A part or stage in a
game that escalates in difficulty in a very short period of
time, separating the casuals from the actual gamers.
Not to be confused with a steep/vertical learning curve, as these mean that the game is hard to learn and master from the beginning.
Games with a casual filter
will give you a false feeling of confidence as the filter comes after you have learned the basics and started progressing, just to catch you off guard and make your
run end, usually having to start from zero again.
Some examples of casual filters in games include the winter in Project Zomboid and your first
goblin raid in Dwarf Fortress
Person 1: Ayo
wtf is this I just lost my 30h run, how do you even survive the winter?
Person
2: Welcome to the
casual filter, play more and git gud