Why Half-Life 2 is so great

[Guest]

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After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum it
up in 2 words:

Genre Transcending

Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS genre
it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great games
do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
particular genre.

But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
'experience' like no other.

 

[Guest]

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Michael R Sisson wrote:
> In article <1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
> cr0n1k@hotmail.com says...
> > After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
> > thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one
really
> > valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum
it
> > up in 2 words:
> >
> > Genre Transcending
> >
> > Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS
genre
> > it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great
games
> > do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
> > particular genre.
> >
> > But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries,
rather
> > it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a
gaming
> > 'experience' like no other.
> >
> >
>
> Keep your attentions focused on .simulators, low-grade.
>
>
> MRSisson
> --
> LOAD "GPL",8
>
> SEARCHING FOR GPL
> LOADING
> READY.
> RUN

Get out of my face Sisson.

 

[Guest]

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In article <1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
cr0n1k@hotmail.com says...
> After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
> thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
> valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum it
> up in 2 words:
>
> Genre Transcending
>
> Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS genre
> it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great games
> do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
> particular genre.
>
> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
> it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
> 'experience' like no other.
>
>

Keep your attentions focused on .simulators, low-grade.


MRSisson
--
LOAD "GPL",8

SEARCHING FOR GPL
LOADING
READY.
RUN

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

In the words of J.Lo in that classic movie 'Gigli'; "Gobble, gobble".



<cr0n1k@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
> thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
> valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum it
> up in 2 words:
>
> Genre Transcending
>
> Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS genre
> it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great games
> do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
> particular genre.
>
> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
> it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
> 'experience' like no other.
>

 

[jlc]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

> <cr0n1k@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>> After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
>> thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
>> valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum it
>> up in 2 words:
>>
>> Genre Transcending
>>
>> Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS genre
>> it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great games
>> do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
>> particular genre.
>>
>> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
>> it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
>> 'experience' like no other.
>>
>

How many shooters have you played in the last year? I just finished HL2
tonight and for me the last 1/3 ruined the rest of the fun I had up until
that point. As soon as I started the "squad" levels up to the end, the game
went down hill for me. I found that it became ridiculously hard and having
to deal with my absolutely stupid squad mates totally ruined the game for
me. I kept from reading all the posts on this group about how bad the ending
was because I wanted to find out for myself. Well I just found out, and what
a let down. It would have been nice to have a story to go along with all the
cool graphic. I was thinking that toward the end maybe some stuff would be
explained. But I was left without a clue about what the hell I had just
spent the whole game doing. I also hate games that spawn enemies until you
are forced to move on, and HL2 is full of these situations.
I don't recall ever playing a game that I was so excited about, and totally
loving all the cool stuff in the game, only to have it fall to pieces so
badly toward the end.
I'm finally playing FarCry and I'm finding this game to be far more
interesting then HL2. The game looks fantastic, and after being on such
tight rails playing HL2, FarCry seems so HUGE! I've had so much fun crawling
around sneaking up on the mercenaries. And the sniper rifle is to cool. What
I'm enjoying the most is being about to tag the enemy with my binoculars.
Man that is so damn handy! Anyway maybe if I hadn't played Riddick and now
FarCry before I finished HL2 I'd feel different about HL2. But for me it was
fun, but not game of the year material. JLC

 

[Guest]

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On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 23:54:47 -0800, "JLC" <j.jc@nospam.com> wrote:

>
>> <cr0n1k@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>> After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
>>> thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
>>> valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum it
>>> up in 2 words:
>>>
>>> Genre Transcending
>>>
>>> Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS genre
>>> it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great games
>>> do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
>>> particular genre.
>>>
>>> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
>>> it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
>>> 'experience' like no other.
>>>
>>
>
>How many shooters have you played in the last year? I just finished HL2
>tonight and for me the last 1/3 ruined the rest of the fun I had up until
>that point. As soon as I started the "squad" levels up to the end, the game
>went down hill for me. I found that it became ridiculously hard and having
>to deal with my absolutely stupid squad mates totally ruined the game for
>me. I kept from reading all the posts on this group about how bad the ending
>was because I wanted to find out for myself. Well I just found out, and what
>a let down. It would have been nice to have a story to go along with all the
>cool graphic. I was thinking that toward the end maybe some stuff would be
>explained. But I was left without a clue about what the hell I had just
>spent the whole game doing. I also hate games that spawn enemies until you
>are forced to move on, and HL2 is full of these situations.
> I don't recall ever playing a game that I was so excited about, and totally
>loving all the cool stuff in the game, only to have it fall to pieces so
>badly toward the end.
> I'm finally playing FarCry and I'm finding this game to be far more
>interesting then HL2. The game looks fantastic, and after being on such
>tight rails playing HL2, FarCry seems so HUGE! I've had so much fun crawling
>around sneaking up on the mercenaries. And the sniper rifle is to cool. What
>I'm enjoying the most is being about to tag the enemy with my binoculars.
>Man that is so damn handy! Anyway maybe if I hadn't played Riddick and now
>FarCry before I finished HL2 I'd feel different about HL2. But for me it was
>fun, but not game of the year material. JLC
>
>

hmmm... this should provoke a rabid response from the loving few.
All your shots up to date ?

John Lewis

 

[Guest]

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On 23 Jan 2005, cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:

> Genre Transcending

you know what is really "transcending"?
its seeing how pathetic you loyal submissive "zombie" valve gamers act
begging on your knees in front of everyone to his "master" valve for more!
"please more games master valve!"
"feed me with more games! i need more! i can't stand the pain!"
"please more cause my brain needs your so transcending games!"

i can only describe it as... miserably pathetically humiliating

--
post made in a steam-free computer
i said "NO" to valve and steam

please sign petition "Say NO! to Steam!" available at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/nosteam/petition.html

 

[DaveL]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"JLC" <j.jc@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:RaednRP1mtVbNGncRVn-tw@comcast.com...
> How many shooters have you played in the last year? I just finished HL2
> tonight and for me the last 1/3 ruined the rest of the fun I had up until
> that point. As soon as I started the "squad" levels up to the end, the
> game went down hill for me. I found that it became ridiculously hard and
> having to deal with my absolutely stupid squad mates totally ruined the
> game for

If you use the squad members properly, they are not a problem. I used them
as decoys and would also send them out to fight before I went out. Let them
get killed. You always get more.

> me. I kept from reading all the posts on this group about how bad the
> ending was because I wanted to find out for myself. Well I just found out,
> and what a let down. It would have been nice to have a story to go along
> with all the cool graphic. I was thinking that toward the end maybe some
> stuff would be explained. But I was left without a clue about what the
> hell I had just spent the whole game doing. I also hate games that spawn
> enemies until you are forced to move on, and HL2 is full of these
> situations.

Not true. HL2 does not have an endless amount of spawned enemies.

DaveL

 

[jlc]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:QI-dnSt3y6p-o2jcRVn-pg@comcast.com...
>
> Not true. HL2 does not have an endless amount of spawned enemies.
>
> DaveL
>
Spoilers'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
















There were several areas toward the end where the Combine would pour in from
all sides. Did you stand there and fight them until they stopped? How long
did it take? Because I turned on the GOD cheat and stood there and fought
until I was totally out of ammo. And then at the end game levels where all
you have is the grav. gun, I stood my ground for over 15 min. and they still
came pouring in. So your saying that they stop coming? Did you play on Easy?
JLC

 

[Guest]

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On Mon, 23 Jan 2005 cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:

> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
> it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
> 'experience' like no other.

What are you talking about? HL2 is a FPS on rails with great models and
great physics, nothing more. Where are any other genres? Go play Vampire
Bloodlines for a cool FPS/RPG shooter hybrid...

--
Werner Spahl (spahl@cup.uni-muenchen.de) Freedom for
"The meaning of my life is to make me crazy" Vorlonships

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

hl2 sux. bryan adams rules though.

Look into my heart - you will find,
There's nothin' there to hide.
Take me as I am - take my life,
I would give it all - I would sacrifice.

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for.
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more.
Ya know it's true,
Everything I do - I do it for you.

 

[Guest]

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On 23 Jan 2005 16:51:57 -0800, cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:

>After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time

Really bored, huh?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Sorry to disappoint you John but my copy of HL2 won't be going anywhere
near a dusty shelf for quite sometime,enjoying the game for the fourth
time with the higher difficulty mod, having great fun with cs:source
and looking forward to dod:source and the many upcoming mods.
Quite some value this HL2 provides.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"difool" <john.difool@mail.telepac.pt> wrote in message
news:4ud9v0db81afqfk5uqua3m2hfuf75h9aom@4ax.com...
> On 23 Jan 2005, cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > Genre Transcending
>
> you know what is really "transcending"?
> its seeing how pathetic you loyal submissive "zombie" valve gamers act
> begging on your knees in front of everyone to his "master" valve for more!
> "please more games master valve!"
> "feed me with more games! i need more! i can't stand the pain!"
> "please more cause my brain needs your so transcending games!"
>
> i can only describe it as... miserably pathetically humiliating
>

Humiliating is when you're rounded up with all the other people in your
neighborhood, shipped off in a train like cattle, forced to undress in front
of everyone, and then gased. Just because you're Jewish.

Humiliating is when people tell you that you can't join their church because
you're "different" from them.

Humiliating is when your child comes home from school crying because the
kids there laughed at the "inexpensive" clothes that she wears.

Playing a pc game isn't even in the same league.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:46:45 -0800, It's me <me@here.noemail> wrote:

>On 23 Jan 2005 16:51:57 -0800, cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time
>
>Really bored, huh?


Well, he can't sell it, so he is just trying to get good value for his

money before relegating it to a dusty shelf

John Lewis

 

[Guest]

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JLC wrote:
>> <cr0n1k@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>> After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
>>> thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
>>> valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum
>>> it up in 2 words:
>>>
>>> Genre Transcending
>>>
>>> Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS
>>> genre it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely
>>> great games do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed
>>> in one particular genre.
>>>
>>> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries,
>>> rather it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more
>>> as a gaming 'experience' like no other.
>>>
>>
>
> How many shooters have you played in the last year? I just finished
> HL2 tonight and for me the last 1/3 ruined the rest of the fun I had
> up until that point. As soon as I started the "squad" levels up to
> the end, the game went down hill for me. I found that it became
> ridiculously hard and having to deal with my absolutely stupid squad
> mates totally ruined the game for me. I kept from reading all the
> posts on this group about how bad the ending was because I wanted to
> find out for myself. Well I just found out, and what a let down. It
> would have been nice to have a story to go along with all the cool
> graphic. I was thinking that toward the end maybe some stuff would be
> explained. But I was left without a clue about what the hell I had
> just spent the whole game doing. I also hate games that spawn enemies
> until you are forced to move on, and HL2 is full of these situations. I
> don't recall ever playing a game that I was so excited about, and
> totally loving all the cool stuff in the game, only to have it fall
> to pieces so badly toward the end.
> I'm finally playing FarCry and I'm finding this game to be far more
> interesting then HL2. The game looks fantastic, and after being on
> such tight rails playing HL2, FarCry seems so HUGE! I've had so much
> fun crawling around sneaking up on the mercenaries. And the sniper
> rifle is to cool. What I'm enjoying the most is being about to tag
> the enemy with my binoculars. Man that is so damn handy! Anyway maybe
> if I hadn't played Riddick and now FarCry before I finished HL2 I'd
> feel different about HL2. But for me it was fun, but not game of the
> year material. JLC

You can put boxes in front of your pain in the arse squad members and they
can't get through or just send them to get killed,I'm playing riddick now
and I've just finished far cry and I really wasnt impressed with far cry,
sure it looks good but, I found the game boring and a bit montonous but hey
to each his own, I personally really enjoyed HL2 and I'm glad we're talking
about the game and not steam cause those discussions are just getting boring
--


You're not a God, you're a birthday cake!

 

[Guest]

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difool wrote:
> On 23 Jan 2005, cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>> Genre Transcending
>
> you know what is really "transcending"?
> its seeing how pathetic you loyal submissive "zombie" valve gamers act
> begging on your knees in front of everyone to his "master" valve for
> more! "please more games master valve!"
> "feed me with more games! i need more! i can't stand the pain!"
> "please more cause my brain needs your so transcending games!"
>
> i can only describe it as... miserably pathetically humiliating

why have you put quote marks around those statements?

--


You're not a God, you're a birthday cake!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

JLC wrote:
> As soon as I started the "squad" levels up to the end, the game
> went down hill for me. I found that it became ridiculously hard and
having
> to deal with my absolutely stupid squad mates totally ruined the game
for
> me.

Don't worry about them. They'll sort themselves out. Best thing is to
send them on in front to clear the way or to draw enemy fire. If they
don't get killed in the battle, they'll be sniped in the next level, or
there'll be an obstacle they can't pass.

> I kept from reading all the posts on this group about how bad the
ending
> was because I wanted to find out for myself. Well I just found out,
and what
> a let down. It would have been nice to have a story to go along with
all the
> cool graphic. I was thinking that toward the end maybe some stuff
would be
> explained. But I was left without a clue about what the hell I had
just
> spent the whole game doing.

I agree with you there. It felt like they ran out of time for the last
level. Artwork and architecture all done, but no time to flesh it out
with puzzles, raps, enemy ambushes etc. "Hey, let's just do a train
ride through it all - that way we won't have wasted out time creating
this huge section of the game"

> I'm finally playing FarCry and I'm finding this game to be far more
> interesting then HL2. The game looks fantastic, and after being on
such
> tight rails playing HL2, FarCry seems so HUGE! I've had so much fun
crawling
> around sneaking up on the mercenaries. And the sniper rifle is to
cool. What
> I'm enjoying the most is being about to tag the enemy with my
binoculars.
> Man that is so damn handy!

Far Cry is next up for me. Looking forward to it.

> Anyway maybe if I hadn't played Riddick and now
> FarCry before I finished HL2 I'd feel different about HL2. But for me
it was
> fun, but not game of the year material. JLC

Depends how you define GOTY. If it's based on just the single player
game, then Far Cry et al will give a good fight. But if it's based on
the whole package, then you have to consider the popularity of the
multiplayer games and all the mods. The original HL spawned so many
different styles of multiplayer mods and some excellent single-player
maps and is still worth the investment 6 years later, so I think was
justifiably GOTY. If HL2 has the same potential (and I think it does,
given that the map making technilogy is basically the same, so there
are a lot of people with experience out there already), then I suspect
HL2 is also worthy of GOTY.

 

[Guest]

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difool wrote:
> you know what is really "transcending"?
> its seeing how pathetic you loyal submissive "zombie" valve gamers
act
--- 8< SNIP 8< ---

Have you stopped to consider that he may have accepted how Steam works,
played HL2 anyway and really enjoyed it?
There is an outside chance that Valve missed him when they implanted
the Gabe-is-God brain implant in the rest of us, and he is still able
to exercise free will.

I think if you played HL2 you would enjoy it too. It's a story of one
man's fight against an overbearing corporation-like force with a
megolomaniac leader. He compels everyone to live by his rules alone.
Freedom of choice is not an option. It's you and the few rebels who
have rejected the totalitarian state versus mindless submissive zombies
and brainwashed troops.
And you get to muck about with a gravity gun.

 

[Andrew]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 01:45:33 -0000, "Stoned Monkey"
<tenny2k@NOSPAMrtennant.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

>why have you put quote marks around those statements?

He must be quoting the voices in his head. Maybe he needs another
layer of tin foil in his hat.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.

 

[Guest]

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<cr0n1k@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
> thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one really
> valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum it
> up in 2 words:
>
> Genre Transcending
>
> Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS genre
> it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great games
> do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
> particular genre.
>
> But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries, rather
> it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a gaming
> 'experience' like no other.

It's a standard FPS, limited by the contraints of its Quake 1-derived engine
and other design decisions. A good FPS, but in no way is it "genre
transcending".

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Kroagnon wrote:
> <cr0n1k@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1106527917.250969.303870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> > After having just completed this masterpiece for the third time and
> > thoroughly enjoying it I have been trying to come up with one
really
> > valid reason as to why this game is so great and I think I can sum
it
> > up in 2 words:
> >
> > Genre Transcending
> >
> > Not only does this game define or should I say redefine the FPS
genre
> > it also transcends it and I think that is what all truely great
games
> > do, they cross over boundries so they cannot be classed in one
> > particular genre.
> >
> > But in the case of HL2 is doesn't merely cross over boundries,
rather
> > it obliterates them so think of it less as an FPS but more as a
gaming
> > 'experience' like no other.
>
> It's a standard FPS, limited by the contraints of its Quake 1-derived
engine
> and other design decisions. A good FPS, but in no way is it "genre
> transcending".

Standard FPS lol, that is really comical.
No actually it was the best game of 2004 and an instant classic.

 

[Guest]

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Thusly "Stoned Monkey" <tenny2k@NOSPAMrtennant.fsnet.co.uk> Spake Unto
All:

>> you know what is really "transcending"?
>> its seeing how pathetic you loyal submissive "zombie" valve gamers act
>> begging on your knees in front of everyone to his "master" valve for
>> more! "please more games master valve!"
>> "feed me with more games! i need more! i can't stand the pain!"
>> "please more cause my brain needs your so transcending games!"
>>
>> i can only describe it as... miserably pathetically humiliating
>
>why have you put quote marks around those statements?

Because he is a "moron".

 

[Guest]

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On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 23:54:47 -0800, "JLC" <j.jc@nospam.com> wrote:

>How many shooters have you played in the last year? I just finished HL2
>tonight and for me the last 1/3 ruined the rest of the fun I had up until
>that point. As soon as I started the "squad" levels up to the end, the game
>went down hill for me.

Yeah the squad levels were the one part that didn't really work ...
you are really exagerating with the "one third" nonsense though. It's
more like 1/10th of the game at most. A level.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Werner Spahl wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 cr0n1k@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > You really are showing your ingnorance describing HL2 as merely an
FPS
> > on rails.
>
> Then please describe us levels in HL2 where you don't follow the one
path
> the game provides?
>
> > Far Cry eh, ah yes and I bet your prefered movie is low budget
B-plot
> > stuff, would be a perfect match for your low IQ.
>
> I think the plots of Far Cry and HL2 both are not much to talk about.
Only
> with HL2 they managed to contradict the plot of HL1 as well.
HL2 has a wonderful, inspired story.