by Tristan Longino, Guest Writer
Location: In a Starship’s Hold, Shooting Stuff

Iggy’s Note: since I cannot get that layabout Midnight Angel to write a follow-up slam on Second Life, I asked Tristan, my former student and avid gamer, to come up with a counterpoint in favor of games.  While his experience is based on the Sims and not SL, much of this applies well.  As games do get more open-ended and support player-created content, and as SL gets better graphics and physics, will there even be a difference?

Having grown up on the NES & SNES I forsook consoles for PC games in the mid/late 90s.  I find PC games deeper and richer, in part due to the more mature demographic designers are appealing to.  Sounds like I’m a perfect candidate for Second Life.

I remember, years ago, when The Sims first hit shelves.  I remember playing it for a month, enjoying the fleeting novelty until frustration and boredom supplanted it.  I knew it was time to quit when my sim would return from work to empty his bowels and die in the street…guess I didn’t micromanage him quite closely enough.

I imagine The Sims Online and Second Life share much in common, including the user created content, shopping, and socializing…but without the endearing fondness generated by trying to guide your sim to happiness.  I’ve never taken the time to download Second Life; there are so many more appealing choices I can’t be bothered.

For those looking for adventure, or more mature content (minus the black light district of Second Life) try one of Bethseda’s Elder Scrolls games, specifically Oblivion.  Not only is there user created content, thanks to the free construction set, you get the pleasure of exploring a lush, beautiful inhabited world.  The graphics aren’t even what makes it such a better alternative (though they help).; the fantastic story, and open ended gameplay allowing for a personal experience through moral and political choices make the experience unique.

I know an objection I will receive from you Second Life denizens is that games are too linear.  While linearity may be an issue in more structured games, games like Oblivion (as mentioned) allow you to explore and play with your own style.  Be good, evil, finish the main quest in 20 hours, or spend 200 hours doing side quests bypass the main storyline altogether.

If you want something more “social,” try a MMORG.  Having myself progressed through the MMORG genre, from beta tester to addict to a happier medium as a casual AFS soldier in Tabula Rasa, I am no stranger to the online universe.  With all the outstanding options that allow you to go out and adventure with friends, why would you prefer to spend time in a flamboyant chat room?  I’ve never understood the desire to inhabit this particular digital universe; in this gamer’s opinion there are other more entertaining and satisfying ways to explore and express your digital persona.

Maybe I just don’t get it because I wasn’t one of those kids whose favorite thing to do on the weekend in Junior High was hang out at the mall.  I preferred to spend my weekend accomplishing something…either in real life or in one of the many game universes I still fondly remember.

Be sure to check the “In a Strange Land” Archive for old posts

I’m a big fan of The Elder Scrolls, but found Oblivion lifeless and boring, compared to Morrowind. Especially the possibility of new PC games to create your own levels and missions is great. There’s one wood elf hairstyle from a Morrowind modification that I really want for my SL avatar.

It’s only frustrating that these games do not have a multiplayer mode. And so my fascination with the game ends at some point, because you are sooner or later too strong for all ingame opponents.

Since I have a SL account, I find “normal” PC games boring and _I am more drawn to MMPORGs. Maybe I just got used to the interaction with other players and the open-endedness of these games.

In a “game” you have predefined roles you can choose from (fighter, healer, merchant, wizard etc.) and mostly your avatar has to belong to a certain “race” (elves, dwarfs, orcs, humans etc.). That means you have set goals and a tighter “frame”. In SL, you can express yourself more freely, according to my experiences. Plus, it attracts people who have not much experience in computer gaming - that’s different in most other online games.

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