Let me tell you a tale. A tale of Mister Adequate getting trolled to an extreme degree. Yesterday my dear co-blogger Pike and I were playing a game of Civ IV. We were on Skype while we did this, as usual. On turn four she began giggling, and on asking what happened, she revealed that a tribal hut had just given her the Bronze Working tech. For those not familiar with the game, Bronze Working is one of the more expensive, and most useful, early techs. It opens several units up, reveals a very potent resource, gives a new civic, AND lets you chop down trees. It’s never a tech you don’t want, the only question is how hard to beeline for it. Oh but we’re not done! Fourteen turns after this, she began laughing with downright insane, maniacal glee. She had just randomly been given Iron Working from another hut.

I was rather perturbed by this. But while later, while she was dominating the leaderboard and teching up merrily in her little remote peninsula, she got a message from Julius Caesar: “Pay 500 gold” was the gist of it. She told him where to go. A few turns after this he declared war on her. Still nothing special there, and she didn’t feel threatened because there were three or four civs between Rome and England – Russia, Carthage, Spain, and someone else I can’t recall. Caesar had to go through at least three of these to reach her.

A few turns later his army showed up and burnt down Nottingham. He had not only trekked like 30 tiles across the world, and brought enough units to do the job whilst leaving his home well defended (I should know, I was his immediate neighbor and eyeing him up for invasion, only to turn my eyes on Sumeria instead because all dose defenders), he secured all the right of passage agreements needed to get there.

Pike was upset. I was amused.

But now the season of schadenfreude is behind us and The Season is now most firmly upon us; Good cheer, terrible music, and attempting to cause the stress-related deaths of retail workers all around the world. Christmas!

Christmas is a wonderful time for gamers, because it’s when we get more videogames to play. And this year there are sure some games to play! Here’s my own list, because I missed some stuff over the parts of the year when I had no money!

clamantly Halo: Anniversary
Batman: Arkham City
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

And I’m also asking for a new mouse and a RAM upgrade! I always ask for a RAM upgrade, and nobody ever gets me any RAM. I guess it’s just a Christmas tradition now!

Pike, like me, is also eager to get videogames for Christmas. I know of one she’s getting for sure because it is my gift to her – but of course this must stay a secret for now. ;)

What are your gaming Christmas wishes, dear readers? Anything in particular you’re looking forward to getting? Some hardware you’re after? Do tell!