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Attention Gamers: Stop Calling Yourselves Hardcore

Da Shuffla

Smash Lord
Joined
Aug 29, 2008
Messages
1,810
^^Lol. "Welcome to the 40 Thieves!" I don't like the label of "hardcore." However, I am competitive. Many people just like calling themselves "hardcore," though.
 

DivineBlade

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
123
Location
Queens, NY
I never considered myself a hardcore smasher. Never!!! Professional gamer and hardcore gamer are different as well.

Professionalism is a person who takes their skills and knowledge of a certain interest their wish to perfect beyond all opposers and especially minor flaws, they possess some qualities of a hardcore gamer but don't necessarily have to be obsessed. they necessarily don't have to enjoy what they do, but still be good at it (e.g.: Ken Hoang who didn't enjoy Melee as much as the original but excelled at Melee greatly).

A hardcore gamer on the other hand may not be the best but strives to be on top anyway also you can feel uncomfortable being around their obsession because of how dedicated they are to it above all things. They know things that most casual gamers may not even consider or care about.

If you consider to be a hardcore smasher then follow this list and see if you can compare:

- possesses unimaginable intelligence about Smash

- plays countless hours of smash and has their system data to prove it.

- has a 100% completion of the game

- completed some sort of world record based on the game (e.g. targets, home run, multi man brawl, KOs, etc.)

- knows the in and outs of every character (e.g. strengths, weaknesses, fall speed, jump height, attack damage percentage, etc.)

- completely masters basic tactics (e.g. spacing, dodging, zoning, hitbox, attack range, etc.)

- masters advanced techniques (e.g. foxtrotting, smash boosting, SHFFLing, etc.)

- has high youtube videos posts concerning smash bros.

- Spending hours on discovering new memes and glitches for smash bros.

- has a smashboards account XD

This list can go on forever but i think you get my point, i may be missing some or may be going over board but this is my opinion entirely. If you may add a requirement if you want to the list. By the way, if you have matched at least 5 on the list then let me know (except the smashboards account cuz we all have one :D ).
 

GreenKirby

Smash Master
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
3,316
Location
The VOID!
NNID
NoName9999
Guys,

THIS is the 'logic' of many Nintendo 'hardcore.'

Complains that Nintendo caters to casuals and not the hardcore

If it's a 3rd party hardcore game on a Nintendo system, it doesn't count and won't be bought

If it's a 1st/2nd party hardcore game that isn't Mario or Zelda, it STILL doesn't count

If it is a Mario/Zelda game, you MUST complain about it not living up to Super Mario 64/Ocrania of Time



Yep, the Nintendo hardcore logic. lol
 

L__

Smash Master
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
4,459
Location
flopmerica
You guys, the term Hardcore in relationship to other gamers is relative.

It'd be nice if you guys paid a fraction of a decimal of a percentage of your brainpower to realize that regardless of such a petty label, nothing will change the fact that gamers are gamers, and labels do not effect it in any way.
 

Omit

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
110
Location
Sweden
just heard they are going to tone down Zelda to make it better for casual gamers.
 

platomaker

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Nov 30, 2006
Messages
221
Location
miami
Ya but there is no such thing. You are in or you are OUT
I've never understood why. what exactly do you need to be "in" (hardcore)? what exactly do you need to be "out" (casual)?

is it a difference in skill? preference? knowledge?
 

-Wolfy-

Smash Champion
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
2,495
Location
Miss you Ryan
And for the hardcore argument, I really don't think it matters what you call yourself. I don't call myself hardcore at all, but I do play at the very minimum 2 hours of melee each day, travel for tournaments on the weekends, and have competed in gamebattles for Gears 1 and 2, and Halo 3.

But I am not hardcore.

And as for Zelda being toned down, it's seeming like they could resolve the whole issue by instituting a multiple difficulty system, almost like they had for Resident Evil. You say you have no experience with this genre, franchise, game, w/e and you get a setting that caters to the casual, with enemies that deal less damage, items are more abundant, and maybe even a "what to do next" tip screen or something. That way they only spend a little more time in the development process, and it caters to all gamers.
 

OrangeTang

Smash Rookie
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
11
You guys, the term Hardcore in relationship to other gamers is relative.

It'd be nice if you guys paid a fraction of a decimal of a percentage of your brainpower to realize that regardless of such a petty label, nothing will change the fact that gamers are gamers, and labels do not effect it in any way.
Well, what if I just collapsed into a pool of my own sweat and blood combined with several stale bowls of cereal and old pizza after a straight week of constant 99 stock Melee matches?

But seriously, there's a difference between us and, say, people who just play solitaire for five minutes.

"Hardcore" doesn't make you better or worse, it just kind of classifies the type of games you play and the way you play. (i.e. time, effort, etc.)

Just "gamer" is a bit too vague.
 

-Wolfy-

Smash Champion
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
2,495
Location
Miss you Ryan
No, it really isn't.

In my own humble opinion, I think it's as clear as "gamer" and "people who play games".

Gamer encompasses the range of people who are competitive or just like to play.

Person who plays games encompasses both the average Joe-Wii-Game and the person who plays games now and then .
 

The Inedible Sill

Smash Rookie
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
3
what I mean to say is, people waste a lot of valuable effort trying to label things. we're all really just gamers. But it's also a waste of effort trying to correct people who have already wasted effort trying to put those labels into place.

y'kno'wh'am'sayin'?
 

L__

Smash Master
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
4,459
Location
flopmerica
Well, what if I just collapsed into a pool of my own sweat and blood combined with several stale bowls of cereal and old pizza after a straight week of constant 99 stock Melee matches?

But seriously, there's a difference between us and, say, people who just play solitaire for five minutes.

"Hardcore" doesn't make you better or worse, it just kind of classifies the type of games you play and the way you play. (i.e. time, effort, etc.)

Just "gamer" is a bit too vague.
Was there a reason to restate my quote in a poorly worded way?
 

Random Question

Smash Cadet
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
48
Location
Southeast
i wouldn't call myself hardcore anyway. The only games i play alot are nintendo. Smash, legend of zelda, stuff like that. I hardly touch my 360 anymore
 

CRASHiC

Smash Hero
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
7,267
Location
Haiti Gonna Hait
First thing, hard core music is not hard to listen to, its in fact very easy and quite bland. Venetian Snares on the other hand is very difficult to listen to and takes a great deal of effort to get just to the level of quality listening, much less to enjoy his music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASJOWQCr4rc&feature=related

Secondly, the idea that hard core games must be competitive and hard is much more important to remove than the name hard core gamers. Someone who plays hard games should be called a competitive gamer, because they are interested in competitive game play, weather against a friend or a computer.

If a girl becomes extremely obsessed with the game Animal Crossing, extremely good at it, and plays it a 'hardcore' amount, than could she not be called a hard core gamer? We need to recognize that games and gamers come in many forms, not just casual and hard core. Games are changing rapidly, and as their horizons expand so do our definitions of the actual players. In truth, casual gamers should be used only for people who play games sparingly, more as of a passing of time or lightly with friends, thus defining the word casual. If a young girl plays Viva Peniata and plays it in depth, and hours a day, than she would not be a casual gamer. We need more than one term.

As for the users of this site and those answering in this topic, you are competitive gamers.

However, what of me? I am one who enjoys smash tournaments and Endless Ocean and Electro Plankton as well, both high quality games that the traditional hard core gamer would shrug off as child's play. We'll, their are exceptions to every rule, and gamers who go without qualification. Nevertheless, devise many diverse titles for gamers to accurately display the new gaming field. These terms have been far out of date since the N64 and PlayStation came out.
 

Abyss Master

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
20
I like to call "hardcore" gamers dedicated, and everyone else just gamers. So in the end, there are the gamers and then there are the dedicated gamers.

Yay for me, I'm so clevur
 

DKKountry

Smash Ace
Joined
May 17, 2008
Messages
926
Location
Corneria... Fourth Planet of the Lylat System
Hardcore just means your'e dedicated, but why are you wasting time on something so trivial? Hardcore is the generally accepted term for any gamer that is discerning, analytical, passionate, serious etc. about the games they play.

Don't try to change the world, you won't get very far.
 

L__

Smash Master
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
4,459
Location
flopmerica
"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. "

-Margaret Mead
 

Skrah

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
742
Location
Cantinero, deme mas cermesaa!
I don't think that labeling a dedicated gamer from a casual gamer is all that important. A gamer is a gamer is a gamer. Although I agree that the term "competitive" might be more suitable, since the competitive gamer often spends time mastering the game, while a more casual gamer might just play for the fun of it.

And also I have to disagree that the games you play define you as a hardcore gamer. I have played all the zelda games, and even I accept that they are easy. Maybe a boss or a temple represented some challenge, but all in all its an easy game. When i look for a challenge in zelda, I limit myself. One file i can complete it with three hearts, no shield, and minimum items, so technically it WAS harder for me to do it. Playing halo, gears of war, or CoD doesnt make you "hardcore".
 

Fat NISMO

Smash Cadet
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
39
I don't think that labeling a dedicated gamer from a casual gamer is all that important. A gamer is a gamer is a gamer. Although I agree that the term "competitive" might be more suitable, since the competitive gamer often spends time mastering the game, while a more casual gamer might just play for the fun of it.

And also I have to disagree that the games you play define you as a hardcore gamer. I have played all the zelda games, and even I accept that they are easy. Maybe a boss or a temple represented some challenge, but all in all its an easy game. When i look for a challenge in zelda, I limit myself. One file i can complete it with three hearts, no shield, and minimum items, so technically it WAS harder for me to do it. Playing halo, gears of war, or CoD doesnt make you "hardcore".
I highly agree on that for sure.
 

Chibi-Chan

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
402
Location
Mexico D.F.
We should be called uhh.... -gets a Thesaurus- it says .. Dedicated... Well >< That doesnt sound Badass enough for us does it? How about "Devoted" That's cool~ or.. Extreme~ but meh.. It doesnt quite hit the spot... Maybe just... like... Knowledgeable..... WAIT

we can be Adept Gamers! Yeah, the Advent of the Adept gamer is here!!
 

Rain(ame)

Smash Champion
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Messages
2,129
Location
I'll take a potato chip....and eat it!!!
This is the issue: People label

Even if you're not a "Hard Core" anything...if people want to call you that, then you're that. People called me a "Hard Core" cartoon watcher as a kid 'cuz I had a good memory. I could watch something once...6 years ago, and tell you about it as if I had just seen it. It STILL works against me, and people think I'm obsessed with things. I'm not..I just have a better memory than you. I can't control it...it just pops into my head. The same goes with gamers. People think hard core gamers are "people who play a lot".

This is the issue: They think that...playing for...let's say an hour a day (in some cases..that's the issue, but might be more or a bit less.) for a week, is worst than what they do. Which is cram like 6 hours of gaming in one night. Then not play for the week, and do it again. There are times when I'll turn a game on with intent of playing it...and then...not actually play it. And I quote a friend of mine "You play like...every day. It seems like when I call up to chat, you're playing a game." Now this coming from a guy who avoids it all week, and then does like 5 hours of gaming friday saturday and sunday. The thing is, I would turn it on...load the game, then not play it.


People label when they don't want to be caught for the things they are doing. What's different from someone who plays games more than you...and you reading some crappy novel that over describes everything? There is none. What's the difference between someone watching an anime and someone who watches sticoms or those god awful reality shows? There is none. People label to cover their own butts from being accused of anything. People who accuse other people of watching too much anime (or just insult anime all together) probably watch either:

1.) crappy cartoons and are racist in some way against things non-american (I actually confronted someone about this when I was in school. After asking him a few questions, he felt REALLY dumb)
2.) Way too much TV themselves, and feel as if them watching "reality tv" or sitcoms makes what they watch better than anything else.
3.) Way too many movies or are obsessed with certain television shows (CSI, Lawn and Order...not that there's anything wrong with them, mind you) and don't want to be seen as a fanatic themselves. These people people waste more time watching TV because they have to watch other things like the news to cover over their obsession.
4.) Have some sort of pointless hobby themselves and like to criticize other people to make themselves feel better.


In essence, the people that deem gamers as "Hardcore" tend to fall into the same category. The biggest difference now, is that the "Hardcore" gamers are the ones who don't play 'American' made games. Another thing I've noticed in people's attitudes today. People who play Streetfighter, Tekken, Soul Calibur, Smash, etc. and enter tournaments are considered "Hardcore" gamers. RPG players also fall under this category. However, the ones that play shooters and sports games aren't looked down upon so much. (Granted, they're swamped with issues of violence for kids, but that's the parent's problem for not keeping it out of their household. That's a different issue, though)

Even IF we came up with a new word...it wouldn't be applied to us, regardless. We'd still be considered to be "Hardcore" or "Outcasted" gamers. There was a group of podcast guys that decided to do one of their shows at a tournament. The things they said about Smashers was just insulting and rude. Of course...what was the alternative to playing more..."normal" games? Halo, Gears of War, Madden, etc. We won't be free of the "Hardcore" title, sadly. At least not while people are so closed-minded and biased. Sure we can think of examples of people that are FAR worst than us with their gaming, but it wouldn't help us at all. Why? Because they'll always come with someone who they feel isn't as bad as us....and they really are..if not worse.
 

USrob

Smash Cadet
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
50
Location
WV
Gaming is an art more then obsession I think .. When people look down upon those who like to play games and say You gamers have no lives we say gaming is a life style what do you do ? Like x-box live players most of the time bash Nintendo games and say ( There for kids and don't have very good graphics ) Well you know what the Wii is the number one selling system at this time so ha . 360 players are usually playing 1st person shooters and sports games ... Which in my eyes I hate sport games and a waste of my time .. but for others that's what suits them ... So as people these days call us harcore gamers I really dont mind at least I have a hobby and not out doing drugs and being called a crack head and such . Playing games is like reading a book ( RPG's ) in most cases . I enjoy what I do and I will die a gamer never the less Nintendo is my Fav system and will always be placed number 1 in my books ..
 
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