Wednesday 2 November 2011

Competitive or Casual

6 comments:

  1. First off I think the terms casual is thrown about a little too often to refer to the less skilled vs the stupidly good. Not saying anyones bad, but fact is some are better than others at things.
    People differ on what they find fun. Just the way it is. I disagree that anyone should change their style of play to fit their opponents level. I acknowledge that I'm not a terribly good player at anything, mostly through lack of practice. But I would prefer to be challenged by my opponent, rather than being treated with the kid gloves approach. It's not doing anyone any favors. No ones learning anything, no ones being challenged. One or both may not even be having fun from having to play contary to their nature.
    On the other hand of course, being smashed into the ground is also not fun for anyone, except for someones ego. That makes them a bad person if there ego needs that much massaging that they need to stomp people.
    Only solution is honestly for the poor guy to bring his game up to the level in play. If he/she cannot/won't do that, handicapping is the best way forward if matchups consistently favor one person. Neither side has to change their game, skilled guy gets his challenge.
    I guess thats the true definition of casual vs competive play. Take golf (Sucks I know) Amateur golfers play with a standardised handicap system, so any player can theoretically play any other and have a fair game. Pro players do not, the best player wins. One side can alter the system to ensure equality. The other cannot.

    It's a problem in any game which pitches people against each other. And with any limited opponent pool you will have wildly differing skill levels. Improving skills is natural, dumbing down is not and is difficult.

    I've rambled, Maybe something up there makes sense.

    As for the webcam, maybe try some different capture software? I know nothing of video though.

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  2. How would you do a handicap in 40K though? More points? If so how do you agree that player A has/needs a handicap?

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  4. Experience. You could do it officially. Keep results of every game played at the club in some sort of database so you can track this sort of thing. Maybe keep a scoring system or something. Best to prob keep it discreet though, no one likes big heads. Or maybe not, promotes rivalry.
    Or of course, mutual consent. Discussion with your opponent beforehand. We are all friends right?
    I dunno, no one wants anything to be to involved. Two people want to play something with minimum hassle, and of course this is what we we all want. But we all want a fair game as well. I just think modifying the way you play isn't the way. You play the way you do because it's how you have fun.

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  5. I agree with all that. The problem lies in how it could be handled in a tournament or league situation. Friendly games are one thing but lets say with the upcoming 40K league which is set as a competitive tournament (battleforce for prize at the end, so going to be competitive), you would have people calling it unfair if there was a handicap system, but at the same time everyone should have a fair shot at top position.
    It's a nice idea but outside of sports I don't think it would go down too well.

    We do play the way we do because it is fun, but it's not fun for the casual player to be crushed every game because of the list building or play style of a regular opponent. The games designers nor the fellow players should focus on the competitive play style exclusively.

    I suppose it also falls back to the first point I raised in the video. Should casual players basically suck it up and accept this is how it is, get trounced or just play other low game players?

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  6. I could go on a long ramble about the league thing, but will choose not to. Suffice to say you can either have a balanced system where everyone has an equal shot, or have it so the top players will nearly always win. Not both ways.
    The designers don't really focus on the competitive. The basic rules have to create a fair enviroment, with equal sides with which to duke it out. So any two players can turn up and beat each other up assumng equal skill levels. But gw's rulebooks have huge sections devoted to how you can change your games to suit your purpose. But doing so is for your purpose, and as with any house rule makes you incompatible with any outside player.
    It's just the way it is. Skill levels seperate us at everything. And beyond any artificial balancing measures, the little guy just has to suck it up and take his beatings.
    Sports work because of the numbers involved. The hundreds of differently skilled players/teams are over time shifted and sorted into their leagues so they play with equally skilled players for the majority of the time. You do not have that advantage so artificial balancing is the only way to level the field.

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