Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Surely there are nuances I can add to enrich this description, but the arc of a typical workday flows something like this: clock in, pithy comment, keep my head down, produce, clock out. Then, on certain evenings–most evenings as of late, to be honest–I log onto Xbox LIVE around 10 PM and find many of the same people I see in the office, only they’ve assumed their digital personas. What follows is a typical weeknight: clock in, pithy comment, keep my head down behind cover, shoot, reload, clock out.

A few weeks ago, I told you how things had changed. My predilection for private gaming has shifted, improbably, to social gaming and all the benefits and travails attendant to it. I’m not completely sold on the concept. On Monday night, for example, I made the mistake of forgetting to mute players not on my Friends List and was promptly treated to the sounds of prepubescent shrieking and coughing from what must’ve been a 12-year-old boy. But when you’re online with people you know, the resulting moments can be absolutely spectacular, far outpacing any kind of scripted code committed to disc.

I’ve also realized the reason for my increased sociability, both online and off. Part of it is because of increased capacity. More importantly, though, I’ve been spending my social points judiciously. Did you know it’s far less draining to interact with people you like? Imagine that. These are uncharted waters, dark and tempestuous, with promise brewing just below the surface, which reminds me. Note to self: don’t forget to pick up the new Uncharted.