Quota complete!

Monday, February 7, 2005 » gaming update

For years I've wanted one of the new dining commons fat glasses to round out my collection. (Even though the previous pieces of my collection have all been destroyed.) Well, today I found one just sitting on the grass as I was walking home. So now it is mine!!

What I actually meant to update about is: In general, I dislike the idea of guns and I'm creeped out by gun nuts and the like. However, I do like the idea of marksmanship as a hobby or sport (provided participants are not said gun nuts), and so I was glad when a Point Blank cabinet arrived in the university arcade last year. However, I am definitely freaked out a lot by the number of girls who come into the arcade and play Point Blank like it killed their family. The Point Blank machine is right next to Capcom vs. SNK 2, so when I'm in there I'm able to observe a good number of people playing it, and there's a dramatic difference between the males and females I've seen play. The guys will stand there and fire away at the screen and are generally pretty casual about it. That's not to say they're detached from the experience; they just never appear to get too worked up. The girls, on the other hand, hold the gun two inches from the screen and hammer on the start button between rounds like they also have to beat the guy playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 a couple machines over. Then, when the smoke has cleared, they enter in their initials and make a beeline for the exit.

The more frenzied of the two today was impressive to watch since she was doing pretty well, but I was glad to see her leave. Partially it was because I could feel the insane tension she exuded and it was unpleasant, but also I was half-fearing that she would next turn her attention over to my machine, and I probably wouldn't have lasted through more than one round, what with all the terrified whimpering I imagine I would have been doing.