How did you get into Wargaming?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:48 pm
When I was a kid, I got Commodore 64. I don't remember when, precisely. I think I was 7 then, judging by how the first computer game magazine that I've read was from 1991.
My first games were on cartridge that I got with the computer. It was some kind of a soccer game, a chess game and some kind of a weird game that was very abstract.
Soon, I wanted more games. The main way to get new games would be to buy cassette compilations of pirated games.
Using a cassette would require loading every game on the cassette at least once to discover the counter position of every game.
This way I got to play tens or even hundreds of games, ranging from shoot-em-ups to wargames.
I was particularly fascinated with simulation games. Sadly, most of them were only one level. Full games were available only on diskettes but I couldn't afford a diskette station.
It was impossible to obtain original versions of most of games. Practically the only games released officially in Poland were games by Zeppelin Games which were usually very poorly balanced.
Some of my favourites were: Gunship, Up Periscope!, Silent Service, Strike Fleet, Legions of Death, Laser Squad, Druid II, Army Moves, Desert Fox, Midnight Resistance (I had an original version and I finished it), Bismarck (I had an original version and I finished it), The Spy Who Loves Me (I had an original version and I finished it), Commando, Great Escape, Into the Eagle's Nest, etc.
When my mother got a PC, one guy from class borrowed me a case of diskettes and a several original CDs.
On the diskettes I have discovered Transport Tycoon Deluxe, X-Com2 (I loved both and bought them later in a "classic edition"). I also played Warcraft II a lot.
Later I would be playing a lot of demos from demo CDs. I remember enjoying playing demos of simulations and wargames. I was especially impressed by Close Combat 3 but I could never afford it as it was very expensive - two times more expensive than other new games. I played all kinds of games but bought mostly simulation and strategy games and shooters. I was in privilleged position as I could afford buying original games (mostly when they were in prices of current GotY edition games, though).
I loved playing X-Com, Firefight (the shooter), Transport Tycoon Deluxe, Syndicate+, Crusader no Regret, Strike Commander, Wings of Glory and similar games.
Later I got into cRPGs. I loved Ultima VII, Fallout 1 and 2 (bought both of them when they were still full priced), got really disappointed with Baldur's Gate.
At some point I finally had an opportunity to play Close Combat as I got Close Combat 4 from a game magazine. I remembered loving the gameplay but not being really satisfied with the setting.
Then I got Close Combat 5 as it was released in a cheap edition.
I remember trying to make a mod for Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun that would make it more realistic. It was an exercise in futility.
Around 2006 I got into Close Combat modding and learned about existence of Matrix Games when the Cross of Iron was released.
My first games were on cartridge that I got with the computer. It was some kind of a soccer game, a chess game and some kind of a weird game that was very abstract.
Soon, I wanted more games. The main way to get new games would be to buy cassette compilations of pirated games.
Using a cassette would require loading every game on the cassette at least once to discover the counter position of every game.
This way I got to play tens or even hundreds of games, ranging from shoot-em-ups to wargames.
I was particularly fascinated with simulation games. Sadly, most of them were only one level. Full games were available only on diskettes but I couldn't afford a diskette station.
It was impossible to obtain original versions of most of games. Practically the only games released officially in Poland were games by Zeppelin Games which were usually very poorly balanced.
Some of my favourites were: Gunship, Up Periscope!, Silent Service, Strike Fleet, Legions of Death, Laser Squad, Druid II, Army Moves, Desert Fox, Midnight Resistance (I had an original version and I finished it), Bismarck (I had an original version and I finished it), The Spy Who Loves Me (I had an original version and I finished it), Commando, Great Escape, Into the Eagle's Nest, etc.
When my mother got a PC, one guy from class borrowed me a case of diskettes and a several original CDs.
On the diskettes I have discovered Transport Tycoon Deluxe, X-Com2 (I loved both and bought them later in a "classic edition"). I also played Warcraft II a lot.
Later I would be playing a lot of demos from demo CDs. I remember enjoying playing demos of simulations and wargames. I was especially impressed by Close Combat 3 but I could never afford it as it was very expensive - two times more expensive than other new games. I played all kinds of games but bought mostly simulation and strategy games and shooters. I was in privilleged position as I could afford buying original games (mostly when they were in prices of current GotY edition games, though).
I loved playing X-Com, Firefight (the shooter), Transport Tycoon Deluxe, Syndicate+, Crusader no Regret, Strike Commander, Wings of Glory and similar games.
Later I got into cRPGs. I loved Ultima VII, Fallout 1 and 2 (bought both of them when they were still full priced), got really disappointed with Baldur's Gate.
At some point I finally had an opportunity to play Close Combat as I got Close Combat 4 from a game magazine. I remembered loving the gameplay but not being really satisfied with the setting.
Then I got Close Combat 5 as it was released in a cheap edition.
I remember trying to make a mod for Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun that would make it more realistic. It was an exercise in futility.
Around 2006 I got into Close Combat modding and learned about existence of Matrix Games when the Cross of Iron was released.
