We Were Spartans

[Brandon Hicks]

We Were Spartans

Halo is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary, but for a loyal group of Spartans, it'll never be quite the same.

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[Ren3004]

It really sucks that games are starting to favour online multiplayer instead of offline play. I just got two games I never thought I'd buy simply because they were about the only games I was remotely interested in that had split-screen. Thankfully so far I've been able to keep in touch with my old friends from school, even though none of them is in the same University I'm in, but it's getting harder and harder. He always have to work around our classes, out hobbies, our other commitments.

Well, reading this article made me want to set up a get-together with them. Yeah, I'll probably do that.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

I'm drowning in my own nostalgia now thanks to this.

 

[Dogstile]

Christ man, i'm in the process of losing a load of friends due to university. Its kinda hard to look at this and think "shit, this is what's happening, i'm losing everyone".

Gaaahhhhhhh

 

[Owlslayer]

A great read, loved it.
I'm not a really LAN guy myself, so i couldn't relate to this a lot, but still, it was very interesting.

 

[Draconalis]

I didn't do many LAN parties, but the ones I did were fun as hell.

It was never Halo for me, but I can still relate to the article.

 

[UnravThreads]

That was quite an interesting story! I never really had that experience, although I did find myself in a multiplayer situation sometimes, but not often. I was the guy who was never invited.

But I remember the Saturdays at my dad's house when my not-quite-step-half-something-brother used to bring his PS2 over and we'd spend the day swapping the controller as we played GTA VC or perhaps even Driv3r, whatever we had to play that day. In a way, GTA is more fun when played with a friend or family member, because you have two lots of ideas, not just one. You can think "Yeah, let's go on that island and do this or that!" rather than just dick around on your own for an hour before getting bored.

I think online gaming is both a curse and a blessing. It's so much easier to play online now. You just go into multiplayer and do whatever it is you have to do to find a game, and bam! You're playing. You don't have to organise snacks, you don't have to make sure everyone is free, you can just ring/text your friend and go "Hey, I'm free tonight. Wanna log on Halo 3 and play?". But as this article shows, it can cause gaming groups to fracture as they don't have that in-the-same-room aspect. To make it worse, it seems like LAN gaming is on the decline, both on console and PC, so these sort of events are getting restricted to the older titles that might have outlived their fun.

 

[projectX42]

unfortunately i started to game during halo 3 so online gaming is all i know but it still reminds me of all the friends i lost from high school, it hasn't even been one year yet damn. still right now i have a smiler thing going on with some people i met online where we just log in and play together don't even know their real names

 

[Irridium]

I remember LAN's with my friends. Oh man, those were some of the best times of my life. Just full of fun, friends, happiness...

Really sad it's all over. I'd love to play with 'em all again.

Great article. LAN's truly are a great thing. And it makes me sad that these days... less and less people are doing it. And as time goes on, that little number will continue to shrink...

I'm sad now.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Man, you have put my in nostalgic mode! I too will always fondly remember our LAN parties (which oddly enough, Dennis was the name of my buddy who hosted the games all the time, too)

Like you, I still look back on those days wistfully. I miss them terribly, but I also know that it simply cannot be like that again.

Thanks for writing this article.

 

[General BrEeZy]

the one thing i'll never deny my love for in the world is Halo. i dare say i never truly wasted time with it lol.

i love my first halo memories! =)

 

[sunburst]

Oh nostalgia; what devil art thou, that dost torment me thus?

The game was always Brood War for me. Inconvenient though it might have been, I really miss lugging my tower to the LAN party on Saturdays. StarCraft 2 doesn't allow the option to LAN so that experience has been thoroughly neutered. At least we'll always have Magic at the gatherings.

 

[D_West]

Super Smash Bros., all of them, were kinda the same for me and my friends

 

[Gxas]

Brought tears to my eyes. Excellent read.

 

[Laxman9292]

My friends and I keep finding good local multiplayer games just to enjoy playing in the same room and all. Mostly Marvel ultimate alliance 1 + 2 and an old school ps2 game Champions of Norath. Not many recent games out like that unfortunately, although there's always D&D to fall back on.

 

[repeating integers]

This is why I hope the Halo Fans Group's massive games keep going. We haven't had one in a while... in fact I'll go ask about it now!

Sure you don't want to join the group, Brandon?

 

[randomsix]

Just saying, but a friend and I recently blew through the campaign on legendary again. Good times.

 

[i am not god]

I love articles like this, most gamers seem to have a game for their group like this. For me and my group it's always been some type of wrestling game, not the most fun to play on your own but when in a room full of guys crowded round the console then you've got yourself some good times right there.

 

[ike42]

Halo: CE was definitely the best one. I was in the Navy and we used to play that game for hours in our shop when we were at sea. After Halo 2 came out they just started trying to add stuff that seemed cool, but they got away from what really made the game fun.