The Early Days Pt.1:
When I worked at EB back in late 96, I was into Quake DM big time. Even though it wasn't released in the US until November, my friend and I had the full European version since July. I first heard of TF in January of 97. It sounded cool, but I didn't go for it since I had a 14.4 still and CTF would lag me. I went to a 33.6 and downloaded TF in early Feb. The first maps I remember playing on were Big Idaho (which I didn't know what the hell I was doing), and Pyramids (a rather long straight away map if I remember correctly). Also back then I didn't have a set name to use online. I would be a lot of different names. Sometimes my and a friend would go on a server as Fred and Ethel Murth, or Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy, and even BaBaBoey and Jackie the Jokeman. Also I didn't know about +mlook then, which is funny now that I think about it.
 
The Early Days Pt.2:
As the weeks went by, 2fort4 I would play on, but a map that really caught my attention was 4fort4. I don't know how, but I seemed to kick some ass on that as a soldier. Now I cant play for my life on that map hehe. I started using one name, and that was Rudolph Hess[SS] (the old Nazi war criminal and leader of the SS). In DM I would use the Hitler skin too, so it was rather fitting (no offense to anyone out there). I never really heard anything about TF clanning, mostly just DM clans. Around April or so, after doing a decent job on a 2fort4 server, I was asked to join ]BK[, Bitch Killas, I said sure, but I never got around to playing with them. They were a west coast clan, playing matches as late as 12 midnight EST. I had classes in the morning, so I couldn't commit to them, and that was that. Come that summer, I remember seeing something called Fortress Fest 97 on Blue's News, so I played on some of those servers, recalling that the Town4 server was a lot of fun. I was asked to join @!, which was TomFoolery, but that clan nothing ever came about of. No server, and people didn't show up to the ICQ meetings, etc.

I went on to a server that was RaM Alliance as Xmas Cheer, it was a few days before Christmas so why not?. I was sniping my ass off, and was asked by some guy named Krunch to join Midgar. I said sure, why not, it would be fun :). I had to snipe some guy named General Lee though, and did well. He taught me about FOV and a few other tricks, which went a long way with me. We played in the IGL and got our asses kicked with the big boys. A semi coup followed within Midgar, and thus Valhalla was born. VH I began sniping as an LPB. Krunch, Loki and myself used to sneak into a local county college and install quake, tf etc. and play in the VH matches on Thursday and Tuesdays. I began to make a name for myself as the matches went on, sure I still got my ass handed to me on more than a few occasions, but I was doing good. Sarek noticed my skills during the VH-BH match, and made me a Top 20 sniper shortly afterwards. I was now running the TF Times news page and had a huge sniper tournament running, which lasted 2 months (yikes!). I lost in the quarterfinals to Anfernee-IC- 15-8, who went on to win the whole deal. I ended up shelling out the cash for ISDN, and my skills went down. My machine acted real weird on servers and I was losing confidence in myself, and thought that VH was losing their faith in me as well, so I left VH (which there were a few bitter people over my decision).

My skills started to come back with a vengeance when I upgraded my computer, so did my confidence in going after SLPB's. I joined NCNJ thanks to my friend Dao-Lin, and the first order of business was to take on my old buddies of Valhalla. I sniped really well against them, and even tossed in a new trick I learned, which was shadow and yard sniping. I was back! But NCNJ also played late matches, and there were a few other things that didn't sit well with me, and off to Neutron's Carbineers I went. =C= was real cool, guys were great, very nice, but we lacked a server which was hard. I left =C= and was thinking of retiring or finding a new home....

That new home was At, Aggressive Tendencies. Scorch had offered me to join, with the knowledge that I was busy with work. Once I seen how dedicated these guys, Scorch, Warlord, Hammerfist, and Paranoia were, I showed up a lot for them. We added Sligh to the sniping ranks and we did very well. Real Life was #1 in the clan, and after a few months, we slowly disbanded. It was rather sad to see a dedicated clan of fun people who knew the game well decide on splitting but that happens.

The disbanding of At brings me to where I am today. I haven't joined another clan since, although I have had offers. I just don't think its fair to a clan, that I may or may not know if I can show up until that night. But I had my day in the spotlight, and it was fun. I still play on pubs now, and started to do some Tribes here and there, not to mention the Junction and the Times. Hope you enjoyed the story, even if its a tad 500 words too long

:)

Thrymm-J (ICQ 267058)