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The release of Grand Theft Auto IV has brought on all sorts of comments of the status of gaming at this time. "The revolutionary game that will change videogaming forever" is one of them, while others have been calling it "The Godfather" of gaming. So many outlets are ready to pinhole this game as the next coming to bring games to the mainstream as a permanent foothold.
I'm not writing this to discredit GTAIV because it is, in fact, a superbly technical game that deserves the praise it has been recieving. However, i can't help but think that this "revolutionary step in videogaming" isn't really something that attracts not only different gamers but different people in cultures. Specifically, this game shows the divisable rift that I feel legitimizes videogaming as the art form that it is striving to be.
For the past few years, there has been a secret skirmish going on in the battle lines of the hardcore gamers: the "hardcore" game versus the "casual" game. However, videogaming experts (senior writers and editors from gaming sites) have refuted that there is no such thing as "casual" and "hardcore" gamers: it generally is used to stir arguments on message boards.
I for one agree with this, but there definitely is a segregation of the types of gamers that exist in this medium. This type of segregation in entertainment mediums isn't uncommon: In films, for example, there are "scholars" (viewers who love to dissect a movie on themes and messages), "buffs" (viewers who like to know as much about a film as possible), "thrill seekers" (those who love 'torture porn' or 'horror movies') and "chick flickster" (those who frequent chick flicks) just to name a very few.
For the longest time, gamers have been segregated just like movies: it just took Grand Theft Auto IV to show it to some people. Here are some types of gamers:
Graphic Whores - Let's start with some of the more easily impressed gamers, a la "Graphic Whores". Whenever there is some impressive graphical effect or some really good modeling or "realistic" rendering, these gamers of the night go completely nuts over the game. Set to believe that graphics completely add to the bravada of the game itself, these gamers want photorealism in its most purest sense to project a sort of "virtual reality" that makes you believe you are in the world you are currently running through.
These gamers fell in love with games like Shenmue for the Dreamcast, Metroid Prime for the Gamecube and God of War for the PS2, which are graphical put-outs with actually great gameplay. There are, however, those games that are truly faulted from a gameplay or design standpoint that truly makes these games completely for these types of gamers.
A recent example might just be Assassin's Creed. The game's setting was perfectly conveyed in a photorealistic view of Jerusalem. The beauty of the fields and the intricate detail of the buildings left an undeliable impression on many gamers...that is if you were not concentrating on the gameplay, which repeated itself one too many times to be as engrossing.
Graphic whores tend to be the most excited about system launches because they seem to buy into the raw power of the machines, even though potential isn't fully realized until well after 2 - 4 years in the system's cycle.
Graphic whores aren't the equivalent of a movie-goer who likes to see "boobies and explosions" however. Graphic whores tend to see the very minute, little visual details of a game that other games seem to completely miss. To some, this seems highly inconsequential to a game. However, the slightest break of reality can be jarring for a graphic whore. These guys are usually the pickiest of the bunch when it comes to recommending games because, to them, the minor imperfections to some on the graphics tend to be huge red flags that can't be let go
Technologicas - Unreal Engine 3. Renderware. Source Engine. Do any of these terms mean a thing to you? If they do, then you are a technologica: someone who systematically sees the pros, cons and defining characteristics of the engine. You can tell within 10 seconds that the people who made Dark Sector is using the same architecture that the people who made Gears of War is making. Or, that the people who created Portal is using a heavily modded physics engine of Source, whom Valve used to create Half-Life 2.
Technologicas can look at anything simple from a character model, textures or even just a way an object moves and can instantly say "ok, this is a Havok engine game". Generally, these technologias have had interest in creating their own games or have made the step of learning how to create mods.
Furthermore, there is one key characteristic of a technologica: They play a lot of certain types of games. Unreal Engine and Source has clearly been used on many First Person Shooters, which is why most FPS die-hards are very familiar with the engine and its limits. Renderware works on a lot of racing games, so they also have defining characteristics.
Technologicas can also be minor graphic whores: like a piece of art, technologicas might be more impressed with a shimmer, shadow or how something reacts to its environment more than colorful, realistic graphics. They can fully discuss what makes a game like Boom Blox so amazing, when others might just see it simply as "a falling block" game.
Technologicas are very much a "show-me" type of gamer. Seldomly do they believe in "hype" or "buzz", these types of gamers are instantly skeptical of any type of game without knowing the intricacies of how the game runs, plays and acts. Lastly, technologicas tend to be PC gamers, since there highly more likely to use mods.
Breathers - Immersive technology. Living, breathing world. Deep, involving storyline. Over 100 hours of gameplay. You've played over a hundred hours of playing as Tommy Vercetti, Commander Shepherd and the Hero of Kvatch. You believe a game should not only make you believe in its world, but have you experience it like its your own. You want to be a great hero worthy of praise or a dispicable person of little merit and of many fear. If these types of games are what you're into, you are most definitely what I'd call a "breather".
First off, a breather demands a good story with believable and involving characters. More often than not, breathers play RPG's for that simple reason. Game engines, technology: hell, even graphics seem rather inconsequential if the story is worth going through. That seems to explain why some RPG lovers, after years of having the same turn-based battle systems, are still willing to accept that tired system if the story is still interesting.
Story might not be a factor to a breather, however: There's a little something called atmosphere that can really envelope a breather in the game. It could be as little as a radio station on Grand Theft Auto III or the utopia gone wrong 30's setting of Bioshock. Again, if the player can believe his place exists while the disc is in the drive, he's in it for the long haul.
In fact, "breathers" may very well be the most relaxed gamers of these sects:: For years, they have been willing to drudge through archaic battle systems (Final Fantasy VII), atrocious camera problems (Kingdom Hearts), simplified game mechanics (Bioshock) and unexcusably bad controls (Resident Evil) to be fully engrossed in its said game.
The argument could very well be that "breathers" really aren't "hardcore" gamers (or the least "hardcore" of the hardcore), they are entertainment lovers seeking the next great story or world to dive into, like Star Wars for film and The Lord of the Rings for books. They are simply just finding that next fix with games.
Statlies - Calculated. Detailed. May very well be obessive compulsive. Like the "breathers", you love your gameplay deep, involving and to last a very long time. However, unlike your breather brethren, story and atmosphere is furthest in your mind. That is, unless, it has something to do with your character or avatar.
See, you don't seem to care if your sister died or the fate of the world is in your hands. Nay my friends, all you care about is how this highly expensive sword is going to effect your attack/defense rating or whether this character your training is the right character for the job you just acquired. Or, if my formation has enough balance so my long distance magic users have enough coverage with my footmen against my enemies. You get pissed off everytime you neglect a single stat detail because you didn't take into account 30 different variables that could effect your win. You are a "statly".
"Statlies" can definitely be seen pinning for the next big strategy RPG, such as Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea. They also can be seen playing simple strategy games such as Advance Wars, Carcassonne and Catan. It's also very likely that they get excited for games like Fire Emblem, Dia Shayruka and Civilization. Outside of videogaming, it's more likely they enjoy a game of Chess, Magic: The Gathering and Poker.
As you can plainly see, "statlies" seem to gravitate more towards strategy-RPG's. However, don't be surprised if these guys are caught drilling in multiple seasons of Madden NFL, FIFA, Pro Evolution Soccer or any other types of sports games. These season modes, filled with signings, trades, morale and otherwise may be considered lightweight to most strategy gamers, but they seem to fill a nice void.
The one chief thing that defines a statly seems to be the consistent need to think. These are the type of gamers who don't seem to get the popularity of such games as Peggle, Geometry Wars and Pac-Man: Championship Edition. To these gamers, the words "simple" and "accessible" clearly means "watered-down" or "inferior".
Traditionalists - You started gaming 20, maybe 30 years ago. You may have seen the first Pac-Man machine when you were at a young age, being mesmerized by its colorful cabinet and strange glow. Hell, you may have owned an Atari 2600 or a Colecovision at one point.
Or maybe you're not that old-school. Maybe you were young when the original Super Mario Bros. was released. Or when the Super NES and the Sega Genesis were constantly trying to battle each other for console supremacy. You distinctly remember your first arcade experience with Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat and Metal Slug. You've lived through all those controversies and have tried to convince your parents to purchase those games for you, despite the media warnings. You were there when Super Mario 64 was released...and was simply amazed.
Nostalgia might mean "old" to some, but to you, it means "classic", "quality" or "timeless". You are a "traditionalist".
To traditionalists, games that are considered "old" by some standards still stay fun to this day. They can still see the joys of playing Pac-Man and Frogger. However, traditionalists still feel that some of the best games being made have absolutely nothing to do with the hardware they are being developed for. Graphics, sound and engines may change, but great gameplay never changes. Traditionalists love gems like Super Mario Galaxy that not only bring something new to the table, but harken back to what made older games so memorable and fun. Traditionalists believe may have one mantra to live by: "Old games don't just live in the past, they live through every single game being released".
Sadly, as true as it may be, traditionalists are the most hard-headed and steadfast of the group. New gameplay inventions, such as what Guitar Hero and Rock Band brings to the table, seems to take traditionalists much longer to be convinced of how good these new games are. Some traditionalists also think that some advancements are unnecessary to gaming, from something like motion controls to something more drastic, like online gaming.
Mavericks - You want to be amazed. You want to be wowed. You want to know that the $400, $500, $600 you spent on that shiny new system will one day pay off with, if not at least, one game that will change the face of gaming. Furthermore, if it means a new way of playing something, you're all for trying it out. You probably went crazy when you heard about the Wii.
You live for the moments: The first time you got a hooker on Grand Theft Auto III, rocked out in Guitar Hero or played Wii Sports. You want the rush, the feel of something refreshing. Hell, you might be a thrill seeker in real life. You are a "maverick" and you're ready to be blown away.
"Mavericks" are all about diversification. Hell, they have to be if they want to try the next great big thing. They can be amazed at watching Grand Theft Auto III happening in front of them, then playing Halo with its all engrossing storyline via first-person prespective, then playing Guitar Hero with a bunch of people in their house. Then, suddenly, being enthralled about how visceral God of War is.
Furthermore, "Mavericks" want the gaming industry to be not only compared to movies or books, they want it to be known that they are the superior storytelling medium. Mavericks believe that a game is the best way to envelope someone's imagination into a story or a character to truly experience the life of this character. Mavericks are completely devoted to that rush.
Which is also the main detractor of a "maverick". More often than not, Mavericks end up not liking sequels of games mainly because they don't "wow" them like the original. Sure, the game could have slight improvements that make the game more refined and responsive, but if it doesn't break the mold, it's not great. To a "maverick", quality equals innovation and different gameplay.
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These six are only a few of the ones I could come up with and there are many more. The key point I wanted to get across is simply this: We all have our likes and dislikes with games. However, these types of gamers are neither hardcore nor casual gamers: they simply enjoy different types or different aspects of games. I firmly believe a dialogue should be discussed with not only gamers on message boards, but with gamers who run these sites that each type of gamer is fully represented.
Grand Theft Auto IV might be gaming's most important release from a cultural standpoint: it's clearly up to gamers at large how we want to be labeled: "Segregated masses" or "Diverse culture"?
- Posted May 11, 2008 10:47 pm PT
- Category: Editorial
- 257 Comments
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