How about a Pic and a story? Preface: Feeling Grateful, Hopeful, Loved & Motivated

Wow this is going to be a good one..

I hope you enjoy reading it as I have had writing it. I was going to post this over at N4G.com in reply to a recent topic about the "PS2 Games That Pushed The Console To Its Limits" that I cannot post because of a 4000 character limitation in the comment section (and boy do we all know I can flow). So what better place to post this up then my old home right here on aD!

It's been a very long time since I've been so inspired to write like and all just a few minutes ago I felt I had to share it somewhere, elsewhere, anywhere & everywhere. I just wish this was posted in a no longer existing Gaming section. But that's okay ~ I'm happy to see it still here. Thank You for taking the time to go over this if you do. I hope a cool, funny story may in some way may help anyone in these trying times we live in. I'm a bit rusty at this but here goes

Looking back after so many years having experienced most gaming generations since the 70's as a child/young adult to now a grown man...I have to express/say PS2 really was really quite special. You know having watched gaming grow from its infancy to what it is today is quite the blast to look back at it. Especially in the way a GenXGamer would and could only have experienced.

So many amazing memories and situations having go through LIVE ~ as they were happening ~ was an unbelievably fun experience and for me the PS2 launch was a pretty memorable one. I believe I was working for Funcoland back in NY (did so twice back then in Upstate Rockland County NY & the Bx) and even as an employee I wasn't going to be able to get my hands on one because of demand/supply and the biggest ongoing limiting factor of all!....FUNDS!

I could have gotten my hands on one by preordering, IF, at the time I had the total amount to pay for it. But I'm sure everyone knows that's not exactly how life goes. And for me, being a young adult + recent college graduate ~ having only being able to get from what I remember was a $4.25-$4.85 an hour job...it was difficult to support a SERIOUSLY HARDCORE gaming addiction while also having to deal another ~ Cars (the only other thing that equaled my gaming addy but has always WAAAY been more expensive). Plus add in all the other things that one is responsible for in life; Insurance, Registration, FOOD & so on lol.

So having being able to save the money to buy one on launch day, but not being able to pre-order one ~ I had to scramble. Anyway, I managed to (after a few attempts that didn't pan out) find out that my local Target was getting an allocation and going to have some available on launch in about 36 hours or so. Well F@#$ I had no choice but to do the whole camp out and cross your fingers you'd get one hailmary.

So I coordinated it where I picked up my Girl, a couple family members - who wanted one as well, and we rode out the night before about 10/11 hours before "doorbusting" (and YES it was a real thing I've experienced many a time and being in New York $#@! got real sometimes). But we were lucky, because I didn't think many people knew about Target getting a shipment and I was right. NO ONE WAS WAITING AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE!

So we went up to the closed doors, unfolded a few seats and got ready to chill. While waiting, I got the attention of an overnight employee to ask for a Manager. After confirming they had a shipment & finessing the Manager by telling him he should avoid a potentially bad experience of an unmanaged doorbusting run on products so he reasonably listened and started making a list and my name was #1 (part of why my screen name is Oner ~ but that's for another time). And my Fam/Girl were right after.

Fast forward to the a.m. and the line started to get long because other people where fiending to get their hands on one and throughout the night you saw the build up. Cars sloooowly driving by seeing the line and then either rushing to park or to speed off and come back with more buddies and stack up. Well somehow it must have gotten to the news and they sent out a reporter to capture the event. And since I was the first in line they came up to strike up a convo and I was asked to offer my opinion on what was going on, the whole hype for the PS2 and so on.

Don't remember/know if it was live or used for rebroadcast (because my main focus was getting a PS2 so F@#$ being on TV - you know what I'm saying lol). Everything went off perfectly when the store opened, as everyone was calm because of the list created by the manger after my verbal linguistical puppeteering and having experienced bad launches working at Funcoland. So we all got a PS2 + games & accessories but with a twist. Because of "the list" we were brought into the store in small groups (ours being the first), so there was no rush to grab separate things that would fly off shelves while you where arguing for a PS2 box.

And to top it off as we walked out we all got to do the obligatory hold up what ya got as you walked by the camera & reporter recording right off the exit! That was one of the most memorable launches for me. It helped cement my love for gaming even more at the time and I am so thankful it came out when it did. I could only get an extra controller and Ridge Racer V in an attempt to satiate my #1 worst combo addiction overlap ~ the wait, lead up and release of Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec. but also enjoying everything else from MGS to Street Fighter/MvC and so much more.

Every day I look back when I walk into this room ~ still in amazement at my collection and it ALWAYS, never fails to put a smile on my face even at the worst of times. For example I had a family member pass away on Sunday and haven't been sleeping well this week stemming from starting Physical Therapy from a knee injury I got on the job 8/9 months ago now and haven't worked or walked properly as it's pretty severe (loss of range of motion, unable to straighten AT ALL). But as long as I can still use my clutch on either my Sim Chassis OR my Collectable Car...then no matter what amount of pain I am in, nor what challenges are set before me I will treat them like what I have learned from gaming for 45+ years...

Always finish the game strong. Especially if you only have 1 life left! Putting forth Maximum Effort pays off.



Need to update the attached pic as I have grown it since with more stuff ~

PS5 Pro
PS5 Disc Drive
PSVR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle + Case
PS Elite Controller
PS Portal + Case
PS+ Premium (FINALLY adopted Game Streaming can you fusking believe it!?!? IYKYK LMFAO Go figure )
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (PS4 Disc)
Returning the Thrustmaster TH8S Shifter Add-On for my Obutto SimRig Chassis for GT7 (as the upgraded model TH8S went on sale within the return period of the standard version recently so definitely scooping that up today)
I hope to get the Thrustmaster TSS Handbrake Add-On as well if possible


Edited: Spelling/Grammar Correction

 

Absolutely 100% still play. At the bottom/underneath the picture I attached above shows all the new/current additions. Still using the same Chassis I did the review for here on aD ~ over 16 years ago. Mostly GTA V, GT less now but going to be picking that back up soon, Action Style Games (Uncharted, God Of War), occasional Fighting Game and more.