A Month in Gaming
I see by the financial data that is currently available and being pawed over by industry pundits, that April was a very good month for the video games publishers. Quelle surprise. Who would have thought it? The increase in leisure time has certainly meant that even I have had a greater opportunity than usual to invest in playing video games. And as I predominantly play the MMORPG genre that has proven to be a boon. Or at least it was initially. After two month plus that is fast becoming a bane. MMOs are great when you have new content to play through, stories to discover, goals to achieve and systems and items to advance. But once you’ve done all these things and find yourself doing dailies just out of obligation and a way to kill time, then it may well be time to move on to something else.
I see by the financial data that is currently available and being pawed over by industry pundits, that April was a very good month for the video games publishers. Quelle surprise. Who would have thought it? The increase in leisure time has certainly meant that even I have had a greater opportunity than usual to invest in playing video games. And as I predominantly play the MMORPG genre that has proven to be a boon. Or at least it was initially. After two month plus that is fast becoming a bane. MMOs are great when you have new content to play through, stories to discover, goals to achieve and systems and items to advance. But once you’ve done all these things and find yourself doing dailies just out of obligation and a way to kill time, then it may well be time to move on to something else.
Star Trek Online has not had any new story content added since the anniversary event. And that two part adventure “The Measure of Morality” wasn’t exactly what you would call a long term, episodic, story arc. Developers Cryptic seem to be focusing at present on short term events that are dependent on repeatable content which get very old quickly. I have abandoned the latest grind as it’s not fun and do I really need any more Tier 6 ships or another cosmetic pet? Similarly, I’m tired with the new gear treadmill that accompanies the addition of any new zone in The Lord of the Rings Online. I still need to level my Legendary Weapons but that is a ponderous and singularly uninspiring undertaking. As for returning to The Elder Scrolls Online, I must resist the allure of an expanded Skyrim as I still have so much older content to play through. Plus whenever these three MMOs add new material, it is always just a variation on a theme. They never do anything radical or innovative.
So in recent weeks I’ve made a conscious effort to step away from MMOs and try other types of games. I finally experienced the Battle Royale genre and have had fun for the last month playing Call of Duty Warzone. It makes for a pleasant change to be able to enjoy a game where you do not have to worry about keeping up with a complex story or having the best gear. The matchmaking system has its foibles but finding a suitable game is not a problem. You can get your quick fix of “action” within minutes of logging in. I also bought Man of Medan on a whim, which is best described as an interactive drama survival horror video game. It is a curious beast but I must admit it has kept me engaged, with its multiple outcomes and endings. I also played through Deathtrap Dungeon for a second time and was once again impressed how “less is more”. I really hope that developers, Branching Narrative, produce more games like this.
I suspect that I will spend less time playing video games in June as I’m becoming a little jaded at present with this pastime. I have written recently of the need to find myself a new project of some kind to keep my “head straight” as the lockdown continues. Games are simply not providing that level of engagement at present, especially the MMO genre which is my traditional mainstay. I’ll probably keep playing Call of Duty Warzone for a little longer as it provides sufficient stimulation and dopamine fixes. It would appear that Season 4 may bring some major changes to the game match, which would certainly shake things up. Another “radical” idea would be to actually finish some of the other games that I’ve started and then abandoned. I really would like to see the end of Red Dead Redemption 2. Perhaps that can be my gaming goal for the month. Maybe having some targets may make this hobby more enjoyable.
Time For a New Project (Again)
I am currently in a quandary with regard to my creative output. There’s a good chance that the lockdown has contributed to this state of mind and perhaps even the recent Blapril blogging event is partly to blame. I feel the need to do something at the moment but have no specific idea as to what it should be. I want to write but can’t think of anything at present that enthuses me sufficiently. I also want to return to podcasting, which is something I’ve always enjoyed. But I don’t especially relish producing a one man show. I’ve tried live streaming but don’t really think the medium plays to my strengths. Plus, I’m a little burnt out with gaming per se at present. Perhaps the answer lies in trying my hand at something completely new? This could potentially kill two birds with one stone as documenting the resulting learning curve could be a good source of blog posts. However, the first hurdle is deciding what my next project should be?
I am currently in a quandary with regard to my creative output. There’s a good chance that the lockdown has contributed to this state of mind and perhaps even the recent Blapril blogging event is partly to blame. I feel the need to do something at the moment but have no specific idea as to what it should be. I want to write but can’t think of anything at present that enthuses me sufficiently. I also want to return to podcasting, which is something I’ve always enjoyed. But I don’t especially relish producing a one man show. I’ve tried live streaming but don’t really think the medium plays to my strengths. Plus, I’m a little burnt out with gaming per se at present. Perhaps the answer lies in trying my hand at something completely new? This could potentially kill two birds with one stone as documenting the resulting learning curve could be a good source of blog posts. However, the first hurdle is deciding what my next project should be?
New projects can be fun and a great way to renew your sense of motivation and enthusiasm. However, they don’t always work out as expected. One of the most common pitfalls I find with any new project (and I know I’m not alone in this) is that the planning stage becomes the focus and the main source of enjoyment. I like plans. They’re an opportunity to buy new stationary or download new software, to stick post-it notes on your monitor and write numerous to-do lists. I always get a real kick out of all this planning and activity. However, once a coherent and finely tuned strategy has been drafted to tackle the new project, I find that I’ve somewhat lost interest in it. The planning was far more enjoyable and engaging. Hence my ambitions to produce YouTube videos, build a Box Girder Bridge and play the Sousaphone have never come to fruition. My potentially award winning musical based upon The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, also remains unwritten.
Upon mature reflection and sober consideration, there seems to be a simple problem at the heart of this dilemma (or minor “first world” problem). Rather than just undertaking activities that simply fill my time, I am very much focused upon activities that yield a result, achievements or produce something tangible at the end. Obviously the former is a lot easier to do than the latter and I am happy to do as such to a degree. However, I don’t just want to continuously passively consume and would consider it a personal failing if I stopped doing any kind of creative pastime. Which neatly brings this somewhat circular post back to its initial premise (like a word based Möbius Loop) that I need a new project. Perhaps a suitable idea will present itself within the next week or so. If not you can look forward to a series of blog posts called “The Beginners Guide to Playing the Sousaphone”.
Is the Battle Pass Just as Egregious as Loot Boxes?
I bought and started playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare on the 13th of April when it was on sale. I purchased the game via the Battle.net launcher and not through a third party key seller. The game includes a Single Player campaign, Multiplayer and Co-operative gameplay as well as the new Warzone which includes various versions of the popular Battle Royale mode. Call of Duty Warzone can also be downloaded separately for free, without the need to buy the base game. Due to the recent controversies surrounding the use of loot boxes as a business model, Activision have instead implemented a Battle Pass system which is tied to the games “seasons”. A season runs for about 50 plus days. The current one (season 3) is scheduled to end on June 2nd. Here is the official blurb regarding how the Battle Pass system works.
I bought and started playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare on the 13th of April when it was on sale. I purchased the game via the Battle.net launcher and not through a third party key seller. The game includes a Single Player campaign, Multiplayer and Co-operative gameplay as well as the new Warzone which includes various versions of the popular Battle Royale mode. Call of Duty Warzone can also be downloaded separately for free, without the need to buy the base game. Due to the recent controversies surrounding the use of loot boxes as a business model, Activision have instead implemented a Battle Pass system which is tied to the games “seasons”. A season runs for about 50 plus days. The current one (season 3) is scheduled to end on June 2nd. Here is the official blurb regarding how the Battle Pass system works.
The Battle Pass is a tiered reward system that awards players with items as they play Warzone and Multiplayer. It contains 100 Tiers of content to earn, with over a fifth of those being free for all players. Upgrading to the full Battle Pass gives you access to all 100 Tiers along with a bundle of exclusive items for Battle Pass owners. For example, Season 2 Battle Pass owners gain access to the Operator Ghost, the Marshland skin and Operator Mission for Thorne, the Time Traveler watch, and a 10% global XP boost. The full Battle Pass can either be purchased for 1,000 COD Points or 2,400 COD Points (the Battle Pass Bundles), which automatically unlocks 20 Tiers upon purchase. At first glance it all seems very simple. You can buy a pass and unlock content as you increase in rank. You can pay extra and buy the pass and automatically unlock the first 20 levels. Or you can choose not to buy the pass and as you rank up gain the occasional free item.
But the reality of the Battle Pass system is in many ways just as insidious as loot boxes. It plays to exactly the same “fear of missing out” mindset. Cosmetics, despite what many publishers publicly state, are not just “optional” for many players. If they were then “default” wouldn’t have become a pejorative term in Fortnite. The ability to customise your avatar and establish your own identity is often an integral part of game enjoyment for many players. Possibly more so in competitive genres. And then there are the Weapon Blueprints which offer a substantial advantage. All weapons in CoD have multiple attachments and are highly customisable. However you have to earn weapon XP and to unlock the different variations. If you favour a specific Assault Rifle with a certain selection of attachments, it may take you a significant amount of time to access them. Weapon Blueprints which feature in the Battle Pass can provide superior gear a lot quicker. Two players can start playing CoD MW/WZ on the same day. The one that buys a Battle Pass Bundle which immediately unlocks the first 20 tiers and thus has access to a Weapon Blueprint has an instant advantage.
I did not buy a Battle Pass straight away but decided to do so after I had progressed to about tier 30. My main motivation was mainly for research for this blog post. The game certainly makes a big deal about the current content of the Battle Pass both before you buy one and then after. After you finish a game, an animation shows your rank progression and your respective unlocks. If you haven’t purchased one you are frequently prompted to do so. And once you have, the next line of marketing is to encourage the player to buy more Call of Duty Points and unlock tier rewards in advance. If you are currently tier 47 and there’s a cosmetic skin you desire at tier 50, you can simply pay to unlock the intervening tiers if you haven’t the patience to grind the required XP. And this is where the real money lies for Activision. Some players will see what is available in a Battle Pass at the start of a season and will want to access it immediately. So they will buy a Battle Pass Bundle which unlocks the first 20 tiers for $24 and will then buy out the remaining 80 tiers at a cost of a further $120.
I unlocked the last tier of my Battle Pass last night. I must admit I felt a need to play and ensure that I unlocked all rewards before the current season ended. Otherwise I would have felt that I’d somehow “wasted my money”. And that feeling I had is a prime example of how these business models play upon consumers desires and personal psychology. A competent and experienced CoD player can come to this new version of the game and grind out all their favourite weapon unlocks without paying any money. But for regular players if they pursue a similar course of action, the first month will be hard work and often you’ll face other players with the advantage of superior loadouts. And let us not forget that as well as the Battle Pass system, there numerous ad hoc bundles of skins, cosmetics and Weapon Blueprints in the game store. These are frequently only available for a short time so there is a sense of urgency if you see something you want to buy. Hence, although I am enjoying this game I am ambivalent regarding its monetisation. So far 60 million players have downloaded CoD WZ in the first two month since its launch. If only 10% are paying customers that’s still a lot of money.
“Cheating”, “It’s Not Fair” and Other Spurious Phrases That Gamers Love to Use
You would think that a subject such as cheating in gaming is very clear cut. But it’s not. Like everything in life, the more you ponder the subject, the more you can conceive of situations where it all becomes ambiguous.Yes, once again the complexity and inherent nuance of life totally undermines binary, knee jerk positions. Take for example third party “cheat programs” such as Cheat Engine. Using an external program that alters the behaviour of a multiplayer game is clearly cheating and a breaking of the Terms of Service. However, using the same facility to provide yourself with a degree of convenience in a single player game is a different matter altogether. It affords you an opportunity to experience parts of a game that you may not do so under default playing conditions. Those who trot out the tired mantra that you “cheated yourself” and “didn’t learn anything” fail to see that gamers do not share a universal philosophy.
You would think that a subject such as cheating in gaming is very clear cut. But it’s not. Like everything in life, the more you ponder the subject, the more you can conceive of situations where it all becomes ambiguous.Yes, once again the complexity and inherent nuance of life totally undermines binary, knee jerk positions. Take for example third party “cheat programs” such as Cheat Engine. Using an external program that alters the behaviour of a multiplayer game is clearly cheating and a breaking of the Terms of Service. However, using the same facility to provide yourself with a degree of convenience in a single player game is a different matter altogether. It affords you an opportunity to experience parts of a game that you may not do so under default playing conditions. Those who trot out the tired mantra that you “cheated yourself” and “didn’t learn anything” fail to see that gamers do not share a universal philosophy.
Often the phrase “cheating” is a catchall substitute for “it’s not fair”. Again this line of argument is built upon the myth of shared moral and ethical values and that there is a universally “right way to play games”. And if you ever want to see a gaming community bunfight based upon this axiom, then just raise the subject of “exploits” in the MMO genre. It is often a touchstone for many a “tail chasing” drama. I have always taken the attitude that an exploit is ultimately a problem caused by developers and therefore the onus is on them to remedy it. If a new instance is set at the wrong difficulty and can therefore be farmed easily until the problem is corrected, then so be it. If the developers subsequently wish to remove the items that you gained from the exploit, then I’d go so far as to say “that is their prerogative, although that does smack of punishing others for their failure. However, I am especially unimpressed when the “cheating/it’s not fair” mantra is applied to player behaviour and a dislike of others' choice of actions.
Let’s not delude ourselves. We live in a world where “winning” is exalted at any cost. Even a Pyrrhic victory is deemed acceptable if you walk away with the prize. Notions of sportsmanship have declined and it’s not cheating if the performance enhancing drug you use isn’t on the current banned list. So why waste your breath decrying players who are doing something that doesn’t break any rules but simply displeases your moral sensibilities. Competitive gaming and PVP is built upon league tables and player ranking. Pride in one’s achievements is interchangeable with bragging rights and feeling smug. It seems ludicrous when you foster a game community with a win at any cost attitude and then balk when players do exactly that. The latest Call of Duty Warzone drama over bunker camping is a microcosm of this. There are no rules prohibiting such activities. All subsequent complaints are therefore subjective and just more white noise.
If you want to control or eliminate specific kinds of behaviour in multiplayer video games, then there is a need to put specific rules in place against them and then ensure that they are enforced. Relying on something as nebulous as “common sense” or shared “values” is a mistake (If you want a further example, ask the UK government). If you’re of an altruistic nature and are unsure of the veracity of my case, then I politely refer you to the entirety of human history. We don’t as a society rely on people’s personal moral compass not to commit murder. We actively police against it and have sanctions in place to punish when it occurs. So can we please move on from these self indulgent exercises in pearl clutching when part of a gaming community does something different to the way you do it. If you want player behaviour in a specific game changed then lobby the developers. They will give it due consideration but remember their agenda may not be the same as yours.
"Have You Ever?"
As some of you may know, I have a weakness for internet questionnaires. Yes, they can be looked upon as self indulgent filler that you post on a day when you’re strapped for inspiration, if you want to be snippy about them. But I find them quite insightful as I like to know about the people whose blogs I read. Sometimes it’s just as much about the person as it is about the blog post. “You are your own brand” and all that. But I digress. I saw this particular questionnaire over at Ace Asunder. Solarayo borrowed it from Quietschisto of RNG, who in turn purloined it from Chrisse of Vamp It Up Manchester who created the questions. There’s a broad spectrum of enquiries and scope for some informative and entertaining answers. So let us begin.
Get you. Filling in a questionnaire with a fountain pen…
As some of you may know, I have a weakness for internet questionnaires. Yes, they can be looked upon as self indulgent filler that you post on a day when you’re strapped for inspiration, if you want to be snippy about them. But I find them quite insightful as I like to know about the people whose blogs I read. Sometimes it’s just as much about the person as it is about the blog post. “You are your own brand” and all that. But I digress. I saw this particular questionnaire over at Ace Asunder. Solarayo borrowed it from Quietschisto of RNG, who in turn purloined it from Chrisse of Vamp It Up Manchester who created the questions. There’s a broad spectrum of enquiries and scope for some informative and entertaining answers. So let us begin.
Driven or been driven at 100 mph/160 kmh?
I don’t drive, so I haven’t driven at such a speed. However, I have been driven by others and the experience greatly depended on who was driving. Mrs P is a good and considerate driver. My son on the other hand...
Learned a possibly deadly skill?
Yes. Flower arranging with Triffids.
Ridden in a helicopter?
Yes at Farnborough Airshow. I was surprised at the rapid acceleration and climb of the helicopter, which I was expecting to be slower. Although it was only a relatively short trip, it afforded a great view of the air field and certainly put in perspective why these vehicles are so important to the military. Damn noisy inside, though.
Gone zip lining?
Not been on a zip line but I’ve done abseiling/rappelling in my youth. Not too keen on heights so this was a real challenge. However, it was supervised by an ex-soldier who was calm and professional. If it was any other instructor, I probably wouldn’t have done it.
Been to an NFL game or Ice Hockey?
I’ve seen The Chatham Cyclones play Ice Hockey several times. It’s not exactly a difficult game to follow with excessively complex and esoteric rules (I’m looking at you Cricket). I especially enjoyed the Zamboni.
Watched Dr Who?
I am a child of the seventies. Doctor Who was an integral part of my youth. I watched from the Jon Pertwee years right the way up to Sylvester McCoy. I watched the rebooted show for a while and I recognise that it is a good modern presentation of the concept. But Tom Baker is my favourite incarnation of the Doctor.
Been to Canada?
Not yet.
Visited Disney?
We considered taking our son to Disneyland Paris in the late nineties but he quickly moved on from his “Disney phase” to being obsessed with Power Rangers and Pokemon, so we missed the proverbial boat and saved a fortune.
Visited an actual castle?
I live in the UK. You can’t walk for more than 10 minutes without tripping over a castle or some other historical building. So, yes, I’ve visited dozens and I still really enjoy doing so. Visited the Tower of London back in early 2018 and Rochester Castle last summer.
Visited Vegas?
No and I’m not likely to do so. And yes, this is down to cultural snobbery.
Eaten alone at a restaurant?
In 2006 I went self employed and subsequently spent a decade working short term contracts and later running my own IT consultancy. During this period I would often dine alone and it wasn’t unusual to see others in a similar line of work do the same. Initially it was an odd experience and I felt a little self conscious but that quickly passed and I found it to be an agreeable experience. You don’t have to compromise on your choice of restaurant to please others, nor do you have to share your meal. Dining in silence after a long day can be quite relaxing. I would often read a paper or a book while waiting to be served. Plus I often passed on the cost to my clients or claimed a meal allowance.
Played an instrument?
I dimly recollect learning to play the recorder at primary school. With hindsight, I have come to realise that it is an inherently evil instrument designed to torment parents and music lovers alike. Beyond that I have little or no musical skill.
Ridden a motorcycle?
No. As I mentioned earlier, I do not drive. And if I did, I wouldn’t touch a motorcycle. I see them simply as a fast path to organ donation.
Ridden a horse?
I went pony trekking several times as a child. My sister-in-law also used to keep horses. Horse riding is uncomfortable and generates a lot of work afterwards as the beasties are high maintenance. Plus horses are not to be trifled with. I was in a horse’s way once, so it put its head against my back and just pushed me aside. I think it threw me several metres. The bastards also bite. So horses can sod off. Plus Haribo is mainly made from them.
Donated blood?
When I worked for the government, the NHS Blood Service used to come to our office and harvest our blood, or if you prefer, took donations. I did this as it got me an extra 30 minute break and a free cup of tea and biscuits. Quid pro quo and all that.
Been skiing/snowboarding?
Now you’re being daft.
Gone camping?
I could write an entire blog post on this subject. Let it suffice to say that camping is shit. I like comfy hotel rooms, clean bed linen, mini bars and room service. Plus I’ve yet to hear about someone having their face eaten off by a bear in any major hotel chain.
Gone to a festival?
Yes, several times. I used to like live music events in my youth. Now I’m happy to stay in the comfort of my home and watch them on TV. If I find myself nostalgic for the festival ambience I can piss on my own shoes, take a shit in the corner of the room and dine on pot noodles for 48 hours.
Driven a stick shift?
Do you mean a vehicle with a manual gearbox? No, again I do not drive.
Ridden in a police car?
Yes. Both as a passenger and as a suspect. Oh the heady days of my youth.
Driven a boat?
One of the best holidays I ever had was in 1990, when myself and three friends rented a boat and travelled the Norfolk Broads. Steering the boat was quite enjoyable and we only crashed into the Reedham Car Ferry once. Hitting my head on the low beam as I entered the “conning tower” was such fun. Oh how we laughed and continued to drink.
Eaten Escargot?
Yes. Last time was a few years ago at the Coq d’Argent restaurant at Poultry, London. No real difference between snails and regular shellfish really. The flavour really comes from the sauce that they’ve been cooked in. I got given a bunch of fancy tools to hold the shell and dig out the edible part. I coped well and didn’t disgrace myself.
Been on a cruise?
No. I have nothing against them, apart from the virus outbreaks, the fires and the capsizing. But have you seen the people that go on them? Awful.
Been on TV?
Yes. When I was a civil servant I was active in the trade union. During a strike, I featured in video footage that was used in a news bulletin. I also provided a soundbite about pay increases for a radio journalist.
Been in a paper/book/magazine?
I was mentioned again for similar reasons in a trade union magazine once.
Eaten Sushi?
Yes, frequently. It’s not unusual to quote Tom Jones.
Seen a UFO?
I’ve seen things that I cannot identify before (mainly due to alcohol) but upon mature reflection do not think that they were of extraterrestrial origin.
Been Bungie Jumping?
No. I see no need to detach my retinas and damage my spine at the hands of an Australian called Hunter or Ethan (It’s always Aussies that run these things in my experience).
Rescued an animal?
I put a spider outside this very morning.
Met someone rather famous?
This is another subject that could be its own blog post. Furthermore, I have a lot to say about the old adage of “never meet your heroes”. But not here. To summarise, I stood next to Ed Lauter at Embankment Tube Station. I literally bumped into Timothy West in The Strand. And as a member of the British Film Institute, I’ve met the following people after Q&A events that they’ve held. Ray Harryhausen, Rick Baker, Peter Jackson, Michael Winner and Nick Park among others.
The Problem with Voice Chat
I was reading on Kotaku (as a Vic Reeves fan I always want to say Uvavu) about yet another internet brouhaha. This one stemmed from comments made by live streamer and social media commentator Steph “FerociouslySteph” Loehr (no, I have no idea who they are either), about the use of voice chat in video games. Her comments were willfully taken out of context by the usual suspects and yet another internet drama kicked off. As I have only a passing interest in live streaming and the competitive gaming scene, I don’t feel obliged to wade in and express an opinion about this particular situation and those involved. But the actual sentiments that were originally expressed about voice chat are of interest to me, although they’ve long been forgotten in this particular drama which has now become yet another culture war bunfight.
I was reading on Kotaku (as a Vic Reeves fan I always want to say Uvavu) about yet another internet brouhaha. This one stemmed from comments made by live streamer and social media commentator Steph “FerociouslySteph” Loehr (no, I have no idea who they are either), about the use of voice chat in video games. Her comments were willfully taken out of context by the usual suspects and yet another internet drama kicked off. As I have only a passing interest in live streaming and the competitive gaming scene, I don’t feel obliged to wade in and express an opinion about this particular situation and those involved. But the actual sentiments that were originally expressed about voice chat are of interest to me, although they’ve long been forgotten in this particular drama which has now become yet another culture war bunfight.
Voice chat is essentially just a tool, designed to facilitate communication between gamers. But the problems associated with voice chat stem from its use and not the actual service itself. Conversations have a social dynamic and a degree of etiquette to them (or at least good ones do). If they are to be considered equitable, there is a need for all parties involved to have equal opportunity to express themselves. Hence we are taught at school (or at least I was) not to monopolise a conversation, to listen to what others have to say and to be courteous at all times. I try to remember this ethos when using voice chat and therefore I find it to be a comfortable form of communications. But I am a white, middle aged, middle class man with all the cultural baggage that comes with that and being British. My experience is not necessarily universal.
Not everyone “enjoys” voice chat, the same way as some folk will sit in a group at the pub and listen to the conversation but not contribute much. For some it’s a confidence issue, for others it’s just a question of personal choice. Women often treat voice chat with a greater degree of scepticism as it is yet another medium by which they may be discriminated against or marginalised. The same is applicable to ethnic minorities or anyone for who is not a native speaker of the language being used. A person’s voice can provide a lot of information about someone quite quickly. It can also do the complete opposite and too often verbal cues are a stepping stone to bias and prejudice. Disability may also be a factor with voice chat. And even if you manage to bypass the sociopolitical issues associated with voice chat, there are still etiquette issues to face. Some people just dominate chat channels, using such platforms to just drone on and on about themselves. It can be a narcissists and ego maniacs paradise.
My use of voice chat is also dependent on what genre of games I’m playing. MMOs are by nature social and therefore if I join a new guild, I’m more likely to use either in-game chat or Discord to get to know the other members. Trust is built over time and you get to know the verbal foibles of others. This is important to ensuring that voice chat stays a welcoming and accommodating medium to all. However, I’m far less disposed toward speaking with strangers when playing a competitive game and will often have all voice communications muted when playing via PUGS. I don’t want to be given instructions by some self appointed “leader”, nor do I wish to listen to the garrulous inanities of adolescents, gamer malcontents and the furiously hard of thinking. But I’m not averse to a degree of friendly chat and “suggested” tactics. However, all that can be done via text chat and in-game mechanics such as pinging items and “instruction wheels”. IE “Move left”, “cover me” etc.
I got called an “RPG noob” in Call of Duty Warzone last night via text chat (much to my amusement). I’m sure if I had voice chat enabled I would have endured a barrage of criticism throughout the game. I may well have been tempted to waste my own time and energy trying to counter with my own witty ripostes and waggish badinage. However, because I had elected not to use the service to begin with, all potential unpleasantness was avoided. For me voice chat is a binary choice. Sadly for others it is not always as clear as that and it is something to be used with caution. On a few occasions I’ve seen voice chat demonstrate the unconscious bias that many of us carry around. It’s funny how a woman can answer a question but the answer isn’t acknowledged until it’s reiterated by a man. So to conclude, I think the internet drama I referenced at the start of this post just highlights the fact that it’s not voice chat that needs fixing but society. Sadly, the bug list for that just keeps growing.
It's Okay to be a Bad Player
According to the ESA “Over 164 million adults in the United States play video games and three-quarters of all Americans have at least one gamer in their household. As the leading form of entertainment today, video games are an integral part of American culture”. So when you factor in the rest of the world, I think it’s safe to say that a lot of people play video games and that still surprises some people. Now it’s been known for a long time now by video game developers that two thirds of their customers never complete a single player game. It’s a similar story in other game genres. The majority of MMO players never play any endgame content such as raids. A lot of players don’t make it to level cap either. Yet, so much of the game related content produced by gamers themselves does not represent this. So much of the gameplay videos you find on YouTube comes from technically adept players. Similarly, many popular live streamers gain their audience through being competent.
Never played it
According to the ESA “Over 164 million adults in the United States play video games and three-quarters of all Americans have at least one gamer in their household. As the leading form of entertainment today, video games are an integral part of American culture”. So when you factor in the rest of the world, I think it’s safe to say that a lot of people play video games and that still surprises some people. Now it’s been known for a long time now by video game developers that two thirds of their customers never complete a single player game. It’s a similar story in other game genres. The majority of MMO players never play any endgame content such as raids. A lot of players don’t make it to level cap either. Yet, so much of the game related content produced by gamers themselves does not represent this. So much of the gameplay videos you find on YouTube comes from technically adept players. Similarly, many popular live streamers gain their audience through being competent.
Now you can cogently argue that there’s not a major market for watching footage of people playing badly, unless it’s presented in a humorous fashion. You can also argue that the term “bad player” is loaded to begin with, as it implies that there is a mandatory skill curve that we all have to progress through and abide by (guess what, you don’t have to). It’s a classic false axiom that so many gamers still cling to. So when I use the phrase “bad player” in this post, I mean it as “someone who is playing in a manner that may not be optimal or even unorthodox, who isn’t driven by a need for continuous self improvement or a sense of competition but is still deriving enjoyment from their approach to the game”. Now if we go with this definition, I think it’s safe to say that not only are there a lot of bad players about but they make up the majority of the player base. And that is fine.
Something, something Tyler "Ninja" Blevins
There is still a major cultural divide in the video games community. Those who see games as inherently competitive and those who play games for “fun”. I’m painting with broad brush strokes here but it usually comes down to some variation of these two philosophies. However, this is not an even split. I’m sure there is sufficient data out there to show that the latter group is the larger. From my perspective, it certainly seems that way anecdotally speaking. When you consider how many games genres have evolved over the last two decades, adding quality of life improvements such as quest trackers, auto looting and fast travel it seems that the developers know this as well. Games with corpse runs, excessive penalties for failure or death, or punishing learning curves tend not to find mass appeal and settle into niche markets. And any game that relies heavily on twitch mechanics is going to face a dwindling player population among the middle-aged. This is why not every game is not Dark Souls.
Just like the cult of youth and beauty that blights popular culture despite it not being applicable to most of us, we also see the equally unrealistic myth of the Über Gamer everywhere. However, if all the distinctly average players decided that they were a disgrace to gaming per se and subsequently took up train spotting, the video game industry would go bust (and freight yards,railway sidings and bridges would be very crowded). So not only do I support and extend a sense of solidarity to all bad players like myself (because I hate arbitrary hierarchies) but I actively encourage players to do things their way. Not only are we keeping a lot of regular, decent people in work but we’re challenging capitalist dogma that everything is about conflict, winners and losers. We may be keeping Bobby Kotick rich but we’re wearing our mediocre, poorly organised ,“I don’t even know what these skills are for” play style as a badge of honour. And so this is why I will continue to RPG spam in Call of Duty Warzone.
PC Peripherals
I’ve mentioned it before that I seem to get through a lot of PC peripherals. I don’t consider myself heavy handed but I find that keyboard and mice just tend to wear out after about a year to eighteen months. Certain keys on the keyboard become unresponsive and have to be giggled to actually register use. The right hand button on my mouse often suffers a similar fate. Plus, I must have extremely acidic sweat as the plastic on both my current keyboard and mouse have shiny patches where I’ve worn through the surface. A few weeks ago, I took off my gaming headset after chatting with friends and the plastic headband just snapped in two. It was just over a year old and no, before you ask, I don’t have a head like The Mekon. All of which is a timely reminder that we live in a very disposable world and that plastic is a convenient but not necessarily durable material.
I’ve mentioned it before that I seem to get through a lot of PC peripherals. I don’t consider myself heavy handed but I find that keyboard and mice just tend to wear out after about a year to eighteen months. Certain keys on the keyboard become unresponsive and have to be giggled to actually register use. The right hand button on my mouse often suffers a similar fate. Plus, I must have extremely acidic sweat as the plastic on both my current keyboard and mouse have shiny patches where I’ve worn through the surface. A few weeks ago, I took off my gaming headset after chatting with friends and the plastic headband just snapped in two. It was just over a year old and no, before you ask, I don’t have a head like The Mekon. All of which is a timely reminder that we live in a very disposable world and that plastic is a convenient but not necessarily durable material.
At present I’m using a generic Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600 which is beginning to come to the end of its lifespan. My Logitech G203 Prodigy Gaming Mouse, which is about 18 months old, is playing up. When I play Call of Duty Warzone, it doesn’t seem to want to aim down the sight when I press the right button. And I’m using a spare Logitech H600 Wireless Headset that works but the plastic creaks every time I talk and the mic picks the sound up. Plus the foam ear covers are perishing. So I decided that it was time to replace these items. My first port of call was Amazon and I was amazed to find such a wide range of brands and prices. I found some interesting bundles but a lot of them are manufactured by companies that I’m not familiar with, such as Havit. Although some of the product reviews were positive, I didn’t feel inclined to take a gamble. So I decided to go with Razer as I used their products before.
I bought the “Razer Epic Gaming Bundle” from Currys PC World for £110. This includes the Cynosa Chroma Gaming Keyboard, DeathAdder Essential Gaming Mouse, Kraken X Lite Gaming Headset and a Goliathus Mobile Stealth Edition Gaming Surface. Yet despite the self aggrandising titles that these PC peripherals have, they’ve all received favourable reviews and are built to a high standard. Sometimes it is worthwhile spending a little bit more on the items you use the most. The bundle is also very good value. If I bought all three items separately they would cost £150 plus. However, there is one minor downside. In fact it’s something common to all PC peripherals that are specifically marketed at gamers. And that is the penchant for adorning everything with lurid LED lights that change colour. A man of my age does not consider such ambient lighting or any superfluous adornment “cool”. I just find it irritating and a distraction when gaming.
My PC is a multipurpose tool that I use for both work and pleasure. I use it for writing, editing audio, gaming and watching streaming services. It is also my primary means of online access. I put a fair amount of time into researching what would be the optimal purchase within the budget that I set and my specific technical requirements. Yet often, we do not apply the same scrutiny when buying our peripherals. We either keep using what we have or go with whatever is thrown in with a new PC purchase. But a poor quality keyboard and mouse can be a major impediment to content creation and gaming. At the very least, their respective lifespan is relatively short and you find yourself in the situation that I now find myself in. I’m not advocating the profligate buying of top of the range items just for the sake of it. But it is important to buy to your particular need and cutting corners to save cash may cause inconvenience at a later date.
Call of Duty Warzone Matchmaking
I’ve been playing Call of Duty Warzone for about a month now and have documented my progress through the game and my attempts to improve my performance. It would be generous to categorise me as a distinctly average player. But I don’t worry too much about this as I am not alone. Not everyone is a high end player, although one’s perspective on this can be skewed as it is the most competent players that tend to dominate games. However, through simply playing CoD WZ regularly, despite my low body count per game I have slowly progressed through the ranking system. I am currently ranked 103 (the cap is 155). CoD WZ is generous with XP and each game’s score is not just based upon your kills. Your final position out of 150 other players is also a factor. There are additional marks for damage and a lot of other superfluous factors that the devs had added to ensure that even the weakest players move forward through the rankings.
I’ve been playing Call of Duty Warzone for about a month now and have documented my progress through the game and my attempts to improve my performance. It would be generous to categorise me as a distinctly average player. But I don’t worry too much about this as I am not alone. Not everyone is a high end player, although one’s perspective on this can be skewed as it is the most competent players that tend to dominate games. However, through simply playing CoD WZ regularly, despite my low body count per game I have slowly progressed through the ranking system. I am currently ranked 103 (the cap is 155). CoD WZ is generous with XP and each game’s score is not just based upon your kills. Your final position out of 150 other players is also a factor. There are additional marks for damage and a lot of other superfluous factors that the devs had added to ensure that even the weakest players move forward through the rankings.
Now despite what Infinity Ward have said publicly, there is a matchmaking system in place and sadly it appears to be somewhat basic. Rank features in group placement plus some backend stats regarding kill ratio. To cut a long story short, a month on I now find myself placed in games with players of a comparable or higher rank than me. Many of whom have reached the maximum tier through ability and not attrition. The net result is that my enjoyment of Solo Battle Royale matches has somewhat diminished. As an average player I expect to die when going head to head with someone with superior skills. But when this happens two thirds of the time, it does sour one’s experience and pleasure. There are sufficient random factors that mean I can sometimes find myself in an optimal position or I quickly obtain good gear but these are becoming fewer and far between.
I played a Solo Battle Royale game yesterday in which I chose a relatively isolated part of the map to land (The building site in the Novi Grazna Hills). I looted several houses and got a half decent assault rifle and sufficient armour. I think I did this in under 5 minutes. In the same amount of time another player had landed nearby, collected sufficient money to call in a Loadout Drop, select their optimal weapons selection and then sniped me through a window at a considerable distance. I was quite impressed but it highlights the problem with the current matchmaking system perfectly. This other player knew the map inside out and had robusts skills. It raises the question, what are the benefits of us being placed in the same game? It’s not as if I offered any sort of significant challenge to them. And if this happens continuously to me, it doesn’t exactly motivate me to keep playing.
I am not a fan of “Git Gud” culture. As I’ve written already in previous posts, I’m happy to try and learn some general tips and tactics to try to play more efficiently. Becoming a better player does improve your overall enjoyment. But I’m not looking for a “job”. Let the high end players with their stats and gaming philosophy play with comparable players. I would prefer to tool around in the shallow end with those of a broadly comparable mindset and ability. Unfortunately, the current matchmaking system doesn’t seem to be able to accomodate this. Does this mean that I’ll end up abandoning Solo Battle Royale games? No. But I will be more cautious and adjust my expectations accordingly. In the meantime I have found a compromise. CoD WZ has 5 versus 5 Multiplayer games which use very compact maps. These are great levellers, due to the frenetic pace. A poor player armed with an RPG and a SMG that they fire from the hip can do just as well as a good player. This mode doesn’t crush my interest and keeps me engaged. Something the devs could learn from with their wider matchmaking.
Top Five Most Viewed Posts by Year
If you’ve been blogging for a while, it can be informative and fun to trawl through your statistical data. A common refrain from bloggers is that the post that they consider their best work is often the least read and that it’s the throwaway posts or articles written on a whim that find an audience. Both Wilhelm Arcturus and Belghast have analysed their website data and listed their respective top five most viewed posts by year. Having been writing for a comparable amount of time to these well known community figures, I thought I’d follow suit. Because I moved hosts to Squarespace and effectively started from scratch in August 2015 this will have to be my starting point. Although I exported all my content from my former hosted WordPress site, I have little statistical data. However, the six year period covered reveals some interesting details about what posts prove popular.
If you’ve been blogging for a while, it can be informative and fun to trawl through your statistical data. A common refrain from bloggers is that the post that they consider their best work is often the least read and that it’s the throwaway posts or articles written on a whim that find an audience. Both Wilhelm Arcturus and Belghast have analysed their website data and listed their respective top five most viewed posts by year. Having been writing for a comparable amount of time to these well known community figures, I thought I’d follow suit. Because I moved hosts to Squarespace and effectively started from scratch in August 2015 this will have to be my starting point. Although I exported all my content from my former hosted WordPress site, I have little statistical data. However, the six year period covered reveals some interesting details about what posts prove popular.
2015:
Posts on the MMORPG genre have always been a mainstay of my blogging. I’ve commented upon The Lord of the Rings Online since 2008 so it’s no surprise that such posts show in the top five for this year. I am curious about the Twitter related post although I seem to recollect this being linked to by another site. As for The Hobbit movie post, the franchise ran from 2012- 2014 with the extended editions being released a year after the theatrical versions. So as this post details what extra footage features in the longer version of the film, it makes sense being the most popular post of the year.
2016:
Again LOTRO features in the top five posts. This was the year that Standing Stone Games separated itself from developers Turbine. The movie review of Dawn of the Dead is actually of an obscure fan edit which tries to recreate the initial work print. It combines all the footage from George Romero’s Director’s Cut and the European version edited by Dario Argento. And it would appear the writing about vintage TV shows can also reach a wide audience. Again I think this post was linked to by a Gerry Anderson fan site, which explains how it got such traffic.
2017:
The post about a potential Silmarillion Movie, stemmed from speculation as to what Peter Jackson’s next project would be after The Hobbit Trilogy. By now a trend is apparent. Film reviews and movie related content has far greater longevity than gaming related posts. It also fares well with Google and my posts can turn up in the first two pages of search results. The Star Trek Online post reflects the fact that so much data regarding the game is generated in the official subreddit. There aren’t that many STO blogs that I know of, so I assume this is why this post got so much traffic.
2018:
I started playing The Elder Scrolls Online for the first time since the beta in 2018 and therefore wrote a few posts about subjects that didn’t seem to be covered elsewhere. Dolmen farming is a common practise in the game so this simple guide was obviously in the right place at the right time. The disposable nature of gear prior to reaching level cap in ESO bothered me. I guess it bothered others too. Providing a summary of content on the LOTRO test servers always generates web traffic. So many people don’t want to have to install a second version of the game.
2019:
By last year I was fully aware of what “works” best on Contains Moderate Peril. The review of the “unrated” version of World War Z catalogues all the additional footage. It’s hardly surprising that people want to know, as the theatrical version was rated PG-13. An odd choice for a zombie movie. And once again anything that informs LOTRO players about what new content is coming up does well. Perhaps I can claim a marketing allowance from SSG? That ESO post is back again. I suspect it will stay there.
2020:
Obviously the top five for 2020 is not a full year (neither was 2015) but it clearly shows what content gets the most traction with readers. Over 50% of all my web traffic is from Google searches. Mainly movie reviews. Gamers also like guides. Provide them with simple clear instructions that tell them what to do and ensure there’s some pictures and you may have a winning formula. I write about a range of subjects, the scope of which gets wider every year. Although those posts get read, they do not get the sort of numbers as the film reviews and simple guides. I’m certainly not going to change the focus of my writing because of the data presented here. However, I have decided to write an ongoing tips and hints post for Star Trek Online as I do feel it will connect with an audience. I’ll make no bones about it. I write primarily for myself but I do enjoy the fact that my content finds readers.
Pay to Play
When The Culling first launched in October 2017 on PC and Xbox, it’s quirky take on the Battle Royale genre earned it some fans and a degree of interest. However, due to the immense success of PlayerUnkown’s Battleground, its playerbase soon fell into decline and the developers Xaviant abandoned the game within three months. Then in July 2018 The Culling II was released, much to everyone’s surprise. Sadly, the game was patently in an unfinished state and was poorly received by fans and critics alike. There was a degree of animosity towards Xaviant for walking away from the first iteration of the game and then expecting players to pay again. Due to the ongoing popularity of Fortnite, this sequel was dead in the water within a matter of days with players unable to find anyone else to compete against. Not even a speedy transition to a free to play business model could save it.
When The Culling first launched in October 2017 on PC and Xbox, it’s quirky take on the Battle Royale genre earned it some fans and a degree of interest. However, due to the immense success of PlayerUnkown’s Battleground, its playerbase soon fell into decline and the developers Xaviant abandoned the game within three months. Then in July 2018 The Culling II was released, much to everyone’s surprise. Sadly, the game was patently in an unfinished state and was poorly received by fans and critics alike. There was a degree of animosity towards Xaviant for walking away from the first iteration of the game and then expecting players to pay again. Due to the ongoing popularity of Fortnite, this sequel was dead in the water within a matter of days with players unable to find anyone else to compete against. Not even a speedy transition to a free to play business model could save it.
Thus everyone assumed that The Culling as a franchise was over and done with. Whenever a new video game genre establishes itself, there are always winners and losers as developers seek to jump on the bandwagon and capitalise on the success of one market leader. So it was somewhat of a WTF moment when developers Xaviant announced that a revised version of The Culling would be relaunched on May 14th. The game has now been renamed The Culling Origins and will feature improved graphics, a revised HUD and more robust AI. However, the game retains its core take on the Battle Royale genre. Owners of previous versions will be able to download the new version for free. At present this iteration of the game will only be available on Xbox but the developers intend to bring the title back to Steam as soon as possible.
There’s nothing unusual about a developer tweaking a product and making numerous attempts to bring it to the market. Whether developer’s Xaviant are showing stoic fortitude or simply flogging a dead horse is up for debate. However, the standout aspect of this game relaunch is the business model. New players will pay $4.99 USD, which will grant them a one day trial period. After the trial they're limited to one free game a day and should they wish to play more they'll have to spend a “match token” for each subsequent game. Match tokens can be earned by winning an online match or purchased through Xaviant for real money. Token packs start at $.99USD for three match tokens and go up to $4.99 for 20 tokens. Alternatively, players can choose to purchase seven days unlimited access for $1.99 or 30 days for $5.99, roughly equivalent to $70 (just shy of £60) for a year. The loot crates seen in previous versions of the game have been removed.
We have seen many changes in video game business models in recent years. Subscriptions have been replaced by free to play and live services revenue schemes. The Season or Battle Pass is the standard for the Battle Royale genre. The base game is free and you are then “optionally” charged for cosmetics items, weapon unlocks and sundry perks. It is an act of hubris to move to a pay to play model and the fact this has been undertaken by a minor player in the market is even more curious. Now let’s clarify what is meant by the term “pay to play”, because at some point there is a cost associated with any video game that someone has to pick up. In this case the term means having to pay incrementally to continue to play the game. In essence this is a virtual version of the old coin-op arcade games. If you don’t want to spend a single penny on The Culling Origins beyond the purchase price, you have to win every time you play to earn the appropriate token for the next game. Chinny reckon.
The concept of ownership in parts of the leisure industry is waning. Companies prefer recurring payments rather than a single one off transaction. A decade ago console game developers objected to the second hand games market. They briefly tried to tie the use of physical media to a unique activation code to prevent resales. However, the transition to online live service games ultimately solved this problem for them. I do not object to paying a monthly fee to play an MMO, as I can play as much as I want during that time without restriction. But the idea of having to pay to play a single match in some games or for a fixed period of time such as an hour, is not something I find palatable. Free to play has negatively impacted upon game design. Impediments are built into a game that can be “fixed” by money. Paying per game would be even more detrimental in this respect. I’m sorry Xaviant but I hope this model fails. It is not something I want to see gain any traction in mainstream gaming.
The Relevance of Domain Authority?
According to Wikipedia, Domain Authority (also referred to as Thought Leadership) is a measure of a website's relevance with regard to a specific subject area or industry. Be warned, do not read the summary I’ve linked to if you are averse to bullshit marketing speak. I vomited blood when I typed “Thought Leadership” but take comfort in the fact that the marketing executive who came up with that inane platitude is currently closeted at home with a partner and children that hate them and will be facing divorce proceedings roundabout Christmas. But I digress. The reason I mention Domain Authority is because it came up in conversation of the Blaugust Discord channel. Author and fellow blogger Tessa mentioned it as a metric that may have changed for many writers over the course of the Blapril blogging event. It has done so for her, although I didn’t take that as a sign that she puts particular stock in this measure. As this wasn’t a statistical measurement I was familiar with I Googled the term and hence discovered the aforementioned Wikipedia entry.
Really?
According to Wikipedia, Domain Authority (also referred to as Thought Leadership) is a measure of a website's relevance with regard to a specific subject area or industry. Be warned, do not read the summary I’ve linked to if you are averse to bullshit marketing speak. I vomited blood when I typed “Thought Leadership” but take comfort in the fact that the marketing executive who came up with that inane platitude is currently closeted at home with a partner and children that hate them and will be facing divorce proceedings roundabout Christmas. But I digress. The reason I mention Domain Authority is because it came up in conversation of the Blaugust Discord channel. Author and fellow blogger Tessa mentioned it as a metric that may have changed for many writers over the course of the Blapril blogging event. It has done so for her, although I didn’t take that as a sign that she puts particular stock in this measure. As this wasn’t a statistical measurement I was familiar with I Googled the term and hence discovered the aforementioned Wikipedia entry.
Now setting aside the usual sage advice about not focusing upon website stats, I was curious about this term, because although I’m not exclusively driven by the numbers for Contains Moderate Peril, I do like to know what is or isn’t getting read. Statistics can be a useful tool, as long as you don’t obsess over them and harbour dreams of global domination and a volcano lair . So, to cut a long story short I used the first URL that Google listed to determine what my Domain Authority is and found it to be 45. As I initially had no context for this specific number, I was neither impressed nor unimpressed, just flummoxed. A little further research yielded some background information that made the number a little easier to qualify. Apparently a “Domain Authority score ranges from one to 100, with higher scores corresponding to a greater ability to rank with search engines. Domain Authority is calculated by evaluating multiple factors, including linking root domains and the number of total links, into a single score”.
Here is an obvious metaphor about alchemy
So it boils down to trying to ascribe a simple numerical value to assess how well a website will fare with respect to internet searches. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) has become the Holy Grail among internet marketing alchemists for a while, spawning an entire online industry offering such services, although the results are “questionable”. According to the following blurb “Domain authority scores between 40 and 50 is considered average, between 50 and 60 is considered good and over 60 is considered excellent”. This allows me to put my score of 45 into perspective. Perhaps that’s why I get so many emails addressed to “Dear Contains Moderate Peril” offering to collaborate with me and my team (?) to improve my site ranking. They all go in the recycle bin. Call me old fashioned but I always thought it was the quality and style of your written work, along with knowledge and experience that gained traction with readers. When, for example, I’m looking for a movie review for an obscure genre title, I don’t necessarily want the most popular one but the most cogent. As for Domain Authority, I’ll file it under spurious bollocks along with politican’s promises and the appeal of Mrs Brown’s Boys.
Your Internet Connection
Because I live in a suburb of Greater London there are a variety of Internet Service Providers to choose from. There are multiple vendors offering fibre, cable, wireless and now even 5G solutions. I realise that not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a choice and that there is a great deal of “internet inequality” both in the UK and other countries. Big cities and centres of commerce always tend to have better investment in internet infrastructure. Hence those that live in rural areas will often have slower internet connections or little or no choice with regard to which company provides the service. Considering how essential internet access is these days, this is hardly a satisfactory or equitable state of affairs. Hence the universal provision of robust internet connections has become a regular manifesto pledge of all major UK political parties. However, in the meantime many people are still saddled with poor internet download speeds and unreliable services.
Because I live in a suburb of Greater London there are a variety of Internet Service Providers to choose from. There are multiple vendors offering fibre, cable, wireless and now even 5G solutions. I realise that not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a choice and that there is a great deal of “internet inequality” both in the UK and other countries. Big cities and centres of commerce always tend to have better investment in internet infrastructure. Hence those that live in rural areas will often have slower internet connections or little or no choice with regard to which company provides the service. Considering how essential internet access is these days, this is hardly a satisfactory or equitable state of affairs. Hence the universal provision of robust internet connections has become a regular manifesto pledge of all major UK political parties. However, in the meantime many people are still saddled with poor internet download speeds and unreliable services.
About six years ago, British Telecommunications (BT) started rolling out “Fibre to the Cabinet” (FTTC) internet connections in our area. This provides a fibre optic connection from the local telephone exchange to the local street cabinets (Outdoor Enclosures). The connection then continues to the customer address using the existing copper landline wiring. As with any vendor there were several domestic consumer tariffs available offering a range of download speeds and data packages. Our household chose a 75Mbps package with unlimited data download (subject to the usual small print). BT supplied a router (BT Home Hub 5) and a pair of Powerline Adaptors. We also signed up for the BT TV service which offers all free terrestrial digital TV channels with optional IPTV services. It runs via a bespoke DVR. At the time of purchase, these were all good quality services with a competitive price.
Four years on and things have changed. BT has renamed and altered their internet tariffs numerous times. There always seems to be a great offer available to new customers and yet existing account holders seldom get thrown a bone. BT TV suffers from the same problem that most other platforms that resell services do. Specifically, that channels come and go due to licencing arrangements and profitability issues. There are also a problems with channel picture quality. But for me the biggest issue is the internet connection itself. Our original tariff offered speeds up to 75Mbps, which in reality meant nearer 70Mbps. Due to substantial increases in demand our connection has now been downgraded to speeds up to 50Mbps. However at present the latest speed test I made using BT’s own diagnostic tools showed that we’re currently only getting around 43Mbps. Furthermore, the connection often goes offline around 1:00 AM; a time when I am frequently still working at my PC. Using BT’s fault diagnostic service I’ve determined that there are outstanding technical issues.
I have logged a fault with BT and they are giving it a degree of priority due to Mrs P health issues and my role as a carer for my parents. However, I do find the wider circumstances of this situation unsatisfactory. Many ISPs invest a great deal of time and money trying to attract new customers but focus far less resources on retaining them and ensuring that ongoing services are maintained in a suitable fashion. BT have lowered the criteria of some services simply because increased capacity has reduced the connection speeds. Sadly, these business issues are beyond my immediate control. I do have the option of moving to another vendor but that is not something I would do lightly. A change of ISP, done on a whim, may well lead to an excess of downtime. But there are other options that can improve the immediate situation. Obviously the engineer visit can address the line issues and I have requested the new BT Smart Hub 2 Router, along with their new Wifi Disc (extender). I’m curious to see what improvement this kit yields.
Routers supplied by the ISP often seem to be no more than adequate. A Google search provided multiple forums and subreddits about replacing BT kit with 3rd party routers and greatly improving not only wifi but the actual base internet connection speed. Some claimed it could see gains of an extra 10Mbps. Living in a solid, brick built bungalow from the 1930s certainly has an impact on wifi. I also suspect that this is the underlying reason behind a recurring problem I have with my Amazon Echo intermittently being unable to connect to Amazon Music or play internet radio channels. But replacing a router is a significant financial investment and technical undertaking. It also sticks in your throat when you consider that you already pay your ISP for this service. I think that as consumers we need to recalibrate our attitude towards internet access. Due to its inherent importance ISPs should not just forget customers once they sign a contract. Services should be continually reviewed and improved. BT has currently enjoyed over three decades of business from our household. Such patronage shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Electric Shavers
I have always found shaving a nuisance and a chore. There was a period in my working life where being suited, booted and clean shaven was part of the gig. So every morning began with a battle with the stubble. I won’t waste your precious time recounting all the various brands of razors I tried. Let it suffice to say that there’s a huge amount of bullshit peddled by the male grooming products industry (yes, I’m looking at you, so-called King of Shaves, you self aggrandising corporate gits). Perhaps the biggest one is that there’s an optimum way to shave. This is an utter falsehood. The way your facial hair grows is as unique as that on your head. So it may well suit Jugdish to shave “against the grain” and for Sidney to do the opposite, while Clayton uses his razor freestyle. There is no “one approach suits all”. However, shaving with a safety razor is a separate post altogether. It is because of them and due to my inherent apathy towards shaving per se, that I’ve recently tried using an electric shaver again.
I have always found shaving a nuisance and a chore. There was a period in my working life where being suited, booted and clean shaven was part of the gig. So every morning began with a battle with the stubble. I won’t waste your precious time recounting all the various brands of razors I tried. Let it suffice to say that there’s a huge amount of bullshit peddled by the male grooming products industry (yes, I’m looking at you, so-called King of Shaves, you self aggrandising corporate gits). Perhaps the biggest one is that there’s an optimum way to shave. This is an utter falsehood. The way your facial hair grows is as unique as that on your head. So it may well suit Jugdish to shave “against the grain” and for Sidney to do the opposite, while Clayton uses his razor freestyle. There is no “one approach suits all”. However, shaving with a safety razor is a separate post altogether. It is because of them and due to my inherent apathy towards shaving per se, that I’ve recently tried using an electric shaver again.
I bought my Dad a Panasonic ES-SL41 Blue Wet and Dry Electric 3-Blade Shaver a few years ago. Due to his declining health and use of blood thinners, it was dangerous for him to use a safety razor. Sadly, he couldn’t manage to shave himself even with this device so he kindly gave it back to me. I shave once a week and grow a goattee beard mainly out of indolence. However, I even find that a chore so I decided to try the electric shaver that’s been sitting in a cupboard for the last year. For reference, the last electric shaver I used was when I was 18. I am now 52. Well the great thing about this Panasonic model is that it’s light, holds a charge long enough for a lengthy shave, is ergonomically shaped both for hand and face and is very easy to maintain. Being able to use it both wet and dry is a major advantage. However, those facts notwithstanding, it only manages to shave about a third of my facial hair in a satisfactory fashion.
“Bullshit, Mr Kiam Man”
I do not doubt that a manufacturer such as Panasonic spends a lot of time and money on research and development. I suspect when they designed this and any other model of electric shaver, they considered the wide variety of face shapes and different ways that facial hair grows. They obviously test extensively. Yet despite all this, I cannot get a decent shave from this specific shaver. It seems to work well around my cheekbones where there is little skin and bone immediately beneath the surface, allowing you to get some purchase. But it struggles with my cheeks and jawline and has zero effect on my throat. It doesn’t matter what direction I shave in (although I get the best results making circular movements), or whether I shave wet or dry. Therefore, either I have a head similar to the Elephant Man or there is simply a percentage of men whose facial structure is suboptimal for the successful use of these devices.
Upon reflection I think the latter or these two theories is the correct conclusion. I think due to the sheer number of different face shapes, it is impossible to design a shaver that is 100% effective for all users. Naturally, that is not something that a company that is in the electric shaver business is going to admit to. I would be very interested to see some data on this subject and find out how many men successfully use an electric shaver and how many men just endure them and suffer and indifferent shave as a result. I have found so far that I can get a slightly better shave with the electric shaver if I take my time and concentrate on specific areas and then finish off with a safety razor. However, that totally defeats the purpose of the exercise, which is to get a decent shave as quickly and as easily as possible. So for the meantime it’s back to a Gillette Sensor Excel for me. Damn you Raheem Sterling (or whoever is the face of Gillette in your neck of the woods). As for electric shavers, maybe I’ll try them again in another 30 years.
COVID-19 Pandemic 2020 Part 5
The UK Government’s honeymoon period with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic is well and truly over. Irrespective of one’s political outlook, it is sensible and dare I say it, reassuring to want to get behind the Prime Minister and his cabinet in their attempts to tackle this dreadful situation. Some may have thought it would be the making of the man and way to bridge the political divisions caused by Brexit. But that was six weeks ago and such optimism has conspicuously withered on the vine. Many of the promises made and have proven empty and a decade of politically motivated austerity has left many key public services struggling. The government was under prepared, lacking in talent and driven by the same hubris inherent in all their political decisions. Namely that notions of British exceptionalism would somehow see us through. They haven’t. Despite the recently recovered Prime Minister (who caught COVID-19 due to not following his own instructions) standing at a podium on 27th April and claiming some sort of success, the reality is the complete opposite.
The UK Government’s honeymoon period with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic is well and truly over. Irrespective of one’s political outlook, it is sensible and dare I say it, reassuring to want to get behind the Prime Minister and his cabinet in their attempts to tackle this dreadful situation. Some may have thought it would be the making of the man and way to bridge the political divisions caused by Brexit. But that was six weeks ago and such optimism has conspicuously withered on the vine. Many of the promises made and have proven empty and a decade of politically motivated austerity has left many key public services struggling. The government was under prepared, lacking in talent and driven by the same hubris inherent in all their political decisions. Namely that notions of British exceptionalism would somehow see us through. They haven’t. Despite the recently recovered Prime Minister (who caught COVID-19 due to not following his own instructions) standing at a podium on 27th April and claiming some sort of success, the reality is the complete opposite.
The UK’s death toll currently stands at over 30,000. Key workers still do not have sufficient PPE. The economy is heading for a major recession and as a result of a lack of progress in the EU negotiations, a “No Deal Brexit”. Furthermore, the UK working population is reluctant to return to work if it means putting themselves in harms way. There is a growing lobby by big business for the lockdown to be eased and due to the lack of clarity in the message so far, there’s a risk of some people doing “their own thing”, resulting in a second peak. If the “furiously hard of thinking” only put themselves at risk, I’d be happy to let them do so but they don’t. They’re a threat to all those trying to their best and follow the rules. So overall, it’s back to business as usual with politics returning to its current default state. Namely a tribal driven culture war, based upon ill conceived slogans, driven by the lowest common denominator and those who make their money through everyone else’s hard work.
Having caught COVID-19 it does grant you a degree of insight. I was very fortunate and endured only a mild case, although I still have a persistent cough and am monitoring the situation. There’s a chance I may have sustained permanent lung damage. But as far as I'm concerned, irrespective of whatever loosening of the rules are mooted, I shall continue to stay at home, minimise my journeys out and contact with others. But many others are not in such a fortunate position as I. I have many self employed friends who need to return to work and start paying their bills. These are not irresponsible people, just merely caught between a rock and a hard place. I fully expect there to be trouble in the months ahead but I also expect the government to try and more than likely succeed in spinning their way out of it all. The tabloid press have returned to their default setting and are back to towing the establishment line, while the centre left broadsheets have gone back to making every issue a bipartisan bunfight.
Despite the pandemic clearly highlighting the massive inequalities in our society, I am not optimistic that there will be a new social contract between the electorate and the government, similar to that which emerged after World War II. Those who benefit from the existing status quo have no desire or intention of seeing any change. If anything, I suspect we may well see an exacerbation of the current divide between the haves and have nots. The government has undertaken an unprecedented amount of public spending, especially when you consider the ideological perspective of the Conservative Party. The need to address this debt may well prove ideal political capital to see a return to austerity or drive through yet more privatisation of public services. One of the few good things that could come from the COVID-19 pandemic is the opportunity for the UK to finally come to terms with the reality of modern geopolitics and find a new role that isn’t defined by our perceptions of the past. However, judging by the current state of politics, that is highly unlikely to happen.
Political Campaigning in Video Games and the Gaming Community
I read an article on Kotaku this morning about Democrat Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from NYC and how she was using Animal Crossing: New Horizons as a means to meet the public. According to Kotaku “she was planning on visiting random people’s islands so she could “leave a doodle or note on their bulletin board”. She opened her DMs for four minutes, giving followers a chance to leave some Dodo codes so she could come visit, before heading off on an evening of being offered fruit and hopefully some wholesome online interactions”. Now I am not especially familiar with either Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Animal Crossing: New Horizons and my first thoughts were that this was essentially just a PR exercise. However, upon reflection and bearing in mind the recent focus on organisations such as Cambridge Analytica, it suddenly doesn’t sound so superficial after all.
An example of the “angry mobs” found in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I read an article on Kotaku this morning about Democrat Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from NYC and how she was using Animal Crossing: New Horizons as a means to meet the public. According to Kotaku “she was planning on visiting random people’s islands so she could “leave a doodle or note on their bulletin board”. She opened her DMs for four minutes, giving followers a chance to leave some Dodo codes so she could come visit, before heading off on an evening of being offered fruit and hopefully some wholesome online interactions”. Now I am not especially familiar with either Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Animal Crossing: New Horizons and my first thoughts were that this was essentially just a PR exercise. However, upon reflection and bearing in mind the recent focus on organisations such as Cambridge Analytica, it suddenly doesn’t sound so superficial after all.
In this instance, as the politician in question has to be invited to interact with a member of the public, the process is conducted with mutual consent and such behaviour cannot be labelled as invasive. However, what I think is interesting here is the way in which politics is evolving and finding new ways to reach out to the electorate. The days of mass consensus governments are over in both the UK and US politics and electoral success now hinges upon making incremental and targeted gains with specific demographics. We have seen how Facebook has been used to reachout to specific age groups, therefore it comes as no surprise that video games and their associated communities offer a similar opportunity. So many games have a social element to them, be it in-game or via a third party online service such as Reddit or Twitch. They may not offer an unfettered political platform but they can certainly be used for targeted campaigning.
"Man talks utter bollocks”
It’s a common refrain from certain gamers to “keep politics out of video games” (although often this just means the politics they don’t like) but I think those days are well and truly over. Wherever there are large sums of money to be made, there is political lobbying. The recent “lootbox” debacle proved that video games publishers do not want any legal measures in place to curb their business practices and they mobilised a great deal of political leverage to do so. And then there is a growing trend for “shock jock” live streamers, offering “hot takes” on the latest talking points simply because it gets an audience and therefore generates revenue. “Popular online personalities” and “influencers” can offer political lobbyist access to groups they traditionally cannot reach. Extremist groups also use online gaming communities for recruitment and grooming. So when you consider how many people play games these days, be it on PC, console or phone, it’s surprising why politicians haven’t targeted such communities before now.
Blapril: Lessons Learned
I still think it was a good idea to move the scheduled August blogging event to April and take advantage of the lockdown. Many of us still have a lot more spare time on our hands than usual. However, upon reflection the lockdown has come with its own set of problems, one of which being a degree of mental discombobulation which does impact upon one’s motivation. So Blapril has felt a little different to last year’s Blaugust. The passion has still been present but I think this time round there’s also been a degree of catharsis. Writing can be good therapy for all sorts of problems. However, the uncertainty of the times and the worry it engenders has also impacted upon bloggers stamina. I was ill for a third of Blapril which threw my schedule. I’ve also been smitten with a degree of indolence that has made writing a bit of a struggle at times. I certainly don’t think I’ve applied myself to my mentoring role as well as previous years.
I still think it was a good idea to move the scheduled August blogging event to April and take advantage of the lockdown. Many of us still have a lot more spare time on our hands than usual. However, upon reflection the lockdown has come with its own set of problems, one of which being a degree of mental discombobulation which does impact upon one’s motivation. So Blapril has felt a little different to last year’s Blaugust. The passion has still been present but I think this time round there’s also been a degree of catharsis. Writing can be good therapy for all sorts of problems. However, the uncertainty of the times and the worry it engenders has also impacted upon bloggers stamina. I was ill for a third of Blapril which threw my schedule. I’ve also been smitten with a degree of indolence that has made writing a bit of a struggle at times. I certainly don’t think I’ve applied myself to my mentoring role as well as previous years.
A recurring follow on from every Blaugust and therefore inevitably Blapril, are the blogs that subsequently fall into decline or return to intermittent posting. Some folk want to write more often but can’t for various real world reasons. Many find that maintaining motivation outside of a community driven event can be a lot harder to do. Others discover that blogging on a regular basis is just not for them, which is fare enough. They either stop or become an occasional blogger. Hopefully participating in Blapril has still proven to be a useful and worthwhile experience. I still enjoy these events as I like being part of a friendly and supportive community and I like adding new blogs to Feedly (I currently track 127). There’s still a wealth of good content being produced and I get a great deal of pleasure by starting my day trawling through Feedly to see what everyone’s been up to.
As for me, I’ll just keep going as writing is something that has become an integral part of my life. I can take a break from time to time but I can’t really stop. I have several long form “think pieces” in development that I may try to hawk around and see if I can get any traction outside of my own blog. I also think it may be time for a new project. At the very least such an undertaking will result in a few blog posts as I usually document such things. However, looking back at what I’ve written about of late, I no longer see Contains Moderate Peril as being a blog about gaming, movies and popular culture anymore that I started so many years ago. Exactly what the right term is that defines it eludes me but it seems to be more than just “musings on video games, movies and popular culture”. I feel I now have a platform that allows me to express a broad range of thoughts and opinions. I also realise that the old adage about “if you throw enough shit at the wall, some of it will stick” is true.
"Git Gud"
This post is about my attempts to improve my performance while playing Call of Duty Warzone which I’ve been doing for the last three weeks. However, many of the examples I reference are equally applicable to other games. Also, I want to clarify what my overall goals are. I’m not aiming to be the best of the best. I just want to be more accurate when aiming, learn some basic tactics and not make too many obvious “noob” errors. But I refuse to accept that age alone can exclude you from certain genres of games. Admittedly, quick reflexes may well be the prerogative of youth but age has no bearing on tactics. Hence I’ve spent some time looking into how I can become a better CoDWZ player and I must say that there has been an overall improvement that I’ve found useful. Here are a few points that have helped. Much of which is common sense advice that is often overlooked.
This post is about my attempts to improve my performance while playing Call of Duty Warzone which I’ve been doing for the last three weeks. However, many of the examples I reference are equally applicable to other games. Also, I want to clarify what my overall goals are. I’m not aiming to be the best of the best. I just want to be more accurate when aiming, learn some basic tactics and not make too many obvious “noob” errors. But I refuse to accept that age alone can exclude you from certain genres of games. Admittedly, quick reflexes may well be the prerogative of youth but age has no bearing on tactics. Hence I’ve spent some time looking into how I can become a better CoDWZ player and I must say that there has been an overall improvement that I’ve found useful. Here are a few points that have helped. Much of which is common sense advice that is often overlooked.
First off, there is only so much that you can figure out and solve yourself. Therefore, don’t be afraid or averse from learning from others. Do your research, which can be fun to do as long as you don’t make it a chore. YouTube is often a good place to start due to the old “show don’t tell adage”. Just remember that some YouTuber are good at expressing themselves and imparting information. Others are not. Also remember that some advice is in tablets of stone. For example, increasing armour stats improves your survivability in a game or adding a foregrip reduces weapon recoil. However, builds, loadouts and tactics recommendations can sometimes be very subjective. The contradictory nature of such advice can be very polarising, like shops offering too much choice. Sometimes you just have to make a decision, choose a course of action and stick with it until you know whether it works for you or not.
Don’t forget to explore your games settings as there are often a wealth of options that you can adjust. Changing such things as the field of view can make a world of difference. The more you can see, the quicker you can react. Experiment with your mouse sensitivity until you find an optimum performance. Remap keys to suit your needs, especially if you are left handed or do not favour specific kinds of default layouts. If need be, buy a gamepad for extra functionality at your fingertips. Some games will allow you to use a keyboard and mouse simultaneously with a game controller. I use this combination sometimes in games such as GTA and Ghost Recon, as I find an Xbox controller is better when using vehicles. Programmable keyboards or running macros can also be very useful for semi-automating complex key commands. Your graphics card software can also be a useful tool in optimising your game settings. It can sometimes fix graphical issues that you cannot correct using a game’s own internal settings.
The quality of your internet connection can also have a major impact upon your gameplay. If possible, connect your PC to your router via an ethernet cable. Carry out an internet speed test and determine the performance of your connection. The key stat is latency. Latency being the time/delay it takes to send information from one point to another. It is measured in milliseconds and you want it to be as low as possible. High levels are detrimental to online gaming and can result in very frustrating gameplay. With a game such as CoDWZ, latency can make all the difference between winning a gunfight. Often I’ll open fire on an enemy and they will respond. I then die and the killcam shows that they in fact shot first. But this happens when you find yourself joining multiplayer games with a high latency/ping level. Sometimes it may help to join games in different geographical regions to address latency. Ironically, just because a server is located nearer to where you live, doesn’t immediately mean that the latency will be lower.
Perhaps the most prudent advice to consider is to adjust your mindset. If you want to learn the mechanics of any game and improve your performance, then you have to reconcile yourself to the fact that failure is the best teacher. With a game such as CoDWZ you can join a game, find somewhere to wait it out and take a very defensive approach. It will earn you XP and you will increase your rank. But it also means you’re just playing a very fancy online version of “Hide and Seek”. You are not really learning anything other than the best places to conceal yourself and you can only go so far in the game with such tactics. If you come to terms with the fact that until you get better, you’re going to die, then why not play more experimentally? When someone shoots at you, don’t always tactically withdraw. Try and flank them and have a go at taking them down. If you die, you’ll still earn XP. You may even get lucky and encounter another player just like yourself.
Learning a new skill can be an enjoyable experience. But don’t try to walk before you can run, set yourself realistic goals and don’t push yourself too hard. Otherwise the entire process will become a chore and continuous defeat will become frustrating. I do not know the complex statistical formulas for most of the MMOs that I play. But I have learned sufficient to know what numbers I need to not be squishy. I’ve also reached a point where I know what is my optimal skills rotation. I may not be able to name the skills but I know from the icons on my hotbar what they are and the order they should be in. I know my limitations with regard to what I can achieve when playing video games. I will not be a high end player but I think there is scope for me to be a wild card and to have occasional flashes of inspiration when the pieces all fit together and I don’t play like a fool. When that happens, this will be my version of “git gud”.
A Month in Gaming
April has been an usual month. The ongoing lockdown here in the UK (and elsewhere in the world) has afforded me more gaming time than usual. The policy of social distancing has reduced my caring duties to just three hours a day. Hence I and many others like me have much more leisure time available. I initially thought that this situation would be the perfect time to try some of the many of the games that I have stockpiled over the years. However, despite trawling through many titles, I still failed to find anything that immediately took my fancy. So I decided to take stock of my overall gaming activities and whether it was time to revise them and try something new. And by new I don’t just mean just buying a new game but taking a step out of my current comfort zone into a genre I don’t usually play. So that’s exactly what I did and the results have been very interesting.
April has been an usual month. The ongoing lockdown here in the UK (and elsewhere in the world) has afforded me more gaming time than usual. The policy of social distancing has reduced my caring duties to just three hours a day. Hence I and many others like me have much more leisure time available. I initially thought that this situation would be the perfect time to try some of the many of the games that I have stockpiled over the years. However, despite trawling through many titles, I still failed to find anything that immediately took my fancy. So I decided to take stock of my overall gaming activities and whether it was time to revise them and try something new. And by new I don’t just mean just buying a new game but taking a step out of my current comfort zone into a genre I don’t usually play. So that’s exactly what I did and the results have been very interesting.
I have been curious about the Battle Royale genre for a while, since the explosive growth first of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds and then Fortnite. I’ve read a lot about the success of both these games and the way that, despite offering essentially the same experience, they have pursued different audiences and markets. I have often considered trying either one of them but the demographics of their respective playerbase has put me off. The arrival of Call of Duty Warzone subsequently provided a tipping point, as I have prior experience of the franchise and the game offers a Battle Royale experience in a format that is acceptable to me. I’ve written elsewhere about the game and my attempts to improve my gameplay performance but to summarise here, it has been a positive experience to try something new. Although there is a strong element of twitch gaming in Call of Duty Warzone, it is not the only defining factor. There is much that a player can do to succeed in the game and progress through the ranking system.
As a result of trying something new, I have temporarily sidelined The Lord of the Rings Online. I was surprised how quickly Update 26 (now called Mists of Wilderland) was released so soon after being previewed on the test server. And as a result the new zone launched with a lot of bugs. I don’t especially like questing in new areas when they’re swarming with players and find forming an orderly queue to kill a specific mob somewhat immersion breaking (and annoying). So I’ll return to LOTRO in a month or two when the area is a little quieter. My other MMO of choice, Star Trek Online, has been pulling out all the stops to keep players engaged and to entice those who have moved on to return. At present, I’m just logging in once a day to do a featured Task Force Operation. This earns a token that can be handed in for either a C-Store ship or for a stash of Lobi Crystals (which can be bartered for fancy gear, crew or yet more ships).
I briefly dusted off Sniper Elite 4 but my overfamiliarity with the maps soon put pay to that. I am really looking forward to the fifth iteration of the game as it really is such a different experience to the hectic pace of other game genres. As for May, I think I keep playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare. I’m still working my way through the campaign, playing multiplayer against bots as a means to practice my aiming and familiarise myself with the maps. And despite only being a distinctly average player, I am having a lot of fun in Warzone. My only complaint is that I play Solo Battle Royale and would like at some point to play as part of a four man squad. But I don’t know anyone else who plays the game and I am reluctant to join a PUG. However, with an excess of time on my hands, even that may change. No doubt next month’s post will highlight yet further changes in my gaming habits, as this seems to be a theme at present.
Gamer Motivation Profile
As so many Blapril contributors have posted their Gamer Motivation Profile, I thought I’d follow suit and write about mine. The survey is provided by Quantic Foundry who according to their own website are a “a market research company focused on gamer motivation”. Their aim is to “combine social science with data science to understand what drives gamers”. It’s all presented in a very slick and comprehensive fashion. As with all such services, you have to answer a series of questions designed to probe your gamer psychology and ascertain what drives you when playing video games. Once you complete the multiple choice questionnaire you’re presented with a graphic which shows your primary and secondary motivations, along with a written summary. You can drill down into the data and see how your answers determine the outcome.
As so many Blapril contributors have posted their Gamer Motivation Profile, I thought I’d follow suit and write about mine. The survey is provided by Quantic Foundry who according to their own website are a “a market research company focused on gamer motivation”. Their aim is to “combine social science with data science to understand what drives gamers”. It’s all presented in a very slick and comprehensive fashion. As with all such services, you have to answer a series of questions designed to probe your gamer psychology and ascertain what drives you when playing video games. Once you complete the multiple choice questionnaire you’re presented with a graphic which shows your primary and secondary motivations, along with a written summary. You can drill down into the data and see how your answers determine the outcome.
Apparently, I am Aggressive, Spontaneous, Relaxed, and Grounded. And as ever with such surveys, the results are ambiguous. I would certainly agree with the first statement but only when I’m playing specific types of games such as Call of Duty Warzone. I like to play aggressively as it often yields results. Spontaneity is also correct on this occasion. However, if I’m playing a different genre of game then these terms are less accurate. I guess the terms relaxed and grounded are also applicable to me if you consider them in terms of my approach to gaming per se. I play games for entertainment and amusement. I harbour no dreams of being the best of the best but I do like to succeed within the parameters I set myself. However, when reading the more detailed report, I do feel that the profile is more accurate. The Immersion Component shows that I focus on story, which I do. The Achievement Component accurately reflects why I play FPS games, clearly indicating its all about power. What can I say, I like shooting things with overpowered weapons.
The problem with surveys such as this, is that I often feel that I cannot answer many of the multiple choice questions. All too often my response is too nuanced or simply doesn’t feature in the spectrum of answers to choose from. Furthermore, as I’ve already indicated, my answers are frequently not universal to gaming per se but will vary depending upon what type of game I’m playing. I take a far more measured and methodical approach to playing an MMO, than I do with an asymmetrical multiplayer video game. I will take the time to plan and execute a long distance stealth kill in Sniper Elite 4. I’m often sidetracked from quests in games such as Red Dead Redemption 2, because of a compulsion to just go out and explore the world. And as for the recommendations that Quantic Foundry make on the strength of your survey results, they can be made just as successfully based on the titles I’m already playing.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no doubt that you can make very accurate gamer assessments based on data analysis. I just think it needs to be more than just a five minute, multiple choice survey. I think far more complex and flexible questioning is required. And let us not forget response bias, which is a general term for a wide range of tendencies for market research participants to respond inaccurately or falsely to questions. Perception plays a strong role in our lives. I’m sure some people worry at either a conscious or subconscious level, “does the survey results reflect well upon me” and then temper their responses. However at my age, I’m happy to embrace my flaws. I like to be OP and am not concerned if I can’t win a game with skill or aplomb. I’ll happily “camp”, “nade spam” and shoot you in the ass from behind. A win is a win and it’s all about that dopamine release.