Gamer Resolutions 2009

So, I saw this list of resolutions written for/about game developers and the industry, and in the comments someone said it ought to be done for gamers themselves. I decided to give it a little thought (seriously, not that much), and this is what I came up with!

1. I will expand my vocabulary. Not every inanimate object, gametype or idea, or unfortunate or annoying event is “gay.” Similarly, not every skilled, loud-mouthed, lucky, or otherwise displeasing player is a “faggot.”
2. I will come to grips with my own talent (or, more likely, lack thereof). Yes, it is possible to be that good without cheating. Yes, my shortcomings in skill are mostly my own fault because either I don’t practice or I don’t know how to practice. No, it is not lag’s fault every time I die, even if I deeply wish this to be true. And, if I happen to be good — yes, I will stop making fun of lesser-skilled players to pointlessly boost my own ego. It is entirely counterproductive toward keeping a healthily-sized community intact.
3. I will realize that luck is just as relevant to the gaming experience as skill. Luck is an intrinsic part of life and it exists in games as well. I get this and I will no longer project my own frustrations outward by calling something luck as if to proclaim it illegitimate. Whether it was or wasn’t luck doesn’t matter. I will accept things and quietly move on. Luck will be on my side another time.
4. I will stop buying DRM-infested games (and music from iTunes). I want companies to stop punishing me for buying their games, and as such I will no longer be a pawn in their corporate schemes. I revel in the idea that ten years from now I’ll be able to give my old games a nostalgic play through without being hampered by DRM authentication servers that have long since gone down. And if my friend wants to borrow a game, I damn sure want to be able to let him do so. If it’s okay to let him borrow a book, a CD, and my car, it’s okay to let him borrow a game.
5. I will accept that not everything in a game will be 100% balanced and free of bugs even if the game is very good otherwise. I will stop calling certain aspects “cheap” when players who understand how the game works have realized that some items, weapons, or tactics are simply the best well-rounded choices. No multiplayer game in the history of ever has been perfectly balanced. I will get over this because whining about balance and bugs is ultimately pointless. Discussing them calmly and intelligently is fine, but crying about balance directly after getting fragged is lame and serves no useful purpose beyond a failed attempt at keeping my own ego intact.
6. I will stop buying crapware-infested games. I’d like to keep my computer as svelte as possible, and I will no longer tolerate a game installing who knows how many extra programs that I would never, ever download on my own. Games for Windows Live? Rockstar Social Club? GameSpy Arcade? Fuck off.
7. I will stop mindlessly jumping onto the hype train time and time again, as if I never learn, because I’ve finally realized the tracks usually end at the edge of a cliff. It’s time for gamers to put games like Halo 3, Gears of War (2), UT3, Spore, Mirror’s Edge, and many, many others on the shelf labeled “mediocre” where they belong — regardless of how many big-name reviews score them 90 and above. I’m going to do my part to stop these giant corporations from pumping out mediocrity and labeling it as the next big thing by not buying their crap immediately or at all. Maybe I’ll rent it, or maybe I’ll wait until it’s $30 or less. In doing so, I hope that companies like Valve, Bethesda, Infinity Ward, Stardock, Crytek, Gas Powered Games, and others will end up in the limelight they deserve much more due to the quality of their products and their community support.

Yeah. That’s all I got. Feel free to add more in the comments.