froggysworld.co.uk

Day of Defeat (DoD) is a Mod (game modification) for the Half Life game engine. People have been writing their own maps for game engines to run on since Doom. A Mod actually changes the way the game plays. A better way of describing a Mod is that it is a new game written using the existing infrastructure of a game.

Counterstrike is a famous Mod of Half Life (HL), it uses the game engine to produce a game that plays very differently to the original. A less well known but well loved Mod is DoD, which uses the game engine with new graphics to have a team based game based in World War II, Allies verses Axis.

I recall downloading an early version and thinking it was rubbish. This changed with the latest version running on HL1 engine, which was very bright and fun. The current Source (HL2) version is different but the same and enjoys a large but slowly declining following. The British Allies vanished with the Source version, so is only American vs German troops on a huge number of third party maps. It is mainly a capture the flag game, but with variations on the theme with the need to destroy objectives (one way capture) and even the “Orange maps” which do away with the fancy scenery for a minimalist approach. Even then, you can have an Orange capture the flag, or a “Gun Game” where individual players on both sides begin with the same weapon, but advance through the weapons with each “kill”  and the round ends when a player has used all the weapons.

Online clans and communities have prolonged the lifetime of DoD, although there seems to be much less interest in competetive leagues of DoD than there once was. Worth a look.

So the date of the first beginners course rolls around.  So what can you expect for your money? You could pay out anything from £30 to £100 for 5 x 1 hour lessons up to 6 x 2 hour lessons, depending on when and where you are. The nearer to the home counties and London, the more you can expect to pay. The larger and more sophisticated the club, the more you will pay but resources available will be greater.

You need to understand and accept that Beginners courses are a valuable source of income for archery clubs, as well as potential recruitment sessions. Those involved in delivering the course to you will in the vast majority of cases, be doing it voluntarily at their own expense and time. There will be at least one qualified recognised coach, but the majority of the instructors will be experienced archers who know what they are doing.

The courses generally have the aims of teaching safety and basic technique. The simpler courses will hope to have candidates hitting the target at 20 yards with a training bow and behaving in a safe and proper manner at all times, plus some idea of what the different bow and archery types are and how to score. The majority of time will be spent shooting (or waiting to shoot / collecting and/or looking for arrows)

The complex and longer courses will have the above but will have candidates beginning, after the safety lecture, by learning how to assemble a recurve take-down bow. Basically, there will be more theory and technical stuff and a little less in percentage terms shooting time.

At the end of the course, assuming you stick it out (some people don’t or can’t) you will know how to behave safely and understand the hazards and how to deal with them to protect yourself, the other shooters and members of the public (who tend to have a lemming like compulsion to put themselves in harms way.) You will also know if you can “do” archery. Not everyone can play football, play golf, drive a car or paint a portrait. Not everyone can “do” or enjoy archery. You don’t need to be “good” to enjoy archery, but you do need to be safe and have a basic competence.

You may get a certificate to say that you have successfully completed a beginners course. Other clubs my be willing simply to provide a reference letter to that effect if you wish to join a club closer to home. Either way, when you take the letter or certificate to another club, don’t be offended if they ask you demonstrate your competence.

The last session may involve a competition, bursting ballons or some other test of skill. The last session will include an offer to join the club. And this is where you find out if you really want to take up the sport.

When you are busy. Okay, time to try and get this blog underway again. I didn’t realise how long it has been since I last added something. In my defence, I do have another blog, which will remain nameless, that I have been updating regularly. As for this one, I hope to add at least one entry per week.

I mean, it’s Valentine’s day today. Pancake day on Tuesday (yummy) and we are half way through February already. Seems only a short while since I was trying and failing to find a place to find a certain confectionery beloved by a relative and previously stocked in Woolworths, but seemingly vanished from the shops except in ASDA. Ok, promise, last mention of the W - word here, forever. Christmas was fun, better organised that previous years and New Years Eve was  quite sedate compared with previous years.

Facebook, yes, I’m there. Yes I have a farm. Yes I spend too much time there. Hmmm, can you make resolutions halfway through February?  Resolve to use time more productively.