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It was hard for me to think of an "expertise" that I might have. I suck at platforming games, I do pretty good at FPS games (but I'm certainly no expert) and I'm just very average at most other game genres. However, I do think that I have some level of expertise as a "leader of men". I have a MAG medal to prove it. It says so right there -- "Leader of Men". Even if you get that medal, you will still not be a leader of me for I am a woman, and the medal is only for being a leader of "men". If you are a man, then yes, I am your leader!
It's not just MAG. In most any game I'm the one that's always speaking up on the mic with "let's all..." or "why don't we..." or in less polite moments "you assholes... just do what I say" for I am a Leader of Men. I am the strategist, the Armchair General and you will do what I say or I will employ my greatest weapon -- I will nag you into a quivering mass of obedience! I've been trying to quit smoking lately so I am even more cranky and powerful. Be afraid, be very afraid!
I'm also often a clan leader, mostly because nobody invites me to join the clan I want to be in, so I rank up and start a clan. I make sure I send out invites to members of the Web site that want into the clan and I appoint officers. I used to lead a Warhawk and a Killzone clan and currently I'm the defacto "leader" of the Dtoid MAG clan for Raven. Proof yet again that I am a leader of men, for I am "Clan Leader"... of men!
In RPG's, I rarely bother having women in my party especially younger attractive women like Morrigan in Dragon Age: Origins. No, I create a female character (she's always a tank with a big-ass sword who leads the charge into battle) and my party is usually male NPC's for I am a leader of men! I will lead them to victory and save the Kingdom, our species, or even the world.
In MAG I get a title and I'm often the Officer in Charge, or Platoon LEADER or Squad LEADER. Even without the title I will tell you what you should be doing, for my expertise is that I am a leader of men. If there are women in my squad (yes it does happen) I cannot lead them. I have no medal for that and besides, we'd have to discuss our feelings, have tea and talk about men. Then I would have to be polite, supportive and nice until she's gone. Then I could say that her shoes were ugly or that her hat didn't match her outfit! I am not a leader of people. No, I am just a leader of men!
I. Me. Elsa. Yes, I am a Leader of Men until you figure out how to use that mute button. Crap! I've been talking to myself again haven't I?
Note: This is not a serious "monthly musing." It started out as a rant against the use of "gentlemen", "good job men", the "leader of men" and "Mr. Badwrench" (which for some reason sounds vaguely sexy!) medals in MAG. But then this evolved into the idea that if they want to make me a leader of "men," then dammit, I accept!
It just pisses me off that devs offer excuses about no female avatars because of the animations when it's quite apparent that they never considered that women might play their game at all! How hard is it to have the end game voiceover say "good job Ravenor Good job soldiers, troops, recruits. There's four options right there that apparently the entire Zipper design team didn't clue in to. Still, if they want to be sexist, that can work in my favor! (and I do try to look at things from a more humourous angle rather than getting bent out of shape about it.)
Contest:
7:30 PM on 02.24.2010 | 
I thourougly enjoyed this musing Elsa great job! Funny as hell too XD
also , mens.
Good post Elsa, maybe I'll actually get to play my copy of MAG sometime before the end of this month.
Hey Speednut! Yeah, I noticed you haven't been on MAG much lately. :(
@Kraid... thanks! I've been really, really, really short tempered and cranky lately, so I'm glad this came out as funny.
@Stevil... yeah, most of my career was "administrative". Lots of organizing of peoples (in my early career I managed a pool of about 500 temps), knowing details of outlook calendaring better than any human should, and doing lots of flowcharts, powerpoint presentations and wearing a headset because I was on the phone so much (though this was back in the day of wired headsets and I used to practically strangle myself every time I got up from my desk!). I'm not actually "power hungry"... just organized. I hate disorganization and if anyone else takes charge I'm happy as long as there is some sort of overall plan!!
I don't have blue tooth. :(
Also, congrats on the push to quit smoking! I'm one of the most laid-back people I know, but I found myself out for blood in multiplayer for about 2 weeks after quitting. :D
It's been about 2 months for me now -- stay strong, it gets better!
(( Just because i don't use a mic.
Doesn't mean i don't like my PSN friends/Gamer clan/IRL people. ))
I still FAPPED! :)
*Salutes.
XD
LOL! The rest of y'all are so sweet! Your comments always brighten my day!
I'm so used to military doctrine, discipline and just barking orders that I can never stand still when my team on BF2142 sucks. Guilds make it that much more fun to me, but at the same time I can't relax from job. :(
I really do wonder when female avatars will become more commonplace in shooter though.
I'm glad we have similar gaming tastes though...you would have probably fired my ass after about a week.
As for being a leader of men...well that's nice...call me when your king of the apes. ;) (I just Googled 'Queen of the Apes' and there isn't one. Also, no Princess, Cosort, or Concubine of the Apes. This would be just sexist except for the fact that Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, is a queen of an entire jungle thus making her one step above Tarzan having sway over and entire biome.)
What was your question, again?
Lead me?
And judging by the replies, it seems like the male population of Destructoid need to find themselves dominating girls. Just saying...
The second I came across last night - some guy was playing while his girlfriend used the mic & headset. She was rambling on, occasionally singing, prodding other players...nice change from what would've otherwise been a silent squad.
I was tres offended.
Finally got it back last night, and oh. my. gawd. It was soooooo fucking good to get back into the war. playing with my clan, working together, flanking round bunkers and sending attack groups in APC's off to the mortars.
I heart MAG.
This was great Elsa, I must keep an eye out for you on the opposing team, you're Raven aren't you? If you're fighting SVER check out the top players at the end, I'll likely be in there.
; )
On the last chart, I can't take credit... it was something I found when looking for a graphic for this blog and just made some appropriate changes!
@Victor, I tried the beta for both MAG and BF and my own preference was MAG. I like the leadership roles in MAG... how the OIC and Platoon Leaders can talk to everyone... how the squad leaders can set the FRAGO's (FRAgmentary ORders to direct their squad) and I like how being a medic or support repair person is just as important as killing. BF had better graphics and is also an objective based game, but I just like MAG better... personal taste I guess.
@Ali D... I'm actually trying my best to cool it on the "smack talk" - it's just too easy for me to lay into a bunch of idiots in my platoon... "For F's sake, the gate is DOWN, would the idiots taking the APC's for a sunday drive in the country please go THROUGH the damn gates that we took out for you... whatdayawant.... a parade to encourage you to go through the f'ing gates???" - yeah, saying stuff like that just doesn't really help, because these people apparently have their heads so far up their asses that they are obviously blind and deaf.
When you get a good group... the game is magic, when you get the deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller Circus act for your Platoon... the game is very frustrating and I'm trying to learn to just mellow out, find a good camping spot and roast some marshmallows and a few wienies until that type of game is over! :)
@SexualChocolate... once everyone in the clan gets to 60 we will likely switch factions as a group - likely to SVER. In the meantime, with the new patch, you might not be kicking our Raven asses quite so often!!
Great read as always, Elsa. ;)