Multiplayer Gaming

In case you haven't noticed, my poll for this week has to do with what kind of multiplayer gaming people prefer. I know which I prefer, but I don't want to reveal it until after the poll expires. However, I do want to talk a little bit about the good things that come from each type of multiplayer gaming without discussing the combination of the two.

First, competitive gaming in this context consists of games that directly match their players against each other as opponents. When on player does well, it is typically at the expense of another player. While players are assumed to follow a set of rules that describe the conditions of the game (assume hacks and cheating don't happen), humans are frequently capable of executing highly unpredictable behavior that can create a huge variety of experiences. A few examples of competitive games are Halflife 2 Deathmatch, Starcraft 1v1 matches, Street Fighter, and Super Smash Brothers.

On the other hand, cooperative games get a group of players and put them on the same team in order to overcome a shared opponent. Players who do well usually assist their team mates, causing them to also do well. Often the opponent or challenge to overcome is scripted, or has some predictable behavior that can be learned and overcome. Some cooperative games are World of Warcraft dungeons and raids, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, Little Big Planet, and Contra.

Both cooperative and competitive gaming have good things about them that can provide varied and satisfying experiences. Both allow for social interaction, which I believe to be an important part of life. Many of my close friends live some distance from me these days, so it is valuable to my life to be able to continue to enjoy my friendships through multiplayer gaming experiences across the internet. Between the options of competitive and cooperative multiplayer out there, I'm sure there's a gaming experience for everyone.