About you!

[Arcane]

Personally I feel the community that congregate around computer games are as much a part of the gaming experience as the actual game therefore, I thought I might tell you all a little about myself and at the same time invite you to share a little about yourself with the rest of us http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Click this link (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=Profile;CODE=03;MID=65-1036821838) to see what I have entered into the personal information section of these forums (age,interests, nationality and location).

My interest in computers began when I was around 14 yo (sheesh .. 20 years ago alreadyhttp://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif), computers at that time were very primitive as were we users http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif (no GUI back then) I dabbled a little in basic language programming after obtaining a manual and teaching myself.. from around the age of 16 other things gained my interest such as women, alcohol, illegal substances (nothing too heavy just pot) and real life. I forgot about computing altogether for at least 10 years and over that time some of the interests which had stolen my attention were dropped (not the women though http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif)

I bought (was ripped off because of my ignorance) a computer and taught myself the joys of writing batch routines that would allow me to play various games on my Windows for Worgroups 3.11/MS Dos 6.22 DX2 486 66 Mhz 12 Mb of EDO ram (yup it was a truely elite specification machine at the time) Now I have forgotten most of what I learnt back then but in my time I could optimise (get a program to actually run) with the best of them http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

I have had a computer of one description or another since then, the systems might have changed along with the operating system but my preference for strategic, tactical games has been maintained throughout. I don't know what happened but somehow I missed the whole Shogun: Total War series as it was released (probably RL intruding upon my time) and only discovered MTW by chance recently (for the 2 months I have been playing it) I love the game even with its many idiosyncrasies. I found this forum not long after buying the game and have been an avid reader since that time learning a lot about the game and a little about how to play it.

I have always shied away from the MP experience in all games I have played because I doubt very much that cheaters, bullies and 'win at all costs' opponents would enhance my gaming experience.. it seems to me that there are a number of decent and reasonable players participating online in MTW (many on these forums) and I might delve into it one day if the interface is improved in the future.

Well thats enough waffle from me for one post http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif I hope others might share a little about themselves in response to this...

Arcane

[Mithrandir]

You should definately come online, except for one quiter, I've had no bad experiences yet online...

and for OT posts, please post in the Tavern http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif.

-Mithrandir-
The Tavern's Bouncer.

[Arcane]

I would love to post in the tavern however as a new member I am unable to post on any other board besides this one http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

TosaInu did give the reason for this in his post on this thread (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=2048) so until my status is altered allowing me to post on the other forums I have no alternative but to do it this way...

Please accept my appologies...

Arcane

[Sir Crashalot]

I also got my first computer when I was 14 (which was also 20 years ago http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif ), it was a ZX81 with an additional 16k rampack which I learned to program by myself.From the age of 16 I had decided to sample the joys of women and alchohol although I didn`t touch pot (until I was 19) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif.

Ive been through many different computers since then :

ZX81 - ZX Spectrum+ - ZX Spectrum +2 , Atari 800 XL, Amiga 500, Amiga 1200 , Pentium 200 and finally my home built 1.4 ghz Athlon which I now use.

I like all sorts of games but prefer strategy or RPG games to waste my spare time on.Strangely enough, I also completely missed Shogun Total War and didn`t know it existed until about 8 months ago when a friend gave it to me.

I have quite a bit of multiplayer experience due to spending two years being the warleader of a large Unreal Tournament clan.I have only played MTW online twice and found them both to be very enjoyable games. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

My favourite ever 10 games list (because I can`t think of anything else to write http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif )

1) Unreal Tournament (although I do not play this anymore)
2) MTW
3) X Beyond the Frontier / Xtension
4) Age of Wonders
5) Elite
6) Lords of Midnight (spectrum)
7) Planescape Torment
8) Civilization
9) Homeworld
10) The Settlers

Crash http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

ps. @Mith tut tut tut http://www.plauder-smilies.com/nono.gif

[LovelyHaji]

What is this, some sort of Old Duffers gathering? Well my first computer was a 10mhz 086, and i learnt some DOS commands
By the way, i'm dancing about right now, moving my young and supple limbs. Try not to imitate me old people, you'll put your back out. Can i get in the real forum yet? pleease?

[Azrael]

Well, the wonderful thing about being too poor to own a computer until modern times is that Shogun Total War was the best £ 10.00 I ever spent in my life.
Listening to you guys takes me back. Computers? Well, I had computer courses when such things were just taking off. I learned how to make circles change colours in GWBASIC.
Gaming for me has until the past few years been a strictly console affair.
Can anyone remember guiding their brave square through Atari's QUEST? Picking up that sword, which was an Arrow symbol and maneuvering your square to get that 2D Dragon on the proper side so you could poke him with the sword (er, Arrow)?
Ahhh, Colecovision. How my mates Zaxxon maked my Pong look like a set of white lines hitting a white square accross a black background... (hey wait a minute...)
Ahhh, Super Nintendo. Mortal Kombat II. Will you ever see your equal?
Mates and me, creaming our jeans, playing Nintendo 64 Shadows of the Empire in the Battle of Hoth, only to scream with fear when flamed by IG88, only to require a pace maker after confronting Boba Fett in the jet pack battle.

I read Clavell's Shogun and re read it again and again, year after year. Alas, when the mini series was out, I was too young to stay up and watch it. Oh the Humanity

When I was old enough to stay up late, flicking through the channels of late night T.V. Akira Kurosawa's RAN, mezmerising me (Though die hard STW fanatics can recite every word to this film in the original japanese, for those who don't know, the introduction movie for Mongol Invasion uses clips from the film - not seen it. Go See it) If I hadn't read Shogun or seen RAN, STW could very well have been lost on me.

And then, owning my first computer, thinking, I've got to have at least one game for it, seeing that Red Box, calling to me from the shelves. Finding Kurosawa's battle scenes in a box on epic scale.

Gee.

I seem to have gone from Off Topic to On Topic.

Well, at least it's the New Folks Forum so I might get away with it.

Azrael

[KukriKhan]

I'm old, so I guess I should cite the Abacus as my first computer http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif But it was actually one of these babies:

https://jimcee.homestead.com/files/ti994a2.jpg

a Texas Instruments t199/4A. I guess I spent a month or so learning a little BASIC so I could change the screen color (uuuuuuu) and do goto loops of lines and circles (ahhhhh). Couldn't afford the separate monitor, so had to use the TV (back then, most folks only had one); wife was pissed, missing her shows while I clicked for hours on that keyboard to do the (nowadays) simplest things. She 'accidentally' spilt a cup of coffee on it (twice&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif; so it sat in a closet, we got divorced, and I didn't re-enter the PC world 'til Win95 came out.

New computer, new wife, new gui, new world.

BTW, I'm an avid Clavell fan as well, and RAN was the first DVD I bought. Shogun: Total War is the first game I bought.

[Gregoshi]

I grew up in an Intellivision family. I couldn't stand the Atari graphics.

My first computer was the awesome Commodore 64 when they first came out (1981?). I even paid full list price for it: $599 for computer, $399 for disk drive. Six months later the prices were $99 and $199 respectively. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif But what a great machine. The message Loading, please wait... was burned into the monitor.

I graduated to the Amiga in the late 80's. That was an awesome computer. It is a shame Commodore didn't promote it like they should have.

My first real computer was a PII, 350mHz in 1998. That is the computer I'm still using today and playing MTW with - SP and MP online(&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

I'm usually slow to move to a technology, probably because I'm too frugal spending money on myself (but when I do, hehehe). Heck, I still take pictures with a 25 year old, manual 35mm camera, but then everyone always comments how good my pictures look. Digital-shmigital. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I wonder how many readers are expecting me to end this post with the old cry get a horse? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Sir Dipthong]

Old Duffers at 34? Mere fledglings I played Ultima 1 on Atari when it came out - and I was past teenage-dom even then

Maybe OT, but who can resist talking about their favourite subject? I'm a 'serious' analyst/developer by day, casual gamer by evening and usually tucked up in bed by night.

Favourite games of all time? I too tend to the Strategy/RPG scheme of things, my #1 would probably by Heroes Of Might And Magic 3. My other addictions include: Ultima 4, Civilisation 2, the X-Com series, Champ Manager 2 & 3, Thief, Balders Gate, Europa Universalis and Morrowind.

I'm still not sure about MTW, it's the first game I've EVER bought on release day and I've played it lots, but I find it all too easy to switch off and there seems to be long hours of frustration for every few minutes of glorious battle. Did anyone say micromanagement...?http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

Gregoshi, you mention playing multiplayer with a P2 350. I too have a lower-than-minimum spec for online play, so haven't gone online yet. Does it play OK? I have a Celeron 450, Geforce 3 graphics card and a 50K modem. Single player works OK, but is it worth trying multiplayer or will I just get slaughtered before I even see my
army arrive?

[Whitey]

Quote[/b] ]Gregoshi, you mention playing multiplayer with a P2 350. I too have a lower-than-minimum spec for online play, so haven't gone online yet. Does it play OK? I have a Celeron 450, Geforce 3 graphics card and a 50K modem. Single player works OK, but is it worth trying multiplayer or will I just get slaughtered before I even see my
army arrive?

depending on who you play, that'll happen no matter how fast your computer is...

but seriously, can you play multiplayer on a 350???

I have difficulties running the game on minimum spec on a 700 (well, it is smooth - but only on minimum spec...playing STW on a 233 was worse)

[Sigurd]

I can barely remember the first computer I handled.
It was a computer my father bought for his contracting company back in the eighties. I remember it costing almost as much as the car we had at the time. The only game that it had was a game called snake… I remember that it had an internal tape player.

I didn’t buy my own computer until 1998, the top of the class computer, a DELL Dimension 400 with a PII 400 MHz processor and 128MB RAM and one of the first DVD players available.
I still have that machine back home in Norway.
Now I sit here in Australia (what a paradox, A Norwegian in Australia during Christmas) with a P4 1,8GHz 256MB GeForce4 machine…and haven’t still played the MWT game.
I’ll go and get the game as soon as the temperature wears down a little. It’s about 34 degrees Celsius in the shadow right now… http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

Oh...To all the young I'll dance up and down your back, at the age of 30, I am still beating you in shot put (athletics)... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gregoshi]

Re: my system specs for online play - I've created a new thread called MTW Online for this discussion in an attempt to keep this thread on topic.