The Evolution of Online Disrespect: Taking it to the Next Level

Do you recall just what game it was in which you first started crouching upon the faces of the fallen after a swift head-shot? Maybe you used to get down on some Counter-Strike and suffered many a groin in ya grill as the more experienced shooters repeatedly laid you out. I think that it is safe to assume that most the younger generation of gamers acquired this adorable talent in the renown Halo franchise and are probably under the misconception that Halo invented any form of online video-game harassment. For me it was probably a combination of XIII on the archaic machina known as the GameCube as well as Far Cry: Instincts for the bulky original Xbox.

When words simply failed to convey the level of disdain you held for your opponent the classic “T-bag” was a more than adequate way to share your feelings. So came about a popular trend in gaming amongst the giggling children, squabbling angst-ridden teens, and the inebriated tough-guys, and it was good, for a time. As satisfying as many punk-asses and trash talkers have found the practice to be, over time every online gamer grew accustomed to it. The noob’s skin was toughening, as it were. After having been a recipient of the groin-to-face treatment everyday for years might make one slightly more resilient to such aggressive behavior, right? I know I personally felt that my creativity was being stifled and I needed more ways to thoroughly disrespect other gamers. The question became frustrating. How could I elicit further rage and aggression from the fools I have been easily defeating?

My ever present desire to escalate tensions in any game was sated with the release of the smooth third-person shooter titled Gears of War. Now those of you that have played GoW with me probably already understand why I bring this game up. In GoW you could get a little more creative in terms of disrespecting the various deviants that haunt Xbox Live. If you refrain from killing someone and down them you have quite a few entertaining methods available to humiliate and enrage them. Ah, I recall giggling delightedly the first time I downed some chump and just gave him the business. The poor creatures are on their hands and knees, at your mercy. You could hump them, perform the human ritual known as a “gang-bang” and gather some pals and just pound someone’s child until he quits out the game. You could also draw your pistol and tap left trigger over and over, making it appear as though you’re spanking a misbehaved child. You also had the option to draw your smoke grenade, spin it around in celebration as you savagely pound his pooper. My personal favorite was to plant my characters asshole right in the face of my prey and slowly wiggle my joystick, making this kid taste my booty. Yes, I still play GoW and I still engage in such childish behavior.

So we have all been administering some balls to chins for over a decade, and that begins to cool down in terms of hilarity and has people such as myself craving a richer experience when it comes to tearing down other gamers’ self-esteem on the internet. The various methods available in GoW really added flavor to my XBL experience but soon became a daily experience just as quickly. So what next? This facet of a video-game is something that seems to not be getting the attention I think it deserves. I have played a game as of late that really offers a wider of variety of ways to really be cute after conquering your foe. Capcom’s exciting third-person shooter, Lost Planet 2, brings something new to the table in terms of online mockery. LP2 has blessed me with E-motes. You can assign these E-motes to various buttons that must be pressed in conjunction with the “Start” button and allow you to dance, throw tantrums, pretend to die, strike kung-fu poses, thrust your hips suggestively, and so much more. You unlock these maneuvers as you play through the campaign and you can take them online and straight dance and leap for joy over the corpse of an enemy as he impotently watches you celebrate, likely memorizing your gamer tag so that he may show off some of his dance moves next time you cross paths. These moves are often hilarious and aimed at agitating the recipients, and they often accomplish their goals quite well. My jaw has dropped several times when someone has killed me and displays some E-mote I’ve never seen before. Half the fun in this game is showing your buddies which E-motes you just unlocked! I can’t tell you how many co-op missions have been interrupted by sudden, vicious dance battles. Battles that I never fail to win, of course!

All LP2 E-motes!

So here’s what I’m thinking; more games need to incorporate something similar to E-motes in various ways, or at least give more consideration to those of us asshole-gamers that relish such bestial behavior.

Yes, I’m sure many gamers fancy themselves to be above such base engagements, but I hold no such illusion and welcome any chance to rub in the fact that I am the victor, without consideration for the feelings of other gamers. I’m that kind of bastard, and surely I am not alone! I entreaty any game developers out there that may read this to play some GoW and LP2 and stop to consider whether or not your current game is lacking in ways to show off just how pleased you are that you won.

I think the E-motes are a strong step in the right direction, but I would also welcome any new, innovative methods to be a douche when I sign on as SwiftGlassEater. If you bold readers have any original ideas or examples from previous games then please share such intel with me. As for me, I eagerly anticipate the next level of debauchery that I’m sure games will one day allow. What say you?

Joseph Bryant – SwiftGlassEater