11 signs your no longer a hardcore gamer

KdjaCL

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/xbox/11-signs-youre-no-longer-a-hard-core-gamer-329291


ehhh ummm . yeah well i have tueday off!!!


kdjac

L31mr0d

*sigh* I actually waited till the missus went to bed tonight so I can play assassins creed on our HDTV americas next top model was on so I couldn't play it then

I also haven't played online in yonks because of h4x0r american teens.

I also get the same feeling now when I walk into gamestop with a bunch of 13 y/o kids around as I did when i'd have to wait outside the changing rooms when the missus was shopping. You get people looking at you like you shouldn't be there.

... and i'm only 25.

Also I was in work and one of the guys is 19 and was talking about chipping his Xbox because GTA IV had been released early and couldn't wait any longer. I said "whats a week anyway, i'm probably going to wait till after release anyway and try and pick up a deal". He just shook his head in shame.

corcaigh07

im not buying gta4 til after my exams, im not hardcore anymore am i?

i remember one time i missed a league final i was involved in because i stayed up finishing the third disc of shenmue 2 from about 12 to 6 and missed the entire game by waking up at half 1. not cool!

last kinda of hardcore thing i did was just keep playing advance wars through the night. its quite disturbing to see its getting pretty bright when your going to bed. its happened more than once too, so addictive.

i dont feel im too old for a games store yet, im 22. the industry is far more mainstream than it used to be. most of the staff in game stores are at least well into their 20's around cork city at least.

tman

God damnit... Guess I've lost my hardcore then...

In my defence, I don't trade games at all any more (having a collection of 150+ must be considered pretty hardcore)
I held my own in TF2 during the beta
I avoid the Wii because I keep punching myself in the bollix by accident, not because of the effort involved.
I don't have a gf, so get to play with myself all the time:cool:
And I was pretty damn tempted to get my 360 modded just for GTAIV, but can wait until Wednesday at least (only just though...)

Doctor DooM

By todays standards if you have a full time job you simply can't be a hardcore gamer. There's kids playing 25-40 hours a week and when you are earning the money for your own food, ye canae do that, captain.

That said, when I am on shift work, I will still put in a good solid 6 hours of gaming in the wee small hours, cos there's feck all else to do. Last game to benefit from that was warhawk, was great blowing up zee Amerikans.

I'm not getting GTA on release either, because I have exams and I know if I get it, I will fail.

RobertFoster

I rarely get games on launch any more. I look back on PS2 games I got on launch with their stickers on them and I think "I spend that much on that game? I didn't even play it/finish it/like it".

Probably won't get GTAIV on launch because my 360 is a bit under the weather and I'm sending it off to MS, if UPS ever show up.

I'd play more competitive FPS online if my PC was up to snuff. Can't be bothered with console FPS online - I miss being able to turn, strafe, fire and jump all at once.

thelordofcheese

I'm just not buying GTAIV, i wonder what that makes me?

Stephen

Dead, i think :pac:

thelordofcheese

Ahh, that'd explain the lack of a pulse and the unquenchable thirst for braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaainsssss............

Mr Bloat

Cool read - some of it made me feel good about myself! I'm 36, have two kids under five but still get to put in a solid amount of gaming time. Being an insomniac is a good thing, sometimes...
My gamertag is unfortunately boring, it's my name. In my defense, when I was signing up for one, my usual online nicks were taken so I settled on my name as a temp, without realising MS wanted eight whole euro to change it. Greedy <censored>!
Mario Kart Wii opened my eyes to the fact that I'm over the hill for online gaming. I've played MK in every incarnation it has had and always considered myself to be good. I suck online though!
Even if I had a second HDTV, it would be smaller than the main one and I wouldn't want to game on it for that reason.
"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing"
I have no shame whatsoever in trading games. It makes me feel good that the games I'm trading are relatively new, decent titles that I've finished/grown bored of and they don't last long on the preowned shelves before they're snapped up.
I have no need for a PS3 right now, nothing there I want to play that isn't on the 360.
I do remember and was present at the 'golden age' of gaming. IMO, there have been 3 'golden ages' though. The late eighties/early nineties, the early 'noughties' and now.
I play my Wii regularly, it's a great way of introducing the kids to gaming and keeping them (and me!) active.
Yeah, I seem to suck as bad at online FPS' as I do at online racing! I totally own the computer AI though.
Boardgames as videogames suck.
GTA preordered, will pick it up on my way to work Tuesday, drool onto the game case all day, might sneak home for a quick try at lunchtime but have the TV booked for the night (once the kids are in bed) and will be using certain online facilities to acquire whatever TV shows my wife will be wanting to watch for most of next week.

Not quite hardcore but not a wuss either.

ShaneU

Mr Bloat wrote: »

so I settled on my name as a temp, without realising MS wanted eight whole euro to change it. Greedy

It's actually €9.60

CiDeRmAn

You prefer playing against the computer: I always have, but then I haven't changed my behaviour, score one to me there!

You only play when your girlfriend is out: Dammit! This is me right here, except not only do I play if my wife is out or gone to bed, I have to have my "chores" done first! Score one against my hardcoredness!

You believe that winning isn't everything: No, winning is everything still, except when the dev pops a feckin impossible boss in your path, Metroid Prime take note, one up to me again.

It's been days, not hours since you last switched on your console: I can slip, but generally I sneak a go on the Wii/PS3/360 at some point during the day, not for any great duration, just to let it know they are still in my heart.
The DS/PSP get a daily workout, sadly however, usually whilst on the bog, future bowel complaints may have their source here.

You’re the oldest person trading in games at GameStation: Nope not yet, thankfully the shops are still full of 12 year olds getting their parents to buy them GTA, saw one today actually in HMV!

You like your Xbox 360 and your PS3 equally: Nope, my opinion swings depending on the big release I'm playing at the time, the PS3 is in ascendance at the mo' whilst the 360 is feeling a bit lonely, GTAIV, if bought for it may bring it back into the light.

You fondly remember a ‘golden age’ of gaming: I do, but that GoldenAge is the PS2 era rather than some pixellated nonsense from before time, I love my 8 and 16bit machines, I have most of them, but the PS2 kicked ass. I still play far more current stuff though. And I view many remakes nostaglically too, seeing as many were released on older consoles as well, Namco Museum on the PSone?

You avoid playing on the Wii because it’s too much effort: Nope to this one too, I bought and played COD3 on this first and it was great, finished Metroid Corruption and loving Mario Galaxy. I can't say I'll ever buy WiiFit but thats a special case, isn't it?

Your FPS experience consists of spawn, run, die... spawn, run, die... spawn…: A loaded question this, my MULTIPLAYER experience is the above, sure, and also mentioning the embarrassing replays of your death as you fumble to reload your weapon out of cover in COD4 then promptly get capped in the head by a 9 year old from Phily, not good.
But my SINGLEPLAYER experience is much more robust, playing most FPS games on hard rather than normal to provide more of a challenge for my kick ass skills, HAHA!!

You find the idea of videogames based on board games perfectly acceptable: No way never, although I do enjoy the odd bout of Solitare on the DS, forgive me?

You've pre-ordered GTA IV but don't mind if it doesn't turn up on launch day: You don't know the hoops I've jumped through and the begging yet to come to insure I get it on launch day, maybe even Monday if I'm really, really lucky.



So there we go, I reckon I've maintained by Hardcore gaming credentials in the face of formidable opposition, that is, SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED, and while I can't stay up to 2.30am playing Knights of the old republic any more, I can still finish most games that interest me enough.

Thank the gods for shorter games!

Sarky

I played Golden Axe just the other day, and it was still awesome.

Much as I'm impressed by the people who've mastered the art of headshots from the other side of the map while strafing and lying somehow prone in mid-air, I'm rather glad I'm not one of them.

CiDeRmAn

I think the is a line to be drawn between hardcore gamers, those who would apply themselves with vigor to all types of games, and then those freaks who can tell you every nook and cranny in every UTIII map, and the reload times on the weapons, deary deary me.

Of course it could be worse, you could be the type of gamer who has nothing but EA games in his/her collection, Fifa, Tiger Woods, Need for Speed etc.

FruitLover

I think I'd rather not be referred to as a 'hardcore gamer' at this point. Grand if you're a kid whose real life hasn't started yet, but if you're putting in hours and hours of gaming per week, I think the auld priorities have gotten mixed up a bit. As an auld lad of 26, I'd rather spend time with people than games (doesn't stop me having a mess about on the PSP or Wii from time to time though).

I got to thinking that games just weren't as much fun as they used to be, but playing through older games makes me realize that it's me that's changed. The article describes me to a tee

L31mr0d wrote: »

Also I was in work and one of the guys is 19 and was talking about chipping his Xbox because GTA IV had been released early and couldn't wait any longer. I said "whats a week anyway, i'm probably going to wait till after release anyway and try and pick up a deal". He just shook his head in shame.

He's probably a virgin.

corcaigh07

still love gaming, very passionate about gaming but yeah, priorites have to change. i dont have a next-gen(wii excluded) console because A. i have exams therefore will not be buying gta until 16 may.B not made of money although often spend more than i should.

big deal, i was a year overdue for gta:vice city, my favourite gta.i was probably too busy drinking and the craic to care. ive really seen the gaming spark fade in my brother though, hes 31. hes just lost the drive for it. when a game hooks him, it really hooks him(examples include advance wars, mario galaxy) but he just doesnt have the drive to start playing in the first place. im constantly telling him to play shadow of the colossus every week since i beat it not long after the games release. thats fecking ages!

FruitLover

corcaigh07 wrote: »

big deal, i was a year overdue for gta:vice city

Hell, I only bought GTA 3 the other week (didn't like it when it first came out, probably because I had played 1 and 2 to death). In fairness though, I did play it about 6 hours a day till I finished it

Mr.Nice Guy

I used to regard myself as a hardcore gamer. I'd read the latest mags religiously to get the inside scoop on the next games, I'd compile lists on paper of the games I'd get months into the future, I can even recall telling my business studies teacher way back when that Microsoft were about to enter the console market and absolutely no one else knew anything about it. I also used to adore reading Mr Biffo on Channel 4's Digitiser and was truly heartbroken when it was replaced by Gamecentral.

Soon as I got a PC though all of that went to hell.

"I could get out my PS2 now.. Nah I'll just watch something on Youtube instead."

Only game I've played this year is Football Manager on my PC cos it's convenient.

In saying that however I think there are a few titles that bring out the old gamer inside of me. Looking at footage of GTAIV has warmed my heart and the thought of MGS4 fills me with hope that I can rekindle that old passion for gaming.

quad_red

L31mr0d wrote: »

*sigh* I actually waited till the missus went to bed tonight so I can play assassins creed on our HDTV americas next top model was on so I couldn't play it then.

He he, are you me, in a Tyler Durden kind of way?

I feel your pain man... that absolute bint Tyra Banks depresses me.

ambro25

You prefer playing against the computer: 50/50

You only play when your girlfriend is out: not quite, but not far off

You believe that winning isn't everything: true insifar as VGs are concerned

It's been days, not hours since you last switched on your console: true

You’re the oldest person trading in games at GameStation: never traded @ bricks & mortar, it's for mugs (viva Adverts & eBay!)

You like your Xbox 360 and your PS3 equally: don't have either & don't plan on having either

You fondly remember a ‘golden age’ of gaming: there never was one

You avoid playing on the Wii because it’s too much effort: mine's only kept for sentimental reasons (was a xmas present, don't have heart to get rid)

Your FPS experience consists of spawn, run, die... spawn, run, die... spawn…: depends on the map

You find the idea of videogames based on board games perfectly acceptable: despicable, more like

You've pre-ordered GTA IV but don't mind if it doesn't turn up on launch day: no preorder + see above re 360/PS3. That said, I'm looking FWD to rediscover GTAIII on my EEE.

I started with a CBS in 1982, I do have a full EDGE collection (bought myself from newsagents over the years, not bought 'turnkey' off eBay), I have the Ultimate Videogame History 1st Ed. which I've read 4 or 5 times, I've been through the retro phase in style (spent about €5k, bought all sorts incl. Supergrafx/vectrex/virtualboy/etc., came out break-even which ain't bad).

I've always been enthusiastic, never hardcore.

I'm time-served though, which most "hardcore" of each successive hardware generation can't & won't ever be able to brag about