Freshers’ Fortnight Brought to you by Videogames

As the old mantra goes, video games are educational devices, teaching us valuable life skills which can be applied to daily life. However, these life skills go well beyond mathematics or problem solving. During my nights out, I like to think back on my videogame experiences for inspiration. Fortunately, there exist a plethora of games from which one may draw, to ensure the night runs as smoothly as possible. It is this accumulated knowledge that I would like to share with you now.

Personification of a hangover, Flickr, BagoGames

the Prep

When organising a night out, I for one draw from my experiences in the Witcher 3, a game which teaches you that it pays to be prepared, whether you are hunting that griffin terrorising the townsfolk, or merely keeping the night out on track. With any Witcher contract, you must research your bestiary, apply those life-saving oils and, most importantly, select the opportune moment to strike. Considerations not all too dissimilar to when choosing a time and place for your next night out.

The perfect location must be selected, and it must be when everyone is available and at their least likely time to flake. Once in the club you can stand there, marvelling at the drunken dancing and at your role in bringing them here. The Witcher also proves useful as the night nears its end, and that one friends seems to have mysteriously disappeared into the bowels of the night. When searching for clues as to their whereabouts and retracing footstep it is hard not to feel like Geralt of Rivia; traipsing through fields, Witcher senses at the ready, in search of a nest of Kikimores or an old woman’s frying pan.

at least keep in mind that however bad a dancer you may be, you are probably still better than the galaxy’s saviour, Commander Shepard.

the Squad

The other obvious necessity for the perfect night out is a squad willing to follow you into the depths of oblivion, whichever club that might be (Smack). Naturally, the Mass Effect series provides an excellent template for gathering together the perfect band of lifelong pals, renegades and misfits that will have your back and flanks covered, through the night. Let’s just hope that the ending of the night doesn’t also fall flat on its face.

the Dance

Now that you’ve managed to organise a time, place and have brought together a squad that can take on the world (or the galaxy for that matter), it’s obviously time to bust a move on the dancefloor. But now you ask, where will I get my video-game inspired dance moves from?!? Naturally, you would expect me to point you in the direction of whichever Just Dance game Ubisoft has decided to release this month, but surely that is too obvious! Personally, I find the stomping motions of Dance Dance Revolution to be perfect inspiration to take for my dance moves on any night out.

Wooing the renowned Panzer IV or your little red Communist rose the T-34 in anime girl form may just help to give you the edge you need

Everybody has played DDR at some point in their life, be it at an arcade during childhood or that one night out when you all played it ‘for a joke’… until one of your friends inevitably takes it way too seriously. Whether you’re just out for a good time, or out to impress, those nostalgia inducing moves are sure to be a hit at retro events like POP and Skool Dayz. What’s more, everybody will likely be so drunk at this point in the night, that your random directional stomping may actually take on a semblance of rhythm to onlookers.

And if all else fails, and you have no real DDR experience to fall back on, at least keep in mind that however bad a dancer you may be, you are probably still better than the galaxy’s saviour, Commander Shepard.

Where are the shots?, Flickr, SobControllers

the Chat

Finally, if you’re looking for a little more from your night out and hope to strike up a conversation with that certain someone at the bar, look no further than video games for advice on your night out! A perfect example of how video games can help you gain the confidence to take the initiative with some cheesy chat-up lines to boot is Panzermadels, the Tank Dating Simulator. Wooing the renowned Panzer IV or your little red Communist rose the T-34 in anime girl form may just help to give you the edge you need. If maybe anthropomorphic World War II tanks isn’t your thing however, then perhaps consider Hatoful Boyfriend, the bird dating simulator. Besides its thoroughly engaging and emotional storyline (I’m deadly serious), Hatoful boyfriend should hopefully give you the confidence to approach that pigeon or person who has caught your eye at the bar.

Using these pointers, you now have plenty of time to go over these videogames to revise and prepare for the Warwick night outs

the Conclusion

As I’m sure you can see, video games are great teachers of all manner of life skills. Using these pointers, you now have plenty of time to go over these videogames to revise and prepare for the Warwick night outs that fresher fortnight, and indeed your entire university experience, will have to offer. By all means discover the lessons that other videogames have to offer in this area, but in my opinion the ones suggested here are a good way to start.