Nice topic Spanky.
What I do remember is that I was a Paramedic and Firefighter working shifts
I had slept myself into a corner on my days off and could not sleep anymore. Finally, I got myself a desktop and adsl. Logging on to the internet via landline had all the weird and fancy sounds that made you feel you had joined the space age. One day, logging on via Yahoo, I found a free game advertised called America's Army.
I breezed through the training ( to this day I recommend the medical training for wannabee's) until I got to the parachute jump and SF training. Nearly walked away
I believe the first map I joined was Bridge Crossing and as either my pc was so poor or the graphics were different, I could see the enemies black beanie sticking out above the pillars like a sore thumb. I started chatting via the keyboard and was amazed to find another South African playing. John and I made friends across the globe and the clan SASF was born. (all the kudos to John) then Jan who knew software and Sagi who was at another level.
I have made and still have friends that if I ever was to meet we would have a good couple of pints and a good laugh together due to this amazing game.
Life is short and has it's seasons.
There were always shits in this game who knew every spam in the book and as in the days where on Bridge at spawn if you did not hit the ground running the rpg's would nail you silly.
Has this game had it's season? Probably
It seems to be way to tough for the many I have introduced but yet it has everything to survive for many years to come. Apart from the recent Ddos attacks which I believe will pass, the current piss and vinegar ingame as well as the sheer disrespect towards players by few will always chase away those trying to get from 10 honour to 20. Having said that I have crossed the subject with those that I have introduced as to why they left and the answer has always been the same .... it's just too hard lol.
To the AA Team a big thank you for the trip albeit nowhere over for me yet!
To all the friends I have made thank you for being part of this journey I make through this life
To people like Merlin who have assisted me in getting my server up and running a big
If, I should die before this game, put a gravestone on the map I loved next to my friend and old clan mate Koen
Scrap