Too good for casual play - how to preserve the fun?

[Zing]

I've always had this problem with the Mario Kart games. For some reason, everyone else I know is terrible at them.

[Ivo]

I think the answer is play some other game instead.

I don't think losing on purpose is a good option. It may even be fun for the others, but probably at that point you are not enjoying it. Similarly, unless you happen to have the griefer personality type in games, you are likely not enjoying defeating them when there is no challenge either.

You can try handycaps but that isn't very elegant (in race games you can start a few seconds later, in fighting games you can agree that you start at lower health be letting them land a few moves on the start, whatever is reasonable).

If the other players are interested in getting better that is good and you can try training them so it is challenging for everyone, if they are not interested in that then I think co-op games or a game where your competitive level is more matched is the only real solution to preserve everyone's fun. Also keep in mind not everyone finds competitive games fun, even when the skills are balanced.

Ivo.

[dsheinem]

in fighting games I tend to just always let the game randomly pick my character. I find that it avoids me wanting to always use those few characters I am best with and it is (hopefully) perceived as much more fair to my opponent. People who always use 3-4 characters (or less) and usually dominate with them are pretty boring to play in friendly competition.

[noiseredux]

in fighting games I tend to just always let the game randomly pick my character. I find that it avoids me wanting to always use those few characters I am best with and it is (hopefully) perceived as much more fair to my opponent. People who always use 3-4 characters (or less) and usually dominate with them are pretty boring to play in friendly competition.

I don't mind someone sticking to one, or a handful of characters as they learn them. But I do agree that if you have one character that you're winning a dozen matches in a row, that's boring. Like mj said, if I win two or three in a row with the same character, I switch to another. If I'm losing a bunch in a row with the same character, it's probably because I'm still trying to learn that character.

[fastbilly1]

We tried letting the winner swapout instead of the loser. Aslong as its just for fun, there hasnt been an issue. Well once there was, but he was an ass to begin with. He was fine for most of the night, but won a match and wouldnt give up the controller, despite doing it a dozen times prior. He "got tired of toying with noobs and is going teach us a lesson." After he lost the next round he got pissed and left.