hardcore posts

As far back as gamers can remember, each game has belonged to a specific genre, and gamers who enjoy certain genres are subsequently categorized into types of players. Traditionally, the two categories have been core, or "hardcore," and casual.

According to Big Fish Games, the world's largest distributor of casual games, that sort of categorization is narrow-minded and inaccurate. Big Fish founder and chief strategy officer Paul Thelen has revealed new researching demonstrating that, due to the variety of demographics, game genres, and platforms available in the U.S., 14 distinct gamer categories exist.

The study involved surveying 3,000 individual U.S.-based gamers. Those results were matched against different demo- and psychographics, as well as an assortment of game mechanics. The resulting 14 gamer classifications were spread across 39 different genres, which certainly does call into question the time-honored "core" and "casual" archetypes.

To read more about the study and its results, surf over to the source link.

It is now a staple of the mainstream media that videogames are addictive. There is a cycle to the regular release of studies and reports that claim to document addictive behavior among gamers in a range of ages from pre-teen to adult. If we allow the conceit that games are the electronic equivalent of drugs, is it possible to identify a gateway game, the same way that marijuana is said to be a gateway drug? That is, a game which contains a pleasurable enough experience to lead the player to want to attempt other, presumably harder, more complex games?

It's bruited about that casual games make great gateway games. Their simplicity and time-light nature make for a fairly painless experience for the non-gamer. People who play casual games still do not consider themselves gamers, even when it's pointed out to them that they are, in fact, playing games. This, of course, is actually the distinction between "hardcore" and casual players. But where is the interface between the two? What turns a casual gamer into a hardcore gamer, and is there really such a thing as a gateway game?

The term "casual" has been coined to define a genre of game that so-called "non-gamers" can play. These games typically have a number of elements in common:

1. Simple rules -- the object of the game should be clear, with an easily-understood control scheme
2. Minimal time investment -- levels should be short enough to be completed in one sitting, say, between 3 - 5 minutes
3. Minimal system requirements -- the game shouldn't require the latest video card or esoteric browser plug-ins

If we examine one of the reigning kings of the casual game genre, PopCap Games' Bejeweled, we find all three of these elements. It's easy to understand, progress can be made quickly (even though there is no goal other than the accrual of points), and it's Flash-based, which most web browsers already support out of the gate. So on the surface, it's fairly easy to determine, at a glance, if a game fits within the casual template. However, while games like Bejeweled still abound, the genre as a whole has begun to mutate, requiring a redefinition of the label. We'll explore how and why after the jump.