I’m running BattleTech at Castlecon in Rochester again. Though this time I rolled my ankle on the back Forty, and now walking or really doing anything is an exercise in careful and slow movements and trying to keep the foot elevated as much as possible. I’m not a fan of this twisted ankle thing. I did not approve this purchase and would like to return to sender.
One of the things I loved about the Halo games is they showed people with fear. They showed people with courage. Cunning. Scheming. They showed us humanity with all our flaws and strengths.
They showed us all of that, and they let us play the strong and silent hero with a snarky companion as we waded through the chaos. And everywhere we went, people knew us and rallied around us. They didn’t just say we were the biggest baddass in the area. They let us play the biggest baddass, and then showed the real life reactions people would have around a real life badass, but one who didn’t flaunt it.
We were the ones who did, and everyone else stood up taller and did around us. We got to see humanity dying and standing up at the same time. And we played the character that when asked how we were all going to survive the next few minutes responded with simple statements like “Finish the fight” or “give the covenant back their bomb” or “I won’t.”. We said impossibly simple things while death was all around us, and the humans still alive stood up a little taller and walked in behind us.
Bungie wrote a story about death and destruction and fear and the end of the world, and then put the hero front and center and let us play him. Halo was fire…
Construction is tearing up the back forty right behind my house right now. They are putting in an apartment complex in the lowlands behind me. I live on top of a hill and my sump pump runs almost every day due to the underground river that flows beneath my hill, INTO the lowlands behind me. They are not going to enjoy that water I think.
And they walked through the backback yard I have maintained for over 30 years, through my rear gate to put down a stick in my homestead back yard. The construction workers on site say they are going to take down the entire hill and the fence line running up and down from my house for several houses in the future. That fence line has been there for over 30 years and me and my neighbors have maintained the back hill for all of that time. Planting trees. Mowing grass. Keeping things safe and maintained.
No one from the company has contacted me about this.
I am not amused. I am talking with a lawyer tomorrow to see what options I have.
Halo is one of the best games I’ve ever played.
And the High Altitude Low Orbit drop I use for shoveling troops and tanks out the side of starships to drop onto a planet is low-key named in honor of it.
The music of Halo is one of the most amazing soundtracks in gaming. The choir. The orchestra. The screaming guitars. They made music part of the character of the game in a way very few games ever have, and it changed the world of gaming.
Forge of War on Amazon
Angel Flight on Amazon
Angel Strike on Amazon
Angel War on Amazon
Wolfenheim Rising on Amazon
Wolfenheim Emergent on Amazon