Games and I: Part 5
All Good Things Comes to an End
Nobody stays one place forever. I may have stayed in Cyberjaya longer than quite a number of my comrades, but I know it won't be till the end of time. Eventually we all would leave when the time comes, some sooner than others.
Ash eventually left, went back to his homeland. He was in fact a 'Jabba the Hut' in that he travelled around very little, did not do much, yet affected the surrounding with his (lazy) presence. It is not a formalized custom but the next one to sit at the same spot in A3-3-3 after Ash would come to define the gaming scene there as well.
In similiar manner, I would call this next phase the Raj Era.
Under the aegis of this era, I find that the traditional RTS scene declined a little. Certainly by then C&C: Generals wasn't as big, both Act of War and Empires were largely defunct, Homeworld series completed and aside Naz, no one else plays starship games. Dawn of War declined as well, though more in terms of its intensity. New expansions kept it going long enough to a point we can see the age of the game finally showing, but to all extents and purposes it was not as epic or intense as the game was initially. We might blame that on making it more 'noob' friendly, but ultimately I think we got too good to a point it finally lacked the challenge.
Raj was never as keen on such games anyways. His known method in Dawn of War was even far cheesier than Ash's power play style; Raj spams turrets. And when that ability was nerfed in the expansions, Raj lost quite a lot of interest in Warhammer. He played some FPS as well, and much like Ash before him, loved women player characters with magically aligned tendencies in RPGs. I cannot fairly say how he was into the whole thing, because it seemed he wasn't as keen into deeper RPGs and more inclined for Diablo-esque action RPGs.
Additionally he played football games. Especially those... unbelievably 'exciting' football management games.
But what Raj did best was of course Warcraft 3 and its many variants.
I mentioned on Warcraft 3 and my opinions towards it in the past. While we did relive Warcraft 3 multiplayer in 'vanilla' style, the greater inclination was towards its many mods. Certainly Raj had passion for tower defense games, which is quite a staple thing among the modders.
But none of this would highlight the era better than DotA.
Defense of the Ancients (All Stars) is a basically simple concept. It is divided into two sides with each side periodically spawning NPC troops that march forward automatically along 3 seperate pathways towards the enemy base, engaging anything of the opposing side that comes along the way. As a player on each team, we pick a character/hero, progress by gaining experience and earning money to buy equipment whilst supporting the NPC forces as we push towards enemy base.
The genius of the game is that in such simple mechanics, a great deal of variety can be found by its ever increasing choice of heroes and items. Certainly, as I would realize later, this mechanic helped emphasize an individual players psychology.
Raj was the dominant sponsor and supporter of this game. It became a routine for him at times.
I remember the first time playing it. Not being a cyberia resident, let alone a full time A3-3-3 tenant, I lagged behind in discovering and honing my skills in the game. So it was that one day, I came to A3-3-3 and was pushed into playing DotA without so much as any introduction or guidance on the gameplay.
I certainly remember Naz, Raj and probably Omar being in the opposite team. Why this 3 are significant will be told shortly, but suffice to say for now, they represent some of the top players we have, and they DEFINITELY have had practice on the game before (Note: I also recall now it was a few days since my prior visit that time, so at best the guys could have had several days head start in getting used to the game). In their defense, as they always claimed later on, these 3 enjoy being in the same team because there is a harmony in their gameplays with each other, and they can rely on each other to fulfill roles. But as a first time player, and always having a semi-outsider feel to the whole of A3-3-3, I always felt a touch of being bullied by what is clearly a superior player base. In my view, placing the absolute newbie with the clearly lesser players in one time, while the better players all congregate against us was quite the imbalance. It would not be the only time I had to go against a more skilled and stronger group in this game.
I remember a few key details of the match. I played the Panda, got killed or at least severely punished everytime I tried to confront ANY of their heroes, and my own team mates seem uncoordinated. As it felt that it was getting stupid from that point on, I decided to play on what I know. Certainly I have a feeling they know they face the lesser team, and seemingly appear not as focused as they should have been. My choice was thus to decline confrontation with them; I helped push the line forward alongside the troops, turned away when they came to strike (hopefully agitating them enough by denying them a kill), and tried what I can to organize the other 2 team mates, which was tricky regardless.
That was my first match in DotA, and barring myself from getting Hero-kills which I am just to new to know how to get em easily, I won that first match. A thousand kills would mean squat if your lines are broken and your citadel is being hacked away by enemy troops. And that was what happened to them. In the future, I would play at least once more with such odds; and that match was even closer than this first one, but my side still won.
True the opposition wasn't giving it all their best, which if they did, they could easily have won, but they didn't; either because by adopting such stance a defeat would not be so humiliating or because largely underesmating my side, I don't really know. In either case, I took opportunity of that to snatch victory from the enemy's claws.
What makes the player base significant in this era was that, in one match (which I being the only one who was employed and needed sleep for the night, was therefore no present to even be a spectator), the triumvirate of Raj-Naz-Omar won in a 3 vs 5 match up, in which the three were all melee characters. To date, it can be said as the house' most significant match and disproportionate victory. From then one, these 3 would the FFs, or Forbidden Formation, so called because they would always win if playing together that they must be seperated in the name of fairness. On side note, they later wanted to expand the FF ranks, probably to irk those who whine about them as well, which included myself as an extended member.
But the FFs, despite being offered an honorary position in it, is something minor in my recollection. I was always a fan of the underdog, David vs Goliath, the small overcoming the big. Being a superpower had a cushy feel to it, but beating a superpower when one himself is not, gives great amount of pride. More than being FFs, I recall the times when I had to go against fellow FFs. More than the ease of mutual understanding that leads to smooth victorious gameplay, I would recall the nerve wrecking, sometimes quite frustrating moments in organizing a shaky coalition against the former.
In a way, DotA gave some clear reflection of a person's psychology. I know on one of the players in the house is a power player, favouring a heavy direct damaging ability to be superior. I recall some of them that totally abhorred risk to the point of cowardly whilst one constantly flirts with risk. I know some who favoured fast strikes and using speed and stealth to gain victory over brute strength, and without a doubt Raj was the most notorious for always playing in the most disruptive manner that leaves little wonder why many would seek to 'remove' him first from the battlefield. And I being not a twitcher, know that direct confrontation is not my best thing. Whether I am thus defensive or a simply a line-pusher, it is probably best for others to decide. Personally, I always felt that all others are subordinate to victory. Victory alone gives measure to achievements.
DotA was in fact a high water mark of gaming in A3-3-3. Afterwards, there was precious few games that generated as much intense following among the majority of the people there, and by then real life started to creep up on the rest as well. Most got jobs at that one place, to a point it irks me to hear them talking incesantly about their workplace while at dinner or any sort of outing. (No, I didn't choose to invade upon these excursions on quite a number of times, I was invited to it). Eventually, A3-3-3 was a congregation of people with currently, relatively similiar fields and not as heavy gamers anymore; a point that seems to alienate me even more.
People fall out, things get old, and when you are as detached as I am to a place, or at the very least not as attached to the place as the others are, these declines can be downright sudden and baffling to you. I visited A3-3-3 to play games with other people. This has been true since the Ash era, where multiplayer began to be dominant. After DotA declined, and many new games were not enthusiastically received my some members of the house (Raj was against C&C 3 somehow), my visits then were largely for computer usage. Eventually, with no multiplayer going on as much, and finally I have started to save enough for my own PC, the scene quietly died for me.
In this essence, I can say that this becomes quite like a second retirement for me from LAN gaming. I love my PC, and I am deeply proud of it, but until internet and income of the people I know can come to accomodate group-multiplayer gaming again, the glory that was the 2 eras of A3-3-3 are gone, and perhaps never to be repeated.
(next: finale) :p
Nobody stays one place forever. I may have stayed in Cyberjaya longer than quite a number of my comrades, but I know it won't be till the end of time. Eventually we all would leave when the time comes, some sooner than others.
Ash eventually left, went back to his homeland. He was in fact a 'Jabba the Hut' in that he travelled around very little, did not do much, yet affected the surrounding with his (lazy) presence. It is not a formalized custom but the next one to sit at the same spot in A3-3-3 after Ash would come to define the gaming scene there as well.
In similiar manner, I would call this next phase the Raj Era.
Under the aegis of this era, I find that the traditional RTS scene declined a little. Certainly by then C&C: Generals wasn't as big, both Act of War and Empires were largely defunct, Homeworld series completed and aside Naz, no one else plays starship games. Dawn of War declined as well, though more in terms of its intensity. New expansions kept it going long enough to a point we can see the age of the game finally showing, but to all extents and purposes it was not as epic or intense as the game was initially. We might blame that on making it more 'noob' friendly, but ultimately I think we got too good to a point it finally lacked the challenge.
Raj was never as keen on such games anyways. His known method in Dawn of War was even far cheesier than Ash's power play style; Raj spams turrets. And when that ability was nerfed in the expansions, Raj lost quite a lot of interest in Warhammer. He played some FPS as well, and much like Ash before him, loved women player characters with magically aligned tendencies in RPGs. I cannot fairly say how he was into the whole thing, because it seemed he wasn't as keen into deeper RPGs and more inclined for Diablo-esque action RPGs.
Additionally he played football games. Especially those... unbelievably 'exciting' football management games.
But what Raj did best was of course Warcraft 3 and its many variants.
I mentioned on Warcraft 3 and my opinions towards it in the past. While we did relive Warcraft 3 multiplayer in 'vanilla' style, the greater inclination was towards its many mods. Certainly Raj had passion for tower defense games, which is quite a staple thing among the modders.
But none of this would highlight the era better than DotA.
Defense of the Ancients (All Stars) is a basically simple concept. It is divided into two sides with each side periodically spawning NPC troops that march forward automatically along 3 seperate pathways towards the enemy base, engaging anything of the opposing side that comes along the way. As a player on each team, we pick a character/hero, progress by gaining experience and earning money to buy equipment whilst supporting the NPC forces as we push towards enemy base.
The genius of the game is that in such simple mechanics, a great deal of variety can be found by its ever increasing choice of heroes and items. Certainly, as I would realize later, this mechanic helped emphasize an individual players psychology.
Raj was the dominant sponsor and supporter of this game. It became a routine for him at times.
I remember the first time playing it. Not being a cyberia resident, let alone a full time A3-3-3 tenant, I lagged behind in discovering and honing my skills in the game. So it was that one day, I came to A3-3-3 and was pushed into playing DotA without so much as any introduction or guidance on the gameplay.
I certainly remember Naz, Raj and probably Omar being in the opposite team. Why this 3 are significant will be told shortly, but suffice to say for now, they represent some of the top players we have, and they DEFINITELY have had practice on the game before (Note: I also recall now it was a few days since my prior visit that time, so at best the guys could have had several days head start in getting used to the game). In their defense, as they always claimed later on, these 3 enjoy being in the same team because there is a harmony in their gameplays with each other, and they can rely on each other to fulfill roles. But as a first time player, and always having a semi-outsider feel to the whole of A3-3-3, I always felt a touch of being bullied by what is clearly a superior player base. In my view, placing the absolute newbie with the clearly lesser players in one time, while the better players all congregate against us was quite the imbalance. It would not be the only time I had to go against a more skilled and stronger group in this game.
I remember a few key details of the match. I played the Panda, got killed or at least severely punished everytime I tried to confront ANY of their heroes, and my own team mates seem uncoordinated. As it felt that it was getting stupid from that point on, I decided to play on what I know. Certainly I have a feeling they know they face the lesser team, and seemingly appear not as focused as they should have been. My choice was thus to decline confrontation with them; I helped push the line forward alongside the troops, turned away when they came to strike (hopefully agitating them enough by denying them a kill), and tried what I can to organize the other 2 team mates, which was tricky regardless.
That was my first match in DotA, and barring myself from getting Hero-kills which I am just to new to know how to get em easily, I won that first match. A thousand kills would mean squat if your lines are broken and your citadel is being hacked away by enemy troops. And that was what happened to them. In the future, I would play at least once more with such odds; and that match was even closer than this first one, but my side still won.
True the opposition wasn't giving it all their best, which if they did, they could easily have won, but they didn't; either because by adopting such stance a defeat would not be so humiliating or because largely underesmating my side, I don't really know. In either case, I took opportunity of that to snatch victory from the enemy's claws.
What makes the player base significant in this era was that, in one match (which I being the only one who was employed and needed sleep for the night, was therefore no present to even be a spectator), the triumvirate of Raj-Naz-Omar won in a 3 vs 5 match up, in which the three were all melee characters. To date, it can be said as the house' most significant match and disproportionate victory. From then one, these 3 would the FFs, or Forbidden Formation, so called because they would always win if playing together that they must be seperated in the name of fairness. On side note, they later wanted to expand the FF ranks, probably to irk those who whine about them as well, which included myself as an extended member.
But the FFs, despite being offered an honorary position in it, is something minor in my recollection. I was always a fan of the underdog, David vs Goliath, the small overcoming the big. Being a superpower had a cushy feel to it, but beating a superpower when one himself is not, gives great amount of pride. More than being FFs, I recall the times when I had to go against fellow FFs. More than the ease of mutual understanding that leads to smooth victorious gameplay, I would recall the nerve wrecking, sometimes quite frustrating moments in organizing a shaky coalition against the former.
In a way, DotA gave some clear reflection of a person's psychology. I know on one of the players in the house is a power player, favouring a heavy direct damaging ability to be superior. I recall some of them that totally abhorred risk to the point of cowardly whilst one constantly flirts with risk. I know some who favoured fast strikes and using speed and stealth to gain victory over brute strength, and without a doubt Raj was the most notorious for always playing in the most disruptive manner that leaves little wonder why many would seek to 'remove' him first from the battlefield. And I being not a twitcher, know that direct confrontation is not my best thing. Whether I am thus defensive or a simply a line-pusher, it is probably best for others to decide. Personally, I always felt that all others are subordinate to victory. Victory alone gives measure to achievements.
DotA was in fact a high water mark of gaming in A3-3-3. Afterwards, there was precious few games that generated as much intense following among the majority of the people there, and by then real life started to creep up on the rest as well. Most got jobs at that one place, to a point it irks me to hear them talking incesantly about their workplace while at dinner or any sort of outing. (No, I didn't choose to invade upon these excursions on quite a number of times, I was invited to it). Eventually, A3-3-3 was a congregation of people with currently, relatively similiar fields and not as heavy gamers anymore; a point that seems to alienate me even more.
People fall out, things get old, and when you are as detached as I am to a place, or at the very least not as attached to the place as the others are, these declines can be downright sudden and baffling to you. I visited A3-3-3 to play games with other people. This has been true since the Ash era, where multiplayer began to be dominant. After DotA declined, and many new games were not enthusiastically received my some members of the house (Raj was against C&C 3 somehow), my visits then were largely for computer usage. Eventually, with no multiplayer going on as much, and finally I have started to save enough for my own PC, the scene quietly died for me.
In this essence, I can say that this becomes quite like a second retirement for me from LAN gaming. I love my PC, and I am deeply proud of it, but until internet and income of the people I know can come to accomodate group-multiplayer gaming again, the glory that was the 2 eras of A3-3-3 are gone, and perhaps never to be repeated.
(next: finale) :p
posted by Raccoon General | 2:05 AM
1 Comments:
Really interesting and helpful article.!! Keep posting looking forward for your next updates.Thank you!!
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