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This is my personal Wii related blog. I'd like it if everyone could look over it and tell me their thoughts.
What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
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bustaballs
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Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
Pretty interesting article - it's kinda hard to define what a hardcore gamer is, but i'd put them in either two catagories;
a) people who just love video games - gaming is their number 1 hobby & they devote an inordinate amount of time to their pursuit.
b) people who play nothing but online shooters. I personally wouldn't refer to them as hardcore gamers, more like obnoxious Halo kids, but it's definetly what they refer to themselves as.
As i'm more inclined to agree with a), I believe you can totally still be considered a hardcore gamer, but only own a Wii (or use it as your primary gaming system) because it's a love of games that makes you a hardcore, rather than casual, gamer - not the genre or the difficulty of the games you play.
You are correct in the fact that the most popular system has always had the most shovelware, but in the Wii's case this has become a problem as it's compounded by Nintendo's new strategy - i.e, release a handful of our classic franchises each year, along with loads of inventive casual titles that the average gamer won't care about, while relying on 3rd party titles to keep non-casual gamers interested. The trouble with this is that there are some serious droughts throughout the year - I personally haven't turned my Wii on since the day I completed No More Heroes. WiiWare started off great, I really liked LostWinds & Final Fantasy: My Life as a King, but since then theres been very little to tempt me. If it wasn't for 5 or 6 titles that are releasing next year, my Wii would have been sold already. As for the online, it's not bad - it's just misconcieved and totally feels like an afterthought on Nintendo's part. I wouldn't even bother comparing it to the premium Xbox Live, but compared to the totally free PSN the Wii's online service is still distinctly lacking.
As for the no good games thing, that is all really a matter of perspective and personal opinion - out of the games released on the Wii already, I have felt compelled to purchase just 6 of them, but enjoyed only 3 (Umbrella Chronicles, No More Heroes, Super Mario Galaxy). Incidently I have over 50 games for the PS3, so in my opinion while the Wii does have some good games and has some amazing titles coming up this year, it's line-up totally pales in comparison to the PS3 or 360's line-up.
a) people who just love video games - gaming is their number 1 hobby & they devote an inordinate amount of time to their pursuit.
b) people who play nothing but online shooters. I personally wouldn't refer to them as hardcore gamers, more like obnoxious Halo kids, but it's definetly what they refer to themselves as.
As i'm more inclined to agree with a), I believe you can totally still be considered a hardcore gamer, but only own a Wii (or use it as your primary gaming system) because it's a love of games that makes you a hardcore, rather than casual, gamer - not the genre or the difficulty of the games you play.
You are correct in the fact that the most popular system has always had the most shovelware, but in the Wii's case this has become a problem as it's compounded by Nintendo's new strategy - i.e, release a handful of our classic franchises each year, along with loads of inventive casual titles that the average gamer won't care about, while relying on 3rd party titles to keep non-casual gamers interested. The trouble with this is that there are some serious droughts throughout the year - I personally haven't turned my Wii on since the day I completed No More Heroes. WiiWare started off great, I really liked LostWinds & Final Fantasy: My Life as a King, but since then theres been very little to tempt me. If it wasn't for 5 or 6 titles that are releasing next year, my Wii would have been sold already. As for the online, it's not bad - it's just misconcieved and totally feels like an afterthought on Nintendo's part. I wouldn't even bother comparing it to the premium Xbox Live, but compared to the totally free PSN the Wii's online service is still distinctly lacking.
As for the no good games thing, that is all really a matter of perspective and personal opinion - out of the games released on the Wii already, I have felt compelled to purchase just 6 of them, but enjoyed only 3 (Umbrella Chronicles, No More Heroes, Super Mario Galaxy). Incidently I have over 50 games for the PS3, so in my opinion while the Wii does have some good games and has some amazing titles coming up this year, it's line-up totally pales in comparison to the PS3 or 360's line-up.
PSN; Bootaaay ---------------------------------------------------------------- XBL; B007444Y
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
Interesting article that, I like the Wii too and think that it has more than enough great games to warrant owning one. I remember smiling when I read a very simple answer to this question. A hardcore gamer is someone that owns a piece of hardware with the words 'Neo Geo' on it 
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
Overall nice article
I don't agree with your definition of a hardcore gamer. I believe a hardcore gamer is, someone that plays Hardcore games. What you defined is someone that is a, 'video game lover'.
When a hardcore gamer walks into a shop. All the games that aren't worthy of the gamers time melt away. Only the hardcore games remain, that produce the challenge that the gamer needs. Challenge really is the bottom line for hardcore gaming.
I don't agree with your definition of a hardcore gamer. I believe a hardcore gamer is, someone that plays Hardcore games. What you defined is someone that is a, 'video game lover'.
When a hardcore gamer walks into a shop. All the games that aren't worthy of the gamers time melt away. Only the hardcore games remain, that produce the challenge that the gamer needs. Challenge really is the bottom line for hardcore gaming.
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
I liked your article, again I didnt entirely agree with your definitions but thats the point of these things isnt it?
My wii is my only current gen machine and I love it. Nice to hear it get some praise from some serious games for a change.
@RemyC - I agree that challenge is incredibly important, for me most of the pleasure comes from the frustration/acheived cycle involved in playing challenging games but then and again I've been enoying Bully a lot lately. Even though its incredibly easy I'm enjoying the exploring and shooting my bottle rocket at police and hoboes.
In the other extreme, anyone who has played the original Diskworld game will know that challenge and frustration are best in controlled methods.
My wii is my only current gen machine and I love it. Nice to hear it get some praise from some serious games for a change.
@RemyC - I agree that challenge is incredibly important, for me most of the pleasure comes from the frustration/acheived cycle involved in playing challenging games but then and again I've been enoying Bully a lot lately. Even though its incredibly easy I'm enjoying the exploring and shooting my bottle rocket at police and hoboes.
In the other extreme, anyone who has played the original Diskworld game will know that challenge and frustration are best in controlled methods.
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
i got a grip of games
We are prepared to live in the plain and die in the plain!
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
Would you define Bully as a hardcore game then?Curlypaul wrote: @RemyC - I agree that challenge is incredibly important, for me most of the pleasure comes from the frustration/acheived cycle involved in playing challenging games but then and again I've been enoying Bully a lot lately. Even though its incredibly easy I'm enjoying the exploring and shooting my bottle rocket at police and hoboes.
If a game isn't hardcore, it doesn't make it a bad game.
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
I agree that the biggest problem with the Wii is the way they did online. Most of the games with online have such a horrible implimentation (SSBB anyone?) that it robs the fun out of it. However, a few do have a good online, like Mario Kart. The continuous GP matches are great if you're just looking to play, and the friend codes aren't nearly as bad due to the fact that you only need to trade them once. You have whoever's going to start the first game get everyone's friend codes, and then in the lobby there's an option to automatically trade friend codes with everyone. Once you've got that set up it's great.
For me, a hardcore gamer has always been someone who plays a lot of games and makes informed decisions about what he's going to play. Simply by virtue of playing a lot of games he's going to get better at them and seek out the harder titles. But that won't stop him from getting an easier title for a multitude of reasons.
On the other hand, a casual gamer has always been someone who might play an hour or two a week. As a result, they end up going with games easier to get into or with a shorter playtime.
For me, a hardcore gamer has always been someone who plays a lot of games and makes informed decisions about what he's going to play. Simply by virtue of playing a lot of games he's going to get better at them and seek out the harder titles. But that won't stop him from getting an easier title for a multitude of reasons.
On the other hand, a casual gamer has always been someone who might play an hour or two a week. As a result, they end up going with games easier to get into or with a shorter playtime.
Blizzard Entertainment Software Developer - All comments and views are my own and not representative of the company.
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
Am I alone in thinking that Destructoid has a few too many elitists? Well, maybe "elitists" isn't the right word. I just always feel put off whenever I visit any part of that community, whether it's the community blogs, the main blog, or the forums. I mean regardless of your personal definition of "hardcore" I think we all here can agree that there are at least a few hardcore gamers at both Destructoid and at Racketboy. Yet the people here, in general, seem so much nicer. So I'd like to propose in light of this evidence that being a hardcore gamer does not necessarily mean you have to be a d*ck to everyone around you, as many of the folks in the Destructoid community would have you believe. 
It seems really really goofy to me that anyone would be mean to anyone else just because of the games they play. Even getting upset over things like religion and politics seems pretty ridiculous to most of us when we look at the situation from afar. Still, I can understand why you would be upset if someone told you the core of your beliefs are wrong. But video games?? That's just a wee bit too petty to be excusable.
It's a decent article, overall. I can already see that's it going to cause a mini-poopstorm. And since the "success" of most things online is determined by how much controversy and discussion they drum I'd say you started your blog off on the right foot.
It seems really really goofy to me that anyone would be mean to anyone else just because of the games they play. Even getting upset over things like religion and politics seems pretty ridiculous to most of us when we look at the situation from afar. Still, I can understand why you would be upset if someone told you the core of your beliefs are wrong. But video games?? That's just a wee bit too petty to be excusable.
It's a decent article, overall. I can already see that's it going to cause a mini-poopstorm. And since the "success" of most things online is determined by how much controversy and discussion they drum I'd say you started your blog off on the right foot.
Re: What is a hardcore game or hardcore gamer?
Good article And i guess im hardcore cus i play Nethack
But every time i see this casual vs hardcore i just think what happened to just being a gamer.
But then that is never that simple there always have to be groups of gamers that don't mix with the other. Nintendo vs Sega, Casual vs Hardcore, Pc vs Console, MMorpg vs Rpg's ..and even when it's just related to gaming Irate vs Avgn.
And i guess im hardcore cus i play Nethack But every time i see this casual vs hardcore i just think what happened to just being a gamer.
But then that is never that simple there always have to be groups of gamers that don't mix with the other. Nintendo vs Sega, Casual vs Hardcore, Pc vs Console, MMorpg vs Rpg's ..and even when it's just related to gaming Irate vs Avgn.