Another World

As winter approaches and the days grew ever cooler, I have been trying to find an indoor hobby that suits me. One thing I am blessed with is large amounts of time. The cold weather will most likely mean that I will be indoors much more often. I still like camping in cold weather, but it can be trying most times. Your activities are dictated by the temperature.

I do like to read and there is almost a library of books in my parent’s garage. My mother was a school teacher for thirty years and was a voracious reader. She amassed a huge collection of books and it is nice to just walk across my yard and go pick out a new book. I have had the good fortune of reading some fine novels these past few weeks.

Although reading is good, I have been longing for something with more social interaction. Long ago, I was an avid online multiplayer computer game fanatic. (My ex-wife ended this as she wouldn’t let me play without world war three occurring.) I have been trying to get back into online gaming and have been playing a game called Battlefield 2.

The learning curve is steep though and it has a culture of its own. You also have to completely learn a new language as well. Many times today I was called a “nOOb” online cause I am still learning. Being called a “nOOb” is akin to an insult I have learned. Long time players think that they are in a league of their own and frown upon new players who are learning the ropes. I find it quite silly as new blood in the game means more points for them and more people to play with. Without new players the game would die.

As with anything, to get good at the game takes large amounts of practice. You have to learn the weapons and tactics. Having sixty four people running around on a server and shooting can get to be a very dangerous virtual environment.

Also, another thing that confounds me is that I play mainly in the mornings when most school children are in school. Most of the people I am playing with are most likely college students or adults. The lack of maturity displayed by some of these people never ceases to surprise me.

Earlier today I was on a server playing as a medic trying to heal my teammates and revive downed soldiers. I accidentally stepped on a friendly land mine and was killed. The game asked me if I was to punish the tk (team killer). I accidentally hit yes and the person who laid the mine went into this vicious tirade over losing just two points. He called me a “fucking prick” and a “fucking nOOb” and many other not so nice things. He even started a vote campaign to get me kicked from the server; all of this angst over two lost points and an accident by a new player. I just told him to put the mouse down and to go outside and play in the sandbox as he was acting like a small petulant child. That didn’t go over so well.
To me it is just a game and something fun to do to pass the time. If I ever start to take it that serious then I hope someone tells me to get a life and go outside. I would deserve it.