My early days of gaming were not really gaming. It began my sixth birthday when I received a plastic case containing 12 of the original Kenner Star Wars action figures. I was entertained for hours creating stories and scenarios with the different characters. Later, I ran into other kids in the neighborhood who were a bit younger than me. We consolidated our toys and would create epic story arcs that would continue play session to play session.
Now some of the “characters” did not fit in with Star Wars. One kid had a whole bunch of the green army men. Another had a mixture of He Man, Transformers, and Thunder Cats action figures based on the popular afternoon cartoons of the day. It turned out that we created a world full of different races. The GI Joes and Star Wars folks were “normal”. The large He Man figures were super-human. The small army men were a race of small green beings who only existed for war and could swarm other weaker figures.
One story line still sticks in my head. You see, Han Solo ended up having an “unfortunate” accident. In my haste to pick up all my toys after one full day of fantasy with the other kids, I left him out in the grass of the yard. My dad mowed the lawn the next day. When I discovered old Han, his face was severely scarred. His legs, chopped off by the lawn mower blade. But, I was not hurt or dismayed. Using parts from other old broken action figures, I refashioned Hans. I gave him new legs. On top of that I crafted an iron mask out of aluminum foil. Out of black fabric from my late grandma's sewing stuff, I created and ominous black ninja outfit.
You see, Hans went nuts and turned to the dark side. He learned from the Emperor, Skeletor, Darth Vader, and Tough Meat the demon T-Rex that evil was the true path. A new villain was born that day. A dark ninja with all the powers of a ninja, Sith lord, Han Solo, and Indiana Jones. He dual wielded a light sabre and a whip and was a constant thorn in the side of the good guy coalition of He-Man, Duke, Luke Sky Walker, Optimus Prime, and Commander X of Robotix. He even outright assassinated Knight Rider by blowing up KITT, making Luke swear vengeance against him as Luke's quest for vengeance would lead him deep into the Demon Tree with BA Baracus at his side over the whole summer.
Later, I began to be too big to realistically play with action figures without being ridiculed or stomped by other kids. I STILL missed my sandbox. My friends moved on to other things and I turned to the Commodore 64. There was one program that caught my eye. Stuart Smith's Adventure Construction Set. Now, I played through the provided adventures a few times. But, I used it for something totally different when I got around to fiddling. Instead, I recreated all those characters and placed them in one room to battle it all out! Of course, being a primitive program, C64 ACS did a poor job of emulating the experience.
During high school, I ran into something really cool. You see, the problem with action figures is that they are expensive and folks view you as weird if you mess with them after you get hairs on your -ahem-. Also, unless you are playing with cool folks who are all about creating a story, you can run into the lame “I shot you – No, you DID NOT!” crap. Not to mention, the massive amounts of plastic crap you had to keep up with, buy, and pick up after each session. The local “cool kid” football players were playing second edition DnD. I watched them, but I was not in the “cool” group, so I was disallowed from playing. But – the concept revolutionized my thinking! Rules for success and failure! No need to lug around tons of plastic crap! No fear of persecution!
Now, I could not afford the rules at first and I preferred high fantasy sci fi. So, I developed my own rules and a primitive war game and map of the universe for me and my small circle of three friends. New characters emerged and there was an epic sci fi soap opera played out in study halls when we probably should have been doing algebra.
When I dropped out of college and headed to New Orleans to pursue a career as a professional waiter and bartender, I had thought my gaming days were gone. To my shock, this city was filled with folks who shared my fondness. I actually got to run that DnD game and played in many, many DnD games. I learned 2e, 3e, 4e and even a smattering of White Wolf and Paladium. But, still... something was missing.
It was then, I went upstairs to one of my buddy at the time's apartments in the French Quarter to shoot the breeze and enjoy a cocktail or two. I saw them staring intently at a weird game. Now, I had not had a computer since the C64. But, this seemed intriguing. They could not take eyes off the screen. I did not see what the big deal was till I took a week's worth of gratuities to pick up my first 4x: Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack I picked up on sale. All of the sudden, I was glued to the screen. One time, I almost missed a call to work a breakfast for a doctor's convention because I totally lost track of time. Just like the T-rex, Luke, and the crew, the characters and story of Alpha Centauri engrossed me. And, I did not have to lug tons of stuff around. I did not have to draw things up to DM something (which all the crew wanted to play was fantasy) or depend on having to round up folks. Not to mention, DnD only revolves around a few heroes. One of the things missing from the sandbox of my early action figures and later DnD was minions and soldiers. 4X added that. Empire management. Clearing out orcs is cool. But, I really wanted the simulation of leading the nation of heroes to destroy foes or negotiate with others. The better 4x games added that. But-- what about heroes, too?
I went on to play many more 4x games. Age of Wonders was epic. Civ 4 was interesting as well. But, they lacked.
What the world needs is sandbox. The world needs a story. Not only that, but someone to share that world. So far, the 4x modding genre lacks a true construction set. A playground as you will like my front yard where anything is possible. Want a He-Man Eternia inspired world where folks with swords deflect laser blasts? Want a near-future world where Elon Musk and Sir Richard Branson have fist fights on top of the Face on Mars? Or a Alpha Centauri world which features tactics battles with Miriam and crew as actual units? A multi -solar system conflict involving multiple worlds and FTL travel? No system yet offers that level of customization without tons of arcane code or extensive exe decompiling. (fallen Enchantress is about the most modable 4x to date – but it was designed by a modder)
So... my point.. and wish? 4X makers, give us an engine. An amazing, user friendly engine that will allow us anything. You do not need a world. We will do that for you. Do this, and you will outsell even behemoths like Civ.
As for me, I look forward to battles with Darth Vader riding a talking, intelligent T-rex with demon blood.
New SMAC quizzes available.
