What is Hard core?

[Musicfan]

What is your deffintion of a hard core gamer? Is there such a thing? What makes a game hard core? What makes it casual? If difficulty or how well put together a story is makes a game hard core then isn't hard core subjective?

 

[Dio]

Hard core games are games that need a significant time investment in.
COD is primarily a softcore game as anyone can pick it up, have a game and put it down again, there doesn't actually need to be any completion involved past a quick game, there is no lack of closure after a quick session.
Mario is a softcore game also. You play in levels and at the end of each level there is closure. There is not much of a story, you are rescuing peach but there is no development. You can stop after a single level because you are taken out of the game to some kind of level select or hubworld designed to select levels.
Zelda is a hardcore game, it has a story with development of characters and the world around the player. It is not in levels as mario is, there are dungeons but when you finish a dungeon you just leave it into a world that blatantly still needs your help, you are given more story and are compelled to stay in the game. You can't just play a quick game of Zelda and think 'darn I'm satisfied, I can come back to that another time' you have to play the full 20 hours to gain closure, it's the kind of experience you don't want to leave.

 

[Justac00lguy]

I don't think the definition "hardcore" even applies to games. It applies to the audience that plays it. Take for example what people might say is a hardcore game, Counter Strike or Starcraft, I could play this game causally. See what I mean?

Games are defined by who plays them, not the game itself. A game can cater towards a more hardcore following, but plenty of games cater to both. Smash Bros. for example, it has a really large casual following as well as a rather big competitive scene. So I don't really see "hardcore games" as a proper term, more so a term adopted by gamers to call a game their passionate about hardcore. People like to categorise games and this is just another way of doing that.

 

[AncientPoe]

I don't think the definition "hardcore" even applies to games. It applies to the audience that plays it. Take for example what people might say is a hardcore game, Counter Strike or Starcraft, I could play this game causally. See what I mean?

Games are defined by who plays them, not the game itself. A game can cater towards a more hardcore following, but plenty of games cater to both. Smash Bros. for example, it has a really large casual following as well as a rather big competitive scene. So I don't really see "hardcore games" as a proper term, more so a term adopted by gamers to call a game their passionate about hardcore. People like to categorise games and this is just another way of doing that.

You forgot to drop the mic afterwards… ^_^

 

[misskitten]

I think it's a dedication-thing. Kind of like the term "die-hard fan". It's the intensity and investment you make towards the game or series. Sorting games into hard-core and not hard-core is kind of silly to me, because it all depends on the mindset of the gamer who plays them. Like Mario isn't viewed as hardcore, but it can certainly be played in a hardcore fashion, like trying to complete SMB1 without warping or dying even once. It would take serious time to get to that level of skill. I knew that game really, really well growing up and I only made it to 6-3 before I died. Still annoys me that my sister made it to 6-4.

So yeah, even though you *could* sort games into hardcore and not, where would you draw the line? Because like I point out above, a game can be played hardcore even if you don't think it's a hardcore game.

 

[Salem]

I think hard core can describe a person, not game, however the same person can be hardcore for one series or game but be casual for another

Like someone can be a hardcore pokemon player, he/she has all pokemon on level 100, catches all of them etc.

But that same person can be a casual CoD player, he/she played it once a week and that's it.

 

[Ventus]

Hardcore is when you spend a lot of time and dedication to a task.

 

[Iridescence]

It's all arbitrary, but here's what I'd consider a "core gamer":

• Play games almost every day
• Plays 10+ hours a week
• Frequents gaming forums/news sites

 

[Spacefiller]

Hardcore is just a way to emphasize an act is done to the extreme.
Hardcore punk
Hardcore porn
Hardcore gamer
Hardcore basket weaver

I prefer not to use the term too much and can't think of anyway it would apply to me.

 

[Iridescence]

No you're not hardcore (no you're not hardcore)
But the LEGEEEEND. WAS WAY HARDCORE!!!!

 

[Spacefiller]

hardcore, grindcore, emocore, metalcore, mathcore, thrashcore, stankcore...

all stupid(labels)

 

[Snow Queen]

The legend of the rent

WAS WAY HARDCOOOOOOORE

 

[Spacefiller]

The legend of the rent

WAS WAY HARDCOOOOOOORE

now your talkin!
<3