I managed to pick up Halo 3: ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troops), after walking the dog, having breakfast, and doing a couple loads of laundry. As I was leaving, I received a call about Mafia Wars, a Facebook game, from a relative. There were issues about game play, and the individual wanted assistance and/or advice. I was unsure about giving assistance, because, I didn’t play it at all. Advice was a bit easier, but very general. In other words, it could apply to a number of online games.
One, you’ve got to know the rules, or the structure and flow of the game.
Two, you can check the game specific forums and see if other individuals are having similar problems. Technical support people also participate in the forums to get a sense of what players are going through.
Three, if you suspect something suspicious regarding game play, notify or query the support group to facilitate an investigation, if needed. There are unscrupulous players, who think taking ethical liberties is justified because it forces the game creators to recognize flaws, or, to the few that have sociopathic tendencies, an attack for no other purpose than achieving personal satisfaction.
Four, a number of the video gaming websites, have resources that are available to read, that deal with walkthroughs, cheats, and in some cases hacks. The walkthrough gives you a description of the flow of the game. The cheats could be anything from the location of a prize to keyboard codes that give you unlimited ‘what evers’ to assist you in game play (these are placed into the games by the designers to assist in developing the game). The hack can be a much more serious invasion of the integrity of the game, generally not sanctioned by the designers, because they change the flow and architecture of the video game.
And five, referencing a Harry Truman quote, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” (I also like the old Russian version, “If you are afraid of wolves, stay out of the woods.”)
So that’s what was gist of my end of the conversation as I walked to the bank and then the GameStop. My relative had to hang up just before I arrived at the bank, so after I did my banking, I tapped into the music on my iPhone and walked on down to the store.
Oh, the game, right. Simply put, after playing about an hour and a half, I really enjoy it. All the obvious aspects of the game where there in force; beautiful graphics, engaging missions, smooth controls so far, (I’m waiting for the appearance of a swarm), sound that is integral to the action. I suspended disbelief relatively quickly. The solo campaign is just scratching the surface of the total package (it comes with two disks). It even offers the owner of the game who has a Gold membership a chance to participate in the beta testing of the next Halo game. I’m considering joining in, now that I have participated in two online games. I feel like it was money well spent.
I’ll go back to the game tomorrow and see how many more levels that I can pass through.
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