<!--QuoteBegin-dhakbar+Jun 19 2005, 11:02 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (dhakbar @ Jun 19 2005, 11:02 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-hawthorne+Jun 18 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (hawthorne @ Jun 18 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Having played Natural Selection since its Halloween release, I can safely say there has been no game that I have loved more.
There was nothing else like the command chair, the welcome weight of responsibility over your marines who were helpless in the world without you. Then I started competitive NS, where I learned that the commander and his troops were one and the same.
I should hope that my name be remembered in the annals of NS history alongside great commanders such as HAMBONE and Annihilator (apologies to the Europeans I never had a chance to study). I am honored to have spent time, effort, and comradery with the finest gamers in the community. Although I've had my difficulties with a few, in the end, all is good.
As for the rest of this post, I will chronicle as briefly as possible my career. For posterity's sake, and to thank all the people who have helped me along the way.
Love,
Hui "Hawthorne" Chen
----------------------------
I began the game shortly after the Halloween release, where I found a home server with [KIR] HOMELAN. After progressing as a player, I joined their team under the guidance of Spydermonkey (who has contributed much to the game himself). My inability to control my ego led to my dismissal from the team, whereupon I created the 21st Lancers with takumi, marabeth, Unit, and Da Kine Guy.
The 21st Lancers soon became the dot clan as we prepared to enter the CAL competitive scene. Our first scrim was against [eR], where we were a mess of friendly-fire and miscoordination. We played one match against |DL| on ns_lost, where my skills as a commander were first tested. Although we lost the marine round, we recovered with a DC chamber rush which nearly failed. My first CAL match was a 1-1 tie.
Shortly after, Diskord, optikal, and assorted others created #NSDraft, a league geared towards pulling pubbers into the competitive scene. Thanks to dn`protaganist, I was chosen for team "GaCB (Gimme A Cookie ****)". Here I met evil | One (who is now busy being a father to his first child). GaCB played a few scrims, one against Envy which I remember very fondly because I killed about 4 waves of their skulks in double on veil singlehandedly with a jetpack and a shotgun. This may have been when jetpacks had unlimited FPS juice.
evil | One invited me to play with evil, a middle-ranked team at the time. I had been frequenting the HAMPTONS server and I found myself among the players that I had great respect for, namely fox, titanium, and evilmonkey. As they were trying me out, I offered to command a game. I failed at this, but they kept me around for my general skills.
A few weeks before Christmas 2003, I was playing in a UGL playoff match between evil and bs` (brotherhood of steel) on ns_eclipse. For some forgotten reason, One (the resident commander) could not show up, and I offered to take the helm. I was probably underprepared, but a few fades egged on the ground in Computer Core which my marines dispatched. We took both rounds and I was now evil's main commander.
The week afterward, I spurned a family outing to play the UGL finals against Damage Networks. On ns_origin, I gained fame for midair-medpacking of the jetpackers to help take down furnace hive. Although evil | One disconnected midway through the first half (he was at a hotel), we successfully took both rounds.
In the lull between seasons, I paired up with titanium to create #nspug. With the help of SjN and mayhem as administrators and programmers, we created an ever-improving automated PUG system. Thanks to the aid of community contributors, #NSPUG became the largest non-official Natural Selection channel.
The Evil clan soon died, and I found myself with int. (integrity). I commanded here under the guidance of Annihilator and Cole, succeeding until a marine-round breakdown early in the season against GoM (Game Over Man). Here I also met a few staple figures of the community: meb, Silverwolf, Diskord, Su1c1dal Maniac. Unfortunately, I was no longer entrusted with the command chair after GoM, and was benched for a highly anticipated match against Exigent. Extremely desirous of playing, I left int (which was now infinite reverence) and joined up with Exigent.
I finished Season 2 of CAL with Exigent, defeating my former team and reigning champions [eR] to take the highest honors in CAL. Early into Season 3, I left Exigent for personal reasons and remained absent until late into the season when I returned to play for an Omega team: Sphere. Here I met icebaron, milk, lumberjack.
Against `wmd (and their commander TheAdj), we put up a good fight in the quarterfinals but lost the tiebreaker. The following season, milk convinced me to play with an up and coming team, Scientifically Unstoppable.
Season 4 was my greatest challenge and greatest growth as a commander. With Exigent going through its own turmoils, Scientifically Unstoppable took the second seed in CAL as a team of players who had mostly never competed in the Delta league. Unfortunately, the lack of experience and personal errors (the famed DC in the vent) led to an embarrassing showing during the finals. Here I spent many hours working with and playing with Arc, Photek, Milk and God.
I did not participate at all in Season 5 but was honored to have watched the most epic finals ever between Terror and Exigent. I was proud to see ArcAngel commanding the victories and honored that he remembered to mention my name. To ArcAngel, who has been one of the most loyal persons I have known inside or outside of the game, I give my eternal gratitude.
I returned to the game in Season 6, but without nearly a fraction of the dedication that I had in the past. After the quarterfinal playoffs just yesterday, Team Exigent gracefully informed me that Garrett "Nadagast" Mitchell would be taking over the command chair.
It is here that I take my leave. I have left out much and only put in the parts that I saw fit, but everything that is here is completely truthful. I have always attempted to maintain good will and an open heart to everyone within the community, because ugliness begets ugliness and hurtful words hurt both ways.
I wish the best of luck to the future of this game and its players, and thank you all for the love that you have shown me.
Nanites,
hawthorne <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Goodbye and good riddance.
The last thing this forum needs is another "omg I'm gonna cry I can't play anymore because I fear change" thread.
I hope you never come back, tyvm. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> translation
-shame i never got to play against you <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-hawthorne+Jun 18 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (hawthorne @ Jun 18 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I began the game shortly after the Halloween release, where I found a home server with [KIR] HOMELAN. After progressing as a player, I joined their team under the guidance of Spydermonkey (who has contributed much to the game himself). My inability to control my ego led to my dismissal from the team, whereupon I created the 21st Lancers with takumi, marabeth, Unit, and Da Kine Guy. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> You were in Knights? What was your name then?
I dont see why people have to be **** about a simple farewell post, its alot better of a read than most other forum posts (HEY GUYZ DUZ N E 1 ELSE LYKE LVL 100 /MENU KOMBAT?!?1/1/ PLZ REPLY OLO!11) farewell indeed hawth, another good comm down, very few left to go
<!--QuoteBegin-Golden+Jun 19 2005, 03:08 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Golden @ Jun 19 2005, 03:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-hawthorne+Jun 18 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (hawthorne @ Jun 18 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I began the game shortly after the Halloween release, where I found a home server with [KIR] HOMELAN. After progressing as a player, I joined their team under the guidance of Spydermonkey (who has contributed much to the game himself). My inability to control my ego led to my dismissal from the team, whereupon I created the 21st Lancers with takumi, marabeth, Unit, and Da Kine Guy. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> You were in Knights? What was your name then? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Ayatollah
I love the guys who insist on posting things like "Too long didnt read" or "I dont care" while they take the time to actually reply to the thread in question. Nice job.
<!--QuoteBegin-Supernorn+Jun 19 2005, 08:35 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Supernorn @ Jun 19 2005, 08:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I love the guys who insist on posting things like "Too long didnt read" or "I dont care" while they take the time to actually reply to the thread in question. Nice job. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> too long to read that, and i probably dont care.
I wish you luck in the future hawthorne its not nice seeing the vets leave.
However in general I dont like the I'm leaving ns posts because they assume its final, i stopped playing ns for months, but i came back eventually, I never posted a leaving message because even though I didnt want to play anymore, I knew that my opinion could change in the future and it did.
<!--QuoteBegin-JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven+Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven @ Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> oh yeah Im retiring from professional ns to my yacht and mansion just off the east coast. Ima become a professional pirate instead cause my sponsors busted my balls, oh wait people dont sponsor ns teams... bwahahahaha <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games.
<!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven+Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven @ Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> oh yeah Im retiring from professional ns to my yacht and mansion just off the east coast. Ima become a professional pirate instead cause my sponsors busted my balls, oh wait people dont sponsor ns teams... bwahahahaha <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> How is it again people who don't even touch CAL are allowed to act like this and when I express my discord with something I get an angry PM ?
<!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven+Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven @ Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> oh yeah Im retiring from professional ns to my yacht and mansion just off the east coast. Ima become a professional pirate instead cause my sponsors busted my balls, oh wait people dont sponsor ns teams... bwahahahaha <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Probably because you're really bad at the game, and spend more time making forum posts than playing. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-Rapier7+Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rapier7 @ Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> These types of threads always have four parties:
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> 5. **** comms who try to "fit in" and fail
<!--QuoteBegin-Rapier7+Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rapier7 @ Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> These types of threads always have four parties:
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Humans exchange pleasentries from time to time... It's called normal socialization. Most don't consider it "stupid". I don't see why someone can't just say goodbye and be respected accordingly, making a big deal out of not being effected by the drama just makes the whole thing more dramatic. If you don't care feel free to not say so.
<!--QuoteBegin-Rapier7+Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rapier7 @ Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> These types of threads always have four parties:
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> You forgot about the 5th type:
The one that attempts to categorize the people that post on these kind of topics.
But there has been an increase of people leaving... strange... mabe the age group that plays NS has finaly matured and has IRL things to take care of like a proper education/buying a house a car a dog a wife and a kid...
<!--QuoteBegin-CommunistWithAGun+Jun 19 2005, 11:56 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CommunistWithAGun @ Jun 19 2005, 11:56 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven+Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven @ Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> oh yeah Im retiring from professional ns to my yacht and mansion just off the east coast. Ima become a professional pirate instead cause my sponsors busted my balls, oh wait people dont sponsor ns teams... bwahahahaha <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> How is it again people who don't even touch CAL are allowed to act like this and when I express my discord with something I get an angry PM ? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> its because i have a VALID POINT
<!--QuoteBegin-the hole+Jun 20 2005, 12:37 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (the hole @ Jun 20 2005, 12:37 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Probably because you're really bad at the game, and spend more time making forum posts than playing. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> people still play ns? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-the hole+Jun 19 2005, 06:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (the hole @ Jun 19 2005, 06:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 05:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven+Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (JmmsbndZeroZeroSeven @ Jun 19 2005, 08:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiGGY+Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZiGGY @ Jun 19 2005, 02:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> oh yeah Im retiring from professional ns to my yacht and mansion just off the east coast. Ima become a professional pirate instead cause my sponsors busted my balls, oh wait people dont sponsor ns teams... bwahahahaha <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Probably because you're really bad at the game, and spend more time making forum posts than playing. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> irony alert see you in the finals
<!--QuoteBegin-Rapier7+Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rapier7 @ Jun 19 2005, 06:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> These types of threads always have four parties:
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> A very angry and arrogant youth, Rapier7 is one of the most obnoxious people you'll ever meet in your life. His hobbies include yelling, criticizing various books, movies, consumer items, and a multitude of other objects, and being a generally annoying pest to most other people. Rumor has it that a few people actually like him and find him humorous in a twisted way, but most likely that rumormonger is just Rapier7 referring himself in the third person and thinking that he actually has friends, and not contacts who will backstab at first opportunity.
Comments
There was nothing else like the command chair, the welcome weight of responsibility over your marines who were helpless in the world without you. Then I started competitive NS, where I learned that the commander and his troops were one and the same.
I should hope that my name be remembered in the annals of NS history alongside great commanders such as HAMBONE and Annihilator (apologies to the Europeans I never had a chance to study). I am honored to have spent time, effort, and comradery with the finest gamers in the community. Although I've had my difficulties with a few, in the end, all is good.
As for the rest of this post, I will chronicle as briefly as possible my career. For posterity's sake, and to thank all the people who have helped me along the way.
Love,
Hui "Hawthorne" Chen
----------------------------
I began the game shortly after the Halloween release, where I found a home server with [KIR] HOMELAN. After progressing as a player, I joined their team under the guidance of Spydermonkey (who has contributed much to the game himself). My inability to control my ego led to my dismissal from the team, whereupon I created the 21st Lancers with takumi, marabeth, Unit, and Da Kine Guy.
The 21st Lancers soon became the dot clan as we prepared to enter the CAL competitive scene. Our first scrim was against [eR], where we were a mess of friendly-fire and miscoordination. We played one match against |DL| on ns_lost, where my skills as a commander were first tested. Although we lost the marine round, we recovered with a DC chamber rush which nearly failed. My first CAL match was a 1-1 tie.
Shortly after, Diskord, optikal, and assorted others created #NSDraft, a league geared towards pulling pubbers into the competitive scene. Thanks to dn`protaganist, I was chosen for team "GaCB (Gimme A Cookie ****)". Here I met evil | One (who is now busy being a father to his first child). GaCB played a few scrims, one against Envy which I remember very fondly because I killed about 4 waves of their skulks in double on veil singlehandedly with a jetpack and a shotgun. This may have been when jetpacks had unlimited FPS juice.
evil | One invited me to play with evil, a middle-ranked team at the time. I had been frequenting the HAMPTONS server and I found myself among the players that I had great respect for, namely fox, titanium, and evilmonkey. As they were trying me out, I offered to command a game. I failed at this, but they kept me around for my general skills.
A few weeks before Christmas 2003, I was playing in a UGL playoff match between evil and bs` (brotherhood of steel) on ns_eclipse. For some forgotten reason, One (the resident commander) could not show up, and I offered to take the helm. I was probably underprepared, but a few fades egged on the ground in Computer Core which my marines dispatched. We took both rounds and I was now evil's main commander.
The week afterward, I spurned a family outing to play the UGL finals against Damage Networks. On ns_origin, I gained fame for midair-medpacking of the jetpackers to help take down furnace hive. Although evil | One disconnected midway through the first half (he was at a hotel), we successfully took both rounds.
In the lull between seasons, I paired up with titanium to create #nspug. With the help of SjN and mayhem as administrators and programmers, we created an ever-improving automated PUG system. Thanks to the aid of community contributors, #NSPUG became the largest non-official Natural Selection channel.
The Evil clan soon died, and I found myself with int. (integrity). I commanded here under the guidance of Annihilator and Cole, succeeding until a marine-round breakdown early in the season against GoM (Game Over Man). Here I also met a few staple figures of the community: meb, Silverwolf, Diskord, Su1c1dal Maniac. Unfortunately, I was no longer entrusted with the command chair after GoM, and was benched for a highly anticipated match against Exigent. Extremely desirous of playing, I left int (which was now infinite reverence) and joined up with Exigent.
I finished Season 2 of CAL with Exigent, defeating my former team and reigning champions [eR] to take the highest honors in CAL. Early into Season 3, I left Exigent for personal reasons and remained absent until late into the season when I returned to play for an Omega team: Sphere. Here I met icebaron, milk, lumberjack.
Against `wmd (and their commander TheAdj), we put up a good fight in the quarterfinals but lost the tiebreaker. The following season, milk convinced me to play with an up and coming team, Scientifically Unstoppable.
Season 4 was my greatest challenge and greatest growth as a commander. With Exigent going through its own turmoils, Scientifically Unstoppable took the second seed in CAL as a team of players who had mostly never competed in the Delta league. Unfortunately, the lack of experience and personal errors (the famed DC in the vent) led to an embarrassing showing during the finals. Here I spent many hours working with and playing with Arc, Photek, Milk and God.
I did not participate at all in Season 5 but was honored to have watched the most epic finals ever between Terror and Exigent. I was proud to see ArcAngel commanding the victories and honored that he remembered to mention my name. To ArcAngel, who has been one of the most loyal persons I have known inside or outside of the game, I give my eternal gratitude.
I returned to the game in Season 6, but without nearly a fraction of the dedication that I had in the past. After the quarterfinal playoffs just yesterday, Team Exigent gracefully informed me that Garrett "Nadagast" Mitchell would be taking over the command chair.
It is here that I take my leave. I have left out much and only put in the parts that I saw fit, but everything that is here is completely truthful. I have always attempted to maintain good will and an open heart to everyone within the community, because ugliness begets ugliness and hurtful words hurt both ways.
I wish the best of luck to the future of this game and its players, and thank you all for the love that you have shown me.
Nanites,
hawthorne <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Goodbye and good riddance.
The last thing this forum needs is another "omg I'm gonna cry I can't play anymore because I fear change" thread.
I hope you never come back, tyvm. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
translation
I HATE PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THAN ME!
-shame i never got to play against you <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
You were in Knights? What was your name then?
You were in Knights? What was your name then? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ayatollah
too long to read that, and i probably dont care.
However in general I dont like the I'm leaving ns posts because they assume its final, i stopped playing ns for months, but i came back eventually, I never posted a leaving message because even though I didnt want to play anymore, I knew that my opinion could change in the future and it did.
Then...don't? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games.
Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
How is it again people who don't even touch CAL are allowed to act like this and when I express my discord with something I get an angry PM ?
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party.
Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Probably because you're really bad at the game, and spend more time making forum posts than playing. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
5. **** comms who try to "fit in" and fail
This thread is going in my sig for smart thing of the moment
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Humans exchange pleasentries from time to time... It's called normal socialization. Most don't consider it "stupid". I don't see why someone can't just say goodbye and be respected accordingly, making a big deal out of not being effected by the drama just makes the whole thing more dramatic. If you don't care feel free to not say so.
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You forgot about the 5th type:
The one that attempts to categorize the people that post on these kind of topics.
But there has been an increase of people leaving... strange... mabe the age group that plays NS has finaly matured and has IRL things to take care of like a proper education/buying a house a car a dog a wife and a kid...
Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How is it again people who don't even touch CAL are allowed to act like this and when I express my discord with something I get an angry PM ? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
its because i have a VALID POINT
people still play ns? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Apparently you haven't been keeping up with recent news. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Id never get a full wage playing NS, unlike other games. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Probably because you're really bad at the game, and spend more time making forum posts than playing. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
irony alert
see you in the finals
1. The person leaving.
2. The people stupid enough to say goodbye.
3. The people cynical enough to not care about the first party's departure but up to the point where they make a post making their intentions known.
4. The people in the second party who flame the third party. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
A very angry and arrogant youth, Rapier7 is one of the most obnoxious people you'll ever meet in your life. His hobbies include yelling, criticizing various books, movies, consumer items, and a multitude of other objects, and being a generally annoying pest to most other people. Rumor has it that a few people actually like him and find him humorous in a twisted way, but most likely that rumormonger is just Rapier7 referring himself in the third person and thinking that he actually has friends, and not contacts who will backstab at first opportunity.