So far I’ve had about one post per category on this site, and the list continues to grow.

Played some Metal Gear Online again today, and by the end of it I had a lot of fun.  Got my ass handed to me for a while, and once I stopped caring about that so much I did alright.  The hardest part about the game, abbreviated as MGO, is that it isn’t Quake, of which I am so accustomed.

In Quake, my general strategy would be to run around bat-shit crazy and try to fly by and out-shoot whoever I opposed.  In MGO, trying the same strategy will get you a round of headshots and embarrassment, and little else.  Patience, then, is key, and especially when matched up against the large number of rather skilled players online, being too brash or erratic can get to hurting.

How I get a handle on it

From an ergonomics perspective, too, as an amputee (missing the last 1/3rd of my left arm) it is rather ridiculous how I have to play FPS games with a controller.  On the computer, a keyboard and mouse, while not exactly ideal, worked out rather well for me: my left arm can handle the direction keys rather well with the keyboard in my lap, and the right-handed mouse can handle the rest.

With the PS3, I hold the controller in my right hand, and then prop up my left leg on to my right knee.  From this point, I can move the entire controller into my left calf, which hits the “shoulder” buttons on the left hand side.  Left arm on the left direction pad, and away I go.  Now you try that position for a couple hours and get back to me and how your back feels, or how your left knee is doing.  Add in some fumbled tries, too, when my leg doesn’t quite have the resolution required to accurately select the L1 from the L2, or if something cramps up.

Reduced set

Still, at the end of the day I can do alright.  I find that in general my performance in these types of games has more to do with how I am able to focus and get some calm into my system, especially with MGO, where it pays to not be too brash.  There seems to be this general impulse that once you have a game system it becomes imperative to buy whatever games come out for it.  I do currently have a reasonable selection at this point, though my experience with MGO again reminds me of how many hours I spent essentially with one game (Quake).  There are certainly a lot of flashy games with great graphics and stories and so on, though with a consistent interface and the chance to play online on a decent variety of well-made maps, MGO has lately been my fall-back for the times when I have the spare time.