Hardcore... How would you define it?

[OSUBuckeye4]

I've always viewed a hardcore player as someone who tries to get the most out of every hour they are logged into the world.

They don't casually run around doing "fun" things. Everything they do is a means to an end (achieving the best and/or most unique rank/gear/level/ability possible).



That doesn't mean that a hardcore player can't ever help another player out... but, they are generally performing that help for their own benefit.

Example: Helping a FC member complete a dungeon so that person, in return, can run a higher level dungeon with them and contribute to their own personal success.


That's always the difference between hardcore and casual to me. Casual players will log in and just wander around the world without any real goals in mind. Hardcore players always have a goal/agenda upon logging in.

Doesn't make one better than the other, there are good aspects of hardcore players and there are bad aspects. Some people take some of these aspects to deeper extremes than others.

[Ryios]

To me, hardcore is someone who is devoted and committed to clearing content. As such they develop an attitude that has no room for fooling around or silly mistakes "like jumping off the titan platform". This often makes them seem elitist, like they think they are better than everyone else, when in fact, they just expect other people to take it as seriously as they are and to not have their time wasted.

Hardcore players are generally well researched and prepared on new content (you tube videos, strat guides, best gear they can possibly have with their current resources, etc).

Basically, a hardcore player does everything in their power to be as good as they possibly can be. As such they are generally good people to have on a run.

However hardcore players tend to form clicks of like minded people to run content together. They end up together in the long run naturally. Because hardcore players have low tolerance for immature, trolling, or just overall bad players.

And furthermore, on pve content (bosses etc) hardcore players basically do more work than casual players. Some casual players just show up and expect someone to explain stuff to them. Hardcore players know all there is to know about a fight before they even try it, via research.