Hardcore Gamer?

[Radagast107]

Someone asked me today "What is your definition of a hardcore game"? So I ask the same question to these forums; what is your definition?

[smikey1123]

I don't see being a "Hardcore" gamer as a good thing. I see it as someone who spends all there free time and money playing and buying games. While I do believe you can spend a considerable amount of time playing and be fine; I mean where it interferes with sleep and things like that.

[President_Douchebag]

I think 'hardcore' for a lot of people might mean 'good' but for me I would take 'hardcore' to mean that you have a big interest in gaming, ie. collecting games/consoles, memorabilia etc.

I pose a question to go along with the original question, how do the people on FTG forums see themselves as gamers?

[Homergetsduffed]

I kinda agree with smikey, hardcore to me is someone who stays up til 3 or 4 gaming everynight and then goes to work at 6 thinking about gaming everyday

[Reneid Klein]

I'd consider myself a hardcore gamer, but not with every game that comes out. I love gaming and when I get enough free time I like to spend all day playing a good game. However, I find that the older I get the less I am able to play a single game for an extended period unless it's an RPG. When I was younger I could play a fighter or any other genre all day and never get enough. Lately it seems like after a few hours I want to take a break, even if I plan to come back to the game later the same day. However, games like Dragon's Dogma, Mass Effect, Monster Hunter, etc are games I can play all day without realizing where the time has gone.

I call a hardcore gamer someone who doesn't play just one game or genre. For instance, I don't see the kids who play Wii Sports all day, the girlfriend who is addicted to Dance Central or the frat boy that is on COD all day a hardcore gamer. They are hardcore into a particular game or genre, but they don't enjoy all the genres. Action, Adventure, Sports, Shooter, Platformer, Racer, Fighter, Strategy, JRPG, WRPG, etc. Although JRPGs, Fighters, Third Person Shooters and Platformers are my favorite genres, I play plenty of games in almost all categories and at least a few games in categories I usually aren't that fond of (sports, FPS, racing).

[Deadpool]

Hardcore game = Shadow of Chernobyl, Demon's Souls.
Hardcore gamer = someone willing to devote a hell of a lot of time into either a) getting really good at a particular game or; b) someone who just spends a LOT of time on games in general.

[Shanghai Six]

Hardcore game = Shadow of Chernobyl, Demon's Souls.
Hardcore gamer = someone willing to devote a hell of a lot of time into either a) getting really good at a particular game or; b) someone who just spends a LOT of time on games in general.

That seems like a reasonable explanation...I'll go with it...

"Shadow of Chernobyl"? Might have to look that up...

[ZulaV]

"Shadow of Chernobyl"? Might have to look that up...

It's the first STALKER game. I just got into it a month or so ago but put it on hold, as it is definitely a game which requires a lot of time being invested into. Quality stuff, though.

Demon's Souls superfanboy here. Hoping the PC port of Dark Souls is decent enough to play when it drops in a few weeks.

[Reigen]

a game thats a bigg chalange, but fair as in you only require to use the righ combat strategy and the right timing
like killzone, monster hunter, god of war...
theire hard, but they dont demand too much from you

[WonsAuto]

I agree with Deadpool's definition. I wrote a short thing about it on PS Uni, lol.

[Reneid Klein]

So do you guys think that liking trophies makes you hardcore? I know some hardcore gamers that don't care for trophies but I've never met a casual gamer that cared for them. I'm a trophy whore and proud of it, but that's because it appeals to my love of RPGs and the whole leveling up concept. I doubt I'd care much about Gamer Score if I had a 360.

And speaking of RPGs, I level grind like a mofo on every RPG I play. A lot of people love big, difficult boss fights in RPGs and that's all well and good. But there's something to be said on a game that lets you grind and absolutely decimate a boss. I just hate games that don't adjust the cutscenes accordingly. For instance, you get into a boss fight that is SUPPOSED to be hard but because you leveled up you hit him once or twice and a cutscene starts and you're all bloody and tired and talking about how tough it was with the boss looking unscaved. That always pisses me off. That and when you get a new team member that in the cutscenes kicks the arse of all the enemies around but when they join your party they are by far the weakest one.

[Deadpool]

Hardcore game = Shadow of Chernobyl, Demon's Souls.
Hardcore gamer = someone willing to devote a hell of a lot of time into either a) getting really good at a particular game or; b) someone who just spends a LOT of time on games in general.

That seems like a reasonable explanation...I'll go with it...

"Shadow of Chernobyl"? Might have to look that up...

STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl.

Easily one of the hardest and most unforgiving games I've played.

[Richie217]

I'd class anyone who plays 15+ hours a week a "hardcore" gamer.

*Note* This time must be spent playing actual games. Playing Farmville or angry birds doesn't count.

[WonsAuto]

That always pisses me off. That and when you get a new team member that in the cutscenes kicks the arse of all the enemies around but when they join your party they are by far the weakest one.

Currently going through that with Rainbow Moon, lol. It's great when your party would have been better off without them for at least an hour or so while they catch up.

[Reneid Klein]

Currently going through that with Rainbow Moon, lol. It's great when your party would have been better off without them for at least an hour or so while they catch up.

What's worse is the times when they don't level up when outside of the party and you have to replace a good party member with them until they level up and then keep swapping around party members to try to keep everyone relatively the same level.

[Deadpool]

I'd class anyone who plays 15+ hours a week a "hardcore" gamer.

*Note* This time must be spent playing actual games. Playing Farmville or angry birds doesn't count.

I don't think 15 hours is that much.

Even now, with my extracurricular activities, I'd still put in 15 hours a week probably. In the 10-15 region anyway. That's only a couple hours a day on average (and more likely a 4-5 hour run on a weekend or something though in my case, with an hour on odd evenings).

Don't know that I'd consider that "hardcore". Certainly nowhere near as hardcore a gamer as I used to be.

[Richie217]

I'd class anyone who plays 15+ hours a week a "hardcore" gamer.

*Note* This time must be spent playing actual games. Playing Farmville or angry birds doesn't count.

I don't think 15 hours is that much.

Even now, with my extracurricular activities, I'd still put in 15 hours a week probably. In the 10-15 region anyway. That's only a couple hours a day on average (and more likely a 4-5 hour run on a weekend or something though in my case, with an hour on odd evenings).

Don't know that I'd consider that "hardcore". Certainly nowhere near as hardcore a gamer as I used to be.

That's about the max that I can put in these days. Hour or 2 a night during the week. Then maybe 4hours a day on the weekend if I have no other plans.

That being said, think I'm at about 120hours into D3 now This is somewhat higher than my average though.

Maybe we should make a "hardcore gamer with responsibilities" catergory

[Deadpool]

That's about the max that I can put in these days. Hour or 2 a night during the week. Then maybe 4hours a day on the weekend if I have no other plans.

That being said, think I'm at about 120hours into D3 now This is somewhat higher than my average though.

Maybe we should make a "hardcore gamer with responsibilities" catergory

Forza 4 is at 188 hours as of last night. I've had that since March though, so even you are probably putting in more actual game time that I am lately.

That's far more appropriate

[Reneid Klein]

Does anyone else have those friends that you grew up gaming with and they were hardcore back in 8 bit days but it seems that each new generation they get more and more casual? I have a friend like that. This gen he finally bought a 360 but only plays multiplat sports games on it. He complains about not having time to play and when he does he isn't impressed by the games. I try to tell him to either get some console exclusive games or try some multiplats that are actually good and innovative.

I have another friend I didn't meet till I started working this job but he keeps making stupid game decisions. I told him early on to get a PS3 and he didn't listen. He wanted a Wii and no matter how much I explained to him how fast it would wear off or how much he would enjoy a PS3 if for no other reason than Bluray (he's a movie buff), I couldn't convince him. He gets the Wii and it wears off fast. He sells it and I go through the spiel again comparing 360 and PS3 and telling him the pros and cons of both. He decides to get a 360 for Kinect. I tell him that is the worst possible reason to get a system but he is convinced it will be awesome. He barely touched it I am fed up with giving him my opinions.

What I'm trying to say is I don't understand why friends don't seem to want to take advice from hardcore gamers when it comes to their casual gaming. They will listen to the opinions of other casuals first.

[Charles]

I define a hardcore gamer as one who thrusts themselves into all aspects of the gaming world that they possibly can.

Plays all consoles, old and new.

Plays all genres, from FPS, RTS, MMO, etc.

Gets involved in all aspects of the gaming community. Whether it's going to competitions like Evo, posting on forums, going to PAX, playing online, etc.

Many would consider a competitive Halo or Starcraft player a hardcore gamer, but I would argue saying that they're not a hardcore gamer, they're just a hardcore Halo or Starcraft player. Or even further by saying their a hardcore competitive gamer.

Since "video games" or "gamer" is so broad, to be "hardcore" in this broad subject you must go deep into each aspect this may encompass.

Of course as I stated there's limits. If you can't afford more than a couple consoles or going to a PAX then that doesn't mean you're not a hardcore gamer