|
Found this article in a non-Amtgard publication but really feel it mirrors the very same topic that fuels the Flurb/Stickjock topic. I wanted to share this because I found it to be extremely insightful and thought it would shed some outside light upon a topic that afflicts any social group with different demographics, be it a game/political party/what have you.
===============
Article by Bryan Dawson
Yoinked from the Street Fighter 4 Prima Game Guide (yeah, I told ya it was from an interesting non-amtgard source)
Every fighting game has at least two completely different types of players throughout its life cycle. There are casual players and tournament players, both of whom have a completely different mentality. This becomes even more apparent with the inclusion of online play.
This chapter explains the differences between tournament play and casual play and provides casual players with the resources needed to reach the next level of competition.
A tournament player does not necessarily have to participate in tournaments. There are many Street Fighter communities across the country that feature a large number of players who travel to tournaments, but their training partners, who are equally skilled, may not accompany them. Tournament players see the game in a completely different way than casual players. What makes the game fun for them is the ability to completely break down their character and the general game play elements. This includes developing high-level strategies around frame data and utilizing Training mode for hours on end to perfect the execution of certain attacks and combos.
For a tournament player, the game doesn’t end with a win or a loss. Instead, these players will look at why they won or lost and strive to become better players through their experiences. Losing is a very important part of a tournament player’s drive to become the best player they can be. Winning matches is great, but a win generally means you were the superior player. When you lose a match, you were outplayed. Looking back at the loss, you an see which strategies worked, which ones didn’t, and why they weren’t good enough to give you the win. By altering your strategies after a loss, you can become a significantly beter player, which is the ultimate goal of a tournament player.
Hardcore tournament players make up a very small percentage of the gaming populace, therefore a vast majority of the people who will end up purchasing Street Fighter IV will be casual players. These players care more about beating up on the computer controlled characters or on their friends and family, and care less about the intricacies of the game. You won’t find most casual players spending hours in Training mode, but you may find them having fun throwing countless Fireballs at their friends.
There’s nothing wrong with being a casual player, but keep in mind that not everyone takes the game in a casual light. If you go up against a tournament player who completely demolishes you, don’t automatically assume he has no life and does nothing but play Street Fighter. While that may be the case, that’s how he spends his free time, just like how a casual player may go to a sporting event or hang out with friends without playing any games. Most people strive to be good at something, and tournament players strive to be good at their game of choice.
At some point in time, casual players and tournament players collide. When this happens, the tournament players almost always win.
However, something far more important occurs during this scenario. The casual player has two choices: take the loss and go back to playing against their friends, or learn from the loss and seek out more tournament players to help the casual player improve their skills.
Playing against friends will only get you so far if these people are not tournament players. Something that works against your brother and seems to be invincible may not work against someone better than you. For example, if you’re the best player on your block, imagine what would happen if you fought against yourself. How would you get around your own strategies?
There’s always a way around even the best strategies, but unless you face an opponent who is better than you and can get around their strategies, you won’t have a reason to come up with better strategies and you’ll have a difficult time improving your skills.
_________________
The general who advances without seeking fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do service for his sovereign, is the jewel of his kingdom. -Sun Wu
|
