Defining Casual

[Throwme]

It's weird that so many people are still actively participating in this troll thread, as if it was an actual discussionworthy one...

[WowIsDead64]

Now that next question:
IS it truely worth it? Can't you just go to another "restaurant"?

Again. Restaurant isn't valid analogy, because restaurant doesn't require long-term effort. It's more like deleting social network account and losing 10+ years of your life.

[Aucald]

You quit 6-7 years ago?

Why do you even proclaim any opinion? You are not even relevant in the playerbase.

WTH?

See - this responds is all the problems I have with the casuals.

They have strong opinion, but they bring ZERO value. Nothing to the table - it's all about them.

This implies you need to play the game currently to have an opinion about it, which isn't the case. It's entirely possible to be fully cognizant and informed of how the game plays and its current shortcomings (real or imagined) without necessarily playing it.

"Value" is also relative and not at all intrinsic.

[AcidicSyn]

I define myself as a very, very casual player, and have done so ever since MoP probably, if not already Cataclysm (I've played since the closed EU-vanilla beta for some context).

I play when I want, how much I want and how I want.
I play solo and for my own entertainment.

However if I want to do a raid; I do a raid. If I want to do an instance; I do an instance. If I want to do a BG... You get the point I'm sure.
I suppose, that I do something that sets me, somewhat, apart from the general idea of a "casual" player, as in I *do* in fact read guides on rotations, talents, covenants etc., and I do try to follow the optimal playstyles - unless I don't like them that is, which kinda sums up my point,- as in "I play for my own enjoyment; not yours".

So yeah; I'm very much a casual player, though not a bad player mind you,- but not even remotely close to being in "the big leagues" so to speak.

This is a good take. Particularly the bolded bit, and I would still absolutely classify you as casual. For the bolded reason. A hardcore raider (note that I say raider, not just player) makes sacrifices for the good of the raid, up to and including spec swapping and sometimes flat out rerolling another class and in extreme cases, maintaining a raid ready stable of characters, some of which they may not even enjoy playing, for the sole purpose of progression.

A casual player might make some sacrifices, but its much less likely. I, for example, play solo, unguilded, all of my friends have since quit and I've yet to feel motivated to make new ones, so I have zero motivation to do literally anything unless it entertains me. If the bug ever strikes me and I do join a guild again, I might find my mindset reverts to the old days, I do find succeeding enjoyable afterall, and this happens every time I resub- I'll either hit a wall where the solo treadmill isn't fun anymore or I'll hit that wall, decide I'm still having fun and find a guild - still casual.

The people claiming casual is a mindset aren't wrong, the examples they give to support that argument though are often contradictory. IE: suggesting casual is synonymous with bad is some of the most ignorant wow-related nonsense I've ever read on this forum. We do run into some minor gatekeeping from time to time, but I don't begrudge those guys their invite, they're just playing their game too /shrug

[Somic]

I 100% define casual as time played. For me, even if you are the best video game player in the world but you play 2 hours a week, something that is easy as piss like lets say farming mats or something… if that activity requires you to do this 20 hours a week, that to me is not casual friendly content.

Look at classic wow, there is nothing even remotely ‘difficult’ for getting the scarab lord title. When you look at all the steps, they are objectively easy when talking about the skill required to do it. The issue is you’re going to have to spend a metric shit load of time in game in order to get it. This is absolutely not casual friendly imo.

Now look at something like solo q rated arena in retail. Even if I got ‘gladiator’ in solo rated arena, something not a lot of people get, I’m still doing casual content. I can logon whenever I want for however long I want, if I’m good enough with my time to reach a hard achievement that doesn’t mean that I’m still not doing casual content.

[Drusin]

This is to put to rest the actual definition of the term Casual (capital C) as a classification of player. It is perhaps best defined by saying what it is not, beginning with, it is NOT a subjective term.

It is 100% subjective, don't waste your time on this mission lol.

[Tartys]

Hardcore is ready to force himself to do things, he doesn't like to do, just because he has to. Player is casual, if he can say something like "I don't have mood for playing this game now, so I won't". So, he doesn't force himself to play game, if he don't want to.

So I am hardcore... I force myself to farm boooring Mote to crafting Mount on Zereth Moris. I dont like to... but I have to. I love to spent my time in the Maw and Torghast, but I cant because I have to sacrife fun to farm motes! Damn, Im so hardcore!

[Shadowferal]

Why do you even proclaim any opinion? You are not even relevant in the playerbase. WTH? See - this responds is all the problems I have with the casuals. They have strong opinion, but they bring ZERO value. Nothing to the table - it's all about them.

You're absolutely right. Knowing the reasons why people quit/no longer buy into the game, is of no value at all...to you.

These days I've made copious notes for rewriting the lore, which in my "worthless" opinion is the basis of any game. (Examining potentially new race additions, and new classes, and fitting them in has intrigued me)

[Kokolums]

Not really. RFW teams are pretty hardcore but i don't think they fall in the category you stated.

I am really starting to think that WoW is simply not a casual game, and people just play it at different levels of seriousness - but no one is actually not playing it seriously and at least some degree of commitment.

you never watched a hazelnutty stream.

shes totally casual. doesnt really raid. doesnt do m+. doesnt do pvp. just collects mounts here or there. beta tests. sometimes goes to the kitchen and streams cooking a recipe from a wow cookbook.

[Mysterymask]

Again. Restaurant isn't valid analogy, because restaurant doesn't require long-term effort. It's more like deleting social network account and losing 10+ years of your life.

...how is 10 years of your life gone if you delete social media

The photos are digital so you can back them up and realistically Zuckerberg keeps them even if you delete your account you literally lose nothing except having to deal with social media which in your case would probably be a good thing

Wow on the other hand if Blizzard decided today fuck y'all we shut down that's it everything's gone anyway

[Kumorii]

Again. Restaurant isn't valid analogy, because restaurant doesn't require long-term effort. It's more like deleting social network account and losing 10+ years of your life.

You lose way more by doing something you dislike than moving on and doing something else.
Previous time isn't lost if you enjoyed it.

[Strawberry]

To me casual is someone who does not feel the need to log in the game every day, or is forced to because "raid time". Someone who does not complete all dailies every day. Might even miss weeklies now and then.
That person logs in when he/she feels like because it's fun to build up a character in a living, evolving world. It's a different take on RPG compared to say Elden Ring or The Witcher 3.

If someone is still clearing mythic raids and m+15 and above while being a casual player, to me that's an extraordinary good player.

[Lolites]

This implies you need to play the game currently to have an opinion about it, which isn't the case. It's entirely possible to be fully cognizant and informed of how the game plays and its current shortcomings (real or imagined) without necessarily playing it.

"Value" is also relative and not at all intrinsic.

you are free to have opinion, but surely opinion of someone playing and opinion of someone who quit 7 years ago are not equal in any way...

[Aucald]

you are free to have opinion, but surely opinion of someone playing and opinion of someone who quit 7 years ago are not equal in any way...

Depends on the opinion and the context, really. If the opinion was on the specifics of a rotation/APL for a given class/spec, maybe so. If the opinion is a more general one about theme, aesthetic, and gameplay systems then probably not. Not all opinions are made equal, but simply playing the game also doesn't automatically bestow an opinion with value (or guarantee correctness).

[Eazy]

If the game is in your calendar you're not playing it casually. Raiding mythic casually is when you're sitting on the couch and say "hey, I'm gonna play some world of warcraft" and then "hey, I'm going to raid mythic for a while". It can't be done, at least not successfully.

Then what about the times when someone was going "let's go try the mythic raid" on some evenings and was able to kill a few mythic bosses?
Is that casual or hard-core?

What about KSM(3k and above)? I've done mine without scheduling anything. I was just like "let's do M+" and got invite/made groups for +20M runs.