Gag bag

Computer games are a one thing which totally mesmerizes every child, and its not just the children, people of all ages get attracted to them. And people actually achieve great heights in it. There are online games, competitions, and even prizes worth thousands at stake. So now the innocence in the play and the approach to it is lost I feel, and the vying goes to much higher levels.

I too have played ands still play my share of games. And of all the genres, I love and play the strategy and sport the most. Many others I haven’t tried, and maybe will never try. And I am not great in any of these games. I came to know about it when I saw LAN games being played in our college. And boy! Don’t people play to extreme levels? But I never played so much of the games, and I realized that my approach to playing these games has been totally different. As far as strategy games go, the main thing is to like defeat the opponent with a stronger army, stronger weapons or that sorts. Or earn lots more points, money or whatever is the objective of the game. So once that objective is over, the game gets over.

Well, I never play these games to win. I mean I do, but that is not my sole motive. Now I will furnish this with an example, so that it becomes clear. For instance, Age of empires. I am sure you have heard that name. If you haven’t, then really, you have no right to live. Hehe. But ya, so in age of empires, what people do is create their town very quickly, and annihilate the opponents. But I like to savour all the facilities provided. I never build my town in a haywire manner. I love to arrange the buildings in a very systematic way. Like the houses should all be together, and then the academic and templar buildings should be near the houses, but not to near. Then the army etc should be surrounding the residential area. The wall should be atleast some minimum distance away from any building. I usually build a three walled wall. With bombard towers placed strategically so that their areas of coverage don’t overlap, and still they don’t leave any area insecure. And then the bombard towers can’t be attacked directly by infantry or cavalry since there is a wall separating them both. Then the farms are a little outside near the forest etc, and near the water source. In short I like to have a big area in which I can arrange all stuff very very nicely, so that anyone will be proud to see such a village.

Now you may come up with a point that there is no time for all these niceties since the others attack in the meantime. Hence, I never play with more than 2 opponents. Then I play at the easiest level. So that I don’t get bothered while decorating all this. And this is the approach I use every time I play.

Then while attacking, I send the troops in a very nice formation. And send the army on three sides. And attack together. And it feels so nice to play this way, because you feel like you can really vanquish the enemy this way. Again, I love to perform conversions a lot. And hence have a whole army of priests at my disposal. I know people hardly use priests and missionaries, but I love using all those.

Then again, I found another thing I love doing is pitting the different war characters in it against one another. In a race I mean. It really is wonderful. And I send them from one corner to another, and had at one time actually calculated the speed of each animal or infantry or whatever different men are present in it. I don’t know why, but this is the way I enjoy playing.

Take another example. Transport Tycoon Deluxe. By far the best, most addictive game I have played till now. In it you have to own a transport company, and set up rail, road, ship and air travels by building stations and airports etc in cities. There are bridges and tunnels and all that in it. It’s just wonderful. In that too, I never built or used the roads already provided. I built all the roads myself, and all were at their most lengths straight. So that the buses attain their maximum speeds on them. There were never rail and road crossings, because the buses used to get run over by trains in that case J. Even the station and the airport etc were stationed so that they will be in the core cities. As you advanced, you got faster and stronger vehicles. But I never replaced all the vehicles. I used to keep one of each type till the end. And continue their services. It was fun seeing the buses overtake their older counterparts. The thing is that I hate a mess of roads and rails as I saw the computer bots in it built. Or even the other people I have seen play. I like things very systematic and very orderly. I know it beats the purpose of the game, but then, there are never directions as to how to play. So as far as I am enjoying there should be no problem. Just wanted to ask, does anyone have any such weird ways of playing any games, which totally beat the purpose?

Anyway, nothing great, but just thought that it’s weird and hence felt like sharing it. The thing which triggered this is the competitions they show on TV about LAN games like AOE, CS and the likes being played. So this thought..!!!

There is something about standing in the queues that always humors me. And again, this is one thing I have sort of understood lately, observed lately, and looking back, I can relate it to almost every queue or line or sort of ordered collection or giving out of stuff, be it whatever.
Ok, so let me get to the point first, and then I ll furnish the same with examples to establish what I am saying.
I was in line to pay the electricity bill, and there were quite a few number of people (around 7-8) behind me. I too wasn't the first in line, and hence had time to observe the behavior of people. The first thing which strikes you about everyone is that they get pissed off standing in the line. I mean how-much-ever long the line maybe, they are never happy. Everyone wants to be first. But of course that is hardly possible in a country like India, so well, every Ram, Laxman and Bharat has to stand in line. Each one stands in his/her own way, cross legged, a little out of line, some with their hands on their hips, others with crossed hands. Every person acts or tries to act nonchalant. You know atleast one person in the line is looking at you or just glancing past you. But you act as if you don't care, or you never know you are being watched. And it is here that I came to know that each person becomes aware of the thing he is going to submit. Like for instance with the bill, it here here that every person starts reading it as though it is of great importance and he/she ll never get a second chance to read it or go through it again. The same bill lying at their place for like 10 days never mattered. But here it is the object of utmost importance. You start reading the intricate detail, even the small print you never bothered to even look at. Maybe its just something you do to while away your time while in the queue, but everyone does do it. And its not just here. Even when like submitting your answer sheet, you have that little instinct in you to just read a bit before actually handing it over to the invigilator. Or in a bank or in the students section in college, while giving up the form, you feel like taking a last glance, as if bidding your last adieu. Is it the disappointment of the parting, one can never say, but this is a really interesting habit I came across in people!!!
Another habit I came across in people is trying to take a look at what the person next in line is doing. Or what all he/she has filled in her form. Here, the peeping person will try to adopt different techniques, like acting as if he is looking in his paper/form, but actually trying to view the form of the other person through the corner of his eye. Maybe moving a little outside the line, so that he/she gets a better view. And then, you judge the person on how that person has filled the form. Or maybe, help yourself to some praise. Like in a bill line, if the other person has an extravagant bill, you comment yourself saying, " Wow! I saved so much considering this persons bill!" Or in a school admission line, one might say, "Hehe! I got more than him surely in the last semester."
Such are the different facets one gets to observe just standing in the line for 20mins. Its no wonder, human psychology is such a sought after study area. After all, it has so much scope, as you come across it almost at every corner and turn. One thing is sure though, that while standing in a line the next time, instead of acting like you are reading your paper/form, you can adopt this new habit of trying to decipher the techniques adopted by other people to act cool..!! Maybe, you can come up with more such nuances seen in the human behavior!!!

Santa : Kyu khade ho idhar? Yaha to kitni lambi katar hai!
I said, "Kyu ki ye queue hai..!!! Yahi to logon ke behavior ke P, Q, R, S dekhne milte hai!!"

Well, I thought a lot on this, as to what all can I write. There is just too much... But I guess I can't summarize any better than this. Friends mean
Symphony...!!!
If you can fulfill this, then you are the one. Else, you can never be the one...!!!

A Traffic Policeman...

I don't know, but lately I have suddenly started observing things happening on the road. And I have realized that being a traffic policeman won't be fun. This is not against any particular person, and my apologies if you happen to be one, but atleast form my point of view, their social life must be in real problems. It might be for all people at a high post of power, but since I observed a traffic police, this is all I can comment on at present.
The worst thing is that a traffic policeman faces thousands of people everyday, but I am sure he won't be making even one friend everyday. Every person he stops or catches is already in a state of fear, lest he finds some offense against him and books him. Then, every person he talks to is artificial totally. Like for example, "Soda na..!! Nahi kela kahi aamhi"... or " Aho! Kharach ahe license, fakta ghari visarlo ahe"... "Aho 2 ach diwas zaale PUC expire houn, kay ata"...
In any case, not one of them is true. All are trying their level best to cajole, coax the authority in front of them. And any talk the policeman tries to make, is perceived by the commoner as just "nothing". He is just in a hurry to get over with the situation, so he will laugh at anything the policeman says. The policeman eventually meets not a single honest person.
Secondly, he is the cruel man in everyone's eyes. Not one of them like him, and in reality must be cursing him trying to prove that the police himself was wrong. So no one wishes good for him as well..!!!
Even if a friend does come in your path, then what guarantee do you have that he isn't your friend(here you are the policeman) just for secring the safety from fines. So you start to doubt your actual friends just because some of them may be that way...!!! Which is really bad..!!!
And then, there is the system of taking bribes. If he takes a bribe, people curse him saying that police here has bad scruples. If he doesn't, then they say the police are just out to loot them...!!!
Besides this there are other things like bad enviroment to work in. But harder than that are the above points I feel. So its not going to be a cherished occupation..!!! Still, their work is no doubt commendable...!! So kudos to them..!!!