Having grown up around video/computer games my entire life as well as being related to a competitive gamer, it was interesting watching King of Kong. Though I believe the only thing that was really noticable to me while watching the movie was how biased the directing seemed to be so it made Billy Mitchell (Steve Wiebe's rival in King of Kong) seem to be a incrediably coniving and menacing person, willing to do anything to manipulate his relationships with Twin Galaxies to his advantage in keeping his high score in arcade Donkey Kong. But hey the movie probably wouldn't be nearly as interesting if it didn't contain a protagonist and antagonist, right I suppose. While Steve Wiebe was portrayed as a ever honest and vigilent man just trying to be first place for once in his life.
I couldn't help but observe that the reaction to this movie in class was to commonly side on to Steve Wiebe's side of the story. But personally I really had no preference to Billy Mitchell or Steve Wiebe, but I can say that I do respect both of them for being two of the best of the best players of Donkey Kong worldwide. Being the best at something is never an easy feat and I think should always be appreciated in the highest regard even if you are not number 1. It's the idea you out of the rest of the human race has made a dent in the ever conformist (and unique paradoxial) human ideology we have. Having experienced competitional gaming and also been a witness to what it does to people, I really didn't think what was shown of Billy Mitchell was that awful. From competitions I've seen the best of gamers destroy their own computers out of anger for losing tournaments let alone bad-mouthing their competitors. So I've been completely accustomed to this type of "sportsmanship", not that I endorse it but just that it isn't that uncommon (if not most normal in competitional gaming behind closed doors). Competition can bring back the worst in people when they want to win but it can also bring out the best. Believe it or not people have even died from gaming. If you had the highest recording score for anything in the world at all, wouldn't you honestly be hoping even alittle bit that the person that outranks you that one fateful day was cheating to continue being called the best of the best?
I couldn't help but observe that the reaction to this movie in class was to commonly side on to Steve Wiebe's side of the story. But personally I really had no preference to Billy Mitchell or Steve Wiebe, but I can say that I do respect both of them for being two of the best of the best players of Donkey Kong worldwide. Being the best at something is never an easy feat and I think should always be appreciated in the highest regard even if you are not number 1. It's the idea you out of the rest of the human race has made a dent in the ever conformist (and unique paradoxial) human ideology we have. Having experienced competitional gaming and also been a witness to what it does to people, I really didn't think what was shown of Billy Mitchell was that awful. From competitions I've seen the best of gamers destroy their own computers out of anger for losing tournaments let alone bad-mouthing their competitors. So I've been completely accustomed to this type of "sportsmanship", not that I endorse it but just that it isn't that uncommon (if not most normal in competitional gaming behind closed doors). Competition can bring back the worst in people when they want to win but it can also bring out the best. Believe it or not people have even died from gaming. If you had the highest recording score for anything in the world at all, wouldn't you honestly be hoping even alittle bit that the person that outranks you that one fateful day was cheating to continue being called the best of the best?
The motivation that you gave for gaming when you said "it's the idea you out of the rest of the human race has made a dent . . ." is an excellent example of both a personal and universal human need. As a motivation it is intoxicating because it is both so good, and yet so rewarding. Makes you be a "good queen" both powerful and benevolent. And certainly a lonely position. In your final comment you alluded to this a bit by describing that you might hope for even a cheater to beat you. (I call that a backwards compliment.) This type of secondary play might alleviate some of the "loneliness" of the top position. And it reminds me that there is usually some kind of "love-hate" relationship between fierce competitors. Consider the mythology of King Arther and Mordred for a complex rendering of the interplay between fierce competitors at the "top of their game."
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