KowtowRobinson
[10] Knight
Charizard is so brooooooooke lol.
Competitive Gaming vs. Casual "Fun" Gaming
- Thread starter Nuez
- Start date
Charizard is so brooooooooke lol.
Countee
[09] Warrior
When you have two people fighting at two different skill levels, something has to change or the games begin to lose their value. Ideally, the loser should be the one adapting, and its very frustrating to be on the winning end when this doesn't happen. You can try to lead them in game, hint at what they should try, or even flat-out tell you how to stop you...but if they don't respond your games become suck. The best thing to do in this situation I've found is to just go in to practice mode - practice guard impacts, practice a different character, practice combos (particularly convienient since they don't learn and you can pretty much guarantee your set ups). Your not really playing the game, nor are you even having all that much fun...but it beats watching them play Katamari.
When the loser does adapt, however, the games are very fun. I've been on both the loser side of this equation as well as the winning side. Holding someone off as they get closer and closer to beating you is very dramatic even if the win-loss ratio is pretty much unchanged. As a loser, that one win (or even one round in extreme cases) feels pretty damn good when you had to lose 10 times straight to get it.
Basically, when the skill levels are equal, whether its two scrubs with strictly enforced house rules or two serious players going at it with all they got, everyone is playing competitively and there are no worries at all. Fun is had by all and the question of 'casual vs competitive' doesn't even come up. When the skill levels are different though something has to change. For best results, it should be the loser who is willing to learn and create that change and the winner should accomodate those efforts as best he can. If that doesn't happen, then its up to the winner to change and the games pretty much turn in to ass at that point - it might still be fun because you are hanging out and with your buddy and he has good weed, or you are bonding with your kid...but the games themselves have only slightly more value than if you just beat them mercilessly doing the same thing over and over
When the loser does adapt, however, the games are very fun. I've been on both the loser side of this equation as well as the winning side. Holding someone off as they get closer and closer to beating you is very dramatic even if the win-loss ratio is pretty much unchanged. As a loser, that one win (or even one round in extreme cases) feels pretty damn good when you had to lose 10 times straight to get it.
Basically, when the skill levels are equal, whether its two scrubs with strictly enforced house rules or two serious players going at it with all they got, everyone is playing competitively and there are no worries at all. Fun is had by all and the question of 'casual vs competitive' doesn't even come up. When the skill levels are different though something has to change. For best results, it should be the loser who is willing to learn and create that change and the winner should accomodate those efforts as best he can. If that doesn't happen, then its up to the winner to change and the games pretty much turn in to ass at that point - it might still be fun because you are hanging out and with your buddy and he has good weed, or you are bonding with your kid...but the games themselves have only slightly more value than if you just beat them mercilessly doing the same thing over and over
Hustle_Man_77
[09] Warrior
The only time that I hear people complain about or mention these differences are when there is a big skill gap. Whether I'm playing SC4 or Halo 3 (don't say it) online, I always get mixed reactions and it's usually the same for both crowds.
Competitive or hardcore players (consider myself hardcore due to lack of tourney exp) seem to enjoy playing against opponents who are at/near/higher than their own level. Yes, some of them like to go around destroying the lesser skilled or casual players, but they don't get any respect from other good players. I myself love to have a challenge in both games and I tend to play more games against people that I know because they have the same mindset. However, I do like to go mess around in matchmaking or just join random rooms in SC. I have fun either way, but I prefer to play more competitive games against skilled opponents. To me, that is more fun and that is my preference. Getting better at the game is what is fun for me, but that is what separates competitive and casual gamers in general.
Casual players tend to only care about the aesthetics/sound/graphics/story of a game instead of the actual gameplay mechanics. When I play against these kinds of players in Halo 3, most of the time all I'll hear is "Get a life", "You play this game too much", "Go get some pussy", etc. I've never understood that mentality. Like it's not possible to be better at the game than someone else after playing for the same amount of time. I don't sit here and study either game all day or even for a couple of hours each day. But, I do read up on some strats, and I actively try them when I do get to play the game. THAT is why I've gotten better. I don't just screw around 100% of the time when I play, that's the only difference. I already have my degree and have been working in IT for 4yrs now. Single, no kids, work out 4 days a week, go out, work on beats and videos, and do other things. Yes I have a life, but I do like playing video games, too. They don't seem to understand that and that's just retarded.
I don't knock casual players for how they play or approach the game. Just don't knock me for wanting to be good.
Competitive or hardcore players (consider myself hardcore due to lack of tourney exp) seem to enjoy playing against opponents who are at/near/higher than their own level. Yes, some of them like to go around destroying the lesser skilled or casual players, but they don't get any respect from other good players. I myself love to have a challenge in both games and I tend to play more games against people that I know because they have the same mindset. However, I do like to go mess around in matchmaking or just join random rooms in SC. I have fun either way, but I prefer to play more competitive games against skilled opponents. To me, that is more fun and that is my preference. Getting better at the game is what is fun for me, but that is what separates competitive and casual gamers in general.
Casual players tend to only care about the aesthetics/sound/graphics/story of a game instead of the actual gameplay mechanics. When I play against these kinds of players in Halo 3, most of the time all I'll hear is "Get a life", "You play this game too much", "Go get some pussy", etc. I've never understood that mentality. Like it's not possible to be better at the game than someone else after playing for the same amount of time. I don't sit here and study either game all day or even for a couple of hours each day. But, I do read up on some strats, and I actively try them when I do get to play the game. THAT is why I've gotten better. I don't just screw around 100% of the time when I play, that's the only difference. I already have my degree and have been working in IT for 4yrs now. Single, no kids, work out 4 days a week, go out, work on beats and videos, and do other things. Yes I have a life, but I do like playing video games, too. They don't seem to understand that and that's just retarded.
I don't knock casual players for how they play or approach the game. Just don't knock me for wanting to be good.