Xtian Mack’s Video Game History and Game Stats

As a warrior type, I focus more on having high strength/attack and high hit points. That’s probably because i enjoy playing games alone.

 

Having spent my childhood in the ’80s meant that  I was at the forefront of what would eventually called the video game phenomenon: as the first home consoles were made available to the Philippine public for the first time.  The first video game I played was the Space Invaders arcade  game at Harrison Plaza when I was 6 years old.  It blew my mind and blew away my kindergarten savings.  One game was worth 50 cents, at a time when  a jeepney ride was only 10 cents.  The Space Invaders arcade game was in black and white but it had the illusion of color because there was colored cellophane over the screen.  It was considered the first shoot-’em-up and to me it was amazing.  I looked forward to how these kind of games will evolve in the future.

From there there was the Game and Watch by Nintendo.  They were simple games but were very addictive.  These were games played on small LCD screens and can be considered as the forerunner to today’s handheld games.  I never got to own one so I had to borrow from classmates and friends, my favorites being Octopus and Donkey Kong.  Some enterprising people would rent out games to schoolchildren for 1 peso a game in a time when jeepney fare was 50 cents.  These vendors had multiple machines tied to a simple wooden cart, then flocked by schoolkids during recess or dismissal. The games were simple, plain and repetitive, but nevertheless addictive. Why? You just wanted to beat or get the high score, of course.

I was probably in third grade when my loving father brought me my first console. the Atari 2600. it was the single most sought-after  object at that time, and I had one at home.  It came with two paddle controllers with, imagine this, one button each.  It had games on cartridges which I thought at that time was utterly futuristic.  (to be continued)

 

 

Xtian Mack

Class: Level 1 Adventurer

Race: Gnorc (half gnoll, half orc)

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Deity: Ganesh

Spells: Magic rocket, Turn Undead into Friends

Weapons: Axe of the Apostles, Sword of the Golden Lion, Whistling Mace, Cutlass of Cornwall

Armor: Leather armor (AC8), Leather briefs (AC12)

Strength: 18(33)
Dexterity: 3
Wisdom: 3
Intelligence: 3
Constitution: 3
Charisma: 3
HP: 4/4
AC: 9

Motto: Opo, Panginoong Megatron! (Yes, Lord Megatron!)

Back story:

When he was finally deemed ready for adulthood, the village elder told Xtian: “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That’s what Friendster is really for, young one. Friendster is evil, childe. EVIIIIL!” Then he unceremoniously chopped off Xtian’s foreskin. Xtian cursed him until he eventually fainted from the pain. So on the day of his graduation from the tribal college, when he finally acquired his degree in English Studies, he told everyone gathered there: “Friendster, Shmrendster. You can’t SEE me. For those of you who bothered, I suppose you mistook me for someone else.” Since then, he has switched to Facebook and the world became a stranger  place.  Then he discovered blogging.  He has since become a firm believer in the saying: “Happy are they who have no teeth, for they are well loved.” When he does die, he just hopes he earned enough karma points to come back reincarnated as a giant panda that can understand human speech.