| QUOTE |
Bury me at Boot Hill
By Charles Purcell
August 28, 2004
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I'm dead. A huge man in a spacesuit has just shot me with a plasma rifle. My corpse is lying on a futuristic battleground as gleeful youngsters run around trying to shoot each other with high-tech weapons.
It's a sight Tom Wright sees every day. Three months ago he founded Australia's only Xbox lounge in Castle Hill, which has become a mecca for X-filers wanting to outshoot and outrace each other. He's watching over my shoulder as I compete against kids half my age in a multiplayer game of Halo.
Everyone is having a great time as they blast away at their buddies, downing Red Bulls, Vs and Cokes to keep their reflexes sharp. It's this infectious love of Xbox games that compelled Wright to start Boxxed In.
"I used to work at Electronics Boutique," the 22-year-old says. "I had three Xboxes at home and used to have friends over all the time for big LAN parties. From there I put the idea [for Boxxed In] to my dad, who said 'Yeah, why not start charging for it?' because everyone was having such a good time."
The tastefully decorated lounge features 20 Xbox machines with seating for 32 players. One section - the one I'm sitting in at the moment - is a dedicated Halo area with four 100cm flat-screen TVs. The lounge features other popular Xbox games such as V8 Supercars 2, Rallisport Challenge 2, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and golf and tennis for the less testosterone-driven.
Another section is sealed off with curtains to allow the shadowy world of Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow to come fully to life. Two machines are connected to Xbox Live, which lets players talk to and compete with players around the world. Playing costs $5 an hour or $12.50 for three hours.
"Halo is still the most popular game," Wright says. "Counter-Strike is a favourite; the Xbox game is pretty faithful to the PC version. V8 Supercars is also very popular. So is Links golf."
I wouldn't have picked that as being popular.
"It's easy to just pick it up and play," he says. "Pandora Tomorrow is excellent. The multiplayer, there's nothing like it. It's probably my equal favourite with Halo."
The lounge has attracted a dedicated, if somewhat eclectic, clientele.
"We've had five-year-olds come in and love it, businessmen, kids and their fathers," Wright says. "One of the guys is a taxi driver, he's an insomniac, he stays here for 15 hours straight. They call him the ghoul - he just comes in every Saturday and Sunday, throws $50 down and says 'I'll see you later'."
But that's in the past. Now it's time to test my mettle against these young whippersnappers. I get my butt kicked at Halo, coming dead last in a field of four. For a while Counter-Strike also proves to be humiliating as kids pick me off with sniper rifles with ease.
On my last game the cyber worm turns. I fuel up on a can of Coke and a red snake, put on my metaphorical balaclava and go rampaging with an AK-47. My opponents might be highly trained counter-terrorist agents, but they fall before my fury. The joy of victory bubbles up inside me.
I'm enjoying this too much - it's time to go.
Boxxed In, Unit 1/1A Old Castle Hill Road, Castle Hill, 9659 0031. Opening hours Monday-Thursday, 2pm-late, Friday, noon-late, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-late. |
Sydney Morning Herald, AustraliaIf any of you guys are tired of playing online, Boxxdin is a great place to hang out with friends after a movie or for people who are just plain bored.
Ive been there twice and from my experiences i reccomend bringing a few mates along rather than just 1-2 friends. The atmosphere with 10-16 players playing at once is just awesome.
It also doesnt just stop at HALO, after a few hours playing halo we tried other games like v8 supercars 2 which was great multiplayer fun, i know for sure ill be back to settle the score now that i know how to play the damn game now.
The owner is a great guy and his dad who helps out is a nice guy aswell.
Boxxdin is based in the hills district for all you New South Wales based members, Its the only Xbox Lan in Australia and puts a few PC net cafes to shame with its big screen tvs (one thing you wont be dissapointed about).
In conclusion its a nice place to hang out, if your in the area and need somthing to do.
Its bit tricky to find without a map (i know the area well and took me and my friends a whole morning to find without a street map.)
www.boxxdin.com - im guessing its under construction
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Topic: Australians (Read 2482 times)