A question to our openly female racketboy members?

[Czernobog]

Like most other gamers I'm sure, some games I play to unwind, some for kicks, and some because I want to kick some major ass. I don't identify with any one particular group any fixed percentage of the time. It all depends on mood, type of game, and even the other people that I'm going to play with.

When I'm gaming, I'm having fun, no matter what particular reason I'm playing for. Interesting take on it though.

I'm mostly referring to the times when I'm playing an online competitive game, and come across someone losing badly and complaining about it. I will give them advice on how to solve their problems and have more fun with the game, but they flat out refuse to consider it.

This kind of person appears to be extremely upset at losing. Not only are they losing horribly every time, but in their mind it's because the opponent is breaking the rules. It's very frustrating for them. They try to tell the opponent about the rules they are breaking, but the opponent doesn't listen. This is because the opponent knows those rules don't actually exist.

When playing competitive games, I would estimate about 95% of players are like this. They get completely destroyed by someone like me, and then they bitch and complain constantly about how I'm hacking and cheating and playing dishonorably. It's quite pathetic and I feel bad for them. I try to help them understand how they are only holding back their own potential by having personal rules that don't really exist, but they never listen to me. -_-

For single player games, anything goes. Whatever makes the game most enjoyable for you, is the best way to play. Even going so far as to hack and use cheat codes. There is nothing wrong with anything like that, as long as it doesn't affect others.

I actually think we're more on the same page than we previously thought. I'm the type who doesn't care about the rules people make up and have often been called a hacker and cheater because I don't follow their personal rules. I just always felt the reason I performed well was because I didn't care if I lost, which always made me willing to try anything within the confines of the game if I considered it fun.

[GSZX1337]

Winning a majority of the time against bad players doesn't make you good. It just makes you better than other bad players.

You do not truly understand the mindset of players who are playing to win. Once you do that, you will be able to see the massive difference between the two groups. I made the switch myself years ago, and the difference is like night and day.

If someone who normally plays for fun is able to fully understand the concept of playing to win, and successfully switch to that mindset, they will be so much better at video games than their old self, it will blow their mind.

Also, you would find this hard to believe but the people playing to win are actually having more fun than the people playing for fun.

So do you look like this when you're playing?

[YoshiEgg25]

So do you look like this when you're playing?

Hi Beartato! You need to stop making that face, it'll stick that way. Remember?

[Michi]

So do you look like this when you're playing?

Only when I'm in the middle of a boss battle and suddenly have the need to pee.

[Ivo]

Veering off-topic but it is something I am interested in.

Also, you would find this hard to believe but the people playing to win are actually having more fun than the people playing for fun.

As someone who has done both, I don't know if I agree with that. (... Other nice stuff ...)

I sort of see what Inazuma is saying but I agree with JT. It depends a lot on the person what they find more fun.

Specifically about snaking and other stuff like that - sometimes it is a game design flaw, particularly for those "playing for fun". Sometimes the solutions is just - get another game if stuff like snaking upsets you. Otherwise you have to play with "house rules" with a regular group that agrees to them.

Disclaimer: I play to win sometimes and I play "just for fun" in others. It is really, really frustrating when there is poor match making and essentially no way to seek the correct group*, as I do not have fun either being under-equipped and crushed or over-equipped and effortlessly crushing - this was particularly clear to me in a particular online game I played where I did both (there was no way to switch after the game had started, as there was a choice involved from the start). That was one of the main reasons that made me stop playing that particular game actively.

* Unfortunately, even when there is there will be some trolling / ganking, I can easily imagine some of the fake "Playing to Win" crowd intentionally going to mess up the "Playing for Fun" (a true Playing to Win player would not do that, IMO).

Ivo.

[Jrecee]

I'm not really a girl.

[GSZX1337]

I'm not really a girl.

Ooooh, you had me so fooled.

[Jrecee]

Well that amish ninja guy seemed somewhat convinced.

[the7k]

I think I lost most of my interest in competitive gaming when I realized...there is always someone better than you. So what's the point? It's not like being the best player lasts forever and it's not like you get a prize or anything when you are.

It's not really about wanting to be the very best (like no one ever was). I've found, at least with traditional fighting games, that we're very open in the most competitive environments.

Tips are shared, even to our direct competition. I've even caught myself doing this at a tournament, quickly lamenting "Why the hell am I giving tips to my biggest threat here? Oh well, the way you do the set-up is..." Really, it seems that we all want to make each other get better. We just want some good fights.

If it really was about being the best, no tips would be shared, no tournament players would be detailing exactly how to do a combo - there would be no community at all. Not a whole lot of fun.

[Gamerforlife]

I think I lost most of my interest in competitive gaming when I realized...there is always someone better than you. So what's the point? It's not like being the best player lasts forever and it's not like you get a prize or anything when you are.

It's not really about wanting to be the very best (like no one ever was). I've found, at least with traditional fighting games, that we're very open in the most competitive environments.

Tips are shared, even to our direct competition. I've even caught myself doing this at a tournament, quickly lamenting "Why the hell am I giving tips to my biggest threat here? Oh well, the way you do the set-up is..." Really, it seems that we all want to make each other get better. We just want some good fights.

If it really was about being the best, no tips would be shared, no tournament players would be detailing exactly how to do a combo - there would be no community at all. Not a whole lot of fun.

That's a nice way to look at it. More about community than just winning and being the best. Never viewed it like that before. Too bad there aren't more people in the online shooter category that think that way. Would be a lot less players getting pissed and annoyed at people talking trash and insulting everyone