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What's your definition of "hard core" (Poll)
Pappy13
Member Posts: 2,138
I've seen the term "hard core" thrown around a bunch and I'm curious to see what people think it means to them. I think it means something a bit different for a lot of people. This isn't supposed to set a definition for the term, merely try to put it into perspective a bit.
Comments
I'll start it off. For me, it has nothing to do with how many hours you play nor how many lvl 70's you have. It has to do with why you play. If you play to reach some milestone - like getting the best gear or being the highest ranked PvP player or completing the highest level dungeon, then to me you are hard core. If on the other hand you play because it's entertainment and anything that you accomplish in the game just comes as a result of having fun, than you are not hard core, your casual.
I'd say 'something else' as I don't think how hardcore someone is can be quantified by their time spent playing a particular game, or how many max level characters they have.
I believe it is a specific mindset unique to players of a certain type. These are the players that rush to end game, rush to get the best weapon/item/armour or rush to achieve whatever goal they set themselves. It almost verges on Metagaming as it goes above and beyond pure gameplay. These people are playing to win, no matter what the cost.
It's not about hours of game time
It's about 3 things
- Objectives: hardcore players play to be the best
- Epeen: hardcore players play to be recognised and show it off
- Challenge: hardcore players play to spend long hours on long-term hard content
Contrast with casuals:
- Objectives: casual players play to have fun
- Epeen: casual players play to experience the game content and be rewarded appropriately
- Challenge: casual players are happy with shorter/easier challenges that they don't have to spend their entire life to complete
WoW is ironically not good for either group of players.
- It's too faceroll/unskilled for the hardcore, while arena used to be a small competitive aspect, with the new class balance arena is pretty much a joke - and it's a tired concept anyway, and the endgame PVE is made for noobs basically
- It's too time-consuming for the casuals and pretty much forces casuals to play for longer than they would want to, just to get rewards. As someone with a job, I can't spend as much time as some unskilled kid, but he will spend more time and get all the rewards first, there's no skill involved just time spent
WotLK has become basically a noobfest - a place where people with no skill but who have the most time to stare aimlessly at the boring game will win all the rewards
It's an old, boring game that people only play out of misguided habit
generally speaking,
you could say the exact same thing about all current and future mmos that are older than 6 months
EQ2 fan sites
Hard core player is such a difficult term to define anymore.
To some Hard core means elitest ass who thinks puging is beneath them, if you don't have the right gear you are note worthy to even talk to them.
Hard core to others means a no life basement dweller who still lives with mommy and plays WoW like some folks watch TV.
What I feel it means is someone who loves Wow. This person knows Wow like a Warhammer or Battletech tabletop gamer knows about little plastic dwarves and robots and how to paint them and build a realistic landscape for them...me at one time.
These folks play Wow for the sheer enjoyment of it. They may play for hours and hours, but they do little else for entertainment.
This type of persons Wow knowledge is encyclopedic. He knows how every class works and what every talent does. He, or she, knows what races make the best of certain classes. They know instances inside and out. Alot of times, they are more than happy to share this info, alot of hardcore players have fansites.
More often then not, grouping with a hardcore player can be a real joy. They know what to do and how to do things in a instance or area. Although this can be boring if you've never done something before and are trying to enjoy something for the first time. alot of times the hardcore player will understand and go slow so you can enjoy what they loved the first time they ran it also.
Hard core players write bug reports. Lovingly written to get as much info to devs as possible to improve what they love so much.
Ok, old man rablin' done now.
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I think your description of Hard Core is accurate, although I think that as a side effect, hard core can be empirically identified by the fact that they play ridiculous hours and have multiple 70s as a side effect of the hard core approach (in WoW, at least).
I was once told by several guildies that because I played less than 30 hours a week (I average 10 hours a week, usually on a Sunday) I was not hard core. Given that I've actually only seen about 10% of the dungeons in any detail, and have done almost 0 PvP I am inclined to agree with them.
On the other hand, my wife, who for about 6 months a year ago played 14-16 hours a day, every day, for six months and made 4 level 70's (she had a lot of injury-related downtime) was in a guild that had the audacity to tell her she wasn't hard core because she wouldn't PvP (she doesn't like PvP).....
...so I usually add "asshat" to the list of identifiable hard core traits (in my own experience)
not all hard core players, sure....I have several friends who are indisputably hard core gamers, but they aren't BIG asshats....maybe I just know them well enough to forgive? 
Current MMOs: Rift, GW2, Defiance
Blog: http://realmsofchirak.blogspot.com (old school tabletop gaming and more)
That would make you just as misguided as the rest of us then, eh?
"Hardcore" ? Is more a mindset then anything but an example of hardcore would be:
Set raiding schedule with attendance requirements above 80% that raids more then 1-2 nights per week.
Sorry but if you are raiding 3-7 nights per week and have to be there because your guild requires attendance then not only are you "Harcore" but just plain pathetic as well. My only recommendation for players like this is to "Get A LIFE". Maybe go outside and meet some real people.
Currently playing:
LOTRO & WoW (not much WoW though because Mines of Moria rocks!!!!)
Looking Foward too:
Bioware games (Dragon Age & Star Wars The Old Republic)
Hardcore gamers don't play WoW.
WoW may have it's 'Hardcore' players, but they're just carebears with massive glowing shoulderpads and a Stewie Griffen Epeen.
WoW is n00bsauce.
Voted something else, as like you stated it's not how much you play as more why you play that differentiates casual vs hardcore.
Casual - random play (even daily) but for fun/social aspect only
Hardcore - achievement driven, schedules RL events around game events, must be end game yesterday,
Proud member of Hammerfist Clan Gaming Community.
Currently playing: RIFT, EQ2, WoW, LoTRO
Retired: Warhammer, AoC, EQ
Waiting: SWToR & GW2
Hardcore is definitely not raiding, because raiding was easier than soloing in games like classic EQ. It's much easier to accomplish things with the help of many than relying on your individual skills and abilities.
For me hardcore means an avid gamer, who plays often, and a gamer who wants to be challenged, and therefore is drawn towards sandbox oriented MMOGs with PvP.
Edit: I guess I need to emphasize "real PvP' with player looting, since this is the WoW forum.
I think it is someone that goes that extra mile in games. I guess examples would be if there is 10 quests to do out of 25 the hardcore would do all 25 and then some more whereas the casual would do only some. Or someone who does constant raiding and pvp all the time and takes the time out to study the combat to be that much better. I guess there can be mulitiple definitions of hardcore.
Actually, I don't think you need to emphasize anything. WoW has some of the most "hardcore" players on the planet. You may not agree with the PvP, PvE, Looting, or Quest systems. You can even be like me, and not care for the game much at all, but I can say without hesitation that I know more people who play WoW like a job (or even a religion) to gain acheivements, gear, gold, and PvP rank than any other game on the market. They are extremely hardcore players, and I wouldn't trade places with them for a Pre-CU server.
I think what you are talking about it hardcore "PVP," not hardcore game players in general. Plus, I think we all know what game you are talking about. I don't understand why you think players, committed to a game you may or may not play, can't be "avid" gamers?
Played (more than a month): SWG, Second Life, Tabula Rasa, Lineage 2, Everquest 2, EvE, MxO, Ryzom.
Tried: WoW, Shadowbane, Anarchy Online, Everquest, WWII Online, Planetside
Beta: Lotro, Tabula Rasa, WAR.
The only hardcore PvP is to be find in WOW these days.
Why ? It is based on a rated ladder system. You win, gtrz you advance, You loose, sorry that top PvP gear is - for ever - out of reach in the present game (come back when the new gear opens in 6 months).
Less than 0.5% of all PvP players will have the rated full Deadly Gladiator epic set in a few months time.
That's hard, That's competition, Not the mammy breast feeded PvP of uncontrolled unsportive world PvP.
"Look I won , we beated the shit out of this guy in ganking him with 6." and we looted him !!!!
That's old hat PvP for dreamers and guys not up to it.
Arena PVP is not "Hardcore" it is glorified Dueling. OHHHH look at me I can duel so well.
Give me a break. Controlled instances is not hardcore.
Hardcore PVP was Asheron's Call Darktide. Where you couldn't level up because the best spots were already camped by higher level players. Where you couldn't carry anything good because it would be dropped when you died. Where a level 50 "Skilled" player could kill a level 100 player no matter what their gear was.
Sorry but WoW PVP is a joke and always has been. It is just another one of their "Gear Grinds".
Currently playing:
LOTRO & WoW (not much WoW though because Mines of Moria rocks!!!!)
Looking Foward too:
Bioware games (Dragon Age & Star Wars The Old Republic)
My definition of hardcore is staying offline for 5 months ,then logging on to find i have the best player in the game
No seriously ,i would love the idea of staying offline for a year then come back and i have 10 trillion gold,man wouldn't that be an accomplishment?hint hint cough EARTHRISE.
I think of hardcore i think of a diamond,NO not a baseball diamond silly.
Oh sorry we are talking about hardcore pertaining to WOW?umm hmm...you mean the game is unjustifiable without implecating terms such as L33t Raiding,i ownzz j00?
Are people not playing the game because it is fun and does not need any terminolgy associated with it?Remember those 1>50 quests? go fetch me 10 bear skins? ya man those were the fun old days.
Hardcore in wow is when you grab your little dwarf and try to jump one of those wooden[fake looking wood]fences but fail and rap your n..s on the pole,now that is hardcore.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
You know, it's funny he even has a troll as his avatar.
In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.
-Thomas Jefferson
I put 40+ hours due to the fact that, for a lot of people, that constitutes a full work week.
But in general I take "hardcore" refers to someone that schedules their life around the game.
Not necessarily to the point of skipping out on parties, dates, spending time with friends or family, loosing their job, etc.- but I'm sure those things have happened.
_____________________________
"Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit"
I generally agree with this. I will add that there is another gamer type and that is elitest. Elitest to me are the ppl who want/need to have the best everything. Hardcore is the player who will go balls out but doesn't neccissarily have to have the best everything to do it. Then ofcourse the casual gamer. I am a casual gamer with Hardcore tendencies
-Almerel
Hello my old friend.
I think people should go back to having fun with games instead of worring about what others are doing.
I will admit though i do make fun of certain names on characters lol..can't help it though some people come up with some wierd crap lol.
"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand."
- Lewis Thomas
I generally agree with this. I will add that there is another gamer type and that is elitest. Elitest to me are the ppl who want/need to have the best everything. Hardcore is the player who will go balls out but doesn't neccissarily have to have the best everything to do it. Then ofcourse the casual gamer. I am a casual gamer with Hardcore tendencies
I guess I'm an elitist then. I don't play too much, but I deliberately look to maximize my character. I do math on my builds, I consider the effects of various stats, I angle towards making the best character possible.
I just enjoy this. I don't care what other people do, unless they're in a party with me.
In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.
-Thomas Jefferson
I generally agree with this. I will add that there is another gamer type and that is elitest. Elitest to me are the ppl who want/need to have the best everything. Hardcore is the player who will go balls out but doesn't neccissarily have to have the best everything to do it. Then ofcourse the casual gamer. I am a casual gamer with Hardcore tendencies
I guess I'm an elitist then. I don't play too much, but I deliberately look to maximize my character. I do math on my builds, I consider the effects of various stats, I angle towards making the best character possible.
I just enjoy this. I don't care what other people do, unless they're in a party with me.
It's one thing to try to maximize your stats. It's something else when anything short of the best will not do.
My idea of hardcore is attempting a well organized raid and failing miserably.
Hardcore is spending countless hours trying to recover, readjust and reattempt the target.
Hardcore is creating your own strategy and not opening a strategy guide to see how to do it.
Hardcore is having no wiki or websites to hold your hand.
Hardcore is playing a game to actually discover what is around the next corner - not try to get a better weapon than your buddy at work.
Hardcore is spending countless hours roaming planets for the perfect places to gather the best resources to make the best armor in-game on your server (ya, this is a pre-CU SWG reference).
Hardcore is a 10% exp death penalty (with a rez)
To me, I can narrow down hardcore to a few games:
Crafting - SWG
Raiding - EQ classic - nothing beats 20 hour corpse recoveries in old-school EQ
Lack of readily available information to hold your hand - Vanguard.
PvP - EVE
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I generally agree with this. I will add that there is another gamer type and that is elitest. Elitest to me are the ppl who want/need to have the best everything. Hardcore is the player who will go balls out but doesn't neccissarily have to have the best everything to do it. Then ofcourse the casual gamer. I am a casual gamer with Hardcore tendencies
I guess I'm an elitist then. I don't play too much, but I deliberately look to maximize my character. I do math on my builds, I consider the effects of various stats, I angle towards making the best character possible.
I just enjoy this. I don't care what other people do, unless they're in a party with me.
It's one thing to try to maximize your stats. It's something else when anything short of the best will not do.
I dunno, I don't really care what gear anyone in my party has or something, unless they have something stupid beyond all reason (I saw, I kid you not, an 80 with a BWL epic recently. I was like... uh... what? Needless to say he didn't really end up coming with us). I'm not sure how to charactarize this. People who used to laugh if someone didn't have Teir 6, like our friendly '2 warglave' rogue who posts? I really think they're like 0.5% of the population.
In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.
-Thomas Jefferson
Penalty for failure, experience loss from dying, or materials loss from crafting.
Rewards are hard-earned so they are valued.
That sums up hardcore.
WoW is a game for casual gamers. So no amount of time poured into it would make them hardcore ><.