reguarding teams.

I just got done reading manitou's post about teams on twl composed of elite players so that they can storm the ladders. Well, I feel compelled to share my thoughts on this subject so im going to start a new thread.

I, probably like many of you, think about Tribes alot during the day. Well, all of this thought has lead me to the conclusion that there are 2 basic types of players in competetion. First, you have the group that wants to be friends, and then you have that other one that wants to win and be competetive. After spending something like 3 years in RA, I eventually became very disatisfied and stressed actually with the team. This is something I made on the RA private boards right before I created idz... infact it may have been the night idz was created.

So with out further adeu:
(chris = narscist)
(calhounies = myself, Wedge, Azdezem)
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Well Well Well. This is a time for honesty in my opinion. Im going to tell you how I feel about the Tribe, the Game, my history, and something greater.

First of all, I'll start with my history in Tribes, and as a raging angel. When I first started playing Tribes, I came to find and love a little mod called Insomniax. Eventually, I came to the point when in retrospect I was just a little bit better than a newbie. I remember very well the saturday night I played til somewhere around 5 am on the same server with narscist. I remember how there was a map which both of us hated came up in the rotation and how we decided we would snipe. Well we sat there the entire map and just played around on our base, and talked. Well, at the time I was 17 I think, and narcist was 23 maybe? Still in college. Then I went to bed, and a few months later I saw him again. We remembered each other and talked again. Then came the christmas break of 99 in which RA was formed. I joined the server, asked what RA was and nars asked me to join. I promptly put the tag on and wore it with pride. Well, for nearly the rest of my T1 career I played as RA - one of the original.

For a long time I was the forum whore and a damn good medium d, and secondary bomber pilot for RA in what I consider to be its glory days. Then I got tired of it, and moved to heavy offense and capping, and eventually became the offensive leader. Finally as the days of IX came to a close and I got more and more tired of the insomniax mod.

I left RA to start up the clan da gods with my good buddies Wedge, and Azdezem. Well, when I quit myself and narscist had the most dreadful and honestly one of the saddest conversations I've ever had. He called me the heart of RA which at the time I was; I was the beating heart of the clan, one of the most pasionate players in the mod probably. That night, I, the heart of RA left on bad terms with chris. We didn't speak for atleast 3 months.

As the era of T2 began, I tried to lead the clan Da Gods. But, for whatever reasons, and there were many; that clan failed. Then I joined up with Kore, but left before I ever played a match with them because I didn't feel like I was at home.

Then in a about 2 weeks time, myself and narscist were talking again and I joined up with RA again. We still don't talk like we did but I think thats because of outside circumstances. It felt very good to be back home in RA with the people I knew from the beginning; the people I had played T1 with for over a year. Chris, Allen, Seth, and Dan, the last originals. Of course there were the guys who had been with us for a while too. Von, Duck, Azdezem, and of course the guys I had played with but had not been in RA. Venom... Claw, Outcast, Jobie, DoobieBroN, K-3, Xenon... Perhaps more that I don't recall. Then there were the new people that I made my usual point of getting to know - DeathByFire, 3dProphet, Cropduster, 82ndMofo, and Raistlin.

If I recall correctly, and I may not, that was the team I came back too. In all honesty, I thought we had gone and recruited a bunch of retards.

Anyway, as time has progressed we played togeather and times were fun once again. I was back where I belonged in RA, back home again with the guys I had met at all of the lan parties my mommy would let me go too. Since rejoining i've met and reformed my opinions of people. I know that deathbyfire and Prophet aren't just satchel whores. 82nd, is very versatile... and well crop and raist are gone.

I've gotten to know the new team as we've grown togeather and once again, if only for a short while I felt like the heart of RA again. I pushed and shouted for change just like I always had, had the strat forum created, tried to get RA people communicating with questions about themselves, did lots of stuff at practice, and outside. It felt good, and since I've decided that is what I enjoy. I enjoy knowing all of you in the game and outside of it.

However as this game has gone on, and we have all gotten better. We put up with the bad patches, the lag, and the losses togeather. We've lost some big players in my eyes, Bewarned, and Azdezem to be precise. But, we have recruited more, and over come our losses.

When chris left for 2 weeks about a month ago, I was put in charge of the team. I thought it was a dream come true, and so did some of you as I was approached with an offer for leadership of the clan. That was at the end of my 2 weeks though, and I shall tell you why I said no. In the first week, I worked very hard, perhaps harder than I should have to give RA what I thought it needed. We started with a good practice, a scrimmage, and I believe another practice then a match. Well then we scrimmaged again or perhaps it was a match. Either way I don't remember, nor do I care too remember that after night I was pissed off and hotter than hell. I had a fight with outcast that night, and told him what I honestly felt about him in front of the clan. Perhaps it was best that way, and perhaps it was not, either way it happened. I do not know if outcast knows, but I wish it had never happened, because ever since I have felt discouraged and heart broken about RA, because of RA, and because of myself.

In the weeks since I have all but quit posting useful information in the private and strat forums. Posting with remarks a year ago I never would have said anywhere but the public forum. I have quit helping the team in any form of leadership that I once provided and have day by day become more jaded towards RA.

So, for weeks I have been talking to my friend across the hall about forming a new Tribe, one centered first and formost around fun, and competion; yesterday we made Tribe idz. We will play the 7 man ladder with a team of highly skilled, and fun people.

That is my history with RA and how I personally feel, now I'll tell you what I think about this tribe and this game.

In T2 RA has never been the team it was in T1 and never will be simply because the desire is not there. We were a great team and a fun team with players who loved the game and loved playing with the people they knew. In T2, RA has plenty of desire to win, however we don't love the game, and that is a fact I think everyone of you needs to accept and think about. I would say well over half of RA plays because of RA, not because they love the game, but because they like the people they have met, and the people they know. Because of this, we have constantly struggled with the 'leadership' of the tribe. However, I think thats a cop out, I know damn well that I complained a lot and couldn't have made chris's life fun with my constant pushing for more organization and more leadership. Well, why did I do that? Because I wasn't having fun, of course this was only when we lose, I have lots of fun when we win. The reason I get angry with this team is because the game is not fun, often it feels like a chore to play. A chore to play with the people I know best of all in the game? Thats not right. I shouldn't even play if thats what it is, the underlying point of a game is to have fun, not to win. True, winning can be fun, but so can losing. Now when I play, I laugh all of the time. I laugh as I lag and elf my team mates, and as I crash into buildings, as I watch enemies die before me, and as I play in pubs. I enjoy this game now, but its not because the game has changed. Its because I have changed, and realized that Tribes does not define my life, nor does winning, having fun with people I know runs it.

To me the point of this game is to get to know people, and have fun. Well, in my eyes, RA has lost this drive. We don't seem to want to do anything but break the top 10 anymore. Then when we lose it is the leaders fault and when we win its the team's victory. Well thats not fair, and its not right. The problem with RA is RA, not with Narscist doing a poor job leading, or Fling or Piggy doing a wonderful job, or bad as you see it. The problem is with in each of us. None of us is stupid, we are all capable people and when this team fails its not because the leader didn't tell you what to do or because you didn't practice your role. Its because this team is not unified, and because everyone is on a different page and because invidually as players we failed. As individuals we are dumb, we make bad mistakes, we don't pay attention, and because we don't fix any problems.

I will say that in all of the time Nars has been leading it has been ok, its been great, and its been bad. We have come through everything togeather and in the end its happy. Well this time I don't see it happening. Blame chris for your problems if you like, but I don't see this team going anywhere with out him. Who will lead you? Because you need a leader. Perhaps myself or piggy? No, I had my fill. Leading RA is not fun at all, its the most stressful job I have ever taken on. The game is supposed to be fun, and for many relaxing, a way to cool off from a long days work. Its not at all, its a job that takes enormous time and devotion. Its not fun, and its because of the players, because of stuff like this. Ultimately it takes the team and a smart team at that, with people using thier brains, not robots to be succesful.

Anyway, I will not particapate in a coup because this is the Raging Angels, a team started by Narscist and Highboy. Its his team, his baby that he has grown for the past 2 years. True, there have been many people along the way, and many have helped and perhaps its time to call it quits. After all, we seem to have lost site of the point. However, perhaps not because I still enjoy playing with you guys, only I find myself not liking what RA is today more and more. I will still go the lan parties, and I will be here, but never like I was. I know I will always have my friends that I've made, because thats whats important to me. Not whether or not we win or lose, but the friends I've made.

The calhounies will always be togeather no matter how far we drift apart. Mr. Gold is one of the coolest people I've ever played with. Anger embodied is some one I still have to meet. Cuthbert, if ever he is old enough I will have the pleasure of meeting. Allen is the greatest host ever and one of the coolest guys around. DeathbyFire and prophet, im eternally indebted to for thier constant and wonderful help. And chris, well he is a heck of a guy, and good leader too boot.

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You guys should think about that, because its only after time that you truly get to know someone. Its the friendships that count. Sure, if you can be friends, and at the same time win, thats great. However, Its my opinion, even though I often times hate teams like these(RAs, CDLs, Geezers, etc) if there were more of them in online gaming rather that elite teams the game would be more fun. You guys have a great thing going here, and though you struggle, look how far you have come. Look how long you have lasted. Why bother bickering over something so trivial as a win? You are not defined by Tribes, or CDL, no matter how much of a nerd you are.
Fling