Thursday, July 31, 2014

Difficulty Is Not The Same As Skill


So yesterday I did a list talking about skill and video games. As always this leads to great insight about my the game I play is better and harder then the game you play. To that is not the point. I wasn't talking about if a game is hard or difficult or near impossible. To me this doesn't classify if a game takes skill or not to play at a high level.

Now I know some of you right now are shaking your heads wondering what in the hell I am talking about. Well here it is. If something is difficult it doesn't imply it takes skill to do. It is hard to level a Hardcore Character in Diablo on T1 it doesn't mean it takes skill to do it. Dark Souls is a very hard rage inducing game, but that doesn't translate to skill. It is often imply if something is hard that means it takes skill to do, but that actually is not really the truth at all. Sometimes things are hard in games because you trying to do something you may have not prepared for or you are high enough level to complete. 

Think of it this way defeating the original Ragnaros in Molten Core was difficult because you needed 40 people gear with fire resistance, but once you had this and once everyone knew where they were supposed to stand and not to do the encounter went near flawless. This is why to me if you practice something over and over while you may appear to be getting better your knowledge is the thing which is increases while your skill may increase minimally. This is precisely why RPGs always seem easier when you play them again and again. You know where to go you know what to do and when to expect it. It doesn't mean you have skill like a boss at the game it really is the phrase "practice makes perfect"

So as I love getting emails about how such and such is harder and takes more skill than such and such please remember this and everything I wrote, because if you do maybe you will realize something. The game was hard and congrats on your achievements, but it really doesn't mean you have more skill than such and such because you play such and such.

3 comments:

  1. You make a good point. I believe you can also add that difficult games tend to not require the most skill. Just thought and preparation. Or maybe they are just unfair

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  2. People will always think what they do takes more skill. It is just the way things go I am always better than you no matter what even if it has been proven otherwise.

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  3. I'd like a graph separating skill from difficulty. And to know the true divide, I always thought a skill was a learned ability thru practice. Or are you saying being able to beat a game fast or beat it without mistakes is nothing compared to doing it without reading a single text bubble? OK I got it a ven diagram with skill and difficulty on either side of "style" which I believe is just as important as long as you have both of the others down? -khul?

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