The following is a piece I wrote for CoxNewspapers last spring:
It happens quietly at first. A guy knocks on the door and then enters the house carrying his weapon of choice. No, it’s not the latest in ballistic firearms; it’s his computer, monitor and anything else he can think of that might give him an edge over his fellow gamers. Then, a few more friends arrive, carrying their own gaming rigs and suddenly, the house is teeming with energy and conversation.
Occasionally, we head straight for an open table near the internal network so that we can get our machines up and running, because the positioning of team members is critical in the games we like to play. Most of the time, though, we just set our equipment down and head directly to the kitchen for a drink and to catch up on each other’s lives. If enough time has passed, it feels like a reunion, a band of brothers who are joining together once again to share a few laughs and reconnect.
Our discussions begin centered on family, jobs and anything else newsworthy going on in our lives. Then, after we make the all-important decision of what kind of pizza to order, the talking drifts to the game at hand. It begins innocently, but eventually evolves in the pre-game trash-talking phase. This is where we vow to destroy each other without mercy. It’s all in good fun, though.
Sadly, we haven’t had many game nights such as these lately. In fact, I can’t remember when we last had one. It’s hard to say exactly why. For a while, I think we just got too busy with our personal lives to actually meet. We still chat daily in e-mail, but we haven’t been able to commit to a gaming night until now.
Why now? Well, in true gamer fashion, the pending release of a new game has stoked the fires of competition and camaraderie once again. For nearly 10 years, the guys and I have played a real-time strategy game called “Total Annihilation.” It’s a war game set in the far future involving tanks, giant mechanized robots, hulking navy ships and screaming aircraft. Earth shattering explosions reward the victors with smoldering remains strewn across the battlefield.
However, as time passed and technology progressed, the game we played finally grew stale, yet, newer releases by other companies hoping to capture our collective passions could not seem to match it. Finally, “Supreme Commander,” a game by the same creator as “Total Annihilation,” is due for release. Already, the battle drums are sounding as we exchange emails comparing each other’s computer hardware and speculating upon the new game we will soon play.
Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more. The sound of war is blasting in our ears and we are ready. The connection to gaming is the bond that has held my friends and I together for over a decade, and we will congregate once again for a night of reverie and friendly competition. I can’t wait.
By Garret - Posted on 04 June 2008
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The following is a piece I wrote for CoxNewspapers last spring:
It happens quietly at first. A guy knocks on the door and then enters the house carrying his weapon of choice. No, it’s not the latest in ballistic firearms; it’s his computer, monitor and anything else he can think of that might give him an edge over his fellow gamers. Then, a few more friends arrive, carrying their own gaming rigs and suddenly, the house is teeming with energy and conversation.
Occasionally, we head straight for an open table near the internal network so that we can get our machines up and running, because the positioning of team members is critical in the games we like to play. Most of the time, though, we just set our equipment down and head directly to the kitchen for a drink and to catch up on each other’s lives. If enough time has passed, it feels like a reunion, a band of brothers who are joining together once again to share a few laughs and reconnect.
Our discussions begin centered on family, jobs and anything else newsworthy going on in our lives. Then, after we make the all-important decision of what kind of pizza to order, the talking drifts to the game at hand. It begins innocently, but eventually evolves in the pre-game trash-talking phase. This is where we vow to destroy each other without mercy. It’s all in good fun, though.
Sadly, we haven’t had many game nights such as these lately. In fact, I can’t remember when we last had one. It’s hard to say exactly why. For a while, I think we just got too busy with our personal lives to actually meet. We still chat daily in e-mail, but we haven’t been able to commit to a gaming night until now.
Why now? Well, in true gamer fashion, the pending release of a new game has stoked the fires of competition and camaraderie once again. For nearly 10 years, the guys and I have played a real-time strategy game called “Total Annihilation.” It’s a war game set in the far future involving tanks, giant mechanized robots, hulking navy ships and screaming aircraft. Earth shattering explosions reward the victors with smoldering remains strewn across the battlefield.
However, as time passed and technology progressed, the game we played finally grew stale, yet, newer releases by other companies hoping to capture our collective passions could not seem to match it. Finally, “Supreme Commander,” a game by the same creator as “Total Annihilation,” is due for release. Already, the battle drums are sounding as we exchange emails comparing each other’s computer hardware and speculating upon the new game we will soon play.
Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more. The sound of war is blasting in our ears and we are ready. The connection to gaming is the bond that has held my friends and I together for over a decade, and we will congregate once again for a night of reverie and friendly competition. I can’t wait.