Gaming Roots

[Foxeye]

Originally Posted by Astraad

I've been working on two particular genes that are involved in the development of the brain, finding out their DNA sequence and trying to understand what they do.

You have my respect then. I loved all aspects of the field (was a bio major as well), but was the biggest clutz with anything relating to microscopes and, well, lab work in general. I blame it on my poor eyesight. Which is why I probably stuck to plants (they don't move!) and ecology-related field work. Much more fun to schlep around in a bog than putter in a lab with petri dishes and equipment. Even though I loved the information that came from those with the wits and skill to do it.

LOL, that's me too! I used to be in a very good Youth Orchestra, and then I joined the Orchestra at my university, but now.......er........it's quite rare that I actually practise my violin, cause I'm lazy!

...a bio-major-ing, violin-playing, gamer...wow, a wee bit of a kindred spirit there. Looks like we liked the same sorts of games too. How nifty.

[Astraad]

...a bio-major-ing, violin-playing, gamer...wow, a wee bit of a kindred spirit there. Looks like we liked the same sorts of games too. How nifty.

LOL that's spooky! Heh, even my parents have some similarities with yours by the sound of it. They love country walks, tennis, gardening (all of which my finace hates - he avoids visiting them if he can ) and they rationed TV time for me and my sisters when we were growing up, and vetted what we watched. I was the kid who never knew what the others at school were talking about when the conversation turned to TV or pop music! I still have to sit out the nostalgic conversations about that, as I don't have a clue, LOL. We never even had a computer until I was about 17 I think, not on principle but just cause they're expensive and my parents didn't see the need for one. It certainly wasn't a deprived childhood, just different from most other people's. I get the feeling my parents are somewhat bewildered by my current lifestyle, hehe.

[Cobalt Katze]

Often times I wish I had the skills or drive to do something more "benefitial" than music. But on the other hand, it's also extremely hard for me to imagine not being involved in music... It just seems wrong.

But since this is gaming roots, I'll have to redirect my focus here.

Back before I could speak sentences, or comprehend what exactly life was, or remember reason or decision... I had my toys. Ones that I could construct. A story that's been told to me a lot of times involved a christmas eve at some relative's house. Being in a scandenavian family, we always make a big deal out of Jul Nisse bringing one gift on the eve. My gift that year was a He-Man toy. I forget exactly what it was, but some construction was necissary. So my parents dragged out all the pieces and started to try and figure it out. Meanwhile, here I was, unfolding the instructions and looking at the pictures. After the larger folks got a bit frustrated with the parts, I chimed in, claiming I knew how to do it. Sure enough, following the picture instructions, I put it together.

So, I suppose I've always been on the hands-on approach when it comes to my entertainment. It would only make sense then that I would want something to not only be entertained by, but control. Though it seems obscure now, I got my NES at 6. From then on, it was the adventures of Mario and Link and all sorts of games. Then came the Sega Genesis with Sonic and Toejam & Earl. Eventually I moved on to the SNES and got exposed to my first RPGs: Chrono Trigger, Mario RPG, and Secret of Evermore.

Meanwhile, while all this was going on, my friends and I were entrenched with Magic: The Gathering card game. Since obviously, gaming time was limited by parents, we'd often fall back on the cards to pass away the hours. And when it was a beautiful sunny day and were told to play outside, we would make up our own games and roleplay adventures together.

Eventually, middle school and teenage angst set in. Magic cards weren't "cool" anymore, running around with duct-taped swords seemed a bit silly, and my own antisocialness kicked in. Gaming-wise, I kept playing RPGs on the Playstation: Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, Vagrant Story, Chrono Cross. I discovered the internet and MUCKs. I developed the character Cobalt and started roleplaying online in text-based environments. High school set in and I dabbled in being social, which ended up slapping me in the face by graduation.

Surprisingly enough, I graduated high school and started waffling around while waiting to hear back from colleges. A friend of mine started talking about the latest Final Fantasy game, 11, and how it was a massively multiplayer online game. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, and so he hooked me up with information on how to import it from Japan. I joined up with the community there and started off on the road of MMOs. Eventually I quit and tried out literally every other MMO out there. And then here I am now.

Next time on Behind the Music, we take a look at legendary rock star Granite Quiche and the career-breaking decision that would land him twenty years in federal prison... Until then, this is Cobalt Katze with Vanguard Spheres.

[Jaeth]

CK, if your music isn't beneficial at some level, I'm Julemanden.

(That's the Danish Jul Nisse, hehe.)

Originally Posted by Cobalt Katze

Next time on Behind the Music, we take a look at legendary rock star Granite Quiche and the career-breaking decision that would land him twenty years in federal prison... Until then, this is Cobalt Katze with Vanguard Spheres.

Laughing Out Loud

[Nil]

Originally Posted by Astraad

LOL, that's me too! I used to be in a very good Youth Orchestra, and then I joined the Orchestra at my university, but now.......er........it's quite rare that I actually practise my violin, cause I'm lazy! Somehow I agreed to play some stuff in a trio for my cousin's wedding though, so I'll have to get myself in gear .

I know you're all jealous of my mad Saxaphone skills I learned in marching band. I look back and wonder why I bothered. It's not like you can hear a saxaphone over the trumpets. Though, marching in pads was an interesting experience.

When I first saw this thread, I was a bit concerned seeing things like "I remember playing Legend of Zelda..." Youngin's, all of you. Then the veterans started chiming in. Who else remembers playing Berserk to level 90,000 or whatever? Darn robots haunted my dreams. Does anyone else remember the Odyssee? Putting cards in and out of the console was such a pain. I had some friends who liked AD&D, but none of us ever wanted to DM, so it never really went anywhere.