It all started in midst of third semester. Hostel corridor full of Counter strike players. I was a kind of person who mainly rely on outdoor sports and games for recreation. As far as this virtual world gaming is concerned I liked Real Time Strategy more than First Person Shoot, and this marks the beginning.
After a series of play, back in early childhood; tasted it with a easy wins against friends in college. In contrast with AOE II, III was all new experience for me but still proved more in respect with others. The victories were quite imposing, few conquered in just two minutes of the game play. Well all this was a beginning of new challenges for me ( I was knowing it very well). Let’s see how!
Soon the fever made a ‘T’ sector on the first floor of our hostel. We played multiplayer games, but more than all that, two of my close friends, one residing in the extreme right hand part of ‘T’ and another in downtown ‘T’ (room number 69), became more active.( I hope you can locate my place: the inactive one). They actually suffered from AOE fever. And this fever was good, at least for advancement in AOE gameplay is concerned. Their fever paid off, by the end of a week or two they were up with few good strategies (they were better than mine) and revealed some excellent secrets. I was delighted (but never showed them), as they were taking the game up to such a level where a mismanagement of even a single pie offered from game will end up into defeat. I was keeping a constant check over all these updates, so that my strategies don’t get a rust over them.
New semester started and it all happened what I feared off, I had rusty layer( degree of rust was upto such an extent that my opponents had to search me to kill me), first it resulted in change of empire from Russian to German and then severe defeats from downtown friend. An interesting fact what restricted me from choosing my empires freely was that I used to create an image of that particular empire and its emperors history. Whenever I got time I played and soon the situation was so worst, it looked as if I was playing to get defeat in my bag. Both of my mates had reached a pro level either by playing against computer or by taking challenges from others in there. Interestingly both of my friends had French empire over which they had excelled. The more interesting part was that their gameplay was quite different one was defensive while the other one was so attacking that he used to end up the game within 8 to 10 minutes (quite unfavourable) like a butcher. And I was still experimenting with my German army. I had a game play where I was comfortable for any attack done after that 15 minute bar. Needed a change very badly to compete with both- one dormant to take matches while other one always ready to take matches irrespective of the scenario (i.e. mainly exams).
A change came, not significant at start but yes it was there to make some difference. Took suggestions for enhancing the gameplay and there came a situation I was happy to call off for the night around 3:00am with my victory, with a very general scoreline of 1-4 or maybe 2-5. But as I said I was happy.
Majors ended (though we played during exam breaks too) and decided to play a tri-series of AOE III ( you can imagine the fever). I was ready with my right combination was not that confident to win it through. But to everyone’s surprise my Doppelsoldner did angriff! And it all ended with “You are Victorious.”
I very well know this is not going to be the end.....
