(Email from Striek to Vellan, Vandea, Gozznut, Sicvy001 and Cookienut)

 Hello everyone,

 Just wondering what we're all playing at the moment.

 For those of us that manage to squeeze some game time in to every free moment, let's limit it to a week. For those of us that don't seem to get to play that much, let's limit it to the last 12 months (I'm looking at you Gozznut).

 Striek:

·         X360: Peggle Deluxe on XBLA.

o   It's my first Peggle outing, so flippin' addictive. Love it. Gets Caity playing too, we often play the dual mode. I ended up getting  some other friends addicted to it, then I got my parents addicted to it, so they bought the PC version ($6.95??!! from the PopCap website)

·         X360: Halo 3

o   Loving having more actual friends to play with, especially Steve, akasaxman (by association), Adrian.

o   Also loving the Mythic map pack and new achievements.

·         X360: Halo Wars

o   I really like it, but not like I like a full blown RTS and not like how I like Halo. It's great for the cutscenes, and I do enjoy it a lot, it's a great console RTS/Action RPG hybrid type of game. It probably only just sneaks in the 1 week window, when I get a free moment at home, I've been playing Peggle, when I get a larger block, I usually play Halo 3 matchmaking.

·         NDS: GTA Chinatown Wars

o   It really is the full GTA on the DS. Looks good, plays even better. I've played the first 4 missions, very much enjoying it.

 Vandea:

·         Wii - Super Mario Galaxy - this game rocks - it's so addictive also - great concepts for walking all over the worlds and the different things you can do using the controller

·         Halo3 XBL OBVIOUSLY

·         COD world at war - serisouly excellent realistic game (same same as cod 4) but still

·         awesome Guitar hero metallica (demo version) - wanna get the full version FO SHITZLE

Cookienut:

·         Halo 3 - Of course this is my main staple at the moment...pretty much every day. I'm pretty stoked that there's always a friend online playing this whenever I go on. I sometimes aim to play something else but I'm always drawn to H3. Squad battle matches are my new love at the moment. I have to say I have always loved single player games but am I turning into a multiplayer junkie? Hmmm I certainly hope not.

·         Braid - I've gone back to it to finish the game. It's a wonderful example of excellent game and level design. Simplistic yet completely mind bending at the same time. I'm almost up to the last world. It progressively gets harder but I'm really enjoying it.

·         Half Life 2: Orange Box - I am still yet to finish it. It's one of those games I play on and off. But every time a play it it rocks my socks. I am near the end of episode 2...then I'll move onto Portal and enjoy that as much as I can.

Sicvy001:

·         Race Driver GRID, I'm on the last season of all three championships (Asian, Euro & USA). I can't wait until codemaster releases the v8supercars dl pack.

·         The same makers of GRID are also releasing an F1 game for all consoles. Who has two thumbs and loves the Forumual 1? 

Sicvy001 (Again):

 Hey guys, today is my last day with Tenix lads. YAY. I will be losing this email address but I'll forward my new email when I start my new job.

Cookienut and Vandea, I'll see you guys in a few weeks. 

 Vandea:

 woohooo - bring on the work lans  hahahaha

 Cookienut:

 Few weeks? You start in 11 days :)

 You will be one of the last new employees to be trained for Eview. Because 1 day after you start we begin installing and configuring Dekho. My life will be non-existent for those next few weeks after that.

In terms of Tenix, I really enjoyed working with you guys there. We had heaps of fun mucking around in the office and working overseas. I can't believe it's been almost four years since I worked at Tenix. Infact it's been 6 years since I finished Uni (same with Striek I believe...we graduated the same day!). What I really appreciate is how we've all stayed in contact...here is my run down of knowing everyone:

 In late high school I met Striek who was in the same class at school as my wife.

 I started work at Woolworths doing night fill and Striek worked there as well. He happened to save my job because the chump of a manager we had thought I was crap. But Striek convinced him otherwise and just before I left Woolies in 2004, our other manager said I was one of the fastest nighfillers. After a while both Striek and I were regarded as the 'fathers' of the nightfill team (remember Cynkar Striek?)

 I would often go to Striek's house after work (11pm or 12am) and stay for hours playing Project Gotham Racing and his new Xbox. We even played Halo but I didn't think much of it at the time. His superb 51cm Phillips matchline TV was a sight to behold running through s-video. It was the best non-hd CRT screen ever.

 As all this happened I started Uni and met Gozznut pretty early on in the degree.

 I bought myself and Xbox based off playtime of Striek's console. This was one month before I got married (July 2002). I borrowed Halo:CE off Striek for a couple of weeks and decided to spend some time with the game. After one Saturday doing the whole game on heroic, I decided it was officially the best game ever made.

 I can't remember when but Striek, Gozznut and I struck up a friendship in regards to gaming and doing pretty much most Uni subjects together. Gozznut would often bring in his Xbox into Uni and we would play 4 player Halo coop in the uni bar and a really crap tastic rear projection tele. IT would usually be Gozznut, Striek (when he didn't have to be at SA Water), Sicvy001, Andrew and the whinging Morgan.

 At this stage (year 2), we met Sicvy001. I thought he was a grizzled metal head but soon discovered he was a grizzled metal head that loved puppies so naturally we all became friends.

 This is when the lan's started. First would mainly be something like Gozznut and Striek coming over my house at Surrey Downs and playing Rallisport Challenge split screen and giggling at the replay (oh how fun that was!) and soon developed into full scale Halo and eventually Halo 2 lans.

 Gozznut and I used to go to Harris Scarfe in town and play on the Xbox in there during Uni breaks because no one else did.

 So after Uni, we all kind of went our separate ways for a few months. Gozznut still had to finish his degree and as did Sicvy001 I believe. Funny thing was while Striek had been working at SA Water for sometime, Sicvy001 and Andrew both got a job at Tenix. I was struggling to find work of anytype suitable for a graduate and Sicvy001 sent me a message regarding some contract work at Tenix. So I went to a 15 minute interview and they gave me a job on the spot!

 Soon after Gozznut was in the same boat. He did an interview and got a job!

 During this time as incomes increased, so did our lan's.

 Gozznut's parents house was the most frequent lan location and very, very memorable. Even Vellan's garage was a good location (and she collated the stats and cookienut ended up overall winner...yay! - I still have the certificate!)

 Even while Gozznut, Sicvy001 and I worked overseas in Norway, I had my Xbox with me. Halo 2 had just been released and it provided a good distraction from the crazy work hours while overseas (and the cold temperature!)

 Now look where we are. We still hang out and play video games. Gozznut not so much but our plans are to glue a 360 to him and force him to play. Vandea has since joined our little band and proves that red heads can play Halo.

 So I'm glad we all have interests in video gaming and general win.

 Kudos to all.

 Striek:

 Very well said Cookienut.

 That must’ve taken ages to type!

 Cookienut:

Not ages. About 5 or so minutes..as you can tell by the many spelling errors and general nonsense structure of some sentences.