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Jumping straight into Battlefield: Bad Company 2's multiplayer was a mistake. Disoriented and frustrated, I nearly turned the game off. Not because I'm a sore loser, but because I knew I was doing something wrong. I wasn't playing the game properly. I needed to phone a friend, or at least ask someone for some sage multiplayer advice.
Also, and unfortunately, my most recent first-person online shooter excursions were Modern Warfare 2 and M.A.G., both completely different in terms of play style.
Like I said though, I didn't turn off the game. I nearly did. Instead I received this message from a fellow teammate, screen name Assner:
"#$%@ son u way 2 hard into dat camping %$#@ this ain't mw2"
Aha! This was my eureka moment, and from the most unlikely place: a message from a small child, or a poorly educated adult. Go figure!
This poor soul that doesn't know the ins-and-outs of proper punctuation and grammar had some great advice. But he wasn't entirely correct in his brief message. I wasn't camping, but instead was running around the map making myself an easy target for everyone else. I was playing Bad Company 2 like I play Modern Warfare 2: Run-and-gun style. Which, after Assner's kind words, helped me realize my mistake: I'm playing Bad Company 2, not Modern Warfare 2!
After my brain sifted through the eye-sore of a "sentence," it then absorbed the information. Instead of running around, shouting "Here I am! Shoot me!", I slowed my pace, watched my team, surveyed the area, carefully entered buildings, didn't stay in the open for too long, and even commandeered a vehicle!
Two rounds later, I was the top-point-scorer. Wow!
To show how grateful I am for his wisdom, I'd like to offer Assner some advice:
– Capitalize your sentences.
– I'm not your son, but I am my father's son. His name is Dennis.
– 'U' is a letter, and substituting it for the word 'you' is lazy.
– Camping isn't bad. As long as you have a hot shower, wood for a fire and a good fishing hole, you're gold.
– The letters 'm' and 'w' could stand for a number of things, such as Milky Way or Merriam-Webster. Clarity is key, especially when trying to convey a thought, or help a teammate understand a game.
