Comments on: Part II: The Competitive Gamer

By: Best of 40k Internet: Competitive Wargaming

Best of 40k Internet: Competitive Wargaming — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:48:16 +0000

[...] The False Dichotomy The Competitive Gamer The Six-Fold Path Lucky [...]

By: Brent

Brent — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:00:31 +0000

‘It’s Adam Smith’s self-regulating “invisible hand” theory in the 41st millennium.’

That’s a great line – Brent

By: Danny Internets

Danny Internets — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:08:15 +0000

@Stelek

I’ve been keeping up with your blog closely, commenting a little here and there.

I also just bought a house (well, a condo–our first) so things have been nuts. With lending the way it is it took like 3 months to underwrite the loan (and that’s with good credit!).

Other than that I’ve just been underperforming with my IG in tournaments. More to come on that.

By: Stelek

Stelek — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:02:33 +0000

So, where have you been anyway?

While you were gone I:

Bought a house.
Got downsized.
Pissed off the internet.

By: Chumbalaya

Chumbalaya — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:59:13 +0000

Excellent article, I’m loving it so far!

By: Black Matt

Black Matt — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:07:38 +0000

Danny,
Your a bad ass and I am glad we can stand at the same table quite often! I love this series of posts so far!

By: Flekkzo

Flekkzo — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:06:42 +0000

One could liken it to the difference between a Judo match and a bar brawl. You are going to be intent on winning in both cases, but the way there and the aftermath is going to be different.

By: Danny Internets

Danny Internets — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:43:02 +0000

It’s not that good sportsmanship is enforced through fear of not having anyone to play against, it’s that absolute fairness is required for any fun to be had. Sportsmanship is basically just a happy side effect. An unfair game means that factors other than skill are determinate of the outcome–it taints the game and any enjoyment taken from it. The Competitive Gamer is not interested in a match in which he (or his opponent) have diminished control.

Of course, fair play is only one part of sportsmanship. The other side is tied to hubris (or lack thereof), which the ideal Competitive Gamer will have because the outcomes have no relevance to self-esteem. His interest is purely in competition and the valence of the outcome is irrelevant and therefore there is no emotional attachment to wins or losses. Again, this is the Competitive Gamer in his perfect (i.e., impossible) form, which requires superhuman qualities.

By: raptor1313

raptor1313 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:16:35 +0000

I definitely agree with the sportsmanship side.

If you’re not a decent sport, you won’t get games, which kind of kills your ability to get fun.