That Competitive Spirit

I have heard commentary on two podcasts referencing "enemies of gaming," and I thought that I would chime in here. Specifically, I would like to defend the competitive gamer.

Let me make something clear. I am not defending the rude and competitive gamer. There is a line that people should not cross and I hope that this becomes clear as I continue my discussion.

What I want to disseminate is that idea that it is okay to really like a game, to be good at a game, and to want to play other people who are serious about playing that game. Sometimes, I will seek out other players who are good and try to limit the game to only expert players. Why? Because new players add randomness and chaos to the game and can honestly wreck well laid plans and play king-maker without even knowing it.

Why is it that we think that anyone who takes a game seriously is a jerk?

Oh yeah, because some people take it way too seriously. They will become audibly upset if they lose. They will tell new players the moves that they should make, when it is clear that they don't want help. They will act rude, mean, spiteful, and generally like immature brats. I won't stand for this and it is exactly this type of attitude that gives otherwise good and competitive gamers a bad name.

To quote Knizia, "The goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important - not the winning."

I love this quote. I do play to win. I think everyone should play to win. But I lose and I lose alot, and it doesn't bother me.

Ultimately, I don't think that the podcasts hosts were referencing the standard competitive gamer but the jerky competitive gamer and that difference is clear to me. I hope, if my writing has not made it clearer, that more people will start to understand that difference. Because the overtone that I am grasping at now doesn't seem to indicate that there is one.