I Just Wanna Thank...

Quaunaut · July 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">My little..well, for me its a tearjerker</div> Ok, I remember the first time I played NS. It was the middle April, exactly 2 weeks after my 15th birthday. I was bored. My birthday presents(a xbox and some cds) were starting to get old(but Halo wasn't...just...wanted to play something else). So I walk outside, and grab the mail there sits my new issue of PCGamer.

I open it, and begun reading the articles while loading the CD up, and also being a bit skeptical of the disc that month. The last few months, I couldn't even RUN the demos, so I was pretty...mad.

Well, I loaded it up, and to my surprise(<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>), I couldn't play any demos. I go to the extras section, just some BS strategies...then files. And there it was. Natural Selection, version 1.00. I clicked, checked, and it said it was a HL mod, so I could run it. I still had 56k. so I hadn't even HEARD of it before, let alone download it.

I then proceded to the "official site", and got the newest patch while the thing was installing. I remember going through the flash tutorial, and being utterly confused of everything.

I put it off for a half hour, just fiddling around on the net. Then I started it up. Went into a server(that went down 4 weeks after I started) called A L I E N A T I O N(was a great server). Map, eclipse. I remember exiting through the left door, as the ambient music flared...then I heard some biting sounds. Scrathing. I heard a few whistle like sounds(which I now know to be parasites), and I heard a crack, and it flashed on the bottom of my screen, "Parasite Detected".

Those 30 seconds were heaven.

Then parents show up, me go to bed.

I got up early the next morning, PRAYING this would be the day my parents woke up early on a saturday. They did. I played. Didn't stop. Till about...10:30 that night. I loved it.

Through the next 2 weeks, I learned the fundamentals.

I eventually got better, yes. I still, today, am playing the same game I did that day.

And not ONCE have I gotten bored.

So Mr. Charles "Flayra" Cleveland, and the rest of the NS team, I'd like to thank you, for providing something that I really think is the best thing I've ever had the pleasure to play in my life.

But on to what I love...

the 2.0 features. I've been watching NUMEROUS videos. Many amaze me. The pictures sure as hell do. I'd like to say, thanks Flayra and the NS dev team for making wallwalking a standard fare, forcing me to learn social skills(which got me my first girlfriend only a month after starting to play this game...) and for all around greatness.

Thank you. I hope you lives have been blessed, cause mine sure has.

Quaunaut

::rightclick->save as...::

::think <i>remember, DONT post this</i>::

-edit- darnit.

TychoCelchuuu · July 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Quaunaut @ Jul 20 2003, 10:15 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> ::rightclick->save as...::

::think <i>remember, DONT post this</i>::

-edit- darnit.  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
What?

pardzh · July 2003

NS = \o/

CplDavis · July 2003

ahh my first moments of NS. NS Nancy (soon to be gone <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'> ) man I waited SOO long for it to finaly be released. I got it the first day. The first game is aways the best.

"Omg you noob where are you going?!
"Dude shut up you dont know either!"
"How do we build/get guns/upgrades/play the game Anyone?...."
"Nope"
"not me"
"DId anyone read the manual?"
"Nope"/ no, 0"
"Im lost"
Crap. hey whats that noise?"

AHHHH omg humongo ALIEN COW ELEPHANT RUUuunn!

A <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif'> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pudgy.gif'> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/lerk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='lerk.gif'> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/fade.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='fade.gif'> <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/fade.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='fade.gif'> =>Bawhahahh <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

Quaunaut · July 2003

did anyone draw a tear?

Mr_Headcrab · July 2003

Ah, the good old days. And Nancy will live on, at very least, I"ll host a server with her on/

/me hugs the Dev team

RaVe · July 2003

hehe I remember my first time,I got lost in a vent in bast(don't ask how ^^)

moultano · July 2003

I remember when I first downloaded it I was getting giddy just hearing the menu sounds and seeing the hive image on the menu. Then I joined a game. The map was ns_nothing. I nearly crapped my pants the first time i saw a fade. It came toward me swinging its claws while I desperately tried to back away running out of ammo. For the first week I didn't want to ever play kharaa because I didn't want them to become familiar. They seemed so alien and so terrifying, and I didn't want that feeling to go away.

Mr. Charles Cleveland, I will buy any game with your name on it from this point on. You are responsible for the best experiences I've had in online gaming. gg man. I've been pwned. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

Quote me and put it on your resume if you think it will do any good <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>
I love WUV threads <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

hellokitty · July 2003

ermmm..that was a nice lil post. it wasn't a tear jerker for me.. unless something terrible happened to you.. but i don't think i read anything about that.. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'> so... good for you.

[shrugs]

<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

MonsieurEvil · July 2003

Terrrific posts. Thanks guys - these little things are what keep the team going, trust me.

PerfectionsFlaw · July 2003

I found the mod on a Half-Life dump site, the one where all the mods lurk, single player and multiplayer. Anyway, I had gotten two previous mods and they sucked. I won't mention names, let's just say WW2 mods for HL are horrid. Anyway I saw this neat name 'Natural Selection' clicked it, then the flash site began to load. The little ambience started up and I began to read on about in game characters/classes/teams. I saw alien and said "Huh?" this little screen shot of some green, four-legged, sharp taloned bugger popped up. Then I went to marine weapons... When I saw the welder that's when I got hooked.

Noo it wasn't the good site layout, or the little mp3 that played when you browsed, or the story that was given for the game. It was the welder that made me want to play. I was remembering every scene in 'Aliens' when they welded the doors shut and I was gleeful to begin the download.

And now I'm here, on the forum because my ISP is dancing all over my connection and I get a regular ping of 600ms all the way to 4095ms at any time of day. They are sooo getting their little pimply **** kicked..

CForrester · July 2003

My first game was on ns_eclipse, so that map will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember being the only one daring enough to try the Gorge. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'> Look at me now. I love Gorging. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

Angelus · July 2003

i cant remember that far back (middle of december) so i cant really remember what map i played my first ever game on, but im sure it was nothing (that may explain why I always want to put that map on when im on our server then <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>). I also vaguely remember running away from a fade with no ammo, only to run into another one <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'>

ive hardly stopped playing since - except a small CS then Freelancer stage a while back, but they only lasted at most a week and 1/2..

Cracking mod - best ive ever played, cant wait for 2.0, pity im on holiday when its released.

Comprox · July 2003

The NS_bast Readyroom screenshot... steam spewing, ramps, big metal walls, "join aliens" on PHL.com. How could you go wrong with that?
Hopped on forums, setup a short lived mirror for that old movie of NS. It got downloaded so much, my host dropped me <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'> (80 gigs of that movie alone in a month). Lurked around, was Canadian, got insulted for it, then this Monse guy showed a picture of a website. It looked worse than a 12 year old geocities place (well... not that bad!). I touched it up, not wanting to hurt his feelings and redesign it, I look back annoyed at that fact. Anyways... readyroom.org was born! Monse and I thought up inane stuff to post (top 10 rejected names, heh) and I lurked around on the forums. Bob came... and went.
And near the start of this I found IRC, ah good ol' IRC for me. Me and Hectate talked and talked, and Chanserv politely listened, as few other people were there. TimberWolf comes to mind, and some more followers struggled in. And yes, I *asked* for op and got it! A bunch of boring stories later, and I soon owned the #ns channel. And then PT!

I was... thinking I had a chance, but I really wasn't too sure. Day 1 of PT we all madly read off our download progress all trying to be first. FInally got on the server, ahhh, whadda know? NS_Bast again... that damn sexy readyroom! Then they heard me over voice comm and live went downhill <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

*hunts down first rr.org design* Ahhhh, the fun I've had, thanks <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

Vyvn · July 2003

Let's see...

I don't really remember where I heard of NS. It could have been on a mapping forum I was looking at to figure out how to set up Worldcraft some time back in early 2002. Anyway, I didn't really think much of it then, seeing as I only played CS. Then, several months later, being a much wiser person, I came across NS again, and decided to register at these forums. I spent the next few months here, waiting for the ever-eminent release that always seemed just out of reach, until finally, on Halloween, NS was set loose on the world.

I remember it was quite a struggle to find a working mirror. I finally settled for a download rate around 15kb/s and left it on while I went to some Halloween party. When I got home, I found the download complete, and, after installing it, I shakily double-clicked the hive icon on the desktop. With a little pinging sound, I selected "Multiplayer - Begin your journey", and started up a LAN game on Bast. I remember some PT had reccomended Bast as the first map you should play for the full NS experience. I was literally shaking with happiness as I listened to the unique sound of the LMG as I unloaded a clip at the elevator in the marine spawn. I ran the full length of Bast by myself, noting all the landmarks as they came by, as if I were a tourist checking off important sights in a city. Finally, I decided to play online.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Venmoch · July 2003

For me it was the old flash intro. That did it.

Then first map Eclipse, or was it Bast, no it was Nancy.

I was a Bob, Yes I still called it Bob, and a Heavy came striding its way down the Bridge ramp HMG blaring. Suddenly I felt at home.

Mullet · July 2003

Nice post <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

When i first played NS, I was just being called a newb and being yelled at and getting kicked out of the CC, heh.....wait a sec....I STILL DO! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

343_guilty_spark · July 2003

i remember when i first played it, i joined a server that was playing NS_Eclipse * a brilliant map * i rushed to the Aliens and was amazed, then i made a total fool of myself by asking how do i fly , even though i was a Skulk, i thought i eveloved into a Skulk and that Skulks were the flying Aliens <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'> then we got the three hives and all went onos, it was so thrilling, all 5 of us charging the marine base, then in the ready room i saw a onos and was like, OMG its huge, NS has moved the bar for a decent mod for the HL engine i reckon.

Moquiao · July 2003

i been in love since the day i met ns.

Cereal_KillR · July 2003

Yeah NS changed my whole gaming life. I was a CSer, now I totally hate CS for being too.. simple/straightforward. Well mostly the community but that's not the point.

My first map was either bast or hera, I don't remember. I think it was bast > hera > nancy (where I commed for my first time <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'> )

I remember passing by Ventilation 3C to go to Holoroom when our hive was Archiving <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'>

Sycophant · July 2003

I remember finding out about NS maybe two weeks before it was publically released on Oct. 31st. I can't even remember how I initially found it. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'>

I spent a good portion of those two weeks lurking on the forums, looking at screenshots, reading stories from the PT's, and getting as much info on NS as I could. Needless to say, I was eagerly anticipating the game since I even read the game concept itself. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

Despite all my info-gathering, my first game was still overwhelming. I didn't want to explore, so I stood around in the base to guard it (<i>the map was Bast</i>). The commander dropped a building near me, told me to build it, but I didn't know how. I didn't even know how to chat! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'>

I just started button-mashing, got the chat thing up, asked 'how do I build?', and the commander told me how. Half-way through building, a Lerk zoomed past my head and I very nearly soiled myself. Then I heard the scream of a Leaping Skulk, and then proceeded to fill my undergarments.

Soon after, I created my forum account. Actually, I initially created it to argue with Relic25. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

For the months following that first game, I'd spend at least a few hours a day playing NS. I'd try to get friends into it, but to no avail. Sadly, I haven't played much at all in the past few months.

With the upcoming release of v2.0, that anticipation I felt while waiting for v1.0 has returned.

Rellix · July 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Quaunaut @ Jul 21 2003, 02:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> new issue of PCGamer.
And there it was. Natural Selection, version 1.00. I clicked, checked, and it said it was a HL mod, so I could run it. I still had 56k. so I hadn't even HEARD of it before, let alone download it.

I then proceded to the "official site", and got the newest patch while the thing was installing.  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
Same story. I'd have played sooner but I'd never known of its existance.

Quaunaut · July 2003

Maybe this could become the thread that everyone posts they're first times on?

Come on forum mods, put on a sticky!!!

Frikk · July 2003

The first map I played was ns_bast about 30 minutes after it got released. My roommate was basically watching over my shoulder watching me play. I left that server and went and tried to play a LAN with him and one of the guys down the hall to figure out the basics. We got that working, then we all joined a server together. Man, now that was crazy. It was about 24 people or something on ns_caged. With the crazy lag. The best part of it was my roommate trying to Com about 12 noobs who had NO idea what was going on with a 500 ping. I think they eventually voted him out. I was glad because then he seemed to stop yelling. Only thing I remember was that they had sewer and I died. A lot.

I Just Wanna Thank...

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