In the Scope #8

Hello, and welcome to another edition of "In the Scope". It's been a couple weeks but I'm back and in my couple week break, I've compiled quite a list of things that piss me off. If you would like me to commence with my ranting give me no acknowledgement…….alright since no one said anything let the bitching and moaning begin.

Microsoft has given the world Xbox and we thank them for that, though it's the least thing they could do after all, Bill Gates basically owns and controls the world and all of us in it. Though I'm an admitted Nintendo mark, I've got nothing against Microsoft's one hundred pound home console. The fact they have a sweet game like Halo just makes me like the system more. And that's what I'd like to focus on right now, the game Halo. What could I find wrong with a near perfect game like Halo? Nothing about the game itself, other than the fact the enemies basically look like Muppets on crack, but that's another rant all together. No, the problem with the game comes in the ability to play multiplayer games online. The problem is, in having this ability you run into a whole lot of other problems. I must say online play is an icon experience. There aint nothing like beating the crap out of some foolios in a good game of team slayer, or the rush you get playing some capture the flag and running with the flag in your hands while the other team tries to end your life. Those experiences however, are sometimes overshadowed by the shitty experiences.

The first problem is finding some people to play. The first time I played online, I ended up sitting on my butt for quite some time waiting for the rest of the people playing to find a game on Gamespy. The problem is that you have dozens of people all with the same type of game, and if you don't want that type of game, then you are S.O.L. So after a while, we decided to try hosting a game, which worked out great, because not only did we set up the game type and rules, but we had no LAG. This is still the best way to go, but they you get some half-retarded fool who starts chatting with you. They say they will play you, but then ask if he can host the game. WTF people?!!! Obviously if you set up your own room and game, you don't want to go join someone else's. "We'll play you, but can we host?" Hell no you can't host you moron, why in the hell did you come into my room just to ask me that question, when you damn well know the answer?!!! If you want to host then set up your own room you mongoloid, now scoot over, cuz the kid wearing the helmet wants a turn to play!!! If that aint bad enough, you get these fools who start playing ya and then quit for various reasons. They will quit the game and then message you saying they don't like the level you picked. Seriously, if you are gonna join a game, then be prepared to play in any of the possible levels. I'm sorry if we didn't chose to play Blood Gulch for the 500th time straight, but we like to mix it up. Or you will be playing some people and they'll quit half way through because they aren't winning. If you are going to be a baby, then don't, play online you fucks. You can't win them all, trust me, me Goc, and Pappy have had our asses handed to us on many occasions.

Another bad aspect of online play is LAG. It's pretty much inevitable at some point, but like I said, hosting reduces this greatly. This is a small gripe, and the only reason it pisses me off is that you'll be playing a good game and then LAG kicks in. Sometimes, it's even the determining factor in a win, due to the fact that if the other people aren't experiencing as bad of LAG, they can still pick you off when your screen is barely moving. I really don't know why it kicks in the middle of a match, especially when the game before that runs smooth. Apparently the other people playing couldn't wait to download another couple gigs of porn.

My final complaint about online Halo is all the hardcore bastards out there. There are some fools who can get ten kills before my whole teams gets one. These bastards need to get some damn Nytol and get some sleep, cuz they apparently spend too much time parked in front of the ol' Xbox. I've recently been visiting some of the message boards on GameFaqs, and apparently that is where these hardcore fucks breed. The have fools on there talking about the online gaming clan that they are in. Yes that's right, some of these crazy bastards create clans and go around challenging people in various online games. They even have ranks in these clans like lieutenant.
What's funny is these people make posts gloating about how great there clan is and what rank there are in the clan. I'm sure they go to other message boards right after gloating about how the brushed up against some cheerleaders boob in the hallways at school. These dim-witted foolios need to check into reality, cuz if the ability to sit on your ass and play video games all day was a skill that is actually applicable in the real world, Shooks would have a job right now.

Well, that's enough about online Halo, there's a couple other matters that I'd like to address and they also happen to be video game related. Since I just got done talking about Microsoft, I'll just continue talking about them. My big problem with the system and games right now is the fact that while the system is capable of storing a CD to listen to while playing games, only one game allows you to listen to your own music, and that game, Fusion Frenzy, is gayer than Richard Simons dancing around in a sequenced dress. Sure, Nintendo and Sony don't even have the ability to do this, but then again, Nintendo and Sony didn't include this feature and make it a big selling point either. Every time I play Halo, I think about how much better it would be to blast someone with an assault rifle with Drowning Pools "Bodies" playing. For the love of God Microsoft, you've got the ability to do it, so tell some damn game developers to include it in their games.

Finally, I want to talk about Sega. You remember them, they made two unsuccessful home video game consoles in the last several years and are now making games for people who used to be their competitors. You would think that a game company that now relies on developing games for other companies would not want to upset one of their employers. However, Sega decides to show that they are still quite bitter about falling to the might of Nintendo and Sony by making some comments that might piss some people at Nintendo off. Sega's CEO was quoted as saying the following, "I think it is nonsense to directly port Virtua Fighter to the GameCube. For example, we can make it Virtua Fighter Kids to curtail to the lower age demographic. The game system and fun factor should not be changed so that these players can then move on to the next step with the actual Virtua Fighter."

"We'd like to fine-tune the GameCube version of Eternal Arcadia so that kids can also play. I think kids should have fun controlling the airship and shooting cannons."

I realize that Nintendo has the label of being a "kiddie" company, but it's one thing for the general public to say it, but to have a game developer say it is just bad business. Nintendo should cut Sega off, especially since they haven't given Nintendo anything worth-while. Seriously though, where in the hell does a company like Sega get off calling anyone "kiddie"? This is the same company that gave us the game Nights, which consists of a violet colored jester looking fool flying around colorful worlds. I've played Sonic Adventure Battle 2 for Gamecube and if that game aint kiddie, I don't know what is. The games story line comes straight from the plot lines of a Disney cartoon. I swear the voice-acting in that game was done by the cast of Barney. Sega needs to sleep, they have no room to make comments like that. Now if Rockstar were to make a comment like that, it would be better received as Rockstar's games have nothing kiddie about them. Being as Sega's president had to use his own money to keep the company afloat, it's rather unwise for company spokes-people to go around making comments that might piss off people who pay for their services.

Well, that's it from me. I had some other things to rant about, but this edition shaped up to be video game oriented. I'll just save those topics for next time, and I'm sure I'll be able to find many other things that piss me off. So until then………….

-Now that you've read something, he's written. Wouldn't you like to find out more about Benzine? Here you go.