EPTLast night I fired up Raiden Fighters Jet. I was gonna sit down for a long session with the goal of getting a new high score. Something..... something terrible happened.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/3FTDo.png)
Many years ago I worked at a place that had an arcade box of this game in the Lobby. I put a ton of quarters into that, and I loved it. We had a bit of a rivalry between the employees, always trying to hold the high score spot. Anyways, that time was long ago.
I picked up an Xbox 360 over the Thanksgiving sales recently--having always been a PC Gamer, I've never been into Consoles that much. I figured it was time to check it out. I was browsing through the arcade and found my old beloved Raiden Fighters Aces. Not long after I was playing it again. Oh... the memories. I'm still not very good, but I'm getting the hang of carrying medals and stacking them, dodging the torrent of bullets, remembering which planes do what, and trying to control with the Xbox controller instead of the arcade stick.
My goal last night was 12,000,000. I was hovering around the 9,000,000 mark, having trouble getting much higher. Grinding game after game, my brother watching in earnest as I had the first level nearly perfected. Then upon, starting my next game...
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/uREz7.jpg)
I missed that turret on the plane passing under me, got flustered and died to the plane from the right, lost my slave and the first medal I had just picked up, as well as any hope at beating my high score.
I was pissed. This game is pointless from here I said, no point in finishing. I hit the start button, and chose to end the current game. NO I don't want to save this clip! Gosh!
My brother was speachless. He stammerd "B..but... you had 2 lives left... you weren't even finished with that game yet" I tried to explain that it didn't matter. I no longer had a chance at the high score, the top spot on the list, so it was pointless to continue. He just couldn't comprehend though. How could I call myself an Xbox gamer he asked. How could I call myself a Raiden fan? I was despicible he said.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7eBYD.jpg)
I was flummoxed. Why was he so angry? What do I owe him? Why? Why!!!!!
Then he told my mother. Oh lawd... She unleashed twice the fury. There are poor kids that would have loved to have the chance to play that game. I'm glad you just moved back home, couldn't stand to have your old roommates see that display... It's bad enough your brother saw it. You don't deserve to play Raiden anymore. You don't deserve to play games at all!
I started to see the error in my ways. After last night, and this morning and the non stop criticisim and abuse, I've given up. I'm not fit to be a Raiden gamer. I could I have been so rediculous as to not finish that game? My brother was watching, he was expecting a show. I had integrity to uphold. I threw it all out the window at that moment. I'm done.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/4pqP9.jpg)
I burned my Xbox.
