So I copied out the url and pasted it and tried to open a browser window and I instead got the friendly Steam support page that invites me to “Please begin by creating a unique account for support assistance.”

The hand written number is my ticket number. They say they can’t read the key.

But then when I hit about 35, two things happened: a) RTSs showed up, and b) I started to develop some physical symptoms caused by playing actiony games. The RTSs absorbed all my time for a while, Warcraft was first (unless you count Populous as an RTS). But I found they made my nose run. The longer I played, the worse it got. In severe cases, I became all stuffed up just like a head cold. Then other things showed up: dizziness and headaches. Limiting the time played did not help because these symptoms start as soon as I begin to play (though they do get worse if I keep playing). I can’t play shooters or sims at all. Doom made me nauseus (though I played it anyway because it was so cool). Recently I got a really cheap deal on the original Mass Effect which I had always wanted to play. But I just can’t handle the combat sequences.

So I’ve specialized in things that were more turn-based. Including especially strategy, and rpgs. These genres were a natural progression from what I had played before the pc was invented anyway. Some adventure games as well. I loved Interplay’s Neuromancer (on my C64!), and Space Quest, and ultimately Myst (though TB is the expert in the adventure category).

For strategy, there used to be a bunch of cool games for the C64 by SSI (that closely mirrored what I was playing with my friends face-to-face). Like Breakthrough in the Ardennes, …um… something about Normandy, Tigers in the Snow. More I can’t recall.

The Panzer General series is a lot of fun, though it’s kind of a mix of wargame and boardgame.

And SSI came out with some amazing renditions of D&D. Also Interplay’s Wasteland. I recall some early rpgs I played on a 286 based on Traveller. Later favorite rpgs: Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, Neverwinter Nights 2, Planescape: Torment, Knights of the Old Republic.

I love the 4x games too. When CIV2 came out I turned into a zombie and played it every waking, non-working minute for a few weeks. MOO, MOM, Ascendancy, etc.

I like to reminisce about games. Care to join me?

First flight sim, F-15 Strike Eagle, on 5+1/4 floppies.

A few years later I bought a Microsoft “Sidewinder” joystick just for flight sims. It came with “MechWarrior”. I played the whole series but enjoyed the original the most. There was a layer of strategy because you could command a handful of other mechs and send them into ambush positions. The Mech games that came out later were rigidly linear. Only one way to do things.

The “Sims”. I had to quit playing because I’d get up every morning, brush my teeth, shower and get ready for work. I started to feel like a Sim myself. Too much reality.

I loved “Sim City” and a few years ago I bought Sim City 3000. I took it off my gaming computer but luckily saved my city files because I now have an urge to play it.

“A-10 Cuba” was a satisfying flight sim even though the graphics were a little blocky (it may have been video card at the time). You had to spend a lot of time on the bombing range to get the hang of the bombsights. And if you didn’t take out the runways in time, the Migs would take off and you’d be screwed. The A10 wasn’t a dogfighter.

“Mig Alley” was one of my all-time favorites. F-86 Sabre vs. the Mig 15. Very realistic dog fighting. The planes capabilities were accurately modeled as to rate of clime and speed at altitude. It wasn’t easy. You had to deal with red-outs, black-outs, buffeting, sun blindness ect. The Sidewinder joystick let you “feel” the buffeting in your hand, it shook fairly violently.
You used guns, not guided missles and your ammo was limited to 300 (?) shots. One thing that added to the flavor of the game was the com chatter between you and your other pilots. On your “6” becomes a frequent phrase. It was made for Widows 98 but there were patches to run it on XP. I never had much luck with them.

And then there’s Half-Life. A series that immerses you in a Sci-Fi story complete with technologies ranging from the “gravity gun” down to a trusty crowbar. Scary mutants and monsters and lots of blood and gore. Each level was a unique challenge and culminated with a puzzle almost worthy of being a brain teaser. Sound effects added a high level of realism, sometime too real.
I just learned yesterday that the original Half-Life remake was released late last year. It’s been modernized complete with much better graphics. For years there were reports that it was in the works but after a short time it earned the title of “Vaporware”. It’s called It’s called “Black Mesa” , after the New Mexico research lab where the first game takes place.

Looks like I need to build another computer to play it. Oh darn….

Anyway, the solution I’ve settled on in these cases is to find a bootleg torrent online and play that. I know, it is illegal. But since I’ve bought the game, I feel perfectly morally justified in doing so.

I haven’t looked on the net for Arcanum yet but I’d be surprised if I could not find it. Usually you need Daemon tools or some other DVD-drive emulator to play. Or sometimes you have to get a hacked exe. Takes a small amount of research.

I don’t buy games any more through them. But this drastically limits the games I can play. My last mistake was ‘Total War: Shogun II’. No more. If I can’t get it on GOG then I won’t buy it.