From: johan@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Johan van Zanten)
Newsgroups: rec.games.netrek
Subject: I'm retiring, mostly.
Date: 12 Dec 1992 10:22:43 GMT
Organization: UT Austin Computation Center, Unix Services
Distribution: world
Reply-To: johan@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Johan van Zanten)
NNTP-Posting-Host: pooh.cc.utexas.edu
Originator: johan@pooh.cc.utexas.edu


  Well, in the hopes of actually graduating, i have decided to stop playing INL
 netrek and most other regular play. I have had what can really only be
described as one hell of a good time (did i mention i got thrown out of school
for two semsters because of how much fun i was having play netrek and not going
to Japense class?) but should probably try and get out of school before they
begin to change the degree requirements on me. :-)
  Now that i won't be readign r.g.n anymore, and only seeing a few of ya'll
around on servers every now and then, i just wanted to pass on how i feel about
the game and players.  For the most part, i have been really impressed and
pleased with the players.  There are flame wars, and clueless newbies and
asshole veterans, but i really enjoy playing about 98% of the time, which is
what i think really matters.  I've also been simply blown away (hehe) by the
abilities of some of the excellent players.  Playing with them was quite
educational.
   Lately i've noticed i really enjoy sending stupid little quips to the other
players during pick-up games, almost more than the game itself.  A "jeeze, i
guess my clueless team needs more than 30 seconds warning before you take our
next planet" sent to the enemy who just took Draconis has often provoked some
humorous and sympathetic responses, like "You think YOUR team is clueless."
   I really want to thank Hell's Bagels this season.  We had pretty varying
amounts of skill on the team, but i think most everyone understood the more
important points of the game.  And yes, we did seem to want to strangle each
other at times, but i think thats normal and healthy.  After seeing Exodus'
exodus (sorry i couldn't resist) i really do feel like i need to comend my team
for ALWAYS showing up on time.  Last summer, we had some pretty bad problems
towards the end of the season, but this semester, we almost always (hell, maybe
even always) had 10 people show at or before game time.  This made managing
alot less stressful for me.  I should probably also thank the team for being
tolerant of my mid-semester freak-out and the accompanying plea for help with
the captainish duties.  I think it's important to note that i really am not the
equal of many of the strategic minds on my team, and that plain and sunscreamer
in particular would both make good "field captains".  I have noticed that good
scheduling and good command/strategy are not at all related.  I can't tell
people what to do to save our lives, but i could usually manage to get the word
out about the games in time for everyone to make it.
  Anyway, i hope the INL continues to evolve and that perhaps i will be able to
come back and be an appointments secretary again next Fall, once i get this
stupid B.A. crap out of the way.  I wish you all good luck, and hope to see you
every now and then.  I'm not really sure what's going to become of Hell's
Bagels. It seems to be coming apart pretty badly, but there may be some team
coming out of U Texas soon, although i don't think it really has the X
terminals to support a full campus team.  UT has about 1 accessible X-seat per
every 1,000 students, and about 45,000 students.

Johan, eggplant of Hell's Bagels
-- 
Johan van Zanten - Unix Services - The Computation Center -
The University of Texas at Austin - johan@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu