| It's time..the much talked about retirement.. | |
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Dante Valmont - Retired  |
It took me a while to write this, because i kept on trying for someway to make the truth fade but i can't deny it. If you knew me, if you sort of new me, if you heard my name or never heard of me, read this and hopefully you will learn from my mistakes. How do you define what is real and what isn’t real? Where do you draw the line? When you first look at this question, it seems so easy to answer. Then when you try to sit and answer it, the question suddenly beings to change. Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast and Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy; both just games? Of course when I first played I knew one and just played around as if it were a basketball game for playstation. As I became a little better, and grasped more concepts, more of my personality slowly forged itself into the game. I met more people, made friends and numerous enemies. I was determined, determined to be the best and known as such throughout the entire community. I wanted this goal so bad I made sacrifices in character, hours wasted as well sitting there, striving to be better. As my talent grew, so did my ego and my want for power. I joined my first clan, CW, hoping to make it to the top of the server. I needed something to define myself be, so I became THE lamer hunter and tried to get attention for it. Eventually I was ridiculed by my clan for it and thus ended the lamer hunter days of Dante Valmont. In between that time, I worked on dueling, using a red single swing and winning most of my matches, claming to be the best, to be unbeatable. Then I met a woman who changed my life. Her name was Pink. She had been away when I joined the clan, and several weeks after that. In the beginning, we dueled and went 2-2 duel wise. Then, I hit a roadblock. I couldn’t beat her. I obsessed about it, made excuses until they ran out, and went crazy. It was the worst feeling in the world losing to her 20s some times in a row, a huge blow to my ego and pride, my first real feeling of pain from the Jedi outcast GAME. I wish I could have that time and pain back now. I went into a huge slump, losing left and right, depressed I had been humiliated and my skill wasted. I met a man called Ifritdave in my clan and he began to teach me the basics of the yellow style. I limited myself to it for a week, originally intending to use it as an excuse when I lost. However, time passed and I found myself progressing, becoming much better and extended my training indefinitely. I moved up the ranks in CW fairly quickly, doing anything to gain power and prestige. I manipulated people, finding out my ability to make things happen the way I wanted them. I learned I could make someone win or lose a duel with a few words spoken before. That’s when I learned the first of the three virtues of the game, mindset or the mind. My ego had blown out of proportion at this point, so many people getting sick of me. The clan split three ways and I got all 3 sides angry with me. I met the blue stars and became a blue star hunter, hoping to get one for myself to show everyone I was good. But the more I beat them and bragged, the more I realized my chances of joining them slipped away. I had become near unbeatable to the people in the server, except for one. A man named Markism, who would still prove a great challenge when I reached my near peak in jk2, destroyed me every time. After losing at least70 duels to him in the span of my time there, I finally beat him. Never did I brag so much in my life but it was the first time victory of a gal tasted sour. An event and pattern that would reoccur many times for me. He congratulated me on my improvement and skill, yet I let my pride get in the way and shoved it down his face. I didn’t understand this lingering emotion, nor did I try to. A few more weeks passed and in order for our clan to stick together, we split into three teams so we could fight each other. Three captains were chosen: Markism, Pink and Fancy Pants. One day, in the server, I met a person with a weird name, fought and lost. I figured it was a fluke, fought twice more, won once and then lost once. The person gave me advice, saying I needed to be more patient. I ridiculed them for giving me advice but I decided to try it out secretly. Next duel I crushed them. We fought more and as I used the advice, I won quicker and quicker. The person told me I learnt faster than anyone they had ever met and offered me more advice. They told me my only weakness is my ego and it would be the only reason I’d lose when my skill became greater. I knew this person was in disguise, so I begged them for their name. I was shocked when the named switched to Pink. The last thing she said was I’ll be watching you and then she left. I couldn’t believe it, the women who had made me feel my first real pain, had taught me the second virtue of the game, patience. Over the next week, she popped in as different names, teaching me lessons I still uphold today. I was her padawan. Over that time, my entire attitude changed and I fought against my ego, which would prove to be a long, never ending struggle. When the time to pick the 2 teams, I was pink’s second pick, unheard of since their were many more higher ranked than myself. When I asked her why she was training me, she told me she saw that I had the potential to be the best in the game ever or the absolute worst in the game ever, a real light or dark side type of deal. She wanted to see me prosper, so she chose me. Eventually, I grew into a near unstoppable force, rarely getting beaten. One of the most proud days of my time there was when pink, my master, declared I had surpassed her. It was a great honor, a very great honor to surpass her. CW was diminishing; a man I hated took to power and caused the near downfall of the clan. That is when pink and I left, never to see each other ever again. I roamed servers for a week, destroying and getting a bit of my ego back. I went to a server called Jedi lounge 24/7. There, I bragged going 20-1 and then caught myself. I let my old ego creep up on me and totally lost it. After correcting myself, I met a man named Futygre and dueled him alone on the pad of the matrix map. He lost almost everytime; over thirty duels yet kept going at it and even beat me a few times. He offered me clanship but I refused at the time. Little did I know his sister was watching us at his request, later to become the love of my life and an influence in every decision I made from there on. I could go on forever about Renee and I, but I won’t. Just know my ego was practically no more the first time I met her. While considering to join Jedi, I met DLG- Sovereign and DLG-Blah, whom after dueling me, invited me into their “elite” clan. Most of the guys in the clan (which was about 12 due to how hard it was to get in) were cocky and unhonorable. They were just like I used to be, and It killed me to watch them knowing I was like that before. Then they spoke of a place where one of our members, Inuyasha, trained. Sov told me they hated us and banned our clan because they didn’t like to lose. Later I learned it was because of DLG’s attitude. As fate would have it, I took it upon myself to defeat this entire JA, this Jedi academy, and I went into one of Luke’s classes with Inuy one day. We talked about a lot of things, Luke and I, and then dueled. He would be the best dueler I would ever face, become as close as anyone could to becoming a brother and showed me this place for what it truly was. I also learned the third and final key to the game; everything is timing. DLG finally disbanded and I joined Jedi, which I would follow through the end of jk2 and the beginning of jk3. When I say the end of jk2, I mean myself putting the memories and skill I had behind me to start anew. I remember everyone’s’ hype for jk3, yet I grew more depressed. When the leaked version came out, I played and hated it the first time. So I deleted it and waited till release. Alas, the final tournament of jk2 had come and Luke was in the opposite side of the bracket, so naturally it was assumed Luke and I would fight..Maybe. However, I had the toughest road to the finals that tournament. That was, the last time I would ever give my full-fledged effort to jk2 or jk3. I beat Saitou, then IDS Lupin, then Jedi Dreamless. I was expecting to face Luke but he somehow lost to Motoko, whom I beat in the finals. I went undefeated the whole tournament and after each match, I had my guy cross my arms and stare off the Bespin pad. AT that time, I was thinking of everything I had accomplished and how far I had come. If I hadn’t felt crushed before, this was the time that killed me. And with their day, so ended my jk2 career. Jk3 was finally out and of course I bought it. My god was I horrible and I enjoyed losing, but hated the game. To go from a place with such honor, such passion and understand to what I see now, I was mentally unprepared for it. No one cared about honor; everyone immediately dropped the single saber and went to the new. Everyone changed who they were to me, and I felt alone, fighting a war by myself. The war I am referring to is the revival of jk2 mentality in jk3. That first week I talked to Luke, and we made a pact because he felt as I did. We would bring the jk2 mentality and honor back and revive what was now lost. It was agreed he would work with the academy in getting people back on track and I would travel from server to server, spreading the truth of honor and invoking emotion in others, showing them what this game really is. I traveled and with each new server I visited, I found myself losing hope and my sanity. Never did I like jk3 nor will I ever. I have never had fun playing it, yet I still do. It is hard to explain why I play it, but we’ll get to that soon. There was a decision in clan Jedi I couldn’t bear so I took my leave and continued to preach from server to server. In that short amount of time, I surpassed what I was in jk3 and had become practically unbeatable in all honest. To keep myself from losing sanity as I kept my promise, I started not trying and learned how to partition my skill. God it sounds so ridiculously cocky..But it isn’t to me because it’s the truth. It’s a way for me to bear the unbearable. If I never wanted to lose, I could honestly not lose. Although I still think Luke would be able to beat me, but that would be about it. I met many people in the JA at this time, teaching them and passing on my teachings. I refused to take a padawan again however, due to my failures with my first two. The first one was back in jk2 when I was in CW, his name was Twinkie. I taught him skill, no discipline or morals and in short, he turned out like what I used to be…and never made any progress. My last padawan, Dacascos, I taught him skill but with the code of honor and discipline I follow. He followed what I told him, learned phenomenally well and was a model padawan, just what I wanted. I was going to pass down the Kami-Owari style as well as some hidden techniques..But I failed him to. To this day, I question myself if there was anyway I could have avoided what happened..And I always will regret it. So now we are up to present day, my pending..Well..Certain retirement at the end of this letter. I have chosen Jaiko D’kana as my successor to the Kami-Owari style. He knows what it truly means, it is now his style to work with and teach, he is the only other who knows the true meaning of what it is. I will, however, tell one other person and that is Renee, if she ever asks. Jaiko reminds me of what I wanted to be, and there isn’t anyone I’d rather give the style to than him. His potential is amazing; he will soon be the best you have ever faced. But I will make sure he doesn’t become what I was. Don’t let being the best consume you. I play this game because I am bond to it; it’s not even a game for me anymore, its sad. It’s routine to me, a part of my life..It’s integrated into me. I will honestly say, never once have I had fun playing jk3. I have given it my all and now, it is my time. I am laying down my saber, never to pick it up again for competitive duel. I will still hang around the servers when I get a chance occasionally, but no more dueling for me at all. A week or two ago, I told Luke and virtue I wanted my legacy to be remembered for eternity. It was not until I began writing this, that I realized my ego would still remain and still battle me, no matter how honorable or how hard I fight it. I find myself realizing whether those I’ve met remember who I am or not, they will never forget the lessons that I taught them, the help I have given them, the laughter I’ve shared with the. It is impossible to leave this community once you are in, nor would I have any desire to. I am retiring from what made me who I am before you today, a man of confusion, a man of passion, a man of foolish and unfoolish pride. I dedicate my remaining time to strictly teaching when I can, and hoping that someday, what once was the place I took for granted, the attitude I took for granted, become alive once more. I want to thank all of you who have ever met me or talked to me or dueled me, you have all made an impact on my life. A game, just a game….No…much more than a game. A reality beyond reality, a place of limitless possibility depending on your mind. A great scholar once wrote, “I think, therefore I am.” Nothing is truer than that statement. Think wisely, very wisely, because a mind is your most powerful weapon. I apologize for the teacher’s tone I have, it is something I will not be able to get rid of. I ask you all, remember why you are here and what kind of person you want to be here, and then do it. The best advice I can give anyone here for a problem, whether in game, dueling or in your real live. Two words, five letters. Fix it. With passion, with pride, with honor. ~Dante Valmont ~Eric “Passion Rules Reason” _______________ "A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary" |
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| Comments |
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Dante Valmont - Retired 
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I will not fight what you have said l-rod because i agree with you in most of your post..i was actually waiting for someone to point that out. It is hella, hella egotistical of me to say that. As for the trying the hardest part, i can honestly say that i haven't. There isn't really a way i can convince you nor am i going to try, i'm just telling you what i know..its your choice to believe it or not. As for the part of the revival, i completely agree l-rod. They are two different games, and yet, even know what you said is true, i refuse to accept the truth due to my passion for it. Many times when i would lose indeed, you were a great challenge l-rod, and obviously i was to you, otherwise you wouldn't have analyzed my post, since i rarely see you post. As for the insult to the time to duel me comment, i disagree. I enjoyed teaching and i looked at myself as a training bot. I was challenge enough for anyone fighting me at a certain skill, so they still get better correct? Many got noticeably better and i had to step it up a notch. Your thinking in terms of me dueling to win or lose, which i didn't. As for the never wanting to lose comment, that is the cockiest statement i have ever said in my life...yet i believe it to be true. A battle than can last well over 30 minutes just to win, is a ridiculous and boring battle. Those battles can be created and unless you really try to stay alive, you will go on the offensive sometime. By never losing, total defense, total patience, total skill and no stupid moves. Solid yellow , simple swings, too fast. I actually knew in my mind you would post l-rod, due to the nature of some of the things i said. You don't know me as well as many others do, so you truely don't know what i am about and thus have taken what i said, as it appears to be. I apologize for the confusion my comments have caused..and i appreciate your opinions. I am not writing to persuade you from your views, i expect you to keep them. I am only telling you what i believe, what i meant when i said something and what i really mean. "The game isn't about the need to defeat others" You said. I learned that a little bit too late, and thus, have atoned for it ever since...to the post you read. My retirement post was without regret and from the heart. I wrote it by hand and typed it word for word. IT took me a month to write it, for the truth and honesty i wish everyone has. I thank you for your comments again l-rod, thank you. _______________ "A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary" |
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Hardwired - Retired 
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Hmmm...Im inclined to agree.... _______________ ::Nothing wrong with a little shooting.....as long as the right people get shot:: |
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 - Student |
Unfortunately, the previous post made by Rod does have some truth. |
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Lightning Rod - Retired 
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Hmm... I respect your reasons for retiring...somewhat.. but i found a few things that were a bit disturbing in your post. "The war I am reffering to is the revival of jk2 mentality in jk3" Many have yet to accept the fact that the 2 are simply not the same. Those who beleive otherwise, just cannot let go of the past. Jk2 will be jk2. Jka, will be jka. The 2 shouldnt be compared or mixed together. There was no need to revive any jk2 mentality in jka, it just called for an entirely new one. "I was in jk3 and had become practically unbeatable in all honest" This here seems to bug me quite a bit, and those who dueled you. By saying this, you state that you never met a match. Yes, you were a good dueler, but far from the best. I also remember many times when you would lose. No one is unbeatable , not even "practically" unbeatable. "To keep myself from losing sanity as i kept promise, i started not trying and and learned how to partition my skill." Again, an insult to those who took the time to duel you. One shouldnt have to hold back what they have in a duel. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If you dont give it your best, why bother trying at all? "If i never wanted to lose, i could honestly not lose" This is what disturbs me the most...this is riddled with egotistical thought... Many know you to be such a way...i only appeared for a brief time period to duel you, and i saw much of this. You're an ok guy when you're not thinking that way; But when you are, it makes the rest not want to duel you. You know very well, you have tried your best at times, and simply werent able to beat certain people. Saying that you have the power to just magically beat someone if you so chose is just a bit ridiculous... The game isnt about the need to defeat others. I myself have reached points where i may have touched upon egotistical thought, but others would be quick to identify this. Once i realized it, i would refrain from such thought. But i simply cannot stand it when the truth being told is not the truth at all, something the ja has a history of. Your memory will live on, as you wanted it to. But you should have went about making your retirement post seem a lil less egotistical...its not needed at all, and has no place in such a post I wish you good luck with what you do in the future. _______________ Whatcha gonna do when the Rodster runs wild on you!? Roddymania is still runnin wild! |
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Lancer007 - Student 
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Cya dante.Well I hope you come out of retirement someday. |
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Jaiko D'Kana - Student 
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DarthRane i dont think you understand, Dante isnt quitting, he is retireing. He simply means he beleive he has served his time and he feels it is now time to let the younger generations come and take the reighns. Dante Valmont was a good man and would never 'Quit' anything. He saw a problem and fixed it Thats what he does. Take care Dante. Hope to see you soon. -JaikoD'Kana- _______________ The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind. William James (1842 - 1910) |
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DarthRane(JAS) - Ex-Student 
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You should never quit no matter how gay it gets.......i think _______________ Why Don't You tell me who i am [Jedi Academy Student] [Member of the Old Jedi Order] [Married to the lovely Nae-Qwin-U] |
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Zoro Kakashi - Ex-Student 
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 retirement _______________ "When did Noah built the Arc, before the rain, before the rain." |
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DarthRane(JAS) - Ex-Student
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I have felt the same once or twice about not being fun then i realize that i am too competitive and in love with Star Wars no give up such a great game _______________ Why Don't You tell me who i am [Jedi Academy Student] [Member of the Old Jedi Order] [Married to the lovely Nae-Qwin-U] |
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Odan-Wei Belouve - Student 
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Hey Dante, I think I never read such a long post before  Well, reading it make me understand why you retire. It completes the conversations we had about that. As you may know I retired from the game mostly because I couldn't find anymore fun in it. I've discovered JK2 at the time JK3 went out... And as you say, there is no fun for me either in JK3. Now, I wish you'll keep in touch as I realize the truth of your words, I remember duelling you over and over and over, getting nailed each time and you giving me the bast advice: to focus on my own mind and keep it at peace... That was on the NL server I think. We had some good laughs, I even got you this night probably because you were scratching your butt while playing Please don't be a stranger, give us some news and drop me a line sometimes on MSN. Friendly, Your brother  Odan-Wei _______________ Padawan and brother to SmilyKrazy - Adopted in the Belouve Family by Fizz and Bubu, BELOUVE ON! - Vladarion, you'll always be in my heart and memories - Spam-Padawan of Jacen Aratan  - [DJ is my beloved wife!  - JA Family: Brothers:
Virtue, Furi0us, Vladarion, Hardwired, Janus, Axion, D@RtHM@UL, Motrec, Mike , xAnAtOs , Luke Skywalker; Little bro to SilkMonkey ; Special kind of brother to Kenyon ; Sisters in-law: Rosered, Ain-Soph Aur] Photoshop works: click here |
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Carve - Student 
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That story sounds freakishly familiar. _______________ © |
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Luke Skywalker - Student 
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So that's it huh, it finally comes. I'm quite few on words at the moment. Much of what I wanted to say I already have. I wish you the best on whatever path you will take for yourself. If you don't keep in touch with me at least, then I will be very upset. Take care bro, will miss the days we struggled to bring back forever. _______________ Luke Skywalker
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SS/ph00d - Student 
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Your a good man Dante, take care my friend. _______________ -ShadowSith: CTF/gunner specialist. |
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Menaxia - Student 
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LEEEAAAP-FROG! _______________ This is not the place to look for me |
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_cmad_ - Ex-Student 
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This is a really long post. Yet it is different from the lot. By reading it you get to learn things about RL and how one should act to become a better person. I have never met you Dante, but your story is more than enough to get to know what kind of person you are. I too have gone through the extended egoism (purely greek work I don't know how to translate; I think it's something close to, but not exactly, conceited). I must confess that in the beginning it seemed painless and fun. God knows the terrible results that phase had on my personality. God knows how I am going to get over that. Your post is a model for me Dante. I wish I had met you, or will eventually be lucky enough to meet you in the near future. Take care in the RL, - chris (cmad) _______________ Your friends of today, are your enemies of tomorrow. This comment was edited by _cmad_ on Feb 28 2004 02:59pm. |
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Janus - Retired 
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I'll never forget the first time we crossed paths, in forum first, our staff/red single convos which ended up being a heated debate of sorts, which flooded into the game, and our duels and misunderstandings, then actually turning the sabers off for once and just talking instead of fighting about it, and us both realizing it was nothing but hotheadness and misunderstandings. I can smile upon that and know it was a learning experience and that it was meant to be for our paths to cross for that time. It IS (not was, we will continue to meet in the future) an honor to have met you my friend, I wish you the best in all you do, take care... Ryan _______________ Be honorable, be friendly, be trustworthy. Show respect to all whom you meet. Don't forget you learn when you win AND when you lose. Be the first to admit mistake AND the first to correct it. Be the shoulder for someone to lean on. Always remember those that sacrificed time to help you. Thank you Odan Wei, Vladarion, 3th, Moridin, n00b, Motrec, Faded, Leif, and Tido, you will not be forgotten as the ones to make you remember, it's all about fun... |
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Eclipse DKana - Student 
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Haha, this makes me think of the first time we duelled. In the JK2 (Jedi) 2 vs 2 tournaments. Damien and you vs Huxley and me, my heart was beating like a madman. Funny enough you DFA'ed Damien to death the first time. Yet in the end you two prevailed. Hope you stay in touch. ~Jos |
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Sared - Retired 
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I can see what you are doing and I can respect that. Now get out of here and go get plugged back into RealLife(TM).  _______________ I'm crazy, not stupid. This comment was edited by Sared on Feb 28 2004 03:49am. |
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Wolfwood - Student 
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This is sad news... I remember the first day I met you. I was so impressed by how you fought. I asked you for some advise and you gave me some right away, you helped me out here and there and you said that I would become a good dueler some day. Even though we did not meet so often due to the timezones, I have always looked up to you and your way of acting on the server and respected you. Its really sad to see you leave but as you discribe in your post, it is for the best and I can do nothing but respect your decision. I wish you good luck in the future and good fortune. Take care mate and dont be a stranger _______________ ~ Honor is a fool's prize. Glory is of no use to the dead ~ This comment was edited by Wolfwood on Feb 28 2004 12:23am. |
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Mookie - Ex-Student 
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Well, GMILF, it's sad to see you go my friend, but all good things must come to an end. You take care of yourself in the future, say hi to Vierna for me, have peace and prosperity, and please, don't be a stranger. Keep in touch, for you know how I worry. ~Ken |
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Jaiko D'Kana - Student 
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Dante, i dont know what to say. You have been a great friend and a great mentor. I will not forget you or what you have tought me and I will do my very best to uphold the Kami-Owari style that you made so famous. Im a little lost for words, but i know u know exactly what i want to say. The easiest way to say it is, Thank You. You have done soo much for me and may the force be with you. Keep in touch Dante Valmont take care old friend -JaikoD'Kana- _______________ The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind. William James (1842 - 1910) |
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VirusD - Student 
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i have dueled u once or twice i think .Well after reading and reading ur text i must say : sad to see u go. Good luck And good bye - dont lose contact with reality , with friends , with the girls and booz ( ) hehe ok that was badly said i admit but still .Game is yet a game .Life is life what u got to live.If u stick behind the comp too much u lose a part of ur life .And u will always regreat it.Again i say good bye and luck. may the reality not screw u dante _______________ '** I hated going to weddings. All the grandmas would poke me saying "You're next". They stopped that when I started doing it to them at funerals.**' '**On going to war over religion: "You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend.**" '**I Dont Lie! I Just Bend And Illustrate The Truth A Little**' - By me when talking to a friend. |
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CuZzA - Student 
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I'm sry that ur leaving, i know what u mean when u say 'be the best'. i've tried, but it's impossible. Nobody is the best, nobody at all. It's Sods Law (no, not Gods...Sods). U just have to be urself really sry to see u go bro -Daniel (Cuzza) _______________ - Even if Carlsberg made "w*nkers", Christiano Ronaldo would still be the biggest "w*nker" in the world |
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Jacen Aratan - Student |
Indeed, I agree with JJ all the way. This speech isn't just the longest retirement post ever (2700 words); it's also a good lesson on not to let pride overtake you (amongst others). I'll miss you, Dante. I'll keep calling it Dante's Deep for you. EDIT: Oh, yeha, please pull a JJ on us, and return soon. This comment was edited by Jacen Aratan on Feb 27 2004 10:59pm. |
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CuZzA - Student
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<offtopic> Ric Flair sucks now he's part of Evolution </offtopic> _______________ - Even if Carlsberg made "w*nkers", Christiano Ronaldo would still be the biggest "w*nker" in the world |
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