complete a shmup to save my life, unless it has an arcade mode with infinite credits (I've owned Darius Twin for about 6 months and still can't beat the first level). 1cc? Get the hell out of here. I'm pretty sure I've never finished a fighting game or beat-em-up. Even Super Mario Bros. is tough for me. I managed to beat a Sonic game for the first time in my life a few weeks ago - by massively abusing save states.

Is it a problem? Not really. As I already mentioned, I tend to gravitate towards games I AM good at. Also, I can still have a blast with games I know I'll never finish. I've played the first three levels of Ninja Gaiden/Castle Shikigami 2/Golden Axe/Ghosts n Goblins/etc countless times and had a blast every time - I think this is simply the mark of a well-designed game.

As others have said, you don't have to be "good" at an activity to enjoy it - this applies to anything not just gaming. I like running, but I'm pretty slow these days. I like to read and write, despite being awful at both. Just play the games you love, do the best you can, and don't worry about what anyone thinks.

[Menegrothx]

For all intents and purposes, I'm terrible at games. Generally the only ones I can ever finish are turn-based (ie: require no dexterity or hand-eye coordination whatsoever).

I'm generally pretty bad at anything fast-paced.

Practicing hand-eye cordination is very fun and once you get the hang of it, it's kind of like riding a bike, you dont forget your skills even if you might get a little rusty after a long break. Once you stop dying all the time and actually killing people, it becomes very addictive. Playing against real human beings is so rewarding and satisfying that you can play the same map (de_dust2!) hundreds or thousands of times again and again and you'll never got bored or feel like it's repetitive.
So practicing hand-eye cordination isn't some horrible tedious busywork like practicing grammar or getting in good physical shape.

[Luke]

Why do you have to be good at picking up women to be a player?

I don't think your ability at gaming has anything to do with warranting the title "gamer". Personally I think I'm very competent at beating "difficult" games but with that in mind I'm not a fan of being called a "gamer". "Video Game Enthusiast" is fine by me.