In the final part of his blog titled 'A Changed Gamer's Perspective', Nothough explains how Microsoft's entry into the console market finally reignited his passion for gaming. Describing his first few steps in Halo, Nothough draws comparisons with Zelda: Ocarina Of Time.
"For the next year or so, Halo was never far from the machine," he writes. "From the moment I stepped out onto that grass (with individual strands crisply painted on the ground), it reminded me of OOT’s Hyrule Field. Everything was perfect – not once did I grow tired of it or lose interest (even in that blasted Library). The moment I ended up outside in the snow and jumped into the Banshee... well, that was my Epona moment. The Warthog was when I first picked up the bow and arrow."
While character designers toil long hours to produce appealing leads and bit parts, Scorpian_mai suggests that intelligent design doesn't necessarily lead to a greater sense of attachment. Specifically, he cites the omminously named 'Regens' - randomly generated players with which Football Manager' supplements its roster of official ones.
"Their silly dead-eyed faces become more than just cogs in our all-trophy consuming bastion," he writes, "they become the soul of the game, they unleash our sense of paternity - bonding with our beloved monsters, wishing them success, helping them to it."
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