In clearing out all my old computer stuff, I came across quite a few old friends.
First off, there were quite a few 3 1/2" disks with old pictures on them, mostly of my late dog Gypsy. It's still hard coming across her "stuff," even a year and 4 months later. As it always does, this gave me a good cry as I remembered a most amazing dog, and friend. I still miss her each day.
Here's a pic of her from her last Christmas, 2006. It's one of those happy/sad pictures, as I can see the happiness and shine in her eyes, yet I can also see the f***ing cancer (mast cell tumors) on her side that would end her life 2 and a half months after this picture was taken.
Someday, when I think I can, I'll write about this wonderful girl and the happiness she brought me. I really love her and always will.
I also came across a bunch of old computer games that have gone unplayed for years. I have 3 sets of Action PC Football. We played 2 years on CSW in a league called the IFL ("Introverted Football League" with Rich Simon, Bill Ramsay, Pete Stein, Dave Fox, JR Tracy, and I forget who else). It was an 8-player league, and we played with the teams that didn't make the playoffs the year prior. All games were head-to-head over the Internet. I ended up winning both years, once with the Baltimore Ravens (great D, horrid O) and once with the San Francisco 49ers (opposite of the Ravens!). Won 2 Oakland Raider jerseys out of the deal. I had a really good time, win or lose...
My "latest" game is the 2002 season, I'll have to look into updating!
Also found an old Avalon Hill game, 5th Fleet, that I used to have a lot of fun with. I see the website I linked to has ways to install it to an XP machine, I think I'll try, one of these days. This game was US vs. Soviet in the Indian Ocean, with various other nationalities thrown in, such as India and China. I have never played the board "Fleet" games put out by Victory Games, yet I really liked this computer version. Perhaps I should give the board games a try one of these days (sets always seem to be for sale somewhere).There were others there too, perhaps stories for another day. Most, however, will be going into the $1 bin at the moving sale.
I admit, I'm not much of a computer gamer. I go through stages from not playing at all, to playing a little. I tend to get bored trying to figure out hidden documentation, yet on the other hand I don't want to have to go through a 100 page manual to figure a computer game out. Come to think of it, that dichotomy would probably explain why I'm not much of a computer gamer...
Oh, I did play Espana 1936 with Bill last evening. Great game, went the distance for a glorious Republican victory! More, I hope, as I get time...
7 comments:
Rob
I have one of those nostalgic moments right now playing "Silent Hunter II." It's an old PC game from the 90's I think. I played the hell out of it then because there just wasn't anyone ( or I was not aware of ) to play board games with in LA in those days. I also played another Sub game called "Aces of the Deep" which was a much better sub game then "Silent Hunter." So I have done 11 missions now with SH but it is getting tougher as the years click by.
Cory
My three favorite computer games are Civ 1( the best $2 I ever spent at a garage sale), Panzer General II, and Carr Software's Capture the Flag, a game based on the childhood game that's darn close to a wargame, you have terrain affects, visibility rules, varying units, etc. They all play well in DOSbox on my Linux machine.
I suppose Realmspeak counts, and I have fond memories of Aces of the Pacific.
I just wish the strategic depth of some of the older computer games was seen in games today -- where it mostly isn't, for all kids seem to care about is flashy graphics, blood, and gore.
I suspect that all those flashy graphics take so much time that they don't have as much time for the strategy side.
Of course, there just isn't as good a market for good strategy games either. I dislike the RTS style games, which limits it even further. They seem to devolve into click fests and it seems fairly ridiculous that you can win a game by outclicking a *computer* opponent.
RTS games are the worst -- I agree, Grant.
You are right -- the better "clicker" wins.
Oh for the good old days...
I do understand that SSG's old "Carriers at War" has been updated (graphics -- the strategy's supposed to be just as good), I should look into that.
I used to love the old SSG games where you gave "general" orders to your troops, and they attempted to carry them out. Great fun, and probably as realistic as any wargames we play are going to get.
Repulican victory in Espana: well done!
I've found the Republican Offensive cards to be particularly useful in gumming up Nationalist advances.
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