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| Re: Halo - a look back over seven years | |
| Posted By: dogsounds <foxx@dogsounds.com> | Date: 11/16/08 12:03 p.m. |
In Response To: Halo - a look back over seven years (Louis Wu) Wow, can it really be that long? Sheesh. I hadn't really massively gotten into videogames back in the day. Sure, I had played a few FPS on my computer, but I wouldn't have said I had an all-abiding passion at that point. And then I was made redundant. Which was actually fine, as I hated the job and they gave me a massive payoff. So, with time on my hands and no need to go out and find a job for the next year or so I found myself happily wandering past a Dixon's store that, rather cleverly, had a TV facing out the door with this new-fangled games console - the Xbox - under it, running the menu teasers from Halo. I though "Oooh, what's that? I am liking it and finding myself with a large amount of money at the same time, somewhat handily". So it was that I placed my pre-order for an Xbox (it launched here a week later) and Halo. And I never looked back. It blew me away. As I first played through the campaign, it effected me like no other game had. It drew me in like a black hole. And pretty soon most of my friends, who had little interest in games, had had the console schlepped round to their house and had caught the bug. It didn't take long before they were getting their own Xboxen too. Thus began a good few years of LAN parties, beer, pizza, swearing, shooting, and the best times ever. Rather shamefully, one female friend had no experience with FPS and at first hated it, because she was rubbish. Now she is the best Halo player I know, is a thousand times better than me, plays more often, and it's all my fault. It should also be noted that after seeing the in-store demo I came home and scoured the intertubes for information and found what would become almost literally my home for a few years: HBO. I found this place, made so many new friends, forged so many new relationships and had so many good times on here you would not believe. I dropped off the radar after a few years - women issues and all that nonsense, thankfully long since sorted out - but now I have very little free time. But I have a daily roster of websites I check up on, and HBO is ALWAYS the first. I saw Stuntmutt's first tenative comic steps. I saw Vshields Ash grow from mouthy, stroppy kid with no concept of paragraphs to mature, thoughtful forum-goer. I carried on a non-stop good-hearted rivalry with Postman, he of the sloths (where IS he anyhow?). I watched KORHAL endure ridicule and inspire comedy gold with his total lack of a video camera. I remember posting as Terry Prathcett's Death (all in caps) in response to someone. I insulted Louis unintentionally more than once and made up for it with tie-die Spartan armor. I think I even helped spark the Halo Babies strips, but I'm not sure on that...I came to know Shishka and see his early art efforts, before he joined Bungie, and even got to know and respect - and draw an avatar for - Pallor (and fear her love of deadly weaponry). And talking of Pallor, who can ever forget the hunt for the Megg? And who can ever forget Bryan Morden's story? A young lad with so much courage, the way we all came together after he passed was something I will never forget. I have seen many people grow and evolve on these forums, come to love and know so many people, and had so many good times, that there isn't a day I wish I could come back to it. But I know that I have been away far too long, and have far too little time. So, looking back, to Bungie I say thank you for making the best game ever created, changing my life so much, and being just such a damn great company. I wish I had the skills to work for you. You guys aren't game developers, you're more like friends I know who just happen to have awesome jobs. And to Louis I say thank you for creating the best damn community on the entire internet - I hope that it never ends. I only wish I didn't live half way across the world for I would love to crash your place for one of those legenday LAN parties. Because it would be a long-harbored dream, but also for the free pizza. It is free, right? So, yeah, in conclusion, Halo harbors a multitide of memories for me. Every single one good.
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