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Non-competitive people: What do you usually think of interactive strategy games?

Snow Turtle

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I've been thinking a fair bit on this issue lately, especially after a conversation with my partner. Differences in competitiveness can obviously have an influence on how much people enjoy playing things together so I figured it was something worth looking into.

As a competitive player I'm constantly seeking strategies that will help improve my game and perhaps do well relative to the others. Obviously I like to win, but I don't mind losing as well: It just means my strategy wasn't good enough.

Anyhow I'm curious what it's like to play strategy games from a non-competitive person's perspective. Do you feel a strong drive to find the 'best' strategies? How do you usually react to other people that come across as extremely strategy driven?

If I were to use chess as an example. It's hard to imagine what it's like to play these games from a non-competitive players point of view given the nature of the game. What would your motivation be in this scenario?

PS. I suppose this question can be applied to anything that is interactive such as tennis etc.
 

The Outsider

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You still want to win just for the sake of the game, but don't make a big deal out of it.
 

Orangey

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Yeah, I mean, using strategy is something everyone is going to do, whether they're competitive or not (unless they're the kind of person that's incapable of thinking strategically...but competitive people suffer from this as often as their non-competitive counterparts.) I personally enjoy competitive games, but I've noticed that others who don't simply avoid playing them. Or they do shit like join 3v3s with their friends so that the competitive pressure is distributed between enough other people.
 

Poki

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I always am looking for the best strategy, the difference is that I am not out to win or lose. I am out to find the best strategy...end of story. Once I do, I get bored and move on unless there are other things in the game to keep me playing.
 

Qlip

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If it's complex enough, I'll usually think of it as interacting with the game instead of with the opponent. Creating interesting results is probably as interesting to me as winning. If I get bored, I'll probably just start messing around.
 

IceBlock

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If it's complex enough, I'll usually think of it as interacting with the game instead of with the opponent. Creating interesting results is probably as interesting to me as winning. If I get bored, I'll probably just start messing around.

Described me so well... I guess this is all ENFPs in the world way of playing games
The messing around part is so true...

I'm not that interested in winning, but I'll get if there's any annoying cocky competitive person playing that keeps humilliating others.
 

Randomnity

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As a competitive player I'm constantly seeking strategies that will help improve my game and perhaps do well relative to the others. Obviously I like to win, but I don't mind losing as well: It just means my strategy wasn't good enough.

Could you define what you mean by competitive, then? I'm not sure given your OP. If you don't mind losing, that to me is the opposite of competitive. So I'm not sure which side I fall on. I'm competitive in that I like to improve and not competitive in that winning isn't that important, other than (importantly!) as a signal of better strategy.
 

Such Irony

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Anyhow I'm curious what it's like to play strategy games from a non-competitive person's perspective. Do you feel a strong drive to find the 'best' strategies? How do you usually react to other people that come across as extremely strategy driven?

I don't play many games of pure strategy like chess. It's too slow moving and too intense. (Turns in INTP badge). I do like games that combine some strategy with luck. I do attempt to find good strategies and enjoy improving my skills but I'm not too intense about it. I play mostly for fun. People who are extremely strategy driven are annoying when you make an error of strategy and they call you out on it. Just let me play the game in my own way and let me learn for myself.
 
0

011235813

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I was going to post with my views but then I realised I AM a competitive person and I hate strategy games. Especially chess.

I don't mind playing them if I don't have to think or plan out strategies consciously and if the game moves quickly and I have a decent shot at winning. I get bored really quickly if it's all slow and silent and people take hours to make a single move. :azdaja:
 

William K

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I'm a conflict-avoidant sp/so/sx so I guess I'm about as 'non-competitive' as they come :D

I haven't played in a while but when I was in school I played a lot of chess and was quite good at it, being a member of a couple of national junior champion teams. But I never had the discipline or desire to be the best, either by practicing a lot or keeping up with the latest chess openings through books. To me, the fun part was playing an exciting game, win or lose. In other words, I probably fit more in the late 19th century style of play when all the players were gung-ho about going for the kill and attacking from the get-go. The modern style of play (at least in the 80s/90s) where players grind out small advantages to take to the end-game was not for me.

With regards to SLGs such Warcraft and Starcraft, I would rarely apply a 'strategy' that is the proven one that will give you the best advantage if I find the strategy 'boring' and 'repetitive'. What I find boring, others might find interesting of course.
 
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