Devon's Friday Nerd Advice: GTA Multiplayer
By Devon “The Man of your dreams” James
Take a good long look at that image because it perfectly describes the gamer. Well, not every gamer, but certainly the gamers who are attracted to a game like Grand Theft Auto (GTA). I'm not here to lecture you about your violent impulses in a simulated reality. I am one of you, and know all too well the psychotic joy of driving cop cars into each other as you evade the law. It is evolution that has made us this way, because if you weren't an adrenaline junky with no soul back in our more primitive days when fighting your way out of a pack of vicious predators or a rival tribe was a Tuesday, than I'm pretty sure your offspring isn't alive to be owned by me in an online multiplayer game.
I understand, my demented friend.
I also understand that evolution has bred one other trait that could turn GTA into a killing field (well, bigger killing field): that trait is our ability to be a dick.
You see, GTA gamers are doing missions for next to no money. You won't be able to buy the really cool things in this game, and it is a travesty.
So when the multiplayer arrives next week on October 1st, you'll have a breeding ground full of people who want more money. That gives you plenty of incentive to team up and perform heists with your friends. The problem is that you will have to split the money with your friends. Oh wait, no you won't. You can straight up Joker your friends (see beginning of the Dark Knight) and walk away with the money.
Don't feel like killing your friends? I don't blame you. Why not let them off light and just rip them off instead. As I understand it, if you organize the heist, you are responsible for divvying out the cash, and you can easily give everyone the middle finger and walk out with everything. Just watch your back. They'll be coming for you.
You see, the whole reason why gamers play certain games is to escape the social contract for just a little while, and return to the rugby scrum of the state of nature, and this often implies a much needed venture into absolute chaos. Multiplayer won't mute those impulses by a long shot, and for awhile, I think we'll get murder, destruction, theft, tea bagging of corpses, and all the fun stuff we did before society came along with its social contracts. If you are anything like me then none of that didn't sound awesome.
Just be aware that the first two weeks after October 1st might just be one big Mexican Stand-Off. Why? Its what we do. Its in our nature. That nature is amplified when there aren't people with their stupid emotions or mirror neuron effects to empathize with. Look at the Eve Super Heist.
If humans are the way I think they are, than the first few weeks will be a giant Prisoner's Dilemma thought experiment as putting us on a free for all playground has often proven to be effective at breeding impulsive and psychopathic behavior. Do not lose faith because it won't be long before we give in to the angels of our better nature.
Fortunately, cooperation and trust is also apart of our nature, and I believe that after two weeks, you'll see GTA gangs pulling synchronized heists of the likes that have never been seen.
After we get the sickening mayhem out of our system, the angels of our better nature will step in and bring about our true potential for organized massacre and theft that will serve as an inspiration to the spirit of cooperation and team work.