I was having a discussion with a fellow Dtoider and our conversation came to a halt when I made a confession. Something shocking and disgusting. Something so unseemly and devastating that anyone with a weak stomach might want to turn off their monitor, unplug and gut their computer and shove a live grenade inside it's hollow frame.
I don't particularly like Valve.
I just don't.
However, I won't sit here and tell you that I don't respect what they've built. In fact, I find Steam to be one of the best game platforms (or content delivery platforms, to be technical) of all time. When it comes to the games themselves? Meh.
Never been a Half-Life or CS guy. Don't find the mechanics of Portal appealing, and the humor is well overplayed. I appreciate the comic elements of Team Fortress 2 but as a game I find it somewhat underwhelming. Left 4 Dead was fun but still, I thought it decidedly overrated.
See, I find many who wish to stake claim to being hardcore, a representative of the gaming "elite", will often cite one of Valve's latest offerings as a title that they:
a) Are currently playing
b) Completed and loved
c) Can refer to (and recreate) at least several memes from
What?
I get it. Valve supports indies! They're witty and unique! Steam will one day allow you to pre-purchase your cafeteria food so that your lunch money won't wind up in the pockets of an obese Ginger who goes by O'Doyle! I get it! Really!
Maybe it's the latest "geek chic" and "nerdtastic" trends brought to you by Aaron Johnson, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Cera and the entire cast of The Big Bang Theory, but it seems like many have been trying extra hard to be part of the core gaming crowd, or as I like to call it the "Core Scene". However, it's all come to a head just recently with the release of...
*echo effect*
The buzz is undeniable. For a while, on my Facebook feed, gaming couldn't be mentioned without Portal 2 being within the discussion. Maybe I just know way too many gamers but it felt uncanny. Even for figures within the industry, I found sort of funny that Portal 2 was one of the only titles people have been motivated to talk about lately. Is Portal 2 honestly that incredible? Or is everyone simply riding the coattails of dying memes, trying to be a member of the hipster subculture that new media has created.
I don't know. I likely never will know if Portal 2 is actually that impressive. I didn't like Portal 1 and nothing I've seen of Portal 2 entices me all that much so the incentive to give it a try simply does not exist. However, if you approached me with the desire to have a conversation about it, I'd almost be anticipating every word. To me, being a real gamer means loving gaming in general and respecting every facet of the industry.
And hey, at least people don't think we all look like this.
Anymore.
DreRox's blog
Follow
RSS
Contact
What all gamers should aspire to be.
I think people must do things because they like, not because is the 'new black' and everyone must do/have it. I fear the day people like Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga (too late, maybe?) says how much they like a game I like and see it flooded with people who never cared about games before, just because it is 'trendy' now.
all that Portal 2 hype was getting to me too. I saw 2 different billboards on the side of the road, I've never seen a gaming billboard before. I also saw people talk about the game on facebook, nobody ever wants to talk about games on my facebook. Portal 2 is fun and all so far, but it's been built up so much that it isn't going to meet my expectations.
as for fake gamers, that whole concept is weird, but they do exist. It's like someone pretending to watch movies or listen to music (which some people actually do). It's not like it's hard to play a game even if you suck their is usually an easy mode. I meet this guy in my vocal class who was in imposter gamer he decided to sing mad world because he "heard it in one of his favorite games" which he called "Gears for Wars" he also made some Portal reference and made some cliche small talk about Ocarina of Time. The way he talked about these games made it seem like he never played them, but instead read about them on wikipedia. At the end I didn't think much, sure he was a fake, but he just wanted to fit in. He was geeky, one of the things that come with the nerd territory is gaming, maybe that's why he felt compelled to put up a sham. These people are annoying, but it's best to ignore them. Blindfire made a really good point it is much better to have a bunch of people impersonate you because they think you're cool, versus being picked on and being physically and mentally assaulted for being uncool. Their was a time when gaming was taboo, now that it's accepted one of the things it comes with is fakes. I for one am happy that I can play games and talk about them publicly without being stigmatized.
As for the "fake" gamers, I wrote a blog post not too long ago about it. My thoughts: I hate them.
Our of interest are there any developers that consistently speak to your taste?
With L.A. Noir on the horizon, I guess I might experience the same experience you had with Valve.
Still... Portal... really awesome games! It's not hard to feel genuine affection for Portal 2 once you've played it, regardless of how cool or uncool it is. :)
@Wrench: Consistently? I don't think so. My preferences are actually pretty varied. But I do have my favorites such as Square, Bungie, Guerilla :)
@Elsa: That's funny because I love Rockstar! I'm the only one in my circle of friends who completed GTA4's entire story and recently finished Red Dead. Though, I can't lie. LA Noire doesn't excite me either.
@Everyone: Thanks for your feedback!
Obviously, you have no need to justify yourself - matters of taste and all that, but when I hear someone say something like this, I just want to pry deep into it and understand where the appeal is lost.
Not a bad thing, per se. Just an observation.