http://www.cracked.com/article_18571_5-reasons-its-still-not-cool-to-admit-youre-gamer.html
what do you guys think? l
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what do you guys think? l
Would have been easier if you posted the actual list, or a hyperlink. The spoiler tag was pretty unnecessary. But oh well.
There will always be stereotypes, but that's only so idiots can put a neat label on everything. If you don't fit the gamer stereotypes, then don't worry about it.
There will always be stereotypes, but that's only so idiots can put a neat label on everything. If you don't fit the gamer stereotypes, then don't worry about it.
Ok, so before I read the article I'm going to say that Wong is one of the best writers for Cracked, so I really hope this doesn't make me hate him.
Alright and after I finished reading it I realized that he is very right. All of those reasons are why gaming won't evolve until people realize what we're doing wrong. But it's not us. As long as people keep buying crap samey shooters, that's what we'll get for a while. And we have to set the example. Those stereotypes are completely true for a lot of us and we're just sitting around letting it happen. If that's not a wake up call, I don't know what is.
Alright and after I finished reading it I realized that he is very right. All of those reasons are why gaming won't evolve until people realize what we're doing wrong. But it's not us. As long as people keep buying crap samey shooters, that's what we'll get for a while. And we have to set the example. Those stereotypes are completely true for a lot of us and we're just sitting around letting it happen. If that's not a wake up call, I don't know what is.
Well yes, but come on, Gaming Stories are much better now! Look at Heavy Rain! Brilliant! And it wasn't over the top like Bioshock sort of was.
But I agree. We are still dwindling around and being that medium no-one really cares about.
Calumon: Jack is on Virgin, are all Gamers?
Jack: Errr... Calumon, that's my Phone Network!
Calumon: Soo... What do they mean?
Jack: When your older Calumon! :S
But I agree. We are still dwindling around and being that medium no-one really cares about.
Calumon: Jack is on Virgin, are all Gamers?
Jack: Errr... Calumon, that's my Phone Network!
Calumon: Soo... What do they mean?
Jack: When your older Calumon! :S
But those people are playing casual games and are somehow exempt from any gamer stereotypes.reg42 said:
I don't buy it, if you care so much about what people think is "cool" then you are more like one of the adolescents responsible for the stereotype than not.
A lot of that article was true but I don't think I see things changing (quickly at any rate) but why worry about it changing?
I'm nerdy, a little bit of a know-it-all and a computing student. So most people that know me aren't surprised I add the tag "gamer" to myself as well but I've never met anyone that was all that bothered with it or took issue with it.
I get more stick for being "Irresponsible and dangerous" because I ride a motorbike than I get for being a confessed gamer. I even put "self confessed gamer" in my university application and you know what? During the interview with one of my potential lecturers we got caught up in a 15 minute discussion about games, turns out his brother is a World of Warcraft player and he has an x-box at home.
Gamers are everywhere, becoming more common all the time. Why worry about how other people see your hobby?
A lot of that article was true but I don't think I see things changing (quickly at any rate) but why worry about it changing?
I'm nerdy, a little bit of a know-it-all and a computing student. So most people that know me aren't surprised I add the tag "gamer" to myself as well but I've never met anyone that was all that bothered with it or took issue with it.
I get more stick for being "Irresponsible and dangerous" because I ride a motorbike than I get for being a confessed gamer. I even put "self confessed gamer" in my university application and you know what? During the interview with one of my potential lecturers we got caught up in a 15 minute discussion about games, turns out his brother is a World of Warcraft player and he has an x-box at home.
Gamers are everywhere, becoming more common all the time. Why worry about how other people see your hobby?
Sad but true. CUE METALLICA. But really most of those are pretty true.Luckily I only fit into the anti social part but that doesn't have anything to do with gaming. Oh and I really hate people who ***** about graphics.
The one that bothered me the most was the Alan Wake pixel count.
The fact people are actually pissed off at something so trivial is kinda... Disturbing.
Am i the only one who still, after two years since buying it, stares at the games on his HD tv and goes "Holy shit wow!"
I don't know the pixel counts. My TV isn't even 1080p. Yet playing Deadspace and Killzone 2 my jaw still drops at times at how beautiful everything is compared to growing up with SNES graphics.
The fact people are actually pissed off at something so trivial is kinda... Disturbing.
Am i the only one who still, after two years since buying it, stares at the games on his HD tv and goes "Holy shit wow!"
I don't know the pixel counts. My TV isn't even 1080p. Yet playing Deadspace and Killzone 2 my jaw still drops at times at how beautiful everything is compared to growing up with SNES graphics.
I didn't really like this one so much. Only 5 and 4 directly apply to the title, and they basically say the same thing: there is a negative stereotype. The next two points are about how games are not movies and the last one is admittedly again about gamers, but it doesn't seem terribly relevant to me, because saying you're a gamer does not appear to elicit negative reactions because people automatically think you are a thief.
The main problems seem to be maturity and story. The internet turns otherwise normal people into cursing sociopaths, which comes across as both immature and "unable to score any pussy, ever". The games themselves are "immature", because they capitalize on what seems to be selling best: violence and sex. Guess what: these things are not just good for selling games. How many mindless books and movies are out there?
The writer criticizes even the best games for lacking a good story, because, get this, they include this other tedious aspect I like to refer to as "gameplay". The reason 90% of Bioshock consists of shooting stuff is that since it is a game and not a movie there has to be something for the player to do. A lot of gamers prefer this to be something that tests their skill. It doesn't mean the story is not good.
Also, I think the reason ***** about graphics is that realistic graphics can help with a sense of realism in the game world. I don't think it's as important as some people believe either, but it's not like games are alone here. Movies are judged based on special effects and/or hotness of actresses all the time.
Also, I think the anti-social virgin stereotype is applied to anyone who admits to like using a computer outside of work for anything other than social networking.
The main problems seem to be maturity and story. The internet turns otherwise normal people into cursing sociopaths, which comes across as both immature and "unable to score any pussy, ever". The games themselves are "immature", because they capitalize on what seems to be selling best: violence and sex. Guess what: these things are not just good for selling games. How many mindless books and movies are out there?
The writer criticizes even the best games for lacking a good story, because, get this, they include this other tedious aspect I like to refer to as "gameplay". The reason 90% of Bioshock consists of shooting stuff is that since it is a game and not a movie there has to be something for the player to do. A lot of gamers prefer this to be something that tests their skill. It doesn't mean the story is not good.
Also, I think the reason ***** about graphics is that realistic graphics can help with a sense of realism in the game world. I don't think it's as important as some people believe either, but it's not like games are alone here. Movies are judged based on special effects and/or hotness of actresses all the time.
Also, I think the anti-social virgin stereotype is applied to anyone who admits to like using a computer outside of work for anything other than social networking.
...I love you, but get outta my head. You took the words right outta my mouth.poiumty said:
For the most part I disagreed with the whole article, the story telling part alone makes me think he's never touched an RPG out side of FPSes, but the whole thing's a load of crock and bull. I know one guy whose a gamer and never had a relationship, most people I know find the sexuality overdone and helarious, ect ect. Yeah, I get pandering to the demographic, but Poimty took the words outta my mouth.
Also, for some reason my comptuer posted this post before I was done with it. Ignore earlier glitches.
I think a lot of people are missing the point of the article. The article is not saying, "Gamers are antisocial losers. Therefore, this happens." It's saying, "This happens far too often. Therefore, it contributes to the stereotype that gamers are antisocial losers."
This is the point of the article. If you want to end the stereotype that gamers are antisocial losers:
*Stop screaming like a 12-year-old and sexually harassing girl gamers
*Stop buying their games when the industry treats you like a horny teenager
*Stop buying the same fucking space shooter over and over again
*Stop buying the same game with better graphics
*Stop trying to justify piracy, no matter how mean those corporations are
There are plenty of good games that don't put an emphasis on mindless killing. Adventure games, like you said. Interactive novels like Phoenix Wright. Portal. Any Bioware game (yes, even Mass Effect). Heavy Rain and Alan Wake. Most made-for-PC games are at least cerebral, even if the story isn't deep. But people keep buying the same fucking space shooters with the same fucking gameplay and storyline. In all fairness, this problem isn't nearly as bad as it was a few years ago. But the public perception is that every popular game is a Halo clone, and we're not doing much about it.poiumty said:
What about the fact that the PS3 and Xbox 360 were advertised as "Just like the PS2 and Xbox, but with BETTER GRAPHICS!" And the fact that PS2 and Xbox were advertised as "Just like the Playstation, but with BETTER GRAPHICS!" And the fact that most of those fucking space shooters I mentioned are advertised as "Just like the last fucking space shooter, but with BETTER GRAPHICS!" Or how nobody's developing for the Wii because the PS3 and Xbox 360 have BETTER GRAPHICS! The 3000-post forum thread was just an extreme example. But the sentiment is everywhere.
Justify it all you want. When a headline reads, "Indie developers sell their games for one cent and give part of the money to charity , one fourth of gamers pirate it," it don't make for good press. Again, public perception. As long as we're even having the argument over whether piracy is okay, people are going to believe we are nothing but pirates.
This is the point of the article. If you want to end the stereotype that gamers are antisocial losers:
*Stop screaming like a 12-year-old and sexually harassing girl gamers
*Stop buying their games when the industry treats you like a horny teenager
*Stop buying the same fucking space shooter over and over again
*Stop buying the same game with better graphics
*Stop trying to justify piracy, no matter how mean those corporations are
All you need to be cool is marketing. And good cheekbones, they help.
That article sort of sucked. A few kernels of truth buried beneath a lot of garbage.
That article sort of sucked. A few kernels of truth buried beneath a lot of garbage.
I don't mention gaming when I meet new people, and this is exactly why.
What I find hilarious though is that in this very topic there are people unintentionally proving the writer correct, especially when it comes to his reason number 1. In no other medium are people so stuck up and self centered as with gamers, who feel they're entitled to everything, everywhere, at any time. It's ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous, juvenile, and frankly pathetic, and his use of the Humble Indie Bundle was a perfect example. If you can't see that then, and I'm sorry if this seems derogatory, but you're exactly the sort of person he was talking about as having entitlement issues.
That said I absolutely love gaming, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And I like talking about games. But gaming, and especially gamers, have alot of growing up to do. Whenever I wanna feel depressed about the state of human-kind I'll go visit a forum like Gametrailers, the kinda shit you see there as well as any other major game forum will make your hair turn white and your hands tremble at the terrifying ideas it opens up for the future of our race.
What I find hilarious though is that in this very topic there are people unintentionally proving the writer correct, especially when it comes to his reason number 1. In no other medium are people so stuck up and self centered as with gamers, who feel they're entitled to everything, everywhere, at any time. It's ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous, juvenile, and frankly pathetic, and his use of the Humble Indie Bundle was a perfect example. If you can't see that then, and I'm sorry if this seems derogatory, but you're exactly the sort of person he was talking about as having entitlement issues.
That said I absolutely love gaming, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And I like talking about games. But gaming, and especially gamers, have alot of growing up to do. Whenever I wanna feel depressed about the state of human-kind I'll go visit a forum like Gametrailers, the kinda shit you see there as well as any other major game forum will make your hair turn white and your hands tremble at the terrifying ideas it opens up for the future of our race.
I'm not sure how you can say this in relation to things like music. I find that interactive art connoisseurs (formerly gamers) are generally more down to earth in tastes and more likely to be shamed by piracy than music fans. I'm pretty sure at one point I even saw someone with a copied tape of a charity compilation album in real life and nobody thought that this stopped music from being cool.The Madman said:
If anything there is also plenty of entitlement in that list in how the author thinks that games should all be exactly how he wants them.