Fortnite: A fortnight in the forties at Battle Royale

<img clbad = "js-image-replace" alt = "I jump off the fight bus and land in the middle of what appears to be a deserted island, carrying only a pickaxe like a weapon. starts running, I hear the sound of gunshots in the distance, almost immediately, I avoid bullets and I am suddenly shot by one of the other 99 players on the island.

I play Fortnite, the video game phenomenon According to the developer Epic Games, more than 125 million other players are also in his grip.

This is the first time that I have Devoted to a game since Tomb Raider in the 1990s, when I was a 20-something rather than the 40-something that I am today.

Battle Royale is the most popular mode of Fortnite. One hundred of us collect weapons, build defenses and follow each other until only one person remains alive. And every few minutes, the card shrinks.

I started directly in my first game with little preparation, on a smartphone.

At first, I found it difficult to know what I had to do and not – your big eyes struggled with the small screen.

After a few minutes, I abandoned and downloaded the game on my iPad and later on my PC.

Although the biggest displays helped, I did not last long.

During my first attempts, players came out of nowhere and killed me in an instant – leaving me frustrated at not having noticed them.

After a few games on the tablet, I realized that I had to look for better weapons – and I needed to collect materials to build forts to protect myself.

It was only when I played on a console at the teenage son of a friend that I really felt like I came in my stride.

Using the Xbox controller, I could more easily retrieve the weapons found on the map, which I had often missed playing on the tablet.

On the big screen TV, I could also get a better idea of ​​where the other players were – and what they were doing.

I received an expert coaching from Archie, 14, the son of another friend.

"It's easier to navigate with a controller [console] than with a PC mouse or keyboard"

Although he added that the best Twitch streamer from Ninja – Fortnite – was playing on PC

Even though I was collecting better weapons, I was lucky if I managed to survive beyond the 60 final before being eliminated by a more experienced player. skills and weapons.

But it was easy to understand the call of Fortnite

I felt compelled to try to improve my position and survive longer.

I found myself picking up the tablet while watching TV, to get into a quick game.

Before I knew it, I had spent an hour playing.

Once you are eliminated, you can choose to watch the person who beat you, to see how they progress in the rest of the game.

Many players have spent money on in-app purchases such as "skins" that change the appearance of a character and "emotes" that allow the characters to Perform ridiculous dance routines.

When I was killed by a jester who later danced a jitter, I was less impressed.

I am not ashamed to say that I am a hider. My player strategy was to try to avoid other players.

If I saw someone nearby, I would run and hide in one of the many bushes or buildings.

My sophisticated strategy should not lead me to victory – I have never survived beyond the last 17 players

Archie said that he had won 10 games on about 200 and played against his online school friends. "You get a real buzz with a Royal Victory," he said.

I certainly do not think I'll ever be good enough to win. But I continue to dive into the game to try to beat my record of 17th place.

Whenever I am eliminated by a stealthy player who takes me by surprise and pulls me in the back, I find myself screaming in frustration.

I do not see them coming and every time my reaction is the same – a groan.

& # 39; Addictive & # 39;

I've already lost count of the number of parties I've played to here.

Some parents think that their children are addicted to the game and would happily spend all their time playing it.

Ruth Kieran told me that her two sons, ages 11 and 9, were playing online when they returned from school.

"They spent 24/7 playing at Fortnite if they were allowed to play," she says.

"We try to limit our boys to only one hour in the evening after school and two hours on the weekends.

"But it's really hard when they play against friends [whose] parents are not so restrictive."

I'm not sure that Ms. Kieran would be too impressed by the speed with which I managed to succumb to the game – and I do not even play against someone I know.

I literally try to beat my last position.

Some experts say that parents need to take more responsibility.

"Some parents use the time spent in front of a screen as an aid to the care of children," said Professor Mark Griffiths, psychologist and director of the International Gaming Research Unit.

However, he adds that computer games are not necessarily bad news.

"When parents contact me to complain that their children are spending too much time playing video games, I ask them:"

"When they say," No, "I tell them that it's all right. is normal and they must stop worrying.

Archie suggested playing Fortnite as "a virtual game date"

"Parents do not need to worry about where their children are, because they're at home they are playing online with their friends, "he said. play Fortnite