Half Life - the Death Match Experience

Back in the day, I used to be pretty heavy into the death match. A little capture the flag was ok, sure, but I really could get into the death match. David, hated the death match, at least in so far as it was presented a la Quake II.

Half Life changed all that. Here's how.

Imagine a map made up of an indoor play zone. There's me. There's David. There's one health spot. Looking down over the health spot is a mostly enclosed catwalk. The catwalk provides an almost ideal sniping spot. Knowing that a) David is going to need to go to the health spot eventually, this based almost entirely on my knowledge of his ability to hurt himself as effectively as I can, and b) I can hear his footsteps when he runs up puts me in a pretty decent tactical position. I think.

And I continue to think that as I hear his approach. I zoom in my weapon of choice, the Colt Python, hoping the red dot from the laser won't give me away. I inhale, exhale, hold. He's getting closer. I can hear him getting ... closer...

BAM!

Now, imagine the most girly-girl scream you've ever heard.

Yes, that would be me screaming. Yes, he snuck up behind me. No, it never occurred to me.

Now a days, I mostly go for the squad based shooters, Battlefield and the like. But we had a really good run based on that moment. Half Life, Unreal Tournament (two or three versions). And some days, I kind of miss the no bots action.