On June 20 2012 11:25 Funnytoss wrote:
Hm. See, this is what I originally thought, and why I had such a hard time accepting the rise of SC2. It's pretty much a given (for BW vets, at least) that the level of play and entertainment in the highest levels of SC2 doesn't match that of BW yet. However, what I was trying to get at through my previous post regarding the CSL was that perhaps this isn't the only thing that factors into a spectator's entertainment.
The games in the CSL, objectively, weren't all that good. But they were ridiculously entertaining regardless. Similarly, SC2 might not be, objectively, as entertaining as BW for many veterans. However, SC2 progamers and spectators may find the game more playable, or enjoy being part of the proscene in a way that wasn't possible before in the era of (even more pronounced) Korean dominance. Ultimately, I believe the longevity of a game is determined by its player base. I have no doubt that Brood War was ridiculously popular due to the excellence of its proscene for sure, but also because in Korea everyone and their dog played and enjoyed the game, to a certain extent. (obviously an exaggeration, but I'm sure you get my point)
As such, it makes sense to expand on the "casual enjoyment" of SC2. Casual when compared to BW, but certainly hardcore to the point that there are definite distinctions in skill, where you have to put a lot of time and effort into being good, and talent will make a difference, but the odds are higher than it was in BW. Perhaps that will help SC2 last even longer than BW did, I don't know.
I guess this is all to say that I'm slowly understanding the appeal of "easier" games like SC2, and perhaps it's the right way to go if the goal is to create a long-lasting and entertaining game for the players. Perhaps everyone is entertained in different ways, and we BW diehards are just a dying breed. I know that I don't have time to ladder up to C anymore...
Hm. See, this is what I originally thought, and why I had such a hard time accepting the rise of SC2. It's pretty much a given (for BW vets, at least) that the level of play and entertainment in the highest levels of SC2 doesn't match that of BW yet. However, what I was trying to get at through my previous post regarding the CSL was that perhaps this isn't the only thing that factors into a spectator's entertainment.
The games in the CSL, objectively, weren't all that good. But they were ridiculously entertaining regardless. Similarly, SC2 might not be, objectively, as entertaining as BW for many veterans. However, SC2 progamers and spectators may find the game more playable, or enjoy being part of the proscene in a way that wasn't possible before in the era of (even more pronounced) Korean dominance. Ultimately, I believe the longevity of a game is determined by its player base. I have no doubt that Brood War was ridiculously popular due to the excellence of its proscene for sure, but also because in Korea everyone and their dog played and enjoyed the game, to a certain extent. (obviously an exaggeration, but I'm sure you get my point)
As such, it makes sense to expand on the "casual enjoyment" of SC2. Casual when compared to BW, but certainly hardcore to the point that there are definite distinctions in skill, where you have to put a lot of time and effort into being good, and talent will make a difference, but the odds are higher than it was in BW. Perhaps that will help SC2 last even longer than BW did, I don't know.
I guess this is all to say that I'm slowly understanding the appeal of "easier" games like SC2, and perhaps it's the right way to go if the goal is to create a long-lasting and entertaining game for the players. Perhaps everyone is entertained in different ways, and we BW diehards are just a dying breed. I know that I don't have time to ladder up to C anymore...
I see your point and I agree with you on many things.
However I think casual is never ment to be long lasting - just easy and enjoyable.
Take for example casual sex, it's fun and exciting but does fade away quickly and rarely leads to something serious.
On the other hand the best and long lasting relationships are built slowly and require a lot of effort in the process.