Climbing Mount Everest Naked, and without bottled oxygen.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

So why would anyone climb mt. Everest naked? Well they wouldn't, but I was working on something earlier for today for a SOW mod, and I started to get the desire to bang my head against the wall because of not understanding something that should be obvious to me, then I suddenly thought about Mister Timpko, and the NSD team, and I can only imagine what it must be like for them.

It's rather mind blowing when you play your copy of Scourge of War Gettysburg, and see the workmanship that has gone into this game. Think about it for a second, Mister Timpko codes on his off-time hours, while the great team he has works tirelessly behind the scenes tweaking, and sending Norb what needs to be repaired, or added to make this masterpiece better, which then Mister Timpko compiles, and sends the new copy out for his team to work on, and back, and forth it goes....endless hours of rummaging through code which is simply gut wrenching at best (how I see it). I can only imagine a room full of yellow sticky notes covering every wall in the room.

You can tell how much they love this time period, and who only wish to bring the experience of battle to those like myself who understands very little of the American Civil War.

For me personally, I see the work NSD has put into this game like having to climb mount Everest Naked, and without Air...

[Story]

I work for Trinities Sports Magazine (based in New York), and I have the rare privilege to have been selected to write about the NSD Team as they ascend Mount Everest.

May 9th, 11PM - Day of Ascent: I dragged my tired body through the zippered door of my tent wiping the sleep from my eyes, and taking a deep breath I suddenly noticed above me headlamps moving back forth. My sleep deprived mind didn't recognize that this was the NSD team beginning their ascent. Damn I swore, I missed getting photo's, and speaking to the team before they headed out. I pulled out my binoculars, and scanned over the NSD team...Hmmmm, something odd, they are not wearing the color suits they were wearing yesterday, they must have switched over to new climbing gear.

[Receiving reports from other teams at base camp]

May 10th: 1:00pm - Day of Ascent: "You have got to be kidding me" laughed a member of the Venezuela Team. We all started to crowd around him, and we all listened in amazement as reports started to come in about a team, naked as the day they were born began their descent from summiting mount Everest.

A report just came in about all this team had on was a Headlamp, climbing boots with well worn crampons strapped on.

I ran out of the main base camp tent, raised my binoculars toward the Hillary step, and dammit it all you can see the NSD team starting to climb down. As they climbed through the throng of waiting teams, all the while not noticing the looks of admiration, and awe on the faces of the teams, the NSD team didn't miss a step... This team by far is so focused, and so determined to weather through all the misery that the cold, and lack of oxygen can bare down didn't seem to weaken their resolve to complete this climb.

NSD finally made their way back to their tents tired, and a bit cold.

[end]

I know silly, but I always admired, and respected those who can code, and who can bring about a game like Scourge of War - Gettysburg.

Thanks guys for the hard work...