The Imperials: Happy Anniversary

[Boaster]

On this day, November 7 in the year 1998, I began my online gaming with the launch of the Imperials United Warcraft 2 Clan on the server HEAT.net.

Amazingly, 16 years ago as a 13 year old, I started one of the most grand gaming organizations I had always wanted to. In the process, I learned web building, which became very helpful through out my personal and professional life.

If I were able to do it all over again, I would've better handled some friendships and relationships in my life, in addition to keeping a close contact with the original band of players. Unfortunately, some then-friends who were also apart of the grand times would be abrasive and unfriendly without explanation. A couple were even insulting. Perhaps resentment.

And then, even in the later days on Warcraft 3 and Battle.net, I had made some grave and serious errors that ruined a friendship between one clan mate and myself.

From each generation, or even re-generation, of the clan there are friendships which are missed even now.

Daytek, Rebel133, WarStar, FantasticCow, Golden Ace, Tarrant Kinslayer, Augustus, Vagetta, Viper, Rei, PowerChannel, Jaffo, Norik, JohnnyAwesome, CryStarX, Demons_Heart, Outlaw, Spectre.

And probably the most memorable feud was with JohnnyAwesome and his band known as the eXecutioners. And back in the day, it was such a big deal that I had lost to him in our first match together. The Imperials vs eXecutioners rivalry could have been much more epic had the two groups battled it out on even more occasions.

And looking back on those days and my game playing ability, I was a B grade player, but in some games I brought my A game. Even now just thinking of it, I remember a feud with a player known as GuruChild. Now there was a guy who could play, but I managed to beat him in a match together.

There were some ProPlayers I just simply couldn't seem to beat, such as Valk. These were people who know the game well, and had the most effective and efficient strategies. This was in a day where "replays" weren't around, so there's no way they could know anyone's particular strategy without playing them first.

Between Warcraft 2, Diablo II and Warcraft 3; the days in The Imperials were in a way profound, magical, memorable and timeless.

I miss these times and I miss these friends.

The Imperials on Heat.net
Imperials United on Battle.net
Boaster, aka Maxim, aka Mantera

[Stonebreath]

Reading above you gave me a big hit of nostalgia.

I know that feeling although i was almost always a lone wolf player for most blizzard games. Never got into warcraft 2 online but 3 and tft i played excessively mostly custom maps (as i was not very good at regular game). Starcraft broodwar was the game i could actually kick some serious ass in regular melee games, at the height of my sc1 career i was ranked around 300 for USEast melee specializing in maps like Lost Temple, Sherwood Forest, New Gettysburg, and others i can't remember off hand. I once got to play a single game with the best starcraft player in the world at the time named "point" by total random, lost of coarse, and i remember his APM being something i didnt think was humanly possible (like twice or more what any of the other best players i had ever seen). Also one time during wc3 tft custom map game i met a player named Icefrog, anyone who knows much agbout wc3 customs will know Icefrog invented Dota and basically the entire MOBA genre as it exists today. Was able to keep a loose friendship with him for some time and was sad to hear about everything that went down with him and his close friends about the whole dota1 and 2 fiasco. And then there was diablo 2, the game i probably spent more time playing online than any other game in existence (fallout 2 for single player). Reading what you wrote above gives me this feeling like i should have banded up with people more often instead of always gaming alone but i did get to meet some great friends that i still keep to this day. The greatest of all was my Aussie friend i met on diablo 2 who was always the most chipper and fun to play with, always laughing having a good time and generally enjoying the game no matter what went down. This guy gave me real perspective in life and taught me to savor my gaming experiences with others and to keep positive and just have a good time. He has been one of my best friends ever since and I still have not met him yet [Laugh out Loud]. We both produce music and have collaborated many times on music projects together, he plays metalish guitar and i play software programs like FL Studio and Ableton (more recently advanced mixing with Virtual DJ). I will never forget those days and it's nice to have a reminder of back then and those great times i had.

[Boaster]

The more the merrier as it were. And it was better to game with friends and band together as a clan/guild.

I do miss playing Diablo 2. It's just a shame that such a good game got to the point where the same builds over and over again were the ones that dominated, and some builds were never relevant.

Even two years after posting this thread, many of it holds up today. I should have been better in some ways; I just wasn't mature then like I am today. This is always the case though. But to have the experience to reflect upon, that's a real gift to behold.

[malcolm]

Geez, that nostalgia. I don't remember ever running into you guys on WCII/III or StarCraft, but that's awesome that even a handful of you seem to still be in touch. I'd be hard pressed to name anyone from back then, let alone know where to contact them.