When I was seven, I had an NES. I remember staying up late to play Super Mario Bros. only to die over and over again in level 8-1. What was with that last jump? I graduated to an SNES in the seventh grade and then I pretty much stuck with that through college. Mario Paint just never lost its appeal. In fact, I may have never made a foray into modern gaming had it not been for two little words: System Link.
When I was in graduate school, I ended up hanging out with this big group of friends that lived in a four-bedroom apartment with three televisions, three Xboxes and a slew of cables, controllers and copies of Halo.
One night, I randomly decided to pick up a controller and try it out. Obviously, I had seen Halo and other games being played so I wasn’t instantly wowed by the graphics. I wasn’t enamored with the thought of running around and killing people. I didn’t take pleasure in grabbing invisibility and the shotgun in Hang ‘Em High so I could walk up to unsuspecting victims and shoot them in the face. Well, okay, I did kind of like that last one.
Experiences I enjoyed more, though, were screaming profanities at the team in the next room, laughing hysterically with my teammates as we rode around together on a Warthog, and, my personal favorite, running over to check the other team’s TV when my team couldn’t flush out a sniper.
The fun I had with those friends led me to buy an Xbox of my own—the green Halo edition Xbox to boot, and just in time for Halo 2. I signed up for an Xbox Live account and started playing online. Granted, it was fun. Halo 3 on my Halo edition Xbox 360 is also fun. But even when I play with my actual, IRL friends on Xbox Live, it’s nothing compared to my original System Link experiences. Xbox Live simply doesn’t fill the void.
Maybe I’m just nostalgic and it’s all just a fantasy. Maybe I’m “chasing the dragon” of my first gaming high, an experience that was nothing more than an ephemeral moment built on a combination of the right people, the right circumstances, the right time.
Or maybe there’s something about the human element, the social factor that cannot be reproduced when players are more than twenty feet apart. Maybe it’s something that can float through the air, but not the fiber optics. Maybe I’m just being a freak.
All the same, I miss the comfortable proximity provided to me by the System Link.
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I'm sure it extends beyond just gaming though, it's that feeling you get when you are with friends, sharing experiences and thoughts. Watching a movie is ok, but watching a movie with friends, it instantly becomes a lot more fun.
It's knowing that you have people right next to you that can relate so well to the things you like to do. Its standing next to your friend cheering them on as that pull off a C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER. And it's definitely radioing your team mate to DO A BARREL ROLL.
It is surely an element that will never be replaced, and it's sad to see developers opting for pure online multiplayer instead of split-screen gaming. I don't think I've seen a current-gen game utilize split screen apart from Halo 3 and Army of Two.
I miss being able to destroy my house mates.
Nothing beats System Link HALO.
As I'm one of the 'playstation generation' gamers, nostalgia does not really affect me, as long as I can remember I have gone solo on games, hundereds of them, and on the games I do play offline multiplayer, I often hate them, due to no small reason of either the splitscreen taking up too much screen space, or the other person simply not being good enough, or cheating. I understand the need for offline multi-player, but to me, a headset can be like the person is sitting next to you, without all the shortcomings that come with it.
Sorry if this is a bit jumbled, I fucking tired and will now go off to bed, Good write up as always!!!!!!!!
You're pretty freaking cool for a math teacher I must say.
I remember visiting arcades, to retail stores, and actually playing with others. Off and on, as of late I have had the chance to join up with friends to party up. But from my own library? I'm not really sure anymore. As much gushing Live's received, its kinda overblown. Online play doesn't have the same excitement it used to (kinda like the interaction that used to be with arcades).
To be honest, I still can't adjust to just hearing voices through a mic. It just cuts off the connection, of actual real-time play with others. Maybe I might not ever adjust, its difficult, but its a boundary thats still sticks to me.
It's also refreshing to see someone who appears to be a Halo fangirl, and yet isn't a ragingly annoying idiot. :)
Oh yeah, I used to play shitloads of beat-em up's with my mates when I was younger. We spent entire days during our holidays playing nothing but Soul Calibre, Tekken or Bushido Blade. Plus sports games too, but mainly Pro Evo. One of my fondest memories to do with gaming is me and my mate Craig beating two of my other friends at NHL Hitz in the very last second of a game. Total rush and it was so much better as they were in the room with me.
If the diagonal of your television is 27 inches and the width to height screen ratio is 3:4, what is the height of the television? What is the width? How many square inches is the whole screen? How many square inches is the largest screen in a three-way multiplayer split? You still get bonus points for a diagram.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
If the diagonal of your television is 27 inches and the width to height screen ratio is 3:4, what is the height of the television? What is the width? How many square inches is the whole screen? How many square inches is the largest screen in a three-way multiplayer split? You still get bonus points for a diagram.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?"
My brain froze over just trying to process all that. I feel stupid.
Just remember that a)27" is typically the size of the whole face, not just the screen, and b)don't 3 player split screens use 3x1/4 areas? YOU WERE TRYING TO TRICK US!
This is the same reason that I still get together with friends for LAN parties.
LAN parties are essential right of passage for ANY gamer!
Some of my favorite gaming memories are tied to lanning it up with friends.
Fact: Krahsh once held up a game of Total Annihilation for two hours by constantly moving his only remaining unit, a submarine. It was out of protest for having to play another rts when there was fragging to be done.
Best regards, Natali, CEO of mp3
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