Fierce_LiNk Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 After reading Nick's article this week on the main website, which I think you should all read (http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=10251), I found myself asking this question: What kind of gamer am I? I'm chatting with ViPeR on msn right now, and we're both pretty similar. When I play a game like Zelda, for instance, I play for progression. I dont try to get every Poe or something, but I do collect them on the way. I play for the story, I play for the events, and to finish the game and say "wow, that was a good game." I find collecting a bit tedious at times. I don't neccessarily think a game has to be hard to be enjoyable. I found Metroid Prime to be quite tedious at times, because at some points it was just too damn hard. It just wasn't fun. I didn't play to get the best ending either, but along the way I grabbed what I could. So, what kind of gamer are you? Somebody who plays to get to the end, or a completionist? Somebody who wants to get absolutely everything?
AshMat Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 Pro gamer, as in, i am the best, better than all the rest (rhyme for the day). HArd to say, some games i just try to complete the story, e.g Zelda Others i may go for the 100%
The Bard Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I practice Street Fighter 3 for around 3 or 4 hours a day, maybe more when Ben's around in the hope of one day competing in ranking tournaments around the world. Yes. Basically I play games because I'm competitive like fuck, and I'm a totally compulsive completionist. I've completed Resident Evil 4 13 times with my fastest completion time being 4:30, gotten every single weapon in the same with full upgrades, on one save file, which, infact is no use at all, because It leaves me with no space for ammo, Metroid Prime 1 and 2 100% on hard mode...done Ikaruga... Man I love boasting If it's a game I enjoy, I'll play it again and again until I get everything.
Zell Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I'm exceedingly picky, but if I find myself fully enjoying a game I'll end up obsessively overplaying it to unlock everything etc or completing it several times. Examples for me are Smash Bros, where I've clocked over 500 hours or something ridiculous, and Metroid Prime which I must have completed about 5 or 6 times. And of course with multiplayer games, I strive to become better than everyone else.
Hellfire Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I'm usually a completionist, if the game deserves it. I don't feel like typing, so I'll just say I rock.
Gizmo Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I'm the same as Flinky. In Zelda, I don't bother searching for Poes or heart pieces. If I come across them, I'll get them, but I don't go looking. With stuff like Excite Truck or Kororinpa though, I want to try and get everythnig unlocked. If doing the grind for 100% unlocks me something good, like the Diamond cup or Mirror mode, I'll do it.
Cookyman Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 What type of gamer am I? An old one been gaming since 1978. Cant wait till the Wii goes online find out if I can still beat some the young pups on here! or if I'm past it! :p
That Guy Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I play for the same reason you do, to get to the end, and just be able to get the story, events etc. Games like Mario Kart, Tetris, Lumines etc, I'll play just when I can't be bothered with anything else, but something like Zelda, Okami etc, I'll play to see the end. I don't usually go back to try and get every item in the game and I'll ever usually play through a game twice (only exception being Shenmue and II, and I may play through Hotel Dusk again one day). Oblivion is a game I would like to go back to and do all the side quests though.
Charlie Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 In adventure games/RPGs I aim to complete the main story and anything else I do is an added bonus really. I don't go looking to complete all the side-quests but if I come across them I'll do them. In racing games and FPSs I try to complete all cups/missions on the highest difficulty.
Fierce_LiNk Posted March 18, 2007 Author Posted March 18, 2007 Also begs the question, Why play games? Enjoyment, yes. But, what makes you enjoy a game? A challenge? Or just something to pass the time?
Mr. Bananagrabber Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I'm not much of a completionist. I often play through games for the story, so I normally find looking for every little item frustrating and tedious.
Stocka Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I usually just try to play to the end of games, in particular RPGs and adventure games. Completing a game normally is satisfying enough for me. Also begs the question, Why play games? Enjoyment, yes. But, what makes you enjoy a game? A challenge? Or just something to pass the time? I play games mainly to escape from the everyday real world and immerse myself in another. Yes games are fun, which is why I play a broad range of genres, but the reason I like epic games like Shenmue/epic books is because of the feeling of being in another world.
The Bard Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 Also begs the question, Why play games? Enjoyment, yes. But, what makes you enjoy a game? A challenge? Or just something to pass the time? Same reason most people enjoy sports, because of the enjoyment that you get competing against others and improving on your own skills, and trying to be better than everyone else. I'm naturally good at fighters so that's where most of my interest lies, and because it's not really a team game, like most of my favourite sports, you only rely on yourself. With games like RE4 or Metroid Prime, it's a mixture of the story, the sense of involvement and immersion in something completely convincing and outside your daily experiences.
Konfucius Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 Usually I try to complete the main storyline and if I like a game in particular I try to do as many side quests as possible - without getting frustrated - or unlock special bonus things like for instance in Timesplitters. Also arcade-like games motivate me to play again and again, a recent example being excite truck, however, when there's no decent award for my work I usually give up quite soon.
Aimless Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I try to see any game through to the end, but I'll only bother trying to finish everything in a game if I liked the title enough to do so and the tasks seem manageable. Having said that, the 360's Achievements do tend to lower the bar by offering their own incentive. It's strangely satisfying to hear that little blip noise and then see what you've unlocked, however empty and ironic an 'accomplishment' it might be. I have sometimes played games which I've a vendetta against, a kind of gaming pride, I suppose. Single-player Halo 2, Legendary, Prophet of Regret. This is your typical boss battle of attrition; a lazy difficulty spike that has to be conquered more with luck than tactics. I can't say I particularly enjoyed my constant defeat at the blades of the infinitely respawning Elites, but I can be pretty damn stubborn and that drove me to try again. For a lot of people it would have been a turn off point, and I completely understand that as it is just a poorly conceived bit of design — or lack thereof — that was simply unfair to the player. I can't really say why I kept at it. All my victory would really prove is that I had too much time on my hands, and it certainly wasn't anything countless other people hadn't already done. I think it was just because I'd decided I was going to complete Halo 2 on Legendary, and when I set myself challenges I doggedly keep at them until they're done; I'm one of those people that marks out cracks in the pavement I can't stand on, or tries to cross the road before the beeping stops. I beat the Prophet in the end. I didn't whoop or run around — I'm not that sort of person — I just sighed, glad that I could get on with the rest of the game and enjoy it again. Mission accomplished. So, to answer the thread title, I'm a stubborn gamer. If I think I'm not up to something, or that it would just be a meaningless slog, then I generally won't even attempt it. However, if I set a goal then I won't let myself forget it.
Eddage Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 If I really enjoy a game then I'll try and complete it 100%, although to be honest this has only happened with a few Zelda and a few Mario games. Before the Wii came along I was getting bored with gaming, however I now own 7 Wii games and really enjoy playing them. I guess this means that unless a game is of very high quality (Tales of Symphonia, Skies of Arcadia, etc) I don't usually stick at it, unless that game has something to make up for the lack of quality. That something has been Wii controls, whilst they may be gimmicky to some I find them fantastic and they definitely breath new life into old genres. I guess that means I look for something a bit different, interesting and fun to play?! If it wasn't for the Wii then I probably wouldn't really be gaming at all.
That Guy Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 Also begs the question, Why play games? Enjoyment, yes. But, what makes you enjoy a game? A challenge? Or just something to pass the time? Thats a really good question. I'm not really sure how to answer it, I don't know why I love playing them. One thing though, is that since coming on here and getting involved in the 360 community, and discussing the Wii, I've gotten into games a lot more.
Guest Jordan Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I play games around 3-6 hours a day. Sometimes, i've played games for 12 hour blocks, although this is quite rare. I love to complete games, i love playing games to meet people and i love discussing games. I've been playing them since i was like, 2 or 3 and i haven't stopped since.
Aimless Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 Also begs the question, Why play games? Enjoyment, yes. But, what makes you enjoy a game? All kinds of things. I enjoy the rush of ExciteTruck, especially when you manage to catch some ridiculous air. I enjoy the variety and zany puzzle-like nature of WarioWare. I enjoy playing the hero in Zelda. I enjoy timidly creeping about the haunted remains of an asylum-cum-orphanage in Thief III. I enjoy watching that final CGI in Final Fantasy. I enjoy the guilty pleasure of felling giants in Shadow of the Colossus. Whilst I appreciate Nintendo's standpoint of only making fun games, I'm glad not everyone takes that view. Games don't have to be playful, they can be gut-wrenching, awe inspiring, sombre, confusing, frightening, immoral, revelatory, absorbing and more. People don't watch movies just to see fat people falling over¹, and likewise I don't think gamers have a singular reason for playing games. ¹Well, not everyone.
kiwikid Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I was thinking about this the other night. Does one finish a game when you see the credits roll or when you have unlocked every other minigame and extra the game has too offer and got a 100% rating. Personally I go for the credits sequence to say I have conquered a game, anything after that is a bonus - which I will try to unlock just to get my moneys worth. I'm currently working on excite Truck which is proving very difficult but so satisfying once you do.
Aimless Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I tend to think of finishing a game as reaching its logical conclusion, i.e. making it to the credits or the end of the story. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like it when people say, "I won the game," or, "I beat the game," when talking about titles like Ico, Dreamfall or any other game that's focussed primarily on story or atmosphere. I mean if it's a challenging shooter or something then fair enough, but it isn't always about 'winning', sometimes it's about competing or spectating. I think you'll see more games stripping away the goal posts in the coming years. For an example of what I mean just look at Electroplankton. To me that is very much a game, even if it doesn't have difficulty settings or a high-score table; a lot of people would disagree with me. I think the market will broaden along with the demographic, and maybe we'll even see more 'art house' games being made available for purchase over digital distribution. I can see the industry growing up a lot in the next few years, and the definition of videogames along with it.
conzer16 Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I play the likes of Zelda to try to clear the game ie: beat the final boss. I don't try and get 100% in stats, collectibles etc, I just like to enjoy the various missions along the way, clear them all then clear the game.
Emasher Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 hardcore gamer normaly i play a game until the end then i go back and do as many sidequests as i can i'm not a big fan of collect 100 of something quests (like poes and skulletas) though
mcj metroid Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 i am a hardcore handheld gamer. I love wii and gamecube don't get me wrong but i love to relax too. I love retro gaming it's my special area
Librarian Posted March 19, 2007 Posted March 19, 2007 well depends on the game.. if you get something cool to use in the game then im hunting around for every last thing.. but if it just unlocks som art work or cutscene I really can't be bothered.. and it's quite seldom i actually finish a game.. I usually get tired of any game about 3/4 through.. the gameplay really has to be varied or "wierd" to keep my attention.. Killer 7 had me hooked all the way
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