A day late, but I'll give a Happy Birthday to @Quake with my own personal message.
Quake is a special game to me. For the skill level and mental discipline required to be great. The competition, which I have always valued as a critical component of professional gaming/esports. It's the backbone of the industry: Great play, competition, and of course "cinema."
But I would have to say even though I had great experiences as a competitor and with helping legitimize the fledgling industry at the time... my biggest joy from these experiences are the personal connections made along the way.
People like @FATAL1TY who has truly bled for this scene to make it real. @thresh who is essentially the Godfather of pro level fps play, including the mental approach needed to be great at it. So many long time friends: Immortal, ZeRo4, and the newer generation of players who have shown enormous respect. I appreciate this all greatly and value it more than prize money or trophies.
Our shared love of FPS competition, Quake, etc. has created lifelong bonds. I've gamed with some of these people for 30 years now. An amazing journey and I love them all.