270: The 12-Year-Old English Kid Who Carried Us to Victory
- Thread starter Chuck Wendig
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A leader is a crucial when it comes to any kinda of co-op experience, be it team deathmatch or Left 4 Dead or Monday Night Combat, or whatever. In any versus situation, I find a team with a leader, even a mildly capable one, is considerably better than one without. Having people act for the victory of the team as opposed for their own ends will invariable make the team better.
I've played this role often and the hardest (well, actually the second hardest) part is to assert the position. Far too often the ego gets involved, and being too harsh or brash about it will just nput the teammates off. But once one learns how to, for lack of better word, manipulate people into following a leader, the better off it is.
I say second hardest because the ACTUAL hardest is to be able to realize when you SHOULDN'T be the leader. There can't be more than one. If there are two people vying for the position you have to know when you need to fight for it and when you need to fall in line and follow. This is a combination of factors, including your own skill compared to the other leader's skill as well as his willingness to follow you and the rest of our team's willingness to follow either of you.
Still, when it all clicks, when the Pips of the world assert their positions and the rest of us fall in line, it's a pleasure to play. Personally, I much prefer over being the leader myself...
I've played this role often and the hardest (well, actually the second hardest) part is to assert the position. Far too often the ego gets involved, and being too harsh or brash about it will just nput the teammates off. But once one learns how to, for lack of better word, manipulate people into following a leader, the better off it is.
I say second hardest because the ACTUAL hardest is to be able to realize when you SHOULDN'T be the leader. There can't be more than one. If there are two people vying for the position you have to know when you need to fight for it and when you need to fall in line and follow. This is a combination of factors, including your own skill compared to the other leader's skill as well as his willingness to follow you and the rest of our team's willingness to follow either of you.
Still, when it all clicks, when the Pips of the world assert their positions and the rest of us fall in line, it's a pleasure to play. Personally, I much prefer over being the leader myself...
umm i'm glad you had a good time and that not all gamers are dicks but...do you think you may be gushing a little too much?
The amusing thing is with the suggestion of an autobalance, a team that changes it's streak to win, the fact that he knew where all the snipers were, and the fact that a bunch of people change teams the minute they see the winds of change rustle through, it's a clearer and more dismal picture then you present.
The picture darkens still when you think about all those times the small english kid will inevitably get shouted down for being too young, and whilst he may end up leading the gang to safety on this occaision, the four times before, he probably ended up with his brains all over a rock.
It's a nice thought, but sadly if you contextualise it, it doesn't work as well. Across a videogame all real physical attributes are levelled out, piggy may well have led his team to victory on MW2, but when it comes down trying to appeal to a group, especially of children (you can bet those that followed you weren't kids) popularity is more important then ability to lead.chuckwendig said:
The picture darkens still when you think about all those times the small english kid will inevitably get shouted down for being too young, and whilst he may end up leading the gang to safety on this occaision, the four times before, he probably ended up with his brains all over a rock.
This reminded me of my strategy for multi-player games. It has nothing to do with winning or losing, but getting enjoyable, well-behaved teammates. In most FPS games, people fall into this culture of insults and trolling, and twelve-year olds are the most susceptible to it.
The solution, I have found, is act as an example; to present yourself as polite, respectful and kind-hearted. In the Halo 3 lobby, I have been known to say in my smooth, public radio voice "Good evening everybody. Before we start, I'd just like to say that it's an honor and a privileged to be playing with you all tonight. Here's to a fun game, and may the best team win" and that sort of thing. The reactions that I have received have, for the most part, been really endearing. Once I remember sneaking into the enemy base, and hearing them talk about "That nice Scorpio guy. I really like him."
The solution, I have found, is act as an example; to present yourself as polite, respectful and kind-hearted. In the Halo 3 lobby, I have been known to say in my smooth, public radio voice "Good evening everybody. Before we start, I'd just like to say that it's an honor and a privileged to be playing with you all tonight. Here's to a fun game, and may the best team win" and that sort of thing. The reactions that I have received have, for the most part, been really endearing. Once I remember sneaking into the enemy base, and hearing them talk about "That nice Scorpio guy. I really like him."
Sometimes in tf2, teamwork happends. Albeit team is in the name, a lot of the time people don't care about how their team is. Often when teamwork happens, it's just send some demos over there and everyone else rush the point.
The simple truth is that video games are one of the few places where leadership like that is actually possible. Sure, we might stereotype the kid with the squeaky voice, but ultimately, deep down, we know that he's just as likely to be good at the game as not. In real life we know objectively that no kid has the experience or knowledge to lead, he just hasn't lived long enough. But in a game that has only existed for a year or so, just about anyone can be good.
It's the same phenomenon that leads adults to ask their neighbor's kid to fix a $2000 computer.
It's the same phenomenon that leads adults to ask their neighbor's kid to fix a $2000 computer.
Chuck, every week I read the article with the most interesting title (amongst most of the others). And it always ends up being yours. Your articles are always very excitingly paced and overall fun to read, they may not have the same weight of content as other articles of the week but they are very wonderful between the other Escapist articles, thank you for all the hard work you do for us.
Personally I find that 'rising above' to elect yourself leader is usually a waste of time.
I played alot of FPS games and always got fustrated when people wouldn't play as a team, or in games like BF1942 would go straight for a planes. If someone took them before they go there they would WAIT for it to respawn and then take it - not get into the game without it, just sit there waiting for their beloved aircraft to respawn.
In FPS games it really comes down to an attitude of 'I can do better on my own' and its true that in those games one person on a team can and often do take out the entire other team - so having team mates simply means having a distraction that you can use to your advantage and prolong your own existance a little longer.
Also you have some people who feel like they can lead but really don't know much at all.
Even games like WoW where you're pretty much forced to group (ie, one person can't do it all) trying to lead a group (when its not a guild event) usually ends in tears as someone won't listen (because they think they are better / know the instance / can't be arsed) and the whole thing boils down to choas.
I'm happy that somewhere on the internet someone is trying to play as a team and win as a team, but from my experiance its easier to not even bother because most of the time you'll be talking to yourself.
I played alot of FPS games and always got fustrated when people wouldn't play as a team, or in games like BF1942 would go straight for a planes. If someone took them before they go there they would WAIT for it to respawn and then take it - not get into the game without it, just sit there waiting for their beloved aircraft to respawn.
In FPS games it really comes down to an attitude of 'I can do better on my own' and its true that in those games one person on a team can and often do take out the entire other team - so having team mates simply means having a distraction that you can use to your advantage and prolong your own existance a little longer.
Also you have some people who feel like they can lead but really don't know much at all.
Even games like WoW where you're pretty much forced to group (ie, one person can't do it all) trying to lead a group (when its not a guild event) usually ends in tears as someone won't listen (because they think they are better / know the instance / can't be arsed) and the whole thing boils down to choas.
I'm happy that somewhere on the internet someone is trying to play as a team and win as a team, but from my experiance its easier to not even bother because most of the time you'll be talking to yourself.
And THAT is why England owns.
...Or not. Kids are annoying over Xbox Live, however i usually just ignore it or mute.
...Or not. Kids are annoying over Xbox Live, however i usually just ignore it or mute.
Oh how I wish that was more true.Ankhwatcher said:
I often end up playing medic since I realise the team needs at least one but I also realise that nobody else is willing.
This sometimes works, but with average pubbers everyone still does their own thing. (It is extremely frustrating trying to heal a pub soldier, they just jump away).
I've played many games, Bad Company 2, Team Fortress 2, Killing Floor, Left 4 Dead and more where I have thought (at the time) "If we had someone to direct us" we could actually do something.
And then, ther have been times in team fortress 2 where it has happened.
The most recent involved 4 players with mics, myself included. I played medic,as is my custom and the other mic users were a heavy, engineer/spy and solder.
In this game, with the 4 of us directing the other 8 players, we managed to steamroll the opposition who had no organisation. One team-mate who got auto-balanced to the other team actually said that the reason our team was doing so well was for that very reason.
A team of decent players who are well organised by a few good players can defeat a team of great players who are disorganised.