"SandZ journal" Sandman's AG bio/interview series
Part V

End in sight
Like every thing in life there is a start and an end. With HLDM/AG the start was exciting, new, fast, happening and fun time to be at. The end wasn't all bad but does have it's sad moments when what you been doing for so long, what you love so much is taken away from you, stripped away leaving you no option but to lay down your tools and look into the new light and walk.

For me the end started when the team I've been with for over 3 years split and members went their own way. It was a big blow but the events to follow would lead me to finally pull out of AG for good.

When STEAM came into force and 50% of the community moved over to the new system & the other 50% remained on WON the effects were massive. Many of the older players remained on the WON servers as many of the new players moved to the new system of STEAM.

The HLCCL league at this point was hosted on the STEAM servers but with news of GAME.net taking over the running of Barry's World the HLCCL looking at closing down for good. A few months later the news we were afraid of came true and HLCCL was stripped of its league servers and so too were the AG HLDM world robbed of it's best & biggest league. Along with it a massive volume of 'old skool' players that dropped out of AG/HL all together never to return again. A lot of old buddies of mine, a lot of skilled quality players too.

This opened up the AG to a new style of gaming... LTD hit the servers and the old classic TDM & FFA games of skill were forced to the backstage areas.

Poor 'reg' in servers along with abuse shouted by other players only helped bring the game down. It seemed that all that was good about AG had been ripped out. When I joined servers all I saw was lame playing, unskilled spamming and a total lack of quality. The days of trying to impress with stunning shots & super moves were over it seemed. The same maps would be played 24/7 with very little show of enjoyment from those playing them.

Enter the age of 'max-tweaking' it was pretty clear that many players were now tweaking any & every settings they could find. Sky backdrops ripped to appear black along with high-vis models to make for easy targeting. Scripts installed to allow quick crossbow zoomed shots without the skill required to perform such moves. Stories of other tricks being used to improve their 'reg' & help prevent others hitting them would only highlight the new lame age of AG.

The 'AllStars' of the old AG were gone. The days when players had respect for true skill were over. It was a case of over tweaking & a lack of respect between players that has finally destroyed the enjoyment within the game.

Signing Out
I'm taking this moment to final say I'm no long playing AG & HLDM many of you who I know from the old days who still play may have seen my newbie skills missing from servers. It's not down to any one or team it's just I've lost the enjoyment from what has been to me one of the finest games ever made. I hope to see some of those quality friends I've meet along the way in the future or maybe in CS:Source.

Just to mention some names who have done it for me over the years of playing this game.

General - for always getting on my tits for being late to matches... i r sorry :p (best team leader ever tbh) Duplex & Stumpy - The main men total respect to you dude whatever you're doing these days. Eddz, Garpy, Jugger & Moonz - Good seeing them quality players no bad words can be said about these guys, luv da moonz :p PC|Spr - Love playing along side you in AG & CS top geeza & I'm sure I'll still see you in the odd CS game. Troj & Steve - the heart of CWA you 2 monkees been great (still waitig for that drinky Troj :p) SPS, Mr.X, Windy, Anykey, Slinky, BroadBandit, Jimmy & mindz - the true EU MOD team that I got to know well, some of you I know are now playing CS:Source.
RedRum, Dynasty, Nasty, Sliver, Twitch, Mist, iT & Guko - The finest USA players there are, hope to see you guys about in the future. Finally big thanks to these guys:
Sharky - for your support in the best of the best tourny.
syn & r0ck - for being sub (for every game u monkees, take care dudes)
Stella - Best french player in my eyes, take care m8.
Janer - for making me giggle & some one to chase in DemonUK :p
Chinx - for you work on the site & just for beening so laid back
Bonehead - if a good attitude was a skill bones would own all
Switch & Spirit - The cool heads of HLCCL, love you guys all best.
Dank - like to think we'd go out on a high you & me both aiming for the same thing in the end a greater AG community.
Chief - From the first day I play you I had respect and your part in the AG community has only make it stronger, chat 2 you on the pro-hl boards.
Tolon - For you support, great site too keep it going.
Firefly - Great guy even if many here find his comments hard, take care Mike.
Rage - good to meet you at Lan & sorry for messing up your controls


Finaly to round it off cheers Bullit for your support for the site & for the work put into this amazing mod.

REPLIES:

storm^r0ck:
cu maty was a pleasure to play with u gl with cs

-|MOD|-WindyMiller-:
chat soon farmer boy

see you in the next (half) - life.

ReVo:
Much love sandy <3 MOD for life

cu@cs:source matey

[GLC]Tarby:
Nice one

I hope everything goes well for you.

alba:
gg Sandieee :O)

storm^syn:
gg bye sandz :( but i hope you still do something for our little "community" it was allways a pleasure to play in youre tourneys

[Pro-HL]Diantalvic:
didnt really get a chance to play with you much but was fun in the wars we did have gl and really nice work on the pro-hl site who is gonna take over for pro-hl team? catch u in cs:source soon

-|MOD|-S_P_S-:
i may join you in cs one of these days sandy pants or you can come play ns with me

hl wont be the same without you ^_^

{.ik.}Stella:
You've been a great hldm player S@ndm@n.

I'm surprised and proud that you mentionned me. I remember you in Demon doing 50-0 on bootcamp no matter how hard I tried. You attitude is great and you were always helpfull when you were organising leagues. Without people like you a lot of this would not have happened.

Take care of yourself and lets hope we keep in touch. Congratulations on everything you have achieved in this community and thanks again.

Hail to the King that is S@ndm@n.

-[ArmA.Switch]-:
ttfn Sandz... was always a pleasure playing with ya (ooerr). The charm of the game is now all but gone...the ppl are who made the game, more than the game itself.

I still play from time to time, but servers are mainly LTS/Arena/Arcade, most players now seem to have forgot where it all started (TDM/FFA)...and they basically get on my tits now with bad attitudes. U won't see me playing CS....prolly not even HL2, my system will never run it and i'm tired of spending all my money on PC's constantly playing catchup just to run the next game that comes out. gl anyways m8y, and thanks for all the effort you have put into the game in the past...if it weren't for ppl like you then it would have never got as big as it did (/nob gag)

-[SoD|Precizion]-:
Well the scene will certainly be a little poorer with you leaving, but we all have to move on at some point. Good luck with CS:S.

-[ArmA.Spirit]-:
Really sad to see another top peep leaving the servers :( Thankyou so much for all you have done for this community Sandypants, and thanks for the mention you doth r0x0r muchly.

Take care matey :OX Love & Peace

Delpy:
Well sorry to heard that, but its a wise decision that i made 1-2 month ago.

Now I need to change my computer, then play Farcry and Doom3 in acceptable res. then reinstall Steam one more time for HL2 first , will certainly reinstall AG too and yes maybe play more CS, retried Q3 but no ........., and no more officials gaming in AG.

-[ArmA.Nikolas]-:
hf m8y
-|MOD|-SliNkY-:
cya in cs then :)

-[ArmA.Melkor]- :
ggs sandy pants. i know ill cya in hl2 btw very nysche site, top work.

[KIA]MoonyMaster:
really really hope you will join us for HL2 matey :*)))) u better had you m00nschlag ;>> xxxxx

sonic:
gl hf m8 maybe see u in CS:S shame all these top people leavin. I doubt 50 of people on here play AG/HL anymore lets hope HL2 lives up to our expectations eh guys

[pmers]Tolon:
I did a reply to a goodbye post the other day condemming it but I must say I will let it pass this once Goodbye m8, your server & site's have kept many players actually playing the game a lot longer than they would without your efforts, you should be proud of that. Good luck in your next adventure and thanks for your kind words.

[pmers]Tolon:
I did a reply to a goodbye post the other day condemming it but I must say I will let it pass this once Goodbye m8, your server & site's have kept many players actually playing the game a lot longer than they would without your efforts, you should be proud of that. Good luck in your next adventure and thanks for your kind words.

(SC)Hutt'nKloas:
bb & gl in whatever comes next

-|MOD|-DeepThought-:
bb & gl sandman muchos thanks for this best hl site and for all the help :o)

=RAGE=:
err.. yea, ta for sorting my cfg out :D even though my reload is now my bh button but still nothing is perfect in life :D

good to meet you too and take care o yerself si thi :)

[KIA]Eddz:
xx sandy

-DoGMeaT-:
Take care sandhead, had numberous good games on ya server, ty for that xxx

[TBUK]Boris:
Dont blame u tbh.

For doing things useful nows a good time for me, was taking a break to play hl, servers absolutely empty even moreso then ever. See u in HL2

[Pro-HL]Yo'SeLf:
well gl mates, Was nice to play with you n the short time i`m in pro-hl now. I`ll contact you later this week, want to talk ot ya bout few thinks. Who`s gonna take over Pro-HL AG team now?

{.ik.}LeLe:
Cya Sand :(

(GodSquad)Snake:
Rock on S@ndz; you're a top Pro-HL guvnor Nice playing with u from time to time on the server. glhf.

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