An Online Game Adventure

Anyone who got to know computers in the '90s will probably smile at the name Age of Empires when heard about. For me, it was one of the best video games ever. It was such a well-crafted game that none of the later ones could quite capture the same magic, prompting a high-definition remake. I have to admit, even today in 2024, I still enjoy playing it and don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.

Of course, Age of Empires wasn’t the only game of its kind. Around the same time, a similar game called Empire Earth entered our lives and won us over. A few years ago, I discovered Empire Earth could be played online, and I spent sleepless nights glued to the screen. For anyone interested, here’s the link: www.neoee.net

One night, four of us were playing on a continent map, each focused on developing our nations. We started as neutral parties, though alliances could be formed through diplomacy, allowing players to become friends or foes mid-game.

If my memory serves me right, our group consisted of a Russian, two Spaniards, and of course (the essential element), me, the Turk. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it was indeed an international gathering.

Soon, we learned one of the Spaniards was under attack, stirring up the game. War had erupted before we’d fully developed, and one state was on the brink of conquest. I was trying to catch up, knowing my turn would come eventually. Meanwhile, the besieged Spaniard sent a message, saying that the Russian was using cheats, developing too quickly, and that he was going to quit.

Perhaps out of boredom, or because we had nothing else to do at that night, we decided to keep playing. I joined forces with the other Spaniard to counter the Russian’s supposed cheating. We knew we’d likely lose, but we were here to have fun.

The Spaniard and I were racing to follow the game’s commands, competing against time. While the Russian paused to take resources from the quitting Spaniard, we seized this chance to build up our defenses.

In the game, some types of units are costly but very effective due to their power and durability. Knights, in particular, could deliver strong attacks and be transported by ship. I quickly made a few transport ships and began loading them with knights, while also building walls and obstacles around my city to slow the enemy down.

My plan was to transport the knights by sailing them along the bottom edge of the screen, aiming to land as close to the enemy city center as possible. Since the map edges were rarely used, I assumed they might remain undetected.

Without losing much time, I set my ships in motion, carefully advancing along the screen’s border toward the enemy’s heart. Just then, the attack we anticipated started, with the enemy breaching my and the Spaniard’s walls. Time was running out—our cities would fall. Of course, we fought back, determined not to surrender, even though we knew our army’s strength was limited. But we were here for fun.

I remember the thrill of reaching the enemy’s city center with my ships. I lined up the knights and launched my first strike, focusing solely on the main building. While the enemy was busy attacking our walls, he hadn’t noticed me. He would’ve had to look closely in that area to see my moves. I am sure that he received the notification but he hadn’t seen. That was giving me a perfect opportunity to deal damage.

The Spaniard cheered me on in the chat, seeing my plan unfold. I remember that how happy he was and I. He shouting with enthusiasm in the chat. He was also doing everything possible to distract the enemy. The Russian finally noticed my attack and redirected his armies to defend. We knew our time was limited; the Russian was probably furious.

Before long, he repelled my attack and took out my knights. Our cities eventually fell, bringing the game to an end. We had lost, but we had a fantastic time.

There’s a detail I want to highlight at this point. In both games and real life, I’ve never enjoyed anything extreme or excessive. I’ve always preferred playing by the rules and, most importantly, using strategy. Instead of choosing the strongest team in a soccer game to crush an opponent 20-0, I’d rather pick a weaker team, make tactical changes, and fight hard for a 1-0 lose through skill alone.

Sadly, in all areas of life, we struggle to see clearly because some people view dominating and crushing others as admirable. The world often fails to appreciate people who play by the rules, avoiding extremes and living simple, steady lives.