Face to Face

Since I found this site about 3 months ago, I've been totally amazed at how much fun gaming has become.  Well, we took it to another level this weekend.  Myself and 4 other clan members met and gamed face to face.  Art of War, at least a good chunk of the TX based ones, and a visitor from paradise (lower AL), met up in Houston and played our asses off.  I found out all kinds of new things about my clanmates.  Faux is a large man, YIG is cute as a button and just as sweet as she can be, Pearl us just as funny in person as online, and Phreak will make somebody a great wife one day (best shrimp creole I've ever had).  Seriously, Phreak made some food Saturday night that if I had been stone cold sober would have given me a good reason to leave my wife.  It was hot enought that you get that little cough after every bit and after about 4 mouthfuls the sweat starts to break out on your forehead.  It was GREAT!!!  As it was, the beer has deadened the nerves just enough that I could taste it but not have to cough. 

We had a great time, and Pearl and YIG are  the BOMB in Guitar Hero. They played  all night and were amazing.  Don't know how they do it, it looks hard as hell to me.  Due to xbox, I had to play as Pearl  most of the afternoon and since I'm a little bit more quiet than Pearl I had to hold up her reputation.  Afraid I didn't do her justice, not just playing ability but trash talk as well.  I had to play as Faux for a while and I know I took him down a couple of experience points.

All in all, a wonderful experience, and all hail Phreak for hosting this.  I annoint him LAN KING, and the title is his to hold.

Posted by alabama_old_fart @ 7:01 pm EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments

Finall....

Good news, UPS tried to deliver my repaired xbox today.  Bad news, nobody was home.  They usually deliver around 4 to 6 pm but of course today they came sometime between 10 and 2.  I have watched jealously while everybody in the clan has leveled up, gained gamer score, and generally had a good time with Halo 3, while I got 2 hours on it with a borrowed box the weekend after it came out.  Got to level 5 on the campaign, but no online play.  Finally, the wait is almost over.  I'm on vacation next week and I plan to play every day all day to catch up with everybody (except for GoW night).
On a totally unrelated note, does everybody with kids have to run everywhere all the time?  My son finished his last JV football game last night (in the rain, temps in the 40's, had to stand because I forgot a seat and the bleachers were wet), my daughter finished her last cheering session for the peewee team, and now my son has decided to play with the varsity the rest of the season.  Then comes basketball, then comes tennis (he hates baseball).  I have been to every practice except one, every game except one (working), and quite frankly, I'm ready to stay at home for a while.  The really weird thing is, my son slightly pulled his groin while stretching last night.  Not during the game mind you, during warm-ups, and yet he still wants to stand on the sidelines during the varsity games.  Oh, well, if they win one more game they go to state at Troy University and get to watch the game in the luxury suites.  I bet dear old Dad will be there as well.

Posted by alabama_old_fart @ 4:56 pm EDT | Permalink | 4 Comments

Trash talking

I've been reading some of the other blogs lately (since I can't play xbox for 4 to 6 weeks) and I must say I'm a little disturbed.  There seem to be a lot more complaints about trash talking, rude comments, and downright meanness, especially around Halo 3.  The biggest reason I joined 2o2p is because I got tired of the little kids doing that in all games.  My experience on here has all been positive.  Granted, all I've played is GoW and the CoD4 beta, but I've had a blast and what trash talking there is has all been good natured and taken as such.  I think with Halo, it's the biggest and baddest game out, the hype was unbelievable, and people out there want to talk a good game because they think they're good.  With GoW, it's a good equalizer.  Even bad players can get a kill, or several, because it wasn't totally dependent on a quick trigger finger.  Strategy played a part (that and the chainsaw).  Halo is all about the trigger and headshots, and the pace of play brings out the animal in a lot of people.  I guess it's the price you have to pay to play, but it sucks. 
Also, I've been reading a lot of complaints from women players about rude comments.  I just don't understand that at all.  It's a proven fact that women have better reflexes than men (on the average), and better coordination.  Me, I love having females play xbox.  Most of why I game is the social aspect, and who wants to talk to a bunch of men all the time?  The last thing I want to do is drive off what few women play.
Guys, turn off the testosterone (or at least turn it down a notch).  Competition is great, but let your play speak for you.  Personally, I know of 2 women on this site that could beat (could, hell, can!) me in Halo, and I will play with them every chance I get.  If you have to learn, learn from the best.

Posted by alabama_old_fart @ 1:29 pm EDT | Permalink | 3 Comments

microsoft and the xbox

The gaming gods hate me.  I got online tonight for clan night, joined a room, was getting owned (nicely of course), and my xbox froze.  First time, so I rebooted.  Got 10 seconds into the game, and it did it again.  Went through the xbox support site, tried everything it said, still can't play a game.  The stupid thing plays movies and cd's fine, just not a game.  I thought maybe it was the drive so I tried the CoD4 beta thinking it would work since it's just a program loaded on the hard drive.  NOPE.  Called MS, they're shipping me a coffin.  The night before Halo 3, I'm taking a trip to Wal Mart to pick it up, have the day off Tuesday, and the xbox dies.  SHEEEIIITTT!!!  My wife, who I love dearly, picks up the phone and calls MS for me because she doesn't want to listen to me whine and cry for the next 4 to 6 weeks.  She doesn't have any luck.  My 14 year old son is ready to shed tears, as am I.  I'm still going to pick up the game, my son thinks he can bribe some of his friends to let him come over and play.  I know a lot of people have gone through this already, and I always felt lucky, maybe even a little superior because mine had worked for 10 months with no problem.  Karma bit me on the ass!!.  I know I don't deserve it, but a few sympathetic comments sure would make me feel better.

Posted by alabama_old_fart @ 11:04 pm EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments

playing with folks on this site

Saturday and Sunday night I got to play with some people from this site.  It was AWESOME.  Played Rv6 Saturday night with a couple of guys (Jackal and plumber, enjoyed it), and Sunday night got caught up playing GoW with my son and after he went to bed hooked up with a full game with people from here.  Everybody was nice (as much as you can be with chainsaws revvin') and the one female in the group was an absolute trip. (thanks Spooky).  The thing is, the game gods must have known I enjoyed it too much because my second dsl modem in 2 weeks fried today.  I'm out of town so I couldn't play anyway, but my telco takes about 4 days to replace.

I'm not sure what's happening with me, but I'm fascinated with Shadow Run.  Can't stand to play it, but my son is really good and I watched him play for about 2 hours over the weekend.  Is that weird?  For some reason, the trash talking is at a minimum with this game, unlike say Halo2.  Maybe it's because the games have to hosted by a pc user and since a pc that will play this game well is a little more pricey than an Xbox, you get a different class of people. 

Anyway, looking forward to talking and playing with more people on this site.  Although, I did see a post about anime gf/bf???  Interesting in a slightly kinky sort of way, as long as nobody starts off on DragonballZ.

Posted by alabama_old_fart @ 2:50 am EDT | Permalink | 1 Comments