Gah! I’m at a cybercafe, battling in 1942 (Electronic Arts’ excellent Battlefield 1942) when I realized that lame gamers aren’t limited to say, Counter-Strike. Seems that any multiplayer game that has two teams or sides can have the same problem – unbalanced teams. (Having 1 more on your team doesn’t count as imbalance.)

It’s no longer fair when you and one unknown poor sod have to take over flags controlled by 6 enemies. They are humans, mind you! Is it any more fun playing when you greatly overrun the enemy in terms of artillery? Fun, maybe… challenging, no.

All I can do is type “(insert-enemy-team-here) is lame, come join my-understaffed-team) and hope for someone to switch over. Of course, in cybercafes, most of them don’t know how to do so. Why doesn’t Battlefield 1942 have “auto team balance next round“?!?

What’s worse is that some intentionally switch over. I was one-on-one with this guy and was obviously winning (by taking his flags, not by finding the sorry camper) when he switched over to my team! How lame is that? Then, I switched to the other team, and took back my flags (and still won!)

I know, Battlefield 1942 is a hard game to learn. I don’t care if you crash the plane taking off, crash into teammates, shoot me, camp at our base… just play fair, dangit!

That said, humans are a heck lot more fun to play with. Anyone?