I don't play a lot of video games, but the ones I do. I devote myself to. Demon's and Dark Souls, Dragon Age: Origins, Shadow of the Colossus... When I play a game, it becomes an important part of my history.

One such game is Star Warfare: Alien Invasion.

This a game I had on my iPod touch, until the game broke, and now I booted it up onto my new iPad Mini. I play it for fun every once in a while on the go, nowadays. But there was a time when this game was a daily activity. Why?

This game is basically a "Pay to Win" game. You pay money, you get better guns, upgrades, and armour. Way better. However, all of this stuff is technically available for free. Because every five days you play online, you get five crystals, which get all the awesome equipment. Equipment that costs from hundreds to thousands. So, for a year, I played this game every single day so that I could build up enough crystals to buy a backpack that meant I no longer needed to pay for ammo. (I had been using a sword for basically everything, don't like wasting even the in-game money)

And because I was so invested in this game, and always playing online, and yet not paying any money, I quickly became something of a badass.

There are basically four types of player in this game.
[list=1]

Newbies: weak equipment, no skill. They just like to play to shoot things.

Rich'n'lazy: overpowered equipment, little to no skill. These guys can kill you in two hits—with a gun.

Typicals: powerful equipment, a good amount of skill.

Me: Weak equipment, all skill.

I have to run around with my three wimpy weapons, trying to kill players that can kill me in a couple hits as I dart around them dodging and running across the map. The few upgrades I could afford from in-game currency I put into speed, because skill is the only thing that allows me to beat the Rich'n'lazy. I wield a pistol with a high fire rate and decent damage; they have laser guns that shoot through walls and take you out in a couple hits. I wield a heavy duty weapon that I can use to mow down the idiots that charge me from afar; they have laser [i]sniper[/i[ rifles that kill even quicker, and shoot through the entire map, including the ground. I have my trusty little sword for melee attacks, my only saviour; they have energy blades that create shockwaves of damage with every swing.

Why do I love this game? Because it is pay to win, and yet I win. Not because of money, but because I had to learn how to use the cheapest tools available and save up over years of time. I love it because I take out entire enemy teams single-handedly from time to time, because I actually learn how to fight. I love it because it poses the kind of challenge I adore.

I am a casual gamer who loves to be the underdog badass.

I don't see dark souls be a casual game.

It isn't a casual game, but the way I play it, I'm a casual gamer.

Holmishire said
It isn't a casual game, but the way I play it, I'm a casual gamer.

Clearly casual gamers only play casual games, not hard games, i now dismiss your claims, and you shall be sent to the internet prison of lies known only as Wikipedia.

natsumehack said
Clearly casual gamers only play casual games, not hard games, i now dismiss your claims, and you shall be sent to the internet prison of lies known only as Wikipedia.

From Wikipedia itself: "A casual gamer is a player whose time or interest in playing games is limited. Casual gamers may play games designed for ease of gameplay, or play more involved games in small groupings of time, at a slower pace than hardcore gamers."

It took me something like two years to finish Demon's Souls due to a long break, and Dark Souls was looking to be more of a year-long simply because I couldn't be bothered to actually progress my character past a certain level.

;]

Holmishire said
From Wikipedia itself: "A casual gamer is a player whose time or interest in playing games is limited. Casual gamers may play games designed for ease of gameplay, in small groupings of time, ."It took me something like two years to finish Demon's Souls due to a long break, and Dark Souls was looking to be more of a year-long simply because I couldn't be bothered to actually progress my character past a certain level.;]

Don't trust wika it like taking me serious.

Y'know, speaking of Dark Souls, this is pretty much the way I play DkS2 PVP.

In a game where you constantly run into Havel armored, hex spamming fuckers using the optimal equipment for their min/maxed fucking builds, it's rare to find someone actually challenging themselves. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone else's character wearing a weird mix of armor pieces that make them look retarded, because you know that guy is only wearing that shit for the stats.

I prefer to make my characters look good, and use the armor and weapons that complement their look, and then play with actual fucking skill instead of focusing on what the most powerful and easily abused horseshit of the week is.

I'm a min/maxing twatwaffle that will always sacrifice the vanity of my character for that +2 attack

Kill Bones said
Y'know, speaking of Dark Souls, this is pretty much the way I play DkS2 PVP. In a game where you constantly run into Havel armored, hex spamming fuckers using the optimal equipment for their min/maxed fucking builds, it's rare to find someone actually challenging themselves. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone else's character wearing a weird mix of armor pieces that make them look retarded, because you know that guy is only wearing that shit for the stats.I prefer to make my characters look good, and use the armor and weapons that complement their look, and then play with actual fucking skill instead of focusing on what the most powerful and easily abused horseshit of the week is.

Games are more fun when the character you're playing as looks good. :D

There were times in DkS PvP that I would just fight barechested, because I knew my enemies' equipment was always going to get through my armour if they hit me anyways. And it was fun when people got weirded out, or even better, intimidated by it.

Kill Bones said
Y'know, speaking of Dark Souls, this is pretty much the way I play DkS2 PVP. In a game where you constantly run into Havel armored, hex spamming fuckers using the optimal equipment for their min/maxed fucking builds, it's rare to find someone actually challenging themselves. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone else's character wearing a weird mix of armor pieces that make them look retarded, because you know that guy is only wearing that shit for the stats.I prefer to make my characters look good, and use the armor and weapons that complement their look, and then play with actual fucking skill instead of focusing on what the most powerful and easily abused horseshit of the week is.

fashion souls for life

Holmi being a wee fashionista doesn't surprise me. Kibbles, on the other hand...

People who wear armours and things that don't go well together annoy me, unless they're joking around. In most games I can't find stuff that looks good so I just wear the beginner set.

Kill Bones said
Y'know, speaking of Dark Souls, this is pretty much the way I play DkS2 PVP. In a game where you constantly run into Havel armored, hex spamming fuckers using the optimal equipment for their min/maxed fucking builds, it's rare to find someone actually challenging themselves. Nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone else's character wearing a weird mix of armor pieces that make them look retarded, because you know that guy is only wearing that shit for the stats.I prefer to make my characters look good, and use the armor and weapons that complement their look, and then play with actual fucking skill instead of focusing on what the most powerful and easily abused horseshit of the week is.

My last build in Dark Souls 1 was a cleric knight. I wore Leeroy's armor, a sunlight shield, and a Divine Longsword +10. The build sucked ass, but I made it work for the worst part. Of course, I learned how to make the most out of bare minimum equipment via my SL1 wanderer run, where I had nothing but the base Wanderer setup, albeit upgraded. I'm always out in the burg/Undead Parish now as a summon. Woe betide the gear twink who invades my host, because I WILL whip out my +15 scimitar, put on Power Within, and kick your goddamn ass.

Back on topic, I play a game called Blacklight Retribution from time to time. I only play it every so often because I get frustrated. Why? Because on top of the fact that the game borders on P2W(although slightly), the matchmaking system sucks. Rather, there ISN'T a matchmaking system. So a level 16 with nothing more than the base assault rifle and a scope to their name can be paired up against a level 43 with some of the best gear money can buy, who will inevitably two-shot the level 16 due to the sheer power of their equipment. Not even headshots can save the level 16, because the game has awful hit detection/the servers really are terrible, AND headshots aren't instant kills, they take down about 100 health per. For reference, even base characters with no armor upgrades have 200 health. So yeah, I usually stick to Team Fortress 2 for my FPS fix, but will occasionally reinstall Blacklight. Despite all that BS though, the game's fun, and I've enjoyed the time I spent playing it.

I'm a girl gamer.