Friday, October 11, 2013

We Call Him Doc

It's hot.  Has to be at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit without all of this gear strapped in around and on me.  My back hurts after walking for what seems like hours with nothing but circular conversation with the locals to mark what is ending up to be a pretty normal day.  Glancing up at the sky, and looking around I make a mental note that my squad leaders need to be praised for keeping the soldiers in good spirits while pushing them to remain vigilant and ready.  Just another day in the office.

I remove my government issued ballistic eye protection in order to wipe the stinging sweat from my forehead.  Ballistic eye protection?  Wow, sunglasses.  Why does the Army have to use such complicated terminology for the simplest of things?

After what seems like an eternity the lieutenant gives a command to break our position down and move on to the next location in what seems like a never ending circle of meetings, tea drinking and accomplishing nothing.  I'm sure there is a point but what that is no longer really concerns me.  All I know is that my soldiers are getting tired.  Fatigue breeds complacency and complacency breeds mistakes.  Mistakes turn into very bad things.  It's hot.

Just as I key the mic on my radio to tell the platoon leader that we need to start heading back I hear it.  The unmistakable patter of distant machine gun fire.  It sounds almost comforting at first.  Some may tell me I am crazy for saying that but after you spend days looking at everyone and everything with suspicion there is some small solace in finally knowing where your enemy is.  It sounds like popcorn.  High velocity popcorn.

Then it happens, the moment every platoon sergeant fears.  My heart jumps into my throat as the screams start to ring out.  

MEDIC!!

MEDIC!!

'Fuck Doc.  Let's go man.  Move your ass!'
'Moving Sergeant!  Right behind you!'

It's hot.  Just another day at the office.




This is something that I have had to deal with on more than one occasion in my 16 years as an infantryman in the U.S. Army.  It's a reality that just is.  It is experiences like this that I pull on when determining how I play my online games.  I could be digging into this a little more than I should but in the end we all play differently and this is something that brings me to enjoy whatever it is that is on my computer screen at the time.  The majority of my play sessions on Auraxis I am using my medic load out.

I get a small reward out of every soldier I resurrect or heal that goes beyond the experience, certification points and whatever other in game systems are in place.  Knowing that I helped someone else out goes beyond those things.  Don't get me wrong though.  I do love my experience points there are other things that help me to continue playing and improving my skills.

While Planetside 2 does an amazing job of getting me immersed into the fight it doesn't come anywhere near the real thing.  But it has caused it to come as close as any other game I have ever played.  Camaraderie and assisting the player to your left and right is how you win fights.  Without those team oriented folks the fight is essentially lost before it starts.

Am I alone in my seemingly over thought class/character/load out choice methods?  How do you determine what kind of character to play when you start an online game?

4 comments:

  1. None of the real world combat experience on my end but I have to say that the detail level in PS2 has at points put me on edge. I recall a time when I first started playing it that I had the sound cranked way up, and they did such a magnificent job with the audio,,, Someone opened up an MG behind me when it had been quiet for a few minutes. The first crack of the gunshot startled me, and the the sounds really sounded like they were coming from behind me, and not so far away! A very immersive game!

    When I first started playing I was really into the Medic but I've been trying to branch out and have found I like the Engineer and really enjoy heavy infantry too. I'll spend a random hour or two with a sniper rifle at some points as well. Have not found much use for light infantry other than being a target for the enemy.

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    1. I have actually been trying to get in contact with the sound team. They got it right. In a lot of the huge night fights the sound of the rounds zipping around along with the lighting is awe inspiring.

      I always welcome people to play with. If you have a TR character on Connery look up Slaynn. Would be fun to play with you and anyone else that wants to join me.

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    2. As a healer I find it an interesting balance between wanting to be helpful to my fellow players and viewing healing as "just doing my job."

      With the former, I am helping people have more fun, to reach our objective. With the latter, I'm just looking at health bars: they go down, I bring them back up. I bring the green.

      Ultimately, it's both. By doing my job, I help them do theirs better. I cover their missteps, and they keep the enemy off. I think your perspective on 'camaraderie and assisting the player' is exactly right.

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  2. I'll look you up if I ever make a TR. My gaming group decided to go NC-Only and that's all I've done. They aren't playing much anymore (neither am I really.. I fire it up here and there... but I've stuck with NC as I don't want to be red or purple. LOL

    I do play on Connery, if you ever end up getting a killshot on T0MBSTONE, that was me!

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