So it seems that I may actually be able to pull off the hat-trick of posts I have in mind for this month's 'Monthly Musings'. That in and of itself is something of a small miracle...I suppose I should mention that I never promised that these would be be quality posts...you've been warned.

Yesterday I spoke on the benefits that co-op/comp. gaming can have when you play with someone actually in the room with you. Couch gaming makes shared experiences for you to talk about, and can serve to strengthen relationships. Today I'm going to discuss online co-op/comp. gaming and it's benefits/downfalls.

For tonight's post I'd like to focus on one recent game that I think can bring out some of the best and worst in a person, or team of players; Halo: Reach.


This game is incredible...but multiplayer will make you want to MURDER THE WORLD

I love Halo: Reach probably as much as I love Halo 3: ODST, which I realize makes me a heretic and probably makes the rest of this post suspect; do what you will. I just finally finished soloing the campaign on Legendary today, and I can say that from beginning to end, it was an incredibly satisfying experience. Not to mention the incredible value you get from the various multiplayer options included with the game...which brings me to my main point; playing online in Reach is going to do one of two things to you (possibly both); it's going to make you value your teammates as you strive together for a common goal...or it's going to make you DESPAIR FOR HUMANITY AND WISH FOR THE INEVITABLE APOCALYPSE WHEN THE EARTH CRASHES INTO THE SUN. So yeah...not a lot of middle ground there.

On the one hand, it really is a fantastic experience to have your team come from behind and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat during a particularly intense round of Team Slayer. Also, having a four-man squad wreck shop during a campaign run on Legendary is equally exhilarating. The communication and general camaraderie among a group of friends, or even complete strangers is an experience that can be unique, to say the least. And when something works well during an online session, you generally remember it; whether it's someone else added to your friend's list, or just a new tactic that you can use in the future, when a team works on a fundamental level, it's an enjoyable experience for all.

HOWEVA

When it doesn't work, or worse yet, when you're dealing with assholes online...well, at least for me personally...I want to burn down the world. That's...that's reasonable...I think. It's not a unique experience by any stretch, we've all dealt with assholes in online games.


It's 2011...I don't...I don't really have to explain this to anyone...do I? Grandma?

Now don't get me wrong, I can be an absolutely relentless shit-talker. However, I try and hold myself to a higher-standing of shit-talking; no racism, no homophobic slurs, no sexism. I just try and break a person down piece by piece, destroying everything they've ever loved, and ruining any chance they'll ever have at a normal, functioning relationship with other members of humanity. See? It's TOTALLY different. Much better my way. Those other guys are the jerks; I'm trying to create TEACHABLE MOMENTS for these people. (And some people just recognized my higher education background).

Anyway, nothing brings down the mood of an online match quicker than unrelenting douche-baggery on the part of your opponents (or even teammates). Getting tea-bagged in an online match drives me to the point of irrational fury, so much so that I will spend the remainder of my match forgoing whatever objective we're supposed to be pursuing for the sake of making that person's match as miserable as possible, by any means necessary. And yes, God knows I realize how childish that makes me sound, but what am I supposed to do? Ignore them? Pffftt...what am I, Gandhi? When someone insults me in real life, I try my hardest to destroy them...online is no different. FICTIONAL ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE WITH FICTIONAL CHARACTERS IN A FICTIONAL SETTING COUNT TOO, DAMMIT! Actually typing out that sentence made me realize how incredibly ridiculous the whole thing is, which I'm sure my fiancee will also point out...voluntarily. The point is though, is that I think most of us who engage in online play are guilty of this to some degree, we may not be the douchebags, but when crossed, we become the douchebags, no matter how we try to rationalize it. Does retribution make it right? Maybe, maybe not, but it certainly does justify our actions a little more easily.

I suppose my main point can be summed up, like so many ideas, by an original thought that I got from myself and no where else because no one thought of this before me:


See? My idea. I did it first. Me. Wil is actually short for Mike. True story.

Round 3 commences tomorrow.

mw