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

[AppleQueso]

All I know is that I'm not a particularly competitive individual, so I'm not particularly great when it comes to playing fighters against other people, shooting for the highest scores, etc. I just don't have the motivation to put the time investment into really learning the nitty gritty of those kinds of games.

Kinda sucks for me because I actually really enjoy fighters and such, I just don't enjoy the competitive scene that seems to go hand in hand with them at all. It's pretty much the reason why I never play anything online with anyone.

I usually just either stick to single player stuff, or i'll play games against the CPU, or I'll play multiplayer games with people who are about the same skill level and dedicate about the same amount of time into these things as I do.

[Luke]

All I know is that I'm not a particularly competitive individual...

I find that hard to believe.

I have friends from high school that when they visit first thing they want to do is have a SF2 rematch. Extremely competitive, and sometimes extremely high stakes (and sometimes extremely low steaks as my good buddy David and I have been betting HUNGRY MAN Salisbury Steak dinners since 1996).

It's almost always in good fun. I still have a friend or two who is a controller thrower (thank the Lord Genesis controllers are built Ford Tough), but that's only when money is involved.

[Gamerforlife]

All I know is that I'm not a particularly competitive individual, so I'm not particularly great when it comes to playing fighters against other people, shooting for the highest scores, etc. I just don't have the motivation to put the time investment into really learning the nitty gritty of those kinds of games.

Kinda sucks for me because I actually really enjoy fighters and such, I just don't enjoy the competitive scene that seems to go hand in hand with them at all. It's pretty much the reason why I never play anything online with anyone.

I usually just either stick to single player stuff, or i'll play games against the CPU, or I'll play multiplayer games with people who are about the same skill level and dedicate about the same amount of time into these things as I do.

That's kind of why I fell out of being a fan of 2D fighters. I eventually just lost the interest in the competitive aspect of those games, and it's not like developers really put much thought or effort into the single player. It's also one of the many reasons that I'm not a bigger fan of third person shooters and first person shooters. This generation in particular, it seems like sooo much emphasis is put on the competitive multi-player aspect of those games. I'm mostly a single player guy, but if I'm going to do some multi-player gaming, I'd rather it being something co-operative, which is probably why I'm more interested in playing something like Double Dragon Neon than I am something like Skullgirls

It's a shame Capcom never ported Red Earth, as that seems like a good 2D fighter for people more interested in the single player. It actually has some rpg elements to it from what I've read

[harper]

All I know is that I'm not a particularly competitive individual

Me neither, unless we're talking about Mario Kart 64.

[AppleQueso]

All I know is that I'm not a particularly competitive individual...

I find that hard to believe.

Really? I know I've been snappy at times before but I honestly can't get my brain into a "win at all costs" kind of mindset.

[marlowe221]

The only one I can beat? Streets of Rage 2. I'm pretty good at beat'em ups.

Don't take this the wrong way, but SOR2 is insanely easy. I don't know of an enemy including the bosses in the game that can't be easily beaten by "punch, pause while stunned, punch, repeat".

I wholeheartedly believe part of the reason I hear a lot of "I can't beat Sonic (or enter game name here)" is because it's so easy to take out a cart and put a new one in. I think a lot of here enjoy the challenge, and at sometimes welcome the frustration of some games. Could be a generational thing, maybe not. All I know is that if I pay for a game, it's going to be played until I finish it (when possible).

No offense taken - it is an easy game. It's probably the easiest beat'em up I've ever played (and I've played a lot of them, it's one of my favorite genres).

My point was simply that you don't have to be able to beat games to enjoy them. I enjoy all the Genny games I have even though I haven't beaten very many of them.

Some of the games I listed I just got and haven't had the time to put into them yet - Beyond Oasis and Starflight are in that category.

Others I am stuck at a particular point - the falling rock level in Shinobi 3 is driving me crazy!!

And others I just suck at and likely will never beat - the shm'ups. I still LIKE them, I just recognize that shm'ups are not my bag.

Interestingly enough, I have beaten lots of games for SNES, which I grew up with, across multiple genres (still no shm'ups though).

[Luke]

Really? I know I've been snappy at times before but I honestly can't get my brain into a "win at all costs" kind of mindset.

Maybe I'm confusing "competitive" with "not giving up" (which is a part of being competitive).

Always thought of you as more of a "never quit" kind of guy who wouldn't be a fan of losing.

Could be just a misinterpretation of your posts, but you just don't seem to be the type to back down.

[isiolia]

That's kind of why I fell out of being a fan of 2D fighters. I eventually just lost the interest in the competitive aspect of those games, and it's not like developers really put much thought or effort into the single player.

Blazblue? Granted, it'd probably depend greatly on one's tolerance for anime tropes.

To me it's more a matter of how serious the competition is. FPS games at a small LAN party, or passing the controllers around for some casual fighting fun is one thing. I couldn't see doing a formal tournament or something.

[AppleQueso]

Really? I know I've been snappy at times before but I honestly can't get my brain into a "win at all costs" kind of mindset.

Maybe I'm confusing "competitive" with "not giving up" (which is a part of being competitive).

Always thought of you as more of a "never quit" kind of guy who wouldn't be a fan of losing.

Could be just a misinterpretation of your posts, but you just don't seem to be the type to back down.

I suppose you do have a point there, I definitely don't like losing. Which is why I certainly don't like having my ass kicked nonstop trying to play Street Fighter online with people who dedicate a lot more time and effort into the game than I do.

I don't have a problem losing in a game, but let's face it, never winning isn't fun.

I guess you could say I'm just kinda prideful. I'd hate to be a bad sport.

[Menegrothx]

I'm mostly a single player guy, but if I'm going to do some multi-player gaming, I'd rather it being something co-operative, which is probably why I'm more interested in playing something like Double Dragon Neon than I am something like Skullgirls

There are competitive co-operative games too, it's not all 1v1/free for all. There are plenty of competitive games where the objective is to work as a team against another team like Counter Strike and World of Warcraft's 2v2/3v3/5v5 arena. Although I'm not sure if that's what you meant