Welcome, welcome to Blog Banter, the monthly blogging extravaganza headed by bs angel (hey, that’s me!). Blog Banter involves our cozy community of enthusiastic gaming bloggers, a common topic, and a week to post articles pertaining to said topic. The results are quite entertaining and can range from deeply insightful to ROFLMAO. Any questions about joining Blog Banter should be directed here. Check out other Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!
When you are a gamer and your significant other is not, it’s only natural to want to convert them into a denizen of your preferred virtual world. It’s no different than introducing them to your favorite movie or song, family member or friend, like or dislike. The path to the introduction of video games is one that can be reached in several different ways. Playing cooperatively instead of competitively is a common suggestion, as is starting with casual titles before bringing in the more hardcore ones. Bungie.net user JoelWarnke has a different idea though, and that idea revolves around a bribe.
JoelWarnke loves Halo. His wife Holly? Not so much. While she has played a few games of his beloved science fiction first-person shooter video game, her interest has not budged beyond the instant kills of swords or gravity hammers. JoelWarnke wants his wife to be as passionate about Halo as he is though so he has devised a detailed game plan to accomplish just that. Basically he set some fundamental criteria for Holly to accomplish and if she completes these specified goals within a two week time frame, he will buy her one of three things (a Kindle 2, center ice seats at a Detroit Red Wings game, or concert tickets). Her Halo-specific tasks include achieving a rank of Captain Grade 3, a minimum highest skill of 25, and at least 400 EXP along with the chores of taking one screenshot (including setting it as her trophy shot) and also capturing one video (along with transferring it to her File Share). Not only does she have to meet those criteria but she also has to complete at least seven of the following nine assignments:
- Earn at least 1 Killing Frenzy medal
- Earn at least 1 Sniper Spree medal
- Earn at least 1 Shotgun Spree medal
- Earn at least 1 Flag Carrier Kill medal
- Earn at least 1 Killed VIP medal
- Earn at least 1 Skyjack medal
- Unlock Triple Kill Achievement
- Unlock Mongoose Mowdown Achievement
- Unlock Too Close to The Sun Achievement
Disregarding the fact that some of the outlined tasks are difficult even for a well-versed Halo player, the entire situation is quite intriguing. Has JoelWarnke set the goals too high for someone new to the Halo universe? If the goals are in fact too high, will his plan possibly backfire from its intended purpose? Is the time frame too short considering real life responsibilities will not be taking a backseat (they are married with two children)? Could this possibly work as far as inspiring a genuine interest in Halo? Time will tell as the clock is already ticking. 13 days. And counting.
Other participants!
Gaming with my wife, You could be doubling alone, Next Gen Killed Our Gaming Relationship, Forced Perspective, Playing With My Toys, From Gaming Geek to Heroes Freak, My Lady and Gaming, Gaming with your significant other, Gaming Together, Maybe?, Girl Gamers = Hawt, Gaming with my significant other, Move Over Hott Boy, I Want to Play, Valentine’s Day is for Gamers, Frag the Girlfriend!!
Posted by EXZA on February 28, 2009 at 10:56 am
First should be: Convert into a Gaming Girl.
Posted by EXZA on February 28, 2009 at 10:57 am
Scratch that: Convert into a MLG Girl.
Posted by vashkey on February 28, 2009 at 11:47 am
This has got to be a joke. I’ve had Halo 3 since launch and I still haven’t got a sniper spree. And what I have gotten’ out of that list took me months except for the flag carrier kill, vip kill and sky jack.
And I haven’t even cared to go past captain grade three. And if thats the minimum rank she can get that’ll be impossible. You have to get a ton of experience for captain grade three.
Posted by AT-AT on February 28, 2009 at 11:58 am
Dude, that’s some ridiculous requirements for someone who hasn’t played the game. Killing Frenzy? Sniper/Shotgun Spree? Two fairly difficult Lone Wolves achievement? Lets hope he has a forgiving wife when she realizes that she’s probably not going to be able to do those.
Posted by bs angel on February 28, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I agree. I have the majority of those but certainly not many of each, especially considering I have almost 3,500 games under my belt.
Posted by NINJA Dusk2Dawn on February 28, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I disagree, i don’t own a copy of halo but borrowed it for a moneth and i got all these except shotty spree, I think it is possible but 3 weeks would be better.
Posted by Artemis on February 28, 2009 at 12:40 pm
My husband and I call Halo our marriage counseling. There is nothing better than sticking your significant other on the head when he is being particularly jerky that day
Posted by DethPwn on March 1, 2009 at 8:53 am
NICE!
Posted by Dan on February 28, 2009 at 12:43 pm
This seems like a good way to get her to play a lot of Halo, but not necessarily enjoy it. Instead, she’ll quickly realize how hard all of that crap is, give up and never want to play again. And resent him.
Posted by bs angel on February 28, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I agree. I’m quite curious if he is playing with her and being a solid teammate to her endeavors or if he is forcing her to attempt those lofty goals with randoms, which we both know is less than optimal plus not an enjoyable experience.
Posted by Shirdel7221 on February 28, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I’ve had Halo 3 since June, but only had Xbox LIVE since January, and I’ve got eight of those. Only one I don’t have is Sniper Spree.
Posted by Chewbeccawacca on February 28, 2009 at 1:36 pm
I like the concept. Especially if she REALLY wants those prize/bribes. But two weeks to complete that list is ridiculous. It took me forever to nail the mongoose achievement. And with only one or two exp points per every won match, factoring in real life time consumption, it might be actually impossible (for a non-gamer) to get that 400. Dude should rethink his requirements, or at least give her more time, if he really wants this to work. (Assuming of course his wife isn’t some uber-1337-savant just waiting to be discovered by the MLG circuit)
Posted by Hojimoto SBG on February 28, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Yeah, this seems to be a recipe for disaster. He’s not really cultivating anything here – just saying “here, play this and earn these.”
Maybe if he took the time to teach her how to play the game (say, a couple nights together each week for an hour or two) that would build up their relationship more and she might find more to get interested in. But if she don’t love gamin’ there ain’t nothin’ gonna get her THOSE prizes.
Posted by Queen 0f Blades on February 28, 2009 at 4:07 pm
That’s when she turns the tables and threatens him with never having sex again if she is forced to do this.
Posted by Killjoy on February 28, 2009 at 7:39 pm
this.
haha I have most of those, but in a couple months, not a couple weeks…
Posted by DethPwn on February 28, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I personally think the bar is set way to high. Especially if you factor in the Sniper Spree which is rediculously challenging, at least initially.
Posted by yoogleific on March 2, 2009 at 5:12 am
agreed, I only get sky jacks in forge, when I convince my brother to fly the banshee lower without boosting
Posted by DethPwn on March 2, 2009 at 10:09 pm
LAWL! I can relate, I just manned two controllers, flew a Banshee past my guy on Sandtrap and Bada-bing! Achievement Unlocked. (I apologize for ‘Bada-bing’)
Posted by DethPwn on March 2, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Alas, I did not realize the requirements during said attempt. (Sorry about double post, computer load fail)
Posted by Frogwart on February 28, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Yikes. I don’t have most of those, and am far from getting them, as much as I play online.
I can’t get my wife to try Halo, or any FPS, because they make her feel sick. I feel lucky she watched me play Halo C.E. as much as she did. Does anyone know if sea and/or airsickness medicine does anything to alleviate simulation sickness?
Posted by bs angel on February 28, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Motion sickness medicine does in fact help people who suffer from that particular ailment while playing video games. I would know because I have the same problem! Tell her to try Dramamine next time she plays and see if it helps.
Posted by Socket on March 1, 2009 at 9:21 am
Haha! My uncle gets sick from playing Fps’ so he plays that other sucky game…whats it called..oh yeah, WoW.
lol, jk.
Posted by MK28 on March 1, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Apparently, motion sickness is caused by a disturbance between the eye, middle-ear and brain function.
What happens is the eye sees a ‘bobbing horizon’ via the motions onscreen, but the middle ear and the brain doesn’t recognise it as an actual physical occurence, creating a disturbance between the three organs’ coordination (As I remember it, Turok on the N64 was one of the first major console games to have problems with this dual axis natural bounce).
This is what makes you sick, a tame form of Nystagmus whereby information is being sent to the brain from the eye, that other parts of the body are not correlating.
Hence the weird (but perfectly normal) reaction.
I don’t know about Motion Sickness medicines but lowering the sensitivity on the Up/Down axis (Y axis) has worked for friends. As I remember it, some FPS games have an option to turn the ‘natural bounce’ off. Shame they never thought of that for the Bourne films… bastards!
Posted by seVen on March 2, 2009 at 3:53 am
If she tries to focus on the reticule that should help. I remember reading that if there’s no point of focus, fps’s can make you feel sick fast. Not sure if that’s the problem in this case, but you could try it.
Posted by Jesse19 on February 28, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Geez, That’s a pretty lofty goal to set for his poor wife. :(
Posted by Das Kalk on February 28, 2009 at 10:21 pm
He shouldn’t have to bribe her in to being interested in his interests…
Posted by MK28 on March 2, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Men are from Mars and some women don’t like pe…
I’ve passed on good times for Advance Wars and my ex loved 30 Seconds to Mars with prettyboy frontman, Jared Leto and the little yowl he mews in every song -never understood that; and she never understood Advance Wars.
Some interests are yours and some are theirs and sometimes, the two subjects just don’t meet. In the end I gave up and brought tickets when they were in town.
Watching her face light up while cuss-heavy-Mister Cool-Pants strutted his stuff about the stage was satisfying enough.
Of course, when she said she hated Dylan and that our first-born wouldn’t be named after him -bitch had to go! :D
Posted by HellCat on February 28, 2009 at 10:42 pm
this is sad if my bf did he’d b out on his ass
Posted by CdawgOwnd on March 1, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I guarantee that by the time she completes the tasks she will be completely obsessed. How do you think I got this way. Yeah it takes some getting used to but with all of that criteria she’ll be totally in love.
Posted by SoxKid05 on March 2, 2009 at 9:28 am
if she completes that, i say he should give her all three of those things haha
Posted by Viktim on March 2, 2009 at 11:46 am
No kidding! If she pulls all that off in two weeks, get her all those things & sign her up for the next MLG ladder…
Posted by Jaklap on March 4, 2009 at 5:50 pm
lol
Posted by Angela [Feralis Dawn] on March 5, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I really don’t play Halo at all, but I can tell that those goals may be a little far fetched for someone new to the game. But since there is a reward at the end, perhaps this will encourage her more. I like his idea. It’s better than regular achievements!