So I'm slightly steamed after a few games of TF2 today...and it's not because I lost, as I won more than lost today. And it's not because I scored poorly as I did pretty damn well...it's how the games went. Too much fucking offense! Scout rush after scout rush(for the uninformed, essentially taking all the objectives before the match has hardly begun resulting in a quick win) It doesn't matter if I'm on the offense or defense, I despise these rushes and the general attitude of "win at all costs"
I mean, do people really need to win to feel good about themselves? Are their egos so shallow or attention spans so short? I'd rather lose and have a good *fun* game than win with some cheap/lucky tactic. To me a game is all about how you play it, winning and losing simply being a side effect of playing the game. The interactions between players, the tricks, the fakeouts, the mind games, seeing new strategies, the minor little inconsequential bullshit, hell, losing to a *really* good player in a fight but giving it your all. Now, this may seem like a sore loser placing little meaning on winning, but I win more than I lose. I could win all the time and it wouldn't change a damn thing. Winning is better than losing, to be sure, but it's just not what's important!
To put things in WoW terms: It's all about timing that spell lock as that Holy Light has .2 seconds left until cast, managing your cooldowns to get the most out of them, CCing at the right time, losing to a new innovative tactic, getting your ass beat by a better team and learning something from it, eeking out that win against a higher ranked team, but just barely, etc.
Games are about interesting player interactions, tactics, timing, and all the nuances that make the game. To end the game just as it's beginning is like someone telling your the outcome of sports event before you've gotten a chance to watch it on TiVo. It removes the essence of the game, replacing it with a mere "Blue team wins" only to repeat itself again.
It's no surprise I like Affliction as it really drags fights out and gives me those much desired interactions with gameplay mechanics. Burst damage in WoW, especially pre BC came to the same end. AP POM Pyro Mages 1 shotting people, but for what gain? A little honor? As far as I'm concerned they weren't really even playing the game. To blow one person away, then run away until your cooldowns are up, only to do it again is pathetic.
You can play games to win. You'll get that ego boost when you do, and you'll get peeved when you don't. Or you can do more than simply play the game. Study the game, appreciate the game, learn it's nuances and learn to appreciate them. You can have a blast whether you win or lose.
Duel with pistols or duel with swords. Swords are far more interesting, no?
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4 comments:
these person versus person games are centered around a clearly defined winner and loser.
people play these PVP based games for the competitive nature of the game.
If they are cheating, exploiting, or bot-ing then they are not winning based on their abilities.
PVP games are about winning not accomplishing moral victories or thinking that you won off of style points.
My point is you can have competition without using cheese tactics. Legit or no if you end the game within 2-3 minutes of it beginning it nullifies the point of playing. By having a longer game it creates conflict between players. Conflict is what games are about.
Here here. I think many people have come to the point where seeing good numbers on their record is more important than actually playing the game itself. AFKing in AV just to get honor for gear would be an example. Those people might as well just make a thread in the suggestions forum to give people honor for dedicating 20 minutes of their play time to standing still.
I saw this behavior at its worst when playing Halo 3 a couple weekends ago. My friends and I were all on one xbox playing Swords on rumble pit (FFA swords only). The other 3 in the game were also on one TV. Instead of playing the game like its supposed to be and swiping at everyone you see, the other players simply stuck together and only killed us. What for? Just so one of them could win? If they wanted to be on a team, why choose a free for all game? Who were they trying to impress by winning unfairly?
It makes me wonder about the current state of modern gaming. Almost everything these days is online in some sort of way. There is a record of everything you do. Everyone else who plays can see your achievements. In halo, I probably see at least 1 person a game with all of those Hidden skull armor pieces (most likely found by using a game guide). Sometimes people even talk before the game, "Hey you guys wanna work together to get the ____ achievement?" "No, earn it yourself, sucka."
Games are all about looking good to other people now. I guarantee that if Goldeneye were online, EVERYONE would be Oddjob. Anything that will make winning easier, people will take.
Now much of winning comes with skill, but its the unfair advantages that take the fun out of winning. Hopping over the WSG fence, modding your xbox controller for Marble Blast Ultra, Aflliction Warlocks :).
If there is any kind of good that can come out of this type of play, its when you actually win against players like that.
I would have to agree with you; I much prefer to play well in a hockey game and lose, then have the team win and play like crap. I get no enjoyment from winning, but from the thrill of competing.
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