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It'll blow you away
Or maybe you're wanting to play Doom at 3 a.m., and you've just downloaded this cool DoomWad (a customizing add-on program) that turns all of the bad guys into Barney. But your game-playing friends have all crashed. Somewhere out there on the Internet someone is hungry for a match, just like you. To hook up with them you can use one of the many gaming services that offer real-time play with full-action graphics, 16-bit sound, and fast game play. Or, if your favorite game is designed for playing directly on the Net, you can find a list of active servers running your game and join in directly. Head-to-head competition -- that is, an online game against a human opponent -- adds a new dimension to an old gaming environment, whether you are shooting the moon against an Australian Hearts opponent or having a Quake Deathmatch with someone you never met. Watch out, though. The first time you sign on, prepare to be blown out. Chances are, your opponent has played online before, perhaps having signed on to a Net gaming service or a local bulletin board system (BBS) that offers head-to-head matches. You'll probably get your butt kicked as you learn the subtleties of how a game works online -- even if you've played it before, even if it's chess or backgammon. There's nothing like playing a game online with a human. It's exciting to imagine the person you're playing yelling in frustration as you slash the enemy avatar with your digital scimitar. It's satisfying to think of your challenger's chagrin when you lay down a full house to his or her straight. And, just imagine this: A few Internet Service Providers are set up so you can actually talk with your foes over the Net! Admit it: It's much more interesting playing a game against someone with a distinct personality and playing style than it is to play some programmed computer. You don't have to play against anyone either. Some games will let you gang up with other Netheads and blow away the computer opponent. Just don't talk too much smack when you start winning.
-- Written by David Machata, Marieke Boer, and Greg Quiroga
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