Snobbery about multiplayer games

The news of Bioshock's lack of multiplayer and the brevity of the campaign mode in Halo 3 have resurrected debates that signal the new rising generation's snobbery—instead of being finicky, proud, and elitist about music (like our parents were/are), we're getting that way about video games.

It seems that most of those in their 20s and most of those who are teenagers are divided on the issue of what makes a game worth buying: its single player or it's multiplayer. While the debates have continued, it's not been highly examined how we got here. If a game was good, it was good. That was it. Now there are preset requirements. Games that would have been considered brilliant are now sometimes immediately shot down for lack of an arbitrary standard—Bioshock for not having multiplayer, for instance.

So, how did we get here?

I'm 25, so my early memories are from the 8-bit NES, not from the N64 or Playstation. Back then, there was little in the way of multiplayer. Multiplayer was an interesting diversion with 4 -player games being a rare and delightful novelty. Most of them were primarily single-player or co-op games, private, masturbatory experiences in which we would sit alone in a room and feel the orgasmic chill of beating up bad guys, finding treasures, and conquering evils both medieval and modernistic. We didn't have great multiplayer, and we didn't have any reason to be too competitive, except within our own inner circles.

There was a quiet revolution that allowed for transition, though, and no one realized the ramifications at the time. Within a small time period, some excellent games came out that were quality for both single and multiplayer. The PC had Warcraft II, Diablo, and Starcraft. The N64 had Starfox 64, Mario Kart 64, Bomberman 64, and last but not least, Goldeneye and Perfect Dark.

A younger generation grew up with games that usually had good multiplayer. Lots of other people played them. Small tournaments and bragging matches ensued at college dorms and other social circles. Competitive gaming started to gain a foothold. And this younger generation didn't know much, if anything, before the world of single player. Games were not masturbatory experiences of glory wherein good conquered evil; they were playing grounds in which one contested for glory in real life.

Some people appreciate both sides. Some of us played Street Fighter II or Mortal Kombat in the arcade, where the glory of winning was ahead of its time. Some of us knew a satisfaction from the skill that doesn't simply make one good at games, but better than someone else at them.

And now there's a division. The "hardcore" used to just mean "play a lot"—now it usually means those who seriously want to be the best. It's a title that will likely incite more debate, but the real question isn't "are you a serious, casual, or competitive gamer" but "how and why do you play?"

The Wii, for all its success, does not match up well with either of these mindsets. The Playstation tries to match both, and the Xbox is mostly catering to multiplayers. The PC is anyone's game. Right now the only thing that ensures gaming survives is money. If a game is good on single or multiplayer experience it will capture a segment of the market.

But why groups play the way they do is not examined—at least, not from the view of the entire scope of gamers. While some people have done columns on the type of gamers, and plenty have written about themselves, there is as yet no one who has really chronicled exactly why the collective mass of gamers play games, and how they organize, and how those who are members of more than one camp deal with it.

I'm going to, though, because I want to know if it's possible to play competitively with other 20-somethings and be allowed to take a break and play for relaxation, and if so, how. Because right now, it can't be done, and I want it to be, and I want anyone to be allowed to. If academia, politics, religion, music, or other areas of society have clearly drawn lines (or lack of lines), then video games and video-game-playing, should, too.

Why I chose the Xbox 360

As was previously reported, my wife bought me an Xbox 360. A choice like that was difficult, and I will explain why I chose it.

Basically there are three systems to choose from. One that is affordable, doesn’t have good Internet connectivity, doesn’t have a big library, and is impossible to get. One is available, recently had its price reduced, has no community, and it’s library isn’t doing well. Oh, and it costs 5,500 dollars. The last one is in the middle of the price range, has a big library, has a huge community and cheap awesome downloadable games, and sometimes breaks.

I took my chance on the last one. At the moment, Nintendo is winning on the market. (“They’re practically printing money,” BAWB once said.) But Xbox has won over my demographic.

Oh, and I have 2 friends with a Wii, but none with an Xbox. You could say I’m doing it for the team. This is one of those rare times when there is no clear answer. Which is the best one? Depends on how you play. I’ll get to that later.

For all your aches and pains

Man, I want a console.

The last console I got, and I’m embarrassed to admit this…is an N64.

To be fair, I got a new computer in late 2005, and I also updated its video card and RAM. I’ve been playing PC games, but not console games. I’ve never played on the Wii Network or on Xbox live, and I’m torn as to which I would really want. I’m not going to get a PS3—I don’t have the dough and it doesn’t have the games yet.

It’s been ten years since a new system. It’s time for an upgrade. Which to get and how do I afford it…

The types of gamers you meet—part 3

Crackhead

I derive the name of this one from the reference to World of Warcraft as World of Warcrakc. The Crackhead is a special, often disturbing breed. Like the elitist, the addict is committed to just one game. However, their play style is somewhat different.

The most common example of a crackhead gamer is one that plays World of Warcraft at least 40 hours a week. A raid takes priority over any type of social function. Work and family functions are scheduled around the game.

A crackhead isn’t considered addicted to video games—he is addicted to World of Warcraft. Or Everquest. Whatever it is he happens to play. He doesn’t necessarily consider himself a gamer. He considers himself a guildmate. He considers himself a teammate. He is emotionally and psychologically invested in the game he plays. Occasionally there is some crossover—elitists who are in fact crackheads, but rarely.

Those who are truly crackhead gamers are the ones that even elitists or renaissance gamers feel uncomfortable around. This guy plays games so often that even other gamers who play 30 hours a week and consider video games their top passion feel like the person likes video games too much. Sometimes other gamers are even intimidated by or feel pity for the crackhead, because the passion is shared but it is affected the crackhead’s live negatively (in the opinion of anyone who is not a crackhead).

Where they hang out: Azeroth, Norrath, Team server, Ventrilo, their rooms.

Examples of Games played: World of Warcraft, Everquest, other MMOs, and occasionally Counter Strike

What they talk about: stuff they’ve seen while playing games, people they play games with, something that happened while playing games, World of Warcraft videos they watched while flying on flight paths, guild politics, future patches, arguing about race, class, factions, bugs in the game they play, equipment they’ve recently picked up.

Domestic

Your domestic gamer is the kind that most people don’t consider a “gamer”, but plays games a good deal nonetheless.

Domestic gamers have little to no interaction with any of the above groups. For them, a video game is a solitary thing, not something that needs to be talked about or even done with other people. Like assembling difficult puzzles, perhaps.

Domestic gamers include moms, grandmothers and other seniors, and parents. Places of play include senior citizen centers, libraries, work, and home. These are people who play family friendly, low-budget, high-replay value games. They constitute a significant minority of the buying power in the video game market.

Whenever they talk about some supposedly impressive number about how many females or people over the age of 35 play video games, they’re talking about domestic gamers. To all the other groups above except Mr. DI, who doesn’t care, domestic gamers are not gamers.

Where they hang out: church, playgrounds, schools, bridge club, bingo, libraries, family amusement centers, and especially home.

Examples of Games played: anything on Yahoo!, Solitaire and other card games, Freecell, Minesweeper, Bejeweled 1 and 2, Chess, online games, whatever their kids are playing that is rated T and under (even WoW, sometimes).
What they talk about: kids, grandkids, work, school and PTA-type stuff, neighborhood and family gossip, politics, and whatever they are interested in.

The types of gamers you meet—part 2

More types of gamers:

Renaissance

Your renaissance gamer is a category rarely recognized, even by themselves, but one that actually exists nonetheless. The renaissance gamer enjoys a variety of gaming experiences. This person may play Defense of the Ancients for Warcraft 3 occasionally in his free time and yet will play Tetris on his mobile phone at a long line at the office (something an elitist would never do—that would distract him and possibly compromise his l33t CS skills).

Your renaissance gamer is another who, at times, considers himself a true gamer. While he appreciates the elitist’s view of perfection, skill, and the quality of a specific game, the renaissance gamer tries new games, new consoles, and occasionally takes a break from the typical games he plays and “relaxes” by playing a low-pressure game on Yahoo! Games or by playing a vintage game on the old SNES he has hooked up (or the SNES emu on his computer)

Your renaissance gamer has tried almost everything and has mixed opinions. He holds no allegiances except to the fact that he enjoys playing games. Renaissance gamers rarely formulate into groups because they can’t become serious enough about the same game at the same time. However, a lot of renaissance gamers play World of Warcraft of another MMORPG in order to have a group to play one game consistently with. Still, many are solitary and play single player, multiplayer, old, new, console, PC, mobile phone, and handheld games all at the same time, or in a rotation.

Where they hang out: anywhere, but they are introverted, and spend a lot of time at home and/or on the Internet

Examples of Games played: All games, especially quality and high-sales games for the PC and console.

What they talk about: video games, technology, science fiction and fantasy novels, movies, funny videos they’ve seen on Youtube.

Mr. Disposable Income

Mr. Disposable Income is a rare breed that may increase as the years go by. A typical Mr. DI is a guy who was a casual gamer and has recently come into a sweet, lucrative job in business somewhere. Because of the need to feel up on pop culture, being able to relate to clientele, and provide entertainment for guests, he buys every single console on the market. He has a Playstation 3, an Xbox 360, and a Wii (he has connections). If he’s heard someone so much as sneeze a game’s name in a conversation at a party or on the subway, he owns it. Maybe, because he feels like it, he’ll own some game he hasn’t heard of. He hasn’t beaten many of them and he doesn’t value them.

Mr. DI is one of those guys who drops off a million games at the game stores so he can get new ones. He is also the first to sell his console on Ebay once it starts to get old. Or his computer.

This guy isn’t so much a gamer, per se, as someone who happens to own and occasionally play video games.

Where they hang out: Barbecues, work parties, regular parties, clubs, restaurants

Examples of Games played: See casual gamer

What they talk about: Marketing, whatever he does for work and what you do for work, networking, whatever the person he is talking to is interested in, kids, miscellaneous

The types of gamers you meet—part 1

There are a lot people who consider themselves video game players, but the word “gamer” means different things to different people. Here are the different kinds of “gamers” you may meet.

Elitist

On the Internet, there is a narrow demographic of gamers who are elitists. They consider themselves the only true gamers, and any other form of video gaming is beneath them.

Elitists play very few different games, often no more than three. In fact, many only play one, citing their game as the one and true game of gamers. The only kinds of games holy enough for Elitists to commit themselves to are FPS and RTS games, or mods of the same The main reason they play games is to compete with other gamers, and anyone who does so for other reasons and they play it so often that their games often have a chess-like quality to them—the best opening move and best counter-move to the best opening move become universal standards. When a build order or timed grenade becomes out of fashion and someone continues to use said build order or grenade spot they are cited as n00bs, presumably because of lack of dedication. While they exist almost solely online—the success of Halo and Halo 2, along with XBox live, has led to EZs cropping up amongst console gamers.

Where they hang out: Internet Cafes / LAN centers, MiRC channels, battle.net, Xfire, forums of professional gaming leagues

Examples of games played: Counterstrike (either), anything with the words “Unreal”, “Halo”, “Quake”, or “Craft” in it

What they talk about: Hacking, cheaters, patches, balance of the game, mods, teams, replay videos, trash-talking, computer specs, gaming leagues, n00bs, why their game is better than some other game or all other games, and anything to establish how cool the individual person is.

The Casual Gamer

The casual gamer is your every man’s man who has played video games at one point or another. Your typical male under the age of 30 that lives in the United States has likely been to a Halo party, played a variety of consoles, owned a console, and played games at every age and in a variety of circumstances. However, this player has never played any game excessively, and he probably hasn’t played consistently with anyone online. He may have purchased a computer game or three, and he’s probably beaten a few games in his day.

The casual gamer has other interests, and can recognize the skill that more serious gamers possess when they come up against them. Some casual gamers consider themselves pretty good, having only played other casual gamers, for the most part. They rarely talk about games and they don’t consider it an important or top hobby; rather, it’s just another thing to do, like watching movies.

Where they hang out: all kinds of places. Casual gamers represent a broad base of people with a large variety of interests. They are almost undetectable.

Examples of Games played: Sports games, Halo, Mario Kart, Call of Duty

What they talk about: social life, sports, jobs, women, the current game’s match—while playing.

Stay tuned for part 2.