I read comments sections. I probably shouldn't because they contribute to my slow slide into misanthropy, but just as rubberneckers stare at a gruesome auto wreck, I have a hard time turning away. On the “positive” side, they do serve as blog fodder.
The target of my ire this week is the word “Casual” and its occasional associate, “Dumbed Down”. I'm sure these words and phrases were valid once upon a time, with recognizable definitions, but these days they've been co-opted by the angry hoards to mean whatever the hell is stuck in the craw of the angry gamer of the moment. They've taken on a sort of amorphous existence of fluid definition and get applied left and right as a sort of catch all derogatory, appropriate or not. Language tends to break down and fail when words lose their meanings and that really annoys the piss out of me.
Let's look at Mario Kart Wii as a convenient example here. I'll be the first to admit MK Wii has some major faults. It, like the rest of the series, uses the ever awful rubber band AI treatment for the computer players. It also has continued the trend of ramping up the impact that the items have on game play with every release. In this case, the items have gotten out of control, punishing skilled racers mercilessly. I'd describe the game as being unfair and unbalanced, but how does that translate into “Dumbed Down” or “Casual Friendly”? In fact, I've seen the whole series labeled Casual. The problem here is the term Casual has been used to paint such broad brush strokes that it doesn't mean anything.
If everything from Mario Kart, to Smash Bros, to Wii Sports, to Geometry Wars, to Bejeweled, to Zelda have been labeled Casual, what exactly does Casual even mean? Does it mean simple to play? Doom is simple to play. You point at stuff and shoot. Does it mean accessible? What does accessible mean? Easy controls? Simple concept? Like everything made for the NES? Does it mean short quick fix? But the Sims are called Casual games and people log in dedicated hours and hours. Casual is a marketing word. Outside of press releases, it doesn't mean a damn thing. Or worse, it becomes an easy label to slap on whatever you personally don't like. As if human beings needed yet another wall to divide ourselves up into Us VS. Them false dichotomies, now we can wage wars between Casual VS. Core. Back to Mario Kart Wii.
Prior to my decision to take an indeterminately long break from the game, I played it online with some regularity. The ranking system, while hardly precise, did give you an idea of the skill level of individual racers. Most people with high scores were better racers and more likely to win than people with low scores. When I'd get on a field with people who had significantly lower scores than me, I'd consistently leave them in the dust. I'd get bombarded with items and even forced back a few places, but I'd consistently fight my way back into a top spot. It also wouldn't be unusual for me to stay in first all the way through the race even after getting nuked by multiple Blue Shells. In these cases, where skilled players were mixed with not so skilled players the items didn't really even out the playing field. The items only became the bane of my existence when the field was packed with people of similar skill. When the racers were somewhat close to each other in ability, that's when the items made the race a crapshoot. Call it unbalanced and I'll know exactly what you mean, call it unfair and I'll readily agree, but say Casual or Dumbed Down and you've lost me. It's hardly Casual Friendly to get wiped out by cheating ass AI racers and item nukes as you battle the pack or watch your best efforts have no impact on the good racer who just lapped you, twice. Also, considering MK Wii offered up a number of interesting options for tactics and technique: bikes VS Karts, character and vehicle stats, knowing when to pop that wheelie, stunts, pulling off stunts consistently, when you want that air time and when it'd be better to stay on the ground; MK Wii was hardly Dumbed Down VS. past installments.
Do a lot of the games being developed today deserve criticism? Yes, yes they do, but for Pit's sake make the words you use to criticize mean something. Don't rely on memes to replace thoughts. And if you use a word but have trouble defining what it actually means, then find a better word.
Here's a definition you can take to the bank:. There are no Casual Games, only Casual Gamers. A Casual Gamer is anyone who has only a passing interest in games, plays irregularly, is uncommitted or is typically indifferent to the medium as a whole.
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