Yes, They're Gamers, Too

[MasterSplinter]

I´m not gonna get all "person that read into the article and understood:
'it´s all wright, we know we are gamers, but it is way cooler lo let the rookies say they are so too, we know if we ever needed to prove it we can'"
and post a really nice conciliating post.

I am a gamer, I've earned it by MY standars:
1- I have beaten a game or have played a "non beatable" game (for example: tetris) for more than an hour straight.

2- I know the kind of games I like, and I have play that kind consistently over the years.

3- I enjoy talking to other people that likes the same games I do... about the game, and I would be willing to play a game by recommendation.

4- I can name at least one company that makes/publishes games and one game from that company.

And by "earn" I mean enjoyed myself with my hobby... not actual work.

 

[Warstratigier]

Now i've got my own elitism problems, but i wouldn't go out of my way to criticize others just because they don't play the same games I do.

Regarding the author of that article, I have to wonder if he imagines himself as the Ninja Warrior of gaming XD.

 

[white_salad]

If you ask me, there's a difference between the word gamer, and a person who plays video games. A Gamer is someone who spends quite some time gaming, trying out lots of games, and has a large interest in them. A person who plays video games, is someone who just simply plays video games. More of an occasional game here or there. It's like with all other hobbies. If you built a model plane, you built a model plane. If you have collected many model planes, and have a wide variety, then your a model plane connoisseur.

I will be the first to admit I'm shit at most games. I can't beat mega man. I can't play COD4 Modern warfare two on veteran, but I love games. It's my favorite hobby, and it's a major part of who I am. Just because you're not good at games, doesn't mean you're not a gamer. Just means you're not good at games.

 

[Tharticus]

I certainly know that I have my own problems but I certainly am not a video game snob. After all, video games are a business even if it means making popcorn nothings to serve to the masses for 60 USD a pop. (Not an insult)

But for the hell of it. If any publishers want my money, they'll have to make decent quality games that doesn't feature 3rd party that's related to a popular media. But people will eat it up anyway especially children who has no idea but making their parents spend money that's basically glorified advertising.

 

[MorsePacific]

I never call myself a gamer. I'm a nerd, sure, but gaming is just a hobby. It doesn't define me as a human.

 

[AvsJoe]

Other than one night of Modern Warfare 2 and Saw and a weekend of NHL 10, the only games I have played in the last 7 months have been Facebook apps like Restaurant City and Wii games like the new Mario Bros. Does that mean I am no longer a gamer? Have I lost my title as well as my pride?

 

[daftalchemist]

I enjoy teasing my Farmville-addicted mother by calling her a gamer. After all those years of her asking me "when are you going to grow up and stop playing video games", it feels good to get a little validation from her own game addiction.

 

[FretfulGnome]

The articles on this site are strange. There's no consistency, they're just all over the place. Weird topics too.

 

[Tears of Blood]

If you ask me, Farmville is not a game. If the only thing you play are Facebook games, you're not a gamer. You're a tool.

Err, anyway. Now that I've finished asking to be put on probation... >_>

I think a gamer is anyone who plays games (plural) often and enjoys it. I am not sure where the line should be drawn, but I can tell you that if you play a game for one or two hours a week, you aren't a gamer... unless you really like gaming and you really don't have the time to play them 'cos you are really really busy.

 

[Weaver]

A gamer is someone who plays games at a frequent interval. Table top, board games, video games, casual video games, it doesn't matter. Different strokes for different folks.

For instance, one of my friends fucking loves risk, settlers of catan, and games like that. We play probably every month and she practices every week with her boyfriend. She's a gamer, so what if it's a board game, she loves games

 

[squid5580]

They're gamers, we're gamerz

Break down that wall!!!!

If the day ever comes when all games released a Farmville clones then we can get all up in arms. Until that day all this ridiculousness is doing is keeping us separated. It gives gamers a bad name. It re-enforces the stereotype. Don't you realize this is what they want? This is how they are keeping us down. Don't you feel the bootheel of oppression on your neck? The more energy we waste fighting against each other (and this war is really gamerz vs. gamerz since the gamers don't care) the less we are fighting against THEM. The publishers who push half finished games out the door. The jokers who blame any evil act on violent games. The greedy who push DLC that is half assed at best but make you feel you need it for the full experience. Leeches stealing from the people who work hard to produce these experiences for us mere mortals. Dammit being a gamerz is not about puffing out your chest and calling yourself superior to the gamers. Because you aren't. Black, white, male, female short, tall, gamer or gamerz we are people first. Equal rights for all gamers no matter what they enjoy playing!!!

Oh I just figured this whole thing out. Gamerz like putting down gamers because they are easy targets. Going after the big dogs means they might not win. And there is no reloading to try again. Jesus this like throwing a game on super easy with a faq in your lap. And you call yourselves gamerz. Disgusting.

 

[Chakanus]

I think in this last decade(s) there has been a struggle for direction (no, I'm not about to start a cult), making people craving more and more to be part of something, even if it is as shallow as being considered a gamer by his/her fellow gamers. I find it a bit silly, actually, but, on a broader sense, I see the difference between a gamer and a "casual", as I've read in the forums.

What usually happens in non-mainstream mediums (like gaming used to be) is that people like to show off... it's a sense of accomplishment. To know the most about whatever you chose to be your group, earns you status points, and your sense of self is enlightened. The problem with it is that people start becoming smug about it. Herein starts the flaming and the hatred, which only fuels their self-esteem even more. Calling someone a noob, is also calling yourself a pro. And this is stupid, period.

That doesn't mean there aren't any differences between gamers and non-gamers. For example, I love to cook. I've always enjoyed it, I read books about it, I try new recipes, I do it for entertainment as well as to show off to my friends, and all in all I'm starting to consider myself a very amateur-ish cook. Now, I don't intend to make a living out of it, hence it being a hobby of mine, but I wouldn't consider someone who boils an egg and makes a sandwich with it a cook. I understand there are professional cooks; there are (such as me) amateur ones, and people who just cook for subsistence. In the amateur department there are some who know less than me (not many, but I'm always eager to help), and a lot that know more than me (and I love when they give me a hand).

It's the same with gaming. I can understand for a gamer (being hardcore or just someone whose hobby is mainly playing videogames), considering someone who plays FARMVILLE a fellow gamer, may be silly. Just like having someone who can't tell the difference between celery and coriander consider himself a Mediterranean cook is. That doesn't mean those who can finish the original Mario in less than 10 minutes and those who play HALO most weekends with his/her friends aren't gamers just the same.

What I don't understand is the need to bash or demean the person. Okay, someone just plays FARMVILLE for fun. Who cares? (S)he isn't a gamer, but so what?

Just a final note (I know this is going for long enough), I don't think there's a cookie at the end of the line. No one "tries" to be a gamer? poseur-ism is something that doesn't exist (don't let them fool ya). If you enjoy it that much, you play more, and know more games, and read about it because it's what you enjoy.

If you only want to spend a bit FARMVILLE-ing, you don't go to forums, you don't know any publishers, and you won't pre-order FARM-LAND 2, the sequel to the original game that inspired FARMVILLE, and which is actually much more intricate and fun (yeah I made that one up... but I hope my message has come across by now).

 

[Sneaklemming]

Played Mega Man = nope
Played Braid = nope
Controller mumbo jumbo = nope.


So clearly I'm not a realretro gamer.

What a douche.

EDIT: I read his article.

and honestly, Susan, you should be defending hardcore gamers too. He does video-gamephobes justice with his narrow-mindedness.

I'm sure there's a better word then "video-gamephobes" but until one of you people coin something, I'll stick with that.

 

[Noone From Nowhere]

I've always found the Mega Man games to be too easy, myself. It's all memory and reflexes with very little thinking skill required. That doesn't mean that I see myself as being a truer gamer than anyone else. I'm not so great at sports games or simulations, anyway.

I also tend to have pretty varied tastes, as well. I'll play a JRPG as readily as I'd play a WRPG, Strategy game or Fighting game. As long as it is well-made, I'll play it. It must be a habit that stuck from the arcade days or maybe reflects my similarly broad interests in other media. My fondness for documentaries doesn't somehow nullify my interests in science-fiction.

When it comes to gamers, my attitude is 'The more, the merrier'. More gamers mean more game types, once the game companies learn what appeals to the newer gamers more and more people to discuss this hobby with. I'd rather not have gaming be as exclusive as Stamp-Collecting.

 

[Chipperz]

I was right there along with you, fighting the good fight, daring anyone to look me in the eye and tell me that my love of gaming was a foolish waste of time. But it's time to stand down, soldiers. The fight is over, and we won. You no longer have to wave the gamer banner around to convince people that what you enjoy has value, because everyone recognizes that it does. Well, most everyone, anyway. Michael Atkinson and various yutzes on Fox News are still a bit late to the party, but the vast majority of reasonable people understand that gaming is a perfectly legitimate way to spend your free time.

When I live in a world where I can get turned down for a Student bank account and three different career development loans because "games design isn't a proper subject", I'd have to respectfully disagree and say no, the fight isn't over until all the old bastards in power are dead.

OT - If you play video games more than once a week, you're a gamer. I don't care if it's Farmville or World of Warcraft.

 

[veloper]

not everyone who owns a motorbike is a biker.

not everyone who plays a game is a gamer.

The reason we make the distinction between gamers and casual gamers, is the decline of gaming.

We buy the good games; they buy the easy casual games and there's more of them than us, so we see won't see any good games, unless we're vocal enough to be recognized by the industry as a smaller, but sizeable market who won't buy casual shit.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

I agree. A gamer simply plays games. Hardcore, Casual, and anything else. The only problem is when they try to make a game more accessible, they can also screw it up. Dumbing something down can detract from the quality, and making things simpler can give people less options.

In the end, I just want to see games made for people that call themselves hardcore, like me, and games made for casual players. It's when they try to combine the two when quality suffers, on both ends. although sometimes they get it right.