PDA

View Full Version : SUBSIM: 20 years on the web & still no gold watch!


Pages : [1] 2

Onkel Neal
01-25-17, 10:13 PM
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=994&pictureid=9323

On Jan. 26, 1997, Subsim debuted on the world wide web. That was twenty years ago. :Kaleun_Cheers:


Clinton was president.
Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule from UK rule.
Princess Diana called for an immediate international ban on land mines.
Tony Blair became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear (ouch!)
Steve Jobs returned to run Apple Computers
Internet Explorer version 4 released
The first book in the award winning Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling was published.
Titanic, Jurassic Park, & Men in Black were the big films.
South Park and Buffy the Vampire Slayer began




Our first webpage (at least there weren't any animated gifs) :cool:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=727&pictureid=6264

.

In 20 years over 122,000 people have signed onto our forums, over 32,300 logged in during 2016.

2.25 million posts.

2,163,412 mod downloads

The Story of the Web's #1 Sub & Naval Resource (http://www.subsim.com/ssr/ssr_history.html)

Here's where I thank the people who made this happen:

Thanks to the moderators who help keep the forums sane.
Thanks to the game modders who work tirelessly to make the games even more fun.
Thanks to the donors, supporters, and contributors, you make the whole thing possible.
Thanks to the members who regularly take part in discussions, help other members, welcome new members, and make this place a home.
Thanks to the game developers who created the submarine and naval sims: we would be adrift without you.
Thanks to everyone who drops in, even for a single post. You count.

Looking forward to another 20 years! :Kaleun_Cheers:

Onkel Neal
SUBSIM

Be sure to take part in our 20th Anniversary Contest! It's easy, just read the 3rd post here. (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=2460840&posted=1#post2460840)

..
.

Onkel Neal
01-25-17, 10:14 PM
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=994&pictureid=9321

Onkel Neal
01-25-17, 10:17 PM
SUBSIM 20th Anniversary Contest

This will be the easiest contest ever!

Simply make a post and tell what was happening in your life in 1997. Were you recently married? Did you just join the navy or start a band? Did something cool or memorable happen to you in 1997? What was your life like in 1997?

That's all, just make a post and you can also include any comments or thoughts about Subsim in the same post. :subsim:

If you were not born in time, just make a comment about some interesting time in your life. And don't brag about being young! :haha:

Winners will be chosen in a random drawing.

First prize will be an XBox1 or Playstation 4, your choice. And a Subsim shirt.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Pc8VUZVemUw/U1n4HHadpnI/AAAAAAAAADc/0sm0-qmOpko/w426-h296/ps4-and-xbox1.png


Second prize will be a copy of UBOOT and a Subsim shirt.
http://www.subsim.com/okk2.jpg


Third through fifth prize will be a Subsim shirt.
http://i3.cpcache.com/merchandise/2_350x350_Front_Color-White.png?region={%22id%22:104583886,%22name%22:%2 2FrontCenter%22,%22width%22:10.0,%22height%22:9.80 9993,%22orientation%22:0,%22crop_x%22:0.0,%22crop_ y%22:0.0,%22crop_w%22:1000.0,%22crop_h%22:980.9992 68,%22scale%22:0.703729749,%22dpi%22:100,%22templa te%22:{%22id%22:104583886,%22params%22:{}}}


Rules

Any members found using multiple forum accounts or starting a new forum account to play will be removed from the contest. So, just post under a single name. You are allowed to post both in the Subsim forum and in Subsim Facebook, if you wish.

nikimcbee
01-25-17, 11:02 PM
Holy Jeebus!

Way back in 1997....
Still married to a Russian girl.
Niki McBee was just a puppy.
Skipped a lot of class to play Aces of the Deep.
Still lived in Minnesota.
U-505 was still outside.:Kaleun_Periskop:
One year away from finding subsim.


Jim probably had hair....

fireftr18
01-25-17, 11:19 PM
I was still heading toward the middle of my career on the fire department, still a paramedic. I was still freshly married, not yet a dad. And just started school for sports medicine. I was well into Silent Service 2, and US Navy Fighters.

Herman
01-25-17, 11:24 PM
Opened a new restaurant.

Aktungbby
01-25-17, 11:52 PM
It was the year of '97; I was doing the weekend night-watch of the Old Federal Bldg on UN PLaza at 9th and Market in San Francisco.(Formerly ADM Nimitz's HQ) B.A.R.T Access; street dwellers; and a large Farmer's market on Wed. and Sat. In short: a busy head-on-a-swivel beat: https://www.gsa.gov/portal/getPictures?mcontentId=196635&dimension.dimensionId=1 I had pulled an 18 hour shift as the government contractor was new and no relief had been arranged. I had called a supervisor to complain and he promised I would B off at 03:00 ...:Kaleun_Sleep:Whilst on exterior solo patrol around 02:00, I was approached by two young sailors who mistook me 4 what seemed to them to be the 'constituted authority'..ME in full gear in mid plaza. They explained they were day-touring/shore-leave and didn't know how to get back to their ship across at Alameda Naval base ( '97 the last year it closed)https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/US_carriers_at_Alameda_1974_%28colour%29.jpg/220px-US_carriers_at_Alameda_1974_%28colour%29.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_carriers_at_Alameda_1974_(colour).jpg)...T hey were 20ish; literally from Oklahoma; and "had met 2 girls:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:....only one of them wasn't a girl":timeout: (In 'Frisco?in the Tenderloin? What a $hock!:O:) Having a baby brother serving as helmsman on the USS Oklahoma City, USS San Bernadino, and USS Little Rock; and doing strange things in strange ports from Bangkok to Scapa Flow...these kids have mothers who worry; so I took matters in hand to prevent further 'damage to government 'property';:oops: I informed them that, as a former naval person (NPQ"d out in '73), I would drive them back to their ship. Meanwhile they were to go to the all-night Carl's Jr also on the plaza and not move till I arrived within the hour which they obediently did. Upon relief, I strode to the restaurant and they were dutifully waiting. I drove them across the Bay Bridge to the base cramped in my Tercel; The Marine gate guard saw I was on a mission of mercy-child rescue:salute: and let me pass- fully armed; I pulled up at the gangplank of their fleet oiler and Officer of the Deck appeared relieved to collect his 'kids'; thanked me profusely; and offered me a tour of the ship! :up: I was too beat after 24 hours:o and still had 50 miles to drive home so I declined...I wish I'd done that tour! I made it home by 05:00 and was so wired I couldn't sleep so I got a in game of Aces of the Deep B 4 crashing.:yeah:

viper1
01-26-17, 12:10 AM
1997... wow... I was just starting High School my freshman year. Knew I wanted to join the military and could not wait. Parents moved away and left me to live with my grandpa while I finished school. '97 was really the best year of my childhood! :Kaleun_Cheers:

gutted
01-26-17, 12:45 AM
I turned twenty years old in march '97. Started college in the fall that year for computer science.

My PC at the time was likely a 133mhz pentium. Can't remember the exact year i got that one, but seems like the time frame. Game wise i was still playing alot of Doom & Air Combat sims (which i had been a total junkie for since the original Falcon).

Beer, Friends, Heavy Metal, and PC games were pretty much my life at that point.

Catfish
01-26-17, 02:24 AM
20.. years.. :o

Congratulations to you, Neal! And to us, that we found Subsim :)


If i remember right in 1996 i had just moved to another home in the city of Goettingen, after finishing university, and was still working here and there without getting a proper job. Doing some geological excursions in southern Germany and abroad trying to explain how this stuff worked to tourist groups, which was fun. Went to some archeological sites in Greece with friends and was interested in the Minoans. Learned sailing and was beginning to get all those permits you need in Germany, for everything..

Using Windows and OS/2, the latter already dying out at the time.
Had already played "Silent Service II" for PC earlier (two (?) 5 1/4 " disks if i remember right), and "Wolfpack" (already on 3 1/5 "), then Silent Hunter (1) and Aces of the Deep.
With the upcoming internet we had gone past the Offline BBS stuff, and then i found Subsim, i think via Netscape.. :subsim:
Heard of "Fast Attack" and one day a package arrived in the mail, from the US. Neal had sent me the sim, and i was hooked for years.. :)

Nippelspanner
01-26-17, 02:29 AM
1997? Young and madly in love with a foxy redhead. We were riding hard every day... her horse. [insertdisappointedsmiley]

Then she broke my heart - as girls tend to do.
Ah, the memories!

Akula4745
01-26-17, 05:37 AM
I turned 40 in 1997. I was single and chasing anything that even appeared feminine. Was in my second year of college after wrapping up my first career as a licensed captain. I was into golf sims back then. LOL

Thanks for all you do... and have done, Neal!

keltos01
01-26-17, 06:24 AM
You're talking about yesterday Neal !
1997.. let me see..

I was living in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) not far from the lake, which on a good day really looks like the sea (it's +-6 miles wide) and was taking my first diving classes in a nice murky lake water !

I was inbetween computers and at the time didn't play subs ( I had played both SIlent Service 1 n 2 and 688 attck sub before)

I was (not knowingly) looking forward to my time here at Subsim !

Kind regards


Keltos

propbeanie
01-26-17, 06:50 AM
~dude~... like, uh... 1997? like, wow man... I don't even remember what I had for breakfast... oh wait, I haven't ~had~ breakfast yet... like, uh, I'm hungry, ya know?...

This time in 1997, I was a 4-and-a-half year newlywed, and probably still playing Up Periscope on my 486 DX2-66 with 8 megabytes of ram (!!! ~wow~ !!!) while trying to get used to being sunk all the time in Silent Hunter... :lol: - such graphics - and game play! Ah yesh, good time, good times... :lol: Windows95 was the king, so we had floppy boots to play the good stuff... I might have had a 28k modem, but probably still had the 14.4... and a bbs was the closest thing to the internet at my house back then. We had to come into town to do the internet thing at the in-laws, since the fone line was so bad at out place... Now, I get angry when it takes over 10 seconds for a graphics-intense page to load... :har:

ericlea
01-26-17, 07:01 AM
http://www.smiley-emoticones.com/smiley/anniversaire/anniversaire%20(13).gif (http://www.smiley-emoticones.com) SUBSIM ! http://www.smiley-emoticones.com/smiley/anniversaire/anniversaire%20%2842%29.GIF (http://www.smiley-emoticones.com)


1997 ..... I was addicted of "settlers 2" lol ! .... Now i am addicted of SH3 !

Congratulations to this forum. Subsim is great ! Thanks !

:subsim:

bracer
01-26-17, 07:11 AM
Yeah! 1997!
I was 13 and got my first electric guitar, which pretty much have shaped my life.
I was saving money to buy a Nintendo 64, which had 3d graphics!!!! :-o

It was not until many years later I got into flight sims,
which spiraled down to surface ships with Destroyer Command
and even further down under with SH3
and then I discoverd SubSim.com.

Cheers!!

Jimbuna
01-26-17, 07:19 AM
On the day before (25th January 1997) I was celebrating the wifes 40th birthday.

Gargamel
01-26-17, 07:30 AM
That was my freshman -> sophmore year of college. Normal college stuff I guess. Pledged to APO (International service co-ed fraternity, based on the Boy scouts), Got engaged (broke up with her a few years later though).

Gargamel
01-26-17, 07:32 AM
Grats Neal!

I've called a few places "home" on the net before, but none like this place. While I may not be an avid playing subsimmer right now, I still love the community. That's why, even if I am posting regularly on other forums on various topics, I always try to check in here at least once a day.

Thank you Neal.

gmccabe01
01-26-17, 07:43 AM
Was a Radar,Radio Tech in the Irish Naval Service.
Got Divorced,
Came back from 6 month U.N. deployment in Lebanon,
Overall had a great year (was 23)

:Kaleun_Cheers:

Castout
01-26-17, 08:19 AM
In 1997 I was in my second year of high school. I was garnering a reputation as a good student. I enjoyed studying and relied on myself to study from textbooks while other students relied on classes. It was good old times for me.
High hopes and dreams.

CapnScurvy
01-26-17, 09:07 AM
1997..........I was in my mid 40's, had been married for 24 years (and still going!!). I had moved into the "country" 12 years earlier, to start a farm from city life upbringings. We were heavy in 4H...... Club Advisors, County Livestock Judging Team Advisors (I was learning too), my son had the Grand Champion Hog that year at our County Fair.

I was still 2 years away from getting my Gold Watch for 25 years of service to my public employer...so, you're almost there Neal!!

Thanks for the website and your commitment to being a Submarine "junky" like the rest of us!

Admiral Halsey
01-26-17, 09:14 AM
I was 4 that year Jesus time flies. Honestly not much to remember other then I was an ass then.

Mike Abberton
01-26-17, 09:46 AM
In 1997, I was ...

About 6 years out of college
At my second "real" job in Newburyport Mass, getting ready to find a 3rd
Playing mostly role-playing and flight sims on a PC
Indulging in a life-time of interest in military matters, but not as much on the PC
Probably read Red Storm Rising for the 5th or 6th time.

Lewis Wingerter
01-26-17, 09:55 AM
Wow it hard to believe it been 20 years; I was in my upper 40 and my son was graduating from high school. I remember going to the site because I an a subsim playing nut.
Onkeal Neal created the best web site out there!:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

daft
01-26-17, 10:21 AM
Oh man! 1997. I turned 20 that year. And I met my fiancee a week before my birthday, so we've been together 20 years now. :) It was also the year I decided to quit hockey. My knees had taken a beating and I couldn't really find the motivation to do a season of rehab, so I quit. A decision I sometimes regret, but it is what it is. :) I worked as postman back then. A career I traded for life as a developer, but I still remember the horrible winters delivering mail (and the beautiful Summers!).

I remember the old design! I've visited these forum since forever, and Subsim have been a constant in my life even though I haven't participated everyday. :)

AVGWarhawk
01-26-17, 10:28 AM
1997:
Married for 3 years at that point.
Our first child was 2 years of age.
I'm certain I was playing console games at that time

PC came a bit later.

Skybird
01-26-17, 10:30 AM
A toast to the founder of all this, without whom we would not be here - not in the first, and not for that long:


Neal Stevens :Kaleun_Applaud:
You surely left your mark on the web, Sir! :Kaleun_Salute:

Back to the lottery.

Andrakis
01-26-17, 10:34 AM
I was 10 years old in 1997 and had very little knowledge of what subsims were! However, I did know about a certain SimCity that got me into general computer gaming. My favorite bit was summoning a monster or tornado and letting it wreak havoc on my city - a very 10 year old thing to do.

1997 also gave me my first male teacher in school. He was an extra brought in for a year because we had such a large class. I remember we built model rockets (B cell rockets? I cannot recall), which now that I think about it, probably initially turned me onto scale modelling.

Overall, 1997 was a huge year in turning me into a gamer. It was the year that seeded my initial time sink into so many subsims over the years! :haha:

daft
01-26-17, 10:54 AM
A toast to the founder of all this, without whom we would not be here - not in the first, and not for that long:


Neal Stevens :Kaleun_Applaud:
You surely left your mark on the web, Sir! :Kaleun_Salute:

Back to the lottery.

:Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Cheers:

:subsim::up:

jimbob
01-26-17, 11:12 AM
I was living/working in Norway, probably too much.
Not many memories....

Anyways, HBd. SubSim!

:Kaleun_Cheers:

Larrywb57
01-26-17, 11:43 AM
That seemed like yesterday........or was that the day before. Trying to learn how to use a computer and I still trying. Funny how things are still the same. Nine years after the birth of my daughter, the joy of my wife and I. Four years before my life changed forever. And in a few days, the birth of my grandson. Were has it all gone?

Graduations Neal! Silent Hunter 4 and this web site has help me keep my sanity for the past few years. :subsim:

Guineo
01-26-17, 12:33 PM
A year later I married, hahaha, I think it was the time of the modem to 33600, and working as a bodyguard ....... what times ....
It's a pleasure to read to you all, and thank you for everything:Kaleun_Cheers:
Muy buen trabajo,...único:Kaleun_Salute:

Schroeder
01-26-17, 01:15 PM
20 years on the net, that's beyond ancient in the internet age.:o

I was still a 9th grader in school in 1997. Not much out of the ordinary happened to me in that year though. Well, I sucked at math and had to take private lessons to get through Latin but that's about it. I do however remember being late for one of my private Latin classes because I watched the ceremony of Hong Kong being returned to China on TV (live IIRC).:hmmm:

Anvar1061
01-26-17, 01:26 PM
In 1997 I received the rank of captain.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/images/smilies/Kaleun_Salute-1.gif

JesterV2
01-26-17, 01:30 PM
wow.....you guys are ancient! :Kaleun_Wink:
in '97 i was only 2 years old...
t'was the year my father bought the best car in the world.... a Volvo V90.
and we still enjoy it to this day.... we've grown very fond of it.
And i actually got married last year!

HW3
01-26-17, 01:33 PM
1997 I was 45 years old working on a wheat farm, and playing B-17 II Flying Fortress The Mighty Eighth with the online group at Bombs a Way. I had yet to discover sub sims and Subsim at that time, that came later in 2005 with the launch of SH3, and I've been hooked ever since.:subsim:

skin-nl
01-26-17, 02:23 PM
In 1997 i was 17 years old. I was playing command aces of the deep, and was driving my yamaha scooter and listen to hardcore :up:

Fubar2Niner
01-26-17, 02:54 PM
Geez '97 ??

Moved into my third house, I was 42 (depending on the month ;) ) The futrue looked rosy. Had three beautiful kids, another still to follow. Work went haywire.. and the worries set in. Turned to this community many times, (both public and in PM) for straight talk advice and good old fashoined camaradarie. Never been let down, never been failed.

On the good side, had another son, got four beautiful grandkids, one son and daughter in great marriages, one engaged, the last boy.... Well don't think he's ever gonna fly the nest, but hey. You know when some times that one thing just makes your day!

Congrats SUBSIM. Congrats Onkel.

Best regards and salutations.

Fubar2Niner

Hitman
01-26-17, 02:59 PM
In 1997 I had been already 25 years impatiently waiting for subsim.com to finally go online. Finally it happened and here I am since then :D

Sailor Steve
01-26-17, 03:12 PM
1997? Working at a book distributor's warehouse, living in the machine shop where my band rehearsed. My older daughter was in her last year of high school, and I was 47 years old.

Sidekikd34
01-26-17, 03:44 PM
In 1997, I was in high school. Not to bring down the thread, but I barely remember 1997 because my brother died in a car wreck in November 1996, so the next couple years are pretty blurry to me.

Must have been subsimming though! Probably playing this! http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/images/1/1f/Sub_battle_intro2.gif

Loved our tour of SS-244 Cavalla in Galveston last year!

Dowly
01-26-17, 03:47 PM
Happy 20yo SUBSIM! :salute:

PS. Dont count me in the raffle.

Wolfpack345
01-26-17, 04:17 PM
Well It seems I was born one year after :subsim: was launched! It's pretty crazy how time flies. I still remember the first time I played Silent Hunter 3. My Father got it and showed me how to play. The first mission I ever played was Happy-times. That is easily the most memorable gaming memory I have! :salute::salute:
Still playing Silent Hunter over a decade later while attending college.:yeah:

Lt commander lare
01-26-17, 04:32 PM
In 1997 I Graduated, Seaquest dsv had ended its Run by then on NBC and I was one of the first members of the site when It opened but I had a different screen name then but I'm one of the orginal plank owners of subsim.

FightingSteel1
01-26-17, 04:44 PM
In 1997, I was 12 years old. My family bought it's first computer, and after years of using computers in school and playing Sim City 2000 in 5th grade, I could buy my own games.

First games I bought was the Sierra/Dynamix Aces Collection. It came with Red Baron, A-10, AOTP (among others) and Aces of the Deep. First Subsim I ever played, and probably still my favorite.

So, at that time, I was still just a kid, but entering the new world of middle school/junior high.

bart
01-26-17, 04:45 PM
Happy birthday Subsim. :Kaleun_Salute:

Well done Neal and congratulations for making Subsim the fine thing it is today.

Now 1997.....I was in my 12th year of service in the RAF, maintaining Tornado's at that time. Best job and career I ever had. I was 30 years old, still single (happily married now I hasten to add....just in case the wife reads this :03:) and 5 years away from joining the best dam virtual navy on the Web :up:

Here's to the next 20 years :Kaleun_Cheers:

ryoga_77
01-26-17, 05:16 PM
Happy Birthday Subsim.

After having been hired less than a year ago i decided it was high time i got a pc and got connected to this new thing called 'the internet'.

I decided i wasn't gonna be buying any cheap machine either.

I bought a spanking new Pentium 166 MMX with 32mb ram , 2mb matrox mystique graphics card , a 320 mb hdd and a 15inch crt color monitor.

And to get my kicks on this machine i bought 2 video games ; 'Command & Conquer : Red Alert' and a little game called 'Silent Hunter".

All of this just a few days after my 20'th birthday.

:subsim:

3catcircus
01-26-17, 06:17 PM
1997?

I had gotten out of the navy 2 years prior and was halfway through my BSEE degree program, supplementing my GI Bill and Pell Grant by working as an NRC-licensed Sr. Reactor Operator at the on-campus research reactor.

Joined the navy to see the world and saw the inside of a submarine Maneuvering Room. Got out to get my degree with plans to do stuff in the commercial sector. Ended up working with skimmers where I've seen more of the world than I ever did in the navy...

mapuc
01-26-17, 06:28 PM
HAPPY Birthday Subsim

-97 was the year I turned 32.

I didn't have any type of computer or other technical things like NES only thing i had was my tv, radio, cassette player and CD player and my local library.

I was single at that time.

This was the positive side from that year.

I was if I remember correctly on sick leave due to my severe Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, which I by then only have had for about a 1-1½. my life was a living hell at that time, no sleep or maybe 1-3 hours sleep in 24-48 hours.

That's all I can remember from that year. I guess a lot more will pop-up as time goes by.

Markus

u crank
01-26-17, 06:44 PM
Congratulations Neal on 20 years. You should be proud. This is a classy place with lots of good and talented people. You have brought together an outstanding membership and I am glad to be a part of it.:salute:

1997...I can't remember. :O:

Lived in the country, kids we're leaving home and I had not yet played a subsim. Getting ready to retire and not expecting a gold watch.

Thanks for SubSim. :subsim:

fitzcarraldo
01-26-17, 07:13 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUBSIM!
:Kaleun_Cheers:
Well...I copy/paste my comments in SUBSIM FB here:

"I was playing SH1 in my first PC at home - a new IBM Aptiva with W95. Working in engineering (as today and in the same job but now I'm project director; then a junior designer) and not married yet. And reading poetry by Robert Graves and books about fleet boats (Lockwood etc). I have the IBM working yet. In 2000 I knew my future wife and I had a hiatus in playing games in my PC. Married in 2005 and son born in 2007 I started in SUBSIM in 2009 with SH3 and 688i."

Best regards and for another 20 years!!! Many thanks Onkel Neal!

Fitzcarraldo :Kaleun_Salute:

Xurf
01-26-17, 08:09 PM
Back in 1997 I was 14, I think I just got my first computer and where I live we had that awesome 56k dial up modem action.

Used to try and muffle the little speaker on it so my parents would not hear me go online at night to chat on ICQ.....thought I was in love everytime a girl laughed at my jokes... listened to grunge music.. a lot.... started surfing.

Congratulations to all for keeping this gem running 20 years! :Kaleun_Cheers:

White Elf
01-26-17, 08:13 PM
Just started working full time in a cinema. Contact had just come out. Was still playing 688 attack sub, SH and yes, Das Boot even. We played the movie Das Boot full length version on screen for a special event. Totally forgot about Silent Service sims too.

Aktungbby
01-26-17, 08:29 PM
White Elf!:Kaleun_Salute:

J0313
01-26-17, 08:37 PM
I had just married my second exwife.

Admiral8Q
01-26-17, 08:52 PM
1997 was actually a pretty rough year for me. I had a nervous break-down, similar to what is called PTSD now. I tried "running away", from what or to where wasn't even in my mind. I wasn't thinking straight. Just in a panic. I ended up in the wilderness as far north as I could get in Northern Ontario. After a couple weeks (or maybe more) of survival camping in the forest, I finally snapped out of it, and my mind cleared up. I ended up moving to Sioux Lookout which was quite a ways south of where I had been wandering in the woods. It was quite terrifying, I'll admit, being alone and cut off completely from civilization. However, I don't regret it, it was a powerful learning experience.

Anyways, it wasn't until about two years later, I bought Silent Hunter 2 and quickly discovered the Wolf Pack League and really got into the community. Joined SubSim itself I think about two years after that. I think the socializing, goofing around, and the exchange of knowledge, the art work, the trivia etc in the Wolf Pack League/SubSim community really helped me stabilize, to be honest. SH2/DC was probably my favorite multiplayer game of all time, especially because everyone in SubSim were respectful of others and the agreed upon rules in the game. :subsim: :Kaleun_Cheers:

Factor
01-26-17, 09:45 PM
Happy B-day SubSim....Today is my birthday too!!! Ha, I turned 21 when this forum was created...:Kaleun_Cheers: Other than that, I really do not remember too much that happened in those early 20's, LoL.

Lane
01-27-17, 12:19 AM
Hi Neal ,

Remember me Lane Goodman and Jim Woford? I think you were just starting the forum.
If I remember we tested some of Silent Hunter? I was 80 yrs old just a few weeks ago.
I am retired year 1992 from Naval Weapons center at Crane, In.
I think Jim wolford is retired too.
I had Silent Hunter Loaded a few years ago. Just Lost interest. Right now I fly Flight sims FS9 and am a Beta Test for Dutch Owens for his FSCaptain program. I fly DC3 and DC4 Prop planes and saab 340. aircraft . the Fscaptain web site is www.fscaptain.net
I am sure Sub sims have realy changed . When I had silent Hunter installed I had some good patrols.

Regards

Lane Goodman :salute:

SmithN23
01-27-17, 12:22 AM
In 97 I was in 7th grade, playing 688i, Simcity 2000, SimCopter, and Streets of Simcity.

I don't come here as often as I used to but cheers to 20 years on the web! :Kaleun_Cheers:

_Seth_
01-27-17, 12:28 AM
Ahhh, 1997... I was 19 back then.. In my second year in the Norwegian army, still young and wild. Pumpin`those heavy beats only the 90`s could produce out my car window as I was cruising around the streets looking for cute girls :) Not a worry in the world, and still believing I would live forever & be invincible :D
On the rig I had Silent Service 2 and FS98..Could probably run those games on my cell phone nowadays. Man, time passes fast...:o Hey guys: Remember to live a bit in your life!! I know I will!! Before you know it, you are stuck on a retirement home, eating pudding while watching stupid gameshows on TV!

Kaye T. Bai
01-27-17, 12:46 AM
In 1997, I just was a wee lad at the time. I didn't even have internet access or a computer yet.

Commander Wallace
01-27-17, 12:47 AM
Welcome to Subsim White Elf and Xurf :sunny:

I joined Subsim in 2012, not all that long ago. I had purchased a number of PC games which as of today, have yet to be opened. Silent hunter was one that I did open which led me to Subsim.

I thought I was joining a community of people connected with sub simulations. Instead, I found a community of people from all over the world who brought to the forums their own unique perspectives on the issues of the day. People who also brought their collective intelligence, gifts, experiences and many talents to the table. The discussions here can range from music to politics, cars to computers and software, current events not to mention the every day issues of life. Many others have posted humorous pictures, jokes and anecdotes that gave us all a much needed laugh.

We have all celebrated your achievements and victories that you shared with us and also grieved with you, your various losses. I have learned a great deal by your posts, threads and many discussions.

Happy Birthday to Subsim and Congratulations to Neal on his stewardship. Congratulations as well to the many members who frequently participate in Subsim. All of you help make Subsim the Vibrant community it is.

I hope you all enjoy the next 20 years and beyond. :Kaleun_Applaud:

Castout
01-27-17, 01:05 AM
The titles that brought me to subsim were Silent Hunter 2 and Sub Command. Played them mostly during weekends at the dorm...

Westbroek
01-27-17, 01:09 AM
First of all,
Congrats SubSim and to you Neal. Amazing achievement, and amazing accomplishment.
Now to business...
1997, whew, boy.
Went into my freshmen year of high school.
Got suspended for telling my English teacher that Tybalt from Romeo and Juliet was an *******.
Got cut from the basketball team and got into theatre, which ended up determining the course of the rest of my life. (I'm a screenwriter now, still determined to sell a realistic account of American fleetboats in WW2, which is hard in this market of Marvel hero blockbuster garbage).
Had my first girlfriend...got dumped by my first girlfriend...
All while still being 4 years away from my first experience with SH2, a life changing experience...
Cheers to you, SubSim. Thank you for being there for all these years.

blkdimnd
01-27-17, 01:32 AM
I graduated from college, and started my flight instruction career.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

nosferato
01-27-17, 01:33 AM
97' I turned 22 kicked out of my parents home, into a place of my own and had my first child, with my then girlfriend and now wife.I didn't find Subsim for another couple of years with the release of SH2/DC, which brought me into a whole new world and introduced me to a bunch of strange characters. Its thanks to Neal and his vision for a meeting place of like minded people that has enabled me to become the person i am today and in the place where I will never see snow (unless i go on vacation).
So my hat of to Mr Stevens and to the community he created

thewison
01-27-17, 01:38 AM
1997 was when my daughter was born. It is her 20th Anniversary as well!

Congrats! Thanks for your work on the site!

v-i-c-
01-27-17, 01:51 AM
Entire 1997 I was busy building my (former) recording studio:

http://green-hill.de/Resources/bildergh.jpeg

Lt. Staumeier
01-27-17, 02:41 AM
Christ, 1997? Well, I was a wee laddy, only 16 years old, so I was moving out from my home and moved 400 km to another city to attend high school. I was happily dating a girl named Caroline and I had two cats, Mimmi and Smulan (Breadcrumbs).

That was most likely the biggest thing that happened to me in that year. Oh, and I changed my haircut. The one I had had since I was a child. Good lord, that's a long time ago. My only subsim experience up until that point was GATO for the old IBM DOS computer. Played it to death on our IBM 5150 with a green monochrome monitor.

Theodor Christensen
01-27-17, 03:45 AM
1997 was the year I choose to get out of cover and surface from the womb :arrgh!: It be only a week and a year since my day of comission as a humanbeing and I have been proud to serve ever since
Looking forward to see you guys out there! Stay salty sailors :Kaleun_Salute:

harag
01-27-17, 04:00 AM
20 years... doesn't time fly when your lurking on subsim forums. Congratulations and happy 20th birthday, wow I've been a member for nearly 12 of those years now.

1997, Hmm around that time I was in business partnership running a game company with my brother for old fashion multiplayer games called "Play By Mail", the web was starting to take off and I started learning web development (wow those images on the first page really take me back).

Games I was playing at that time... Hmm Ages Of Empires - Wow those weekend all nights and pizza were a blast, also a little of dungeon keeper, I also think Quake 2 was out about then too.

However, I keep coming back to Sub games, can't wait for the new UBOOT & the new Wolfpack game your involved with, going to be a blast.

Here's to another 20 years! Well done!

Down Periscope!
Fire 1
Fire 2

All the best
Harag

jwilliams
01-27-17, 04:17 AM
What was i doing 20 years ago? umm I can't even remember what I did yesterday, lol.

Happy Birthday Subsim. :Kaleun_Cheers:

andurilmat
01-27-17, 04:19 AM
In 1997 i was an extremely curious 7 year old - most memorbal thing that year was visiting an airshow at RAF fairford - one of thr main guest there giving talks was buzz aldrin i was massively in to anythung spacr themed at the time - its what happened at the end of the day that is memorable - at the end of the day when buzz was leavig the base and drriving through the poorly directed crouds and i wanted to wave at him so 7 year old me gets the bright idea to run out in front of the car and wave at him. This makes him slam down on the breaks narrowly avoiding me and shout something to the effect of get that damn kid out out of the way. - i got a good trlling off for that but i didnt realise what id done was wrong.

Tldr 7 year me nearly got run over by the second man on the moon

rickidoo
01-27-17, 04:47 AM
Happily married to the love of my life who has now passed away due to illness. Folks enjoy every day and every minute with the ones you love because life has a way of kicking you in the ass when you least expect it.

Was selling custom built PC's out of my basement.

Thank you sub sim for being subsim, and thank you to all my fellow mates all of which have their own unique stories and of course, thank you for the submarine posts and mods.

IceMike
01-27-17, 04:52 AM
Jeezus, yea in 1997 i was only 3 years old. Cant remember a thing. But i do remember the golden days of childhood, the time you had no worries whatsoever besides what you'd do tomorrow all day.
I luckily enjoyed a stress free childhood and grew up in a traditional family, a family that taught values, the importance of integrity, respect thou fellow man, and told you whenever you saw a police man that those men and women would help you if you ever got into trouble.

Grew up without really knowing what i would do in life, i did always have childhood dreams about being a police officer, or a fireman. So eventualy, i went why the hell not. And pursued a career in the emergency services. Signed up for the royal fire academy and was approved for junior enrollment in 2008 started actual fire academy training for service in 2012 and graduated in late 2014. Been a volunteer ever since.
To pay the bills i followed an expermental government education course that aimed to prepare youngsters for the emergency services, or the military.
I followed and completed it and became a private security guard working for a company for 2 years before joining an internal security division for a coastal hospital. Been working there till now, keeping the peace and safeguarding the doctors and nurses and doing my best to protect those people.

As for subsim, i stumbled across this community when i was looking for advice on how to play silent hunter 4 that i got gifted and somehow got hooked on. I found it to be a lovely community. I hardly ever post, i tend to stick by the sidelines watching, creepily, behind the nearst bush with a pair of binocs.

So yeah, thats about it in a nutshell really, happy anniversary subsim!

Gunthar
01-27-17, 05:12 AM
Back in 1997 i was still on my second year of tour of duty for the Greek Army, assigned to signal core and stationed in a remote island. Still on high alert due to last years problems, day in and day out routine posts, maintenance, reports. Best thing of it was the fresh fish out of the sea :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

THEBERBSTER
01-27-17, 05:26 AM
At my age I have difficulty remembering what I did yesterday let alone 20 years ago. :D

On a serious note, it was the Year Princess Diana was killed which had a profound affect not just in the U.K but around the world.

Peter

LordCucumber
01-27-17, 05:27 AM
In 1997 I was 20 years old. I was in the Dutch variety of college, studying to be a history teacher. I also had my first girlfriend, who eventually turned out to be a very bad choice for me(you live and learn!). I played a lot of games back then, both on the computer as well as offline. Offline it was mostly Dungeons and Dragons and the like, and online I tried my hand at Doom (the very first one!) and Quake. For Doom I did a lot of custom level design back then (great fun!). I also played a lot of Civilization II, which I also modded back then, as I recall making very interesting World War 3 scenario including a boatload nuclear missile submarines. Any spare time left was spent on Colonization. Sim-wise I wasn't really doing much, though I'd just stopped playing Gunship 2000 in favor of all the games above, which was my favorite game up til 1996.

1997, sometimes I wish I could go back... :up:

VONHARRIS
01-27-17, 05:30 AM
1997
So many years back.
January 1997
I was on board the HS Nearxos D-219 an Adams class DDG reaching the end of my conscript time in the Hellenic Navy.
Stationed in the CIC of the ship I had a full 21 months time there , having eye witnessed the Imia crisis in 1996 up close and even a small fire en route with caused an injured crewman (mechanic). (The events are unrelated)
D-219 was the ex USS Waddell DDG-24
She is now resting at her final place , on the bottom of Suda bay Crete as she was used as a target with live fire.
Thank you

Happy birthday once more SUBSIM

Mischa
01-27-17, 05:39 AM
Congratulations for 20 years SubSim ! :Kaleun_Salute:

In 1997 I was just in the trouble to replace big watercooled mainframes in our data center. One of the main problem were the belt driven external discs that were as big as a washing machine (30 GB capacity :haha:) and need so many power that we only can start it disc by disc not to crash the power supplies.

Real "heavy metal" ...

Tycho
01-27-17, 05:57 AM
17 years old.
Back then lived in Varna, on the Black Sea.
I do not have specific memories from that particular year.
Let's see, the year before that, I left school, because my parents was incapable of withstand the family, so I started to work.
What else, I spend all my free time during the summer on the beaches.

I had an old computer, without internet.
The games, I was playing Master of Orion and Fallout.
At that time I had no interest on simulation games.
It came two years later, after my military service in naval forces.

Specbass
01-27-17, 07:00 AM
First of all:

Congratulations subsim! Here's to 20 years more! :Kaleun_Salute:


Back in 97, I was 10 years old at the time. Because of a divorce, I went on holiday twice that year. To Ameland and to Texel. They're both small islands on the north and northwest coast of the Netherlands. Both holidays were extremely boring, because beaches and sunshine are overrated in my honest opinion. The holiday at Texel had a nice touch though. My mom took me and my sister to the Vlootdagen (Fleet Days), the Navy parade at the Navy port of Den Helder. We went aboard on a couple of frigates and stuff, and in a helicopter, all good fun.
Suddenly there she was, Zr Ms Dolfijn. One of the 4 Walrus Class submarines. I was immediately intrigued by it's shape and size (looks a lot like a Barbel class), and wanted to join the tour. Here's the bad part. There were 30 minute tours for 15 people, and over 200 people were standing in line. My mom didn't share my patience, and I never made it aboard :(

After submarines got my real attention a couple years I started to regret the fact I never did the tour. Walrus class submarines are one of the few blue water diesel-electrics still in service, and performed well in Bosnia and Somalia. I had some sort of personal redemption when I visited the navy museum and took a tour of the Potvis class Hr MS Tonijn 2 years ago, the diesel smell was still around after it's decommissioning 25 +- years ago.

Recap: 1997 started my interest in submarines.

http://www.military-today.com/navy/walrus.jpg

Rhodes
01-27-17, 07:18 AM
20 years...:Kaleun_Salute:
In 1997 was 15 years old, 9th grade and seeing Dragon Ball Z on TV for the first time. Playing rst and of course, 688 (I) hunter killer!
Young, felling in love for the first time, a few stupid things and began to go out at night with friends.
Ah, went to London in a high-school trip, and mad great friendships for life.

cyberangel
01-27-17, 07:19 AM
I started going to High School and got my first own PC (IBM 486 DX 66Mhz) and had the pleasure to experience all the classic DOS games. Windows 95 arrived much later for me and on my 130 MB drive it was taking too much space (version without Internet Explorer which had 54 MB :D).
I remember listening to "Scooter - Wicked" album.
Oh, the memories.

Red Devil
01-27-17, 07:36 AM
Happy Birthday Uncle Onkel :Kaleun_Cheers: :subsim:

Red Devil
01-27-17, 07:39 AM
Holy Jeebus!

Way back in 1997....
Still married to a Russian girl.
Niki McBee was just a puppy.
Skipped a lot of class to play Aces of the Deep.
Still lived in Minnesota.
U-505 was still outside.
One year away from finding subsim.


Jim probably had hair....

Your location: Bungo STRAITS - oh dear, you cant get the staff!! :Kaleun_Periskop:

xatharas
01-27-17, 07:45 AM
In 1997 my one and only daughter was born! So that's a year I'll never forget ;)
It was also the end of my silent hunter sessions of hours on end :Kaleun_Salute:
Now that she's 19 (almost 20) I'm thinking of starting that uup again and so I'll need the advice of the experienced skippers :D

Keep up the good work :up:

rtp89
01-27-17, 08:03 AM
I bought my first computer, a HP Pavilion and used Prodigy dial-up. Discovered Subsim years later after buying Silent Hunter 3. Thank you for your hard work guys.

donath
01-27-17, 08:06 AM
In 1997 my wife and I got married. We celebrated our 20th anniversary this year (of course).
I was playing Sub Battle Simulator and Silent Service on my Apple IIGS.

Happy Anniversary Subsim!!!

granger44
01-27-17, 08:25 AM
In early 1997 I was a junior in college. I was living off campus for the first time with 4 of the 5 guys I'd lived with sophmore year. The house had super leaky windows that we used cardboard and plywood to cover the windows during the winter so we didn't lose our shirts paying for heat. I was also playing lots of Battletech (both Mechwarrior 2 and Battletech MUSE games), Duke Nuke'em, and Doom 2.

Fast-forward to the start of senior year at the end of 1997 and living behind a local Chinese restaurant and a grocery store. If I wasn't having Chinese food for dinner, I was walking back with a frozen pizza or a TV dinner from the store. Had another group of friends who lived together and I'd go over there to party and play Mario Kart (Rainbow Road is so much better when you've had some alcohol). PC game wise, I was playing lots of Dark Reign and Total Annihilation. Those two spoiled me for other RTS games, that it wasn't until Company of Heroes that I'd enjoy another RTS.

Evans1492
01-27-17, 08:45 AM
Let's see... back in '97 I made the crazy choice to leave the military on July 10th. Had hopes of living the life of greener pastures and white picket fences with my girl. But turns out she was wanted by the cops. :damn:

So I signed up to do security work and the rest is history. :Kaleun_Salute:

Cy-Fox
01-27-17, 09:00 AM
1997 we still had the same 486 that my parents bought in 1992 or 1993. However this seven-year old was happy with spending time playing 688 Attack Sub and PT-109 until he found a copy of Seawolf at a thrift store. Wouldn't be until that 486 got switched for a Pentium MMX in 2002 that he'd discover Jane's 688i or the like :P

Dominatus
01-27-17, 09:09 AM
Hmmm, "blows dust off ship's journals"...

Back in '97 I was still a limey living & working in Detroit. My liver was a lot younger, and was taking some good abuse from the local grog. Life seemed a lot simpler, even if more chaotic. There was certainly more to do over there anyway compared to my current station back in old Blighty :)

Subsim, happy birthday. One of the best forums on the internet, filled with the best community on the internet. Long may it continue! :Kaleun_Cheers:

charlesb6462
01-27-17, 09:38 AM
Happy 20th Birthday SUBSIM this is also my Birthday month and I am now 66 Years old...in 1997 I was teaching for the National Camp School; Southern Region of the Boy Scout s of America; in beautiful Camp Durant located outside of Carthage, NC ( not to be confused with Carthage, TT where there is also a Boy Scout Camp). It was at that meeting I met a gentleman by the name of Carl McLawhorn who was the Camping Chairman for the Occoneechee Council in Raleigh, NC. this developed into a life long friendship....he gave me my first "supped-up" computer and installed Silent Service on it. Needless to say I was hooked....I love these Submarine simulation games and wish there were more..... Again God Bless...and Happy 20th Birthday...SUBSIM!!!

Jerry Butts "the Black Eagle":Kaleun_Applaud:

Red Devil
01-27-17, 09:49 AM
1997. 3 years out of the Army, after 17 years, and doing a job I swore I would never do - Security. But I enjoyed it so much, I eventually retired after 20+ years in Security !!!! Not just a job, I had to qualify with loads of courses. And a Government licence. Joined this forum originally not long after buying SH3 and still commanding in SH4. I must have about 60 million tons sunk, in total !! The japs dont know what hit them! :subsim:

Neil has been a fabulous forum boss, as I run my own Regiment one for ex soldiers, I know how damned awkward it can be sometimes, and HARD WORK.

codefool
01-27-17, 10:05 AM
The first half of the year was preparing for my second wedding. The second half of the year was spent celebrating my second wedding <wink-wink><gnudge-gnudge>

Aktungbby
01-27-17, 10:09 AM
Granger44! :Kaleun_Salute: & Evans1492! :Kaleun_Salute: & Cyberange!l:Kaleun_Salute: and Gunther!:Kaleun_Salute:THEWISON! :Kaleun_Salute: + Andurilmat!:Kaleun_Salute: So I signed up to do security work and the rest is history. after 17 years, and doing a job I swore I would never do - Security. But I enjoyed it so much, I eventually retired after 20+ years in Security !!!! Geeze! '97! I was doing something in security too....I think:timeout:...but even with my Aricept prescription I can't recall what!:O:

AllenZ1Sgt
01-27-17, 10:13 AM
Just retired from US Air force after 25 years of moving here, there, and everywhere, wife and I bought our first house (instead of quarters or renting!). Finally enough room for computer room and free time to use it!

Happy birthday Subsim! :Kaleun_Salute:

Underbank
01-27-17, 10:17 AM
I remember watching the news to see if Hong Kong changed quickly after the British lease ran out. It was becoming easier to find news from the internet, but not finding a rational explanation as to why people believed they could hitchhike on a comet didn't surprise me.

:subsim:

Icewarp
01-27-17, 10:26 AM
Uow, it's been quite a while...
In 1997 I was at high school, enjoying life with much less responsibility than today (Maybe...). I wasn't into subsim games yet, because I remember I spent a lot of time playing Duke Nuken 3D lol.

Cool times. Happy birthday!:Kaleun_Applaud:

Chromatix
01-27-17, 10:27 AM
I had just moved from school to college, where I first got access to the Internet for real. It really was early days back then.

I was so far ahead in my programming courses that I spent most of my time downloading files to floppy disks (to take home) and occasionally answering questions posed by the teacher, after a suitable period of baffled silence from the rest of the class. There's a world of difference between trying to learn programming by taking a class on it, and learning programming by practical means before taking a class just to get a certificate on what you already know. That was my first experience of people doing the former rather than the latter.

At the time, I had no idea about subsims. I didn't even have a PC! I did have a growing collection of Macs...

mookiemookie
01-27-17, 10:28 AM
I was a junior in high school. I had just run my fastest mile ever (5 min 29 sec). I'm trying to get back there, but probably never will! :Kaleun_Crying:

I hadn't played a sub sim since Silent Service on the NES. SH3 was a few years away yet.

rHagen12
01-27-17, 10:39 AM
Living in Northern California – Visited the Pampanito. Moved to Northern Illinois 1998 and visited the U-505.
Playing Silent Hunter I and 688(I) on Pentium II and Win95
Wrote my last ObjectPAL application…yeah!
IBMs Deep Blue computer defeats world champion chess player Garry Kasparov

Happy Birthday SubSim

corporalspiffy
01-27-17, 10:45 AM
i turned 34 20 yrs ago. i used to go hiking, climbing and caving back then. time sure flies. life is good. life hasn't begun.

happy birthday subsim. thanks for the mods n stuff


:Kaleun_Party:

Tobar
01-27-17, 10:47 AM
Man, I was already old (50) but fascinated with the ability to match my wits with others. The ability to customize each mission and challenge each other led to many "it's time to go to bed" comments. Thank you. :Kaleun_Cheers:

Vannevar
01-27-17, 11:08 AM
Hmmm.

Peering back through the fog of ages (and hoping not to find myself afoul of an oncoming tanker), I believe I was:

1) Enjoying the high point of my career as a rock DJ.

2) Playing the best cricket of my life.

3) Trying to find a decent day job.

4) Trying to stay alive in an S class boat off the coast of Luzon in SH1 long enough to actually sink something.

Happy times, for sure.

mjhjr
01-27-17, 11:13 AM
In January of 1997 I just turned 54 ! Married for 29 years and thought we would live in the house we bought in 1968 forever. We moved to an over 55 community. We didn't want my son who was just married in November of 1996 to return home!! October of 1997 my first Granddaughter was born. I was Thrilled !

Farinhir
01-27-17, 11:14 AM
In 1997 I was 18 until the 18th of July. I was working 2 jobs (1 full time and 1 half time) while finishing my last year of high school (was home school, but that did not make it any easier) and taking a few classes at the community college to get myself a head start on that. McDonald's was the full time job (I was a closing crew chief) and my part time job was custodial work at a local private school to pay for my siblings' tuition since we were actually quite a poor family. I would get up at 5am, go clean the school for their day before they started. Come home and do my school work as fast as I could so I could have some time before my shift at McDonald's. Then I would work till around 12 to 1am. I had a lot of reading to do because I had to finish a book a week and write a synopsis and a report on it.

I was on the varsity basketball team for a local school, but I preferred to play chess and quake (team fortress, FVF, and other mods for it). Up till that time my only experience with subsims was an old game we had on the 286 called 688: attack sub (Made in 1989 by John Ratcliff). I was still playing that because at my house we still only had the 286. My friend had the Pentium that we played quake on at his house. I was still using DOS 6 while he was on windows 95. lol

Other games I was into at that time were Duke Nukem 3D, Descent. Shadow warrior (later that year), a lot of Nintendo 64 games. I also bought myself my first used guitar and started to teach myself how to play that year. It cost me around $30 at the local pawn shop (acoustic).


I also spent a lot of time on the beach during the warm months (about 5 minute walk from my house) skim boarding all the time. This was one of the great benefits of being home schooled. When I finished enough work I was able to do whatever for the rest of the day, and so I worked fast.


All of this happened in one of the small towns on the Oregon Coast.

Aktungbby
01-27-17, 11:22 AM
Underbank!:Kaleun_Salute:After a long silent run!

fumo30
01-27-17, 11:23 AM
Congratulations Neal. 20 years of Subsim is an awesome feat.:up:

1997 was nothing special for me. Playing pinball and watching that Hale-Bopp comet in the sky.


PS. I'm with Dowly for not takin part in the raffle.

Doggie
01-27-17, 11:32 AM
Back in Jan 1997, was in college and in love :O:

Nufsed
01-27-17, 11:36 AM
In 1997 I met my beautiful wife to be, gained three more children, which currently brings the grand total to six children, twenty two grandchildren and three great grandchildren! It was also the year I started playing Silent Hunter........Now you know why:k_confused: ALARM!!......Take her deep number one :O::Kaleun_Periskop:

AnimeHair
01-27-17, 11:51 AM
In 1997 I had no computer of my own and was jealous of my older brother's Gateway PC, which could run SimCity AND Microsoft Flight Simulator 95. I wouldn't get a PC for another 3 years but started early with flight sims.

Jonesy
01-27-17, 12:04 PM
I was in high school, and I think I handn´t even stumbled upon silent hunter 1 yet.....I found it on a bargain bin a couple of years later.

cdrsubron7
01-27-17, 12:18 PM
:woot:Happy B-Day Subsim :Kaleun_Cheers:

Back in '97 my family had just gotten our first computer. The schools in the area were starting up with them for classes. That's when I found SH1. This Compac 1550 used an SIS 530 onboard graphics. I spent a long time trying to get SH1 working on that computer. I finally found the answer here on Subsim in early '98. Thanks to a very generous person who helped me setup and run the game. I played SH1 every night for the next year, that's how great SH1 was and still is. :D :up:

SubSimTrooper
01-27-17, 12:24 PM
Let's see. 1997 means I was 14. I probably thought I was in love. I think I was a freshman in high school. Blah, blah, blah...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUBSIM!!! :subsim:

limkol
01-27-17, 12:34 PM
I was knocking holes in walls with a sledgehammer in our newly purchased house from 1888 at all times of day and night! People thought it was because I was in the middle of a great restoration project....but it was actually because I didn't have internet at the time:03:

20 years on and we are living in another house, with a damned good internet connection:)....... and no holes in the walls.

Thank you Subsim for all the hours of entertainment you have given through the years. Happy birthday:Kaleun_Cheers:

GT182
01-27-17, 01:12 PM
I was 47 back in 1997. Didn't even have a computer back then. I said I'd never want one or have one. Yeah, just like I said I'd never have a cell phone. Never say never James Bond said. LOL

So, Happy 20th Anniversary SubSim and Neal. You've done a terrific job... along with your moderators... to make SubSim one of the best and longest running websites on the net. :up: Even longer than Bombs-Away.net where I started from with B-17 Flying Fortress "The Mighty 8th" back in 1999. There's a couple of friends here that also came from there.

Here's to another 20 years Neal. :yeah: And may the 25th Anniversary be just as great.

:salute:

CaptBones
01-27-17, 01:16 PM
Congratulations Neal; quite an achievement these days. Your dedication and continued efforts in support of this unusual community is certainly worthy of everyone's respect and admiration.

1997...I was facing the end of my youth...well, finishing my 49th year of life anyway. Just entering "middle age" in my view and had some wonderful people...wife, kids and two grandkids already...to "help me through the 50's" as some of them put it; I thoroughly enjoyed my 50's!

I was working for Naval Sea Systems Command on new ship propulsion plant designs and particularly on fixing propulsion plant problems with the Minesweepers (MCM-3 and MHC-51 classes) home-ported at Ingleside TX.

Travelling there for one or two weeks out of every month from home in Alexandria, VA (practically had a reserved suite at the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi). Freshly retired from Active Duty but still getting "4 bells" coming aboard or going ashore every time I crossed a quarterdeck and showed them my ID...wishing they wouldn't do that...I felt that I had to apologize to the COs/XOs for getting them running (sometimes actually running) to the quarterdeck just to find out it was only me and one or two helpers coming to do some tests and/or work on their engines...oh well.

I wasn't yet into computer gaming/simulations...no time to spare. My younger son, 1yr out of High School and with a lot of time on his hands before he decided to go to Annapolis, had Silent Service II, Silent Hunter II and SSN-21 SEAWOLF, as well as an old Commodore Amiga with a shelf full of submarine games/simulations (Silent Service, Sub Battle, Destroyer, Das Boot, 688 Attack Sub, Hunt for Red October, etc.). He had just discovered SHIII and I inherited all that stuff when he left home for "Boat School".

It was a couple years later that I started playing SHIII and discovered SubSim...a couple more years of "lurking" before I joined and began using the MODs provided by this unbelievably talented group of enthusiasts.

So, a big THANK YOU to all the Modders and a huge CONGRATULATIONS to you and everyone who supports and contributes to SubSim. May we all enjoy another 20 years together.:salute:

BTW...as with Dowly, I don't need to be included in the raffle.

Leandros
01-27-17, 01:18 PM
Congratulations on the twenty, Neal.

It's rather awkward but I have actually very little recollection of what happened to me in 1997. Strange, because they say that near-time memory goes first. Mine certainly has. Every time I forget (often) the names of Jimi Hendrix and CCR, my favourite musical artist (well, apart from Elvis, of course - but him I remember - heard him first in 1955), I twist my brains for a few days before I give up and go to the CD shelf to look them up by the titles. Then I remember.

Let me see now, I was back in my old job after a stint with the UN in Former Yugoslavia. Took up the NG service again, too, even took an Intelligence course at the NG school at Dombås in central Norway - my tenth course there. Always nice to be there - sort of paid vacation. Had to look in my service book to remember this. Well, I don't actually remember it, just accept the information in the book.

What did I play at the time? Gettysburg? Oh, yes that nuclear sub thing - 688? And, that was my second fatherly period, the youngest girl in ballet classes and the boy playing football. Driving back and forth. My working premises were still at Fornebu Airport, Oslo. Everything moved to Gardermoen the year after, giving everybody in the business a bad taste. I get sick thinking about it. Bought a new Toyota Carina estate wagon. Oh, boy, that was a GOOD car. I mean good in the reliability sense. 220.000 clicks later and still the original shock absorbers and clutch - even if driven a lot by the wife...:03:

Well, this is a lot of load on the brain so I shall just have to excuse myself for not being active here for the last couple of years as I have been busy with a book project on the Pacific War. That has included another game that I shall also recommend - the WITP.

Continued good health to y all.

Fred

Rippersport
01-27-17, 01:37 PM
I turned 11 that year, didn't know what love was yet but thanks to my father and uncle (In particular, who introduced me to simulators and Silent Hunter), I was already an experienced gamer by then.

Don't think I stumbled upon Subsim until I was deep inside Sh3 and discovered something strange called GWX:hmmm:

Anyway, Happy birthday Subsim, and may you and Onkel Neal lurk in the deep for another 20 years!

Aktungbby
01-27-17, 01:54 PM
AnimeHair! :Kaleun_Salute:

Schöneboom
01-27-17, 02:00 PM
Tempus fugit, as they say! In '97 I was temping & living in one of San Francisco's last cheap flats (later sold & demolished). At the time I was a Jane's man, playing Advanced Tactical Fighters, Longbow 2, then 688(i), my first subsim, on a Toshiba laptop aka "The Slab". Good times.

Happy Birthday, Subsim.com! :Kaleun_Cheers:

raymond6751
01-27-17, 02:04 PM
Congrats Oncle Neal! Thank you for doing what you do.

In 1997 I was out of work, my wife was battling Cancer, and I had a two year old boy to look after. My wife lost her battle in 99.

My how time flies! Anyway, it was a good year for some.:Kaleun_Cheers:

44m44m
01-27-17, 02:07 PM
I was born on 07/04/1997, and when I was 3 years I watched "Run Silent Run Deep", " Grey Lady Down" and " The Enemy Down Below" with my dad, instead of watching "Ice Age" and "Toy Story" like my other peers. I have always had a fascination with the Navy or anything Submarine.
When I was in first grade in 2002 I saw "Das Boot" and " U-571" and fell in love with German U-Boats and that's when I got hooked with the " Silent Hunter" series starting off with "Silent Hunter II" and when I got the game I needed some help with navigation in the career mode of the game. I went on my parents Dell Computer with Windows 99 operating system and a very slow dial up internet and found this website called " Subsim " that gave me advice throughout the years, and made me feel that I was not the only one who had the same love and passion for submarines.
I still browse the forums and the mods that I browsed 15 years ago and hopefully my children will to. I just want to say thank you "Subsim" for being their then and being here today.

Happy anniversary
:subsim:

bstanko6
01-27-17, 02:28 PM
I was a junior in high school. I was addicted to the worst sub game "SSN" only because I am
A huge Tom Clancy fan.

I was watching "the hunt for Red October" when I decided to join the navy to work on submarines 2 years later.

U-5
01-27-17, 02:44 PM
:Kaleun_Applaud:http://www.smiley-emoticones.com/smiley/anniversaire/anniversaire%20%2813%29.gif (http://www.smiley-emoticones.com) SUBSIM ! http://www.smiley-emoticones.com/smiley/anniversaire/anniversaire%20%2842%29.GIF (http://www.smiley-emoticones.com)
1997...I was a Baby..:03::D Congratulations:salute:Thanks for all Neal !

Chisum
01-27-17, 02:47 PM
Hi Oncle Neal, long time no see.

Time flees like the sand of the hand...
You have created an incredible and amazing community, to which I am proud to belong (or to have belonged because I don't play any more ...). It is therefore with warmth that I wish you a happy birthday. Live long and prosper.

:salute:

I burst out laughing as I read this: "Internet Explorer version 4 released"!
What a shame it was, but it made our happiness so many time with the f#@@... Windows 98.

:subsim:

Nuppie
01-27-17, 03:27 PM
688(I) Hunter Killer, Silent Hunter & Silent Service II. I also met my future wife and am now retired from the US Navy. I still enjoy Sub Sims as well as other Naval Sims. Thanks for the web site.

What's the best part about the Navy.....being in the Navy.

Onkel Neal
01-27-17, 03:43 PM
Man, these are great stories!

ABBAFAN
01-27-17, 05:56 PM
Well done. Excellent website. I've been here since 2001. It's funny how new the site was then. Yet twenty years later it seems no time at all has passed. In 1997 I had my first PC. I was playing command: Aces of the Deep, Sid Meier's Gettysburg, and still had the Amiga 500 with Bob's Magic Garden and The Night Breed :). I got put on report on my thirteenth birthday, was a bit of a pyromaniac, and had flirted with Satanism. Only briefly, mind. Ah yes, Brass Eye was on telly and I went to the Titanic exhibition in Hamburg aboard Father's container ship. I was surrounded by arseh**es and scoundrels. No internet. No dress sense. This was before I discovered flares, flowers and corduroy.

STEED
01-27-17, 06:17 PM
Man, these are great stories!

Until now...:haha:

To be honest Neal I can not remember that far back. Anyway congratulations on 20 years on the Net. If you ask this question again in 20 years and we are all still here I probably give you the same answer. :03:

Aktungbby
01-27-17, 09:19 PM
Nuppie!:Kaleun_Salute: & 44m44m!:Kaleun_Salute:

bsachems
01-27-17, 09:43 PM
Ahoy Mates,
20 years ago I just got my first computer. It didn't take long and I was hooked on Silent Service. Later it was Silent Hunter 1,2,3,and 4. Can't get into Silent Hunter 5 although I have had it for 3 years now. I never modded any of my games until I found SUBSIM. I want to thank all of you as I have downloaded just about every mod I could find for Silent Hunter I4 Wolves Of The Pacific. Speacial thanks to the creators of TMO and RSRD I have played them together for years.
Your web site is awesome!
Bsachems:Kaleun_Salute:

Tac-Addict
01-27-17, 11:24 PM
lets see 1997 i was still two years from being a thing so interesting time in your life lets see...2013 i started high school and a campaign in SH3 with GWX still haven't finished it

frankiekam
01-28-17, 12:22 AM
Hi Subsim

In 1997 I was in Melaka, teaching at a local college there. I wasn't married back then. I was into flight simming back then, in particular the Flanker 1.0 demo(!). In 2002 I got Silent Hunter 2.0 and the rest, as they say, is history. I remember 31st August 1997 as a sad day because we lost Princess Di that evening. How time flies! These days I have Silent Hunter 5 and spend more time getting the mods organised than actually playing the game, har har! Still, happy 20th Birthday Subsmin. To Neal the historian, keep up the good work matey!

Regards
Frankie Kam

Silverleaf
01-28-17, 12:57 AM
1997 stands out for one reason. On January 12th I met a wonderful woman, quite literally knocking her off her feet in a mattress shop. Thankfully she landed on a soft spot, we laughed, shared a cup of coffee and 8 years later she gave me Silent Hunter III for Christmas. I believe I found Subsim the first week of February in 97'.

Congrats on 20 years you deserve it!

calvindmah
01-28-17, 01:27 AM
1997 was the year I got married and when my current car (97 BMW M3) was built!

Thank you SubSim for the great 20 years!

Cheers! Calvin:Kaleun_Cheers::subsim::Kaleun_Salute::Kaleu n_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Wink::Kaleun_Applaud::k_confus ed:

redbranchwarrior
01-28-17, 02:32 AM
In 1997 I was just a pup, on my second Westpac as a second class FC on board USS Russell DDG-59. Chased skirts in Phuket, Adelaide, and Fiji. Got pie-eyed in Bahrain with some righteous jarheads. Swore I'd never see the gulf again for the second time :) Most memorable moment? Upgrading my Shellback status to Golden Shellback at the 0 an 180 as I processed through some green wogs. I'd remember more of the PAC, but that would have required sobriety! Fair winds and following seas brothers! Happy anniversary subsim and thanks for your hard work in keeping the dream alive. Remember we sailors don't get older, just ornery and saltier!

Kristensen
01-28-17, 02:56 AM
Only thing I remember 1997 for, is the loss of my Grandma :(

Moz of Oz
01-28-17, 03:41 AM
wow 1997 !!! big year for me as well ... 2 days ago celebrated 20th anniversary of 1st date with lady I eventually married :):yeah:

Tuilalcaron
01-28-17, 03:55 AM
Well first off, congrats on 20 years. As someone who is really new to the Silent Hunter series some of the advice on these forums has been invaluable.

And 2nd, I turn 30 in 2 days and I have no idea what I was doing in 1997.... Now I just feel old :wah:

dy88jr
01-28-17, 05:11 AM
on jan 29 1997 at 10 am i was born not much happend that i can remember that year

dodie23
01-28-17, 05:52 AM
left the sea after 25 years and started living on land a different life altogether
so started playing with subs instead and found it a great comfort I mist the life at sea. and still playing.

digital_pariah
01-28-17, 06:19 AM
Wow, this is an exciting place for my first post... (I think it's my first!)

In 1997 my beautiful baby daughter was born. My first child. Born at 23:59 on Christmas Eve. That was an...interesting Christmas, especially for my wife! She was such a chubby, happy baby, and so easy to care for (which is a bonus with the first baby, let me tell you!). Now she's 20, at college, and kicking arse. She's no longer chubby (and she's somewhat taller too), still mainly happy, and a pain in the butt a lot of the time. But I love her more every year.

Congrats on 20 years, SUBSIM, from a neophyte lurker, and here's to many more! :Kaleun_Cheers:

(And thanks for the wonderful contest, it's a great idea)

connor3213
01-28-17, 06:27 AM
Well on the 7th of August 1997 I was born so it was a very exciting year for me !! :)

Good luck everyone :D

riddler1506
01-28-17, 06:56 AM
1997.

Well i dont know if I was even in my parents plans for the next couple of years hahaha.

supcapn
01-28-17, 07:49 AM
In 1997 I was still in school - 11 years old :Kaleun_Salute:.
I think it was the year me and my friend tried to play firefighters in the dry grass, at my folks house... Off course the fire got well out of hand, and for some time we were sweating a bit :k_confused:
But we finally got the fire under control, and marked the mission CLASSIFIED, to our parents...
I still wonder why my parents never where curious about the smoke-smelling jacket, boots and clothes? (The jacket’s were eagerly swung (read panicking) as fire extinguishers...)

Playing Red Alert C&C and some 3D-jetfighter game was amongst my first pc-experiences during that time :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

KaleunMarco
01-28-17, 09:10 AM
1997 was a busy year. i was two years into a new job. my eldest was in HS. i was serving on two non-profit boards, one as VP. officiating 350 hockey games a year. now i can barely make it around the rink a couple of times. lol.

good luck to subsim and you too neal!

Skipbo
01-28-17, 09:10 AM
I haven't been here for a long time, but my old friend Lane Goodman (post 59) sent me a note to tell me about your 20th anniversary - congratulations! Neal has provided a great website and a huge amount of valuable information to the simulation world.

I was 48 years old and still working as an engineering manager for the US Navy in 1997, primarily on the TRIDENT Fleet Ballistic Missile System, have since retired. Not sure when I first found SUBSIM, but checked some old emails and Excel spreadsheets and was using SH1 on Windows 95 and working with Jim Atkins (who had an earlier SH website) on several accuracy improvement spreadsheets - torpedo spread settings, etc. IIRC, Jim pointed me to SUBSIM. Found some emails I ttraded with Jim dated February 1997 in which I reported that I'd just met Lane. Used a lot of SH4 information/mods from SUBSIM in later years, but wasn't an active contributor - thanks to those who were and are!

Thanks for all of the hard work establishing and maintaining SUBSIM and thanks for the memories I dredged up in order to make this post.

...................Jim Wolford, Indiana, USA :Kaleun_Cheers:

USS Lionfish
01-28-17, 09:29 AM
Welp, in '97 I wasn't even born yet, I was 6 years from being born (yikes I'm young!), 12 years from finding SH3, and 13 years from finding SubSim, which I made an account to download mods and then forgot the password. Well congradulations on 20 years SubSim, I'll just talk about what it was like for me 10 years ago.

- I was still in preschool

- I lived in a small town in New York

- George W. Bush was President

- I was first starting to find video games, something my little cousin started at 1 with iPads and other things that don't require knowledge of a mouse and keyboard to use

- I was 2 years from finding SH3, and 3 from finding Subsim

DaveMM2SS
01-28-17, 09:33 AM
The year 1997: I had been out of Submarine service for 30 years, Working at my second civilian Nuclear Plant (Reactors 4 and 5), Living near the shores of Lake Michigan where I had first gone to watch the submarine races nearly 40 years prior. Both of my children received their degrees in 1997. My computer held a massive 40Megabyte hard drive and was connected to a 28.8K modem (yes, it was slightly faster than my I-5 laptop with 80Mb modem is today)

rdop
01-28-17, 10:02 AM
Early 97' found me aboard the training ship at my Maritime Academy, on my way to becoming an engineer aboard ships. Still sailing today, just on tugs now.

Subsim is one of the best gaming forums around! Lots of info and helpful members. My thanks to those who keep it going.

escalaris
01-28-17, 10:19 AM
En el 1997 yo tenia 39 años, casado y con dos hijos, doce horas de trabajo para mantener a la familia. Lo normal en cualquier padre de familia...:). Pero visitando un centro comercial encontré un simulador de Submarinos, para mi el mejor de todos, "Silent Hunter: Commander's Edition" era un submarino de la Armada de los Estados Unidos y se desarrollaba en la guerra del pacifico, evidentemente en esa época los ordenadores eran MS-DOS y los gráficos no daban para más, pero por ahora el mejor simulador de submarinos y con un tutorial super completo...:up:

MatijaGeic
01-28-17, 10:56 AM
In 1997 i was studying archaeology in Berlin and did an excavation in Loryma, Turkey. An extraordenary place with an ancient harbour and a castle dated 500 B.C.

Aktungbby
01-28-17, 11:07 AM
Having a baby brother serving as helmsman on the USS Oklahoma City, USS San Bernadino, and USS Little Rock; and doing strange things in strange ports from Bangkok to Scapa Flow...these kids have mothers who worry; so I took matters in hand to prevent further 'damage to government 'property';:oops:In 1997 I was just a pup, on my second Westpac as a second class FC on board USS Russell DDG-59. Chased skirts in Phuket, Adelaide, and Fiji. . Remember we sailors don't get older, just ornery and saltier! Rebranchwarrior!:Kaleun_Salute:(makes my point entirely:O:) ALSO Welcome warmly first-time posters: Tac-Addict!:Kaleun_Salute:; calvinmah!:Kaleun_Salute:; Kristensen!:Kaleun_Salute:; Moc of Oz!!:Kaleun_Salute:;Tuilcaron!!:Kaleun_Salute:; Dy88jr!:Kaleun_Salute:; Digital_Pariah!:Kaleun_Salute:; connor3213!:Kaleun_Salute:; Riddler1506!:Kaleun_Salute:; USS Lionfish!:Kaleun_Salute:; DaveMM2SS!:Kaleun_Salute:; Rdop!:Kaleun_Salute:; escalarlis! (bienvenidos!) :Kaleun_Salute:MatijaGeic! :Kaleun_Salute: Skreezilla!:Kaleun_Salute:; JeanLed! :Kaleun_Salute:; OddBallCHMC! :Kaleun_Salute:; Colonel Klink!:Kaleun_Salute:; Julimrs!:Kaleun_Salute:; traner2!:Kaleun_Salute: Alstack!:Kaleun_Salute:: slujac!; zorilya!; audiopathic!; & Slammer597! regicide76! ALowSimmer! winslynm! liljoentx!; HarHedZ; catbloc; Angry Viking! & SashBro2!:Kaleun_Salute:

Skreezilla
01-28-17, 11:34 AM
97? Worst year of my life. I was 11,
Start of the year i broke my neck and back in a BMX crash after some ass left oil on the road. How ever, i managed to walk home and did not know i had fractured my lower back and neck for 6 months. I amazingly was not paralyzed or dead!

Mid year, my step dad passed away.

End of the year, i passes my first Kidney stone on Christmas eve.

Christmas day: i got a ps1 and f1 97 and i was ridiculously happy and in awe at the graphics!

All in all 97 had many bad times, but it made me stronger! It was also the firat time i ever saw a real sub in Portsmouth, i also got to drive a APC at bovvie tank museum because i spent pretty much all my childhood there. They were doing somthing recognized me and gave me a ride then one of the soldiers sat me in the driver seat and let me have a small go!

So as much as it has bad memories it has some a.amazing onea too.

OddBallCHMC
01-28-17, 12:10 PM
In 1997

My daughter started school
got hooked on 688 I Hunter Killer
Watched the Hollywood Shooting on TV
Tiger Woods won the the Masters
Listened to Howard Stern for the first time


Congrats on 20th guys hope for 20 more

Colonel Klink
01-28-17, 12:11 PM
In 1997, I was not yet born, so I'll begin when I was in 2000. 6 Years prior my grandfather passed away from cancer, he was a Korean war vet, 3 years prior my family restored a home near Pittsburgh, built in 1927. My Great uncle owned it and was the driving force behind it, so it was in good shape. After I was born, everything in my family became hectic. We took plenty of vacations even though money was tight. It was then, around 2005 or so, that I walked on my first submarine. It was the U.S.S. Requin, a Tench class boat permanently moored outside the Carnegie science Center. I was astounded at how tight and cramped everything was, and then my dad rented Das Boot on the way home. I remember thinking to myself,
"Wow, that's so small compared to the Requin. And why do they have circular hatches? They're so small and tiny..."
After we finished watching the movie, my dad told me, "You know your great Uncle George worked on submarines during the cold war.":k_confused:
I never knew this and I was so excited to ask him the next time I saw him. That is when he told me that he not only worked ON submarines, HE DESIGNED THEM. He was a chief chemist during the Manhattan Project, and after the war he was a chief design manager of the S2W nuclear reactor that would be placed into the world's first nuclear boat, the Nautilus. He worked at Bettis Atomic Power laboratories under Westinghouse from 1956 to 1989. 11 years later, he passed away last month 5 days after Christmas at the age of 93. I have been interested in planes, submarines, the navy, U boats, tactics, tanks, weapons, and everything world war 2 ever since. I have a minor collection now, even consisting of a sparkplug from a B17, a letter addressed to someone aboard the USS Lexington (later sunk at the battle of the Coral Sea), and a Kriegsmarine document detailing a pension of a world war 1 German navy veteran, bearing the official naval eagle ink stamp.
I hope to continue my collection and continue my interests to this day through games thanks to you subsim. Congrats for the 20 years of service, and here's to another 20 more :Kaleun_Cheers:

Commander Wallace
01-28-17, 12:25 PM
Rebranchwarrior!:Kaleun_Salute:(makes my point entirely:O:) ALSO Welcome warmly first-time posters: Tac-Addict!:Kaleun_Salute:; calvinmah!:Kaleun_Salute:; Kristensen!:Kaleun_Salute:; Moc of Oz!!:Kaleun_Salute:;Tuilcaron!!:Kaleun_Salute:; Dy88jr!:Kaleun_Salute:; Digital_Pariah!:Kaleun_Salute:; connor3213!:Kaleun_Salute:; Riddler1506!:Kaleun_Salute:; USS Lionfish!:Kaleun_Salute:; DaveMM2SS!:Kaleun_Salute:; Rdop!:Kaleun_Salute:; escalarlis! (bienvenidos!) :Kaleun_Salute:MatijaGeic! :Kaleun_Salute:& Skreezilla!!:Kaleun_Salute:




Welcome to subsim all of the above new to Subsim and all the newcomers to Subsim not listed above including Colonel Klink :sunny:

julimrs
01-28-17, 01:11 PM
Hello everyone. I in 1997, still played with the SILENT SERVICE II for AMIGA. Excellent simulator.
Many congratulations to you during these 20 years.
A greeting. :arrgh!::gulp:

G97_BoKeRoN
01-28-17, 01:46 PM
In 1997 I was in High school. Still 16 years old. Playing a lot of Silent Hunter with my dad.

Man, thanks to your posts here, I feel younger :)

traner2
01-28-17, 01:51 PM
1997 I study archaeology at University of Ljubljana. I spent 14 days with friends on island Hvar, we were doing archaeology survey. I had PC something :hmmm: with Windows 1995 and was playing Civilization 2, Dune 2, Battlehawks 1942.

Congratulations to SUBSIM crew and forum. May it last for next 20 years! :Kaleun_Cheers:Cheers

Alstack
01-28-17, 02:25 PM
Very interesting. I was retired for 5 years from a combination of 6 years serving in the US Navy and 14 years serving in the USCG, in 1997. All active duty. I was out of the service from 1976 to 1978, went back in. Now that is an entire other long story.

Happy to be here and play nautical themed games.

digital_pariah
01-28-17, 03:10 PM
I had PC something :hmmm: with Windows 1995 and was playing Civilization 2, Dune 2, Battlehawks 1942.

Oh man, that reminds me, I was playing Dune 2 back then too. Something important we found out was that on a black and white monitor, the green faction are basically invisible!

slyjac
01-28-17, 04:01 PM
In 1997, I was sub hunting on a P-3. Playing sub games gives me the opportunity to "live" how things are on the other side of the waves.

Subsim really facilitates this. Awesome job!

zorilya
01-28-17, 04:49 PM
1997 was likely a year of learning a lot about music for me... I had just started learning the snare drum in a pipe band.

explored the countryside and climbed a lot of trees in the warm summer air...

That would've been around the time I build a huge catapult too... well huge compared to me at the time. The kind of catapult they built on the first episode of "Scrapheap challenge" (not the trebuchet). built it out of a spare A frame usually used in the roofing structure of a house.

Fun times.

audiopathik
01-28-17, 04:55 PM
Probably the first year in which I really noticed time passing as I was only 7 years old.

Apache Air Assault, Descent 1 & 2, Starcraft and Age of Empires are soon to become my favourite PC Games on Windows 95 and 97/98.

Slammer597
01-28-17, 05:03 PM
I can't remember what I did last Thursday :k_confused:and you expect me to remember 1997!

De Ruyter
01-28-17, 06:09 PM
In 1997, I was eleven years old, and Dad was stationed in Spangdahlem AFB, Germany. That was the year we got to visit Normandy. I think that was also the year we got to see the Dutch fleet at anchor.

Einhanded
01-28-17, 06:29 PM
http://img2.game-oldies.com/sites/default/files/packshots/sony-playstation/einhander-usa.jpg

The game that I became obsessed with came out on Playstation 1, which led to being my name I use in almost any game I play. If you enjoy a challenge I highly suggest getting an emulator to play it! Man its crazy to think back that far, Chris Farley passed away that year, depressing...

Kixa
01-28-17, 06:40 PM
dull, high school, :Kaleun_Cheers:, aces of deep and great naval battles 2

donde
01-28-17, 07:08 PM
Was 47 that year, married 17 years, kids 12 and 10, still working at Bell Labs in New Jersey.

I was learning/playing a lot of GO then (board game), and in the midst of transitioning from my Amiga computer to my 1st PC... running Windows 95.

Congrats to SUBSIM on their Anniversary... thanks for "being there".

- Don

Navigator857
01-28-17, 10:39 PM
Have never had a full nights sleep after Turret 2 blew up and killed my friends. Never won anything but please send this to them
! http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=iowa+turrent+tribute&view=detail&mid=71F81AF58B14B2CDDE9F71F81AF58B14B2CDDE9F&FORM=VIRE

regicide76
01-29-17, 04:45 AM
'97 Lots of playing pool in dodgy places with my mates. Turned 21 in November and I don't remember anything after that.:Kaleun_Cheers:

aLowSimmer
01-29-17, 05:17 AM
I was about 3 in 1997.
So I could have possibly playing either 'Aladdin' or 'Gizmos and Gadgets' on the family computer (Windows 95 I think).
And I've been playing video games ever since really.
It really started my interest in computers, which I am building, programming, and having fun with to this day.

Raptor1
01-29-17, 05:28 AM
I was approximately five years old in the year 1997. I definitely haven't played any submarine simulations until about ten years later, and I don't think I knew what an internet was, but I was at least already playing games on some sort of horribly outdated DOS computer, Transport Tycoon being the first I can recall.

Oberon
01-29-17, 07:33 AM
I'd just become a teenager in '97, and just reached High School. Games wise it was all the good stuff, Sonic, Mario, Transport Tycoon, I was mainly on consoles at that point. I was definitely interested in submarines at this point, I'd watched HFRO and saw Hostile Waters when it came out on BBC, it may be around this point that I first saw Das Boot as well, BBC2 had a habit of showing the subtitled TV mini-series version around December.
It was either this year or the next that I also picked up Fast Attack, which started my long held love for the Los Angeles class.

winslynn
01-29-17, 07:34 AM
I was working for the Federal Govt. at O'Hare airport when I decided to send my Godfather in Staten Island,NY a brief note and a photo.4 months later I was married to one of his daughters. I owe it all to the attack on Pearl Harbor in some mysterious way.
My father enlisted in the Navy the day after the attack in Hawaii.My wifes father was building destroyers at the Bethlehem Steel Yard in Staten Island and he enlisted in 1943 and served on a ship he had just built, a Fletcher class destroyer DD658 USS Colahan. The two men were electricians and became best friends.They sailed with Halseys fleet and saw major action,they were a radar picket ship and were attacked by kamikazes off Okinawa.
I love playing SH4,that game immerses me in my fathers experiences.His ship picked up numerous American pilots that had ditched at sea,they would get 5 gallons of ice cream from the pilots carrier when they returned them.

Steve

Te Kaha
01-29-17, 07:58 AM
1997 was very different to nowadays....

Back then I was living in another town, had a different job, plenty of time left to play computer games, was solo and chasing women (more or less unsuccessfully...)

Now I live in the countryside, have yet another different job, almost no time left to play computer games, am married, and we have a 7 year old son (who keeps telling me what to do :D )

Times are changing, aren't they? :D

Happy anniversary, Neal. Running the same webpage for 20 years is quite an achievement!

liljoentx
01-29-17, 08:16 AM
In July of 1997, I celebrated having my Texas Real Estate Salesperson license for one year, and was also celebrating my 5th year back at NASA with Boeing ISC (Information Systems Contract). It was almost as much fun as when I was maintaining the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) simulator for Link back in the late 60s! You know, the one we trained our Moon Landing Astronauts on. That was a simulator!

But, back in June of 1997, we had a birthday party for my paternal GrandMa up in Austin. She was celebrating her 101st birthday. Nana had a chance to live in two millennia, but she decided to cash in her chips in October of 1999, at the wonderful age of 103 and 4 months! She was a grand lady!

But, Happy 20th, Neal, maybe SubSim will endure for another 80 years! As a former Boomer Sailor (I served on the USS Cubera, SS-347, also), I'm very anxious to see what the Navy comes up with as a design for the new FBM (Fleet Ballistic Missile) sub, or Ohio Replacement. Best to all in 2017!

liljoentx :shucks:

HamrHedZ
01-29-17, 09:30 AM
in 97 I was 43 and had a great family thing going on at that time ,2 sons , 7 and 4 years old and a great wife who loved to cook.
I was a truckdriver then and I am still a truckdriver,
I am thankful to Subsim community for the different mods and info for the various SH games.
I play the SH4 and just completed my first career. As my time is limited I play a little at a time. I am starting a new career , I only play career in most games , and will be trying out RFB this time around
Thanks Onkel Neal and everyone in Subsim and congrats on surviving 20 years.
I raise a glass to your next 20 years.

Tycho
01-29-17, 10:04 AM
I remembered something cool from '97. The Internet then was not like now in every house, it was a rare and expensive.
So, with a bunch of friends, we regularly organized a so called LAN parties.
One big room, lots of beers and cigarettes, chaos of cables, shouts, cries, emotions till the morning.

Rockin Robbins
01-29-17, 03:08 PM
1997 was my first experience with the Internet and I remember taking my hour slot at the library downloading a single Mars Pathfinder image. Forget Microsoft Terraserver. It took most of an hour to paste together a mosaic for a single view, but we were amazed. We were amazed again when Microsoft killed the project, never seeing the potential, but opening up the opportunity for Google Earth, where people of vision could take the idea and run with it.

I got appendicitis that year and the doctors didn't think a 43 year old should be able to get appendicitis. I had a great case of septicemia when they finally operated on me and had all my guts laid out on the operating table for a few hours, cleaning up every possible bit of infection. They flooded my insides with antibiotics and my bowels with laxatives and put me back together. That night I found that there are some things that totally override pain--like dragging my IV stand to the bathroom what seemed to be a mile away so I didn't....... The pain didn't mean a thing right then.

I was married with two children, nine and six years old, happy to be alive after the appendicitis party. And I still am! Still married to the same wonderful woman, my daughter is married to a Navy man in Norfolk and my son works for Sam's Club in the Austin, Texas area. Now I have two projects here at Subsim, Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate Edition and the Silent Hunter 4 Corruption Management System. It's been a blast and I look forward to the next 20 years at Subsim.

catbloc
01-29-17, 05:27 PM
My family and I had just moved out of the city off to a little country town where I could mess around in the woods and be a kid. I'd still rather live in the city...

Angry Viking
01-29-17, 06:46 PM
Let me think... :03:


I started working in IT


Got my first car


Had my 20th birthday.


Built my own 1000Mbps LAN in my condo


I enjoyed playing lots of submarine games at the time, I can't really remember the titles of the top of my mind.

1997 was also the year I visited a nuclear submarine.

I also remember the summer hit that year: Paradisio with Bailando, at least where I lived.

-Thor-

Sashbro2
01-30-17, 01:25 AM
Not much going on in 1997 for me i think but I was born on the 10th of May that year

torpedobait
01-30-17, 08:09 AM
1997 was the year we moved from Death Moans, Iowa (Des Moines, also known as Da Groin) to Lexington, Ky. We had closed down a major contract after losing an opportunity to rebid, and my job in KY was to close out that unsuccessful contract next. Our expectation was that we would be in Kentucky for one year or less. Unfortunately, we found that the problems and the customer relationship were easily repaired through attention to meeting performance requirements. Long story short, we turned it around, won a rebid, learned to like (most things about) Kentucky, especially Bourbon and the Cats, and we are still here. Who woulda thunk?? Now retired, I await my wife's retirement so we can move back to Colorado. Can't happen soon enough! I can't remember when I started with SH, but it was probably in the late 90's. SH4 has proven to be the one that still holds my interest over all other games and sims, from the Jane's series through all the Call of Duty issues. Subsim is definitely the best support site, bar none!

PhantomLord
01-30-17, 11:00 AM
1997...

after getting my driving license in December 1996 i get my hands on my first car! A nice green automatic transmission Mitsubishi Colt. :D
Finally i was able to join our regular LAN-Partys and transport all the stuff by myself.

i had my 21 birthday

i managed to install and play UltimaOnline!

i laughed my ass of while Mercedes failed the "Elch-Test" with the new A-Class

Chowhound
01-30-17, 03:41 PM
1997 - I was a new Dad with my first child, so I did not much time in those days to game. I was a skinny chowhound in those days......

Fast forward to today, and my son is now 20 and in college. I am still married to my wife of 28 years and live with her and my younger son.
Discovered Subsim and SH3 in 2006. I have enjoyed the journey through SH3 to Grey Wolves to SH4 in multiple flavors. Tinkering with SH5 mods.

Thank you Subsim for 11 years of great fun!

Navigator857
01-30-17, 04:28 PM
Well, I had just gotten hired with the Sheriff's Office. Also was big into gaming with the original Fallout game. Decided to use it to propose to my wife. I pulled up an inventory screen and taped her engagement ring to the screen. Then yelled for her to come see what I just looted. She said yes and has been addicted to video games with me ever since!

Jack :Kaleun_Cheers:

Aktungbby
01-30-17, 04:37 PM
Chowhound!:Kaleun_Salute: after a seven year silent run!

Johann Vilthomsen
01-31-17, 02:53 AM
1997 was the best of my life. I met Esther, who became my wife and mother of my daughter.

Congratulations to you, Neal!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/Vilthomsen/p0204.gif

Sapyhr
01-31-17, 07:04 AM
I was born in 1998 so at the end of 1997 i was still growing in my mothers body, but i dont think thats what you wanted to hear so here is an interresting part of my live. The Story of "How i got used to Computers". It all started when i was around 6 years old and my daddy told me the basics of a computer and that you mostly need to double click something very fast in order to run it. A little bit later, when i was around 8 years old he showed me the first game i played, it was a top down car racing game but i dont know what its name was sadly, i would love to try it again after such a long time!In this time(me being 8 years old) my mother teached me some things too, for example that putting the desktop icon of something into the trashbin doesnt actually delete the whole application/programm/installation and she showed me how to properly install and deinstall things when i was older. It was such a different time back then for me i wish i could relive that time if its possible.

thank you :subsim: and greetings out for everyone else ^^

Onkel Neal
01-31-17, 07:06 AM
I love stories like that, good job!

Only a couple more days to go.

Marcantilan
01-31-17, 09:11 AM
Back in 1997...

I was still in Law School (4th year, one more to come) and playing rugby there. Living la vida loca, without a girlfriend or stable couple (in fact I´ve been in NY with friends in New Year´s eve 1997).
On the computer side, I think I have the Pentium 233MMX, playing a lot of Harpoon´97 on Win 95.
I can´t believe all it was twenty years ago, but loss of hair is reminding me every time that it is true.

Regards!

Buddyboy100
01-31-17, 10:46 AM
I, like a few others I have seen reply, was not alive in 97. Anyway I thought I would talk about the first two game consoles I ever owned.

The first was actually a Nintendo Gameboy Color I had bought from my cousin. Sadly there wasn't any sub games at the time(or at least any I knew about) but I sunk:D many, many hours into Pokemon.

The Second was a Sony Playstation 2. I don't remember owning any sub games on the PS2 either, but I do remember a game involving jet fighters. The most memorable game as well as my favorite PS2 game of all time was Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis.

Last I wanted to mention the first sub game I remember playing. Which was Silent Hunter 5. Before SH5 I hadn't really even known there was a genre of sub games and sims out there. Also without SH5 I never would have found the Subsim forums, so thanks SH5.

P.S. Congrats on 20 years Subsim :Kaleun_Cheers:

Aktungbby
01-31-17, 10:51 AM
Sapyhr! :Kaleun_Salute:

Krieg Francis
01-31-17, 01:33 PM
1997: believe it or not, I was 4 years old and was attending kindergarden hahah

I'm so young i know :3 :Kaleun_Applaud:

APFSDS
02-01-17, 01:43 AM
WOw 1997 i was in college in Houston Texas studying hard. happy birthday :subsim:

Aktungbby
02-01-17, 01:49 AM
APFSDS!:Kaleun_Salute:

Aries
02-01-17, 03:36 AM
I'd been in the US Navy for four years already. Had just completed my second deployment to the 'Persian Gulf' as we called it back then. I was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan and was having the time of my life :). About the only gaming I did on the computer at the time was playing Doom 2 and Tie Fighter on a cruddy little notebook that I'd bought from a friend for $100...

Aries

Navelintel
02-01-17, 02:28 PM
For me, 1997 commenced inauspiciously when I suddenly found out that the supervisor I had for the past six years had been dismissed of her duties and rightly so. I always believed management was as much an art as it is a science. And in the case of my ex-supervisor, her skill set was so limited, especially when it came to dealing with people, it began to impact our ability to carrying out our agency’s mission. My next supervisor wasn’t much better which always lead me to believe in the adage that people do seem to rise to the level of their own incompetence!

I then needed something positive to focus my energy, to save my sanity while others in my office feuded, sniped and bucked one another for favorable positions elsewhere in the organization. It was absolute chaos! Part of my mental therapy was to sometimes escape after work to play my first ‘nautically’ themed simulation games, Broderbund’s ‘Wolfpack’ and ‘The Ancient Art of War at Sea’ as a diversion on my Tandy TX which ran on MS DOS, with slots for a 3.5 diskette and 5.25 floppy, 19.6 MB of available storage on the HD, and a ‘dot matrix’ printer with no internet. But I needed something much more physical and substantial. What I really needed a ‘major-league’ stress reliever. And qualifying for the Boston Marathon met all the requisites.

The year before in 1996, the Boston Marathon had just celebrated its 100th anniversary with one of the largest field of competitors ever assembled (36,748 starters;35,868 official finishers), which stood as the record in the history of the sport until 2004 (New York City: 37,257 starters; 36,544 finishers). And ever since I first learned of the Boston Marathon from my earliest days as a schoolboy running cross country and track, I always dreamed of participating in the running world’s version of ’Wimbledon’! The only catch was it is an invitational race and you need to qualify along with some of the best runners in the world (unless you have a sponsor and are running for a charity) for a spot on the starting line in Hopkinton, Massachusetts on Patriot’s Day, which is usually the third Monday in April that commemorates the ride of Paul Revere and William Dawes in 1775. The Boston Marathon was inspired by the revival of the 1896 Olympic event in Greece that was the fabled route from the plains of Marathon to Athens run by Philippides, who told of the Greeks victory over the Persians in 490 B.C. before he collapsed!

On January 12, 1997, I turned 43 and had already run eight marathons (four of which were the New York City Marathon) that included a PR of 3 hours, 6 minutes that I ran in San Diego in 1983, when I was much younger but not as wise as I had trained alone. Boston was always on my radar. This time, I came upon a training group of very talented and gifted athletes. And later that spring, we broke up into smaller training units based on our individual goals. At that time, I needed to run at least a 3 hour and 20-minute marathon to qualify for my age group and gender. So, through the rain, the heat, and humidity of the next few months, we trained and competed like a well-oiled machine, race after race in distances ranging from an 8K to a 10 miler, to a half marathon then finally our individual qualifying races, a full marathon (26 miles, 385 yards for those of you who may not be sport enthusiasts or runners). And I chose the New York City Marathon, not because it was an easy course (it's one of the toughest marathons to run to qualify for Boston due to the five bridges that separate the five boroughs and subsequent hills in Central Park) I chose it because of familiarity; I knew the course like the back of my hand. I wanted to finally conquer the beast on my own terms. Call it unfinished business.

On November 2, 1997, the morning of the race began with a light drizzle then it rained the entire day. Also, there was no ‘chip' timing back then (a 'chip' is a device tied to your shoelaces that triggers an electronic sensor at specific checkpoints along the race course, especially at the start and finish so that everyone has an accurate record of their overall time) which meant I needed to get as close to the starting line as possible before the beginning of the race so I wouldn’t lose valuable time getting stuck behind 30,000 other runners in front of me, preventing a ‘clean’ and precise start. However, I found I always had to ‘pee’ right before most of my races due to nerves so this time when I lined up, I got as close to the starting line as I could, to clearly see the mayor who would start the event. And after all the many hours of effort and miles of training, I wasn’t taking anything for granted. So, I wore a plastic garbage bag holding a large plastic cup underneath, discreetly peeing in the cup as needed then I discarded the plastic garbage bag and carefully placed the cup off to the side when I began my journey. And it worked alike a charm. I was only 20 seconds behind the starting line when the starting cannon went off!

After crossing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a span of over 2.5 miles and a height of 693 feet (the tops of the towers were not visible that day due to the low overcast and photographers usually positioned there at the start of the marathon were banned from using the perch that day), at 6.2 miles into race, deep within the borough of Brooklyn, I hit my stride as I was right on pace and it never changed for the next 20 miles!

By mile 17, later in the race, I was in Harlem heading north on 1st Avenue toward the Bronx with the rain beginning to come down ‘sideways’, when I came upon a black man who was cheering us on. He kept on chanting, ‘Let’s give it up for these dudes, cause they’re all meat, no potatoes.’ At this point, I had been nursing a blister on my left foot since my socks were thoroughly soaked which felt like it was the size of Buick! After hearing the cheer repeatedly, I laughed so damn hard I never gave the rain or my foot a second throughout the rest of the race.

As I rounded the corner, coming out of the south end of Central Park onto Central Park South, heading west with a little under a mile to go, it began to thunder as I passed a Japanese percussionist bashing away on a huge ceremonial Taiko drum. I then began to wonder when the ‘fat lady’ would sing as it seemed like more of a ‘Wagnerian Opera’ than a sporting event!

When I hit the finish line near ‘Tavern on the Green’ in Central Park, it was mission complete, I had qualified for Boston by running 3 hours, 18 minutes, 10 seconds! I believe this to this day, the strategy of using the 'plastic garbage bag' ploy was so invaluable, it probably enabled me to conserve the energy needed throughout the race that produced my successful outcome. And it was wise advice due to the fact I had been working with three experienced coaches who were all accomplished athletes themselves, who acted as my attentive mentors. However, the sweetest moment after qualifying for Boston came when I attended my 25th high school reunion later that month, the Friday after Thanksgiving, and I bumped into an old classmate who ran with me on the cross country and track team always beating me in our races (and it seemed that he hadn’t laced up a pair of running shoes since we graduated), I couldn’t help myself from letting him know I would be running the Boston Marathon in the spring!

Incidentally, when Patriots Day, April 20th, 1998 finally rolled around, I made it to Boston to compete in the 102nd Boston Marathon, finishing in 3 hours, 13 minutes, 45 seconds. I was 2,306 out of 10,289 men (the top 22 percent) and 2664 out of 20,344 overall (the top 13 percent). Personally, qualifying for the Boston Marathon was an effort never soon to be replicated but an accomplishment I will nonetheless, always treasure!

William Faulkner once wrote, 'Man, will not merely endure, he will prevail . . . he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.'

And so, in observance of both anniversaries (Subsim’s and mine), I offer the following toast to all the captains who are members of this ‘distinguished’ body: :Kaleun_Cheers:

May the wind be always at your back, and the sea gentle on your craft, with the sun ever shining upon you, wherever your voyage may take you in the next 20 years, and beyond!


Best wishes again,

Rich M.
(a.k.a., ‘Navelintel’)

NightFromTheWest12
02-01-17, 03:05 PM
Yeah I wasn't born in 1997. The only interesting thing about my life was being able to visit the Whiteman Air force base in my home state and being able to see the stealth bombers, missile silos, etc.

rangingwarr
02-01-17, 06:56 PM
I started pre-k in 97 so that was pretty fun I guess.

Aktungbby
02-01-17, 07:55 PM
I started pre-k in 97 so that was pretty fun I guess.

rangingwarr!:Kaleun_Salute:

viribus
02-02-17, 04:43 AM
1997 it's long time ago. It was last year of highschool. I was playing on PC some strange games like Emperor of the fading sun, Machiaveli the prince and good old The grandest fleet.

congratulations SUBSIM :Kaleun_Cheers:

Hinrich Schwab
02-02-17, 12:46 PM
1997 was a relatively good year for me. I was a HELL of a lot younger and and ZERO gray in either my hair or beard. I had been out of the Army for two years and was floating between jobs. I was working primarily as a night dispatcher for a towing company that ingrained within me a unique hatred for telephones that persists to this day.

I was, and still am, an avid gamer and 1997 was a hot year for gaming. It was the year I got my Playstation, along with Final Fantasy VII, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Resident Evil Director's Cut. I still have that Playstation, which still works like a champ:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:, and those games. What I really wanted was a computer, which I really could not afford. My only knowledge of any Subsims at the time was the port of Silent Service on the NES, which I only knew about because it was released under the Konami/Ultra label. I never even gave it a second thought. My interests were elsewhere at the time.

Despite being happy that I was out of the military, I was still pissed at the Clinton Administration for the downsizing and all of the UN crap related to Bosnia, which I missed being deployed on back in '94 simply because my unit was told to stand down at the last minute.

When I wasn't on the Playstation or raging over politics like sophomoric 20-somethings do, I was knee deep in Dungeons and Dragons. 1997 was a pivotal year for D&D because it was the year that TSR was bought out by Wizards of the Coast. I was NOT thrilled by the acquisition and expected the new owner to ass up the game. To be fair, 3rd Edition and 3.5 were great...then 4th came along in the succeeding years. Some of my trepidation from '97 was justified. I am still waiting for those clowns to make a GOOD next-gen D&D computer game. :k_confused:

1997 was a good year. While I had no idea this place existed at the time, having no computer and different interests, I certainly look back on it with some nostalgia...if for no reason than to wish to be a 22-year-old again.:Kaleun_Cheers: Going gray sucks.:wah:

kobiwaldi
02-02-17, 01:37 PM
Happy Birthday :subsim:

97... :hmmm:

i think i got my driving license and a at the end of the year i joined the german army for 10 years. a lot has changed since these days. i got married, have a 12 years old son now, changed my job 6 times but playing sub sims has never changed.

curently im still studying for my dreamjob and i hope this site will stay forever :salute:

Red October1984
02-03-17, 02:32 PM
Was born in 1997. :Kaleun_Wink:

So I'm as old as Subsim is. I've been a member for, oh...what...5 years-ish now?

It's been the only single forum since the beginning that I have kept coming back to. Other forums come and go but this one feels like home.

:subsim:

filboid42
02-03-17, 03:26 PM
Living in Dallas Texas working at the Dallas Sound Lab.
Worked on the Movie "Titanic" won an Oscar
Woked with "U2" and a bunch of other bands.
:Kaleun_Cheers:

Aktungbby
02-03-17, 07:07 PM
viribus!:Kaleun_Salute: @ filboid42: U2 too?!!...that shines!:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

Polak
02-04-17, 08:35 AM
Back in 97 I was still in elementary school in Sweden - not the best time period in my life. Me and another kid where the only foreign kids in our class, him being from Chile and me from Poland. Sweden looks way different today...

Onkel Neal
02-04-17, 09:31 AM
All righty! Contest is closed, I will sort and assemble the entries and post the next step here. :Kaleun_Salute:

Onkel Neal
02-04-17, 10:21 AM
Here are the names of Subsimmers who entered the contest. Check this contest roster, if you feel you are not on the list and you did post a 1997 story either here or on FB Subsim, post a reply and be sure to include the link to the 1997 story post you made.

People who made a post both in this thread and on Subsim FB are allowed.

The winner will be chosen on Monday, after the Dow Jones stock market closes. Beside each name is a three digit number, and the winner for the grand prize will be matched against the last three digits of the Dow close as listed here on WSJ.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=994&pictureid=9337

If the closing number does not have a match in the contest roster, there is no winner that day and we will roll over to the next day and do it again.

Once a winner is made, the next prize level will be done. So, Monday, grand prize (first place), if a number matches, we go to 2nd place on Tuesday, etc.

Once a winner is announced, he must reply to this thread and PM me with information to receive his prize within 5 days.

I reserve the right to make adjustments as necessary to fix any mistakes or oversights.

good luck!

Subsim 20th Contest Roster


100 --> _Seth_
101 --> 3catcircus
102 --> 44m44m
103 --> Aaron Cecil
104 --> ABBAFAN
105 --> Admiral Halsey
106 --> Admiral8Q
107 --> Ajax6
108 --> Aktungbby
109 --> Akula4745
110 --> Alex N Lissette Aguila
111 --> Allan Jenkins
112 --> AllenZ1Sgt
113 --> aLowSimmer
114 --> Alstack
115 --> Anarchy
116 --> Andrakis
117 --> Andrei Agafonov
118 --> andurilmat
119 --> Angry Viking
120 --> AnimeHair
121 --> Anthony Wood
122 --> Anvar1061
123 --> APFSDS
124 --> Aries
125 --> audiopathik
126 --> AVGWarhawk
127 --> Barrie Parker
128 --> bart
129 --> blkdimnd
130 --> bracer
131 --> Bret Culpepper
132 --> Brian M. Schnell
133 --> bsachems
134 --> bstanko6
135 --> Buddyboy100
136 --> calvindmah
137 --> CapnScurvy
138 --> CaptBones
139 --> Carlos Jimenez
140 --> Castout
141 --> catbloc
142 --> Catfish
143 --> cdrsubron7
144 --> Chad McRae
145 --> Charles Aviles
146 --> Charles DeBault
147 --> charlesb6462
148 --> Chisum
149 --> Chowhound
150 --> Chris Hale
151 --> Chris Maillet
152 --> Chromatix
153 --> Chuck Thornton
154 --> Claudius Stute
155 --> codefool
156 --> Colonel Klink
157 --> Commander Wallace
158 --> connor3213
159 --> corporalspiffy
160 --> cyberangel
161 --> Cy-Fox
162 --> daft
163 --> Dan Dimitrescu
164 --> Daniel Santos
165 --> DaveMM2SS
166 --> David Stevens
167 --> De Ruyter
168 --> DemairPlane Pilot
169 --> digital_pariah
170 --> dodie23
171 --> Doggie
172 --> Dominatus
173 --> donath
174 --> donde
175 --> Dowly
176 --> dy88jr
177 --> Edward Reilly
178 --> Einhanded
179 --> Eric Baumann
180 --> ericlea
181 --> escalaris
182 --> Evans1492
183 --> Factor
184 --> Farinhir
185 --> Fernando De Cicco
186 --> FightingSteel1
187 --> filboid42
188 --> fireftr18
189 --> fitzcarraldo
190 --> Frank Mucci
191 --> Frank Taylor
192 --> frankiekam
193 --> Fubar2Niner
194 --> fumo30
195 --> G97_BoKeRoN
196 --> Gargamel
197 --> gmccabe01
198 --> granger44
199 --> GT182
200 --> Guineo
201 --> Gunthar
202 --> gutted
203 --> HamrHedZ
204 --> harag
205 --> Herman
206 --> Hinrich Schwab
207 --> Hitman
208 --> HW3
209 --> IceMike
210 --> Icewarp
211 --> J0313
212 --> Jack Frost
213 --> Jake Adryanski
214 --> Jason Jara
215 --> Jean Led
216 --> JesterV2
217 --> jimbob
218 --> Jimbuna
219 --> Joe Apostolidis
220 --> Johann Vilthomsen
221 --> John Sealey
222 --> Jon Readman
223 --> Jonathan Beck Jørgensen
224 --> Jonesy
225 --> Josh Valentine
226 --> julimrs
227 --> jwilliams
228 --> Kaye T. Bai
229 --> keltos01
230 --> Ken Henke
231 --> Kixa
232 --> kobiwaldi
233 --> Kota Fox
234 --> Krieg Francis
235 --> Kristensen
236 --> Lane
237 --> Larrywb57
238 --> Leandros
239 --> Les Robertson
240 --> Lewis Wingerter
241 --> Lialah Rose Barrer
242 --> liljoentx
243 --> limkol
244 --> LordCucumber
245 --> Lt commander lare
246 --> Lt. Staumeier
247 --> mapuc
248 --> Marcantilan
249 --> Marcel Lougheed
250 --> mark bonamer
251 --> Mark Renier
252 --> MatijaGeic
253 --> Matt Keyes
254 --> Matt Michaelson
255 --> Matthew Wagner
256 --> Miguel Gordo
257 --> Mike Abberton
258 --> Mischa
259 --> mjhjr
260 --> mookiemookie
261 --> Moz of Oz
262 --> Navelintel
263 --> Navigator857
264 --> NightFromTheWest12
265 --> nikimcbee
266 --> Nippelspanner
267 --> nosferato
268 --> Nufsed
269 --> Nuppie
270 --> Oberon
271 --> OddBallCHMC
272 --> Owen Myers
273 --> Patrick Girard
274 --> Paul-Patrick Schröder
275 --> PhantomLord
276 --> Polak
277 --> Pompiliu-Ion Popescu
278 --> propbeanie
279 --> rangingwarr
280 --> Raptor1
281 --> raymond6751
282 --> rdop
283 --> Red Devil
284 --> Red October1984
285 --> redbranchwarrior
286 --> regicide76
287 --> rHagen12
288 --> Rhodes
289 --> Richard Phillips
290 --> rickidoo
291 --> riddler1506
292 --> Rippersport
293 --> Rockin Robbins
294 --> rtp89
295 --> Ryan Lare
296 --> ryoga_77
297 --> Sailor Steve
298 --> Sapyhr
299 --> Sashbro2
300 --> Savvas Mavridis
301 --> Schöneboom
302 --> Schroeder
303 --> Scott Gregory
304 --> Sidekikd34
305 --> Silverleaf
306 --> Simon Mountford
307 --> skin-nl
308 --> Skipbo
309 --> Skreezilla
310 --> Skybird
311 --> Slammer597
312 --> slyjac
313 --> SmithN23
314 --> Specbass
315 --> STEED
316 --> Steven Sheldon
317 --> SubSimTrooper
318 --> supcapn
319 --> Tac-Addict
320 --> Te Kaha
321 --> THEBERBSTER
322 --> Theodor Christensen
323 --> thewison
324 --> Tobar
325 --> Tony McDonald
326 --> Tony Smith
327 --> torpedobait
328 --> traner2
329 --> Tuilalcaron
330 --> Tycho
331 --> u crank
332 --> U-5
333 --> Underbank
334 --> USS Lionfish
335 --> Vannevar
336 --> v-i-c-
337 --> viper1
338 --> viribus
339 --> VONHARRIS
340 --> Westbroek
341 --> White Elf
342 --> winslynn
343 --> Wolfpack345
344 --> xatharas
345 --> Xurf
346 --> zorilya

Wespestachels
02-05-17, 12:50 PM
Congratulation to 20th anniversay SubSim! :)
1997 - I was a child on the school... but I dont forget, that the Tamagotchi was a world phenomenon :) :) in this year! :) :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamagotchi

My PC was weak... just a Prince of Persia I played... no internet, no SubSim...

Congratulation! :Kaleun_Salute:Congratulation! :Kaleun_Salute:Congratulation! :Kaleun_Salute:

Philipp_Thomsen
02-06-17, 11:33 AM
1997 huh...

I was 14, my parents had just told me over xmas that they were
getting divorced and that I needed to choose which one I wanted
to move in with, in different cities.

Had my very first crush... girl was perfect, and we hit it off so well.
But I was too shy to say anything, and she started dating another guy.

Was sent away to another city, another school, lost all my friends.
The one close friend I had moved away across the country.

My whole family, which always met every Sunday for a barbacue
over my place and slept over at my place (we had a countryside house
with soccer field, horses, lots of space) for xmas/newyears/holidays
never again met and was completely shattered into different directions
thanks to my parents divorce and both moving away.

Never again had Sunday barbacues and started hating xmas/new years.

But other than that, 1997 was a beautiful year! :haha:

And most people still ask me why I don't believe in marriage.
I did however find my soulmate. They really exist.
When she's not around I just can't function properly.
She's just an extension of myself, a missing piece that I found.
Been together 3 years now, still do everything together (including gaming)
and we laugh 24/7. It's beautiful.

Years later, I found Subsim. That was when I discovered i688 hunter/killer.
Then, Silent Hunter 2. And later SH3, which was the summit of anything
I have ever experienced before and ever came to experience after.
It's still my favorite.

For years I've worked day and night on making mods to share with these
awesome guys that compose what Subsim is for me, a second home.
I still carry in my heart as one of the best periods of my life.
I was here on Subsim day and night, I'd breathe Subsim and SH3 18h a day.

Real life came about and took me away... its unavoidable.
Seems like everything in life is only temporary, and even when you
think you've found a home, it won't last. It's normally for the best anyways.

Thanks to real life and the lack of time, I was forced away from modding,
which in turn forced me away from SH3 and Subsim. I still did check from
time to time to see what was going on, always with that " itch" of coming back.

And every time I planned a comeback, life would take me away again.
Maybe when I get retired? XD

But it was thanks to Subsim that I've learned about modding.
And thanks to modding, I discovered my love for game development.
And thanks to that, I eventually got a job at SmileGate as a videogame producer
in charge of CrossFire, which was for many years the most played game
in the world (still is top 3). Yes the game is crap but the job itself was
awesome. It required creativity, which I have an abundance of.

I moved to Canada when I took that job, and I lived in Canada completely
alone for 5 years, away from family and friends. Got in trouble with the
law and even been to jail for something I haven't done. After 2 years of
court battles managed to prove my innocence and get rid of the fear of being
deported, which kept me awake for months on end.

All-in-all, I don't regret any of it. It was all an awesome life experience,
something I wouldn't ever had experienced if it wasn't for SUBSIM!

Thank you, Subsim, for the huge impact you had in my life!

(But screw 1997)

Onkel Neal
02-06-17, 08:14 PM
And the first prize winner is...

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=994&pictureid=9340

242 --> liljoentx :Kaleun_Applaud:

Congratulations! Post a response here and send me a PM with your choice, Xbox1 or PS4 and an address where I can ship it. You have 5 days!

Woot! On to second prize tomorrow! :Kaleun_Salute:

Castout
02-06-17, 09:45 PM
Congrats LOL! Peculiar way to draw a winner LOL

Jimbuna
02-07-17, 05:57 AM
A Texan? Low shipping costs? :hmmm:

Just joking Neal :03:

Congratulations liljoentx :sunny:

Franck Heler
02-07-17, 08:11 AM
Hi Subsim and happy birthday
1997...Guau..jeje, I need all my nerve cell here yet. escuse my bad english please. 1997 .. remember , I got out of a depression, I don´t how and I don´t when exactly but in 1997.In that time my job works well (My job is called with different name in other countries, is Cinematographic electrician ) in 1997 i was many job, after 1999 begun the disaster here in Spain. In 1997 I was playing Phantasmagoria, Gabriel Knight, and others Graphics adventures. My first war game were Comandos (Comands: Behind the enemy lines ) . One day I got Silent Hunter 3, I was like the Stock game and looking for another versions I discover Subsim. Maybe I make a few post, The last 7 years I had 5 Pc all olds . Now I have a portable pc with windows Xp . This portable drunk a Coke two years ago,he was repared .And I´M living in a mountain village,so that internet crash many times. I hope participate more times, cause I learned many things about U boats and wwII with you though I don´t have many time for this.
Anyway Congratulations to Subsim:ahoy:

Onkel Neal
02-07-17, 01:36 PM
Congrats LOL! Peculiar way to draw a winner LOL
I've done it this way many times, it's transparent and reliable.

Schroeder
02-07-17, 03:50 PM
Congrats LOL! Peculiar way to draw a winner LOL
Wow, you've returned after almost 5 years?:o

Welcome back.:salute::)

Onkel Neal
02-07-17, 09:23 PM
Tuesday's drawing for second prize:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=994&pictureid=9341

029 ---- no winner, redraw for second prize tomorrow.

Navigator857
02-07-17, 09:58 PM
Tuesday's drawing for second prize:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=994&pictureid=9341

029 ---- no winner, redraw for second prize tomorrow.

Damn, I did all I could do to manipulate the market!!! ; 0

Castout
02-08-17, 01:32 AM
I've done it this way many times, it's transparent and reliable.

I know you chose it because it's transparent hehe.

Wow, you've returned after almost 5 years?:o

Welcome back.:salute::)

Hey Schroeder, nice to see everyone seems to still be alive LOL.

Catfish
02-08-17, 07:39 AM
Congratulations liljoentx! :)

= Little Joe in Texas?

Onkel Neal
02-08-17, 07:34 PM
And the winner is...

434, no one! Have to wait and see what tomorrow brings :k_confused:

MR. Wood
02-08-17, 08:41 PM
The Sun will come out Tomorrow Tomorrow I'm winning Tomorrow bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow I will win :Kaleun_Party: :gulp:

Navigator857
02-08-17, 09:07 PM
Done checking here ; P :Kaleun_Cheers: Born a looser, always a looser!

Rockin Robbins
02-09-17, 09:05 AM
What a great way to pick a winner! It's actually fun in itself.

Onkel Neal
02-09-17, 12:32 PM
Still waiting for Joe to claim his xbox, even sent him an email

Aktungbby
02-09-17, 01:11 PM
What a great way to pick a winner! It's actually fun in itself. I check my WSJ for it every day! Born a looser, always a looser! likewise: low #108; with the market as it is my chances R lookin' slim....

Still waiting for Joe to claim his xbox, even sent him an email
That make two then; I sent a cordial wakeup call yesterday.

fitzcarraldo
02-09-17, 06:51 PM
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/8272/YsnKcc.jpg

Onkel Neal
02-09-17, 09:05 PM
No need! We have a winner for the second prize!! :Kaleun_Cheers:

240 --> Lewis Wingerter

Mr. Wingerter, you will want to post here within 5 days and PM me with your mailing details.

Lewis Wingerter
02-10-17, 05:43 AM
Fantastic Neal I cant belive that I won SubSim Rocks:Kaleun_Cheers:

Onkel Neal
02-10-17, 07:09 AM
Awesome! :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

Onkel Neal
02-10-17, 08:05 PM
The drawing for third prize... not today :(

937

Look for it Monday

JOE(USA)
02-11-17, 11:18 AM
97 was a big year for me! I retired from Conn. DOT with 37 years of credited service as a Highway engineer and I was 54 years old! I never had any love lost for the work, I never was "into" work. Always loved Submarines but never served in one. Joe :subsim:

liljoentx
02-11-17, 11:47 AM
I need to correct Neal...I requested the PS4, as 7 out of our 10 Grandkids have them and it would allow us to interact through gaming with them!

Really is a terrific way to start off this New Year! :yeah:

Thank you, Neal, again and Congrats for 20 successful (and I'm sure fun) years with SubSim! :subsim:

Lil'Joe :shucks:

liljoentx
02-11-17, 11:49 AM
Thank you, Catfish!

Congratulations liljoentx! :)

= Little Joe in Texas?

liljoentx
02-11-17, 11:58 AM
Is there a scale that defines the "User Qualification Levels?"

ie: 1 - 5 is a Bilge Rat
6 thru ? is a Nub
etc.
etc.

And where might that be found?
I recognize the fact that it relates to posts generated, but is there no other criteria or qualifications which would equate to a certain number of posts...like over 50 years working with actual simulators, such as the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module), the Shuttle, the X-38 or various military aircraft and hovercraft?
Plus the fact, that I'm a 1st cousin to FADM Chester W. Nimitz!

Lil'Joe in Conroe :shucks:



The drawing for third prize... not today :(

937

Look for it Monday

Gargamel
02-11-17, 05:30 PM
It's related to post count, but donors to the site can get custom Avatars and titles. And seeing as he's sending you a PS4, a few bucks in return wouldn't hurt :O:.

Grats.

I'd definitely like to hear some of those stories.

Onkel Neal
02-11-17, 07:02 PM
I need to correct Neal...I requested the PS4, as 7 out of our 10 Grandkids have them and it would allow us to interact through gaming with them!

Really is a terrific way to start off this New Year! :yeah:

Thank you, Neal, again and Congrats for 20 successful (and I'm sure fun) years with SubSim! :subsim:

Lil'Joe :shucks:

You bet, thank you, and the Playstation 4 is on the way! Should be there Weds

John Channing
02-12-17, 09:54 AM
Congrats Neal! Proud to have been a small part of it.

JCC

Aktungbby
02-12-17, 11:05 AM
John Channing! :Kaleun_Salute: A member since '98 and on two year silent run!

McBeck
02-13-17, 05:59 AM
Sir Channing! Long time no see!:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

jayv2251
02-13-17, 08:17 AM
It's hard to remember what was going that far back I've been through so much. I was working for a bank at the time doing check encoding. During my off time I was playing Silent Hunter 1, with all of it's errors. Harpoon, Doom, or what ever I could get to work with Windows 95. Christmas of '97 I proposed to my girlfriend at the time and she said yes. It took use several years, before we did get married and we'll be celebrating our anniversary this August for 6 years now.

My wife is just as much a gamer as I am. We played countless hours of Risk, and when we were done with that we'd get on my computer and play Doom, and our favorite game at the time had to be Sim Theme Park.

Dominatus
02-13-17, 09:32 AM
Thanks for doing this Neal, what a lot of fun. I especially like the "interesting" winner selection method. Although, in the spirit of things, perhaps you should have run those dow numbers through a few Enigma cycles too, just to make sure no Allieds get their hands on the prizes...
:Kaleun_Cheers: