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"Sociable gaming"

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Tue 31/07/01 at 13:56
Regular
Posts: 787
Yesterday I spent the night at my Ninty friend’s house to celebrate the arrival of GT3 (well, really it was so we could play on it until 5 in the morning). However, that night I experienced the phenomena of sociable gaming.

Now, many people see gaming as a very involved activity, where everyone who can join in should. Say, if you’re back from the pub on a Friday night for a blast of TimeSplitters, you don’t just do the one-player while your 3 mates sit and watch, do you. Anyway, there we were blasting across the finish line of Trial Mountain when my mate suggested, “Do you want to do an endurance race”. I was a bit sceptical of this because only one person can do an endurance race at a time, but after a quick flick through the options we decided to race the Super Speedway 100 laps in the Chevrolet Camaro Race Car, doing 10 laps each. After a few sessions of qualifying to get the gears set up right and get a lap time, we calculated the race would take 54 minutes (although it was closer to 56). It being my PS2, Jonathan (my friend) said I should do the first 10 laps and I grudgingly accepted. “God, this is going to be so boring” I thought, but I was wrong. The hour of racing that followed, on the second most boring track in the game, was the best race I’d ever had on a GT game.

The first few laps were rather uninteresting, our car being vastly more powerful than any of the others, and we started talking about stuff. I can’t remember what exactly, but suffice to say that “left, forwards, left, forward” left me more than enough concentration to have a decent conversation. I think we mainly talked about cars, TV, what we should win next and so on. Anyway, we talked. 4 minutes later I pitted in to hand over the controller to Jonathan, and then came the birth of the challenges. “See how many laps we can go without pitting,” I said. “OK then” he replied/ Just as we were coming out of the pits, I noticed the cones. “Try and hit those cones,” I said. He swerved as soon as he got control of the car and managed to know 2 cones into the track. We had a great laugh trying to keep the cones on the front of our bonnet and knocking the other cars trying to get them to spin out. On we went, and 23 laps and a couple of near misses later, we decided that our tyres had taken enough punishment. During one of Jon’s 10 laps I went to get some milk and biscuits. It was about midnight by now and we were halfway through, and snacks were definitely required. I challenged Jon to eat a bourbon in the time it takes to get from one corner to another, and much swerving, crumbs and fits of laughter ensued. About lap 70 we also had a game of I Spy. As uninspiring as the Super Speedway is, it was still a lot of fun especially when we were naming cars parts like variable differential. It’s a shame we could only do it for 30 laps.

Anyway, we came to the last lap and we held the controller together as we crossed the finish line. We were awarded with a measly 200,000 credits and a fantastic Chevrolet Corvette C5R. We were a bit miffed we didn’t get the F090/S, but we’d had a great time.

So, that was the story of a great hour with a friend, united by possibly the most boring race in all the Gran Turismo games. I think multiplayer gaming is becoming too competitive these days. Hardly ever are you encouraged to work together, and I you should. Ironically, the best co-operative game I know of is Quake 3 capture the flag. You really have to work together, and the games can get a bit frantic with shouts of “I’ve got their flag, where the hell’s ours?” I think developers should take a leaf out of Id’s book and include co-operative multiplayers in their games. With the power of today’s consoles, surely this can be easily done.
Thu 02/08/01 at 18:17
Posts: 0
Get Red Faction, You'll win again before the release of MGS2!

Although, I have pre-ordered it :)
Thu 02/08/01 at 18:09
Regular
"Copyright: FM Inc."
Posts: 10,338
Ditto, or get Red Faction now, I hear good things about both, but with Red Faction at least you know you got a search.

Loiter in the PS2 forum for some good ideas though.
Thu 02/08/01 at 17:17
Regular
Posts: 14,117
Pre-order MGS2?
Thu 02/08/01 at 17:04
Regular
"Eff, you see, kay?"
Posts: 14,156
Wahey!

Hmmm, choices. Rumble Racing? Onimusha? Fur Fighters? Red Faction?

ARGH! I CAN'T DECIDE! I don't know how Grix and co. do this every few months.

Hmmm... suggestions?
Thu 02/08/01 at 16:17
Regular
Posts: 14,117
Congrats!
Thu 02/08/01 at 16:12
Regular
"everyone says it"
Posts: 14,738
TBN! Won again!

Well Done!
Tue 31/07/01 at 15:52
Posts: 0
Games are only sociable if

1. you are using a console (With a PC you play online)

and

2. You have mates who like playing computer games.

Otherwise you r on yur own.

seeyas
Tue 31/07/01 at 15:44
Regular
Posts: 14,117
I think the most sociable gaming I've had is when 8 of us were round my house, my mate brought his N64 and we used my DC. We had 2 telly's a load of beer and a couple of pizzas and we spent the evening playing MarioKart, GE, Cuh Chu Rocket etc.

Great fun!
Tue 31/07/01 at 15:33
Regular
"Eff, you see, kay?"
Posts: 14,156
So. I guess no-one has any thoughts then?
Tue 31/07/01 at 13:56
Regular
"Eff, you see, kay?"
Posts: 14,156
Yesterday I spent the night at my Ninty friend’s house to celebrate the arrival of GT3 (well, really it was so we could play on it until 5 in the morning). However, that night I experienced the phenomena of sociable gaming.

Now, many people see gaming as a very involved activity, where everyone who can join in should. Say, if you’re back from the pub on a Friday night for a blast of TimeSplitters, you don’t just do the one-player while your 3 mates sit and watch, do you. Anyway, there we were blasting across the finish line of Trial Mountain when my mate suggested, “Do you want to do an endurance race”. I was a bit sceptical of this because only one person can do an endurance race at a time, but after a quick flick through the options we decided to race the Super Speedway 100 laps in the Chevrolet Camaro Race Car, doing 10 laps each. After a few sessions of qualifying to get the gears set up right and get a lap time, we calculated the race would take 54 minutes (although it was closer to 56). It being my PS2, Jonathan (my friend) said I should do the first 10 laps and I grudgingly accepted. “God, this is going to be so boring” I thought, but I was wrong. The hour of racing that followed, on the second most boring track in the game, was the best race I’d ever had on a GT game.

The first few laps were rather uninteresting, our car being vastly more powerful than any of the others, and we started talking about stuff. I can’t remember what exactly, but suffice to say that “left, forwards, left, forward” left me more than enough concentration to have a decent conversation. I think we mainly talked about cars, TV, what we should win next and so on. Anyway, we talked. 4 minutes later I pitted in to hand over the controller to Jonathan, and then came the birth of the challenges. “See how many laps we can go without pitting,” I said. “OK then” he replied/ Just as we were coming out of the pits, I noticed the cones. “Try and hit those cones,” I said. He swerved as soon as he got control of the car and managed to know 2 cones into the track. We had a great laugh trying to keep the cones on the front of our bonnet and knocking the other cars trying to get them to spin out. On we went, and 23 laps and a couple of near misses later, we decided that our tyres had taken enough punishment. During one of Jon’s 10 laps I went to get some milk and biscuits. It was about midnight by now and we were halfway through, and snacks were definitely required. I challenged Jon to eat a bourbon in the time it takes to get from one corner to another, and much swerving, crumbs and fits of laughter ensued. About lap 70 we also had a game of I Spy. As uninspiring as the Super Speedway is, it was still a lot of fun especially when we were naming cars parts like variable differential. It’s a shame we could only do it for 30 laps.

Anyway, we came to the last lap and we held the controller together as we crossed the finish line. We were awarded with a measly 200,000 credits and a fantastic Chevrolet Corvette C5R. We were a bit miffed we didn’t get the F090/S, but we’d had a great time.

So, that was the story of a great hour with a friend, united by possibly the most boring race in all the Gran Turismo games. I think multiplayer gaming is becoming too competitive these days. Hardly ever are you encouraged to work together, and I you should. Ironically, the best co-operative game I know of is Quake 3 capture the flag. You really have to work together, and the games can get a bit frantic with shouts of “I’ve got their flag, where the hell’s ours?” I think developers should take a leaf out of Id’s book and include co-operative multiplayers in their games. With the power of today’s consoles, surely this can be easily done.

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