As nearly as I can recall, I started on the GEnie network just about exactly 30 years ago today. I know that it was "over the Thanksgiving weekend" of 1992, logging onto the Multi-Player BattleTech game for the first time.
Over the next month, advancing up through the ranks of Kurita, I was frequently encountering this guy (turns out his name was "John") who often had his roommate looking over his shoulder (her name was "Kim").
In January, John (and a buddy who did not play MPBT) drove down with his boxed up computer and we used my two phone lines to dial in and run missions together. (AMAZING, being able to "just talk" rather than type all that crap out.)
Then February rolled around, with Tax Season, and I went largely inactive until about May. Didn't really get back to it as much afterwards, either.
Over the 4th of July weekend, I drove up to visit them, use their dual phone lines, and met Kim. On the way out, as I was boxing up my computer, I happened to look over John's shoulder and saw him getting some text results with things like "OB" and "DB" and "THT", and said to myself, "Self, that looks a lot like the RoleMaster system!" He said that it was, and I could find it on page 930 of GEnie.
Pretty much stopped online completely for a while, since I got back home after that weekend to have a family situation. :(
But in mid-September or so, I remembered about that RoleMaster thing, and since I had enjoyed the idea of the system (but never found anyone to actually PLAY that game with), and I dipped my toe in to see what it was like. Turns out that John liked it, and Kim liked reading it enough to start playing herself, and a bunch of people up there were involved too...
...so that's how I met Tarin, and Warble, and her then-boyfriend Krisenfest, then her later-boyfriend Kyrion, and Manny, and so on.
Fun times, fun times.
.
(You should anticipate another walk down memory lane in about the second week of September of next year, too, because that will be thirty years actually in THIS game, not just "online" in general. :)
KRAKII
LUXELLE
Re: My how times have changed. :)
11/25/2022 08:54 PM CST
:newspaper icon:
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PEREGRINEFALCON
Re: My how times have changed. :)
11/26/2022 01:54 PM CST
Thanks for sharing Krakii! And... move over as you've just outed yourself as the "Other Robert".
*slides "Other Robert" nameplate over in front of Krakii*
*Picks up original nameplate "Robert" from in front of Krakii, polishes it, and places it front of self*
I met my wife on Genie playing Gemstone sometime in mid-1989. Her character "Kythe" was the assistant guildmaster for the thieves guild at that time. She made the mistake of betting my character "Rocco" that he couldn't steal a rolled-up newspaper from her office. One thing led to another and we've been married for 32 years now this past May.
Thanks for keeping my nameplate in such great shape!
-- Robert
From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the shield is as a shield.
*slides "Other Robert" nameplate over in front of Krakii*
*Picks up original nameplate "Robert" from in front of Krakii, polishes it, and places it front of self*
I met my wife on Genie playing Gemstone sometime in mid-1989. Her character "Kythe" was the assistant guildmaster for the thieves guild at that time. She made the mistake of betting my character "Rocco" that he couldn't steal a rolled-up newspaper from her office. One thing led to another and we've been married for 32 years now this past May.
Thanks for keeping my nameplate in such great shape!
-- Robert
From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the shield is as a shield.
KRAKII
Re: My how times have changed. :)
11/27/2022 09:37 AM CST
Hey, now I know who the O.R. (Original Robert) is... :)
ACMEGAMER
Re: My how times have changed. :)
11/28/2022 11:05 PM CST
I miss all of those folks. Thanks for sharing Robert. :) Manny and I were buddies as an aside over in MPBT, his callsign/name was Lightning and I was MacFarlane which I think you knew. We were Davion folks before I joined the Clanners. I still recall his GEnie account name FMelo. :) Was also thinking about Warble, Krisenfest and Kyrion the other day, time flies.
ACMEGAMER
Re: My how times have changed. :)
11/28/2022 11:06 PM CST
Woah! Kythe, now that's a name I've not thought heard in a long time.
WINTERDAWN
Re: My how times have changed. :)
11/29/2022 03:32 PM CST
I never got into that side of Battletech, but I knew of it :D
I was over in Kali with NetMech. Ghost Bears here :P
I was over in Kali with NetMech. Ghost Bears here :P
STUMBEL
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/16/2022 02:40 AM CST
I went and pulled out my 3" binder of "photographs" (look at so and so) of Lords and Ladies in the summer of 96 thinking I could share with you what you looked like 26 1/2 of those 30 years ago, but oddly I don't have a picture of the elusive Krakii. :(
Having not been around in years myself, I got caught up on the boards a bit today and was saddened to learn of Tedra's passing. I'll share her picture instead:
You see Lady Tedra De'Arr the Giantman.
She appears to be in her 90's, has very long black hair, dark eyes, and fair skin.
She is in good shape.
She is wearing a snowcat hide pouch, a bulky leather belt, a shimmering sky-blue cloak bearing the sigil of House Loenthra, a gold ring, some blackened gold full leather girded for battle, some blackened gold bracers engraved in silver with the images of wolves that seem to almost leap over the surface, some dark dragon bracers, a Giantman's claidhmore sling embroidered with images of a great battle between Dwarves and Giantmen, a blackened gold torc engraved with a mage and a thief lying on the beach watching as the sun slowly drops below the horizon, a helm fashioned from the bleeched skull of a stone sentinel, a long black greatcloak, a beautifully crafted hand made scroll case fashioned from the skin of a vruul, a large sack, and some knee-high white puma hide boots.
08JUL1996
~Stumbel, aka Greg
Having not been around in years myself, I got caught up on the boards a bit today and was saddened to learn of Tedra's passing. I'll share her picture instead:
You see Lady Tedra De'Arr the Giantman.
She appears to be in her 90's, has very long black hair, dark eyes, and fair skin.
She is in good shape.
She is wearing a snowcat hide pouch, a bulky leather belt, a shimmering sky-blue cloak bearing the sigil of House Loenthra, a gold ring, some blackened gold full leather girded for battle, some blackened gold bracers engraved in silver with the images of wolves that seem to almost leap over the surface, some dark dragon bracers, a Giantman's claidhmore sling embroidered with images of a great battle between Dwarves and Giantmen, a blackened gold torc engraved with a mage and a thief lying on the beach watching as the sun slowly drops below the horizon, a helm fashioned from the bleeched skull of a stone sentinel, a long black greatcloak, a beautifully crafted hand made scroll case fashioned from the skin of a vruul, a large sack, and some knee-high white puma hide boots.
08JUL1996
~Stumbel, aka Greg
KRAKII
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/16/2022 06:17 PM CST
I was trying to think what was going on in the middle of 1996, and then I remembered: VegasCon (number zero), what started as "Harcourt moving down from Canada" and some folks offering to help schlep boxes... And turned into like 75-100 people drinking beer around his courtyard pool. Heh.
.
"The San Remo is nice. A little on the small side (for Vegas). Worth a look. However, due to her hard work on our behalf, Gayle at our office has a great offer. The Stratosphere, home of the tallest structure west of the Mississippi, for $59 per night. It's at the other end of the strip from the Excalibur but much closer to our house. This is the second newest hotel in Vegas, having opened about 4 months ago. And our favorite buffet (bang for the buck department). Contact Gayle at 1-800-619-5429 and give her agent #96218 and tell her you're with the Gemstone group. Those interested in suites, you can as her about them as well.
Lord Harcourt Mudd ps - Thal - you caught it, you clean it and eat it. Them's the roach fishin' rules."
.
Apparently the Strat opened in early 1996, according to local sources. :)
.
"The San Remo is nice. A little on the small side (for Vegas). Worth a look. However, due to her hard work on our behalf, Gayle at our office has a great offer. The Stratosphere, home of the tallest structure west of the Mississippi, for $59 per night. It's at the other end of the strip from the Excalibur but much closer to our house. This is the second newest hotel in Vegas, having opened about 4 months ago. And our favorite buffet (bang for the buck department). Contact Gayle at 1-800-619-5429 and give her agent #96218 and tell her you're with the Gemstone group. Those interested in suites, you can as her about them as well.
Lord Harcourt Mudd ps - Thal - you caught it, you clean it and eat it. Them's the roach fishin' rules."
.
Apparently the Strat opened in early 1996, according to local sources. :)
KRAKII
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/16/2022 06:24 PM CST
And you know that "times have changed" when you look at the alteration guidelines.
This used to be an actual thing. Which would get opened, have something removed from it, and closed... and then later re-opened, the item put into it, and then closed again. Just view that process in your mind, why don'tcha.
Suzielle removes a black velvet backpack highlighted with shimmering red silk fringes and embroidered with the image of a strong amazon astride a great gryphon and accented with the word "AmazonBrat" stitched in gold.
Let me know when your brain stops twitching.
This used to be an actual thing. Which would get opened, have something removed from it, and closed... and then later re-opened, the item put into it, and then closed again. Just view that process in your mind, why don'tcha.
Suzielle removes a black velvet backpack highlighted with shimmering red silk fringes and embroidered with the image of a strong amazon astride a great gryphon and accented with the word "AmazonBrat" stitched in gold.
Let me know when your brain stops twitching.
ACMEGAMER
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/18/2022 12:01 PM CST
Woah. Thanks for sharing Stumbel/Greg! :) Yeah Tedra/Johanna's passing really sucked, I was really saddened to learn about it. She was always very sweet to me back in the old days, enchanted armor for me a few times and even loaned me a nice claidhmore a time or two when I was in need. Even would take me hunting in Kral Warfarers off and on. Heh, the funny thing about Robert/Krakii as you know, he's easy to spot in a crowd! I never had an issue doing a "Where's Waldo" when it came to Robert. :)
KRAKII
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/18/2022 05:27 PM CST
Jim, you're thinking of actual Robert, like at 'Con. Greg was talking about an in-game "look".
Like what "Lloyd Llowd, Ph.D" (a pen name) used to write up for the Kelfour's Edition:
Second place, though not for lack of effort, goes to Halfling Mage Lord Dartaghan Darkstar. His ensemble includes a shimmering translucent cape, a stoutly armored belt, and a shimmering spidersilk robe, and a tiny spidersilk posing pouch.
Lord Dart has taken to moonlighting as "Terkel the Hobbit Stud" for Ladies Night at Cheldar's Bath House. He reportedly attempts a wild strip tease down to his posing pouch to the strains (and I mean "strains" literally) of Erion the Bard singing "I Can't Stop Loving Ewe." And Lord Dart does look a little sheepish at the end when it becomes apparent that his stoutly armored belt is really a girdle that holds in his massive belly.
Like what "Lloyd Llowd, Ph.D" (a pen name) used to write up for the Kelfour's Edition:
Second place, though not for lack of effort, goes to Halfling Mage Lord Dartaghan Darkstar. His ensemble includes a shimmering translucent cape, a stoutly armored belt, and a shimmering spidersilk robe, and a tiny spidersilk posing pouch.
Lord Dart has taken to moonlighting as "Terkel the Hobbit Stud" for Ladies Night at Cheldar's Bath House. He reportedly attempts a wild strip tease down to his posing pouch to the strains (and I mean "strains" literally) of Erion the Bard singing "I Can't Stop Loving Ewe." And Lord Dart does look a little sheepish at the end when it becomes apparent that his stoutly armored belt is really a girdle that holds in his massive belly.
STUMBEL
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/18/2022 08:23 PM CST
She was definitely special. I learned a lot from folks like her. There are many that I've wondered about over the years - whether they ever come back around, how their lives are. Would be interesting to know everyone's paths.
For Krakii, it's very possible that some of the younger underlings were getting some experience at that time, too. It just surprised me I didn't have a shot. Krakii and I used to hunt Steeds in the GY, but it was definitely after this time frame.
As for Robert, my brother and I (Geof/Sildus) carpooled from with him from our STL hotel on the outskirts to downtown for what I think was SimuCon II. That was a fun time!
For Krakii, it's very possible that some of the younger underlings were getting some experience at that time, too. It just surprised me I didn't have a shot. Krakii and I used to hunt Steeds in the GY, but it was definitely after this time frame.
As for Robert, my brother and I (Geof/Sildus) carpooled from with him from our STL hotel on the outskirts to downtown for what I think was SimuCon II. That was a fun time!
KRAKII
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/19/2022 06:25 PM CST
Close!
][ was at the hotel right across the interstate from the airport (1997);
]|[ was downtown (Adams-Mark?) where we three shared at the Courtyard (1998);
1999 was at the George V, 2000 was again before they tore it down.
'01 & '02 at the Hilton near the airport,
'03 and onwards for "quite a while" was at Sheraton Chalet at Westport.
There was one year at the Plaza Sheraton, and one year at the DoubleTree a mile or two away from Westport Plaza where those two Sheratons are.
][ was at the hotel right across the interstate from the airport (1997);
]|[ was downtown (Adams-Mark?) where we three shared at the Courtyard (1998);
1999 was at the George V, 2000 was again before they tore it down.
'01 & '02 at the Hilton near the airport,
'03 and onwards for "quite a while" was at Sheraton Chalet at Westport.
There was one year at the Plaza Sheraton, and one year at the DoubleTree a mile or two away from Westport Plaza where those two Sheratons are.
STUMBEL
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/19/2022 09:59 PM CST
I'm glad someone can keep that stuff straight! It all pretty much blurs to me at this point!
KRAKII
Re: My how times have changed. :)
12/20/2022 02:47 PM CST
And this is why you don't see me drinking much at 'Con. (I mean, sure, there was that beer, that time...)
Hell, it's difficult enough just staying hydrated enough to keep going through the long hours of Settlers. :)
Hell, it's difficult enough just staying hydrated enough to keep going through the long hours of Settlers. :)
ACMEGAMER
Re: My how times have changed. :)
01/19/2023 01:04 PM CST
| I'm glad someone can keep that stuff straight! It all pretty much blurs to me at this point! |
| Stumbel |
Yup, Robert/Krakii's great for that. He's typically my "go to" if I can't recall something. Specially once I tossed all my old print outs and files from the GEnie days back in 2012. Big error but there ya go. I thought I was gone for good, lasted eight years. Heh.
