Too Old For Online Gaming?

[Hawksmoor]

I recently downloaded the remake of 3rd Strike and was excited at the prospect of finally being able to play it online. Well, after putting a good bit of time in to the game I've come to the realization that I may just be too old for competitive online games. My reflexes seem a lot slower and the players seem a lot better. I pretty much get destroyed more times than not.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Are there any games, or genres, that you find frustrating, overly complicated, and/or less entertaining than you did when you were younger? Have your views/feelings about online multi-player changed at all as you've gotten older? It sucks to come to and accept the realization that you can't hang with the youngsters anymore.

[Nirvana]

How good were you at Third Strike before? Because it's been a couple weeks since its release, and a lot of the more hardcore 3rd Strike players stuck with it and are still playing online. A lot of the people who downloaded it and realized that it's a game that you have to put quite some time into dropped it.

I personally think you most likely haven't played in awhile. I'm sure you can get back to being where you want to be if you just put time into it. Either that or you just ran into some good players.

[j_factor]

I feel like I'm too old for online gaming, in the sense that I'm not a 12 year old who says "faggot" every other sentence.

That's slightly exaggerated, but seriously, I feel like most online players nowadays are mostly younger, and mostly rude and annoying to play with. My tolerance for juvenile behavior has gotten quite low over the years.

[Jorpho]

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/online_gaming

[kedawa]

You're younger than me and I just keep improving.

Your problem might be game specific.
I know 3SOE has had some serious issues with matchmaking and ranking, so maybe you just got pitted against much better players.

It's also worth noting that playing 3S online feels much different than offline, so you may need to adjust to that before you get back in the groove. The serious 3S players that were already playing on the PC GGPO client have a definite advantage in that regard.

[G-Boobie]

I've been playing 3S competitively for a long time now, and for the most part, the people I run into online are other long time players. Every once in a while I come across an obvious new player, but not as often as I thought I would. There are a lot of killers prowling online. I'm pretty sure this is game specific.

Hang in there!

[InsaneDavid]

This reminds me of Subspace. With the beginner zones dead and gone, and the over all player numbers very low, it can be extremely difficult for a new player to learn the required skills to play solidly.

[Kitsune Sniper]

This reminds me of Subspace. With the beginner zones dead and gone, and the over all player numbers very low, it can be extremely difficult for a new player to learn the required skills to play solidly.

Sounds like Counter-Strike Source / Day of Defeat Source on the PC to me. I got both games for free and can't even last more than five seconds alive because some guy across the map snipes me over the head with a pistol.

[calthaer]

I feel like I'm too old for online gaming, in the sense that I'm not a 12 year old who says "faggot" every other sentence.

That's slightly exaggerated, but seriously, I feel like most online players nowadays are mostly younger, and mostly rude and annoying to play with. My tolerance for juvenile behavior has gotten quite low over the years.

I'm with J_Fact and Jorpho on this one. I used to play online games, but don't have the time or patience for the inane juvenile drivel that gets displayed on it. I'm sure age and reflexes might have something to do with it, but a lot of those reflexes are not age-specific but practice-specific - some of these troubled teens just don't have any other hobby but one particular game.

I'm not into one particular game. I like lots of games. I don't feel like devoting hours upon hours to mastering one specific skill / class in one specific game that's going to be outdated in five years.

If I played online with anybody, I'd prefer to play online coop games with mature folks like the people on this board. Terraria, or Neverwinter Nights, or Left 4 Dead or something like that. Forget this MMOG garbage; I'm not shelling out monthly cash to chill out with people who are n00bs IRL.

[Baloo]

Fighting games are unplayable online because of the sheer hardcore crowd that plays them. Also the lag on most Capcom games are terrible. You either get your ass totally handed you or lag out, they're just not fun anymore unless they're in the arcades IMO.

And the crowd is...less than desirable when it comes to online gaming indeed. Personally, I think it's a bit overrated and games are better played in large groups of friends/gatherings.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

I feel like I'm too old for online gaming, in the sense that I'm not a 12 year old who says "faggot" every other sentence.

That's slightly exaggerated, but seriously, I feel like most online players nowadays are mostly younger, and mostly rude and annoying to play with. My tolerance for juvenile behavior has gotten quite low over the years.

just put everyone on mute, 12 years old or not

[heybtbm]

"Too old", pffft.

I think it has more to do with practice than reflexes. I rarely play COD or Halo and subsequently get smoked whenever I hop online. Embarrassing...like 2 and 15 embarrassing. I play Battlefield just about every weekend and regularly rank in the top 3 each match. The older you get, the less free time you have. Your game skills erode with neglect. If you were able to play 3 hours each night like these "10-time-prestiged" kids do, you would be just as "good". That's all it is.

To all the multiplayer-phobic old dudes:

You can only talk with your squad in the Battlefield games...i.e. 3 other people max. 1000+ hours online and I've never heard one racist hillbilly or whiny 13 year old. Ever. No lobby shit talking allowed either. Halo or COD? You'll get one in the first match. Even then you can just mute them. Problem solved.

[portnoyd]

This reminds me of Subspace. With the beginner zones dead and gone, and the over all player numbers very low, it can be extremely difficult for a new player to learn the required skills to play solidly.

My god, Subspace is still running?!

[crazyjackcsa]

It is a matter of age, but not in a matter of "old age". I'm 30 and since I have no actual knowledge regarding your age, I'll assume the same for you.

I have a house, a job, a car, a wife and two kids. I can devote at best about 10 hours a week to ALL my games. The people you're playing with (by and large) can devote double that to a single game.

There is no way you'll ever progress to their skill level. It can't be done. Boredom is a young persons problem.

If ever you're feeling bad about your skill, break out an old fighting game that you mastered, and play somebody younger. I can't hold a candle to a kid playing COD or the fighters. But I can still lay waste to the kids in Virtua Fighter 2 and Soul Caliber.

[InsaneDavid]

My god, Subspace is still running?!

Yup, however I haven't popped into Chaos Pub in a few months so I could be wrong. LOL It's happened before. I guess someone ratted out whoever was hosting Alpha West SVS to their hosting company which they also worked for (I can't keep it all straight) and the plug got pulled. Chaos had some big hiccup a couple years ago as well with the billing server. There aren't very many zones left but Chaos is still around and that's the only place I've played for the past two years.

As for Alpha it's been gone for awhile but the amount of players there was always minuscule. No one wanted to play on that huge map with the settings fixed to be deliberately old school (grinding for greens to power up) when there were faster and more instantly rewarding zones out there.

Hell, I think I'll hop on Chaos right now. :)

[Jorpho]

Boredom is a young persons problem.Wow. That's... pretty darn profound, I have to say.

[Hawksmoor]

@Nirvana I was....solid. I could do basic combos and chains into supers, plus all the stock moves. So, any teenager or Asian could probably have destroyed me, even back then.

@j_factor Yes, yes, 1000 times yes.

@J'orfeaux That's an awesome comic.

@kedawa I haven't really had too many lag issues. Just rage issues.

So yeah, it's probably a combination of what most of you are saying; prepubescent douchebags with big mouths, lack of practice, lack of time to devote to practice, diminished reflexes, and occasional connection issues.

For the first time in my life I feel, to a certain extent, that gaming (and online gaming in particular) has passed me by. I'm 33 for the record. Perhaps I'm hitting my curmudgeon period early.

Regarding SubSpace, it's funny that came up. David, I played in the Chaos zone under the name Navarone for years, around 98-2004 or so. I still, every so often, log in - maybe one every 3-4 months. What's your primary handle in Chaos?

[InsaneDavid]

Regarding SubSpace, it's funny that came up. David, I played in the Chaos zone under the name Navarone for years, around 98-2004 or so. I still, every so often, log in - maybe one every 3-4 months. What's your primary handle in Chaos?

InsaneDavid under squad DeathBunny but before 2007 or so it was Evolver with no squad affiliation.

[Slate]

Yes, I've turned my 360 on about four times since late May (Or was it June?) Most games aren't fun to me anymore. They're a waste of my time these days, If I play games too much now I get very depressed.

Austin

[Gameguy]

I feel like I'm too old for online gaming, in the sense that I'm not a 12 year old who says "faggot" every other sentence.

That's slightly exaggerated, but seriously, I feel like most online players nowadays are mostly younger, and mostly rude and annoying to play with. My tolerance for juvenile behavior has gotten quite low over the years.
I felt the same way even when I was a kid, I never got into online gaming and never saw the point to begin with. I pretty much just play games by myself, but wouldn't mind playing multiplayer in person which is pretty much the only reason why I'm keeping multitaps around. I rarely ever use them.

[crazyjackcsa]

Wow. That's... pretty darn profound, I have to say.

Thanks... but it isn't mine. I don't know who said it, or where I read it, but it's something that stuck with me.

[maxlords]

I'm 34 and I get bored playing multiplayer games. Can't stand it at all. Never have liked it. Even with groups of friends playing in the same room it bores me.

[Sunnyvale]

I'm 36, and I never played online multiplayer until very recently. Yeah, the kids suck. Or I suck. Halo, ugh, never again. But L4D2... now that was fun. I dunno, maybe it was the aforementioned insults, or maybe it was the sight of Master Chief's junk on my dead face that turned me off, but that cartoon posted by J'orfeaux was dead-on in my experience.

[Terminusvitae]

I'm 95, and who the hell are all you people, anyway?!

[punkoffgirl]

Great topic! I'm going to move it over to Modern Gaming so it can get more of the attention it deserves :)

[buzz_n64]

Middle-aged man attacks boy over Call of Duty video game
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/09/30/middle-aged-man-attacks-boy-over-call-of-duty-video-game-115875-23455688/

"Mark Bradford, 46, saw red when the boy gloated after gunning him down while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.

A court heard how Bradford stormed out of his bedsit and assaulted the 13-year-old who was playing the war game at a friend’s home nearby.


The pal’s mum had to come to the terrified boy’s rescue after Bradford marched into the front room and grabbed the boy’s throat with both hands.

The lad, who cannot be identified, said last night: “I was just sat playing. We’d had a bit of a joke and then he stormed in and grabbed me. I didn’t know what was going on.”...

[skaar]

Great topic! I'm going to move it over to Modern Gaming so it can get more of the attention it deserves :)

I just noticed your amended title. You honour me.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

Middle-aged man attacks boy over Call of Duty video game
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/09/30/middle-aged-man-attacks-boy-over-call-of-duty-video-game-115875-23455688/

"Mark Bradford, 46, saw red when the boy gloated after gunning him down while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.

A court heard how Bradford stormed out of his bedsit and assaulted the 13-year-old who was playing the war game at a friend’s home nearby.


The pal’s mum had to come to the terrified boy’s rescue after Bradford marched into the front room and grabbed the boy’s throat with both hands.

The lad, who cannot be identified, said last night: “I was just sat playing. We’d had a bit of a joke and then he stormed in and grabbed me. I didn’t know what was going on.”...


yea i read that, i honestly dont think it really had anything to do with the game more with what exactly the kid said, he's pleading innocence now cuz he knows he'll be believed, i dont know why, i just feel like the kid deserved it somehow


if that same kid said whatever he said to set off that guy to a grown man's face in person...that little fuck deserves whatever he gets

[ianoid]

I only really got into multiplayer recently on 360- Battlefield Bad Company 2. I think it was a great starter title for multiplayer considering it had a rather mature userbase and most of the kiddies had moved on to the latest CoDs. The game style encourages team play- as stated before you can only hear your 3 squadmates. I had a friend get me into it. I like playing with friends. If you have fun friends, you can have fun with them playing online.

Occasionally someone is problematic in BFBC2, but that's rare. Most people are pretty cool. Some are too serious, some are griefers, but mostly people are into playing and having a good time. Over time you just friend people you like playing with and join them when you see them online. I haven't encountered people who avoided me because I'm not very good.

The joy of online play has to do with the social aspects of doing something WITH people, and the unpredictability of playing against people. No AI compares, but AI can be fun still.

I will admit, some nights aren't as much fun as others, if the matches don't come out balanced for whatever reason. But I get so much enjoyment from the good nights, it's easy to forget about the occasional bad nights.

With regard to your 5K177z, I think Battlefield is very forgiving considering there are so many ways to play. You aren't forced to run into the fray and spawn-die-spawn-die, etc. But it does take time to get good, and as accurately stated before, kids have all the time in the world. There was a point that my 7 year old could have schooled me in Black Ops. Since I don't play that game, it's not a surprise, but he was good. It's also a statement about who plays Black Ops.

Anyway, it takes time to get good at anything with any depth, but if you don't enjoy the process after giving it a good try, it's hard to bother. I think playing with friends really helped me get into it for the first time. If anyone wants to play BFBC2 or BF3 on 360, please friend me, I'm 'ianoid'. If you're a noob, I'll do my best to show the ropes. I'm not some super fantastic player or anything, but I can show you around.

[jonebone]

Fighting games are unplayable online because of the sheer hardcore crowd that plays them. Also the lag on most Capcom games are terrible. You either get your ass totally handed you or lag out, they're just not fun anymore unless they're in the arcades IMO.

And the crowd is...less than desirable when it comes to online gaming indeed. Personally, I think it's a bit overrated and games are better played in large groups of friends/gatherings.

This x 1000. But as far as other genres, I find that I'm good enough to at least play. I'm not going to destroy all of of my competition, but I'm good enough to have fun at least.

[Dobie]

I'm older by gaming standards, 32, but I still play games online and do just fine. You just have to find the game for you, and then realize that you only have so much time you can dedicate to it, so beatdowns happen. Fighting games are a tough genre to play casually. I tend to gravitate more towards cooperative, or team-based competitive experiences these days, since the time I do get to play is limited, and I just prefer to chill with a beer and a couple friends.

I have a group of Halo players that I've played with since the Halo 1 days, we're all in our 30's now, but we still manage to clean up pretty well when we play Halo: Reach online. BFBC2 is a great one for online too, because you can still be successful and help your team without necessarily being skilled.

[Blitzwing256]

If you're looking for a fun multiplayer cooperative game online, I'd recomend castlevania hd (now on ps3 and xbawks), the whole game is bent around going through the levels as a team working together, really the only multiplayer game I've ever enjoyed. check it out.

[kedawa]

I'm 34 and I play multiplayer games far more than single player.
Mostly I play 2D fighters, but occasionally I play puzzle games or older FPS.
Modern single player games are just mind numbingly boring to me.
I'm sick of moronic cliche stories and time-wasting cutscenes. I just want to play, and playing with or against other human beings is much more fun.

[moggles]

just put everyone on mute, 12 years old or not

Agreed.

Why are people talking while playing anyway? Don't they have people in real life that they can talk to? Turn voice chat off and focus on playing games instead.

[Cobra Commander]

I'm 34. I'm really into Gears of War. 9 times out of 10, I play with my brother-in-law. He's about my age. Usually, we're in a private chat - just him and I and maybe another friend or so. When I'm playing online without anyone in particular, I don't even put the headset on.
Same with Halo Reach. I have 0 desire to chat with anyone on there.

[Buyatari]

I'm too old for online play unless I am able to mute all the 13 year olds.

[Nature Boy]

Online play is definitely all about the ability to mute somebody, I don't think it matters how old you personally have to be.

I don't think it's a matter of age specifically, because at 40 I can still do really well at a game if I've got the time in. But it's the fact that, at 40, I can't put the time in that makes playing Halo much more difficult than it would have been had I been able to play at, say, 14.

I'm still not a great player by any means, but by sticking with it and putting the hours in, my kill count in Team Slayer went from 4 when I first started to 10 after awhile.

My favourite part of playing online with younger people? Watching them lose their *mind* when they get teabagged. I couldn't care less if someone does it to me (an advantage of age no doubt), but I've played along with 14 year olds and listening to and watching them snap is priceless.

[Gameguy]

Middle-aged man attacks boy over Call of Duty video game
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/09/30/middle-aged-man-attacks-boy-over-call-of-duty-video-game-115875-23455688/

"Mark Bradford, 46, saw red when the boy gloated after gunning him down while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.

A court heard how Bradford stormed out of his bedsit and assaulted the 13-year-old who was playing the war game at a friend’s home nearby.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/4027/600fulldeathwish3screen.jpg

"What do you call people who, when they're faced with a condition or fear, do nothing about it, they just run and hide?"

[Robocop2]

I've always been overwhelmingly average save the time I was playing Halo 3 and my entire team quit and I faced off against 5 people and managed second place. I've been considering getting back into MP lately but I'll probably wait til Amazon has the Gold cards on sale this christmas since I have a hard time paying the price of a new retail game just for the priveledge of playing MP.

[Nz17]

just put everyone on mute, 12 years old or not

I did this, and my enjoyment of Team Fortress 2 improved immensely. At first I took the approach of "I'll mute people selectively." then "I'll just not play on servers with alltalk (where you can hear everyone)." then "Forget it, mute for all!" then "This feels lonesome without anyone to talk to or hear." to "Crap, I'm muting them all again!"

It really is for the better. Only when you are playing with friends who can voice chat or are on a team that works as a cohesive unit and uses talk as a tool, a weapon against the enemy, is it worthwhile.

I also suggest team-based multi-player for anyone who is trying to get up to speed with a game or just have fun with casual online play. Single-player online fighting games (and online fighters in general) are bad for morale. ;)


I'm 34 and I get bored playing multiplayer games. Can't stand it at all. Never have liked it. Even with groups of friends playing in the same room it bores me.

I can attest to this. I played an online game with maxlords once... and only once. His impatience with it was astounding. :D