Paper on gamers

[ivank]

I am writing a paper on the different types of gamers for an English assignment. One of my topics is SIM gamers. I have a rough, I mean very rough, draft of my essay. I just wanted some feedback, and suggestions about us SIM gamers.

Section on SIM gamers:
The last major group that represents the smallest of the three major gamer types in the SIM gamers. Simulation gamers are most likely the laid back players. They play SIM game genres like; Flight Sims, Racing Sims, Naval/Sub Sims, Sport Sims, Life Sims. They can leave the game at anytime if it need be. They can get upset if something goes sour in the game, but understand that Simulation games replicate real life, and as in life not everything happens to your liking. They will never commit murder over a game. They are however really into realism when it comes to a game, and will be upset if a game is not up to it. They will however buy the game
and try their best to MOD or Modify the game to best represent RL. They have average life styles, most players of Naval/Sub Sims and Flight Sims are either current or retired naval service man or pilots. They are also somewhat of a paradox. They do not to pay a large amount on the average SIM game, but some will buy the ultra realism games for upwards of $300. This paradox stems from their undying search for realism. The main paradox is their systems. They play on ONLY high end systems, with the latest parts; willing to drop $2000+ into a computer but no more than lets say $50 on a game.



Please help me on this paper. It is due Wednesday. Thank you.

[SteamWake]

most players of Naval/Sub Sims and Flight Sims are either current or retired naval service man or pilots


I dont think that is entirely true. A goodly portion of them may be not not 'most'. ;)

Anyhow good start on it. Let us know how it goes.

[CaptainHaplo]

I would say the majority of MILITARY (combat flight, Naval warfare) sim players are prior military of some branch.

I have no idea what a "life sim" is.....

I WISH I could drop 2g's on a pc....

No way am I ever paying 300 bucks for a game. I'll wait 6 months and buy it out of a bargain bin.

Simulation players are focused on realism, which merely means we are more patient with steep learning curves and a slower game pace that most if the game delivers the level of "real" we want. The biggest difference between a sim player and a gamer of say, FPS style games, is the patience level. We can stalk a convoy for 3 real life hours, fire one spread and be thrilled or devastated at the results, where a FPS gamer would be impatient if they didn't get to shoot something during any 3 minute period. We also celebrate the cerebral element of sims, they take long term thinking and planning, where an FPS rewards fast reaction without long term thought.

Edit - As a simmer - its fair to note that I also am a huge fan of strategy games in general - either "real time" or turn based. It is the thinking and planning, then executing that plan despite unforseen obstavles that is highly rewarding personally.

2nd edit - regarding patience - this is one reason the THIEF games really got a number of fans outside the FPS market - it isn't a shooter, its a sneaker - you can get the mechanics of a shooter game, but it blended in the requirement of forethought and patience.

[Lionclaw]

I've been playing flight simulators for 10+ years now, but I still haven't been in a real aircraft. :)

[Shearwater]

Simulation players are focused on realism, which merely means we are more patient with steep learning curves and a slower game pace that most if the game delivers the level of "real" we want.

Well put. I think you should elaborate CapHap's point in your paper, ivank.
I enjoy learning games almost as much as I do playing them. In fact, sometimes it's even more fun. - There's many games I have never really "played" (most of them sim games), but I've read countless manuals and such stuff, or have player training missions over and over. I guess it has something to do with gratification. Maybe sim players want the feeling that they have really "achieved" something, and in order to get this feeling, we actually expect games to be complicated (if they were easy, anyone could do it ;)).

[Raptor1]

This one seems to be composed of too much generalizations, from what I've seen so far the military sim-player crowd is quite a lot more diverse.

Many (Probably most) simmers are not in the military or were previously (At least in whatever they were simming), myself included. Also, I don't think one could say most simmers have an 'average lifestyle', because that's entirely subjective.

[Platapus]

Section on SIM gamers:
The last major group that represents the smallest of the three major gamer types in the SIM gamers. Simulation gamers are most likely the laid back players. They play SIM game genres like; Flight Sims, Racing Sims, Naval/Sub Sims, Sport Sims, Life Sims. They can leave the game at anytime if it need be. They can get upset if something goes sour in the game, but understand that Simulation games replicate real life, and as in life not everything happens to your liking. They will never commit murder over a game. They are however really into realism when it comes to a game, and will be upset if a game is not up to it. They will however buy the game
and try their best to MOD or Modify the game to best represent RL. They have average life styles, most players of Naval/Sub Sims and Flight Sims are either current or retired naval service man or pilots. They are also somewhat of a paradox. They do not to pay a large amount on the average SIM game, but some will buy the ultra realism games for upwards of $300. This paradox stems from their undying search for realism. The main paradox is their systems. They play on ONLY high end systems, with the latest parts; willing to drop $2000+ into a computer but no more than lets say $50 on a game.



You are making several subjective statements but not citing them. :nope:

Simulation gamers are most likely the laid back players.

most players of Naval/Sub Sims and Flight Sims are either current or retired naval service man or pilots

These are just two examples in your post where you made a subjective statement but did not provide any supporting evidence. As you advance in academics, this is a big no-no

They are also somewhat of a paradox. They do not to pay a large amount on the average SIM game, but some will buy the ultra realism games for upwards of $300. This paradox stems from their undying search for realism.

You might want to check the definition of Paradox.

What is your thesis topic for this paper? Even an informative paper needs a thesis statement.

Good luck with it.

[NeonSamurai]

Ya seriously, if this is a university level paper you can get into trouble (marks wise) by not backing up your statements with actual data. Frankly I suspect a lot of what you are claiming is false. If this is a low end high school paper then I wouldn't worry about it so much.

For one thing sim gamers are not exclusive (a lot of us play other games beyond sims), though we do tend towards a favored type of sim (ie. millitary, or racing). Also I would not say that most sim gamers are ex military. Modding can be found in any game type (though sims tend to attract super mods a lot). Lots of us also do not play on high end systems as others have said. I will say that military/racing sim gamers tend to be older (I would guess around 35 years average)

They can get upset if something goes sour in the game, but understand that Simulation games replicate real life, and as in life not everything happens to your liking. They will never commit murder over a game.I would get rid of that entirely as to my knowledge no one has directly killed another person over emotions generated due to a game (theft not included). It could be argued that killing in game can desensitize a person to violence, even in sims (particularly fps tactical shooter sims). The media and certain vocal groups like to portray games in certain negative ways but the research hasn't backed up a lot of their claims.

[ivank]

Thanks for help.

As I said this is a very very very rough draft. I know I still have work to do.

Yes I need to show supporting facts and such. I know this. Their is no thesis. This paper is a compare and contrast paper. I am comparing FPS, RPG, and SIM gamers.

So, between FPS, RPG, and SIM gamers, I feel SIM gamers are the most calm and laid back. NOT aggresvie.
For pricing on computers, SIM gamers are more likely to have a higher end computer than some one who plays WoW.
Modders, are MORE LIKELY to be attracted to SIM games.

This paper is to COMPARE them.


I am just looking for more ideas, and thoughts.

Thank you again.

[antikristuseke]

My thoughts on your ideas

1) Pen and paper rpg players are the most relaxed in my experience, but when it comes to video games have never actually bothered to notice.
2) Gamers in general have powerful and high end computers, sim fans, in my experience have lower powered rigs than say fps players, on average ofcourse.
3) Modders are more likely to be attracted to a game with good modability since without that there is nothing for them to do. The original genre of the game does not really mater that much.

But the short of it is, you are making way too many baseless claims without real data for my taste. Allso most of it seems highly subjective.

[Wolfehunter]

I used to be a hardcore pen and paper Roll playing gamer. GM to be exact.

I always a hardcore computer true RPG gamer even today.. My wife says my mistress is my rig hehehehe. :03:

But last few years my games have been secondary to my family so hardcore has been demoted to sometime gamer... :D

I don't really play much anymore to be honest.. To busy building mods for them... more fun.... :yeah:

Over the years many games are repetitive and for me loosing interest. Aside the fact that many dev companies are putting out more beta crap games....:nope:

I don't know? Soon maybe I'll just get fed up with them..? :06:

[stabiz]

Also, I don't think one could say most simmers have an 'average lifestyle', because that's entirely subjective.

Very true, I know lots of racing simmers, and they range from school "kids" of 18 to a guy who actually drives an Aston Martin DB9. Also a 50+ year old potato farmer. Actually, I would say - from my experience - that the genre you will find the most diversity in the players is in sims.

[antikristuseke]

Indeed, people I personally know who love SH3 almost as much as I do include a physicist, a couple of soldiers from officers to privates from infantry, recon and pioneer units, two lawyers, a farmer and a security guard. Given that my life has been short and i know few people, this is not much to go on, but there indeed seems to be a great deal of diversity amongst sim fans.

[ivank]

Again thanks for the help, I am revising it now.
@antikristuseke: I love your last quote. Just great!

[Rilder]

I would get rid of that entirely as to my knowledge no one has directly killed another person over emotions generated due to a game (theft not included). It could be argued that killing in game can desensitize a person to violence, even in sims (particularly fps tactical shooter sims). The media and certain vocal groups like to portray games in certain negative ways but the research hasn't backed up a lot of their claims.


Exactly, games do not make you kill people. Period. If you blame a game for making you kill somebody you are an idiot, you would of killed somebody regardless, the game didn't make you a killer. The douchebags in the media like to blame music for murders too which is also utter crap. If entertainment affects you at all it helps, allowing you to get out any urges on some pixels instead of flesh and blood.

Basically if you blame violence on entertainment, you are an idiot who should be shot.

We should ban people who blame violence on games and music because they give me urges to kill them... :stare:

[goldorak]

There was a time when playing simulators on a pc was not considered a niche.
It was THE defining genre for pc games, those that pushed the technical/graphical envelop every time a new version came out.
It was like this since the late eighties up to the late nineties when the industry out of its ass decided that intelligent players weren't anymore its main target. Think about it, almost 12 years after the publication of Falcon 4 there is no simulation (and no Black Shark doesn't count) that surpasses that sim. It was the pinnacle of military flight sim technology. Take for instance another less known gem, Microsoft Space Simulator. When it came out in the mid nineties it was a ground breaking sim. Not only you LEARNED how spacecrafts fly in space (hint its not like in star wars :haha: ), there was even a "fictional" component that enabled you to visit the galaxy. A real gem, it didn't get the success that Microsoft wanted and therefore the series stop there.

I play simulations because I love LEARNING about things I wouldn't otherwise experience in real life. Think of it as a challenge. When you master TMA techniques, or when you are able to launch the shuttle and dock with the ISS it is a gratifying experience. Thats why I play simulators. They have a long lasting apeal, and you gain something.

FPSs for me are arcade games. 5-10 minutes and thats it. But for a challenging gaming session I'm back to Falcon 4, Sh3, DW or Orbiter (and other newtonian based sims such as Independance war). :D