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?
