Half-day Friday Mini LAN Party

4/30/2003
This past Friday, KidChronic and I each took a half-day off from work - went to Hooters for lunch - then jumped online for some Battlefield1942 CTF action.  We had some exciting jeep runs.  With KC driving, I'd ride on the hood and grab the enemy flag as we'd speed through their base.  We'd be taking fire and would often get obliterated by a tank round, or landmine - or those DAMN PLANES.  But we made it out enough to tilt the balance of the game in our favor - often getting the only cap's. WoooHoo!!

Later that evening, BigRob and Ram joined us - and the four of us played as an online squad.  We played the Desert Combat mod. OMG - you MUST try this game.  It's modern combat - with all the weapons.  Cobra attack helicopters, warthog antitank aircraft, jet fighters, M1A1 tanks - you name it!  Here's BigRob swooping down, trying to give KidChronic a pickup.  A 'pickup' is a technique of entering a moving vehicle - in this case a low flying AC-130 gunship.

This is NOT a movie - it's only three screenshots.
Actual gameplay is silky smooth at 60 frames per second.

I'm in the gunner position of an Iraqi helicopter, attacking enemy base.

It just occurred to me that some of y'all reading this may have never played Battlefield1942.  So let me explain what you're seeing in these screenshots (by the way - KidChronic took all of these - THANKS DUDE!).  In the upper right is a mini map. The gray arrow indicates your position and the direction you are facing. You show up on the mini map as either blue (Allies) or red (Axis), and you can see all your teammates.  Take a look at the screenshot below.  It's KidChronic speeding towards enemy base in a jeep. Notice two of his teammates providing air support.  You can see how the three of them are lined up in the mini map.

Here's me sitting in a Russian T-72 tank.
KidChronic took this as he was hovering in an attack helicopter - glad he was on my team.

The A-10 Thunderbolt antitank aircraft (Warthog)

I get shot down as I'm trying to take off.
I still haven't learned to fly the helicopters very well.

I saved the best for last.  This sequence of screenshots shows BigRob coming in for another pickup - as our base is getting decimated by enemy attack helicopters. I love playing this game, but it's even more fun when you're online with friends.  You can do crazy pickups, speedy flag caps or just organize an effective attack - and of course, lets not forget the occasional beer break.

5/06/2003
UPDATE:  KicChronic and I did it again the very next weekend - and Boomer drove in from San Antonio to join us!   It was GREAT!  In one game, we were ahead 2 to 0 with only about 20 minutes left.  The three of us switched teams, and were able to pull off THREE caps in less than 20 minutes - to win the map 3 to 2.  It was sweet!  KC and I pulled off a beautiful capture - he flew me over to enemy base in a two seater bomber.  I parachuted out, grabbed the flag, and popped a few players with the shotgun as I backed my way to the airstrip.  KC pulled a perfect turnaround - picked me up and flew me safely home to cap.  It was quick, flawless, memorable - and OH SO FUN!

Once BigRob and Ram showed up - there were five of us playing on-line as an organized squad.  We DOMINATED several clan servers - I'm sure they eventually figured out we were all in the same room.  

Another AC-130 pickup, as an M1A1 tanks rolls past.