Why Is "casual" An Insult/negative Term?

[Vargras]

I'm genuinely curious and want to hear from the community about this. It's typical to visit online forums and see people talking about how someone is "casual", or developers are "appealing to casuals". It's always with the connotation of being negative -- bad players are always referred to as casuals. Problems within a game are attributed to casuals. Why is "casual"... well, bad?

 

If anything, shouldn't it be the opposite case? Appealing to the masses has lead to multiple games becoming more popular than ever, with widespread player bases, and even in markets that are traditionally unfriendly to new players (trading card games and Hearthstone are an excellent example of this). Isn't it good that Warframe can draw in more players by promoting casual play and having less stringent requirements?

 

So, in your own words, why is "casual" bad? If you don't feel that it's a negative thing, then why do you feel that it's good?

[Deidaku]

I'm guessing because people are d*cks and are trying to feel all superior and mighty by bashing people on a video game to compensate for real life frustration about something or someone.

 

I'm reading too far into this.. : people can  be arrogant a**holes , plain and simple

[Acos]

'Casual' is a bit of an inside joke in that it (originally, anyway) is actually meant to bring humility to people who feel a need to always use the most gimmicky, broken, overpowered builds so that their fragile egos are never threatened by defeat. 

'What are you, casual?" is something you'd expect one of these 'try-hard' players to announce to other players who aren't using their ridiculously overcompensating builds. 

[DeMonkey]

Because elitism and entitlement. People who play for hours and hours and hours on end get into their head that they deserve more than others who won't/can't and they will mock these people. Anyone below them is a casual player who deserves nothing, and anyone above them has no life.

 

It's the way of the world unfortunately.

[S7ORM]

Casual isn't inherently bad. I'm a fairly casual player in a lot of games. I consider myself more than a casual player in Warfarm however, and as such I consider myself more experienced with many aspects of the game than a more casual player.

This in turn implies I am likely to be a bit better at the game.

People who use "casual" as an insult are simply saying "You're not as good at this game as I am."
This turned into people associating "being a casual" with being "bad at the game," when in fact it's the opposite: NOT "being a casual" implies you are NOT "bad at the game"

[Katakuna]

"Casual" is only used as an insult from the opposite end of the spectrum: the hardcore players.  In their eyes, casuals are inferior because they do not care about the game as much as they do, and as a result, are (usually) less skilled players.  Basically, to be "casual" in their eyes is to lack commitment and/or skill.

 

Anyone else uses casual as just a simple adjective, a word used to describe a playstyle, with no more malice or hidden meaning than one would use to describe any other playstyle (like "Pro").

[Redfaels]

I never since i started playing warframe heard any1 saying casual is bad.... Well there are a lot of people on this Earth and there are no 2 brains thinking alike so you have probavly found someone who has been either pissed off by someone or someome and that someone used im being casual as excuse or who was on insulting rampage....

[(PSN)SKRIMP-N-GRITZ]

I don't think of casual as bad, but I think a range of game play is important. Appealing to the masses is better for business, but there are downsides as well - there are many examples of the pros and cons out there.

Really the problem is people who state their opinions as if they are fact, absolutes, truths. Ignoring them is the only thing to do.

[Snydrex]

I thought that people were too smart to use that phrase as anything other then hyperbole.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Snydrex

[CY13ERPUNK]

its only an insult cuz softies with thin skins get their lil feelins hurt too easily =/

 

its all about expectations and responsibilty

 

im responsible for my own emotions and feelings, thus i cannot blame others for how i feel, this is the truth of reality, but many ppl dont believe/understand this, thusly they blame others for their feelings

 

and of course 'tryhards' want to think of themselves as 'pros' or whatevs, so being called a filthy cazual, they take offense =P

 

its all silly nonsense

 

+1 OP

Edited May 5, 2015 by CY13ERPUNK

[nickelshark]

I don't see it as a insult at all. Even if someone says it to me with demeaning intent, I don't see it as a bad thing. I am very laid back in my play-style. I don't think that means I am bad at the game. When I need to hunker down I can. However, I don't see the fun in being seriuos and "Pro" all the time.

To each their own I guess.

 

I guess it's also just an insult people throw around in the gaming community. Similar to calling someone an idiot or nincompoop or something.

 

[Gelkor]

Because many people on the internet (and IRL) can only feel good about themselves by putting others down.

[-Upgreid-]

Personally, when I refer to casuals, I never mean it negatively. Casual players are fine. They're just another group of the player base who aren't necessarily undedicated, but regulate their play or play for fun.

People who use casual as a pejorative term either don't understand what it means or are egotistical from my experience.

The issues attributed to 'casuals' are not caused by casual players. The issues are caused by noobs, players who are bad and stay bad because they refuse to learn. They are often the lowest common denominator. When developers cater to them at the expense of experienced, dedicated, and hardcore players who put a lot of time into the game and have more difficulty adapting to changes, it becomes a problem. Casual players don't deal with that issue because they expect change, so that is also a reason for some of the perceived antagonism.

On the other hand, joking use (such as 'filthy casual') is quite common to indicate that someone has fallen behind in something most players have completed or are ahead in, that they no longer understand the meta,have a 'rusty' skill or playstyle, etc. It's basically a substitute for 'slowpoke' or 'Rip Van Winkle'. Often, it's a lighthearted way to say 'You kinda suck at this. Just a little. It's as if you didn't play as often as you do :P'. Either that, or just to say 'why on earth would you do that?'

I attribute the problem regarding 'casuals' both as an egotostical way to measure skill (those who play often are usually far more skilled), envy of the adaptability of casual players to major changes, and also a jab at the Rip Van Winkle effect that casual players often undergo if they miss those changes.

[Sixty5]

It's more of a joke than anything.

It's a way of implying lack of skill as well as a lesser interest in the game.

[Nihongo_Hetakusou]

>being a casual

>2012+2+1

[Andaius]

The term "casual player" is used in many games to refer to the lowest common denominator" type of player. The insult generally comes from them wanting everything handed to them easily. Because if it took actual effort and there brains to figure something out they complain until the game changes to suit them since they are "the masses" and companies want to game to go out to as many as possible they will appease them.

 

In other genres you see it too such as in RPG's where they get less complex and "dumbed down" so they function more like action adventure games then traditional RPG's. Example Original Fallouts got turned into Fallout 3 drastic change to it mechanics, playstyle and perspective. IT basiclly got turned into "Oblivion with guns" TES has claims on being an RPG but fails at many aspects of traditional RPGs. IT's basiclly as  Isaid before an Action adventure game and not an RPG. So by creating Fallout 3 the way it is, it was Catering to the masses/Casuals" and "ruined" the game as seen and loved in the original titles.

 

In other words, it's a fear of losing loved gameplay mechanics, or feel to the uncaring masses. The "casual player" isn't committed to the game but usually the game is catered to there whims by them being the more numerous. That in a nutshell is why the dedicated players of various games don't look kindly on the "Casual" player, and use it as an insult to refer to people they feel don't really care about the core of the game. Many times you see it used on people that refer to an easy mission as hard and want it made easier. Hence making the game "dumber".

 

Do you guys get what I'm saying?
 

[Demon-King-Lamb]

I'm guessing because people are d*cks and are trying to feel all superior and mighty by bashing people on a video game to compensate for real life frustration about something or someone.

 

I'm reading too far into this.. : people can  be arrogant a**holes , plain and simple

 

I was talking to a coworker about getting a 3D Printer and make a Bunch of A****** trophies. A trophy that looks like a butt with a hole in it. Then Send one to a A****** and congratulate them for getting a award. Butt then they might actually like that.

[Otenko]

This post is probably a little different from the above ones, but here's the alleged "rational" reason that I see as the strike against "casual" things. Ignoring the simple "elitism" aspect, though I touch upon it, here are my observations.

EDIT: Guess Andaius beat me to it, but here's a couple of other examples  I suppose.

 

In some cases, the thought of expanding accessibility can be considered as taking depth out of the game.

 

This isn't necessarily true, but in some cases, streamlining aspects of the game, can essentially remove obstacles that players otherwise fun to navigate or triumph over.

 

In particular, a lot of fighting games of late are promoting "easy to get into, hard to master," naturally to appeal to a wider market considering fighting games are pretty niche, especially the more complicated ones. Compare combo timing and spacing to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure or DarkStalkers (both are about 15 - 20 years old I believe) to something like Street Fighter 4, Marvel vs Capcom 3, and Skullgirls. These last 3 came out in the last 6 years at the earliest.

 

For example, in these more recent fighting games, combos are usually a lot easier to execute and are closer to the "dial-a-combo" combo leniency present in Mortal Kombat and other Netherrealms games. Some people aren't a fan of this, especially since mastering the complicated timing of "links" gives a pretty substantial feeling of self-satisfaction. But knowing that "anyone" can do equally effective combos takes a little bit of the self-satisfaction out of the "feat" of it.

 

It adds an "executional barrier," which players consider as an extra layer of depth.

 

Now combos feel good to do. It's just something that I've seen. Expanding that satisfaction to more players that wouldn't be able to do it with harder timing isn't a bad thing, but some people like the exclusivity of it or the idea of overcoming an obstacle.

 

I personally am a bit in both camps about this. I like surpassing executional barriers, but increasing consistency for all combos does benefit all players and not just new ones. It actually also lets people focus on the actual spacing and match-ups present in the game instead of worrying about "if I don't press this button well enough, I lose."

 

As well, in DMC4, they introduced a new playable character called Nero. He differs from the other series protagonist, Dante, in that (most) all of his moves are available at any time, whereas Dante's moves are separated between 5 different styles, 3 different guns, and 3 different melee weapons, all of which he can freely switch between.

 

Switching between styles and weapons is a bit daunting for new players to overcome, so Nero helps ease new players into the world of DMC4 by slowly acquainting them with "just-frame" timings present in the "Exceed" system.

 

As well, Nero's "Buster" is basically like a throw in God of War. It's a one-button way to deal guaranteed damage to a weakened enemy. Dante doesn't have this and thus basically has to do everything on his own in comparison.

 

Now, Nero has his own depth and advanced mechanics to consider, but it's pretty apparent that his gamestyle was created as a way for new players to not have this towering monolith of game mechanics and arbitrary execution barriers planted in front of them. He actually epitomizes "easy to use, hard to master" pretty well.

 

I just realized I'm on a Warframe board and not a fighting game one. But that's basically the gist of it. People like mastering a skill, and in some cases, increasing accessibility or ease of use cheapens that skill in the eyes of some. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but those that disagree will consider "casual" mechanics to, likewise, remove depth from the game.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Otenko

[Ded_man]

I'm still learning the do's and don'ts of the WF community. But there's a lot of similarity but not quite as bad as another forum/game I attend. Where it is common to boast your superiority in your sig by display of stats. It's all about stats in the other game I play and if you fall under the play4fun crowd which I take it as equal to "casual" here. You ruin the competitive enviornment the community or particular players try to maintain. In fact, you are considered a "mouth breather" "window licker" "baddie" "potatoe" (not to be confused with WF potatoe) "tomato" "sh_t lord" which are the popular terms to use when describing the casuals/play4fun crowd.

It's one of the reasons I've stepped away from the game after 4 years of attendance. Despite being among in the top 10% of NA server players which excludes me from a lot of the childish and brutal tongue lashing a lot of other players endure. It's not at all fun.

But I currently don't see a lot of the negativity that people see with exclusion to trolling. You couldn't go 1 min in World of Tanks without seeing someone get bashed on the forums or in game. You can go to the forums right now and witness the elitism in general discussion. I just don't see it here and hope I don't.

[Toppien]

i think of the word casual as someone who want to succeed in games without putting effort on it, and i dont mean that games should be taken seriously from a player's perspective, but having the feeling of satisfaction without even playing the game in the first place, also known as "pay to win"

 

 

justto put an example...

 

 

the last part.

[Ishki88]

Because in many games, a "casual" audience tends to make technical/strict/difficult games more..well "casual" and "lax."  

 

This is achieved by constant rants and crying in regards to game aspects being too difficult.  Afterwards developers sit down and think who should they cater to.  9/10 it's the casual players.  Why?  Because they will ALWAYS out number the "professional" players.

 

Example.  SF2 > SF3 > SF4 > SFxTK and soon to be SFV.  EVO get's about lets just say 5000 entries for the Street Fighter tournament.  4500 of those players do not even make it out of pools.  Because LITERALLY the 100 professionals wiped the floor with them.

 

Numbers might be a little exaggerated.  Oh yeah let's not forget the Call of Duty series >_>  anywho

 

Over the years the gaming industry has realized casual players = more $$$ overall.  And over the years the player base has realized casual players = a greater chance of someone who hasn't dedicated the same amount time and resources achieving what they have been practicing for decades.  Which can either effect the game they choice to professionalize or effect how they make their money/living off of said game.  

 

Again with my SF example.  SF's top player can easily lose to someone who has maybe...a years worth of experience just by how the games mechanics are set up.  It's alot easier for a "casual" player to win now due to easier game mechanics.  

 

Blah blah you get my point hopefully.

 

#Casual Rant

 

Edit:  In regards to Warframe's stereotype, players feel casuals are the reason for all the nerfs we've been getting.  Or just outright bad decision making (85% of the augments.)  Over the last year or so this has developed into.

 

1.  Players stopped spoon-feeding information.  Direct everyone to Google/Wiki.

2.  Players requesting STRICT recruiting material.

3.  Players trolling false information.

4.  Players quitting in general.

 

The thing is it's hard to point and blame DE for nerfs and/or bad gaming decisions.  It's easier to just blame the player base sine we interact with each other more than any DE member.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Ishki88

[(PSN)InstantOG]

I would say because casuals are the majority of lots of popular games fanbases and casuals tend to (not all, don't kill me) complain about a lot of things that do not need fixing. They have numbers so when they come together they force the hand of devs to make it easier for them. Not much of this game but shooters like CoD and BF experience this the most. Casuals got choppers nerfed to oblivion in BF3 if anyone remembers.

[Monybags33]

When people say "Casual players" they normaly imply either....

 

A. Someone who might enjoy the game a bit not caring to much and plays it at a "casual" pace.

B. Someone very lazy who never bothers trying to push themselfs in things they like, even if its very fun they would rather just be "adequate" then good.

 

Most times people just hate "Casual players" because they tend to drag down a group who are really into a game...and then thoses casual players call the ones who are into the game a bunch of jerks because we want to do things not at a casual pace. Like water and vinagar...they will most likely always hate each other for their own pacing.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Monybags33

[unknow99]

The best thing is to stay between a casual gamer & a hardcore-geek-nerd-no life gamer. (my opinion)

 

To have a social life without playing a too simple game that sees you as a stupid user...

 

I know some people who've played League of Legends or World of Warcraft for thousands hours and don't go out. I find it ridiculous : life isn't supposed to be lived behind a screen!

 

I also know some people who play Angry birds and think that they know they're pro & say that "they're soooo acting like nerds lol". I also find it ridiculous : videogames are more than this!

 

What I try to do is to have balance between both. (but I can't sink too many hours in a game without burning out)

 

Don't look like this guy :

 

Edited May 5, 2015 by unknow99

[WindBlade]

Because they only think elite super god killers like themselves are the only ones who should be having fun, and if people are having fun without being as HARDCORE as they are, it offends them.

 

I remember my Halo:Reach days... you'd get a lot of topics on the forums every day having tantrums about weaker players still having fun and unlocking stuff, with suggestions amounting to 'people under a certain skill level should have the game punishing them and stopping them having any fun whatsoever'.