Day 11: The Three Types of Games

I wrote this this afternoon while our internet went out for a record 5.5 hours. Couldn't find information on what I was going to write about and now I can't even remember the topic so...here's this!

When Nintendo says something there’s a good chance it’ll be either laughable or brilliant. A couple of years ago at E3 Reggie said “we’re all gamers.” He said it several times and the entire presentation focused on that one point and likewise Nintendo was going to serve all of us and all of our tastes. Like most of Nintendo’s last 5 years it left a bad taste in the mouth of that segment of the population who pumps the majority of the money into companies like Nintendo.

There’s a sense of animosity and resentment between different groups of gamers based on gaming preferences. Much like judgment by race some groups prefer segregation, particularly with press conferences who will only be viewed by the ‘hardcore’ gamers, the press that caters to them, and investors and businessmen. Never has the distinction been made between ‘hardcore’ and ‘casual’ gaming though it’s usually understood. If you just play Wii Fit or waggle games then you’re casual. If you play action games like first person shooters then you’re hardcore. Why? First of all there’s no ‘hardcore’ and ‘casual’ based solely on taste. I’m going to break down all mainstream video games down into three groups that I think work. From there the distinction of ‘hardcore’ and ‘casual’ is up to the person’s opinion rather than their tastes.

Simple games:

‘Simple’ games, as I like to call them, are games with simple controls and clear objectives and rules. This includes all non-action puzzle games, rhythm/music games and party games mostly. So this demographic would include all the Facebook game players and all the people who use their computer almost exclusively for puzzle games like my grandparents. This also includes all the party and waggle gamers who get together playing Rock Band or Kinect. Are some of these people hardcore? Absolutely! You may be at the top of the leaderboards in Demon’s Souls but I’ll bet your grandma would kick your ass at Bejeweled. They can be just as ‘hardcore’ as any of the rest of us. I’ll give you a second to wrap your head around the thought of grandma being a ‘hardcore’ gamer.

Simulation games:

‘Simulation’ games emulate or replicate the real world in video game form. This includes sports games and most racing games. These games demand realism take priority over fantasy which makes them distinct from all other games which create their own world. Because of this there are no military shooters which qualify for this category because they prioritize fun gameplay over realism. Let alone the artistic liberties taken with historical battles. Besides, it’s not like many of us are going to see combat in our lives anyway. No one wants to play a game where we got shot once and have to start the whole game over. No, this category is specifically for sports nerds who buy the new game each season and/or racing nerds who invest big money into racing wheels.

Abstract games:

‘Abstract’ games are where most of what we call ‘hardcore’ games resides. Abstract games create their own worlds with their own rules. They can tell their own stories. They can have simple or complex gameplay. This category includes pretty much everything we hear about, shooters, adventures, role playing games, action, etc. I like to break this category down further into two subcategories: competitive and non-competitive. While practically all Simulation games and Simple games can be competitive to some degree not all Abstract games are specifically designed for competition. The competitive games are the types which get featured in tournaments: real time strategy games, fighting games, and some types of shooters. The rest are non-competitive action and adventure games.

While the Abstract category encompasses what most of us consider ‘hardcore’ gamers it’s no more hardcore than any other category though it does present a steeper learning curve. Simple games have, by definition, are easy to learn but hard to master in most cases. Simulation games vary in complexity but are designed to be easier to approach by fans of the respective sport. Abstract games also have a habit of incorporating elements of other genres and other categories into its games on a small scale. For example, in fantasy MMORPGs typically half the gameplay is focused on combat while have is focused on tasks like management, economics, crafting, etc. which is more like a Simple game.

Basically, what I’m saying is there are no ‘hardcore’ and ‘casual’ gamers, we’re all gamers with different tastes and that’s no reason to hate or discriminate. Don’t complain about publishers abandoning their hardcore gaming audience because unless they’re releasing shovelware then someone playing it is hardcore, you just might not have much in common. Instead complain that they’re just not releasing games you like and don’t hate on those buying them. After all, it’s just games.