Yes, I know what you're about to ask... who the heck is AutoAim? To simply put, he's a competitive gamer from Arizona whose actual name is Anthony Desiata. He's not a well-known player, but is nonetheless a very important friend to me. Before he got into DOA at the time, he was into and had a knack for shooters, as his Gamertag's namesake would imply (Halo 2, obviously). Additionally, he's a Pokemon buff. When I met the guy in a public session on DOA4, something about him stood out among the other public lobby players.
While others would send hatemail for (a lack of a better word) "running the lobby", Auto had a tenacity I've never seen. At the time, he was torn between using Ayane and Hayate, but eventually leaned toward Hayate. He later told me that he really wanted to learn how to use Spartan-458. Luckily there were a few things I learned from that matchup just watching Escapingjail play (and later get my ass kicked). He was the only character with a 5-frame command grab, whereas typically, only neutral 5 frame throws were escapable in DOA4. Obviously, I wasn't fit to teach him about the characters he played, but over time I watched him improve, particularly with Spartan and Hayate.
Additionally, he was one of the few people I was actually able to talk to over the mic. For the most part, we've been inseparable. We had a clique together, we trolled in certain clans together, hell, we even reminisced on the golden age of Toonami. (he was particularly a fan of Zoids). And soon our interests would expand a little beyond DOA. When Soul Calibur 4 dropped, I found out he had some remote interest in moe types of fictional characters... but I never expected Tira. I really got to see his primary gaming prowess to an extent when GTA4 dropped with online multiplayer. While it wasn't exactly competitively viable, this guy knew what he was doing regardless. I could honestly say that I had fun, even though I was losing. Unfortunately, those times were short-lived, as I had to go back into DOA4 to help someone for CGS.
Eventually I'd get Facebook, and we talked about all kinds of interesting stuff... though there are a few things I will not discuss here out of respect for him. DOA5 dropped around 2012, and he was eager to play Mila. But he never quite adjusted to the mechanical changes the way he wanted to, and decided the best way he could learn it is to wait for a character that played like Spartan. In DOA5U, Rachel was that answer. Unfortunately, around the time this happened, he came to a crossroads in his life, making a decision that cost him to part ways with his Xbox. My times in DOA have felt quite empty ever since... but one day, he'll be back to play.
All in all, I can safely say this guy's been there for me both in my happy and sad times. In times of confidence and lack thereof. He even gave Queen's Blade a chance, while he kept me posted on HunterXHunter. His never-say-die attitude in the face of competition - though I never say it much - is inspiring to me, no matter how down in the dumps I get. I may have confidence issues time to time, but he's among the few who serves as a reminder that I must never quit what I enjoy deep down, and I thank him for that.
So AutoAim, aka Anthony Desiata... here's to you. May we meet again in DOA on Xbox, just like the good ol' days.
Lastly... Death in a box. That is all.
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