II. The Vision

Alrighty then...

So here we are, the year was 2000 something (don't ask me to remember) when it all actually started to coalesce into the dream I see today anytime I look at my little home office (which is still under construction so to speak lol). I remember playing Socom: Navy Seals on my PS2 when I learned that PlayStation's online servers were free, so I set up my account under my first gamertag (GT for short) and set out for the world of online gaming. As I tinkered around with all the settings and stuff for the game, I thought it would be cool to create a clan (for those non gamer's, a clan is just as it sounds). SO I did just that, and with that "The reapers" were formed (yea, yea i know... corny name)... aptly named after me of course. I recruited a bunch of guys I met while playing that day, and it started to look like I was on pace to build a large clan. Little did I know, fate had other plans for me quite some years later when I switched to Xbox. I know what you're thinking, "How could you leave PS for Xbox?" there is a funny story on how that happened, but in my defense, I never left PS; I just got an xbox. I kept playing my PS for many yrs (until I broke it lol), and I do plan on getting a PS4 when finances allow me to. for now, let's get back on topic which is the funny story:

In 2006, I got my 1st xbox 360 and it all started when I was at work at the cable company in my hometown of Connecticut (the office was basically next door in the next city over somewhat). I took a call for this girl who couldn't get online (this girl later became one of my closest friends), and it was up to me to get her back online so she could play Halo 3 (which was recently released that year I believe). Once I got her up and running (over the phone; I was an office rat) she gave me her GT, and told me to get a box and get Halo 3 so we could play together. So I went out and got one... went home and proceeded to set up my account, but that is when I learned that my 1st GT from PS2 was taken so it was time to think up a one of a kind name. Before I go any further, I know you're wondering "what was your 1st GT; it was No1grimreaper (Playstation doesn't allow spaces). While it may sound lame, it DID have meaning for me so I wasn't about to give up my name; not for any reason. After a few hours of trying different variations, I finally hit on a GT that I absolutely fell in love with, Da1 G Reaper (Xbox allows spaces obviously lol). And the rest as they say is history, and I was off on another online adventure with my new friend, Skitzinaction. We ended up playing for hours in round after round of PvP action with some rando's until the funniest thing happened... we got grouped with a couple of good players and soon we were stomping every team we played into the dirt. that night we played until the sun came up the next day, and we repeated this ritual everyday for what, to us, seems like forever. that group ended up becoming my 2nd clan (I was voted leader because they all said I was like a "big brother" to them) which we named, Shadow Co., and from then on we played together every night and the clan grew and grew. S-Co, started to take on a life of its own, but the main group never changed: Me, Skitz, Sapper rock, Magic Cafe, NJrolemodel (the only one not still with us due to his insufferable nature), & Slateghosticon. Of course, there were many others with us but the core group is still around minus the one (NJ).

Now here's where things started to motor forward a bit because Skitz put us onto the major league gaming circuit that was still new but gaining popularity real fast. we all agreed that we wanted to compete, so I went onto MLG's free competition site, Gamebattles, and signed us up for team competition. Sapper & I decided we wanted to try our hands at doubles play too, but that was the worst idea for a couple of guys new to competition gaming, as we quickly found out. the teams in those leagues were way above our gaming level (which wasn't low at all), but we still gave it a shot. soon after S-co began to implode due to clashing personalities and a general misunderstanding of what friends & family were for, and then just like that... it was over. S-co split and everyone went their separate ways. the core group continued to play together for awhile but not as a whole. the next group I co-ran was the Four Horseman, which only consisted of 2 of the original members of S-co and 2 members of another clan that had recently gone through the same split as we did, that was during my 2nd xbox console I gave up the 1st one in my divorce), but shortly after that I was offline for about 2 yrs (I actually moved to NC during that time). It would be a few yrs before I would jump back online due to finances and personal barricades of my own making, but didn't deter my goals of having a gaming community.

Then low and behold, I made some life changing choices and I was back online and I would never be AFK (a term we use in gaming to mean away for any length of time) ever again. So now we fast forward to the present day, and I have a beautiful wife who is extremely supportive of my career choice and is actually helping me get there. And that brings us to this blog which she said would be a great idea so I could share my journey with anyone who cares to join me and my "family" as we try to create a place where no one person is more important than the whole and we never leave anyone behind. It was during this time of transition where STG was truly formed and given a clear, direct heading... and I was bound and determined to get there. So here we are, back in the here and now, working on this public journal of my successes & failures, ups & downs, rises & falls; raw and uncut.

From the ashes of ruin, a broader new vision emerged into the Sun Tzu Empire gaming family. A place where everyone is welcome, where family & life is not only cherished but our main mission; "Life before video games".

That is a tale for another post, and that is exactly where I will leave this...

In my next post, I'll go into further detail about how my vision & my personal life become one in the same. 

See you next post folks, and always remember...

Live Free & Play Hard, Hoorah 2 Ashes!

Reaper, out.