[Blarg]

I used to be one of the top online Total Annihilation players, and a good number of times beat the guy, Hawk, who won the nationwide contest for best player, and he was certainly far above even most pretty damn good players. However, frequently beat him didn't mean he didn't kick my butt most of the time. It was definitely frustrating to be playing a great game and get soundly beaten anyway. Some of the games I beat him in are still fond memories today, quite a few years on.

But I remember when I first got online with the game. I was being wiped out within minutes in a RTS that sometimes lasted hours.

That's why RTS's especially are all about the online play. Human players are so much better than computer AI that it's extremely difficult for even a really good offline player to beat a middling online player. Plus, fighting a human is much more interesting and devious than playing a computer AI, and has an inherent heightened feeling of fun competitiveness that fighting a computer AI can't give you.

There are definitely many levels in playing games, and it's very easy to think you're doing well, and then suddenly realize how surprrisingly far from the top you are. It can be bewildering, frustrating, and finally, inspiring. After all, who wants to be wiped out by every Tom, Dick, and Harry? You want to at least be able to hold your own with the middle of the pack. And the skill level of the middle of the pack rapidly drifts upward, too. So you dust yourself off and try to charge up that hill again. Trying to become or remain truly competitive can be great fun.