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A Girl Gamer Talks About 'Hardcore Gaming Crimes'

gamesradar.com — If you asked me if I was a hardcore gamer, I ’d say yes. I wouldn’t even pause to think about it. But I bet the hardcore game police, if they ever tracked me down, would probably lock me up and throw away the key. There’d be at least three charges...

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  • muzjik, on 07/24/2008, -24/+3!WARNING! full of bad metaphors

    an interesting article none the less though
  • eliburford, on 07/25/2008, -2/+87Of course the Sexy Fan Art image is the thumbnail ..
    • fpaudon, on 07/25/2008, -3/+9Kinda reflects the belief that girl gamers are stunningly beautiful, whilst in real life, Caryl Shaw, who "still find time almost every day to play a videogame" is probably 60 pounds overweight
      • BoneheadFarker, on 07/25/2008, -3/+11As long as the 60 pounds is all hips and ass, I got *no* problems with that...
      • Apophis574, on 07/25/2008, -1/+758 pounds*
      • tnoy, on 07/25/2008, -3/+2Wow, that diet has really worked out for her!

        Jared would be so proud.
      • sexybobo, on 07/25/2008, -2/+7Photo of Caryl
        http://www.flickr.com/photos/oddgirl/2612747019/
        and her blog
        http://www.oddgirl.com/
      • LocalDocal, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4The belief that girl gamers are stunning beautiful? When did this belief started?
      • thebza451, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3doh fpaudon was right!
      • iNezy13, on 07/29/2008, -0/+1Ah yes, the belief that all female gamers are stunningly beautiful. There's a part of the brain specifically devoted to this idea. I believe it's called the "Ctrl-Alt-Del" complex. It's located right next to the pituitary gland for easy access to the rampant male gamer hormones.
        This is where it all started: www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
    • netstorm, on 08/15/2008, -0/+1hot, ill brb http://www.girlgames1.com it's game time
  • Flame15, on 07/25/2008, -8/+94Why do you feel the need to point out that the author is a girl?
    • cl2yp71c, on 07/25/2008, -0/+20Last time I checked....this is still Digg.
    • WallnutBoy, on 07/25/2008, -0/+22It'll attract more diggers?
    • welliwonder, on 07/25/2008, -11/+6because it's a retarded article ;-)
    • fadetoone, on 07/25/2008, -4/+6Because girls are icky.
      • BoneheadFarker, on 07/25/2008, -2/+9I'm guessing that your favourite time during gym class was the showers, wasn't it?
      • ahoyhoy1, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2My favorite time during gym class was in the showers, having sex with the coach.
      • Recidivus, on 07/26/2008, -0/+2You promised you wouldn't tell.
    • darkmist, on 07/25/2008, -0/+64th and most serious crime
    • tnoy, on 07/25/2008, -1/+8So we know that we can bury the article as being inaccurate before reading it?
    • Lythium, on 07/25/2008, -3/+4I'd say it's because of the recent "gamer girl" articles.... Female gamers do have a slightly different perspective from males ones, on average, so while gender _shouldn't_ matter in gaming, it actually _does_ make a difference.
    • crapmatic, on 07/25/2008, -2/+2Probably for the same reason "hardcore" was included in the sentence.
    • Amiga501, on 07/30/2008, -1/+2Men and Women are different on the INSIDE too, not just the outside. It's all about averages. MORE men prefer watching sports. MORE women enjoy shopping for shoes. It goes on and on.

      You could circle the globe and survey every living person to end up with statistics showing that very few women are hardcore gamers in relation to men. Yet, even still, some dumb ***** ***** like YOU would say “Uhhh, why did you mention it's a girl??”. Because it's unusual, you stupid ass!
  • BitKid, on 07/25/2008, -4/+15I consider myself a pretty hardcore gamer as well, even though I hardly ever finish games these days. The last game I played all the way through was Half-Life 2. Before that I hadn't completed an entire game since the days of the PSone. Most of my gaming these days is dedicated to Street Fighter 3: Third Strike and scrolling shooters (shmups).
    • diggduggDOOM, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5I stopped playing HL2 on Episode 2 (I think) when I had to drive the buggy around, throw the sticky bomb on the walker, and shoot the sticky bomb with my gun before all the other walkers crushed the landscape.

      After my 12th try, I told the engineer to go to hell and build a damn bomb with a remote detonator. Reminded me of the last level of HL1 where they decided to turn the game into an alien world platform game.

      I still love both HL games, but I doubt I'll ever completely finish either.

      OK... just had to get that rant out there.
      • databeast, on 07/25/2008, -0/+8dude, give it one last try, that was the final battle in episode 2, and right afterwards, is one of the most amazing scripted and acted sequence in a game ever.. you really are missing out. Yep, the fight is a doozy, but it *IS* winnable. And the payoff is amazing.
      • Jektal, on 07/25/2008, -0/+6[Spoiler?]

        That fight you quit on was the last one of the game, that's why it was so tough. And once you get a good rhythm with it, it's not all that hard. A key is definitely using the car to run-down the smaller enemies rather than gunfire.

        And if you can pull that fight off, it really is a great feeling. Nothing like any other FPS I know of, a really good showcase for their new pre-rendered physics, and very satisfying.
      • tcpip4lyfe, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4I bet I tried that 40 times on the hardest setting. Completely worth it though. I can't f'ing wait until the next one.
      • sexybobo, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Save the game then play that part on easy mode. It is pretty annoying but you will most likely get it in 1 go. I got fed up and had to do it this way. The pay off is defiantly worth trying it again.
      • billizm, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2You haven't finished HL1? Dude, I've finished it at least 2 times on hard alone.
      • bmtmtc, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2The trick to the multiple walker stage is after you blow up the first one, save the game, then if you fail start from your save point so you don't have to keep going over to the beginning. Keep saving after each is blown up then save after your fastest next kill.
      • GrantTheGr8, on 07/26/2008, -1/+3@billizm: Oh yeah? Well, I beat it my first try on super hard. Then I beat it again with only my left hand. Then I beat it 30 more times using only my penis. So there!
      • ixid, on 07/26/2008, -0/+0I stopped there as well, for some reason the bombs just would not stick to the striders. I had no trouble getting them to stick in the practice section, in the main fight I'd fire them at the striders from all angles and they just bounce off.
    • Stormwern, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3Softcore gamers play for fun, hardcore gamers play to win (and do).
    • Syraxis, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1In case anyone is still having trouble with this part of the game (it's at the end), you have to kill the Hunters first before you can use the "Strider Buster" on the Striders, otherwise the Hunters will shoot it down each and every time.

      Good fast (obvious) way to deal with the hunters is to just run them over with your vehicle (I forgot the name, it's not the buggy as that was in HL2) as fast & hard as you can.
  • reyoo30309, on 07/25/2008, -14/+6"...if you play casual games, well, then you are no hardcore gamer, sir."

    Duh?
    • Squidwalk, on 07/25/2008, -3/+16There shouldn't be a problem with a hardcore gamer playing casuals, as long as that's not the only thing they play. If a unicyclist rides a bicycle a couple times, it doesn't make him not a unicyclist.
      • darkmist, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7Don't not never use double negatives
      • Irishjack, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Ok I think my head just exploded after that.
      • JustinHopewell, on 07/26/2008, -1/+2Asking to not not never use double negatives creates a paradox.

        not + never = occasionally acceptable + not = not occasionally acceptable

        not occasionally acceptable = all the time = never = implosion of the universe
      • GrantTheGr8, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1@Irishjack: How are you thinking if your head exploded?
    • yotomote, on 07/25/2008, -1/+8i enjoyed peggle, does that make me a casual?
      • Tyrghast, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2Dude peggle is like minigame crack.
      • JustinHopewell, on 07/26/2008, -0/+2I consider myself hardcore and I loves me some Peggle. The game of instant gratification!
    • Lythium, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3Correction: if you ONLY play casual games, you're not a hardcore gamer. But if I pop open solitaire, mine sweeper, or bejeweled while waiting for my raid to start - that's different.
  • UntouchableC, on 07/25/2008, -3/+13"But, ultimately, I think it’s my love of playing all kinds of games...and my dedication to making the videogame community a better and more diverse group that matters most.."

    This article and reyoo30309 is proof, the moniker hardcore has too many restrictive connotations.

    I'm a gaming enthusiast.
    • ardycake, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5there is a difference between a hardcore gamer and a gaming enthusiast though.
      • UntouchableC, on 07/25/2008, -1/+5No doubt...

        en·thu·si·ast
        –noun
        1. a person who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle, pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal: a gaming enthusiast.

        hard-core
        –adjective
        1. unswervingly committed; uncompromising; dedicated: a hard-core gamer.

        Taken from Dictionary.com. Which would you rather be?
    • staticneuron, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4"I think it’s my love of playing all kinds of games..." Is pretty much the definition of hardcore gamer.

      The amount of time and money spent, and the willingness to play all types of game, or to actually have hands on experience before judgement was made.


      Personally I think any other definition is crap. " I played WoW for a year straight.... that makes me a hardcore gamer" No.... that makes you a hardcore WoW player. To avoid casual games and to always strive for more mature or adult themed games makes you (thanks UntouchableC) an ethusiast.
      • UntouchableC, on 07/27/2008, -0/+1Actually, in your context Static I meant... To avoid casual games and to always strive for more mature or adult themed games makes you hardcore.

        I have played all types of video games for a very large portion of my 21 years on this planet. I literally could not careless about what objectives I need to meet to define how hardcore I am.

        Despite me buying too few games in the past year, I still have a love for gaming....

        I'm a gaming enthusiast.
  • meruru, on 07/25/2008, -1/+70None of those are "Hardcore Gaming Crimes". Hardcore game crimes are things like using illegal hacks/bots, dropping/disconnecting during multiplayer games to keep a loss off of your record, playing games on easy/child difficulty, etc.
    • WallnutBoy, on 07/25/2008, -1/+14Don't forget "Oh my god he killed me. He must be hacking! Admin! Admiiinn!"

      ..or is that just a trait of the hardcore gamer? =P
      • JustinHopewell, on 07/26/2008, -0/+3That skill is only available under the "asshat" profession.
      • Rizzen, on 07/26/2008, -0/+4Though admittedly many Hardcore Gamers multiclass to Asshat
  • CollapseControl, on 07/25/2008, -1/+10There are so many ways to classify someone as a "Hardcore Gamer." And just like in the music industry, people will give all different genre classifications.

    Is someone a Hardcore gamer if they have an excessive amount of achievement points?

    Or someone who spends all there time on one game playing Multiplayer 3 to 5 hours a day? 7 Days a week.

    Or someone who spends $300 every month on games?

    Or someone who has purchased every home console system since the 80s?

    What about someone who only plays the big name games when they come out and after it is completed doesn't play anything?
    • ike368, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1it's an unofficial honorific title for those who tithe the most to the gaming lords
    • nemojonze, on 07/25/2008, -3/+3*their*
    • Tahiri, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Hardcore gamers don't care about achievement points.

      OCD gamers care about achievement points.

      Btw I have the Zombie Genocide achievement (killing over 53,240 zombies) and 780 of 1,000 pts in Dead Rising.
      • CollapseControl, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1I never got that many zombie kills.

        But I will commit a zombie genocide when Left4Dead is released.
    • DuffyDirect, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1It's like being a general. You can be called a general and be an insanely talented super-genius like alexander the great or Napolean or you can be a political douche bag that couldnt march to the nearest grocery store like the U.S. commanders of the civil war.
    • PrismSub7, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1'Hardcore Gamer' = Someone who views gaming as a way of live.
  • 3tcp, on 07/25/2008, -1/+27Getting nauseous playing fps games isn't a sign of not being a hardcore gamer, it's a sign of having a preference for other types of games. I prefer strategy games and rpg's so when I get into an fps every 8 months or so I have to struggle through a couple days getting dizzy before my body gets re-accustomed to it.

    The finishing games thing is a crime though IMO. If you haven't finished a game how can you go out and get a new one? As a reviewer, the author gets a pass because it's part of the job requirements but as a consumer any game with a defined plot line and path towards completion needs to be completed.
    • Tebixan, on 07/25/2008, -1/+5Amen brother. I feel some kind of uncontrollable compulsion to finish every game I own. Guys I know who have modded their X-box have like 400 burned games, and have never made it past the 2nd level in any of them. Then they wonder why I own them every time we play, even though I only own like 10 games
    • DuffyDirect, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2there's a funny thing about that... whenever the games go on sale for $20 andi buy a bunch i neever finish them. I bought chromehounds, splinter cell DA, condemned, and crackdown all at once and i didn't finish any of them. i almost finished crackdown, but hte rest i did one or two levels.

      meanwhile a game like medieval total war i play marathon sessions regularly (its one of those games you never really beat -- there's victory conditions in the campaign but its designed to be replayed again and again)
    • locriology, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1I have a problem with finishing games. I'm currently about halfway through each of Crysis, HL2: Episode 2, and Super Mario Galaxy. Lately I've been forcing myself to finish games, so I just got done with Metal Gear Solid last night, and I'll probably tackle Mario Galaxy next.
    • patm1987, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3I generally don't finish games because I get bored or frustrated. I generally play a game to have fun and if I'm not having fun then I won't play. It confuses the heck out of all my rpg playing friends, but I don't *play* the game for the story or to win, I play a game to have fun and kill time. If it takes > 10 tries to get through an area I will probably stop (though I'm more lenient if I really like the game). I also have not finished games because I hadn't played them in too long, sometimes controls vary wildly and if I've been bogged down by work for a month or two and finally set aside 20-30 mins to play a game I don't want to spend half of that getting re-accustomed to whatever crazy control scheme the developers thought would be necissary.
  • welliwonder, on 07/25/2008, -24/+10shut up and show us your boobs
  • OperatorS, on 07/25/2008, -14/+2i don't get dizzy but... finishing games IS for dweebs (usually).
  • yotomote, on 07/25/2008, -14/+6In my opinion a "hardcore gamer" is someone who plays one game until he finishes it. A casual, aka: "cancer that is killing the industry" is someone who starts one game, gets bored.., starts another, maybe go back to a game he started 2 months ago and advance a couple of levels.
    According to a steam survey a high (cant remember the number exactly) number of people who bought HL2 never finished it. Why the hell would you buy a videogame and leave it half way trough. ***** ADD ridden casuals
    • IAmSam14, on 07/25/2008, -2/+4Sorry we all dont have such an epic setup in our mothers basements.
    • ashkan101, on 07/25/2008, -3/+1"A casual, aka: "cancer that is killing the industry" "

      LOL obviously you don't know anything about the industry. Casuals have always fueled the industry financially and it's no different today than it was during the PS1/N64 era or the SNES/Genesis era.
    • Tahiri, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3""A casual, aka: "cancer that is killing the industry" "

      LOL obviously you don't know anything about the industry"

      I agree with yoto. They are a cancer, they are ruining gaming for the rest of us. Developers are shifting resources from games for gamers, to gamers for grandmas. Instead of working on Dead Rising 2, Capacom decided to make a crippled/dumbed down version of Dead Rising 1 for casuals.

      I can't forgive casual gaming after delaying the sequel to my favorite game for a minimum of 2 years.

      Casual gaming is a cancer. Kill it.
  • jtbndy, on 07/25/2008, -3/+23 crimes? Thats it?
  • tykwondingo, on 07/25/2008, -13/+6'Casual Gamer': "YOU SAID NO ZERG RUSH!!!!! WTF MAN!?!?"

    'Hardcore Gamer': "lulz"
    • meruru, on 07/25/2008, -0/+13That's more 'Jackass Gamer' then 'Hardcore Gamer'. Lieing about to rules of the match in order to beat up a newbie isn't hardcore.
      • tykwondingo, on 07/25/2008, -2/+2no, a jackass would be calling you out on "lieing" -- oh wait...

        anyone that understands the reference I made to Zerg Rush is probably a hardcore gamer. guess I should've used something else... how bout:

        'Casual Gamer': Bitches about Zerg Rush
        'Hardcore Gamer': Has a photon cannon field in case of Zerg Rush and is prepping shuttles for a dark drop

    • Apophis574, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Oh man do I remember those days...
  • bigdickensfan, on 07/25/2008, -6/+9talk 1337 to me baby
  • Meatball01, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7Funny. Everytime I see something from Gamesradar being dugg, its an article from PCGamer.
  • jzuska, on 07/25/2008, -18/+7That's not hardcore. Hardcore is me mounting you from behind and you with a ball gag in your mouth. Then I pink sock the ***** outta you while you finish that last Ratchet and Clank level. As a finishing move I dump on your chest.

    That's hardcore.
  • scotishstriker, on 07/25/2008, -3/+3sexy64 the all guys gaming league
  • PhonicUK, on 07/25/2008, -28/+51Hardcore: Serious-PC gamers.
    Non-hardcore: Console gamers.

    You cannot be a true hardcore gamer while playing on some panzy-ass console.

    Deal with it.
    • Commonwealth, on 07/25/2008, -8/+3I am offended!
    • purkel, on 07/25/2008, -8/+15i agree... console gaming is weak sauce.
    • Tyrghast, on 07/25/2008, -4/+16The only reason I have a console is for Rock Band. Everything else I use my PC for.
    • mrblue182, on 07/25/2008, -6/+9I hate how Halo, Gears of War, and Call of Duty 4 have gotten everyone in my school acting as though they are hardcore gamers. It insults me, as I have been a hardcore gamer since before it was cool, and was picked on a lot for it, and now all those people are pretending to be hardcore.
    • Lionhart, on 07/25/2008, -3/+14I guess whatever makes you feel better. I know someone that plays 360 like 6 hours a day. That's pretty hardcore if you ak me.
    • Jektal, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3Generally true, although I really wish Left 4 Dead was scheduled for a PS3 release. It's a co-op game, and I can't imagine more than 1 of my friends buying it on PC, although they'd all play it on a console.
    • elhaf, on 07/25/2008, -6/+4No, PC gamers are too busy buying and upgrading hardware and working against incompatibilities to actually game. Me, I have my XBOX360 - oh wait, no I don't, I just mailed it off to be fixed for red-ringing. Never mind. Carry on.
      • Tyrghast, on 07/25/2008, -2/+3Yes, upgrading hardware once every three or four years is so often.Just buy the bleeding edge stuff now and you'll be good for a long time to come.
      • DuffyDirect, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3i "upgraded" to a 160gig harddrive before even the original xbox came out (and for cheaper than the 120 gig 360 hd). lol, u fail.
    • GlitchEnzo, on 07/25/2008, -4/+19Anyone who dismisses the consoles is not a hardcore gamer.

      No fighting games, racing games, action adventure games, or good RPGs. :-( I feel sorry for you. All you have are FPSs and RTSs. Have fun!
      • DuffyDirect, on 07/25/2008, -5/+4yeah fallout, oblivion, kotor, baulder's gate, etc... such terrible rpgs... yea man, u really 'pwnted' those pc gamers
      • bagboyrebel, on 07/25/2008, -2/+2Your first point is very true, but the second point invalidates any respect I have towards you oppinion.
      • MercFox1, on 07/26/2008, -3/+1Emulated, bitch. Every title on the N64, GameBoy Advance, and farther back is now available to me. If Dolphin would work at reasonable speeds, I could have SSBM, but that's a ways off. I already play the stuffing out of SSB on PC anyways...

        Mario Tennis is more fun with a keyboard, too.
      • PhonicUK, on 07/26/2008, -1/+1Because GRID is totally not a decent racing game, and Psychonauts isn't an excellent 'action-adventure' game?

        Sure, None of the games you describe possibly exist for PC
    • Apophis574, on 07/25/2008, -1/+11God damn I can't stand you people. PC is not better than console and console is not better than PC. Quite frankly, one definition of a hardcore gamer is one who plays ALL systems including PC. So if anything you are the pansy-ass. And if your talking about a competitive (multiplayer) gamer, one could argue that PC games have an advantage there (only because of the system of multiplayer and dedicated servers), but there are plenty of games for console which could be played competitively, INCLUDING Gears of War, Halo 3 (although I personally disagree with that one), and Call of Duty.
      • DuffyDirect, on 07/25/2008, -2/+4i have all consoles and pc, and pc is better. there is simply no emulating the total war series, non-watered down civilization, star wars x-wing series, and many other incredible pc games on the console. If you ask me, "hardcore" boils down to realism and simulation in a lot of ways... you could never play flight simulator games on the console, it's just physically impossible. there's no flight stick while PC has had them since the 80s, and there's too few buttons!

        you cant even play text parser interface games on any console since the coleco adam!
      • ExSlashdotter, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2"To be a true pwner, one must pwn at all games." ~ teh_masterer
      • Jethris, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Dugg for the Coleco Adam reference. I had one of those in elementary school. Buck Rodgers was awesome.

        We also had the roller ball controller for some nuclear war game. And the Atari adapter to play atari 2600 games.
      • Apophis574, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2PC is better is some categories, like RTS and flight simulators, like you mentioned, but "hardcore" is not about realism. Realism and simulation are just genres of games.
    • smashingmonkey, on 07/25/2008, -2/+7Another completely useless and inane argument courtesy of our finest diggtards. I'm sure all you hardcore PC gamers will be remembered for generations for just how hardcore you really were.

      Here's a hint: if you draw some satisfaction from thinking that your platform for gaming is superior to that of others, you might be compensating for a genuine sense of self-worth.

      • Tyrghast, on 07/25/2008, -3/+3I have an original game boy that I began playing at 3. I knew how to use DOS by the time I was 5 and run Tie Fighter, as well as a slew of Apogee games. I owned a Sega Genesis, PS1, all the consoles since, and never has a game delivered such an engrossing and wonderful experience as a PC game I know as Homeworld. At the end of the day, PC > console, 100% of the time.
      • skipdog172, on 07/25/2008, -2/+3lol no we just digg the original comment to incite comments like this from people like you. we do it for the lulz, that's all.
      • ExSlashdotter, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2being able to type
        >cd tie
        >tie
        is not really 'knowing DOS when you're 5'. You had a gameboy when you were 3? That puts you born in 1985 or later. No commodore 64? no atari 2600? not even an *NES*?

        Nevermind, please continue lecturing me on the history of gaming.
      • Tyrghast, on 07/25/2008, -4/+1My point, ExSlash, was that I have been deeply involved with video games since my entire life, and can safely say that the PC is the superior medium for games.
      • theshizzler, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3Thank you, internet expert.
      • Jethris, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1there have been some horrible PC games, and some horrible console games.
    • FuZi0nDET, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1Consoles have always been in my blood, and probably this little "hard core" knob's too. The first game I ever played was Mario, probably not a hard core game by today's standards, but as far as I'm concerned it was epic.

      The problem with PC games lately has been the lack of creativity, increasing amount of a un-finished/buggy product, and the cost to stay in the game. I shouldn't need to have two graphics cards to run a game at full tilt, I shouldn't need to by a new system every 3 years.

      On top of that there isn't a $600 PC out with the multimedia capability of the PS3, I have yet to see a stand alone Blu-Ray that does a better job up-converting than the PS3. Before you jump on me about how PCs are so much better I have one word for you, Vista! Vista is the biggest piece of junk to drop since Windows ME.

      In the end I am a sucker, because I will be buying a new rig for Starcraft 2, and Diablo 3. So I guess this just makes me a son of a bitch?
      • Apophis574, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1We're talking about gaming, not multimedia. I buy consoles to play video games, not watch blu-ray.

        And I'm pretty sure new console systems come out every few years also...

        Also, Vista does not suck..

        Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending PCs, I'm just saying your argument is flawed...
    • Darksoul, on 07/26/2008, -1/+2Deal with what you are a moron I would say anybody that plays all systems and all games is the true "hardcore gamer" morons like you that stick to only one thing are the pretenders right now I am sitting on my desk that has my computer my ps3 and my 360 and I am currently saving up for a wii. But its ok you have fun only one type of medium and play only "certian types of games" and I will sit here playing them all. Whats wrong moron don't have a job.?
    • Vanor, on 07/26/2008, -0/+0I'm sorry but if you've never fought Golden Lion Rajang you're not hardcore. At all.
    • Jsnllnd, on 07/28/2008, -0/+1PC games are a win
      But Consoles are doing an alright job for the price.
      mind you my quad core didn't cost me that much to build...and it'll be good for i'm sure a good while.
      but hey, i have my guitar hero collection for xbox360.
      what is the lesson here?
      you need a power house desktop ( not a bitch laptop ), an xbox-xbox360, ps1-2-3,nintendo - Yes, all of them. and not a dreamcast.
      get over it, we're all hardcore in our own worlds im sure. lol
  • sbob420, on 07/25/2008, -9/+2buried no such thing as girl gamers lol jk
    • mcool119, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3Something you oughta learn. People here are used to "high-brow" (which rhymes with eyebrow) humor. You don't need to add any "lol"s or "jk"s as if we didn't get the joke.
  • JFallon126, on 07/25/2008, -0/+44She's only finished two games? WTF? That's a little ridiculous.
    • Paulish, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2Eh, I don't finish most of the games I play/buy. Some games I never even bother with the single player.
    • DraxusD, on 07/26/2008, -0/+2I don't finish a lot of the games I play either, but yeah two games is pretty extreme.
  • aandkh, on 07/25/2008, -3/+37Looks like she didn't focus on finishing the article either
  • whitelights, on 07/25/2008, -6/+4Thank god, another female gamer who speaks my language.
  • MrFurious2k, on 07/25/2008, -2/+12Holy ***** - talk about ADD.
  • ike368, on 07/25/2008, -3/+17"hardcore gamers" play games to win, whereas "casual gamers" (or as i call them, normal people) play games for fun
    • ludnae, on 07/26/2008, -0/+2Only casual gamers play for fun? Being a "hardcore gamer" must suck.
  • toughluck2, on 07/25/2008, -2/+3I like that, in the midst of arguing the "girl gamer" aspect and the meaning of "hardcore," no one seems to have taken note that this writer is Caryl Shaw of Maxis, a producer of Spore. Granted, she isn't necessarily designing the meat of the game, from what I understand, she worked on the Creature Creator content sharing features, but give her _some_ respect.
    • JustinHopewell, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1I can only guess you're being buried due to your incorrect usage of underscores, but I agree with you!
      • AyaJulia, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1If you think that's incorrect, you've never used MS Word 5 or lower... that used to be how you underlined things before we had fancy-shmancy WYSIWYG word processors. Putting underscores around a word would cause them to be underlined when printed. :)
      • JustinHopewell, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1I have shamed myself and dishonored my family.
  • timla, on 07/25/2008, -5/+12I can think of other reasons to slap the cuffs on her, but that is another type of hardcore ;-)
  • thinsoldier, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1I know how it is, not finishing games. I chose not to finish chrono-trigger because I just didn't want the fantasy to be over. I finished dungeon siege 2 on a lower difficulty which kind of wasn't actually considered finishing the game or something like that and I just couldn't be bothered to go through it all again. I only play WoW 1 month per year (2006-present) because it's just boring as hell. Similar feelings about quake2, quake4, doom3, Unreal 2 and many others
  • mcool119, on 07/25/2008, -1/+4With games getting more mainstream, I doubt people who call themselves "hardcore gamers" are going to be looked on with any more respect than self-proclaimed "audiophiles" or "movie-aficionados" or anything else. She's worried that all these hardcore games are going to lynch her for liking some casual stuff, but I'd say most people who play games at this point are playing puzzle games, wii sports, etc, maybe dabbling a little in Madden or GTA, but that's about as hardcore as most get.
  • tomazws, on 07/25/2008, -5/+0Damn it! I was hoping that Caryl Shaw would be as hot as that "Sexy Fan Art" picture....
  • Paranoidmarvin, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5So by that definition, I'm a hardcore gamer.
    I never would've considered myself to be 'hardcore'
  • Tyrghast, on 07/25/2008, -10/+5Aw that's cute, just because she works for EA she thinks she belongs in the 'gamer' crowd...
  • Jeddycakes, on 07/25/2008, -11/+3Its because shes a girl. LocoRoco? c'mon!!!!!!

    FPS is the ONLY way to play games also.

    She should stay in the kitchen!!!!! haha

    (expecting virulant feminist outrage)
    • filth, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2I highly doubt anyone will spare the time be even mildly annoyed let alone outraged by your stupidity.
    • darlingt, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1Why would you be expecting "virulant" feminist outrage? You're on Digg, and it's a well-known fact that women don't use the internets.

      [/sarcasm], as if it wasn't blatantly obvious.
  • D3koy, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1So does someone who plays WoW 10 hours a day count as a hardcore gamer? He never 'beats' the game, and it's not an FPS...and though I've never played WoW, I've played other MMOs and I'd call them causal... By that definition the person isn't a hardcore gamer, but I would disagree...
    • Jethris, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1MMO's are not casual. I played DAoC for years, and it sucked way too much time. Unless you are stuck in the mid level 20's, you have to put in a ton of time.

    • creepydarkwurm, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0You can 'beat' MMOs. High end raiding is considered end game stuff. Once you have the best gear, beaten all the toughest bosses and geared up your guild, there's nothing to do but wait for the next expansion.
      • AyaJulia, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1There's always another job/class/race/faction.
    • bagboyrebel, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1It might just be bias (because I don't really like MMORPGs in the first place) but I've never considered them hardcore games, even though they really aren't casual either. The reason is that people usually don't play MMOs for the game aspect but for the social aspect. I guess you could make the same argument for other types of games that can be played online, but the main reason those games go online is because AI just can't compete with a human. So I guess the difference is that one is social and one is competitive(yes I know you can pvp in MMOs, but it's not the point of the game).
  • antipoet, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2Interesting to me that American Apparel is advertising on a games site.
  • a1manarme, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3one of the dumber articles I've read today. thanks, no.
  • mrblue182, on 07/25/2008, -3/+4Only finishing 2 games != hardcore
  • fakesinatra, on 07/25/2008, -0/+9The individual who wrote the article is a "mass" gamer. Neither hardcore nor casual. Somewhere in-between.

    And that seems appropriate since Spore is going to be a casual game with a mass appeal. Core gamers will buy it, play it, tire of it. Ditto for casual gamers. Somewhere in the middle it will develop a massive Sims-like following.
    • DyceFreak, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1I agree, she is a typical woman computer user who claims to love peggle... this in my eyes does not make a "gamer" at all... Might as well be playing scabble online...
  • Sogui, on 07/25/2008, -10/+3For hardcore gamers, being a girl IS a crime.

    As an aside, I hate it when a 'girl' joins a traditional male-only game like CoD4, TF2, etc... because either one of two things happen when she uses her mic:

    1) She is an attention whore and uses her gender to rile up every guy on the server. I wish I had a typical example here but it goes something like:
    "Hi I thought I'd let you know that I'm a girl in case you couldn't tell from my voice, oh what's that? Yea I'm 17. I live in SoCal. Yea I know. Really? Shut up. You guys are ridiculous. Hey can someone heal me? AHHHHHH IM ON FIRE HEAL ME HEAL ME HEAL ME! Oh my god guys why did you take so long to heal me I thought I was going to die. Pyros are so dumb. Haha I killed that stupid spy what an idiot. etc". Of course even while her voice screeches through my headphones every 5 seconds, the intervals are filled with 12-18 year olds either hitting on her or asking about her boobs.

    2) The quiet dignified girl gamer, far rarer than the one above, but if she ever does use her microphone then she instantly riles up a hornet's nest even if she stays quiet after that. Upon hearing the voice of a woman half the server will start bombarding her with idiotic questions. "OMG ARE YOU A GIRL. GIRLS DONT PLAY "insert FPS here". ARE YOU HOT?" These questions will repeat themselves even after she disconnects, and even if she doesn't goad anyone and just tries to play the game, guys will see this as "hard to get" and continue asking "Are you hot?" even after she muted them 15 minutes ago.

    Also for one more sexist observation, with the exception of Spore, I'd say girls in RTS's are possibly even more rare than FPS's. Also, girls will ruin any WoW raiding guild.
    • karkin, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4I disagree - My guild in WoW has about 4 girl officers, and many more members. Nobody ever bombards them with questions, and they sure as hell haven't "ruined" our guild - We have been active since pre-bc, and never had a problem with raids that are at fault of the females in the guild.

      Nobody ever bombards them with questions, nor do they flaunt the fact that they are girls (one did actually, she was called a 'Catch U Next Tuesday' by one of the female officers and kicked from the guild, because honestly, she was a *****...)and most of them are attractive.

      I can see where it becomes a problem in immature environments such as public server FPS on pc and stuff like that, but if you are in an even semi mature environment, having female gamers around is not usually a problem.
      • Sogui, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1Well maybe having more than one girl is the right idea. But having one, and only one, can create waaay too many problems.
    • Lythium, on 07/25/2008, -1/+4If you're wondering why you don't get laid, just re-read your post from a female perspective.
    • 0effect, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2"Also, girls will ruin any WoW raiding guild."

      And all girls have cooties and are totally gross.
    • Azzi26, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1You strike me as the type of guy descriped in situation two...
    • Sogui, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1For those of you confused I'm mostly condemning immature MALE attitudes towards females in games. I hate what happens when a girl joins a TF2 server, but that doesn't mean I hate the girl. With the exception being example #1 that I described.
      • newnie, on 07/26/2008, -0/+2Ummm, I play TF2 and ever since the medic and pyro achievement packs hit I don't think I've talked on my mic... you have no way of knowing I'm a girl. Just because there are a ***** ton of girl gamer attention whores, doesn't mean that everyone is...
  • ashkan101, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1"In my defense I say this: The games I develop tend to be open-ended simulations."

    Interesting, since there was an article on Kotaku that showed a study finding that female gamers tend to play more simulation type games than other kinds. Which, if you look at Nintendog sales, isn't surprising.

    Anyways, from the article it seems she might indeed be a "hardcore" gamer, but she definitely isn't a "core" gamer; or someone who tends to satiate their gaming appetite with more than just 2 or 3 genres of games.
  • john2kx, on 07/25/2008, -3/+4I was going to say something along the lines of, "The only crime here is that she's not sitting on my lap," but then I google image searched her.

    :(
    • LZeppelinJ0, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2Aw sweet baby jesus I just did the same thing and went blind... wait how am i typing this?
    • adrianc1982, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2she looks like a man to me
    • bobartig, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2She happens to be a lesbian, and not terribly concerned with winning random male digger's affection. She's also an awesome producer, and a woman of significance within the game development world
      • AyaJulia, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1Whaaaat? Respect for women on digg? Why are my feet getting cold....
  • TehProphet, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3That must suck to get sick playing FPS.. I remember the first time I played half life 2, the day I got my first serious gaming PC, and it made me feels kinda motion sick, but somehow that just went away, and now I can sit in front of CS for 5 hours, no problem.
  • karkin, on 07/25/2008, -9/+1***** or GTFO
  • sisterofspin, on 07/25/2008, -2/+2Dugg for being a fellow girl gamer.

    And PhonicUK, if you'd like to limit the term "hardcore gamer" to "serious PC gamers," then what defines a serious PC gamer? I built my latest computer to play Doom 3 and HL2, but haven't bothered to upgrade it since because I'm more into the current console games.

    I agree with collapsecontrol, there is no one definition for "hardcore gamer." We should be happy that gaming is becoming so widely accepted and welcome all n00bs to the club :-)

    • Tahiri, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Buried cause people should never agree with collapsecontrol.
  • Darkswarm, on 07/25/2008, -2/+5I'm a guy gamer, and I kinda feel the same.
    1. I do play FPS's.
    2. I don't finish games often either. It's more of a problem, though, with my attention span. I'll play a game until I get distracted. I am able to finish games though.
    3. Yes, I play "casual games." Just because a game like Rock Band is really accessible doesn't mean that "hardcore gamers" can't enjoy them too.
    4. I have another reason that many people would not consider me hardcore. I hate hard difficulty levels. This is the main reason for #2. Games like Final Fantasy, I'll play until I get to a hard boss, and then, I'll just stop playing out of frustration. I like games that are easy and fun. I have enough frustrations during the day. I just want easy fun.
  • adrianc1982, on 07/25/2008, -3/+4She looks like a man to me
  • Totz83, on 07/25/2008, -6/+3Girl + Hardcore = Dugg
  • dadioflex, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2I don't consider myself a hardcore gamer but I finish the games I start and I finished Bioshock and about six other games before it in the last 12 months.

    "And then sometimes, after a few beers maybe... I’ll hear that finishing a game is actually the exception, not the rule."

    I don't believe that. Who doesn't talk about "beating" a game? I rarely talk to "people who play games" that aren't adamant they will "beat the game". They might buy 2 or 3 games a year but they finish them if at all possible.

    As for casual games. The love of my life right now in gaming is Puzzlequest, and has been for the last year or so. Why? I play it in work during my lunch break and it makes everything better. If I'm lucky I play for about an hour a week tops. I bought it when it came out. VFM FTW. I don't play it when I have access to my PS3 or PC but it's still, in my opinion, one of the best games I've ever played. And I will FINISH IT.
  • aceallways, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1I am guilty of not finishing games, tried to make up for it the last couple days so I could sell some though.

    In 2 days I beat Super Mario Galaxy, Pokemon Diamond, The New Super Mario Brothers, Nanostray, and Super Paper Mario!
    • bobartig, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Pfft. You may have 'beat' Pokemon Diamond in 2 days, but by no means did you *experience* Pokemon Diamond!!!!

      I got about 15 minutes into it, and couldn't stand the 1989 combat system. blech.
      • aceallways, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1I didn't play these games from start to finish, I just finished them off. Pokemon all I had to do was fight the final 4 +champion, I was literally standing right there.
  • kerosion, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1My expectations lead me to believe "A Girl Gamer Talks About 'Hardcore Gaming Crimes'" would be talking about the sexual misconduct so common in the elite circles of MMO's. From EverQuest, Star Wars: Galaxies, and World of Warcraft, I've found initial impressions of the top guilds on the server dropped a notch after joining their ranks and discovering how many use their positions to leverage sexual encounters.

    Quick example: I played EverQuest fairly seriously with my girlfriend at the time. We joined the game late enough that a guild hierarchy had already formed on the server, by the point we excelled and began making inroads with the top guild it started becoming clear that members of that guild were overly receptive to assisting her, but at a cost of frequent pressure for cybersex, photos, details as to where in the real world she was, etcetera.

    Years later, I've been present in Administrative discussions in raiding-guilds where the attractiveness/responsiveness of female recruits factored into evaluating who to hang onto and who to drop. Given the limits of my own experiences I've only been able to imagine the type of activities ongoing in hardcore gaming circles, but I've seen enough to not be surprised if there's quite a bit of criminal activity ongoing.
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