Makes it more fun although you do worse.

When intoxicated (mildly at least) I find my skill in FPSs increases. Not substantially, but more that when not intoxicated I'll be more steady and deliberate whereas when I've had a few, run'n'gun baby! And hey, sometimes that gets rewarded more than slow and deliberate.

I definately did not perform up to par at CoD4 when drunk.

I also got perma-banned from a server for the following while drunk:
1. Admin tells someone I didn't know to watch their language
2. I say to the admin that it's an 'M' rated game and the Marines' side script will say 'Damn, we lost' anyway.
3. He replies that it was his server and therefore his rules.
4. I shot back in my drunken stupor 'get off your power trip' and was perma-banned in front of two clan superiors and a clan recruit :(

For some reason, no matter how smashed I am, my typing never takes a hit. I type more haphazardly but my instinct still leads me to correct my mistakes before moving on.

The same goes for gaming. As long as I'm familiar with the game in question, my ability to play doesn't really change, and it's strange. Almost as if the television screen is a window looking out into the world of sobriety. Haha.

I remember an instance like that, Specialist... Have I seen you?

Well, I've never been "drunk" drunk, as in with large amounts of grain alcohol, but a blood sugar issue or sheer fatigue can bring on symptoms like being drunk. I remember one time in Frets on Fire with a couple of buddies. There was this song that I had a hard time with on Amazing. My friend cranked it up to Amazing without telling me, and so I played, and whacked someone in the process, but acquired the high score regardless.

So drunkenness doesn't help you by way of the chemicals within your system, it increases the placebo effect some more (albeit due to those chemicals, but go with it).

Had the same instance in COD4, had the difficulty up on Veteran (I knew it was all the way up there this time), and I just mowed the Spetsnaz down =)

A bit off topic, but in CS:S, admins can install Mani Mod. If you were playing on my server and being a dick (although I wouldn't have complained about language unless someone was going all Samuel Jackson on us), I would have just but a beacon on you till you apologized. The beacon makes you super-easy to kill, as everyone knows your position, and you're glowing red.

in FPS games, i find my accurracy and my ability to spot small targets diminishes. to counter act this i usually switch to short range weapons as i get more drunk. MP5 when i'm well buzzed and shotguns and nades when i'm slurring drunk.

on driving games... i usually handle booze well, but there is an eventual plateu just before i pass out, where the game is unplayable. while just drunk, my driving is different but i compensate well.... so instead of doing a solid turn, when i'm drunk i'll drift through it barely missing a light post.

alcohol is the bane of society. never been drunk. though watching other people play games while being drunk is fun. they seem to think they're doing better.
how sad.

one time my friend and i were playing super Mario sunshine (donīt ask me it was his idea) and i thought... you know what this game needs? alcohol... so an hour and a bottle of brandy later we beat this boss that had been pissing us off all day without any trouble whatsoever... and then he proceeded to start throwing up on everything (in the game obviously) with a Yoshi... it was extremely hilarious, and if you own super Mario sunshine, don't play it unless you are royally smashed, cuz that's when it is best

osaka35:
alcohol is the bane of society.

i doubt it since it's an inanimate liquid. it just makes people do what they wanted to do in the 1st place... and badly. maybe you should question the motives of others rather than an arbitrary liquid.

osaka35:
alcohol is the bane of society. never been drunk. though watching other people play games while being drunk is fun. they seem to think they're doing better.
how sad.

As long as it isn't used in excess and only for the occasional good time, it's no big deal. Don't blame alcohol, blame the people who abuse it. I don't know anyone in person who thinks alcohol makes them a better gamer. For me I just don't get much worse at a game, but it can be so much fun when you've been drinking.

But what benefits do alcohol give one? Does it make everything 'better' by numbing your senses to something? Does it taste particularly good?

Taste: definately not 'particularly good'...quite the opposite in my opinion

Benefits: sort of an 'out of body' feel, not as particularly strong as some substances can create, but still an enjoyable experience in moderation. Think of a really strong sugar/caffeine buzz (definately different than those, but that's the closest I can think of for anyone who's never done it).

Next morning: always the 'I'm never going to do that again' speech for me...then a week or two later I don't remember the hangover, only the fun I had while drunk

My and six of my mates got together one night a few years back to have a druken LAN party on Halo2. We set the kill score to the max, 250 kills to win, and placed ourselves in the smallest arena armed only with rocket launchers and shotguns. But we passed out before anyone won. So it was inconclusive.

it makes you an annoyance and an asswipe who is muted by everyone else that isn't drunk as well.

Oh, glorious alcohol! Like mixing with any other liquids, it seems to have varying effects on me when games come into the picture. The "Mario Party 4 Drinking Game" was one of the worst nights of my life, but I get incredibly good at SSBB ("Fear the wrath of MISTER SQUID AND WATCH!") after a beer or two. Wario Ware for the Wii: strangely enough, i have trouble with the "drink water" microgame while sober, but can pull it off while drunk! Guitar Hero is similarly variable... I get in a bizarre zone and rip through certain songs, even after a bit to drink, Cult of Personality, tough Expert tunes, you name it... but then somebody puts on "The Seeker" or "Barracuda" and I fall all over myself. Much to the amusement of friends and housemates.

Back when I used to play EVE, alcohol was the Alliance-wide social lubricant for very, very extended boring escorts or gate camps or being trapped in certain stations/systems, or even just going out to smash people's shiny ships. A bottle of something nice, and Teamspeak, and a crew of bored Goonfleet guys... aaahhhh the good times.

Also, don't ever try Audiosurf and alcohol together. It sounds like a MADD commercial, but it's true!

I've never played really drunk, but I can't shoot for crap if I've ben drinking. I dodge a lot more, though, so that makes up for it.

I don't think I was sober for one minute of GTA4.

I didn't do half-bad at it, so I'm guessing drinking might heighten something. For the most part, it just makes you want to hit pause and go to bed.

Have not read any of this thread, but based on the topic name the answer would be: Depends.

It really depends on how drunk you are, and what game you're playing (at least for me). If I have had a beer or two and am playing a FPS I get a tad better, but if I've had say 12 beers and playing a FPS I start to suck, a lot. Although at the same time, the game become 250% better once I've had about 12 beers.

In my experience most games that don't have much of a storyline to pay attention to, and are pretty much just skirmishes/random battle are almost always better with alcohol. Although if you need to pay attention to some sort of a storyline, I have found you lose some of it while drunk.

Final conclusion, alcohol makes 60% of recent games at least 150% better. =D

Ive found that games that require slightly more attention, such as Pro Evolution, Fifa etc are definatly affected by the intake of alcohol.

Other game such as 1st person shooters where you can burst in all guns blazing, are less so affected by drinking, sometimes improved because your nerves are setttled and its slightly easier to adjust your aim.

DEC_42:
But what benefits do alcohol give one? Does it make everything 'better' by numbing your senses to something? Does it taste particularly good?

- it makes repetition less monotonous
- makes you more chatty on the mic (a good thing in some cases)
- can change your approach to a game
- if you are genetical predisposed to alcoholism, it makes you hyper and alert like caffeine until you reach your blackout plateu
- it tastes awesome if you have good taste and know what you are looking for