| 1 |
Prologue:
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1 |
Prologue:
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| 2 |
[spoiler]My first encounter with spring and its games was as a total lobster (2005-2007, exact time uncertain).
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2 |
[spoiler]My first encounter with spring and its games was as a total lobster (2005-2007, exact time uncertain).
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| 3 |
I was fascinated by open source games and I wanted to use TASpring to play TA's single player campaign, never thought of playing MP or any insane stuff like that.
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3 |
I was fascinated by open source games and I wanted to use TASpring to play TA's single player campaign, never thought of playing MP or any insane stuff like that.
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| 4 |
After figuring TA SP was not an option, I tried to play Spring: 1944, which had an SP launcher pitting me against an AI that roflstomped me on easy difficulty.
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4 |
After figuring TA SP was not an option, I tried to play Spring: 1944, which had an SP launcher pitting me against an AI that roflstomped me on easy difficulty.
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| 5 |
My conclusion was that I should probably do other things, so in the meanwhile I joined the army.
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5 |
My conclusion was that I should probably do other things, so in the meanwhile I joined the army.
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| 6 |
\n
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6 |
\n
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| 7 |
Fast forward a few years (2011-ish), I'm an officer, I live in a flat outside the base, I have enough money to buy a laptop and best of all, I have much more free time. For some reason I've decided to check S44 again and this time I think the SP launcher didn't work anymore, so I had to run springlobby.
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7 |
Fast forward a few years (2011-ish), I'm an officer, I live in a flat outside the base, I have enough money to buy a laptop and best of all, I have much more free time. For some reason I've decided to check S44 again and this time I think the SP launcher didn't work anymore, so I had to run springlobby.
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| 8 |
Oh look! There are games!
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8 |
Oh look! There are games!
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| 9 |
So I've specced a few games, understood more or less how the game works, joined in the fray and had lots of fun (won first game, teammate was @[Er0]Godde ).
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9 |
So I've specced a few games, understood more or less how the game works, joined in the fray and had lots of fun (won first game, teammate was @[Er0]Godde ).
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| 10 |
The S44 scene went into hibernation somewhen around 2012.
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10 |
The S44 scene went into hibernation somewhen around 2012.
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| 11 |
Fast forward a few years more (2013), I'm released from the army, I have a smile on my face and again, time is in abundance.
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11 |
Fast forward a few years more (2013), I'm released from the army, I have a smile on my face and again, time is in abundance.
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| 12 |
Why not check S44 again?
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12 |
Why not check S44 again?
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| 13 |
The community awoke from its slumber and while still drooling, wonderful games were had.[/spoiler]
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13 |
The community awoke from its slumber and while still drooling, wonderful games were had.[/spoiler]
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| 14 |
Chapter
1:
(
Why
I've
Noticed
ZK)
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14 |
===
Chapter
1:
(
Why
I've
Noticed
ZK)
===
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| 15 |
But S44 had a small community with few games, while I had way too much time, so every now and then when there were no S44 games available, I've watched other games on the spring server, such as BA and ZK. For some reason (lower frequency of 8v8 DSD probably?) ZK games seemed to have more variation and I think they were also more aesthetically pleasing, so I've watched them much more.
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15 |
But S44 had a small community with few games, while I had way too much time, so every now and then when there were no S44 games available, I've watched other games on the spring server, such as BA and ZK. For some reason (lower frequency of 8v8 DSD probably?) ZK games seemed to have more variation and I think they were also more aesthetically pleasing, so I've watched them much more.
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| 16 |
It's worth mentioning that I've barely understood what's going on, but hey, explosions are nice.
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16 |
It's worth mentioning that I've barely understood what's going on, but hey, explosions are nice.
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| 17 |
\n
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17 |
\n
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| 18 |
Chapter
2:
(
Why
I've
Started
Playing
ZK)
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18 |
===
Chapter
2:
(
Why
I've
Started
Playing
ZK)
===
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| 19 |
Even though I've become a S44 dev, I was starting to enjoy the games less and less. The small size of the community and some of its members drove me away bit by bit.
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19 |
Even though I've become a S44 dev, I was starting to enjoy the games less and less. The small size of the community and some of its members drove me away bit by bit.
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| 20 |
Having watched dozens of ZK games, I've decided to give it a try ([url=http://zero-k.info/Battles/Detail/295613]Sep. 2014[/url]). Playing both 1v1s and clusterpots with surprising success, I've started to notice how many principles that I have liked in S44 existed here as well (counters, aggressiveness, knowing when to retreat, decisions>APM, spring's interface, quant's rule).
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20 |
Having watched dozens of ZK games, I've decided to give it a try ([url=http://zero-k.info/Battles/Detail/295613]Sep. 2014[/url]). Playing both 1v1s and clusterpots with surprising success, I've started to notice how many principles that I have liked in S44 existed here as well (counters, aggressiveness, knowing when to retreat, decisions>APM, spring's interface, quant's rule).
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| 21 |
So games were awesome and community was a vast improvement as well. In my early days I've had many talks/games with @Orfelius @ikinz and @ivand (back then I accidentally thought they were the same person) and probably others I don't remember which made me feel very welcome. Since then I've virtually stopped playing S44.
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21 |
So games were awesome and community was a vast improvement as well. In my early days I've had many talks/games with @Orfelius @ikinz and @ivand (back then I accidentally thought they were the same person) and probably others I don't remember which made me feel very welcome. Since then I've virtually stopped playing S44.
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| 22 |
\n
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22 |
\n
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| 23 |
Chapter
3:
(
Why
I
Haven't
Stopped
Playing
ZK)
|
23 |
===
Chapter
3:
(
Why
I
Haven't
Stopped
Playing
ZK)
===
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| 24 |
In the time I've been playing, from my perspective at least, everything improved:
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24 |
In the time I've been playing, from my perspective at least, everything improved:
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| 25 |
* *Skill*: I got way better.
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25 |
* *Skill*: I got way better.
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| 26 |
* *Community*: We may have less players today, but more of them are my friends: First and foremost everyone in @TheGBC (I've even met @DeinFreund in person a month ago!) but also many others such as (in no particular order, and probably omitting many) @NorthChileanG @Sigero @zenfur @katastrophe @Helwor
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26 |
* *Community*: We may have less players today, but more of them are my friends: First and foremost everyone in @TheGBC (I've even met @DeinFreund in person a month ago!) but also many others such as (in no particular order, and probably omitting many) @NorthChileanG @Sigero @zenfur @katastrophe @Helwor
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| 27 |
* *Involvement*: As an engine dev I'm part of the effort of making this game better and it's very fulfilling to see people play an engine which contains my code, blood, sweat and tears. I quite often think of myself as the part of ZK's war effort that fights on the engine's front (Although @GoogleFrog and I may often seem to be on opposing sides, I don't think that's the reality).
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27 |
* *Involvement*: As an engine dev I'm part of the effort of making this game better and it's very fulfilling to see people play an engine which contains my code, blood, sweat and tears. I quite often think of myself as the part of ZK's war effort that fights on the engine's front (Although @GoogleFrog and I may often seem to be on opposing sides, I don't think that's the reality).
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| 28 |
\n
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28 |
\n
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| 29 |
Epilogue:
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29 |
===
Epilogue:
===
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| 30 |
At the moment ZK is more or less the only game I play. With its exciting games, its unique gameplay, the friendly community and my personal involvement I just can't see myself leaving any time soon.
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30 |
At the moment ZK is more or less the only game I play. With its exciting games, its unique gameplay, the friendly community and my personal involvement I just can't see myself leaving any time soon.
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| 31 |
\n
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31 |
\n
|
What sold you on ZK?