Like pretty much every Xbox 360 owner out there, I've been playing Halo 3 a lot lately. Personally, I think this is the most over-rated series in videogame history, and I say this without hyperbole. Sure, it's a solid game, but isn't what I would call groundbreaking in any particular way (though the whole Forge thing and the video sharing are pretty cool, but I'm talking about gameplay). Since The Orange Box comes out today, I'm certain that Team Fortress 2 will be taking Halo's place in my playtime immediately, to be followed by Call of Duty 4 in a few weeks, leaving Halo to collect dust on my shelf. The point of this rant isn't about Halo 3 being or not being effing awesome, but a broader issue which has been manifesting itself with annoying frequency in Halo 3 lobbies.

It seems that every other Halo match I get into now begins with at least one idiot in the lobby trying to convince everyone to help them get one or more achievements by cheating. "Everyone meet under the Ghost hangar and let me kill you so I can get the Killing Frenzy achievement!" Ummmm.... No. You've just become my number one target for this session, and don't try to make it seem like I'm being a tool for refusing to help you gain glory that isn't rightfully yours.

These are called "achievements," not "acheatments," people. I've earned every achievement I have fair and square, and they actually mean something to me. If you want a virtual trophy for killing ten guys without dying, then you need to step up your game and kick some ass, not be a whiny little punk about people throwing games so you can grow your gamer score. The gamer score and the achievements are really supposed to be about pride in your skills, and they really serve no practical purpose beyond that. I don't understand why people feel the need to cheapen their already marginal significance by cheating to get them.

If you see MrSpookypants in a Halo lobby, don't even bother proposing an acheatment session, because I will kill you with extreme prejudice and give you an "avoid" rating for gameplay behavior just for good measure. Quit trying to make yourselves out to be better gamers than you are and take some pride in your skills or work to improve them. Gaming is supposed to be about fun and friendly competition, not meaningless "you scratch/shoot my back and I'll shoot yours" skullduggery.

It's a game, not a negotiation. Don't cheapen the achievements for the rest of us simply because you suck.