Meta Gaming: That’s What A Loser Does, Roast Beef! He LOSES Things!
on February 24, 2011 at 12:24 pmI keep thinking about something from an Extra Punctuation, a few weeks back.
I’m fine until I’m expected to pit my skills against those of another and then I just get edgy. And I think I have a good grasp on why. It’s because I have half of a competitive streak. When I say “half” I mean that a full competitive streak means that you love winning and hate losing, whereas I just hate losing and aren’t particularly fussed about winning.
In yet another demonstration that the Sassy Brit factory does exist, and ships its produce out complete with waistcoat, beard, receding hairline and fancy hat, this is a statement substantially applicable to me. I am prone to edginess at the gaming table – while it’s been some time since my last figure-hurling tantrum, I did recently destroy a set of square-edged dice because they’d offended my delicate sensibilities (through poor rolls, yes, but also through being almost impossible to read in less than optimal lighting conditions, so I think I’m better off without them) – and, while I do indulge in a spot of PvP on the WoW thing, I chiefly do so because instance DPS is dull and most other endgame activities require adherence to a schedule.
The face. The FACE. THE FACE!
It’s telling that I derive the most fun from roleplaying games, which are (or should be) a co-operative experience, and that my ideal wargaming event does give out some sort of participation reward, but it’s not necessarily one for the single undefeated player who has accumulated the most decisive victories. When I’m winning, I’m often less concerned with securing the win than I am with the good cheer of my opponent, particularly if the game has advanced to a sort of accidental Zugwang where I’ve won simply by including two Incorporeal models in a game where two flags must be captured at once.
It’s a curious and awkward state to exist in as a wargamer – I think I derive my greatest satisfaction from playing for the draw, an exercise commonly derided by players active on the tournament circuit, who tend to opine that if you’re not trying to win a game with competitive victory conditions, you have no place playing it at all.
I have to wonder, sometimes, if I wouldn’t be better off playing Inquisitor, a game which seems more favourable to a capture-or-neutralise-rather-than-kill approach to the enemy’s d00dz, since all participants are in theory on the same side, despite being engaged in armed and dangerous theological disputes.
Your thoughts on this matter, dear Internets?
Yours seems to me a completely natural approach. Why should a game get between people, rather than bring them together?
I don’t see playing competitively as a bad thing. As long as you stick to the rules and you treat your opponent with respect then there is nothing wrong with playing a hard game. Especially against my mates it’s really fun with all the taunting and trash talk that usually ensues. Against people I don’t know I am more reserved of course but still manage to have fun being on the winning side or not.
My problem isn’t with the concept of playing competitively. My problem is that I am, psychologically speaking, only halfway equipped to do so. A clear and decisive win is usually achieved at the expense of my opponent’s ability to compete, and I don’t derive any pleasure from watching other people not have fun, or from them having fun at my expense. I hate losing, but I’m not particularly keen on winning either…
No way of approaching the game is wrong or right. All you need is your opponent to have a similar aim and you’re away having fun. Two hardcore competitive types will have an awesome time paired against each other. Problems come when you have people trying to achieve different things through the social contract. And then, not always.
An interesting concept is co-operative or solo play miniature wargames. You could do it in first edition Space Hulk, but has it been seen since?
I completely understand this sentiment. Perhaps too much, as I have a horrendous losing record in 40k, Warmachine, and Fantasy (Something literally like 3 – 74 – 2) and keep coming back to the table. But I play because it’s fun and my friends love to play so much. I think I’m kind of the area punching bag!
I have postulated the existence of you for years.
Congratulations, you’re the only person that makes mention of a bad w-d-l record. You always see them in forum sigs, but they’ve got a high win ratio. I thought there must be a man out there that constantly gets it in the shorts to make the w-d-l ratios all add up to zero.