Sepharos

[INTRODUCTION]

Everybody deserves the spotlight.

I'm currently interviewing various members of this and different communities in a project of mine.
Each interview typically lasts two hours, while the more exclusive interviews can last up to three.
Prior to each interview, I will ask your real first name, which you are not required to give me.
However, if you do give me your first name, it will be used throughout the interview.
Also, I'll request that you keep punctuation, grammar, and spelling as perfect as possible.
This keeps the editing process relatively quick and easy while also maintaining a constant flow.
If at any time you find there is a question you wish to not answer, feel free to let me know.
That question will be removed and you will not be asked further on the subject matter at hand.

Also, there will be times when higher-up interviews are posted, from bigger news industries.
This is to maintain a presence of formality as well as more detailed and professional interviews.
If you have any interview you'd like for me to share, simply PM me a link to the story.
Also, try to keep the interview relevant to the site and forums, for the sake of interest.
I also greatly appreciate any comments and feedback you may have about this project.
It's you- the members of various communities, that keep this project going, and I need your support.
If you have any questions about this project, feel free to post a question, I'll be sure to answer.

NOTE: I do not publicly endorse or advertise these communities or activities discussed.

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[INTERVIEWS]

GF Kennon - Webmaster of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

This interview occurred between myself and GF Kennon, founder of Metroid Construction, a community of Metroid hackers. I took it upon myself to interview him after joining the community weeks before. Truly a great place to be, it's always full of great people as well as amazing projects.

<Sepharos> First off, what first brought you to what you do- what got you to be a creator of a Metroid Hacking community?
<GF Kennon> When I first started hacking or when I created the site?
<Sepharos> Well, both.
<GF Kennon> I started hacking back in December last year; I wasn’t very good but it felt nice to be working on something, though my learning curve was very steep in the hacking world- I learned a lot very quickly.
<GF Kennon> [The site was created] sometime during February, around that time my college Project was to create a website. I didn’t have many ideas at the time and then it hit me. There was no hacking site for Metroid, so Metroid Construction idea was conceived.
<GF Kennon> Sometime there after, I made the actual site and it was hosted on SiteSled. I got some artifacts left over from the old site that it all started from.

<Sepharos> How did you become a Metroid hacker? I realize when you became one, but how did you become one?
<GF Kennon> Always had a love for Super Metroid, back when I was much younger I saw modifications of the game and I was just gobsmacked. I really wanted to make something too at that time but i had nothing to work with.

<Sepharos> How did you meet some of the higher ranked members of Metroid Construction?
<GF Kennon> Heh, some of the first few people I met were all hardcore doom fans when it was my assignment time and I thought of this site. I told Zhs2 who told me about SiteSled
<GF Kennon> I needed a few staff and Zhs2 and Bloodsonic were very good friends of mine- been there for me since the very start
<Sepharos> How do you feel about Metroid Construction as a community?
<GF Kennon> Well everyone is quite active around MetConst, everyone tries to help in what ever way they can, we all get along too. Occasionally someone will come by though who is not so nice.
<Sepharos> But you do enjoy new members.
<GF Kennon> Yes. If someone joins on the forum or comes to the channel they are always greeted by everyone in a friendly way.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you wish you could change about the community?
<GF Kennon> We are all lazy ***gots, hehe, so I guess I would like to change it so that we are not so lazy. We all lack motivation half the time, but in the end we work our best and brew some amazing stuff.

<Sepharos> Do you find games released by companies better than those made by people or do you find games (hacks) made by the people more creative?
<GF Kennon> Depends who made the game really, obviously some guy who comes in and makes an insanely hard hack with spikes everywhere (you will hear this term go around a bit, its one of the first things first time hackers do), but I say I prefer well done hacks to commercial games.
<Sepharos> What would you say impresses you the most about people who make the creative hacks?
<GF Kennon> Aesthetics, level design, and very nice custom graphics and story. I love custom graphics.
<Sepharos> In your opinion, which is more important in a hack? Level design or story?
<GF Kennon> Level design, in the end, Metroid doesn't have much of a story really, you tell your own. You can have a good story but poor level design
<GF Kennon> The game would be put down very quickly if its spike- spike- spike, but you can have quite literally no story, as nothing is said, really.
<GF Kennon> You load up the game and boom, your in- run left or right.
<Sepharos> How does the story affect the gameplay, or does it affect anything at all?
<GF Kennon> You need to base your level design around your story if you have one, its no good making a good story, and your game doesn't match up- one of the reasons most people don't have story.

<Sepharos> Okay, now, how creative do you think people are in general, in other things, besides gaming?
<GF Kennon> A lot of people i know are creative in different areas, like bloodsonic. He is quite the artist. Most people I know have some kind of skill in something other than games.

<Sepharos> What has been your most memorable moment with Metroid Construction?
<GF Kennon> Oh, that's a hard one. One moment.
<GF Kennon> [Do you] mind if i come back to that one in a bit?
<Sepharos> Sure, I was going to ask for that anyway.

<Sepharos> Has Metroid Construction changed since its creation?
<GF Kennon> Quite a bit; we moved to paid hosting, grown in size, host everything ourselves, become a big place full of hack resources, and had a big site facelift too- thanks to Grime.
<GF Kennon> Grime created the new site layout. Also most likely the best place to hack ever.
<Sepharos> Nicely done.
<Sepharos> Are you content about the current direction of Metroid Construction?
<GF Kennon> Yes, definitely.
<Sepharos> What is there to look for in the future of the community?
<GF Kennon> New members, most likely with hidden talent, as we usually find, lots more stuff for the main site, and best of all a few big and well looked forward to hacks coming out very soon, as well as taking Super Metroid apart.
<GF Kennon> Perhaps even a revolution in GBA hacking and NES hacking.
<Sepharos> What projects are you currently interested in?
<GF Kennon> Being who I am, I'm always interested in anyone’s work, usually helping out too.
<GF Kennon> I must say I'm looking forward to some hacks coming out soon though

<Sepharos> So, back to the earlier question, what is your most memorable moment with the community?
<GF Kennon> Another moment.
<Sepharos> Is it good or bad that you can't think of a moment? Haha.
<GF Kennon> I would say very bad.
<Sepharos> Because there are so many moments or a lack of moments?
<GF Kennon> Because there are so many [moments].
<Sepharos> Well, I think that shows how good of a community this is. Maybe that is the answer.
<Sepharos> It's not possible to single out a moment, since they're all memorable.
<GF Kennon> Heh, awesome things happen every day nearly, as well as memorable.
<Sepharos> Indeed.

Zeke - Administrator of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Well, I guess we should start about your history at Metroid Construction. First, how did you begin here; I know you were one of the original members when Kennon created it, but what happened to bring you here?
*Zeke fills himself a glass of water, and gulps it down.*
<Zeke> Well, James said he had a homework project he had to do. It involved making a website. He said, 'Where the heck am I gonna find decent hosting?' I told him 'Sitesled,' and it all went downhill from there. Well, I guess that's not really where the history ends. After that, I suggested, since we loved IRC so much, that we make a channel. I forget who mentioned abbreviating it to "#metconst," but it most certainly worked! We had the Sitesled thing for a while, and then James was like, "How 'bout a forum?" I said, 'Hmmm, does Sitesled let you do that?' He said, 'Nah. We'll have to find something else.' I ended up finding Forumotion, which sucked pretty bad, but it did well. He put me on the forum staff as Co-Admin (admittedly because I begged him,) but I did the job okay. I appointed a staff, told them to monitor boards and stuff, and **** was cool until James said "Sitesled's dead." We were all saddened until we finally decided paid hosting was going to eventually become part of the Metroid Construction reverie. After that, Grime jumped on board and designed a site for us, and we took down the Forumotion boards (with a little trouble, they wouldn't give us a backup of posts to merge into SMF) and set up a new one And that is how we got to be Metroid Construction here and today, site, forum, Wiki, subdomains and everything.

<Sepharos> How did you come to know Kennon before the creation of Metroid Construction?
<Zeke> Hmm. That's a toughie. He seemed to be a pretty inconsequential guy on Metroid 2002 (which is where we all started out sooner or later). Eventually, he figured out how to get onto IRC, where he made friends with Bloodsonic. Admittedly, we were all chillin' in #jzd and #doom (a channel I set up because I liked multiplayer Dooming a lot) when James' evolutionary homework assignment appeared. Bloods trusted James, so I did too. I still troll him as part of my daily exercise routine, but I consider him a good friend regardless.
*Zeke gulps down another glass of water and waits for the next question.*

<Sepharos> Do you have any other relationships with members besides Bloodsonic or Kennon?
<Zeke> Another toughie. Gimme a minute to run over the list, hmm... uNsane, Squishy Ichigo, Digital Mantra, Interdpth, and Jathys, to name a few. Well, I guess you could say a good handful of members I've had relationships with because we dragged most of the mainstay force from #jzd as well.

<Sepharos> Did you play any part in the community becoming a Metroid site?
<Zeke> No, not really. It was all James idea. Blame him. I'm just responsible for adminning.
<Sepharos> What was your initial thought when the community became Metroid based?
<Zeke> I don't think I actually had a thought like that. I was just okay with it because I'm okay with most things, and you must remember that we HAD been hanging out in various Metroid communities when we all found each other.
*Zeke chuckles.*
<Zeke> I admittedly followed Bloodsonic around because he found SMILE.

<Sepharos> So, do you do any Metroid hacking yourself?
<Zeke> Nope. It's all modding for ZDoom, an advanced source port for Doom. James and Bloodsonic (and now uNsane, since we converted him) also share the love in the multiplayer, although only James mods for ZDoom as well. I suppose you could call putting Samus' arm into Doom Metroid modding. Or not.
*Zeke chuckles again.*
*Sepharos laughs.*
<Sepharos> You have played Metroid hacks, right?
<Zeke> Of course. I've played a few, but I don't have the drive to finish most of them. I'm lazy enough as it is; I'd rather spend the time doing 'more important things,' that of which has a very variable definition in my mind :

<Sepharos> Any woman on this mind of yours?
*Sepharos chuckles.*
<Zeke> Admittedly not. I've never been interested in a relationship other than those I share online. Again, too lazy, and not enough money.

<Sepharos> What other things are you interested in?
<Zeke> Writing. I've written a few things, some SFW, some not.

<Sepharos> What other communities have you been to?
<Zeke> To answer your next question, forum.zdoom.org, and m2k2.taigaforums.com, but that's pretty self-explanatory from the rest of this interview.

<Sepharos> Now, I'm sure the question in everybody in the audience's head is this, who is the evil genious one? You or Bloodsonic?
<Zeke> Evil genius? I'm too crazy to be evil. I'm not sure if Bloodsonic even fits the part either, but I might be surprised. We too busy trollan.,.

<Sepharos> I think everybody would. Back to the community. How has the community grown since it's begun?
<Zeke> Well, now we have a moderate amount of people that I have no idea who the hell they are. Before, it was maybe a select 20 people, and now we've got, what, about 100 more, and probably twice that shuffling through IRC. Some good, some bad, all of them I love. It wouldn't be a community without people, and I am very accepting, not to mention patient.
<Sepharos> Indeed.

<Sepharos> What do you see with the future of the community?
<Zeke> Hmm. I see us gaining possibly a few more people here and there, possibly expanding into the wonderful world of Metroid Prime hacking somewhere in the near future. Antidote and Interdpth are making beautiful progress. I also wonder if we'll get plagued by more journalists that get offended by being told on the grapevine that I'm going to troll them the entire interview.
<Sepharos> Plagued?
*Zeke laughs.*
<Sepharos> A swarm of me worse than a swarm of locusts? I think not... well, maybe.
<Sepharos> What is the most gratifying part of being with Metroid Construction?
<Zeke> Hmm. There you go with the tough questions again... I'd say the most gratifying part of being a member of Metroid Construction is "being that weird admin that creeps you out, writes hentai (that some of the members have actually read and won't admit they did,) and is generally an all-around good guy that does stuff and gets the job done, whenever he's not TOO busy."

<Sepharos> So, is there anything you would like to change with the community?
<Zeke> Hmm. As for changing the community, I'd like to leave the expansion plans to James and Grime. They're much more focused on what's good for the site's future, and I can't plan ahead to save my own life.
<Sepharos> Finally, what is your most memorable moment with the community?
<Zeke> There is no one moment that is most memorable in my mind. We tend to take life as it comes and goes, like a gentle breeze and the stormy winds of change.

uNsane - Member of Metroid Construction - JOKE INTERVIEW

Spoiler

19:40 Sepharos This is a joke interview, so be sure to make with the funny. They call you uNsane, is this true?
19:41 uNsane What do you make me for anyways? ..Sometimes.

19:41 Sepharos Do you like Super Metroid?
19:41 uNsane Which one?
19:41 Sepharos Super Metroid.
19:42 uNsane I dont get whats so super about it, but for the most part, yeah.
19:42 Sepharos Why?
19:42 uNsane Because mockballing is fun-w hy else?
19:42 Sepharos Why?
19:42 uNsane It's like your balls are moving really fast.

19:43 Sepharos Okay, Samus or generic hot chick?
19:43 uNsane Depends; is the generic hot chick hotter than samus?
19:43 Sepharos Not likely.
19:43 uNsane Why not?
19:44 Sepharos She's all droopy, and her face is starting to melt, but Samus' face isn't cause she's wearing the Varia Suit in Magmoor Caverns.
19:44 uNsane Droopy? As in sad?
19:44 Sepharos ..men would certainly be sad, I imagine.
19:45 uNsane In that situation I'd have to go with generic hot chick, because samus is inside a robot.

19:45 Sepharos Would you say that Metroid is the Dragon Ball Z of the gaming world?
19:45 uNsane Don't the DBZ games take the place of the DBZ of the gaming world?
19:45 Sepharos . . .
19:45 Sepharos I'll take that as a yes.
19:46 uNsane Oh, I'm sorry!
19:46 uNsane I'm afraid I may have seized your attention!

19:46 Sepharos Samus is fighting against Meta Ridley, who wins the Superbowl- the Vikings or Packers?
19:47 uNsane Most likely the Steelers since theyre from Pittsburgh
19:47 Sepharos Of course!
19:47 uNsane Just like the Pens who are busy being in intermission right now

19:47 Sepharos What would say is your favorite Metroid game?
19:47 uNsane Metroid Petroid
19:47 Sepharos BUT!! Can you dance?
19:48 uNsane It depends; by dance, do you mean write programs that have a vaguely useful purpose but are never used?
19:48 Sepharos Duh.
19:48 uNsane If so, then most likely.

19:49 Sepharos Last question, why?
19:49 uNsane Forty-two.
19:49 Sepharos Great, well, this was the best interview EVER!! THE GAME!!
19:49 uNsane For the record, I'm not this grammatically correct. SEPH ALTERED IT!! This is me talking now though. Now. Not now. Still now though.

Interdpth - Moderator of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

Today I was able to catch up with a great member of MetConst and programmer designer- Matt aka Interdpth. Interpth is also the creator of a Super Metroid hacking program and has paved the way for modern Metroid hacking. An interview ensued.

<Sepharos> What brought you to Metroid Construction?
<Interdpth> I was in #JZD when #MetConst was created, so I simply joined.

<Sepharos> Matt, we've always had this intro sequence since I've first met you. May I ask where your username originated from?
<Interdpth> A long time ago I used to translate programs, so I typed in program translator into French and it came up with intrus de programme. So I combined intr from intrus, d from de, p from programme and th to make it a word.

<Sepharos> As for the Metroid Construction community- what about it makes you stick around?
<Interdpth> It's fun, there are a lot of cool people and dastardly people.
<Sepharos> Zeke being one of the dastardly peeps. What do you enjoy most about the community? What makes it fun?
<Interdpth> I don't know, I just don't know. Which is why it's good.

<Sepharos> So what brought you into the hacking phenomenon
<Interdpth> Being able to edit video games.

<Sepharos> Of course, now, do you have any video game that you enjoy hacking specifically?
<Interdpth> The Metroid series, because I grew up with it.

<Sepharos> What aspect of hacking are you greatest at? ASM, world design, textures, et cetera?
<Interdpth> Figuring the dirty work out; code and such. I figured out how to insert custom C++ routines a while back.
(SARCASTICALLY) That was fun.

<Sepharos> What do you do with these codes? Keep them for yourself or share them?
<Interdpth> I release them- what fun is having them if nobody else is able to use them?

<Sepharos> Indeed. Speaking of which, do you not have your own hacking program released?
<Interdpth> There's a good twenty out there I've made.

<Sepharos> What would you say is the most difficult part of creating any hack program?
<Interdpth> Design is the hardest because it is ever changing. Thus, you make your code, then remake it a dozen times.your code

<Sepharos> Now, do you currently have any hacks that you've made released?
<Interdpth> No, I just enjoy making the programs. I did have a PokeMon hack that I was doing, but I canceled it midway.

<Sepharos> Amazing, there aren't many people who would go through the arduous labor of creating programs while not making their own game as well.
Why did you stop that hack?
<Interdpth> I don't remember, but I believe I left the project to hack Metroid Prime

<Sepharos> Fair enough.
<Interdpth> I think I have hacking addiction.
<Sepharos> Who doesn't?

<Sepharos> Is there anything about hackers that can annoy you? Laziness or lack of creativitiy?
<Interdpth> Pokecommunity pisses me off for sure. I hate anyone who can't figure out hexediting

<Sepharos> Now, outside of hacking, what is your favourite video game?
<Interdpth> Metroid Fusion. It has a beautiful atmostphere. I play it with my mom by helping her out every now and then, the length of the story is right- it's amazing.

<Sepharos> If you had the chance, with todays programs you likely do, what about that game would you change?
<Interdpth> Nothing, it's an amazing game and I can change it easily.44

<Sepharos> Have you ever thought of becoming an actual paid game programmer?
<Interdpth> Yeah, however it seems boring. I currently find bugs in video games. I like it.

<Sepharos> The current road the Metroid saga is traveling down- would you say it's promising? Why or why not?
<Interdpth> As long as there's no more pinball, it's good.

<Sepharos> Did you enjoy Metroid: The Other M?
<Interdpth> Yes, it was a nice game.
<Sepharos> What, if anything, would you change about the game?
<Interdpth> Getting pickups instead of orders.

<Sepharos> What is your favourite aspect of the Metroid series, or of any series?
<Interdpth> Samus- she's sexy and powerful.

<Sepharos> Who would you say your biggest hacking inspiration is?
<Interdpth> Snowbro, he's awesome.
<Sepharos> What about him inspires/d you?
<Interdpth> He just made so much and no one really ever knew him. I met one of his friends onces and learned a lot.

<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to say to fellow hackers or program makers? Any advice?
<Interdpth> lr2hex and use the 0x prefix when referring to hex.

<Sepharos> Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and/or admirers?
<Interdpth> Live long and prosper.

You heard it here first folks, with another Sepharos Interview! In the words of Matt aka Interdpth, "live long and prosper."

SilverSkree - Member of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

Today a talented member of Metroid Construction, SilverSkree, was available for an interview. I quickly took over.

<Sepharos> David, how did you first discover Metroid Construction?
<SilverSkree> I was hanging around in #jzd and just decided to hop on the bandwagon, just like several others.
<Sepharos> Oh, so you're an original member of the site I take it?
<SilverSkree> For the most part; I hadn't been so gung-ho about it the first few times I heard about it, so I think I joined a few days after its creation, so, I'm not a founding memeber I guess.
<Sepharos> What, if anything, excited you the most in your first few days of the site?
<SilverSkree> Oh man, I can't remember. I don't think I /was/ that excited about the site; if anything, I was still eager to learn more about hacking and SMILE in general, having just picked up the practice not too long ago.
<Sepharos> Today, is there anything that you look forward with the site?
<SilverSkree> Specifically, no. I do have high hopes for it in the somewhat-distant future though, so I'm eager to see it progress in general. Better resource organization, tighter community, an actual /matching site and forum/.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy the most about the site currently?
<SilverSkree> Just talking about the site, I'd have to say the patches section. I don't use it for much else except looking at the occasional docs section as well. Grime needs to keep the place more up to date though; I still have to go digging through the forum to find a lot of what I'm looking for.
<Sepharos> In your opinion, is there anything that should be changed with the site?
<SilverSkree> When you say 'site,' does that include the forum or just the main site?
<Sepharos> For the sake of information, you can include both.
<SilverSkree> Hmm. Well, I can't think of a specific design that'd be better than the one the site itself currently has, considering how small our resources still are in comparison to something like SMWC. The forum should definitely be changed to match the visual theme of the site, though. Aside from that, I think they both work pretty great (minus the occasional Fazewire bull****).
<Sepharos> Are you happy with the current progression of the community?
<SilverSkree> That's a little hard for me to answer. To me, it feels like the community is a two-headed beast, and each half is pulling two opposite directions. I love it when I see real collaboration going on, information being exchanged, and lessons being had; that's the direction I see it going and like. It even makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside sometimes.
<Sepharos> So what do you enjoy the most about the community?
<SilverSkree> I'm actually guilty of being part of the half that I dislike. (I kick a lot of new members when I get the chance.)
<SilverSkree> And what I ejoy most is the cooperation I get from the people that know what they're doing, like Grime, DSO, DChronos, and Sadiztyk. I've done some fair teaching, myself. That was fun.
<Sepharos> In one word, what do you believe to be the main theme of Metroid Construction? Please elaborate upon your answer.
<SilverSkree> The community, in a word? Exasperating. Half the people are going 'dicks dicks dicks' (or something just about as relevant) and the other half of the people that you want to get in touch with are never there when you need them (not like that's their fault, but it's how the communnity is). This is from the view of the IRC, though. In any case, it has its golden moments.

<Sepharos> David, how long were a part of the hacking community prior to joining Metroid Construction?
<SilverSkree> I can't clearly remember, but I'd say a few months. #jzd was the only real 'hacking place' I was around before MetConst came along (though that's not to say I didn't plug my stuff elsewhere). I also watched my fair share of SMILe tutorials and hack demos on YouTube, but I wouldn't call the comment threads of YouTube a "community."
<Sepharos> Now, I assume you hack Metroid, but do you hack any other games as well?
<SilverSkree> No, I don't hack any other games other than Super Metroid. I did take an interest in Lunar Magic for a week, but quickly decided against practicing with it in favor of SMILE. My brother and I ARE planning our own game(s) built from scratch with our friends, though.
<Sepharos> Any details on this planned game?
<SilverSkree> As much as I'd love to reveal the hilarious title, we've found out that it isn't taken by anything else (amazingly enough), and we'd like it to stay that way. Sorry.
<Sepharos> How did you first find out that Super Metroid could be hacked and what was your initial reaction?
<SilverSkree> 1) Via demo youtube videos of half-hacks, and 2) ME TOO ME TOO!! HOW?!
<Sepharos> Do you have any completed Metroid hacks yourself?
<SilverSkree> Yes, but none I'm happy with. My latest finshed release is /still/ the old Sigma Boss Rush that I released a couple or so years back,  but I've got Sigma++ in the works and a demo of it is released to Metroid Construction; I'm much more proud of what I've done there. I can't wait for me to finish it. lol
<Sepharos> What would you say is the most difficult aspect of hacking any game?
<SilverSkree> That'd definitely be the awesome ideas that you get but can't impliment with your own skill at the time. That's why myself and many others learn ASM. The limitations of the platform are still there, but when you can do real "hacking" with hijacking and shoehorning in your own subroutines, it opens up a whole other world of possibilities beyond what you can do with premade ediors.
<Sepharos> Do you find games released by companies better than those made by people or do you find games (hacks) made by the people more creative?
<SilverSkree> I wouldn't generalize. I honestly haven't played many commercial games at all in the past decade, but the fact of the matter is that people make games. Whether those people are employed in a company or work with their own pulled-together group has no real bearing on the quality of the game aside from potential resources.
<Sepharos> David, which do you believe to be more important in a hack- the design or the quality?
<SilverSkree> Elaborate; those two sound pretty much the same.
<Sepharos> The design focuses on the overall location of areas, level builds, and ASM.
<Sepharos> The quality focuses on the creativity, work put into the game, and thought beforehand.
<SilverSkree> Every factor of a game in general contributes to its overall quality. The two are really equally important; good design would mean attention to detail in all possible fields, impressing and immersing the player. Good quality is important to make the player feel good and happy that he or she played the game and saw and/or experienced what it had to offer.
<Sepharos> Is there anything about hackers that can annoy you? Laziness or lack of creativitiy?
<SilverSkree> Yes, laziness in hackers can really piss me off, but lack of creativity never does. I can understand just not being able to come up with your own ideas.
<SilverSkree> There's the /denial/ of creativity via beng lazy that's what makes me the most irritated.

<Sepharos> What projects are you currently interested in?
<SilverSkree> I only recently got back into hacking from [a long hiatus] [the Minecraft craze], so I'm not very up to date on the current hacks going on right now. I know I really want to see Aegis, Jathys' trilogy, and James' Return to SR:388.
<Sepharos> Now, is there anything you're intesterested in outside of hacking?
<SilverSkree> Well, of course. Hacking isn't all I'm interested in by a long shot.
<SilverSkree> I suppose music would be the most interesting out of those three, to me. I'm definitely way into music appreciation, and I'd like to compose some day.
<Sepharos> What do you currently want to do with your life?
<SilverSkree> I really enjoy being a bum, to be honest. I don't really get the same sense of disappointment of self that I hear a lot of unemployed people talk about, but obviously I can't stay like that. Ideally, I'd like to go into the business of starting a game company with my brother, but as it is now I'd take pretty much any work I could find.
<Sepharos> Here's the question on everybody's mind- are there in ladies in David's life right now?
<SilverSkree> I had a high school crush; name was Saide, but I never confessed.

<Sepharos> What would you say is your favourite video game David?
<SilverSkree> That's an extremely hard question to answer.
<SilverSkree> Most of the Metroid franchise; Secret of Mana; Seiken Densetsu 3; Final Fantasies IV, V, V and XI for four years; Iji; Cave Story; and most recently Minecraft.
<SilverSkree> there are tons of others that I'll always love, but those are what come to mind right now
<Sepharos> Did you enjoy Metroid: The Other M?
<SilverSkree> Haven't played, but I've seen and heard enough to know not to buy it. I watched all of the cutscenes and hated a lot of what I saw, and just mildly disliked the rest. Hell no.
<Sepharos> What do you believe caused most of the dislike towards the game?
<SilverSkree> What they did to Samus' charachter, definitely.
<Sepharos> The current road the Metroid saga is traveling down- would you say it's promising? Why or why not?
<SilverSkree> I'm pretty disappointed in Other M and Sakamoto, but I didn't get my hopes that high for it in the first place. I was expecting something radically different to what I had gotten used to when Retro handed the wheel over back to Nintendo.
<SilverSkree> I'm still holding out some faint hope that the franchise will recover from this, and that this specific game will become one of those things people never talk or think about. Kinda like Megaman 8. *shudder*
<Sepharos> Who would you say your biggest hacking inspiration is and what about them inspires you?
<SilverSkree> Another tough one. My /earliest/ would be Jathys, for the simple reason that he's the first and everyone looked up to him for a while, but I dunno about the biggest, currently. Most all of the worthwhile members of MetConst have inspired me at some point (you know who you are), but I oftentimes feel like I'm competing with Grime when it comes to level design.
<SilverSkree> Back when Room of the Week was something I was into, I saw his (and a lot of other people's) rooms and thought, "I can do that good. I can do better than that; I can win," and now when I'm building rooms in SMILE, it's that desire to make something that'll really impress everyone else that drives me.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to say to your fellow hackers? Any advice?
<SilverSkree> Yeah: Don't be afraid to learn; you really can't let laziness or intimidation keep you from learning new things. It usually is never is as hard as it seems at first glance. Just try.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there any last remarks you'd like to leave the readers?
<SilverSkree> I suppose now would be the time to say something profound.   . . .   Nothing comes to mind.

You heard it here first folks, another fantastic interview of yet another amazing member!

Bloodsonic - Former Administrator of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

Today I caught up with Trevor, aka Bloodsonic, unaware that he had quit MetConst prior, but an interview occured nonetheless.

<Sepharos> Trevor, what first brought you to Metroid Construction?
<Bloodsonic> The making of it I guess. I was around in the hacking community well before James got started on his own hacking site.
<Sepharos> So I take it you were around JZD prior to the creation of Metroid Construction?
<Bloodsonic> Fo' shizzle.
<Sepharos> Your brother [Zeke] tells me you befriended James before he did; is this true and if so, how did you meet?
<Bloodsonic> Umm.. I think I spoke to him on metroid2002's forum before he got himself on IRC, it was something about releasing a beta... yeah. He was asking for feedback and all that good stuff in his content thread.
<Sepharos> You were one of the first to know of Metroid Constructions creation then?
<Bloodsonic> Yes, along with Zeke, Conner. and maybe some others too, I forget.
<Sepharos> This makes you a founding member?
<Bloodsonic> Yes it does.
<Sepharos> Was there anything specific that attracted you to the site?
<Bloodsonic> The fact that James at the time was a bro and that I still hacked Metroid at the times.
<Sepharos> Can you name any time that you've played a major role in the site's immediate future?
<Bloodsonic> I invited Zozo.
<Bloodsonic> Psych! I can't name one off the top of my head. I wasn't a revolutionary or anything, just a dude that tried to help out.

<Sepharos> What do you enjoy about the site on a day to day basis?
<Bloodsonic> What *did* I enjoy? the hacking developement and socializing with people I shared interests with.
<Sepharos> Clarify- do you mean to say you no longer enjoy the daily routine?
<Bloodsonic> I don't even go there anymore.

Sepharos then discovers this interview just got a lot more interesting.

<Sepharos> Could you explain why you are no longer a part of the Metroid Construction community?
<Bloodsonic> Well my hacking developement slowed to a halt several months beforehand. I was sort of losing interest, and while I still wish I got back my hacking motivation from years ago, there were other reasons.
<Sepharos> Are you willing to share the other reasons?
<Bloodsonic> I also wasn't getting along too well with some of the people there. I was this chaotic moderator that tried to keep **** cool but usually failed in doing so.
<Sepharos> So, in a sense, you were an ignored mediator?
<Bloodsonic> Supposedly the place was actually worse after I left according to some but I guess some of these haters need to be careful what they wish for.
<Bloodsonic> Not ignored, more like an obstacle to those who needed more freedom to spam, flame, troll (yeah I was a hypocrite about that in some cases) and other stuff.
<Sepharos> Would you ever consider returning to Metroid Construction?
<Bloodsonic> Nope. I think I'd lose any dignity if I fell to the "hey, come back!"s coming from the people that wanted me gone, not to mention that place was a large amount of stress for me sometimes.
<Sepharos> WIll this be true for the foreseeable future as well?
<Bloodsonic> Yeah. I don't even think about the place anymore unless Shadox is talking about getting trolled or zeke is copypasta'ing logs or something. Then I just laugh and forget again.

<Sepharos> Speaking of which, you and your brother, Zeke, did you guys ever make something of a team while modding the community?
Bloodsonic> Nope! Zeke never actually hacked super metroid, he was just pro at technical stuff, like getting the forum working for James and whatnot. I made attempts to get zeke to learn ASM for me but alas, they were futile.
<Sepharos> This question has been on everybody's minds since the interview with Zeke; between the two of you, whom is evil?
<Bloodsonic> Next question? :>

<Sepharos> Do you ever miss the community or feel regret leaving?
<Bloodsonic> Nnot really to be honest... I mean. not much of the community has shown that they miss me. maybe Squishy_Ichigo saying he wants to talk to me then carry on a long conversation with my brother while telling me "I'm busy."
<Bloodsonic> I still talk to Project, Shadox, Parabox, all them, but you know, mutual feeling with the "miss the community" thing.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered making your own community?
<Bloodsonic> Nope, and if I ever did, that consideration disappeared forever from trying to help running a community in MetConst.

At this point in the interview, I'd like to note that I'm not trying to spite either party nor influence a fight between them.

<Sepharos> Did you ever come to a point where you abruptly decided to leave?
<Bloodsonic> Actually, yes. My leave was extremely abrupt. Parabox was saying something.. something.. I can't remember what it was but I wasn't its number one fan. I, in the most simple terms, ragequit.
<Bloodsonic> Not just because of parabox mind you. He's a cool dude.
<Sepharos> How did Metroid Construction influence your life when you still were a member?
<Bloodsonic> I spent a lot of time on the community. It was a lot of fun for a while, so.. yeah. pretty big stuff I guess.
<Sepharos> Do you have anything you'd like to say to the community or advice?
<Bloodsonic> Well they'll probably all be reading this, so I probably said what I wanted to say already.. good luck with DarkSamus?

You certainly didn't hear it here first, we need all the luck we can get with that guy. Yet another terrific interview with a cool guy.

Grime - Moderator of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

Early this morning I found a sleepy Grime on the IRC, so I took advantage of his lack of fight and interviewed him.

<Sepharos> Mike, how did you first learn of Metroid Construction's existance?
<Grime> Like a lot of others, I was hanging around #jzd and caught wind of it from there.
<Sepharos> With that grammar, I may not have to edit. This is the holy grail of my interviewing career!
<Grime> I aim to please.
<Sepharos> So you were with the hacking community in general prior to Metroid Construction?
<Grime> Not for very long. I was only in #JZD for a couple of weeks before MetCon started being talked about, when the first version of the site was made by James. And whatever forum host they were using at the time. I first came to #JZD so I could ask how to edit graphics properly, and just stuck around.
<Grime> March of '09 if we're going by specifics. I believe it was on a Friday the 13th, too.

<Sepharos> What first brought you to the hacking community Mike, and what was your first reaction towards it?
<Grime> I'd heard about SMILE years ago before the first build was ever released, then forgot about it. About two years later I realized "Oh, that program might be out by now." Sure enough it was (version 2.0). Before that I'd piddled around with Mario World a little bit, but it didn't take long for me to lose interest in that.
<Grime> My first reaction was unadulerated joy and hardness in the nether region, because I've kinda always wanted to edit Super Metroid ever since I was a little kid.
<Sepharos> So, are you a current hacker of Super Metroid then?
<Grime> Yeah, I hack Super Metroid exclusively.
<Sepharos> Do you have any released projects or hacks?
<Grime> I've released three hacks. Temporus, a 7-room minihack, Hallow Eve, a 1-room Halloween-themed hack, and many versions of Project Base, which is massive rehash of the original game.
<Sepharos> What would you say was the hardest aspect of making those games?
<Grime> It depends on the game. Each one was a huge learning experience. Temporus helped me refine my room design skills, Hallow Eve made me better at using scroll PLMs and think outside the box a little, and Project Base is all of that and a lot more.
<Grime> If that didn't answer the question correctly, then I'll default to ASM being the hardest aspect. I'm not very good at that.
<Grime> But graphics, level design, enemy placement, and especially palettes are things I've gotten very good at over these last two years.
<Sepharos> I take it you enjoy a good hacking challenge then?
<Grime> If it's within my capabilities at the time, sure. But telling me to make a new boss from scratch wouldn't bode so well.
<Sepharos> What is your hacking goal, if any, and how do you plan to accomplish it?
<Grime> To complete Project Base, and to also complete the largest full hack possible. Also, spreading information for others to take advantage of in their own hacks.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy the most about hacking in general?
<Grime> The satisfaction of finishing something awesome, and the fact that hacking Super Metroid is almost like a constant nostalgia.
<Grime> Also, that a completely new world can be constructed without having to build the engine and everything else from the ground up.
<Sepharos> What impresses you the most about hacks from other people?
<Grime> The ingenuity of certain peoples' accomplishments, like BF's morph ball animation fix, the HUD hack that he picked up from InsomniaDX, DSO's FX1 lunacy and so on. Really, any finished hack is impressive in its own right, even the really old ones that were made before so much was known about the game, and the fact that people have gotten so good at inserting new ideas into the source material that work perfectly.
<Sepharos> Is there anything that can annoy you with hacks?
<Grime> Nothing incites Grimey ire more than ugly palettes and tiling errors.
<Sepharos> Has this ever caused you to snap out on a hack?
<Grime> Not really. If it's bad enough I'll just quit playing it.
<Sepharos> Which, in your opinion, has better creativity- hacked games or company games?
<Grime> Company games have the advantage of a paid staff working towards a common goal. Hacks generally have a single person or small collaborations that aren't given a paycheck incentive to do what they do. The results are few and far in between, but I've seen hacks that easily trump the source material in that regard. Super Metroid is a good example of that.

<Sepharos> Mike, what is the auto op keyword?
<Grime> There is no auto op word, I just identified and quickly typed that before ops were given, haha.

<Sepharos> What hacks are you currently interested in?
<Grime> Hyper Metroid is probably at the top of my "want to play" list. Its use of vanilla tiles and add-ons is pretty amazing. Aegis (which doesn't exist), and Sadiztyk Fish/Black Falcon's hacks, even though they're probably years away. Event Horizon is promising because of DSO's goal to make it into an enormous game, and the finished version of Sigma++. There are probably others that are slipping my mind right now.
<Sepharos> What would you say inspires you the most while creating a hack?
<Grime> Peoples' reactions to the finished product. I can only imagine what the Super Metroid developers would think if they saw what we've been doing to their product.
<Sepharos> Have you ever had to take a haitus because of lack of inspiration?
<Grime> Not really for a lack of inspiration. I recently called off the community full hack because I've been busy with other things, and because people have their own stuff going on.
<Grime> When I'm not inspired, I put SMILE away for a little bit and focus on making music or web design instead until I decide it's time to get back to it.  Which usually happens when my inspiration for music or web design run out, haha.
<Sepharos> Ah, so what else do you do in your free time other than hack?
<Grime> Usually it's bumming around with my girlfriend in some fashion and going for long walks, or trying to find cool new ways to get high. Sometimes I hit up 4chanarchives and read threads there. I also write song lyrics occasionally. By song lyrics I mean rap, but I don't have any songs finished yet.
<Sepharos> Outside of hacking, what is your favourite video game?
<Grime> I'd have to say Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It's the only other game outside of Super Metroid that I still play.

<Sepharos> Well, we're coming to the end of my time limit I'm afraid.
<Grime> Poop.
<Sepharos> In closing, do you enjoy being a hacker of Super Metroid and would you ever consider trading the time spent hacking for something else?
<Grime> I definitely enjoy it. If I was going to trade my time spend hacking for something else, it would probably be focusing more on my music and trying to get rich that way.
<Sepharos> Do you have anything you'd like to share with our increasing audiance?
<Grime> Don't be so quick to release unfinished hacks. Take your time to learn the ropes and get good at it if you want to generate more interest. Also, scour the main site and forums before asking a question. It's probably already been answered in some fashion more than once.

Yet again, you didn't have to hear it here first folks. Indeed, people, especially the newer members, actually SEARCH for stuff.

Phazar - Member of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

Phazar is the founding member of the forums, so I took the chance to interview this great member.

<Sepharos>: Joey, how did you first discover the hacking community Metroid Construction?
<Phazar>: Well, I've been there from the very beginning.  Zeke, Bloodsonic, James, and I at the time had been hanging around #doom regularly.  As is known by now, one day James came up with this great idea to start a hacking website, so I jumped onto to bandwagon.  I am technically the fourth founder, despite James and Zeke being more influential, of course.
<Sepharos>: What was your initial thought of creating a Metroid hacking site?
<Phazar>: I remember thinking how cool it would be to start something that could one day grow as big as, say, M2K2.  But back during MetConst's founding, I really didn't know how far it would go.
<Sepharos>: How were you influential when the site was born?
<Phazar>: Well, I was the one who first suggested the idea for the forum.  James was wondering what the last page to put on the site would be, originally thinking maybe a Warzone link.  But then I came up with the idea of a forum, and he took a liking to the idea.  Took a while to start that forum, thanks to sitesled of course
<Sepharos>: So you're the founder of the forum you could say?
<Phazar>: Yes, I am the founder of the forum.  But I suppose sometimes I don't quite receive enough credit for it, although I don't want to sound egotistical here.
<Sepharos>: What do you enjoy the most about the forum?
<Phazar>: Well, that's a good question isn't it? Most people know that I've mysteriously disappeared at several occasions in the past, only to come back months later. I'll admit I haven't been hacking as much anymore, but I do enjoy just the people here.  We've kind of formed friendships over these years at MetConst.
<Sepharos>: What interests you the most on the forum?
<Phazar>: Well, I do like seeing new members come across the forum and start hacking.  Even now I still offer them advice in their respective threads.  I also quite enjoy the "administration" of the forum.  In quotes, since I'm not actually an admin of course.  But either way, I just like helping run things around here, making MetConst a great place, blah blah blah.  Actually, back to my influence, I was the first one to step up and organize the staff together for a Samus-Aran discussion, and that sort of set the preset for all future "problem members".
<Sepharos>: Have you ever considered making your own forums or site?
<Phazar>: I remember considering it during a Metconst feud/"moment" or two, but for the most part, MetConst is the best hacking community there is. But I am not ruling out a possible site and forum for something in the future. It just depends where things take me.
<Sepharos>: What moved you to join a possible hacking community?
<Phazar>: Originally, I was a speed runner and sequence breaker on M2K2.  One day, I saw inter make a topic about #jzd and hacking, so I decided to follow and learn how to hack. I became a #jzd regular, where I met James, Zeke, and Blood, and the idea of a hacking community the size of M2K2 sounded liek a good diea, with all the tomfoolery that happened in #jzd whenever I was trying to get hack help.

<Sepharos>: Do you specifically hack Super Metroid?
<Phazar>: For the most part, I do now.  But in the beginning I hacked Metroid Fusion first, before switching to Super Metroid for more hacking freedom.  I still do Fusion stuff occasionally, but not as much. Before my forum promotion, I was actually MetConst's Fusion Moderator.
<Sepharos>: What do you enjoy most about hacking?
<Phazar>: I love the fact that you can create completely new things and ideas in hacking.  You don't have to be a big-time developer to make your own games, you can just create your own stuff by building off existing engines.
<Sepharos>: Are there any hacks you're currently watching?
<Phazar>: Well, I've sure been looking at Aegis and Volta since before MetConst's founding.
<Sepharos>: Do you have any hackers you look up to?
<Phazar>: Well, I don't even need to explain how Drewseph was basically the founding father of modern Super Metroid hacking.  But besides that, PJBoy was always high up in my books for what he was trying to do with Fusion, a project I occasionally attempted myself.
<Phazar>: This is the events system we're talking about, of course.
<Sepharos>: What is the main reason for your hacking career?
<Phazar>: At this point, I haven't hacked in a while, although I work on stuff on and off every so often.  Hopefully I will finally release something soon, but as for the reason, I remember years ago running into a lot of girl troubles and problems at school, so I decided to create a life for myself that would somehow mean something.
<Sepharos>: How has your hacking career affected your life outside of hacking?
<Phazar>: I will say my hacking career has given me much guidance and interest regarding technology and programming careers in the future.  I've also run into other forum admins, hackers, and computer builders outside hacking and metConst, and we've been able to talk on the same level more than if I hadn't ever hacked.
<Sepharos>: What do you see in your foreseeable hacking career? Do you think you'll start hacking as frequently as before?
<Phazar>: I do believe that eventually I will get back to hacking that frequently, most likely in a few months when I head off to college.  Usually whenever I've stopped in the past it's been about something happening in real life to take attention away from hacking. I will say I plan to finish Super Mission hopefully befor the end of the year.
<Sepharos>: Joey, do you have any advice to your fellow hackers at Metroid Construction?
<Phazar>: Take on your big hack ideas, and never give up on them.  Motivate yourself.  Always come back, even after a long hiatus.  Remember that you are here with MetConst for a reason, may it be hacking, the people here, or something else. At the end of the day remember that it's not who you are when you start hacking, but what you make of yourself.  Oh, and it never hurts to take the occasional breaks to explore the outside world.  "Real life" is not always the hacker's enemy.
<Sepharos>: Is there anything you'd like to add before we finish?
<Phazar>: I'd like to say that I love the whole community here.  Those who remember my IRC blowups about real life situations in the past, as well as those by other memebers occasionally, probably also remember how supportive a community we really are.  Thanks to some for being there, and thanks to others for troll humor.  Love you all, and go on and make great futures of yourselves!

You heard it here first folks, he truly is greatful for the site and for everybody support. Happy reading!

SquishyIchigo - Member of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

This evening an amazing event took place- an interview with the site famous Squishy Ichigo aka Josh!

<Sepharos> How long have you been a squishy?
<SquishyIchigo>: Hmm, well, that story starts back in my freshman year of highschool, so.. seven years. A girl in a group of anime fans that I had joined named "ichigo house" was in one of my classes, she hugged me, calling me "her squishy" and it stuck. Did I mention I'm not a fan of personal affection? She liked to hug me a lot.

<Sepharos> Tell me about yourself Josh, what is a day in the life of the Squishy?
<SquishyIchigo>: Well, it depends on what time I work. If I open I wake up an hour early, get ready, go to work, then come home and goof off doing nothing in particular. If I don't open, I sleep in, goof off until I go to work, then come home and goof off. I'm really lazy. Unless I'm at work. People call me a workaholic at work.
<Sepharos> How does MetConst effect your daily life?
<SquishyIchigo>: I spend more time with my friends in metconst, then any of my other friends. I'm not the kind of person to call up my friends and be like "hey, wanna hang out?" Nah, they can call me.  Despite the usual annoying antics they do at times, I love being there. They are good people. I try to be a good guy to everybody.
<Sepharos> Has MetConst affected your life in a good way?
<SquishyIchigo>: Hmm.. thats a vauge question indeed. It certainly hasn't effected it a bad way, thats for sure. I enjoy spending my time with these people, even just a nice chat while sipping tea. This one time I was interviewed! It was great!  So yeah, I'd say it's been good. Indeed.
<Sepharos> What is your most memorable moment with the community?
<SquishyIchigo>: heh, I have so many great memories, this might take a minute. Nah, I just have too many, I can't think of one to go with. Everyday is memorable to me!  
<Sepharos> What do you typically do on MetConst?
<SquishyIchigo>: Typically, I just hang out and chat on IRC, but I'm also a Global Mod for the forums and an op on irc. I like having a bit of authority so I can smack around people who don't follow the rules. Rules are nice.... Anywho, I used to hack Super Metroid, but that recently came to a close. I still offer my help to those that need it though. I always say after some one thanks me for helping "thats what I'm here for." I enjoy helping people so long as they aren't help vampires.
<Sepharos> Do you believe the community is growing?
<SquishyIchigo>: The Super Metroid hacking community has been growing pretty well even before Metconst came into existance. I was around for the M2K2 days, and people steadily come and go (those that aren't cut out for it) but everyonce in awhile a gem pops up. I've been in the community for.. three years I think now. Been there since Metconst was a baby. It's nice to see new people join who really have a talent for it. Not so much when twelve year olds do, but you gotta take to good with the bad, ya know? So yes, it's growing steadily.

<Sepharos> Who is your favourite game character?
<SquishyIchigo>: If you'd have asked me that four years ago, I'd have told you more or less the same thing. I'd have instantly replied Sephiroth. Followed up with Link, Samus, Knuckles in no particular order. More recently adding Red (from pokemon) to the mix. I even fantasize about a rock band with these five in it at times. (daydream I guess? I do that kind of thing alot) Seph on Lead Guitar, Link on Vocals (haha), Knuckles plays Bass, Red (who was added later) plays Rythym, and Samus on the drums!  I call it Broken Ashes. The crystal that was shattered and scattered. I plan to write something or do some thing for it eventually...
<Sepharos> What game character would best represent you?
<SquishyIchigo>: I'm an enigma of sorts, thats a tricky question I couldn't answer that.
<Sepharos> For the sake of the interview, you will.
<SquishyIchigo>: But I've already awnsered your question! NEXT!

<Sepharos> Who has the most personality, in your opinion, in MetConst?
<SquishyIchigo>: Define personality! Zhs2 is definately a big figure in our little corner of the world. I'd like to say that I am too, but heh.. Altough James is our "leader" in the sense that he started up Metconst and got the gears moving, Zeke is our front man, always there, doing stuff! Sometimes (ok, alot of the time) this comes out as juvinile things such as *****lolol, but HEY! Personality! Definately!  
<Sepharos> Who in the community do you look up to?
<SquishyIchigo>: Again Zhs2. I know I can turn to this guy anytime I need to. I hope that he can to me as well. Anyone actually, I enjoy helping people like I said. Personal problems, hacking problems what have you! But yeah, Zhs2, he's the calm, level headed, fair person that Metconst needs. Awesome guy. I used to (not so much anymore) get into these arguments with the guy about silly little things. Sometimes I'd be right, and he'd cave, but alot of the time he'd be right, and I came to respect that a bit. He's totally stubborn though. I had to use a birckwall back in those days.
<SquishyIchigo>: Hacking wise though Grime- he's the ****. I don't have to explain that one, just go look at Room of the Week stuff. I fell in love with his style since he first joined, and he makes great music!  
<Sepharos> Name a few features the community has that you enjoy?
<SquishyIchigo>: IRC- WOOHOO! I enjoy that we have a centralized place for everyone to show off their current projects and get great feedback. We have alot of really experienced people here that know how things should look and feel and give great advice. I also enjoy the talking about whatever thing we got going on with both irc and off topic board. Before I was a Global Mod, I modded the Off topic board. (well, technically before we made the switch to the current forums we use, I modded the SM board, but I was like "Zeke, frak that noise, gimme offtopic" he totally did after I smashed him with that brickwall!
<Sepharos> Do you enjoy any specific threads on the forums?
<SquishyIchigo>: Room of the Week, Talk of the Day, The Great Metroid Construction Collaboration Hunt, General Projects Screenshots/Vids Thread, all really good threads. I enjoy alot of the lesser ones too but not the ones where twelve year olds show up who don't follow the rules.
<Sepharos> How often do you see new people that don't follow the rules?
<SquishyIchigo>: *sigh* More then I'd like. I wish people would read the rules before doing stuff, then everything would be gravy and biscuits. I especially enjoy the new people that I don't have to get onto.  Even MORE so when they are gems, that given time will take this place and make it shine!
<Sepharos> Do you know any examples of new people who you've transformed into turned into great members?
<SquishyIchigo>: People I've had to get onto that have made a full recovery?
<Sepharos> Indeed. Say DarkSamus or Zozo and I will KILL you.
<SquishyIchigo>: The closest person would have to be GunnarGumpert. This stroy starts out with him asking for help on my youtube channel. I sugget Metconst as its a great place, and I would know, I'm a mod there! So he comes, and crashes so hard that people still give me **** to this day. He comes and starts ripping off Redesign. I don't know if you know this or not, but there is this understanding between the SM hackers and Drewseph (the maker of redesign) that we would not steal his stuff out of respect. But Gunnar comes along not only asking us to rip it FOR him, but to basically make his hack for him. This didn't go over well at all. Flamers popped out of every corner! (literally, Flamestar666 was the worst of them) It was really bad. To the point I was arguing with Zhs2 about his permanent banment, since gunnar was only feeding the fire, (which as you know, is NOT the best way to put OUT a fire) He convinced me otherwise (I think this was the last real argument I've had with zeke) and I gave gunnar another chance. He turned it around abit, but he still feeds the flamers from time to time. A Lot of people still hate the guy today. I still give him a little **** now and then. A note, I wanted to get rid of him because he was tearing the community apart with people who didn't see the big deal, and the haters.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change with the community?
<SquishyIchigo>: There's a little too much "*****lolol" for my taste, but I've come to accept it more recently. It just wouldn't be the same without it. I'd totally wish that some people would come back to us, I wish I could change their minds about leaving, because those guys where great, even if other people say otherwise. Waker, Bloodsonic, Aile to name a few.
<Sepharos> Has the community taught you anything since your joining?
<SquishyIchigo>: Definitely. I've grown alot personally since joining back in the day, and still learn stuff today. I'm trying to be an even more understanding person, with open eyes and an open heart. It's hard sometimes.  Not to mention the hacking knowledge I've learned! The community has grown SOOO much since Metconst came into being. Knowledge that was limited like asm, has become much more wisespread people push the envelope these days!  

You heard it here first folks! People learn something from even the most obscure sites on the internet!

HCBailly - Let's Player of YouTube

Spoiler

<Robert Maloney> Henri, you're renowned as one of the best RPG Let's Players on YouTube. What would you credit this to?
<Henri Bailly> Honestly, Starting in 2007 really helped, because there were very few LPers for RPGs at the time. I do put a lot of preparation into my LPs. Some people might call it work, but I enjoy fine tuning the whole process.
<Robert Maloney> I understand for preparation you typically use notes. Do you take these notes from your own experience, use other sources, or a mix of the two?
<Henri Bailly> A compilation of everything you mentioned. I use other resources to create my own notes. Walkthroughs can be helpful, but often times are based on an average player's experience without too much analysis, like I do.
<Robert Maloney> Do you compile these notes for future gameplay or strictly just for the LP?
<Henri Bailly> Just the LP.
<Robert Maloney> Is there any time where you've played blind, either because of a lack of notes or simply a lack of information?
<Henri Bailly> Not really.  I'm not a fan of blind LPs.  There's nothing worse than watching someone bumbling around, not knowing what they're doing.
<Robert Maloney> However, though you don't bumble around, you certainly do become more skilled while playing, while also learning new things aboot the gameplay, correct?
<Henri Bailly> Yeah.
<Robert Maloney> Prior to you LP career, you made countless Mario Paint videos. Did any of this experience help motivate you to become an LP'er?
<Henri Bailly> It taught me how to record videos. Having an initial subscriber base of about 500 when I started making LPs helped a lot too.
<Robert Maloney> Did any of the music play a nastalgic role, pushing you to the decision of becoming an LP'er?
<Henri Bailly> I suppose a little, yeah.
<Robert Maloney> What caused your move from Mario Paint to Let's Play?
<Henri Bailly> MPC videos take a very long time to make and don't involve playing games, which is what I really like to do.
<Robert Maloney> Ah, so your move was caused from what you enjoy, and entertaining an added bonus.

<Robert Maloney> I've noticed that you've grown as both an entertainer as well as somebody who can connect with the audience. What, in your opinion, is the cause for this?
<Henri Bailly> Just getting experience over time, I guess.
<Robert Maloney> Now, what would you say your favourite RPG or RPG series is Henri?
<Henri Bailly> Well, besides Final Fantasy. I liked the Soul Blazer trilogy a lot.
<Robert Maloney> Can you contrast your likes between the two?
<Henri Bailly> The Soul Blazer trilogy is just pure, mindless fun, and very silly.  Terranigma is probably one of my favorite games of all time. Yet, they all still tell a deep and epic story.
<Henri Bailly> To me, the Final Fantasy series has the greatest balance between great music, gameplay mechanics, and plot.  Other RPG series may do one or the other better, but really falter on another.
<Henri Bailly> For example, Dragon Quest has incredible battle mechanics, but lack a driving plot to provide the player with direction or motivation.
<Henri Bailly> What I like about both is that they have great music. Music is so important to me in video games.
<Robert Maloney> Especially in Final Fantasy VIII.
<Henri Bailly> That's very accurate. Music can really make an average game great. I'm not a huge fan of FF8, but the music made it great to me.

<Robert Maloney> On the topic of Final Fantasy VIII, based on your wrap up in your LP, would you say it's your least favourite Final Fantasy game?
<Henri Bailly> I'd say FF2-3 are my least favorite. They were still fun but I don't think I would ever play them again. Final Fantasy X is pretty low on my list too.
<Robert Maloney> Can I assume from your finale of Final Fantasy VIII that a reason for your dislike of Final Fantasy II-III was because of the ability to essentially clone characters?
<Henri Bailly> Yeah. The growth system of FF2 makes it my least favorite. I hate "you are what you do" growth systems.

<Robert Maloney> Are there any other genres, besides RPGs, that you enjoy?
<Henri Bailly> I like Adventure type games like Zelda and Metroid, though I haven't played any of the recent games.
<Robert Maloney> So a game that sets you forth with a mission, good music, and good character development is your ideal standard for any game?
<Henri Bailly> That would help. I'm not a fan of open-ended games like Oblivion.
<Robert Maloney> Do you intend to LP every game in the numeric Final Fantasy series?
<Henri Bailly> I'll probably LP Final Fantasy X.  I don't know about 12, but maybe. Obviously, I can't LP the MMOs.
<Robert Maloney> Can one assume that you did not enjoy the battle mechanics of XII?
<Henri Bailly> I didn't really get far enough to form an opinion on that. The plot just seemed to lack direction to me.

<Robert Maloney> Outside of the numeric series, would you ever consider LP'ing any of the Ivalician (Tactics) or Crystal Chronicles series?
<Henri Bailly> Probably not
<Robert Maloney> What would be your primary reason for your decision?
<Henri Bailly> I've got other series that I'm interested in, like Breath of Fire. Disgaea.

<Robert Maloney> Back to the topic of your LP career. Would you say the purpose of your LP's is to entertain, help walkthrough, help inform, or a combination?
<Henri Bailly> I try to commentate as a walkthrough first, entertainment second. My general goal is to create a comunity for people to have fun. My videos are designed to help people have fun, either from playing or watching.
<Robert Maloney> Does your LP career ever effect your personal life?
<Henri Bailly> No, I never let gaming take over my life.
<Robert Maloney> Did you ever expect to become as popular as you have?
<Henri Bailly> No, not at all. This is just a hobby for me.
<Robert Maloney> In the midst of your LP career, is there anybody you look up to?
<Henri Bailly> There's a lot of people. Deceased Crab was my greatest inspiration. The Angry Video Game Nerd, Nostalgia Critic, Proton Jon, UltraJMan were also some influences.
<Robert Maloney> Is there anything that can annoy you, either from one of your past LP's or somebody elses LP?
<Henri Bailly> Not specifically.
<Robert Maloney> Is there anything you'd like to change on your past LP's?
<Henri Bailly> I'd like to have been more upbeat at the time. I know I want to redo my FF4 LP.
<Robert Maloney> Would you say your lack of an upbeat spirit in the beginning of your LP career was caused by being a new LP'er?
<Henri Bailly> To an extent, yes. I was also looking for a new hobby after quitting Magic: The Gathering, so I was also a little out of it at the time.
<Robert Maloney> What is the most rewarding aspect of being an LP'er?
<Henri Bailly> It creates an avenue of social activity that I did not have before. Plus, I don't have to travel for it, unlike Magic: The Gathering.
<Robert Maloney> Is there any advice you have for aspiring LP'ers?
<Henri Bailly> Just have fun and don't worry about how many subscribers you have.
<Robert Maloney> What is your best memory of your LP career?
<Henri Bailly> Probably Illusion of Gaia. That was just the perfect game to LP. No editing. Just record and go. The plot was so ridiculous, it was easy to poke fun at too.
<Robert Maloney> Does being an LP'er ever bore you or do you ever think of quitting?
<Henri Bailly> Not at all. In fact, making LPs motivates me even more to play games.
<Robert Maloney> What motivates you to continue being an LP'er?
<Henri Bailly> I enjoy dissecting a game and learning new things about it, then sharing it on YouTube. Without that outlet, I wouldn't be as motivated to do so for a game.

<Robert Maloney> Would you ever like to design your own RPG or video game, outside of hacking?
<Henri Bailly> Probably not. It sounds like a lot of work.
<Robert Maloney> Have you ever played a hack of an RPG, and if so, what was your opinion on its gameplay?
<Henri Bailly> I've played fan translations, but not a full-fledge hack. I'm not really interested in that sort of thing.
<Robert Maloney> Have you ever considered becoming a game designer or something close in the field?
<Henri Bailly> Maybe a beta tester, which I've done in the past, but nothing like a real job. One thing that I learned from my career in Magic: The Gathering is that I don't want to turn my hobby into a job.
<Robert Maloney> What's your favourite video game of all times? Why?
<Henri Bailly> Final Fantasy 4, with Chrono Trigger in a close second. They are so well balanced between the graphical presentation, the music, the plot, and the battle mechanics. I think what separates them from almost every other RPG I've played is that there is no letdown in the game. The plot is continuously interesting and never drags.
<Robert Maloney> What is your opinion on the current direcion of the Final Fantasy series is going? Would you say it's good, bad, or indefferent? Why?
<Henri Bailly> I think going in a different direction from Uematsu is definitely a step in the wrong direction, but I suppose he can't do this forever. The new composer had some good tracks, but the overall soundtrack was more designed for atmosphere and ambience, which I don't like in jRPGs. The graphics and battle mechanics are definitely heading in the right direction. I'm not a huge fan of how their plots have been written since Final Fantasy X.

<Robert Maloney> Besides gaming, what other hobbies do you enjoy?
<Henri Bailly> I enjoy working out and watching football/basketball/baseball, though I don't know if you'd call them hobbies. Gaming takes up the vast majority of my free time.
<Robert Maloney> How have your hobbies influenced you as a person?
<Henri Bailly> They caused me to develop my life around them. As a result, I'm successful enough in my work that I don't have to work very many hours, leaving more time for gaming.

<Robert Maloney> Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans or the LP community?
<Henri Bailly> Have fun and have a good day.

Zeke - Administrator of Metroid Construction - Follow Up

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Ezekiel, since our last interview, a lot has evolved in the community. What would you say has improved with the community?
<Zeke> Hmmm. I am not exactly sure if you can say anything has improved, but I've never been much to notice change a lot. If anything, we've gained a few people, we've gotten a few bad people to leave, we're just Metconst.
<Sepharos> Well, could you say if there's been any progress in the hacking scene?
<Zeke> There's discoveries happening every day, heh. Progress isn't always few and far between, but I'm sure people find new stuff and put it up on the boards regularly enough that we'll have Super Metroid cracked in the next 10 years.
<Sepharos> Literally ten years?
<Zeke> Fifteen sounded too long. Nah, I'm just fraking. I bet we'll make a lot of good **** in ten years and have a fully completed ROM map or something and maybe a music inserter if we can get a programmer on that ****.
<Sepharos> So you believe that the hackers of the community, pulled together, can completely map out a game made by professionals?
<Zeke> Devolving into Super Mario World difficulty sounds kinda disappointing, though. Maybe we'll never get that good on purpose. Just to cite the Super Mario World example again, do you believe they haven't completely cracked it to the point of embarrassment yet? Of course I believe we can do that. I just don't know if we really want to, for posterity's sake. Think of all the garbage hacks people will make!
<Sepharos> What features do you expect to be unlocked in the future for Super Metroid? Multiplayer? New abilities and music?
<Zeke> Ahahahaha at multiplayer. Definitely possible, as Jathys has worked on it somewhat, but that would mean quite a bit more legwork in the field to get working correctly. As for abilities and music, people have done and are working on it as we speak already. I suspect we'll get quite a few more block types, glow expansions, FX1 expansions, and etcetera as well as we keep moving.

<Sepharos> Do you believe Metroid Construction will continue growing, based on the past year?
<Zeke> There's always more people who have not yet been exposed to the Metroid Construction community. They just don't know what they're missing.
<Sepharos> What do you believe could possibly attract more members to the community?
<Zeke> Either good publicity or word of mouth. The latter tends to spread faster and be more effective, and the former is probably something we're not going to campaign with.
<Sepharos> What interests you the most in the community?
<Zeke> Probably not a whole lot, aside from the fact that the people who talk on IRC are a colorful bunch. I like livestreaming people's hacks if they offer as well, even if I might be somewhat terrible (Sadiztyk compared me to Axiel while I was playing a really old hack by DSO the other day, to say nothing of the half-second input lag and the fact that some of the rooms in the hack were just terrible. Honestly.) I turn into the guy I really hate when it comes to LPs, and that's the LPer. Apparently everyone else likes it when a dude is talking while trying to play a game.
<Sepharos> What do you see in your forseeable future with Metroid Construction?
<Zeke> Moving hosting. In probably less than a month from now we'll be switching to InMotion Hosting in order to compensate for the large amount of community *****ing and some of the downtime we've been having with Metroid Construction lately. Hopefully we're looking to bump the uptime numbers to guaranteed, although I can understand when someone has a power outage. Just saiyan.

<Sepharos> Outside of hacking, what do you believe to be some of the features the community enjoys?
<Zeke> Messing with Hatchling, picking on DarkSamus, posting about how the Wii doesn't have a solid lineup, you know, the usual. Nah, I'm fraking again. I'd believe one of the bigger things some of the members enjoy is my minecraft server, which has been up for about six months and if not that, it's the hacks from the Japanese dudes or the dreaded old hacks drudged up from people's hard drives.  Overall, I'd think it's what everyone else enjoys as well as I do: All of the cool people on the IRC who are fun to talk to and share info with. Pleasant attitudes make the community go 'round!
<Sepharos> What forms of entertainment can be found in the community?
<Zeke> Probably the aforementioned above hacks, the trolling on IRC (It's funny when everyone can realize that you're obviously joking about something, and it's even funnier to see the clueless people react to things like "Who the frak is Samus? His name is Metroid, that's what it says on the box") and whatever other fun distractions we can amuse ourselves with. For two to three months it was crab battling!

<Sepharos> Have you been plagued by more journalists in the past year?
<Zeke> Apparently not. You're the only guy who knows and finds Metroid Construction to be as interesting as ever, as well as haggle for interviews with the members. Like I said earlier, they're probably out there, they just don't know what they're missing!
<Sepharos> Do you find the interviews as a point of interest to the community?
<Zeke> Usually people don't care about other people's points of view, and I don't blame them, even though this causes a lot of strife (People will probably never learn.) It isn't until natural human curiosity kicks in, as well as a feeling of worth, to determine exactly how another person's mind works. Interviews condense the stuff into easy reading material for everyone else.  
<Sepharos> Does it work as an entertainment portal for the community?
<Zeke> To quote squishy, "It's nice to get other people's view points from time to time!" (Paraphrased, of course. Too lazy to look it up.) I'll bet they're even fun to read when you have no clue who Sepharos is interviewing! I still have yet to read HCBailly's >.>
<Sepharos> Are there any people/members you're interested in being interviewed?
<Zeke> When is DarkSamus gonna get interviewed? I wanna see that guy's point of view. More seriously, how about SadiztykFish and crashtour, or maybe even FullofFail? Drewseph, Eppy, KP9000, there's quite a few interesting people still to be had. Oh yeah, and snarfblam. That guy's cool.

<Sepharos> What is your opinion on Bloodsonic's leaving of the community?
<Zeke> Honestly, he hasn't really left. He's just on an extended vacation and decides to pop in from time to time for probably less than scrupulous input.
<Sepharos> From his own words, he says that he doesn't plan on returning to the community. Can you elaborate on his decision?
<Zeke> That's what he says. He might not be moderating the community anymore, and he might not talk to a lot of people (some of them offended him I guess like Green-Kirby or something, I dunno,) but he considers #metconst trolling grounds.  I guess it was too stressful or something, or he just got tired of it? Joining to pick on people when Project has a really good troll going is probably my fault. I always let him know when **** is hilarious and he decides to jump on it from there. As for posting on the forum, I'm all like "Man, look at this post" and he's like "You dumb **** ******, thanks for linking me to this, now I have to find out how to ruin your day" Sometimes he does, and it's usually funny. Yeah, it's my fault.

<Sepharos> Do you have any advice for the community as well as hackers?
<Zeke> Hmm, I have a few things to say. One of them is, if someone is trolling (or otherwise being really dumb,) and you don't get the joke, don't get offended. Just ignore them. Hell, even playing along is better than nothing, but if you feel any anger coming on, simply don't say anything. To coin a phrase, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it!" Another thing is that if you are fourteen years old and just budding in the community, please lurk a bit more. Being a DarkSamus isn't all that bad, unless you're longer-than-six-months-ago DarkSamus Who Posted Garbage Mostly Like This And Didn't Lurk Moar. We love to see it when you inform yourself first as well as possible then ask questions if you're really unsure and read the interviews. You may learn something about the community and its members from there.
<Sepharos> Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and/or admirers?  
<Zeke> For something to my fans and admirers, I'd say keep on doing what you do, and keep being good at it. It's the Tire Iron way!

ProjectXVIII - Member of Metroid Construction

Spoiler

<Sepharos> David, how did you first discover the community of Metroid Construction?
<ProjectXVIII> Well, Drewseph was doing a run of his hack Redesign on Livestream. Bloodsonic was there, and decided to invite me to #metconst. I didn't make a forum profile until much later, a few months.
<Sepharos> What first introduced you to the hacking scene?
<ProjectXVIII> Coincedentally, Drewseph's hack. I found it, and wanted to know what created it. Found SMILE, and thus, I became a hacker.

<Sepharos> BONUS TRIVIA QUESTION!! What is the first item/ability you attain from a boss in Metroid Zero Mission?
<ProjectXVIII> Woohoo! ... Define "boss."
<Sepharos> An abnormally large enemy, typically with unique abilities and attacks, With its own music seperate from the terrain.
<ProjectXVIII> Charge Beam from that really freaky worm thing. You know the one.

<Sepharos> What did you enjoy the most on your first few days as a member?
<ProjectXVIII> Hm.. I'd have to say getting kicked. Back then I would rage hard at getting kicked because I didn't have auto-rejoin. Looking back on it, it was hilarious.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about the site today and more recently?
<ProjectXVIII> As if you even have to ask. The trolling. The forum, however, I like how far SM hacking has come, and how much new stuff is released each month.
<Sepharos> How do you feel about the current direction of the site?
<ProjectXVIII> Hm, the current direction? In what sense? With it gaining popularity, moving from FazeWire?
<Sepharos> Do you believe we're heading in the right direction for our members and community growth?
<ProjectXVIII> I'd say yes. The noobs are getting better, and we're getting more good hackers coming in (and ****ty hackers, but they'll get better).
<Sepharos> On that note, David, do you have any advice to the new members of the site?
<ProjectXVIII> Stop being so easy to troll. Also, don't release the first hack you make. Make a few rooms, and redo them. Rinse repeat. I've yet to release a hack and I'd say I'm above average at hacking.
<Sepharos> In one word, describe what the site community means to you and elaborate on your answer.
<ProjectXVIII> In one word you say? Hm.. My home away from home.
<ProjectXVIII> (I told you I would troll. )
<Sepharos> (You fail at trolling. Journalists can't be trolled. We are the trollers, hence the interview.)
<ProjectXVIII> But yeah, #metconst is kinda like my chill spot for when I'm not doing anything else, which is 90% of the time.
<Sepharos> What do you believes Metroid Construction a unique community?
<ProjectXVIII> What do I think makes it unique? We're based mainly on hacking. Most of the MetConst old***s chilled on M2k2, which was really more about speedrunning and sequence breaking. We broke off, and are mainly about hacking.

<Sepharos> Do you hack any Metroid games yourself or do you leave that to others?
<ProjectXVIII> I do indeed. I hack Super Metroid, mainly level design. I can't be bothered to learn ASM. I've tried my hand at graphic editing, and that really doesn't work for me. Let's just say the word "Pillow Shading" is an understatement.
<Sepharos> Are there any projects in the making that the community can look forward to?
<ProjectXVIII> Right now, I've got a hack that's being (very slowly) worked on called Super Metroid: Equilibrium. Not really sure if anybody is "looking forward to it," but i'm sure a few people may be. It's definitely no Aegis.
<Sepharos> Are there any details of the gameplay you could share with the readers?
<ProjectXVIII> Let's just say the gameplay will be very focused on speed and the flow of the game. There are many places where you'll have to use speed to outrun lava/acid and such. I'm pretty much going to use all of the keeping speed hex tweaks.
<Sepharos> Is this a single man project or is there a secret team behind it?
<ProjectXVIII> Single man, definitely. I'm not good with teams. Also definitely not motivated enough to be reliable on a team.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered making an extravagant hack with a team?
<ProjectXVIII> I'd definitely make a collaboration hack with some other MetConstians if it had potential. The problem is most collab hacks don't have potential or they die.
<Sepharos> Are there any hacks in the works that you're currently interested in?
<ProjectXVIII> SadiztykFish's hacks (or hacks, if she's even working on Impulsion any more), Aegis of course, and probably a few others. Those are the main ones though. Predator and Bounty on Rhizon, as well (Black_Falcon and crashtour's hacks, respectively).
<Sepharos> Have you ever hacked any other games outside of the Metroid series?
<ProjectXVIII> I have. I did a little bit of Super Mario World hacking and tried some Link to the Past hacking. Also, I guess you could say I did some M1 hacking- even if it was messing with the tiles in a single room.
<Sepharos> Did you ever have any released projects involving those games?
<ProjectXVIII> I've never had any released projects, period. Except one.. but we don't need to talk about that one.. ever. EVER.
<Sepharos> Describe your frame of mind while hacking? What ideas go through your head?
<ProjectXVIII> Pretty much just "Am I using the same tile 4 times in a row?" That's why my terrain looks pretty natural, and why i'm not good at mechanical/industrial level design. I usually try to go for a dark look, as well.
<Sepharos> Who would you say is your role model for hacking? Why?
<ProjectXVIII> Grime and Sadi, probably. I like both of their palettes and level design. Such as Sadi's layering and Grime's "ohmygodsomuchdetail!"

<Sepharos> Would you say gaming and hacking are your primary hobbies? If yes, why?
<ProjectXVIII> I'd say yes, because i've played games since I was probably five years old. It's just something i've been good at. Then I got good at making my own.
<Sepharos> What other hobbies, outside of gaming and hacking, do you enjoy?
<ProjectXVIII> Drawing, mainly. I've drawn up some concept art for enemies to put in SM, but, i'm not too good at pixel art, so that'll have to wait for a while.  
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered becoming a game designer or something related in the field?
<ProjectXVIII> I have, i'm actually taking classes next year for game design, and currently learning a little bit of C. Not to mention I was making some weapons in Doom just prior to this interview. As such, we have things M2k2 doesn't have, like a lot of the patches/hex tweaks on the main site.
<Sepharos> Do you have any closing advice to aspiring hackers?
<ProjectXVIII> I'd say just make your level design more natural (especially when using Tilesets 1 and 2) and mess around with palettes a bit before showing pics. Nobody likes bleeding from their eyes.

Kabutroid - Webmaster of Planet Zebeth

Spoiler

<Sepharos> James, you are known as the author of the Metroid webcomic "Planet Zebeth." When did this webcomic begin and what pushed you into making it?
<Kabutroid> It started back in March of 2002.. although to be honest, I had to go and check the first comic in the website to see what date I indicated in the text under the comic. That's actually the single only reason I originally put that there.. so I could remember it. What pushed me into it was that I like telling stories (if you read my geocaching logs online, you'd be familiar with my love of storytelling), and Metroid was among my favourite games. As well, having read a lot of webcomics in general, I was for some reason drawn to sprite comics for some reason.. perhaps because I like games. But there was very few, if any, about Metroid.  So I set out to change that.
<Sepharos> That killed the next question- "Why Metroid?"  
<Kabutroid>  Yeah, that about answers it.  There was no Metroid webcomics.. I thought 'why isn't there any'.. and thus made one.
<Sepharos> Did you ever suspect your comic would gain as much popularity as it has?
<Kabutroid> I never expected it to grow like it did.. honestly, I thought it would be an underground type comic that all of like.. 50 people read, and would die in a year or two.

<Sepharos> Did you have any basic plot structure prior to the first strip?
<Kabutroid> Oh, like nobody's business.  I had about 20 or so comics drawn out on paper ahead of time back then, and actually had made about 15 and uploaded them all at once to get a minor database available right from the get-go.  I actually had a plot to the point that I was making 5 comics a day for the first several weeks. I tended to save those and upload them over time.
<Sepharos>  Roughly how far in advance do you plan ahead for the comic and/or plot?
<Kabutroid> Back when I started, I'd have a backlog of between 5 to 10 comics made, and the plan ahead was very specific and structured.  Nowadays, I moreso wing it, but have a general direction that I know I want to go, and know the next major occurrences, but don't have the specifics worked out ahead of time.  I just go with what feels right when I'm at the computer.
<Sepharos> How do you keep track of various ideas you come across?
<Kabutroid> Most of them reside in my head.  Otherwise, I have a variety of idea-keeping methods.  I have a 'no-delete.txt' file on my desktop, a voice recorder that's always on me (although it's used for remembering anything on the go), notepad papers at the computer.. so I just skim over those every so often to see what I've got kicking around.
<Sepharos> Is there any overall plot for Planet Zebeth that you have planned, James?
<Kabutroid>  Oh yes, quite.  I know exactly how it's going to end.  The primary Planet Zebeth, anyway.  There's several other primary points that need to be reached first, but I do know of the major things that will happen, and the finale.
<Sepharos> Has anything that has happened to you in your daily life affected the plot or any strips? IE Inspired.
<Kabutroid> My friends tend to inspire me and toss me ideas that sometimes make it in, or failing that ideas that people online give me may be taken into account.  A sombrero comes to mind.. But my friends and I used to go out for all-you-can-eat-wings night back when it wasn't ludicrously expensive, and we'd generally brainstorm about the comic, back when I was doing it 5 or 3 times a week. And no, Croc wasn't wearing a sombrero for that.  It would only hinder his crikeying
<Sepharos> This is essential to the interview.. What kind of wings were they?
<Kabutroid> When it's all you can eat, I've found that having a dry type wing is best... so lemon pepper was usually my favourite.
<Sepharos> Then again you're His Holy Royal Highness Sir Mixalot O'Food IV; are you not know for your odd food combinations?
<Kabutroid> It's been a while since I've done a combine thing.  I should really go about making some of the things I came up with.

<Sepharos> Has your wife ever contributed to the strip outside of being a guest?
<Kabutroid> Somewhat... although not in a way that she expected.  She occasionally would make some sarcastic comment to make fun of me more than anything, and I'd like the idea anyway and run with it. That applied more to bonus comics than anything though.
<Sepharos> Do any of the characters have personalities based on real life friends?
<Kabutroid> None of the major characters, anyway... several of the random appearances like Chous for example (the white Pizza Cat sprite) are direct sprite representations of friends, but otherwise for everyone else, I just went with what I felt their personalities would be like. If anything, they're more like representations of different aspects of myself.
<Sepharos> Have you ever seriously considered ending the comic cold turkey?
<Kabutroid>  Only once or twice tops.  I can't even recall when specifically, but I think one was at the end of my first ever hiatus from the comic. Otherwise, I've always wanted to keep going. I never like to leave things unfinished.

<Sepharos> How would you describe or advertise your comic in four words?
<Kabutroid> Like Metroid, but not.
<Sepharos> That sounds familiar.
<Kabutroid> Yeah, I probably stole that from somewhere remembered in my subconscious.
<Sepharos> What did ya do? Refresh the bottom of the main page until you got a quote with only four words?
<Kabutroid> Bah, if I wanted to look through those quotes, I'd just open the text file with all of them.

<Sepharos> James, your comic is known to have secrets. Without divulging any of these "secrets" could you eleaborate on what they are?
<Kabutroid> As of right now, there's somewhere in the ballpark of 80 secrets on the site... Some are hidden links, direct links, hidden text, coded text, and any other method I could think of to hide information. Minus straight out stenography in the colours of an image.  That's just going too far.
<Sepharos> What do these "secrets" do and how did you come up with the idea behind the secrets?
<Kabutroid> It started out with wanting to be like the game Metroid, which has many hidden items/places.  So my original plan was to have a 'level' of secrets... each level just being secrets hidden in the same manner... for each of the number of Metroid games, and each level would have that same number of secrets. So say when there was 5 games, there'd be 5 levels of 5 secrets each... 25. Once more games started coming out, I set a hard limit of 100, whenever I get around to putting the last ones in.
<Sepharos>  Has anybody ever discovered or attempted to discover all the secrets (excluding myself)? (Are any of the floating/moving metroid icons secrets?"
<Kabutroid> I know of only one person who determinedly found all of the secrets, back when there was around 50.  They had some help from me throughout it, but they managed. I have no clue if they kept up... I can't even remember the person's name any more.  It's been years.
<Sepharos> (But yeah, are any of the floating/moving metroid icons secrets?)
<Kabutroid> As for the floating Metroids... the answer to that is a distinct 'kinda'

<Sepharos> What sprite comic would you say has inspired you the most?
<Kabutroid> For sprite comics, no question... Oldskooled.
<Sepharos> How has it inspired you towards Planet Zebeth?
<Kabutroid> It was my favourite sprite comic back before Zebeth, and I think it was the only active comic (back then) that even HAD Samus in it.
<Sepharos> What is the most annoying part of keeping up Planet Zebeth?
<Kabutroid> The most annoying part about keeping up the site is long gone... trying to admin and moderate the message board was always a trainwreck. For Planet Zebeth's site itself.. Probably whatever is shown in the 'to do' list that I procrastinate away for long, long times. Updating the profiles page I guess. Which I still have yet to do.
<Sepharos> How has the comic influenced your life?
<Kabutroid>  I'm not sure if it has in any definite way, aside from perhaps keeping my love of Metroid alive.  Moreso, my life has influenced the comic. Although it DOES act as a nice recording of all of the major occurrences in my life for the past 8 someodd years.
<Sepharos> What metroid enemy best fits your personality and why?
<Kabutroid> That's a peculiar question.. let's see.. I'd have to go with the Holtz, due to it's stubbornness (why won't that damn thing just die in the game?!?), and it's very specific movements, somewhat mimicing my bit of OCD I tend to get at times.
<Sepharos> Also, what happened to that tragnabian zoomer?
<Kabutroid> Hmm... that's a good question.  For some reason, I thought it was dead. If it's not currently, I appear to have forgotten about him, and he's wandered off to live with the other Zoomers. I'll have to re-read the comic back from the Trabnagian story arc and see where everyone ended up.  If the Zoomer is alive, perhaps a return will happen.  Maybe.

<Sepharos> Do you ever consider Planet Zebeth to be a stress reliever?
<Kabutroid> Very much.. although it's a double-edged blade in that respect. If I'm stressed from work or whatever, making the comic will relax me.  If I'm however late on the comic or on hiatus due to writer's block, it creates stress. So I guess it evens out.
<Sepharos> What is more important? Plot or design?
<Kabutroid> Plot, by like a thousand times over.  It's an 8-bit sprite comic with no backgrounds... design can't play THAT much of a role. Although I am very picky about sprite selection and placement.  Still... plot is way more important.
<Sepharos> What is the most annoying part of having a popular webcomic?
<Kabutroid> Such a question would imply that it's popular.  But otherwise... no, I don't really see much downside.  I'm not big enough to not be able to go out in public, so the popularity doesn't really affect anything. Perhaps people asking me what's taking so long if I'm late... that's a minor irritation at best though. On a note related to before, while I was waiting for you to bandage your hand, I was reading the Trabnagian storyline again.  Ahhh strip 715... I laughed again reading it: Planet Zebeth
<Sepharos> It's always a good sign when the author can read back and laugh. Gonna miss Planet Zebeth when it ends?
<Kabutroid> Once the primary storyline ends, that won't be the end of the site.  At that point, I'm planning to do a few short unrelated (but still canon to the planet storyline) story arcs focusing on enemies or other people. Or maybe just some random comics, who knows. And then I may get into a 'several years later' type thing.

<Sepharos> Now, you were 21 or 22 when you first began, correct?
<Kabutroid> Hah.  But let's see... 2002, I would have been 22 I think. My how the years go by. Go through various job layoffs, get married... life keeps going.
<Sepharos> You made it sound like it was just, you know.. a common life occurance.. as in.. it happens as if it were part routine. "Yup, went to work today, ate lunch, came home, got married."
<Kabutroid> I actually made a point of finding a geocache on my wedding day.
<Sepharos> What is a geocache?
<Kabutroid> Geocaching... of which a small section of my site is dedicated to in the 'stuff' section (Geocaching, the Kabutroid way) is basically a treasure hunt of sorts using a GPS receiver. Thousands of containers are hidden all over the world and logged online (geocaching.com), and then you go and find them, write your name in the logbook, and log it online.

<Sepharos> Where do you hope to take Planet Zebeth in the future?
<Kabutroid> I think I answered that one earlier. I plan to finish the primary storyline, then do some storylines focusing on either enemies or revolving around some other character.  Or just some random one-off strips.  After that... who knows.
<Sepharos> Thanks for your time James.
<Kabutroid> Good night sir.

Kurtiss - Administrator of Nintendo 3DS Forums and Co-Founder of My Little Pony Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Sir Kurtiss, you are an admin of 3DS Forums, how did you come to this position and first learn of the forums?
<Kurtiss> Well, I discovered it about a year and a few months ago by googling "Nintendo 3DS". I found David's blog. I read it every now and then. After a while he opened a forum to go along with the blog, I joined and made friends pretty quickly.  A few months later we started getting more and more members. Then one day, David sent me a private message asking if I would "like to join the team". I accepted.  I became a Super Moderator for a few months, then during summer (I think in august?) I was promoted to Admin after Baroque left and David became in-active.
<Sepharos> Why did Baroque leave at the time?
<Kurtiss> Eh, I dunno if I'm allowed to say. Sorry. :<
<Sepharos> Quite alright. Is there any specific area you're in charge of, as an admin?
<Kurtiss> Not really, I'm pretty much in-charge of everything. Of course, David is above me but I'm basically maintaining the site, with the help of the moderators, of course.
<Sepharos> When you first joined the forums, what news were you most interested in for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Kurtiss> Honestly, it was the 3D screen. I've never heard about Parallax Barrier technologies so I had no idea how 3D without glasses would even be possible.
<Sepharos> Was it David's blog that first introduced you into Nintendo 3DS news?
<Kurtiss> Nope, I remember reading it on a page somewhere... (I think it was Kotaku) about a DS that could display 3D images.

<Sepharos> What interests you the most about the future of the Nintendo 3DS?
<Kurtiss> Hmm... well, I'd say online capabilities. I'm really hoping that the 3DS will have a bunch of games that will include online multiplayer. That's one of the reasons why I got SSF4! I also can't wait for Animal Crossing 3DS and Paper Mario 3DS.
<Sepharos> Back to the forums, what has impressed you the most about the 3DSForum userbase?
<Kurtiss> Oh god, LOL. Uhm, we've had some interesting... users... A lot of chatbox dwellers have an awesome sense of humour. We also have quite a lot of intelligent and talented users. I know this is a bad impression, but users also argue about the tiniest things. (I probably shouldn't have included this last sentence lol).
<Sepharos> Based on what you've seen since you've joined the site, how does the future of both 3DS Forums and the blog look?
<Kurtiss> Well as of today, the blog is doing amazing! Tons of page hits. This includes the forums and his YouTube channel! I think the future of the blog, forum, and YouTube channel is very bright. David's YouTube subscribers continue to rise which also means more traffic to the blog which brings more traffic to the forums.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change about the site?
<Kurtiss> Hmm... Yeah. Right now we're using vBulletin as our forum software. I'd rather use IP.Boards. It's much easier to maintain and administrate the forums, also the admin panel (and forum in general) looks so much more cleaner and uses fancy AJAX scripts... which is always cool.  I'm one of the founders of MLPForums and we use IP.Boards over there.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about the community Kurtiss?
<Kurtiss> Definately the chatbox. Crazy things happen in there... Another thing would be the frendships that formed on this site. I've met tons of friends here, and so have many others. It's always nice seeing users being friendly to each other. Of course there are some users who aren't as friendly, but the friendly users make up for it. Same with the users who make a joke of everything.
<Sepharos> If you could describe the community in three words, what would it be? Elaborate?
<Kurtiss> Hilarious. Drama. And friendships. Hilarious because usually when I'm reading through threads I always find posts that make me laugh. I usually "Like" any posts that have that effect on me. (You'll see I've given out quite a lot of likes...) Drama, we've had drama for the longest time... thankfully that has (almost) ended recently. Friendships, because of the relationships formed between many of the users.
<Sepharos> Were you part of any gaming news site or forums prior to 3DS Forums?
<Kurtiss> Meh, I'm registered at Wiiso. I know... bad Kurtiss. I was also registered on TheBellTree but I wasn't very active. I just went on there to gather some people to visit my town on Animal Crossing: City Folk. I was a member on WiiChat but only visited for about one day lol.

<Sepharos> Onto gaming; what's your first memory of gaming?
<Kurtiss> My first memory would be me playing Pac-Man at my grandma's house on my NES.
<Sepharos> What first brought you into the world of gaming?
<Kurtiss> Surprisingly, my grandma. My grandma introduced me to games, and I was hooked.
<Sepharos> What game series are you interested in? Both in general and for the 3DS?
<Kurtiss> I'm not sure if this counts for a game series but I'm very interested in Rock Band! I play it almost everyday. I need to get into more games, though. I plan to do that once I get a 360. For the 3DS I think it'd be awesome to see a new Kirby game.
<Sepharos> What upcoming video game releases are you interested in, not neccesarily for the 3DS?
<Kurtiss> Hmm, none that I can recall... I'd say Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi since my friend keeps talking about it and is asking me to get it for Xbox, lol. GTA5... Paper Mario, of course.  Oh, and how could I forget: Super Smash Bros. 4!
<Sepharos> Any other gaming new you're on top of at the moment?
<Kurtiss> The "Xbox 720". I wanna try and keep up with that. Also, those GBA games ambassadors are supposed to get... waiting for the release dates for those.

<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Kurtiss?
<Kurtiss> Sure, on a weekday I'll wake up, fall back to sleep, wake up again, notice I'm late, listen to some Nicki Minaj while I walk to school (lolol), get in class, do work in Geo, be bored in math, go home for lunch, text my friend (Sylph), go back for computer programming, hang with friends, fall asleep in english, go home, play rock band, text sylph, talk to some of the groups I'm apart of on Skype, moderate the 3dsforums, moderate mlpforums, talk to sylph on skype, fall asleep, wake up the next morning realizing I didn't do my homework. On a weekend, I'll probably be sleeping over at one of my friend's. Playing video games 'til about 4 AM
<Sepharos> Outside of the gaming world, what other hobbies do you have?
<Kurtiss> I love hanging out with my homies. (Though, we pretty much just play games rofl). I love playing piano and guitar. I actually want to be a composer, so I'm going to be learning music theory.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in music, as that seems to be a highlight of your real and gaming lives?
<Kurtiss> Quite a while, actually. My mom had me go to this music school when I was about 6 called The Ontario Conservatory of Music. When I was little, I had this little toy piano that only had 10 keys on it. I taught myself how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on it. (I remember playing it all the time lol). When she called the school I had some person who worked there come and test me before I actually started. He said I was very good, and I was able to easily identify different pitches. I went to the school for about a year, maybe. I had an awesome music teacher who quit to further his career with his band. I quit shortly after... but I taught myself some music at home. A few years later I went back, aced the exam, and quit again... I no longer go but I do teach myself. So I've pretty much been playing piano for almost 12 years.  I've been playing guitar for 2 years. There's a guitar course at my school that I took for 2 years, that was really fun. Especially performing on Music Night. I'm a pretty shy person but I love performing in front of people.  I'm also composing songs for a game me and a friend are working on, developing them in FL Studio.
<Sepharos> So music has been an important aspect of your life for quite some time.
<Kurtiss> Yep.
<Sepharos> Any favourite instrument or composer?
<Kurtiss> My favourite instrument is the Piano. I really like the harp, too. My favourite composer is John Powell. He composes music for quite a lot of movies. I really like the music he's composed for How to Train Your Dragon. "Forbidden Friendship" is probably my favourite piece from him.
<Sepharos> What other pieces do you enjoy from other composers?
<Kurtiss> I need to get more familiar with composers. But I like Reqiuem from Mozart. Moonlight Sonata by beethoven aaand, I'm sure everyone's heard of this one... Canon in D by Pachebel. Pachebel actually has some cool pieces, I remember listening to a bunch of pieces on YouTube, I don't remember any titles though. :x

<Sepharos> Who, as a role model, do you look up to the most?
<Kurtiss> Hmm... now that I think about it... I don't really have a role model. (worry) I guess John Powell? Though I doubt I'll be as successful as him. xP
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to see yourself in the next ten years?
<Kurtiss> ... Happy. I hope to see myself happy in the next 10 years. Will I be a composer? I don't know, I used to think I was going to go into animation... only recently have I decided to want to become a composer. Maybe I'll just be in some band, lol. I just hope I'm doing something I love.
<Sepharos> Has the community of 3DSForums taught you anything?
<Kurtiss> Yep, the world is full of opinions. You should listen to what others have to say.
<Sepharos> Who in the community do you look up to and why?
<Kurtiss> I don't really look up to anybody, but I guess if I had to choose that person would be Baroque. He had to put up with a lot of crap from users while I was gone. There was a period where I had no internet for about 7 months, he pretty much took care of the forums himself. What sucked was that this was also the time where the members started to skyrocket because of the release of the 3DS.
<Sepharos> In closing, is there anything you'd like to say to the readers?
<Kurtiss> Stay classy, 3DS Forums. And shout-out to Sylph<3

Kinvara - Moderator of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Farrah, you are currently a Global Moderator of 3DS Forums. How did you first discover the site and when did you attain your current position of power?
<Kinvara> I found the forums through the blog back in January 2011.  I looked through some of the posts/threads and I liked the discussions that were being made and the members, so I joined. Later on (I think it was back in August), the other moderators had a discussion and I was chosen for the position of moderator of the Nintendo 3DS section.  I did a good job so Kurtiss promoted to me Super Moderator a couple weeks ago.
<Sepharos> Have you enjoyed your stay with the community?
<Kinvara> Well, the community has had its ups and downs.  But overall I've really enjoyed my stay here.  On the other forums I had joined previously, I only made 100 posts or so before I got bored.  This is the only one I'm currently active on- I consider it my "home" on the internet. [laughs]
<Sepharos> What are you interested in the most in the forums?
<Kinvara> I mostly look through threads.  (You never know when someone will make a hilarious comment!) But every once and awhile I'll hang out in the chatbox.
<Sepharos> Are you happy with how the forums have evolved since their creation?
<Kinvara> I wasn't here at the VERY beginning, but I like how the community has developed.  We have our own inside jokes and we've had a lot of "legendary" members.  It's pretty cool.
<Sepharos> Farrah, is there anything you'd like to change about the forums?
<Kinvara> Well, one of the things I'd liked to fix is the Social Groups.  There just "there" and it seems like they aren't used much. Maybe with a little tweaking they could become something more special.  :/
<Sepharos> That aside, does the future of 3DS Forums look promising? Why or why not?
<Kinvara> Of course, it's promising!  The 3DS is selling well this holiday, so I hope to see plenty of new members this January.
<Sepharos> What other forums and communities are you pat of, outside of 3DS Forums?
<Kinvara> As I mentioned earlier, this is the only forum I'm currently active on. I did join the MLP forums a few months ago when it launched but I haven't been back there in awhile.

<Sepharos> Question of popular demand: How nerdy do you think I am? Ala Panini.
<Kinvara> You're nerdy but not THAT nerdy.  If 0 is dudebro and 10 is UB3RL33T, you're like a 5.5
<Sepharos> Dunno why, but Panini wanted that to be asked.

<Sepharos> Back to actual questions. How long were you interested in Nintendo 3DS prior to joining the forum?
<Kinvara> I was interested in it when it was first announced but I got distracted by other things going on in my life. I didn't really start following news on it until October 2011.
<Sepharos> Would you say the future of the Nintendo 3DS also looks promising?
<Kinvara> The price drop really helped in my opinion. It's selling like crazy right now!   I can see it having a very successful life and I think its game library will be excellent.  I'm really glad I bought the 3DS.
<Sepharos> What, if anything, would you like to have available or changed on the Nintendo 3DS?
<Kinvara> Most people would say a youtube app but I don't really care about that.  I have a laptop for that kind of stuff.  The main thing I would like to get changed is the layout of the eshop.  It's really disorganized at the moment and not very user-friendly.
<Sepharos> What future Nintendo 3DS titles are you looking forward to?
<Kinvara> Beyond the Labyrinth
Crush3D
Fantasy Life
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Luigi's Mansion 2
Paper Mario 3DS
Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle
Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney
Rayman: Origins
Resident Evil: Revelations
Tales of the Abyss
Time Travelers

<Sepharos> Are you with the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program Farrah?
<Kinvara> Of course!  I have no regrets!
<Sepharos> Are you excited about the list of games being released with the program?
<Kinvara> Definitely.  I've only played 1/10 out of the GBA games that are being offered and the NES games are pretty fun to play every once and awhile.  The ambassador program is a great idea in my opinion.  Nintendo should give similar benefits to customers who buy their next systems at launch. Free games for the win.
<Sepharos> Do you think Sony would release such a program with the first price drop for the PSP Vita?
<Kinvara> I don't think Sony would/could drop the price of the PSV a few months after launch like how the 3DS did.  If I'm remembering correctly, they're already taking a loss on the system.  But if they did make a huge price drop, I guess they would release a similar program.
<Sepharos> Are you planning on buying a PSP Vita?
<Kinvara> Not at the moment.  The list of 3DS games I plan to get keeps growing and I still have a whole lot of old DS games I have yet to play.  It'll be awhile before I start seriously considering getting another handheld.
<Sepharos> What Nintendo 3DS news have you been really looking into lately?
<Kinvara> The recent firmware updates and new titles on the eshop.
<Sepharos> Any in particular?
<Kinvara> PushMo definitely.  Dillon's Rolling Western and the Sakura Samurai too.

<Sepharos> Now, what first introduced you into gaming?
<Kinvara> I've been playing games on the computer since I was 3.   But my interest in gaming really started to rise when I got an N64 for Christmas.  I didn't even ask for one but it was a great surprise.
<Sepharos> What was your favourite game for the Ninteod 64?
<Kinvara> I can't really choose one!  I loved DK64, TLoZ: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, and Battle Tanx: Global Assault all equally.
<Sepharos> What impressed you the most about the Nintendo 64? Had you heard anything about it prior to its release?
<Kinvara> Its games are what impressed me the most- not really the console itself. ; )  I hadn't heard ANYTHING about it before it was released.  When I first saw it, I thought "lawl. wut is this?".
<Sepharos> What's your favourite game series and why?
<Kinvara> That's a tough one.  I really love the Professor Layton series for the fun characters, quirky stories, and challenging puzzles.  I also like the Legend of Zelda and the Paper Mario games.
<Sepharos> So which is more important for a video game? Graphics, music, or story?
<Kinvara> The most important thing in a video game is gameplay but graphics is also important- not in an SD vs HD sense, but as in the art style of the game.
<Sepharos> What do you mean by art style?
<Kinvara> For example, Okami is inspired by traditonal Japanese art.  And everything in Kirby's Epic Yarn looks like it's made of fabric.
<Sepharos> Okay. Now, is there any character that could best represent you Farrah? How do they represent you? Can you give any examples of how they have recently?
<Kinvara> Hmm... I can't think of any actually.
<Sepharos> Well, is there any character you share traits with?
<Kinvara> Skyloft Link to an extent.  I'm very patient, quiet, and I'll go to great lengths to help the people I care about.

<Sepharos> Alright, now we're shifting away from your gaming life. What's it like living your life Farrah? What happens on a day-to-day basis?
<Kinvara> I'm a college student so most of the time I'm studying or doing homework.  Most of it's on the computer so I'll be muliti-tasking between chilling on the forums and solving equations, programming, etc.
<Sepharos> What are you majoring in?
<Kinvara> I recently changed from Nuclear Engineering to a dual major in Computer Science and Computer Systems Engineering.  I'm going to try and squeeze a Game Design minor in there somewhere.
<Sepharos> How did you decide this was the path of education you wanted to take?
<Kinvara> Well.. I've always done very well in technical subjects but I also have a creative side as well.  A career in game design allows me to use both of my talents.
<Sepharos> What other talents and hobbies do you have?
<Kinvara> Expanding what I said earlier about my creative side:  I've enjoyed writing and drawing ever since I was young.  I also enjoying reading and I have a HUGE collection of books.
<Sepharos> What's your favourite book or book series?
<Kinvara> Twilight.  Team Edward all the way. Just kidding. Harry Potter is always good.
<Sepharos> ._. That's NOT being edited out. XD Is JK Rollings also your favourite author, or do you have another?
<Kinvara> Though the Harry Potter series is always fun.  I really enjoy the writing style of Nancy Farmer.  The House of the Scorpion and The Sea of Trolls was a pretty cool reads.  I've read hundreds of books though so to try and pick an all-time favorite is near impossible and gets even harder if you include all of the manga I own.

<Sepharos> What are you most proud of with the 3DS Forums members?
<Kinvara> Their hilarity and friendliness.
<Sepharos> Do you look up to any one member? Who and why?
<Kinvara> Kurtiss. He's made a lot of subtle improvements to the forum and he's one amazing pony overlord.
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to see yourself in the next ten years?
<Kinvara> In 10 years?  I just want to be happy with my life.
<Sepharos> Don't we all. Has the community of 3DSForums taught you anything?
<Kinvara> Believe for Barkiss is Willing. Dat Cam. Storm is always right.
<Sepharos> [laughs] Finally, is there anything you'd like to say or point out to the readers?
<Kinvara> Soup is the answer!
<Sepharos> Alright, thank you for your time Farrah. I hope to see you around.

Yuoke - Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Corey, you are a very active member of 3DS Forums, may I ask how you first discovered the forums?
<Yuoke> I was actually just looking around for random searches on google about which 3DS color is better, and the first one that popped up was a poll thread here.
<Sepharos> Is there any particular reason why you decided to sign up as a member?
<Yuoke> Yeah, there kind of is.  After just lurking for awhile, I wanted to repsond to a lot of the "3DS is doomed" type threads because it was just getting kind annoying.
<Sepharos> Like the 30% of GameFaQ members who join to say something smart to obvious trolls and idiots. What has made you such an active member on the forums, that is, what brings you online so often?
<Yuoke> I'm pretty much online like literally all the time, and the forum is one of the three sites I always have up, along with facebook and youtube.
<Sepharos> Is there any specific area of 3DS Forums you are most active in? Why that area?
<Yuoke> I'd say I'm actually on most parts farly equally, but I guess I would say the lounge is the most fun overall.
<Sepharos> When you say lounge, do you mean the general lounge or forum games?
<Yuoke> General Lounge, although general gaming lounge would probably be second.
<Sepharos> Would you say the conversations that take place there are worthwhile? Why or why not?
<Yuoke> Yea, for the most part they all are usually pretty good conversations, except the troll ones of course.
<Sepharos> Which do position do you find yourself in more in those areas? As a teacher or a learner?
<Yuoke> Probably teacher, but i wouldn't put myself as some backseat mod type.
<Sepharos> Do you often see backseat modding in the forums?
<Yuoke> Maybe occasionally, but defintely not too much.
<Sepharos> Corey, what do you enjoy the most about the 3DS Blog community?
<Yuoke> Probably just the information that is put out and is usually made straight foward by David.

<Sepharos> Speaking of which, what news are you most interested in right now for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Yuoke> Well, besides the obvious gba games, I would probably say games that we know little about at this point like Paper Mario and animal crossing.
<Sepharos> Are these games your also looking forward to playing when released?
<Yuoke> Yes, and especially Paper mario just because I have always loved both of the first two games in the series.
<Sepharos> Are you also an ambassador?
<Yuoke> Yes I am, I got my 3ds originally in early June.
<Sepharos> So you've no doubt been on top of any news relating to the free games. Alright. What is your opinion on the game list?
<Yuoke> I think the nes games list was defintely solid, although probably a little lacking in really good games.  I think the gba games list is great and I really only don't have interest in one game there.
<Sepharos> What game would that be?
<Yuoke> Probably WarioWare. I just think that one could have replaced with something like Super Star Saga or Golden Sun.
<Sepharos> Super Star Saga?
<Yuoke> Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. It was one of my favorite GBA games, so I kind of would want to get that on the 3ds.
<Sepharos> Indeed. As a Metroid fan, you're no doubt excited over the inclusion of Metroid Fusion, the first GBA Metroid game, in the ambassador GBA list?
<Yuoke> Of course! That was defintely my favorite Gba game and would be close to the top of my favorite Metroid games.

<Sepharos> So its safe to assume the Metroid series is also amongst your favourite game series?
<Yuoke> Yes, it defintely is.  I just think it is so unique in how it kind of takes great aspects of both Mario and Zelda.
<Sepharos> Could you describe these aspects?
<Yuoke> It has a lot of great platforming you always see in Mario games, combined with the exploration/collecting in Zelda games.
<Sepharos> Okay, so you enjoy those series as well or just the collection of their thesis?
<Yuoke> Yes, I defintely have always really liked most Mario and Zelda games, but jsut not to the level of Metroid.
<Sepharos> What do you believe makes or breaks a Metroid game?
<Yuoke> Exploration is defintely the main key, but the effectiveness of how the story is included also plays a big factor.
<Sepharos> What is your favourite Metroid title and why? How does the environment play a role in the game?
<Yuoke> As much as I could say Super Metroid, it really has to be Prime for me. It was just such an amazing game the first time I played and has held up just as much.  I love every environment in the game from how varied they are, and also how well the music works for each major area.
<Sepharos> Would you also consider Super Metroid your favourite game of all time? Why or why not?
<Yuoke> Yes, I would defintely have it right up there for most of the same reasons as Prime. Obviously the onemain difference is that it is side scroller and much more platforming based

<Sepharos> Which do you prefer on a general gaming level; side scroller or first person?
<Yuoke> On a general level, defintely side scroller, but I do have specific first person games that I really like.
<Sepharos> Outside of Metroid Prime, what other first person games do you enjoy?
<Yuoke> I really have always liked the first two Halos, Doom 3, and Bioshcok.
<Sepharos> What did you enjoy most about these other games?
<Yuoke> I lovehwo they are much more seperated from every typical fps with having much more of a deeper story base and really great atmospheres.
<Sepharos> How would you like to see those types of games implemented on the Nintendo 3DS?
<Yuoke> Of course the best option would to see some new IP that would go in that direction, possibly under Retro, but Metroid is always there as a backup choice.

<Sepharos> How does the current 3DS selection look according to you?
<Yuoke> Right now and in near future, it really is looking good to me. It defintely was a pretty slow start, but I knew that would change starting with 3d land coming out.
<Sepharos> Does the future of 3DS Blog and Forums look as good?
<Yuoke> Yes, from what I've seen, the amound of people on both is getiting at least somewhat larger and more games should mean even more forum goers.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change about the community right now?
<Yuoke> I don't think there really is anything major that has to be changed, or at least that I could think of.

<Sepharos> What's your daily routine like?
<Yuoke> [laughs] It's kind of messed up and disorganized as of lately.  The semester is over now, but it as generally go to class whenever I had one, and then just randomly get food when I'm hungry.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you wish to change about yourself at the present time?
<Yuoke> Yea, I deintely need to figure out what I want do going foward.  It's kind oftough figuring out exactly what I personally want to do.
<Sepharos> What do you plan on doing with your life right now?
<Yuoke> I'm in college right now, so hopefully that can work out well.  A little more challenging than expected.
<Sepharos> What hobbies do you typically enjoy?
<Yuoke> Well, besides being on the internet and video games, I actually am a big football fan.
<Sepharos> Really? Have a favourite team?
<Yuoke> Yea, I'm an Eagles fan.  Pretty much always have been.
<Sepharos> I'm a Green Bay Packers fan. Rather off topic for the interview, but my father once golfed with a GBP back-up QB. Nothing huge, but still, I thought it was special. How long have you been a football fan?
<Yuoke> I'd say going back to when around 8 or 9 years old.  Once I started watching it, I just always loved it.
<Sepharos> Are there any other sports you enjoy?
<Yuoke> Yeah, I really like baseball, and basketball is also good.
<Sepharos> Do you just like watching or do you also participate in playing?
<Yuoke> I did used play football for a few years back in middle school, but then evenutally just did want to anymore.  I do still play for fun though with frineds sometimes during the summer.
<Sepharos> Have you considered going into sports commentary?
<Yuoke> I did for a little bit, and actually even went to this camp thing for it, but I decided that probably wouldn't be that great for me.
<Sepharos> Do you think there's anybody in particular you look up to in the world of sports?
<Yuoke> Yeah, I'd say Derrick Rose on the Bulls is one that I do.  I'm a Bulls fan, but I just like how he dosn't ever get too arrogant and just always plays hard.

<Sepharos> Have you ever been in a sport conversation on 3DS Forums?
<Yuoke> Yea, I think I've been in a few before.  I guess techinically the biggest one waould be Cam.
<Sepharos> Would you consider that an actual thread or more of a troll thread?
<Yuoke> At first it seemed kind of trollish, but now it's not too bad and kind of funny.
<Sepharos> Like the sporting world, is there any member on 3DS Forums you admire or look up to?
<Yuoke> I do like most of the memebers for the most part, and I guess Kurtiss would be the best because he doesn't ever back down from his Pony Pride.
<Sepharos> What is your fondest memory of 3DS Forums thus far?
<Yuoke> "For Barkis is willing, are you?"
<Sepharos> In conclusion, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<Yuoke> Sure, just remember that Kaiba can always screw the rules, because he has money.
<Sepharos> Okay. THATS A RAP!! Good job everybody. John, great execution. Megan, get me my coffee. I don't care what Chris says, Michael Phelps is going to be a T-Rex. I'll be in my trailer.
<Yuoke> [laughs]

Greyson/Snail - Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Greyson, how long have you been a member of 3DS Forums?
<Snail> I joined in September of 2011, so that makes me three months old on the forum.
<Sepharos> How did you first discover the forums and why did you join?
<Snail> I discovered the forums one night browsing the internet looking for news on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D in June. I joined because my old forum had been abandoned and I remembered this one as having the best news on my favorite handheld.
<Sepharos> Was there any members you recognized from your old forums?
<Snail> Haha. No. My old forum only had about six members, and they were all my friends. Can you call that a forum? I guess not. So I was the only one from that site to join 3DS forums.
<Sepharos> What makes you stick around 3DS Forums?
<Snail> The community. Its so.. unique
<Sepharos> What about the community makes it so unique?
<Snail> Well we have PS3 gamers, xbox gamers, and Nintendo gamers all in one site. Most forums would die from that.
<Sepharos> What's been your favourite moment with the community so far?
<Snail> The Dreamcast/Yuoke arguements. Everybody was behind Yuoke and watching him respond to the troll was quite funny.
<Sepharos> What was your opinion on Dreamcast?
<Snail> I didn't mind him until he called me immature for liking the Sly Cooper games. From then on I knew he was a troll and that he would get banned.
<Sepharos> You like Sly Cooper games, eh? We'll come back to that in a second. For now, where do you spend the most time on 3DS Forums?
<Snail> I'm everywhere, except for the studio. [laughs] I have no artistic abilities. I always like to come home to the chatbox, though.

<Sepharos> There's a picture of a snail-Mario jumping on a goomba (shown here: ) as your Skype avatar. Did you draw that?
<Snail> No I didn't. A member drew it for me. ARt did it. As I said, I have no artistic abilities.
<Sepharos> Does he draw all your Snail pictures?
<Snail> No. I get some from the internet and BonBon did my latest avatar on the forums.

<Sepharos> Okay. So what draws you to the chatbox so often?
<Snail> The chaos of it.
<Sepharos> Could you give a reason why it's so chatoic?
<Snail> There are a bunch of members in one place. All with different personalities. That can get crazy.
<Sepharos> Could you share a short story about one such crazy moment in the chat box?
<Snail> Well, a few days after the forum got a new server, all the sections kind of broke so nobody could enter them. The only thing that was working was the chat and so there was about 300 members in the chat at the same time. Wow. All posting at the same time.

<Sepharos> Wow, that is chaotic! 300 members? That was madness! Well then, how does the future of the forums look to you Greyson?
<Snail> Well of course it will thrive! We have some many games coming out in 2012 for the 3DS that more people will sign up. Posting new threads. Its hard for a forum to die with a ton of new people.
<Sepharos> Does the future of the Nintendo 3DS look as bright?
<Snail> As I said earlier, there is a good line-up of games for 2012. If MK7 can get thousands to buy the 3DS think about what Luigi's Mansion and Icarus can do. The 3DS isn't going away for a long time, in my opinion.
<Sepharos> Any titles you're looking forward to?
<Snail> Kid Icarus: Uprising, Luigi's Mansion 2, and Super Smash Bros. will be day one buys for me.
<Sepharos> Has any released game been bought on release from you as well?
<Snail> Haha. Well lets count, shall we? Super Mario 3D Land, Starfox 64 3D, Pokemon Rumble Blast, and LoZ:OoT 3D.
<Snail> So yes I have bought some games on release.
<Sepharos> Are you a part of the ambassador program as well?
<Snail> Of course I am.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the GBA games released for it?
<Snail> Well, even though I was hoping for pokemon, I love the titles. They are as great as I remember.
<Sepharos> Are any of the titles a disappointment?
<Snail> None come to mind. I guess thats because I remember all of them from my childhood so I couldn't possibly be disappointed.
<Sepharos> What are you looking forward to more on the 3DS; ports, remakes, or original games?
<Snail> Even though I love a good remake, I can't wait for some more originals,
<Sepharos> I agree, but what remakes would you be interested in?
<Snail> Majora's Mask and Super Mario Sunshine. Both stole summers from my childhood. [laughs]

<Sepharos> Early you mentioned that you're a fan of Sly Cooper- would you like to see a Sly Cooper game remake?
<Snail> Well, considering its a Sony title, it would be impossible for the 3DS. But on the PSVita? YES!
<Sepharos> Will you be purchasing a PSVita?
<Snail> If I can scrape up enough money, I'll get it on launch. Though, thats highly unlikely. I may get it for my birthday.
<Sepharos> When is your birthday?
<Snail> October.
<Sepharos> So it'll be quite a wait for you, but are you on top of PSVita news as much as 3DS news?
<Snail> Sadly, no. I learn what I can from fellow members. Baroque and CallMeJackz inform me on any BIG news. Other than that, everything is a suprise.
<Sepharos> What has impressed you the most about the Nintendo 3DS so far?
<Snail> The capabilities. The fact that it is more powerful than the wii is quite amazing, considering the 3DS is a handheld and the Wii is a home console.
<Sepharos> So you're more impressed by the 3DS than the Wii, correct?
<Snail> Not necisarily, the wii is good in its own ways. It was revolutionary. The first console to have motion controlls.
<Sepharos> But since then, both Sony and Microsoft have jumped on the motion control bandwagon. Would you say Nintendo is now behind in the home console wars?
<Snail> As of now, yes. When the Wii U hits, I may have to reconsider.
<Sepharos> Does anything we know so far about the Wii U impress you?
<Snail> The video streaming and the controller.
<Sepharos> What do you think about the controller in specifics?
<Snail> I like how you can send things from the controller to the TV and the drawing pad. Even though I can't draw.

<Sepharos> Greyson, what first brought you into gaming?
<Snail> My dad used to take me to arcades and let me play those old Namco machines. I've been hooked ever since.
<Sepharos> So you're originally an arcade games?
<Snail> Yes. I still am. Whenever I see an arcade, I like to see what games they have.
<Sepharos> What arcade game was your favourite?
<Snail> Donkey Kong!
<Sepharos> How did you go from an arcade gamer to an all-out gamer?
<Snail> To tell you the truth, I don't remember. All that I know is I went from DK to Sly Cooper.
<Sepharos> Is Sly Cooper your favourite game of all time?
<Snail> That award goes to Donkey Kong. It is challenging and fun. Plus it only costs a quarter.
<Sepharos> Do you enjoy the entire Donkey Kong series or just the arcade game? Did you play any of the sequals?
<Snail> I've played every arcade Donkey Kong there is. Once nintendo "adopted" DK and released DK 64 I've played every Nintendo released sequal.
<Sepharos> So it's safe to say the Donkey Kong series is your favourite series?
<Snail> I'd say its safe.

<Sepharos> Outside of gaming, what are your hobbies and how do they take a role in your day-to-day life?
<Snail> I take part in parkour, gymnastics, and acting. I spend most of my time on the internet or on my trampoline.
<Sepharos> What's the life of Greyson like on a typical day?
<Snail> Weekdays its wake up, go to school, come back, study/homework, then I play video games or practice my flips on my trampoline. On weekends Its sleep, sleep, sleep, eat lunch, play video games, go outside and run a little, and stay up all night. I'm boring.
<Sepharos> What do you plan on doing as a career?
<Snail> I want to be an rollercoaster imagineer at Walt Disney World.
<Sepharos> How do you plan on going about doing this?
<Snail> Going to a good engineering college. [laughs] Thats all I can do, I guess. I also play a lot of Rollercoaster Tycoon to sort of help me.
<Sepharos> So you enjoy Rollercoaster Tycoon as well? Great. When did you first get into rollercoaster design?
<Snail> When I was about five years old, I was intrigued by coasters and I started drawing coaster sketches. I've wanted to pursue that dream ever since.
<Sepharos> Do you also enjoy riding rollercoasters?
<Snail> To an extent. Anything above 150 feet is out of my enjoyment zone.
<Sepharos> Would you ever ride a rollercoaster you've designed?
<Snail> Yes I would.
<Sepharos> Have you discussed this dream with anybody else on the forums?
<Snail> Nope, it will be news to them.

<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd change with the forums if given the chance?
<Snail> The social groups. They just seem to be there. Nothing happens.
<Sepharos> Is there anybody in the community you look up to?
<Snail> Vergil/Holmes, I don't know why. He just seems to be my internet big brother. [laughs]
<Sepharos> How does he seem to be your internet big brother?
<Snail> Well he was the first one to really accept me on the forum. Before that I was just one of those users that are there. He also is ALWAYS in the chat. So we talk a lot. Mostly about chicken.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anythng you'd like to say to the readers?
<Snail> Stay thristy my friends.

Panini - Former Moderator of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Julia, you are an active member of 3DS Forums. How did you first discover the forums and why did you decide to join?
<Panini> I saw David's page on Facebook, and noticed he set up a forum. Then I joined because I kinda like setting up communities at their inception. Kinda like being the first graduating class, I like being a part of something fresh.
<Sepharos> Were you able to set up the community along with the administration?
<Panini> Umm, well most of my suggestions from way back actually came into effect. And I like to think I've been some sort of influence to members who frequented the ChatBox or posted about video games
<Sepharos> What has made you stay with the community as long as you have?
<Panini> The 3DS is the reason I'm still around. I honestly do have faith in the device, and continue to hope that a new F-Zero game launches on it. I do recall that I was one of the few members who actually had criticism regarding Nintendo's qualities. And I think some people believved me to be a Sony fanboy for some time. I guess there are a few users who keep me around too, but they're pretty inactive these days. One thing about myself, is that I enjoy observing others, so being a moderator was pretty cool at the time.

<Sepharos> Which brings me into our next question; prior to resigning from your staff position, global moderator, how long were you a staff member?
<Panini> I was enlisted sometime in July, so it'd be about four months. Like the end of July.
<Sepharos> From what and to what were you promoted?
<Panini> From a Senior Member to a Super Moderator. Though I suppose "Senior Member" never meant much.
<Sepharos> Now, you recently resigned from your super moderator position, does that also mean you're leaving the site?
<Panini> Not at all. I have no plans to leave, and have no idea if I ever will in the near future.
<Sepharos> For what reason did you resign and do you plan on ever returning to your position?
<Panini> My resignation has much to do with my becoming a moderator. To put it briefly, I became a moderator only because the site was lacking in moderation. With Kinvara's promotion and Rentaline's enlistment, I felt I could finally just retire and return to being a normal member. If they need my assistance again, I could go back. I really don't mind the responsibilities.
<Sepharos> That puts an end to speculation. What do you enjoy most about being a member of 3DS Forums?
<Panini> I'm not sure. Honestly, I think I should dislike being a member. Mostly because I find myself constantly disagreeing with everyone, and having no one to talk about music and stuff with.

<Sepharos> I'm sorry to hear that. What part of the forums are most active in?
<Panini> Whatever is under "Gaming." Though I tend to stick around 3DS Games more often than the others because  I'm interested in... 3DS games. [laughs] I also check my Santa Destroy thread all the time.
<Sepharos> What's your general experience with the community?
<Panini> I liked "growing up with it." Though once it was able to walk itself, it started to have its ups and downs. Overall though, I've been pretty entertained by the happenings of the forums, and hope that people can learn to get along which each other or take criticism better.
<Sepharos> I've heard that, prior to my arrival, there was a trolling issue between a lot of members. Would you say this has been resolved? Why or why not?
<Panini> Trolling eh? Hard to say. I say that I was pretty lenient when it came to trolling I guess. barkis3DS, who I honestly never perceived as a real troll was taken cared of shortly after my initiation into Moderation. Then we had some issues with members because of some quarreling between Skype communities. Apparently, the forums worked as a perfect medium in which to attack others. We took care of that too. People still enjoy posting things that upset people though (ie Mega Man, Nintendo sux, SRT is cool) but that's pretty harmless. So basically, the "levels of trolling" have probably died down a lot once you came around.
<Sepharos> How does the future of 3DS Forums look, according to you?
<Panini> With the good news that's been coming up for the 3DS recently, I think it should be good
<Panini> The future of the forums is really dependent on how well Nintendo performs, or at least, that's how I feel.
<Sepharos> High diverse would you say the community is?
<Panini> Sorry guys, but I've always imaging a bunch of kids if we were to ever have a huge meet-up somewhere. By "kids," I mean I see a lot more dumb things than I do things that... I dunno, impress me. There are few bright users though who really know what questions to ask and can make decent speculation and critiques. Like myself. [laughs]
<Sepharos> Who else would you say has the potential to be an adult in this suspected meeting?
<Panini> Hmm... I'd go with users like Logitech, Mister Flannery, Storm, Mike Hawk, and even SRT. Considering how long it took me to make up that list (about five minutes), you know I had difficulty getting those names up.
<Sepharos> What are some of your critiques about the site at the moment?
<Panini> I really think the forum is fine. It's just the community part I wish could be better. There's nothing I can do about that though. If I was still a moderator, I guess I'd ban those I disliked.

<Sepharos> What critiques do you currently have towards Nintendo?
<Panini> Oh! F-Zero! Definitely that! Though if we're sticking to the 3DS, I'd say incorporate the Communities feature into the OS if possible, steer clear of future game droughts, and other stuff I don't want to think about right now.
<Sepharos> So Julia, are you an F-Zero fan?
<Panini> Yep! Bigger than any of the posers on the forum!
<Sepharos> Would you also say the F-Zero is your favourite series?
<Panini> Favorite Nintendo series? Probably not? Though if they released something like F-Zero GX or X again, it could be.
<Sepharos> What would you say is your current favourite series?
<Panini> Smash Bros. That counts, right? It totally should.
<Sepharos> How was your experience with Super Smash Bros. Brawl?
<Panini> Pretty rad. I totally maimed everyone at this GameStop tourney with Captain Falcon. Can you believe that? Unfortunately some Snake beat me! I eventually donated my Wii, but I still remember fond times with the game.
<Sepharos> What would you like to see changed from Brawl to the upcoming Smash Bros. game?
<Panini> I'd prefer if Sub-Space Emissary wasn't so dull. I would also prefer is some character didn't suck so badly (I'm looking at you Falcon)! And For The Glory -feat. Mutecity's Theme- (Mute City) from GX should be in the soundtrack.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite game of all time is?
<Panini> That question is always so hard. I'll just go with F-Zero GX and not think too much about it.
<Sepharos> What upcoming Nintendo 3DS titles are you looking forward to?
<Panini> ANIMAL CROSSING!! And Paper Mario too I guess...
<Sepharos> How well do you think the PSVita is going to compete with the Nintendo 3DS?
<Panini> I actually have no idea. I would need some impressions to work with to construct an opinion on that. I simply hope that both portables can and will succeed. Hopefully to shut up those guys telling me that portable consoles are dead!!
<Sepharos> Do you keep on top of PSVita news at all?
<Panini> Not at all. The only thing that interested me was the fact that they had a better color selection than the 3DS. I really want a lime green or cyan Vita. Though indirectly, I AM on top if only because Baroque likes to announce Vita news on the ChatBox.
<Sepharos> What are your current critiques on Sony?
<Panini> Uh, not a lot. At least not off the top of my head.
<Sepharos> For the record, does that mean they don't have much to criticize or that you just don't pay much attention to Sony?
<Panini> It means I'm kinda hungry and need energy to think. I definitely do have a couple points though. I for one don't like the mentality that more power and better specs means a better console.

<Sepharos> Are you part of the ambassador program?
<Panini> Yeah, I got my 3DS at launch.
<Sepharos> Are you happy over the ambassador GBA list?
<Panini> More than content. So sure, giddy.
<Sepharos> Are there any games your disappointed in being included?
<Panini> Nope, and I don't feel I should be because I didn't pay $250 for any of those games.

<Sepharos> Julia, what's a typical day in your life like?
<Panini> Pretty busy. School is practically done for me, so there isn't much to do besides work. I tend to always have time to hand around with close friends and do some exercising with my roomate. And at night is when I come online and play video games. I suppose school takes a huge chunk of my time.
<Sepharos> What are your plans for your career?
<Panini> Not sure. I have interests in biology, so I'll follow that path in college and see where that takes me. I just don't want to end up like BonBon selling fanart on streets.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in biology?
<Panini> I was interested in it since I first started the class a few years back. We did some pretty lame experiments at the time, but what I read in the textbook fascinated me. I just like knowing how things work. Which is also why I like chemistry and physics. Actually, back then when logitech was a nobody, we did philosophy on that Chat That was cool, but I have no interest in becoming a philosopher.
<Sepharos> What kind of hobbies are you interested in?
<Panini> Pets, music, video games, art, movies, shopping, people-watching (not stalking).
<Sepharos> What do you mean by people-watching?
<Panini> I attend a school in a rather populated city. There's a lot that goes on, and I just enjoy observing what people do. Like how they interact, how they dress, mannerisms, etc. Same thing here online, I like reading reactions in the Chat and on the forums.
<Sepharos> What's your dream?
<Panini> To be the very best. I'd really love to learn the world's languages. When I read about traveling, I'm just like really amazed. I mean, it could just be the way some things are portrayed or presented by the media. But I honestly think it'd be cool to get something from every culture. Err, every culture that won't kill me.
<Sepharos> Do you think the 3DS Forum community could aid you in this dream?
<Panini> No because the first rule explicitly states that all posts must be in English. I'm actually an international student though, so I get a little knowledge here and there. Though if we're talking about learning about other cultures... It could be possible, but no one's bothered to make a thread for that.

<Sepharos> Where does the name "Blues" come from?
<Panini> It's a musical genre. It's also a color I like, and it was mostly spontaneous- like Panini.
<Sepharos> Julia, are you a man, woman, or amorphous blob?
<Panini> I'm definitely a rugged man. I do sit-ups and watch sports.

<Sepharos> What's your favourite memory with the community?
<Panini> The pre-launch community where the best topic was about which color was best. And when everyone kinda knew each other.
<Sepharos> Do you think these interviews could bring together members again?
<Panini> With the way I'm taking shots at members in my answers, DEFINITELY!
<Sepharos> Well, I never said was it a good or bad thing. Is there any member you look up to in the community?
<Panini> No, not really.
<Sepharos> Well, is there any member new members should look up to?
<Panini> I guess... Kurtiss? We definitely need more pony and Pikachu avatars around!
<Sepharos> Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to the community as a whole?
<Panini> The game. Actually, I don't have much to say to them as a whole, other than it's probably their fault that Sin and Punishment bombed and why F-Zero never makes enough money.

Rollo - Moderator of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos>  Rollo, you are currently a global moderator on 3DS Forums, how long have you been with the community?
<Rollo>  Since the beginning, when Dave re-made the forums I was the 25th person to register and David promptly made me a moderator when he realised I had registered.
<Sepharos> Would you say being a global moderator of 3DS Forums has been rewarding? Why or why not?
<Rollo> For sure, I don't really do anything but when I do people seem really excited.
<Sepharos> What would you account this to?
<Rollo> Mostly because I had a big presence at the beginning of the forums life and eventually stopped coming around so much, I became like a lunar eclipse.
<Sepharos> For what reason would you say you originally joined?
<Rollo> Because I was extremely interested in the 3DS and wanted to help the community grow.
<Sepharos> Did David's blog add to your interest?
<Rollo> You could say that, but it has more to do with David than the blog.
<Sepharos> You and David know each other offline, correct?
<Rollo> Yeah.
<Sepharos> How long have you known David?
<Rollo> Since 2003, so quite a while.
<Sepharos> Did you know David was going to create a Blog or was it a surprise?
<Rollo> I suspected, because he usually creates a website for the latest video game technology that interests him.
<Sepharos> So it was obvious from the start he would make a 3DS blog. Were you as immediately interested in 3DS news as David?
<Rollo> Yeah, my pre-release hype was super high.
<Sepharos> Did you assist David in creating the blog in any way?
<Rollo> In Japan I helped him make some videos, that would be the extent to my helping David in any way with the blog.

<Sepharos> Why did you guys travel to Japan? Was it solely for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Rollo> That was the excuse we had, but we did lots of sight seeing with hilarious consequences.
<Sepharos> Did you enjoy the trip?
<Rollo> Hells yeah!
<Sepharos> What was your favourite part of the trip?
<Rollo> It's hard to pinpoint one moment. But I would have to say this one day when we went to an island in Hiroshima known as Miyajima and climbed a mountain, drank from a mountain spring and played with some deer. Or maybe the time a hoard of deer mauled David.
<Sepharos> Could you elaborate on the latter?
<Rollo> We were in Nara and these nice old ladies sell you cookies to feed to the deer, the deer caught word of his purchase mighty fast and swarmed him. One bit him on the ass and left a sizeable bruise.
<Sepharos> Oh, he's DEFINITELY being asked about that. Have you accompanied David on any of his other trips?
<Rollo> At one point the plan was to go to E3 with him but for various reason that didn't pan out. So no.

<Sepharos> Do you ever find news for David to post in his blog?
<Rollo> When the 3DS hardware photos got leaked way back before launch I submitted a few photos he used.
<Sepharos> How closely do you follow the 3DS blog?
<Rollo> I look at the top news story about once every three weeks.
<Sepharos> Would you say you're on top of 3DS news at the moment?
<Rollo> Not at all.

<Sepharos> Are you as interested in the Nintendo 3DS as you were pre-launch? If not, why?
<Rollo> Mostly because I didn't buy one, waiting on more games...
<Sepharos> What games are you looking forward to?
<Rollo> Kid Icarus is easily the biggest, the demo was ridiculously fun and the 3D had a real use.
<Sepharos> Have you ever played the original Kid Icarus?
<Rollo> Oh yeah, I played all the good NES games back in the day.
<Sepharos> Would you say Kid Icarus 3D will bring more attention to the game as a series?
<Rollo> I think Nintendo have a good strategy to bring Pit back into relevance, he has gained popularity in my eyes since his inclusion in Smash Bros. Brawl.
<Sepharos> Are there any other series or characters you believe Nintendo is bringing into the spotlight?
<Rollo> If they are, I sure as hell don't know about it.
<Sepharos> Do you think Kid Icarus is a one time thing with bringing old games and characters into the modern era?
<Rollo> I can't really recall any classic characters that haven't already been sent to the modern era. Maybe the dog from duck hunt

<Sepharos> What series would you like to see Nintendo put more interest in?
<Rollo> One I don't care about. They put interest in Metroid and other M is an abomination.
<Sepharos> Indeed. What Nintendo series would  you say is your favourite?
<Rollo> Metroid.
<Sepharos>  Why would you say Metroid is your favourite Nintendo series?
<Rollo> It was one of the first video games I ever played, and the world environment was just so huge and amazing to me.
<Sepharos> What game in the series is your favourite? Is it also your favourite game of all time? Why or why not?
<Rollo> The first Metroid Prime. It blew my mind when it was released. It took all the wonder of super metroid into the 3D world. The environments were so beautiful and amazing and it captured the sense of isolation the previous games had. I would say that makes it my favourite game of all time.
<Sepharos>  Metroid: Other M is an appallingly bad game for most fans of the series; why would you say that is?
<Rollo> Because in the west a lot of us had an image of samus as an awesome, badass chick that destroyed planets and fought space pirates. Other M turned her into some wimpering anime stereotype that won't save herself from being burned alive in Lava unless Adam-chan tells her it is ok.
<Sepharos> So it's suffice to say Metroid: Other M ruined her character. How do you believe Nintendo could possibly clean up the mess of Other M?
<Rollo> Well I think they need to go back to the old formula, the more interactions Samus has with other characters I feel the further away the game gets from its roots
<Sepharos> Super Metroid is one of, if not, the best Metroid games. Would you like to see it remade for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Rollo> As long as they don't **** with the game and just port it over, very much so
<Sepharos> There hasn't been any news about the future of the Metroid series since Other M. What would you acredit this to?
<Rollo> The mixed reaction the series has been receving in the west as of late.

<Sepharos> About Nintendo; would you say they performed over or under expectations in the third generation console wars?
<Rollo> Massively under.
<Sepharos> Would you say the Wii was a flop?
<Rollo> Not so much a flop as it was marketed towards non gamers, and that hurt it amongst gamers.
<Sepharos> Nintendo moved away from hardcore gaming and more into casual gaming. Would that make the Wii a gimmick system made solely with casual gamers in mind?
<Rollo> It can work really well with hardcore games, but nobody really bothers to make it work well I feel.
<Sepharos> Who would you say won the third generation console wars?
<Rollo> I am more concerned with who lost, the consumers.
<Sepharos> Why would you say the consumers lost?
<Rollo> This generation we have seen DLC become a regular thing, and not always used for good. I am seeing a lot of developers release half finished games and had pricey DLC available on launch day. The focus is on making money instead of making great games.
<Sepharos> Could you give some examples of lazy game development?
<Rollo> Dragon age origins, amazing game. But it was pretty lousy to have some NPC offer you an amazing quest and the second before you leave he suddenly remembers he needs $8 to give you the quest. All of the call of duty games, they are basically the same game over and over without any real engine or gameplay changes and sold at full price for what would have been an expansion pack 10 years ago.
<Sepharos> Would you say Sony performed over or under expectations this generation?
<Rollo> Under, but that's ok. They have a pretty solid console that mostly follows the old formulas which isn't such a bad thing. But in the world of kinects and moves and wii waggling innovation is apparently what the game companies think we want.
<Sepharos> Do you think Nintendo has fallen behind Sony and Microsoft in terms of console power?
<Rollo> Hmm, I think they have.
<Sepharos> Nintendo has clearly substituted quality and power for gimickry, but there are there any gems in the wasted generation? What games would you say stood head and shoulders above the rest?
<Rollo> Red Dead Redemption was pretty amazing really, the story was head and shoulders above this generations standards and the world was so immersive I had a lot of fun with that one. Super mario galaxy was ridiculously fantastic too, it was just no nonsense fun the whole way through.

<Sepharos> Rollo, has gaming affected your life in a positive or negative way?
<Rollo> Probably negative, many nights spent procrastinating assignments to play video games.
<Sepharos> Has it been fun at least?
<Rollo> Every minute, except those superman 64 minutes...
<Sepharos> [snicker] How does gaming fit into your every day life? What's a day in life of Rollo like?
<Rollo> On a weekend, usually get up and work out for a few hours, usually go for a motorcycle ride to get some food and investigate the surf, surfing if the waves abide and whatever time left is spread out amongst video games, girlfriend and assignments.
<Sepharos> What about you do most people not know?
<Rollo> There's probably a lot about me people don't know, I am sorta mysterious.
<Sepharos> Well, besides gaming, what other hobbies do you have?
<Rollo> Motorcycle riding and maintenance, surfing of all sorts, exercise, building and repairing computers and reading.
<Sepharos> What kind of profession are you currently in?
<Rollo> I am a student.
<Sepharos> What are you studying for?
<Rollo> Engineering, I'm going to be iron man!
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in engineering?
<Rollo> Since I was about 8 years old.
<Sepharos> How did you first get introduced into it?
<Rollo> Well, I always loved the comic avengers as a kid. Thor, was my favourite and I can't really become a norse god. Cap second favourite, can't be a super soldier WW2 hero. So Iron man it is!
<Sepharos> What is your dream and how does being an engineer relate to it?
<Rollo> Be a part of the generation of scientists to harness fusion energy, and save the world!

<Sepharos> Of course. Rollo, what do you spend most of your time online doing?
<Rollo> Video games, various forums and IRC programs and talking to friends.
<Sepharos> What other communities are you a part of other than 3DS Forums?
<Rollo> Physicsforums is the major one I contribute to.
<Sepharos> What do you contribute to 3DS Forums?
<Rollo> Nothing!
<Sepharos> Do you feel there is anything you possibly could contribute?
<Rollo> I could do my job as a mod, or make good posts. But I don't.
<Sepharos> How has 3DS Forums or 3DS Blog influenced you?
<Rollo> It helped me reach a new level of pity at certain banned members trying to come back.
<Sepharos> What do you mean?
<Rollo> A few members were banned and have registered about 10 times each in attempts to come back despite claiming they hate the forums and the staff.
<Sepharos> Basically they're hypocrites. What would you say it your fondest memory with the blog or forums?
<Rollo> Probably everything associated with the Japan trip, all the webcam shows and the chatbox madness.
<Sepharos> Who do you believe new members should look up to?
<Rollo> Me, I am the greatest!
<Sepharos> Right. Finally, is there anything you'd like to add?
<Rollo> GO PHILLY EAGLES!!

Buramu - Former Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Bram, you are a very active member on 3DS Forums. How did you first discover the site?
>Buramu> Usually when I buy a new gadget, I sign up to a related forum to learn the ins-and-outs of it. So when I got my 3DS in May, I signed up to the first active 3DS forum that popped up in Google.
<Sepharos> Did you know prior to signing up that the forum was an apendage to a blog?
>Buramu> There's a blog?
<Sepharos> Are you serious?
>Buramu> No, but I think I've only visited the blog once or twice... And to answer your question.. no, I didn't know that when I signed up.
<Sepharos> Has the forums been the medium of which you learn your Nintendo 3DS news?
>Buramu> Yes, most of it. Actually, it has been one of my main sources of all gaming-related news, lately. There are a lot of people on the forums with gaming interests that go far beyond just Nintendo.
<Sepharos> What would you say has made you so active on the forums?
>Buramu> It's a great place. It has so many 'colorful personalities'... There's always some great laughs to be had - especially on the chatbox. For some reason the forum just keeps me coming back there. Strange, because I don't even particularly like Nintendo or the 3DS that much...

<Sepharos> Now Bram, you're known for your controversial posts about Nintendo and often they talk about how they're doing everything wrong. Would you like to elaborate?
>Buramu> Ah yes, controversy. I tend to have strong opinions on things and I tend to express them a little 'bluntly'. Believe it or not, but I used to be a huge Nintendo fanboy, years ago. I remember the times when Usenet was still 'the place to go' for discussions, and I used to be on Alt.Games.Video.Nintendo.Gamecube all the time.
<Sepharos> Yes, it's common belief that Miyamoto walked up to your front door and killed a puppy.
>Buramu> It took years of therapy to forget that. Those bastards.
<Sepharos> What happened that lessened your respect for Nintendo?
>Buramu> Well.. they lost the plot. After the Gamecube failed in the market, they apparently got into a panic and decided the world needed gimmicky underpowered systems and embarrassing, lazy casual games. Not to mention motion controls. I gave motion controls a fair chance. Tried many games. And I've concluded they suck.
<Sepharos> What about Sony and Microsoft? Do you have any respect for them?
>Buramu> Hmm.... respect? Sony as a company are a bunch of scumbags. They just happen to have very capable gaming platforms that attract great developers. And Microsoft... well... let's say they're the KFC of the gaming industry. There's nothing quite wrong with them, but they attract a kind of gamer that I don't identify with. Although they do have the best racing game of this generation (FM4) and that's quite something to admit from a Gran Turismo fanboy.
<Sepharos> What do you mean Sony "happens to have a very capable gaming platform?"
>Buramu> The PS2 (I got it late in its lifetime), PS3 and PSP were all superb systems that -for some reason- had monumental third-party support and great graphics. I know some people have claimed I work for Sony. But I don't. And I don't really like their business practices.
<Sepharos> Because Sony TOTALLY has a Netherlands branch. What business practices of Sony don't you accept?
>Buramu> Funny business with their Vaios only accepting Sony-branded batteries. Creating a new MemorySchtick format for each freaking new product they invent.
<Sepharos> You don't accept that they are money *****s?
>Buramu> No, that I accept. Otherwise I couldn't love Apple like I do.

<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the Nintendo 3DS?
>Buramu> Hahaha... the million dollar question. This may come as a shock, but I'm actually starting to like the little bugger. There's a lot very wrong about it, its introduction and Nintendo's 'strategy' (or lack thereof) behind it. But I no longer feel like I was suckered into buying an inferior product. A bunch of decent games (and more on the horizon) ease the pain a little bit, I guess. I still think Nintendo have been cheap and lazy with the system.
<Sepharos> What games are you looking forward to?
>Buramu> Resident Evil Revelations, obviously. And Heroes of Ruin. And I'm hoping for some quirky Japanese titles to get localized (like Monster Hunter). And maybe we'll even get Nano Assault over here. It's just too bizarre that it hasn't even been announced for Europe yet, when it's apparently such a great game.
<Sepharos> What about your favourite series; what is it any are any of its games available or coming to the Nintendo 3DS?
>Buramu> Uncharted? Doubtful. Seriously though.. I don't really have a favorite series. More like a bunch of related genres that I really enjoy. I like games that focus around exploration. Big, fantastic yet believable worlds, with lots of secrets to uncover - ideally with a story line going through them. So Metroid (especially Prime) fits the bill. But I also really like Tomb Raider games, Borderlands, Prince of Persia. Games like that. Usually there's some adventure element to them. One game that really exceeded my expectations recently was Xenoblade. I initially bought it just because I could. But then I discovered it is actually a brilliant game.
<Sepharos> What about it makes it such a brilliant game?
>Buramu> So much creativity went into turning this bizarre, vast robot-world into a realistic environment. There's so much to discover in it. The game even rewards you for finding hidden places and great viewpoints. For a Wii game, I'd say there is visually no more impressive game than Xenoblade. It really tickles the traveler in me.
<Sepharos> How does the future of Nintendo look, according to you?
>Buramu> Heh. They need to get their act together. They used to be on top of things, an example of creativity. But they got stuck in the 90s. They really need to start innovating -with games- again to survive, because the world around them has changed. They're taking little baby-steps. But I think they need to start running now. And that Me-Too tablet idea of the Wii-U tells me they haven't quite figured out yet how to get back on top.

<Sepharos> Do you think Nintendo will fall eventually to Sony and Microsoft or have they already?
>Buramu> They're still a household name, I guess - and that's valuable brand equity. But they run the risk of becoming a niche-player. Sort of the David Hasselhoff of the gaming world: a handful of people who like it for nostalgia reasons and another handful who don't know any better.
<Sepharos> Who would you say won the third generation console wars?
>Buramu> I think the PS3 has the strongest, most diverse library. Also in terms of hardware it offers the richest experience (beyond gaming: multimedia, etc.).
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on DLC? Is it overused and mainly to support half-made games or does it does it add to gamepay?
>Buramu> I'm kind of indifferent about it. I don't really subscribe to the claim that it results in games that don't offer a full experience. At least in none of the games I've played I feel that was the case. When it's great value for money, I'll buy it. If not, I'll leave it. There are enough games to play anyway. Especially this year. I still have a large backlog of games I need to play of this year.
<Sepharos> For example? What games do you still need to play?
>Buramu> Skyrim (waiting for Bethesda to fix the PS3 version), Arkham City, Assassin's Creed 3
<Sepharos> Do you support Nintendo or Sony more?
>Buramu> I don't support any company. I just buy games that interest me. And there happen to be a lot of games on Sony's platforms that I like and extremely few on Nintendo's. But that's a shame. The strength of Nintendo used to be in their creative first-party titles. But after the golden days on the Cube, they went downhill fast.
<Sepharos> Do you have any hope in Nintendo?
>Buramu> Yeah.. I hope they go software only. Having to compete on someone else's platform will force them to get moving again. And they don't make good hardware anyway. So it's a win-win.
<Sepharos> Who do you believe won the second generation console wars?
>Buramu> PS2. Although personally I have more fond memories of games I played on the Cube.
<Sepharos> Sony has had the most powerful systems since they've gotten into the gaming market. Would you say this is true? Why or why not?
>Buramu> IIRC the Gamecube was more powerful than the PS2. So I don't think it's true. Actually Nintendo used to have pretty advanced systems. Their "graphics don't matter, gameplay is everything" mantra is kind of a new thing for them.

<Sepharos> How big of a role does gaming play in your life?
>Buramu> Not so big, really. I like playing a game to unwind after work. But my full-day-gaming-marathon days are long gone.
<Sepharos> What other hobbies do you enjoy?
>Buramu> Traveling and photography. And ideally combining the two. If I had unlimited funds and time I'd be traveling most of the year, I think.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in traveling and photography?
>Buramu> I've been traveling extensively for the past 15 years or so, and photography just happens to go nicely with it.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Bram?
>Buramu> Most days are very similar: wake up at 7. Work all day. Have dinner. Reply to some fanboy posts on 3DS Forums, watch a movie with my better half, play some Mario Kart until I decide the Blue Shell sucks. Sleep. Sleep is heavily underrated. I think it's actually the best part of my day.
<Sepharos> What do you do as a profession?
>Buramu> I work for a big design agency that is linked to one of the biggest electronics and lifestyle companies in the world (and -no- it's not Sony). I'm responsible for designing and orchestrating the user experience strategy of a large branch of their products.
<Sepharos> Does your job effect your opinions on other electronic companies?
>Buramu> Yes, obviously. I know exactly what goes on in the minds of product and marketing execs. I know why seemingly stupid decisions are taken and how the design/development process of products goes. That's why some of the things that Nintendo do puzzle me to the extreme.

<Sepharos> Has your membership at 3DS Forums taught you anything?
>Buramu> Quite a few members I couldn't really get along with at first turned out to be very nice people after talking with them some more. It's easy to misinterpret things that are said on the internet when you don't see people's body-language/facial expressions.
<Sepharos> Have you made any real friends on the forums?
>Buramu> Real friends? I wouldn't go that far. But there are some people I quite enjoy interacting with on the Forums and people who share my gaming interests. It's always nice to talk with like-minded people.
<Sepharos> Bram, where does your username come from?
<Buramu> Buramu is just the Romanji (English reading of a Japanese word) for my real name.
<Sepharos> How does the future of 3DS Forums look according to you?
>Buramu> After Christmas there will be a huge influx of clueless noobs. Regulars will start complaining about all the people they don't know and the questions that have already been answered in ages past and how everything used to be better in "The Old 3DS Forums". I hope Barkis comes back to restore the balance of the force.
<Sepharos> In the end, is there anything you'd like to say to the readers?
>Buramu> I give this interview an 8/10.

David Turnbull - Webmaster of Multiple Sites and Blogger

Spoiler

<Sepharos> David Turnbull, you are widely known as the webmaster, administrator, and creator of the 3DS Blog and 3DS Forums community. How long have you been blogging and what first set you to become one?
<David> I started building websites in general after I learned HTML when I was 12 years old. I'd already been using computers since a really early age (given that my dad works in IT), so I picked that up and started what was technically a blog about the Nintendo DS before that came out (I guess I was about 14 at the time). I wasn't aware of the word "blog" back then, but that was the first tipping point for all of this.
<Sepharos> How well did your blog on the Nintendo DS do at the time?
<David> It reached maybe 100-200 visitors per day and didn't have the community of the 3DS Blog by any stretch of the imagination, but it was still something that felt like a success to me.
<Sepharos> Roughly how many blogs and websites have you built since then?
<David> Literally hundreds. I've been focused these past 18 months, but before then I would start new sites on a weekly basis, sometimes multiple sites in a day because I would always have new ideas and the inability to stick with anything for too long.
<Sepharos> For the record, these are all built ground up, correct?
<David> The vast majority were pure HTML from the ground-up, while the ones like 3DS Blog etc use self-hosted WordPress to speed up the process, but yes, I still setup everything myself.
<Sepharos> Is it a rewarding process?
<David> Yes. But it's evolved. The rewarding part used to be learning different tricks in how to build a better website. I haven't "mastered" that by any means, but the rewards these days come from trying more unique ideas once I've built an audience and seeing what we can do as a group.
<Sepharos> Being in control of so many websites must rack up quite a hefty bill. How do you pay for them?
<David> I don't actually own most of those websites anymore. Some I used to sell, many others just don't exist anymore. Paying for hosting though just comes from ad revenue I earn, which is mostly from Google Adsense. I'm quite careful with optimising websites so don't require as many resources though as a way to lower my expenses, which definitely helps.
<Sepharos> Do you make a profit or is it just enough to pay the bills for the websites?
<David> I make a profit. This is what I do for a living, but that's across the blog, the forum and the YouTube channel, and it took 14 months or so of losing money to get there (and then the eight years prior of learning everything too).
<Sepharos> So you've made a career of building websites. Did you suspect this would be the case when you were younger?
<David> Yep. I ended up selling that website I built about the Nintendo DS. It went for about $260 or so, but the Australian currency was lousy at the time so it ended up being closer to $350 I believe, which made me feel like a millionaire. That's when I realised I'd just made money doing something I really enjoyed and I remember walking up to my mum as soon as the money had arrived in my PayPal and saying "This is what I want to do with my life." ($260 USD, $350 AUD)
<Sepharos> That's great! Do you believe this is the career you'll stick with for life?
<David> I actually have a lot more things I want to do with my life now. I enjoy the work still, especially this last year or so, but at the same time I like the idea of doing much less computer-focused work. Being able to just travel around the world and write, for instance, is sort of my dream.
<Sepharos> For what reasons are some of your websites created?
<David> I really just tend to latch onto what seems exciting to me. This usually ends up being new technology like the 3DS. Being first, to me, is the biggest advantage and I feel if I can get that sort of lead over other sites, its motivating in itself knowing that I'm ahead of the curve.

<Sepharos> Why did you initially create the 3DS Blog specifically?
<David> I visited Engadget, which is something I very rarely do, but I saw the original press release about the 3DS on March 23rd of last year. It'd be sent out an hour earlier or so and I had nothing planned for the day so I just setup the blog and started writing it, mostly because I'd had good luck building websites about Nintendo products in the past given that it's something I feel I can talk about with relative ease.
<Sepharos> When did you go about creating a forums to go with the blog?
<David> I think it was about 2 months later, but that was with different software so I re-created the forums a couple of months after that and started from scratch again. The site wasn't that popular at this point though so it wasn't a big deal.
<Sepharos> Did you ever suspect your blog and forums would become as popular as they have?
<David> I actually sort of did. But mostly because I knew I was going to work harder than any of the other sites, and I did. I posted stories faster, made videos on a regular basis, managed the forums, and planned things like heading to Japan for 2 months. It exceeded expectations in many ways, but overall I feel like I've set out what I'd planned to do (with plenty of self-doubt along way of course).
<Sepharos> Have 3DS Blog and 3DS Forums become the most popular sites you've built?
<David> Yeah, by a long way. Most of my earlier successes were based on having lots of little sites rather than any big ones. Even as a whole though no where near matched 3DS Blog and the forums.
<Sepharos> What would you acredit the popularity to?
<David> I got in early and stuck with it for a long time. I also did a lot more than I had in the past. Making the videos, for instance, was terrifying and new, but it was also the #1 reason the site gained any sort of real traction.
<Sepharos> Was this the first blog you accompanied with live videos?
<David> I once had a site with Photoshop tutorials, and made a few videos for that. But this was the first time I'd made videos on a consistent basis with any sort of schedule and tried to make myself part of the YouTube community.
<Sepharos> Were you nervous when you first began doing the videos for the blog?
<David> Terrified. I was always camera shy and have never been good at speaking. There were plenty of failed videos that never went online, for instance. At the same time though, I didn't want to stagnate and end up boring myself by not trying anything new, which is why I stuck with it.
<Sepharos> When do you decide to make a new video?
<David> It's really whenever enough news has bundled up that I feel like I can make the video at least a couple of minutes long, or if there is a big story that I feel has an urgency to it, then I'll do a video almost straight away. There's no strict schedule though, so it's more of an intuitive thing.
<Sepharos> What is your setup like? What camera and editing software do you use?
<David> I have a Canon 60D DSLR and use Final Cut Pro X on an iMac. I started with the web cam on an old Macbook Pro and Screenflow for editing though.
<Sepharos> How well do they work for you? Is it a minimalist setup or are you generally happy of what you have to use?
<David> The tricky part is the lens. It's the cheapest 50mm lens available, but because it's 50mm I have to have the camera fairly far away from me because of the way a Canon 60D will "crop" the shot. This forces me to shout into the microphone a bit. Other than that though, it's pretty awesome and creates fantastic quality videos.
<Sepharos> Does anybody else help maintain and update the blog with you?
<David> Baroque writes a lot of the posts these days and mohdfikree will share footage he captures on the blog and usually ends up covering anything related to Resident Evil.
<Sepharos> How long have you been working with them and how did you meet them?
<David> To be honest, I have no idea about the timing. But it's long enough that I've forgotten what it's like to not have them around. And I met them both because they read the blog and joined the forums.

<Sepharos> Now you've recently brough a charity to our attention. Could you elaborate on this charity and what its purpose is?
<David> Charity: water has a simple in concept, but ambitious in idea aim: to bring clean water to the billion or so people in the world who don't have access to it by building wells.
<Sepharos> How much money are you trying to raise and by what date? How much have you raised at this current time?
<David> Ideally we'd raise $5000 (enough to pay for an entire well) by December 31st, and so far we've raised $2,670.
<Sepharos> Is there a link to go to for members who want to donate?
<David> http://mycharitywate...mpaign_id=22083

<Sepharos> Alright. David, you no doubt have a Nintendo 3DS. Did you buy it on launch day?
<David> Yep. I  was the first person out of the store I lined up at over in Japan when it was first released.
<Sepharos> You traveled with Rollo to Japan for this event, did you not?
<David> Yep. Rollo and I arrived in Japan on January 6th, and picked up the 3DS at the end of February.
<Sepharos> My previous interview with Rollo had him saying he has not yet purchased a Nintendo 3DS, dispite being with you at launch. Do you have any reasoning for his decision?
<David> Well money was tight by the end of the trip and we both had my 3DS to play with, so there wasn't an urgency. Plus it was a Japanese 3DS which limits its usefulness.
<Sepharos> What else did you do, besides buy a Nintendo 3DS, in Japan?
<David> The first four days we spent attending Nintendo World 2011 in Chiba, so that was our first experience with the 3DS. Then we spent 21 days going around the country via the trains using a Japan Rail Pass (which gives you unlimited rail access for a flat fee), and the last month in an apartment in Tokyo, where we took it easy for most of the time.
<Sepharos> What was your favourite part of the trip?
<David> It would actually be the same as Rollo's. We spent the day hiking up Miyajima island. That was really satisfying. There was another hike though in Kamakura where we got lost, saw a bunch of squirrels and were approached by a group of Japanese students while we looked at one of the biggest Buddha statues in the country. Both of those days were fantastic.
<Sepharos> During the interview with Rollo, a story was mentioned where you had gotten bit by a deer. Care to elaborate?
<David> We were in Nara. It's a smallish town that treats deer as a spiritual animal so they're everywhere, walking across the roads etc. We were in a park where most of them were though and I decided to feed a few by purchasing a few biscuits designed for the deers to eat. Only problem is, the second I had them in my hand, four deer surrounded me and one of them, thinking I had some in my pocket, bit my leg. I threw the biscuits in the air after that and ran for it. The bruise was quite impressive and there was a little bit of broken skin too.
<Sepharos> How was the trip overall? Would you go back any time?
<David> It was the best two months of my life. The plan is to go back next year for the Wii U, but also just because I want to experience the country during summer. Winter provided an interesting look at the country, but it was limiting too.
<Sepharos> Were you able to visit the Nintendo HQ on your visit?
<David> We could have. We didn't though. Most of the trip was really not that game or tech focused. Most of our time was spent hiking, checking out temples and parks and zen gardens and that sort of thing.

<Sepharos> Now David, how impressed with the Nintendo 3DS were you when you first purchased it? What were your initial thoughts?
<David> I'd already spent a good amount of time playing it at the different stores before it was released, so it was basically what everyone eventually figured it out to be: a cool system with great 3D effects, but also a lack of killer games. At the same time though, it didn't feel as bad as some people tried to make it seem, so that didn't sway my confidence that the sales would pick up and the better games were on their way.
<Sepharos> When first released, what was your greatest criticism for the system? What criticism do you offer today?
<David> Nothing felt overly "bad" about it, but it did feel incomplete without the eShop. The lack of a super-easy friends list (without friend codes) was a bit of a bummer, but it's not that big of a deal either. These days I don't really feel there's anything particularly bad about it, but I am also very easy to please. As long as there is a steady stream of retail and eShop games that try to do something unique, then I'm satisfied.
<Sepharos> How often do you play the Nintendo 3DS and what does your current 3DS game collection look like?
<David> Gaming is general is not something I actually spend a lot of time doing. I used to be a very active gamer when I was younger, but with most of my time spent on the sites and other things I work on, there can be days that go by where I don't play anything. I usually pick up a new release, sink lots of hours into it the first few days, then it takes a while for me to get back into it. And my current collection is really just the Japanese launch titles and Mario Kart 7. Other big releases like Ocarina of Time 3D and Starfox 64 3D interested me, but I'd spent time playing them at conferences and felt the money could be better spent elsewhere to make the sites better.
<Sepharos> What games are you looking forward to buying and playing?
<David> Mighty Switch Force, because it looks very polished and won't take a ton of time to work my way through, and Kid Icarus: Uprising because it was the first game that felt like the 3D had a real purpose beyond an aesthetic addition.
<Sepharos> What games did you own for the Nintendo DS?
<David> All I remember playing is the Metroid Prime Hunters demo thing that was included, and WarioWare. I actually sold my DS within a few months of picking it up. I liked it, but handheld gaming in general went on the backburner when PC gaming started seeming more interesting to me.

<Sepharos> What other consoles have you played and owned?
<David> Sega Master System II, Nintendo 64, PS1, PS2, Xbox 360, GameBoy Color, GBA SP, GameCube, Wii
<Sepharos> Which console has the most memories with it and why?
<David> The N64 has the most memories in terms of playing with friends and family. Like Goldeneye 64 was the game everyone remembers, but it was actually the sequel (The World Ends with You) that my mates would spend a ton of time in the multiplayer for. Just personally though, the Sega Master System II was my introduction to gaming and the thing I attribute to making me interested in computers, websites etc. It was the original catalyst.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite game series is and why?
<David> Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart Double Dash hold a lot of awesome memories for me. As a kid my favourite game was probably Donkey Kong  64 though, but I've never spent much time playing the other DK games. If I did, I imagined that'd take the number one spot.
<Sepharos> What games do you enjoy from Sony and Microsoft?
<David> The last thing I enjoyed on a Sony console were the Tekken games. That was back when I was ten years old though. I'm not familiar with any of the recent stuff. From Microsoft directly, I didn't play the earlier Halo games, but I liked Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 was enjoyable as well.
<Sepharos> Are you as interested in the futures of those companies and their consoles as you are with Nintendo and theirs?
<David> I am curious as to what Microsoft is doing. I loved Sony when I was younger but they haven't wow'd me as of late though. But definitely the next Xbox will have me interested. I doubt it'd be enough for me to start another site though.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy about playing video games?
<David> The sense of fluidity when you're playing well. Like taking perfect turns in Mario Kart 7 and edging out ahead of other people, or aiming perfectly in a first person shooter, or rushing through a level in a platformer. That sense of frictionless movement.
<Sepharos> Much like the frictionless movement of an IM interview. [laughs] Do you find that more and more companies are using pricey DLC to cheat out of selling finished games?
<David> For sure. And at the moment, it's a problem. But I think over the next few years, indie developers are only going to be on the rise and the fact that they have the capacity to think less about the profits and more about treating customers with respect, I think they're going to dominate, not screw people over with DLC, and re-balance the industry.
<Sepharos> Who do you believe won the third generation console wars?
<David> The Wii did a lot of interesting things, but I'd say the Xbox 360. It didn't do anything crazily innovative, but I had a lot of fun via Xbox Live.
<Sepharos> What would you have liked to see Nintendo, or any company, have done differently in the 3rd generation of gaming?
<David> With Nintendo, it really just comes down to online. In recent years my best memories in gaming have been playing games like Counter Strike and Guild Wars with Rollo. We never got worked up over scores etc and just played around to amuse ourselves. If there was an Xbox Live-like system for the Wii, and Nintendo really cared about online, I reckon we could have had many similar experiences away from the PC.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on Mario Kart 7's underwhelming character roster?
<David> Those sorts of details don't really bother me anymore. It doesn't really feel like anything worth getting worked-up over. I enjoy the game. It's easy to race online and I have fun with it. The character in the kart doesn't really bother me.
<Sepharos> Do you believe the Maka Wuhu track skipping glitch is game breaking?
<David> It's definitely unfortunate. At the same time though, if I know someone's used it, it's not a "real" win in my eyes, so I don't get worked up over it and I just pretend they weren't even in the race. Still not something that bothers me like crazy though. I try to be careful to not get worked up over any problems that don't have any long-term, real-world impact.
<Sepharos> Do you believe Nintendo should release a patch, if possible, to fix this glitch?
<David> If that's possible, then definitely.
<Sepharos> Did you buy Super Mario 3D Land? If so, what about it did you enjoy and dislike?
<David> I didn't actually pick it up. I played it at conferences and thought it was cool. At the same time though, I've been putting a bunch of my money into something else I'm working on, so I chose to just pick up Mario Kart 7 so I could play with the community.
<Sepharos> David, you are no doubt a part of the ambassador program- are you happy with the content you received for your Nintendo 3DS "early adoption?"
<David> It's fair. I'm not over the moon with what we got, but I also don't feel like they betrayed me or anything like that. The price was always going to drop at some point. I bought a 3DS when I wanted it though, so there's no actual reason to complain.
<Sepharos> Do you believe Sony will do something like the ambassador program when the PSVita has a price drop?
<David> Only if it's a price drop in the near future, like before Christmas next year. I'd suspect they'd give early adopters a choice of a couple of downloadable games or something.
<Sepharos> What is this "something else" you're currently working on?
<David> Fraid I can't say. It's nothing related to the 3DS or anything like that. But I'll mention it on the blog near the end of January, most likely. Just an extra project though.
<Sepharos> Alright, now has gaming affected your life in any major way?
<David> With the Sega Master System II, it got me into technology in general. It was also a way I made most of my friends. Other than that, since I enjoy talking about it so much, it now is what sustains me financially too and was the excuse to go to Japan.

<Sepharos> We have a question from sir Kurtiss, an administrator from 3DS Forums; he asks, "David, on a scale from 1 to 100, how much do you love me?"
<David> It'd be an insult to our love to apply a mere number to it, especially because of my severe distaste of math. But mostly because no number can attest to the strength of our love.
<Sepharos> Another question comes from Panini, resigned moderator of 3DS Forums; she would like to know if there's anything about being the owner of the 3DS Blog you dislike.
<David> It used to be tough to keep on top of all the news. Baroque helps with that problem though, so it's become much less stressful. In line with that, it's annoying that I can never be ahead of my work, because it is mostly based on the news. I always have to react to it, and that can mean I have late nights or early starts. People say dumb things too at times. Like I've been called a "stupid brit" plenty of times, despite me being Australian. The irony is more annoying than any actual insult. But for the most part, it's quite pleasant.
<Sepharos> Kind of like being yelled at for voting for President Obama.
<David> Exactly.
<Sepharos> This question is from Snail, a member of 3DS forums, "What do you think of me- the best new member of the year?"
<David> He's a little slow.
<Sepharos> Baroque, another administrator of 3DS Forums, asks who your favourite staff member is.
<David> I'll go with the easy answer of Rollo, simply because I know him in real life and that's more difficult to fault than judging anyone on their work merits.
<Sepharos> This question is from CallMeJackz, "Are you excited for the PSVita?"
<David> I was excited about importing it from Japan, unboxing it etc and playing with it in that way. But that was going to cost too much. Now I don't really have any interest in it because it's probably going to suffer from the same problems the 3DS has, and there's no excitement to tack on like doing the first unboxing etc.
<Sepharos> Another question comes from Antigrammar, member of 3DS Forums, "Did you have any prior experience in journalism or did you figure out how to run and effectively maintain the blog as you went along?"
<David> For the most part I looked at sites I enjoyed (Joystiq, in particular) and tried to do a similar thing as they were doing. Then I developed my own style as I worked on it more.
<Sepharos> ARt from 3DS Forums aks, "Do you suspect you will continue blogging and posting videos with the next generation of Nintendo consoles?"
<David> Maybe. But there are lots of things I want to do with my life. One of those things is extensive travel, which is difficult when it comes to having a constant internet connection, making videos etc. It was even tricky in Japan and there was internet everywhere there. But the constant exhaustion and the nights we didn't have power made it difficult. As such, that far in the future, I may have moved onto something else (but I'd give plenty of warning to the readers etc).
<Sepharos> Snail asks again, "Who is your favourite video game character?"
<David> Donkey Kong.
<Sepharos> Why would you say Donkey Kong is your favourite video game character?
<David> I have lots of good memories in Donkey Kong 64, and the character design has a simplicity to it which I like while still being really distinctive.
<Sepharos> The last user-generated question comes from BigC, yet another member of 3DS Forums; he asks, "Could explain how video games are perceived in Japan compared to where you live, also did anything surprise you about Japan?"
<David> Something me and Rollo noticed is that *everyone* plays games. We saw entire families lined up at Nintendo World 2011 with the kids and parents playing games. There was also plenty of good looking members of the opposite sex with handheld devices on the trains. It didn't feel like a sub-culture or anything, but rather just another interest some people had. As for something surprising, I'd heard Japanese people were pleasant, but they're like seriously super-duper pleasant and welcoming.

<Sepharos> David, could you take us through a day in your life?
<David> So I basically wake up, take care of publishing the 3DS news straight away (because most of the stuff happens when I'm asleep and people notice if I take too long). Then the day is just broken into meals, spending time reading, making a video on some days, I write lots of fiction for the hell of it too, and then other bits and pieces like spending time with friends and family or watching a few particular tv shows.
<Sepharos> What hobbies do you enjoy besides blogging and gaming?
<David> Writing, reading, playing guitar and writing songs (but I can't sing or even really play guitar), going for walks (but my big toe is all bandaged at the moment, which is a bummer) and also thinking of ideas relating to the "something else" I can't talk about yet.
<Sepharos> Who in life do you look up to and is there anybody you look up to as a blogger?
<David> Everyone in my family does cool stuff. But my granddad worked in coal mines in England when he was 14, eventually made his way to Australia and had a lot of success with real estate and starting a row of stores attached to his house including a convenience store, fish and chip shop etc. It was a cool thing to be around and my grandparents in general are just nice people. Blogging-wise, there's no one I really look-up too though. I don't think anyone has really "cracked" blogging to make it a super-serious industry yet or anything.
<Sepharos> David, what is your life-long dream and how do are you going about attaining it?
<David> There is a little statement I repeat to myself that sums up my dream: "Write and wander." I basically want to write books and wander around the world, somewhat aimlessly, and try to experience every nuance of every culture. To get there, I'm already doing what's required of me, for the most part, given that I can almost get my work done anywhere and I plan to make 2012 a year of much more travel. But I also have a few other things I'm working on to make it so I'm not too reliant on 3DS Blog etc.
<Sepharos> Do you have any New Years resolutions?
<David> It really just comes down to travel. As long as I get out in the world and am moving around, that's all that matters.

<Sepharos> David, is there anything you're proud of with the 3DS Blog or Forums community?
<David> The support for the charity has been amazing, of course. On a broader scale though, people are just genuinely happy that both of the sites exist. I think that's easy to take for granted, but I'll hear that sentiment from someone every now and then and it blows me away again as it has done in the past, so I'm very proud of that.
<Sepharos> What makes you stay with the community and keep working as long as you have?
<David> I enjoy talking about games, it's fun to chat with the people who are interested in me as I talk about games, and there's lots I can still get better at, like with making videos etc. There hasn't been a point where I've stagnated or there hasn't been a way to improve.
<Sepharos> What has been your fondest memory with the community?
<David> The live streams. I did a live stream with my mate Zac (whose not much of a gamer and isn't a member of the forums or anything). We did a live stream in front of 60 people or so last year during E3. Then in Japan, Rollo and I did a couple of them. The second one was more difficult than anything, but the earlier one had just been a couple of hours of silly jokes and getting to have long conversations with the community as a whole.
<Sepharos> How does the future of 3DS Blog and 3DS Forums, as well as gaming as a whole, look according to you?
<David> Basically, it's looking good. I'm becoming faster at working on the blog (and Baroque cuts down a ton of that time too) which gives me more time to spend on the videos and make the content better in general, while the forums has a solid team of moderators to keep it going. As far as gaming in general, as with all forms of media at the moment, the continuing rise of the indie folk is only going to spark a lot of creativity over the coming years and stop the big guys from screwing people over too much.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to add or share with the community?
<David> Thank you for existing. As far is the beanie is concerned though, I think I bought it before I went to the snow back in Year 7. Then I only started wearing it in videos to keep my hair out of my eyes.
<Sepharos> From all of us in the 3DS Blog community, thank you David for bringing us together on such a great site! We appreciate the news you give us and the forums you let us use. We are all truly grateful. Thank you, and have a great day.

Reggie Fils-Aime [Nintendo of America - President] by The Wall Street Journal's Kevin Delaney

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CUD/CUDpwns - Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

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<Sepharos> Curtiss, you are an active and well-known member of 3DS Forums; how did you first discover the site and what pushed you to join?
<CUDpwns> I can barely remember but I think I somehow found myself watching one of David's videos on Youtube in which he mentioned the blog and being interested in purchasing a 3DS I was naturally interested in checking it out.
<Sepharos> What was your immediate reaction toward the forums? What were your first thoughts?
<CUDpwns> There was really anything that stood out, not really as many fanboys as one would expect of a forum based around a Nintendo system but rather plenty of friendly people who were interested in the 3DS.
<Sepharos> What would you say has made you stay with the forums as long as you have?
<CUDpwns> It would probably have to be the other users on the forums, many of the other regular users make it an enjoyable place to be and provide plenty of interesting topics to discuss.
<Sepharos> What topics are you interested in most on the forums?
<CUDpwns> Well I am primarily a PC gamer so topics related to that are usually of interest to me, also topics regarding certain games that I have interest in for pretty much any console really.
<Sepharos> How have the forums evolved or expanded since you first joined?
<CUDpwns> The number and diversity of users has increased and I rather like the addition of the 'like' system which reduces the amount of spam posts (i.e. "Lol", "QFT") is rewarding knowing that people like what you post. Also, there have been a few administrative changes with some admins/mods coming and going.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you believe should be changed with the forums?
<CUDpwns> I would like images in signatures but that's only minor, so no nothing else really comes to mind.

<Sepharos> How long had you known about the Nintendo 3DS before joining the forums Curtiss?
<CUDpwns> Well I heard about the 3DS as soon as it was announced which would have been the E3 prior to me joining the forums, so probably around 8 months.
<Sepharos> What were your first thoughts on the Nintendo 3DS?
<CUDpwns> Initially I was quite excited for the 3DS and optimistic of its library especially with Nintendo's apparent desire to appeal to core gamers; though it didn't take long after owning the 3DS for that view to change.
<Sepharos> Why did your view on the system change not long after attaining a Nintendo 3DS?
<CUDpwns> The initial excitement, or hype if you will, wore off as the lackluster launch lineup just didn't offer enough to keep me playing my 3DS. Rayman 3D came in a package with my 3DS and I soon after received SSFIV3D which I definitely enjoyed much more than Rayman,  but it got to the point where one game just wasn't enough to keep me playing my 3DS. The system's lacking online functionality really detracted from its appeal as well, the eShop and a messaging system (which we still haven't got) are things that should have been on the system at launch.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the current Nintendo 3DS game library?
<CUDpwns> It has definitely improved since launch and the Mario games out now will keep fans happy. My most recent 3DS game purchase was MK7 which I have enjoyed playing, though there are some issues with online. There are also some promising titles coming out this year though I am hoping a number of them are released outside of Japan.
<Sepharos> What titles are you looking forward to within the next six months?
<CUDpwns> Resident Evil: Revelations, Beyond The Labyrinth, Heroes of Ruin, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Monster Hunter 4/Tri G and Kid Icarus Uprising come to mind. I think most of them are coming out in the next six months , well some maybe in Japan; the region locking is quite annoying at times.
<Sepharos> What features are you most interested in on the Nintendo 3DS?
<CUDpwns> I am not particularly interested in the 3D and tend to play with it off the majority of the time, which may seem strange to some considering it is the system's main feature. It would probably be the touch screen in combination with the improved hardware that makes some great games possible on the 3DS. The thought of a Metroid game similar to Metroid Prime really got me excited. So I think one of the main things that I was looking forward to was the possibilites the 3DS created.

<Sepharos> How well do you believe the PSVita will compete against the Nintendo 3DS upon its release?
<CUDpwns> Well I don't view them both as direct competitors, the 3DS is still appealing more to younger audiences and casual gamers much more so than the Vita. The 3DS does appeal more to the core than the 3DS so they are competing to some extent, though I do think the Vita will offer more to core gamers in terms of game library and online functionality. Sale-wise however the Vita hasn't been doing too well in Japan though neither was the 3DS before its price drop. So maybe the Vita will also require a price drop to pick up its sales.
<Sepharos> Will you be buying a PSVita upon release?
<CUDpwns> There's a good chance I will, I definitely want one but whether it will be at release or after some more games are released I have not yet decided. I am a little more cautious in pre-ordering systems since the 3DS' launch.
<Sepharos> How well built do you think the PSVita's game library will be when it is released?
<CUDpwns> So far it does look quite good, but I am not really interested in Uncharted as many people are. I do like the look of some of the Vita's RPGs like Lord of Apocalyspe as well as other games like Wipeout and Gravity Daze.
<Sepharos> What system do you believe was superior in the last handheld gneration- the Nintendo DS or PSP?
<CUDpwns> I have had a DS Lite for much longer than my PSP (I ony got my PSP late last year) but I do feel the PSP offers more to me than the DS. They both do have some great games, The World Ends with You on DS is not only my favourite DS game but one of my favourite games of all time.
<Sepharos> What company do you believe produces the best games?
<CUDpwns> That's a tough one, I'd probably have to go with Valve. With games like Half-Life, Counter Strike, Team Fortress and Left 4 Dead they have some high quality games and the continued support of the developers means that games are regularly patched and often receive free content updates.
<Sepharos> Do you believe Nintendo makes better consoles or better games?
<CUDpwns> I'd have to say better games, their consoles as of late aren't what they used to be. I really loved the Gamecube and the games it offered, it could compete graphically with the PS2 and Xbox but then Nintendo changed their strategy with the Wii. The graphics are far from being the Wii's only problem, the motion controls and limited online functionality also detract from its quality. The 3DS is a bit of a step up although it still isn't where it should be in terms of online features in this day and age. Hopefully the Wii U can improve things a bit.
<Sepharos> Do you have any opinion on the Wii U at the present time Curtiss?
<CUDpwns> At this point in time it does seem like a make up console for Nintendo as it is receiving a number of ports of 360/PS3 titles that the Wii missed out on. Some people seem quite convinced this isn't the case so I guess I'll have to wait until E3 to make a better judgement of the system.
<Sepharos> Could you list these in order of importance in a video game, and explain why? Music, graphics, replay value, and gameplay.
<CUDpwns> 1) Gameplay: This is obviously the main aspect of a game, it is what makes a game a game. If the gameplay isn't good then the it really is not a good game; though a game with good art and sound design could still offer some appeal.
2) Replay value: This one really depends on the game, a great game can  be short but offer a lot of entertainment. Price is also something that influences how I feel about a game's replay value, a full retail game should last much longer than a few hours; so generally price should be relative to the game's content. I almost want to place this lower than graphics and music because it isn't always important in a game.
3) Music and Graphics: I'd have to place these two equally, they can both really add to the quality of a game by immersing the player in the game's environment and experience.
<Sepharos> What is your favourite game of all time and why? Does it also come from your favourite game series?
<CUDpwns> I always have trouble picking just one favourite, but I tend to go with Super Metroid as the game's environments and sense of adventure just really drew me in to the experience. Yes I would have to say the Metroid series is probably my favourite series, the Metroid Prime games are my favourite games too.
<Sepharos> Why do you feel that the Metroid series is your favourite series?
<CUDpwns> The sense of adventure the games give me really makes them a great experience for me. The Metroid Prime games probably achieve this even more so than Super Metroid, with the scanning system and its diverse and detailed environments it was as if I were Samus Aran.

<Sepharos> Curtiss, besides gaming, what other hobbies do you have and how have they affected your life?
<CUDpwns> To be honest I don't really have many other hobbies, I do enjoy watching anime and reading some manga from time to time but that's about it.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Curtiss?
<CUDpwns> Lol sure. Well  now that I'm on my break from college I tend to wake up late, which is around 10-11 or so from staying up late the night before playing games; usually on PC. The first thing I usually do when I get out of bed is turn on my PC and do some things like check the forums, gaming news, emails, sales on Steam; things like that. Afterwards I will go upstairs and get some cereal which I'll either take to my room or eat on the couch in front of some anime. The rest of the day involves playing video games, mostly on PC, with the occasional break for some food and something to drink; though this isn't always done on my own but rather by my mother telling me to take a break after spending hours playing games. I am really bad at keeping track of time.
<Sepharos> What is your dream or goal in life?
<CUDpwns> I guess my goal would be to become a video game developer, which is what I am currently studying at college so hopefully I will reach my goal in the future.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in the subject?
<CUDpwns> Well I have been interested in video games my whole life really, I remember when I was younger I never even thought about making video games as a career I was just too busy playing them. As I grew older my interest in computers and games grew too, it seems like one of the only careers I would enjoy to have and I feel enjoying what you do for a living to be very important.
<Sepharos> How far do you want to go in the field?
<CUDpwns> I'm not really the kind of person to plan ahead but I would like to see how well I could do as an indie developer either alone or in a small team.
<Sepharos> Do you have any peculiar or interesting talents?
<CUDpwns> Not really lol. I can do a kip up, which is a move where from laying flat on my back I can push off and land on my feet; it's not much but it's something.

<Sepharos> How does the future of the forums look according to you?
<CUDpwns> I think the future looks quite positive, with the growth of the 3DS I think we will see the forum grow too. With Kurtiss stepping down as admin we may have a new admin soon but I'm sure whoever is chosen will do just as good a job to keep the forums running smoothly.
<Sepharos> Is there any member you look up to or feel others should look up to in the community?
<CUDpwns> I'd probably have to go with Buramu, he sticks to what he believes in and is very logical in his reasoning.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to say or share with the readers?
<CUDpwns> I like turtles. [laughs] Not really.
<Sepharos> You don't really like turtles or there's not really anything you'd like to say or share?
<CUDpwns> There's not really anything I'd like to share. [laughs]

Riku/Groose - Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Lennon, you are an active and well-known member of the 3DS Forums. How did you first discover the site and why did you join?
<Groose> It was back in August 2010. I'm pretty sure it was because I found the blog from the Nintendo 3DS Facebook page. And I was pretty obsessed with the 3DS back then, so I really wanted to join and discuss it.
<Sepharos> What was your first impression of the site?
<Groose> I liked it. I think there was plenty of creative discussion about the 3DS going on. Back when I first joined, all I paid attention to was the 3DS section. But I slowly made my way to checking all the different sections. And eventually I decided to check out the chatbox that I had completely ignored for a while.
<Sepharos> What has been your most memorable moment with the site?
<Groose> Well, I'd say some of the trolls like barkis have been pretty memorable. But the one thing that always comes to my mind when I think of the forums was the "fanboy thread" that Storm and SRT made a bunch of jokes in.
<Sepharos> How often do you visit the site, and what kind of threads do you typically post in?
<Groose> I was still in high school when I joined the forums and originally, I was checking up on the site pretty much all the time that I wasn't in school or out with my friends or family. I started college and only took one class and since then, I've had much more free time but surprisingly, I've ended up being on the forums much less since then. Like I said earlier, at first I mostly paid no attention to the threads outside of the 3DS section. But now I mostly ignore the 3DS section. I mostly post in Zelda related threads and sometimes the Vita thread.
<Sepharos> How have the forums evolved since your joining?
<Groose> So many new members have joined since I've been in. And all of the different members have some completely different opinions about things than others. And I think it's nice to see the forum grow and see how different all the members can be. And the mods and admins have changed up plenty of times since I've been here. I remember being around and having David, Rollo, and Kurtiss being the only staff members.
<Sepharos> Lennon, in your time with the forums, you've gone through serveral usernames; could you tell us what names you've used, why, and your reasons for changing them?
<Groose> I don't even think I can remember every time I changed my name. I intially went with RikuDawn because I had this girlfriend a few years ago that was obsessed with Kingdom Hearts and back then I kept adding Riku to my username on everything and RikuDawn was the name that I've stuck with and have been using on pretty much every site since then. I got it changed to Rainbow Dash for a while but I felt weird having a username without Riku in it. And then I got my old username shortened to Riku because I realized the name wasn't taken and everybody already just called me Riku. And then I got my username changed to SomeRandomTrainer as a joke to copy SRT for a while. And then it was Spike for only a day or so because Kurtiss decided to do it as a joke. And then I stuck with Riku for a pretty long time until I decided to go with Groose because I really liked him in Skyward Sword.
<Sepharos> What do you believe makes the forum unique compared to other forums?
<Groose> I think we have a bunch of interesting members. Some people on here seem to be hardcore Nintendo fanboys while others almost seem like they don't belong here because sometimes it seems as if they hate Nintendo. So for a site that's basically supposed to be about Nintendo to have so many active members that don't like Nintendo that much feels strange. But those members are usually the most interesting and I do like to hear what they say most of the time because they usualy don't just mindlessly bash Nintendo and have some good reasoning behind their opinions while I've seen plenty of the Nintendo fanboys mindlessly bashing the other consoles for no good reasons.
<Sepharos> What would you say should be changed, if anything, with the forums?
<Groose> I'm mostly satisfied with the way the forums are going now.
<Sepharos> Do you believe Nintendo 3DS sales directly affect site activity?
<Groose> Well, I definitely remember a huge amount of members coming on the day of release for the 3DS. I haven't really paid too much attention to any other major jump in amount of members since then.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the future of the forums?
<Groose> I think that once we start getting some more or the major 3DS games coming out, we'll definitely start to see some more good discussion going on. And I hope to see some more new members come in that will maybe bring up some more interesting things to talk about in the lounge or general gaming too.

<Sepharos> Lennon, did you buy a Nintendo 3DS at launch?
<Groose> Yeah. And I was able to convince one of my friends to get one at launch too and he had never owned a DS. So when I went to pick my 3DS up, he showed up with his girlfriend to get his too.
<Sepharos> What did you think of the launch lineup of games?
<Groose> Mostly uninteresting. I picked up Nintendogs+cats just to have a game to play on it and had thought of getting Street Fighter but decided against it. But I was plenty happy just messing around with the AR and other built-in features for a while.
<Sepharos> When do you think the Nintendo 3DS game lineup started to pick up?
<Groose> There was nothing that really interested me until I got Ocarina of Time. And since then, I think there's been plenty of other interesting games that have come out (Resident Evil: Mercenaries, Shin Megami Tensei, Star Fox 64, etc) but I haven't gotten anything else since Ocarina except for Super Mario 3D Land (I hadn't played any main Mario game since Super Mario 64) and Mario Kart 7.
<Sepharos> What would say has been your favourite Nintendo 3DS game so far?
<Groose> As a huge Zelda fan, it'd be impossible for me to not say Ocarina of Time. The original N64 version was one of the first games I had played as a kid and it's still one of my favorite games now.
<Sepharos> What games are you looking forward to being released in the coming months?
<Groose> On the 3DS? Or just in general?
<Sepharos> On the Nintendo 3DS.
<Groose> I'm definitely looking forward to Kid Icarus. And I really hope that Dragon Quest Monsters 3D comes out in America because I really enjoyed it on the GBC. And I have a few games I'm considering getting. I have a friend who really wants Heroes of Ruin, so I'll probably get it to do some multiplayer with him. And I'm thinking of Resident Evil: Revelations. And I'll most likely get Paper Mario, Luigi's Mansion, and Animal Crossing eventually. I might be interested in the Layton vs Wright game if it comes out in America. I don't really know anything about Layton, though.
<Sepharos> What features on the Nintendo 3DS do you enjoy or find interesting?
<Groose> I was pretty interested in the AR at first but I haven't been using it at all lately. I really hope to get some good use of the video recording at some point because before the 3DS had video recording, I created a 3D video with two normal cameras as a project for school.
<Sepharos> What do you dislike about the Nintendo 3DS?
<Groose> I'm pretty disappointed by the inability to watch YouTube videos on the 3DS. Nintendo Video has a couple of good videos but I'd really like to watch some 3D videos off of YouTube. And I really wish that SwapNote had a way to text chat and I wish the messages would send back and forth without you need to refresh everytime and it would've been nice to be able to use while in the middle of playing a game or be able to start a video or voice chat on it.
<Sepharos> How well do you think the PSVita will compete with the Nintendo 3DS?
<Groose> I'm not too sure. I think plenty of people are expecting it to majorly fail now because the sales aren't looking too good in Japan at the time. But Monster Hunter Tri G came out pretty recently and I think that attracted many of the people over there to choose to get a 3DS over a Vita. I think once the Vita starts getting some more major games, it will start to do a bit better.
<Sepharos> Do you feel that the PSVita should be a good compitetor, thus forcing Nintendo to stay creative and moving forward?
<Groose> Yeah. I definitely think there are some things Nintendo could do to improve and I think they can learn some things from the Vita.
<Sepharos> What game series or games would you like to see made for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Groose> I definitely want to see more Zelda but it's obvious that more of that is coming. I'm hoping to see some No More Heroes on the system and it's been hinted at a couple of times. I kind of want to see Mario Party on the system but I've mostly been disappointed in it besides the first 3 N64 games. I really liked Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon on the N64 and would love to see more of the series. But the series hasn't been made outside of Japan for a while now. And I really liked Mother 3 but there's no hope for that series outside of Japan either.
<Sepharos> What has been your overall opinion of the ambassador program for early Nintendo 3DS adopters?
<Groose> I  was pretty disappointed about the price drop at first and didn't really think that the ambassador games would make up for it. After I actually got the NES games I felt a bit better about it but was still somewhat disappointed. And I was expecting to be really dissapointed by the list of GBA games because I have a GBA and plenty of games. But it ended up that I had only played two of the games on the list of GBA games. So I felt much better after that. But I still haven't actually touched any of the GBA games yet but I have downloaded them all.
<Sepharos> What is your view on the current eShop selection on the Nintendo 3DS?
<Groose> I haven't really paid too much attention to the eShop. I think Mighty Switch Force looked pretty interesting. But I was really glad to get Four Swords for free. And I was happy to get Link's Awakening because it was the only Zelda I had never played. And I got VVVVVV because I really liked the PC demo.

<Sepharos> Lennon, what is your first experience as a gamer and how did you become one?
<Groose> I definitely remember Super Mario 64 being my first game. We had an N64 at my house that my older brother mostly played and that I eventually started playing. I don't really remember the first time I ever decided to play but my older brother claims that one time he was on the final Bowser fight and had lost against Bowser tons of times and he paused right before he was about to start the battle again and went off to the bathroom and when he had come back, I was sitting there and I had just beaten Bowser. But I'm not entirely sure if that story is completely true or not, and after that, I eventually got really into Zelda.
<Sepharos> How did you become a Legend of Zelda fan?
<Groose> Well, I first started playing Ocarina of Time on the N64 for a while and I really liked it. And then my brother got Majora's Mask and I barely ever got the chance to touch it. But I visted my grandmother's house every weekend and she eventually got me my own N64 to play over there, so I started playing Majora's Mask a bunch when I was over there. And then eventually, I won an early copy of the GBA version of A Link to the Past. And that's when my interest really started to grow. And when I finally got my Gamecube, it came with the Collector's Edition of Zelda. And I've basically been catching up with all the Zelda games ever since.
<Sepharos> What game is your favourite in the series?
<Groose> Majora's Mask by far. It's my absolute favorite game out of all games. I don't know if I can possibly explain why I love it so much. I guess it was mostly the whole end of the world aspect and it was really nice to see how all the different characters reacted. And I really liked the design of Clock Town and Termina in general. And I think the time system worked really well, even though tons of people complain about it. And I think the transformation masks were all pretty cool to change up the gameplay. And pretty much all of the non-transformation masks were all still pretty interesting to because pretty much every character in the game would react differently depending on what mask you wore.
<Sepharos> What do you like most about the Legend of Zelda series? What makes it different from other series you've played?
<Groose> I really like the use of all the items in the game. And I think the enemies and combat are pretty interesting. And there are definitely some interesting dungeons and bosses. And I really like all the exploration and scenery, I had plenty of fun just roaming Hyrule Field or Termina Field on Epona.
<Sepharos> What other game series do you enjoy?
<Groose> I like Pokemon and Mario but for those series, it's mostly the earlier games that I'm into. I've played plenty of the Dragon Ball Z fighting games. And I like a few of the earlier Tony Hawk games. Marvel vs Capcom is an interesting series but I'm waiting for the Vita to get Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. And I enoyed the No More Heroes series like I mentioned earlier. And I really got into the inFamous series on the PS3. And there's a few other smaller series I'm somewhat into.
<Sepharos> Who well do you think Nintendo competed in the third generation of the console wars and what company do you believe has "won" the third generation console wars?
<Groose> Well, the Wii definitely sold the best. I was really into it when it first came out but after early 2009, I hadn't even touched it for a long while (except once to bring it to a party to play Rock Band) until Skyward Sword came out. I got a PS3 around the time that I stopped playing my Wii but I never got too much into besides the two inFamous games.
<Sepharos> What games do you enjoy that Nintendo didn't develop?
<Groose> I think I've mostly already answered this in other questions.
<Sepharos> True. Will you be purchasing a PSVita?
<Groose> Yeah. I'm getting one at launch and I'm getting Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. Not too sure what else I'll end up getting for it but I'm sure more good games that I'm interested in will come out for it.
<Sepharos> Do you have any current expectations for the Wii U?
<Groose> I think I'm pretty excited. I haven't had the chance to actually try the controller but I think it will work fine. And plenty of developers seem interested in the console. And it seems like they might actually be getting a better online system for it. But most importantly for me, I just want that beautiful looking Zelda game to be made.

<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<Groose> I'd say mostly I've gained some good friends because of gaming.
<Sepharos> What do you believe is most important in a game: music, graphics, or gameplay? Why?
<Groose> Gameplay. It's what makes up how the game feels and how you play it. And that's what's most important about games. Though, I can say that if a game has annoying music or no music at all, I can start to get bored. Graphics mostly don't matter to me but it's really nice to see what they can do with the graphics sometimes but it isn't a necessity or anything. Even some of the best looking games would still be good if they had pretty bad graphics.
<Sepharos> Lennon, besides gaming, what other hobbies do you have?
<Groose> I enjoy doing pretty much anything with my friends. I pretty much try to stay in contact with them at all times. So even the ones that went pretty far off for college, I still continue to text them all the time. I've been into writing ever since I was a kid, so I've written a few stories. And I've messed around with different programs to try to make music. I don't have any instruments but I am pretty good at singing and I've honestly thought of trying to form a band. I think I could act pretty well but I haven't done much of it. I'm pretty into making and editing videos but I don't really have a team of people to work on that kind of stuff right now. But I still edit some random videos from shows or just random videos online sometimes.
<Sepharos> What are you studying for in college?
<Groose> I was trying to go to a college for video production. But I didn't have enough money to go to the one I got accepted into. So right now I'm kind of just taking random classes at a community college.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in video production?
<Groose> Well, I had been editing videos since 8th grade. When I first got into high school, I noticed they had a course on video production and I thought it seemed pretty interesting. But I couldn't take it right away because it was a two year course for juniors and seniors. So eventually, my junior year, I took the class and our whole class got along amazingly well. And our whole class was made up of entirely different people that wouldn't seem like they'd usually get along. I had a chance to work on doing stuff for live TV and we produced some really great stuff in that class. And even though most of the class wasn't too interested in pursuing video production later in their life, it brought everybody really close and I really liked working as a team with everybody in that class.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Lennon?
<Sepharos> Also, BRB, stupid computer is being stupid.
<Groose> Well, at the current time, I'm not doing much. A bunch of my friends have either started going back to college or are busy with work and other things. So right now I'm mostly just texting tons of people, checking up on the forums, maybe doing a bit of writing, taking my dog out for a walk, and maybe playing a bit of some video games. And sometimes I'll turn on the TV but I usually pay almost no attention to it. I have a couple of friends that are still available most of the time, so I do try to hang out with them as much as possible. And I do try to get outside and do some stuff on my own sometimes but I don't have a car and there's nowhere interesting to go that's close enough to my house. So basically, I'd probably do more if I had a car. And I have been trying to get a job for a while. On the weekends, my grandmother usually drags me along to see some movie that I usually don't want to see.
<Sepharos> What would you say your lifelong dream or goal is?
<Groose> I'm really hoping to get into video production. I really enjoy the work involved and I hope that I can work with some interesting people.
<Sepharos> Who do you look up to in life and how do you model yourself to be like them?
<Groose> Groose. Haha. Not really. But I don't think I have any specific person that I really look up to. I do think my friends are some pretty great people and think I've become a better person because of them.
<Sepharos> Who do you feel has made the greatest impact on you in life?
<Groose> That girlfriend I mentioned way back at the start of the interview had a pretty huge negative impact on my life. But the friends I made around that time definitely had a amazingly positive impact at my life. So I'm always glad that I have some pretty amazing friends.
<Sepharos> Do you feel as though you've made a lasting impact on other people both offline and on the forums?
<Groose> Somewhat. In different hard to explain ways.
<Sepharos> Finally, Lennon, do you have anything you'd wish to share or say to the community?
<Groose> Blues is a loser.

MissPeachyBum - Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Chels, you're a veteren member of the 3DS Forums; how did you discover the site and why did you originally join?
<MissPeachyBum> Well, I do believe I stumbled across David's youtube first, which led to the blog and then the forums. I was really keen on the 3DS back then, so I took a leap of faith I guess you could say, and joined up. I had never really been on any other forums besides Neopets occasionally, so I'm glad I picked a good one.
<Sepharos> How long before joining the forums were you following Nintendo 3DS news?
<MissPeachyBum> I'm almost sure it was pretty instantly. Either right before or after David took his trip to Japan and did the live unboxing of the Japanese 3DS, way back in the day.
<Sepharos> What did you initially think of the forums?
<MissPeachyBum> I was a little intimidated at first, because it seemed like everyone knew each other very well. There was the obvious clique of forum regulars and I never thought they would accept me from past experiences. But I stuck with it because there were so many great discussions going on and everyone turned out to be really cool. Boobs helped a lot, though too.
<Sepharos> Could you explain why you've stayed with the forums for as long as you have?
<MissPeachyBum> To be honest, I wouldn't still be here if I hadn't of taken a break every few months. I think there was a period of almost a month between April and June where I completely ignored the forums. It's a great close-knit community to be active in, but it got to the point where I would loose sleep over it. So I left and when I came back, I became as popular as ever.
<Sepharos> When was the last time you took a break from the forums and when did you return?
<MissPeachyBum> Technically I'm still on "a break" now. I wanted to give myself a break right after Christmas vacation to get back on track for school, but I guess I'm in too deep now. I've tried to confine myself to the Current Self thread and the chatbox as much as possible.
<Sepharos> When you are active, what threads and topics are you most interested in?
<MissPeachyBum> I was really active in Danger's Minecraft thread when it was still up, but that's all I can specifically remember. My Current Self thread is pretty obvious, too. Pretty much anything in the Lounge and a bit of General Gaming. I don't stray too far into the 3DS sections, because I'm weird like that. I like to keep myself surprised when it comes to games, but also... well, let's face it. Those sections can get a little... messy.
<Sepharos> Messy?
<MissPeachyBum> Just strong opinions from silly people who may not fully understand what they're talking about. But, hey that's cool. Opinions are meant to be shared, but it's not really my thing to hardcore debate with anyone on something I don't consider myself an expert in.
<Sepharos> How have the forums changed or evolved since you joined?
<MissPeachyBum> Well, I was one of the pre-launch members so that was a really big turning point. Before, all we could do was be really optimistic and speculate how awesome it was going to be... but when it came out I think it's safe to say we were all just a tad disappointed... we hyped it up just a little too much. The lack of good games really killed the forums for a bit too, but now we're just as active as ever. It's actually really interesting to sit back and watch it come full circle over the span of one year.
<Sepharos> How are the 3DS Forums different from other forums you've been to?
<MissPeachyBum> I've only ever visited the Neopets and Whuddleworld (don't ask) forums, so I'd have to say that the 3DS Forums are a lot more... mature, although I use that term very loosely. We're a whacky bunch of people, but that's why I like it so much.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change or add to the forums?
<MissPeachyBum> First, I would make myself a mod and reverse forum time back to July/August when I had the most fun. Then I would ban anyone I didn't like (which is pretty much everyone except Sylph) and we would post... ahem... silly things everywhere. In all seriousness, I don't think I would change much. Except make myself a mod so I can ban losers all day.
<Sepharos> How does the future of the forums look, despite not being a moderator?
<MissPeachyBum> Very bleak. I... I don't think we'll survive 2012. Nah, we have a slew of awesome games coming out and that's all it takes to draw people in. They'll see how awesome the Lounge is after blindly stumbling across it, and I'll slowly corrupt them with my witty remarks and irresistable charm. Then they'll probably get banned.

<Sepharos> Did you buy a Nintendo 3DS at launch, Chels?
<MissPeachyBum> I did, indeedy! I must have had it preordered for months before that. I even got a job the October before it came out just so I'd know for a fact I'd have enough for it. I, Chelsea, am a 3DS addict.
<Sepharos> Were you disappointed with the initial line up of games?
<MissPeachyBum> I don't think I really minded it as much as other people did, only because I had just bought Pokemon Black to hold me over until launch and my DS Lite kicked the bucket right after that. I was just glad to replace my system finally. I never had a DSi either, so just messing around with the basic system functions were enough to make me tingle with joy. Then DOA came out, then Zelda... and I was good to go.
<Sepharos> Do you feel that the game catalogue is gaining more variety now?
<MissPeachyBum> Heck yeah! I for one am really excited about all these remakes and reboots that they're planning. Animal Crossing, Paper Mario, Kid Icarus... I won't be able to get enough. I could care less if we get "new" titles, just as long as they're good games. I'd like to see maybe a few more survival horror games, like a Dementium 3D or a good Silent Hill for once. I can also see that Ninty's letting a few shovelware titles through the cracks, which makes me cry inside. Despite that, there really is something for everyone by now... unless you're a cranky old fart who only plays Pong.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the ambassador games the were released for early Nintendo 3DS adoptors?
<MissPeachyBum> I thought it was a kind gesture. I don't think any other company would have did they folowing such a drastic price drop. I won't point the finger at anyone in particular, but I know it would have went something along the lines of "HAHA SUCK IT UP!" then give the post-price drop customers all the perks. As for the games themselves, I really enjoy them. The NES games were OKAY and I played them for a while, but the GBA games just blow my mind a little bit. I never got to play these games when they were new, so I might be enjoying them a little more than I should. It's nice to be able to pick up my system and not have to pay an arm and a leg for something decent to play.
<Sepharos> What game have you played the most on the Nintendo 3DS and why?
<MissPeachyBum> If I go into the activity log, it's going to tell me that I played the internet the most because the broswer on my Phone really sucks. Oddly enough, it's great to do banking on. As for legitimate game, can I say Swapnote? Sending 3D ...body parts... is just so gosh darn fun!
<Sepharos> What games are you looking forward to buying this year for the Nintendo 3DS?
<MissPeachyBum> Well, when they get around to actually announcing some firm release dates, I'll for sure be picking up... well, all of the major titles until my money runs out. I'm actually going to Nintendo World in NYC in April so whatever is being released before then, I'll get there. It's more satisfying that way.
<Sepharos> What features or apllications, besides Swapnote, do you use or find interesting?
<MissPeachyBum> I actually really like what they did with the friends list. It's not perfect, but to be able to join someone's game of Mario Kart just like that is a big sigh of relief. Other than that, the camera is great. I mean, it's a really crappy camera when it wants to be but I'm an amateur photographer so I know that all it takes is the right lighting to make it look at least half decent. Actually, I don't even think I use my digital camera to take profile pictures of myself anymore. Ease of acess takes priority over quality unfortunately.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you dislike or would like to change about the Nintendo 3DS?
<MissPeachyBum> All I want is for mine to be purple and not have a loose hinge. I'm not terribly picky about specs or anything like that, only because it's still the best Nintendo's done to date, handheld-wise. As long as I can't loose the battery door like I did with my GBA or snap it almost in half like my DS, I'll be just peachy (I made a funny!).
<Sepharos> Have you been following any PSVita news?
<MissPeachyBum> Nope! I don't have the budget for another system, and even if I did, I don't think I would get it for a while anyway. Before joining the forums, I'll admit I was a Nintendo fanboy. Funny how being on a Ninty-dedicated website can open your eyes. I got a PS3 this Christmas, so between that and my 3DS and school, I don't think I'll have time for anything else.
<Sepharos> Well, from what you've heard and seen, do you think the PSVita will be a good competitor?
<MissPeachyBum> Oh, absolutely. Each company has their own unique thing that they bring to the table and it would almost be foolish to condemn one but not the other. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring Mario or Sackboy, who would you pick? I don't think I'd be able to choose. In my perfect world, they'll either both do insanely well or both fail horribly.
<Sepharos> What are your thoughts on the Nintendo 3DS eShop?
<MissPeachyBum> I think it's OKAY, but I haven't even been able to use it yet because Canada JUST got our eshop cards about a month ago. I'm scared to buy Pushmo now because it might make me procrastinate more than usual.

<Sepharos> Chels, how did you first become a gamer?
<MissPeachyBum> Legend has it that I was born with a SNES controller in my hand. Actually, funny story. The day I was born, my dad was either jealous of all the attention I was getting or just wanted to reward himself for lending his sperm to create such a beautiful creature. Either way, he went out and bought a Super Nintendo and I've been pretty much playing games ever since that.
<Sepharos> What games did you have for the SNES?
<MissPeachyBum> Jeopardy, Clue, Super Bass Fishing, Super Mario World, Cool Spot, Yoshi's Island, and Aladdin. You know, All the best ones.
<Sepharos> What game was your favourite for the SNES and why?
<MissPeachyBum> It was probably Mario, only because I mastered it as a young child and can play it with my eyes closed even today. I don't advise playing Mario with your eyes closed, though. Bad things will happen.
<Sepharos> What is your favourite video game series and what is your favourite game from that series?
<MissPeachyBum> Zelda and Ocarina of time is just a given, so I won't even count that. Even though they're both fairly recent, my heart is torn between Red Dead Redemption and Batman: Arkham City. Cowboys are just super sexy and Batman will always be my first love. I read a ton of Batman comics, so it's really exciting for someone like me to actually get to play as my childhood idol and beat silly thugs senseless.
<Sepharos> What do you believe makes a video game great; graphics, story, or gameplay?
<MissPeachyBum> For me, it has to be a wonderful little cocktail of one part gameplay, two parts story, with a little cherry and an umbrella on top. If it's boring, I can't play it, but I'll siffer through awful controls if the story is captivating enough.
<Sepharos> How well do you believe Nintendo competed with Sony and Microsoft in the third generation console wars?
<MissPeachyBum> They seemed to be leading back in the beginning, but they really haven't done anything new since then. Meanwhile, 360 has great online, and the Kinect. Sony has great online and Move. Nintendo has... online.. I think... and uh, WiiSpeak? MotionPlus?
<Sepharos> So overall, do you think they did well with the Wii?
<MissPeachyBum> Their principle was great and I love my Wii, but it's just a toy to me. (Hey, I rhymed!)  I much prefer my PS3 now, but you can't argue with the numbers. Make something cheap and market it to everyone, and of course you'll technically do well. Maybe if they didn't allow so much shovelware, I could take it a bit more seriously.
<Sepharos> Do you have any expectations for the Wii U?
<MissPeachyBum> All I want is for them to do better. Nintendo let too many things slide these past few years, ESPECIALLY with the 3DS. Get some good games, even better online, and I think they'll do just fine. Nintendo's too iconic to not catch people's attention by now anyway. I CERTAINLY won't be picking one up at launch, though. My poor pockets can't take much more heartbreak.

<Sepharos> Chels, how has gamign affected your life?
<MissPeachyBum> Well, it's made me a lot more poorer than I want to be...  but it's done more good than bad. My dexterity and hand/eye coordination is incrdible, and my carpal tunnel isn't THAT bad yet. I've met some incredible people from gaming, and even on these forums because of it. My mom makes fun of me for being a nerd a lot, but what she doesn't realize is that I'm one of the coolest people ever because I'm a gamer.
<Sepharos> How did you come up with the username MissPeachyBum?
<MissPeachyBum> .... You can use your imagination. Nah, I can't really say exactly why I picked it, but it was originally just my Xbox Live name and it stuck. It's funny because it's very misleading. I'm not overly girly and bubbly so people get a nice shock when they try to get a piece of the peachy pie.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Chelsea?
<MissPeachyBum> I wake up every morning at 5:30, eat, put on gross amounts of makeup to make myself look awake, then bus it for about an hour to get to class. I make art and then bus it back home and do an insane amount of homework. I then unwind with a nice alcoholic beverage and internet and games. Go to sleep at 12, and do it all again the next day. I'm not terribly exciting, but I try.
<Sepharos> Besides gaming, what other hobbies or activities do you enjoy?
<MissPeachyBum> I love reading and writing. I shop a lot, so I guess you could call that a hobby. I'm an artist as well, but I don't do it so much as a hobby anymore because that's what I'm going to school for. That an other various adult activities that I have been advised to not share with you.
<Sepharos> What are you currently studying for?
<MissPeachyBum> I go to an art university here in Halifax. We're quite well known. I'm just in my first year now where we do a little bit of everything, but I'll be focusing more on printmaking and film/ photography next year. It's really cool  because my school doesn't have normal classes at all... it's just all art. No English, math, science, social studies, nothing. After 4 years of that, I'll have my BFA in Fine Art and a nice big chunk of debt. Oh well. It's better than writing papers all day.
<Sepharos> What do you plan on doing after college?
<MissPeachyBum> I'll have to get maybe a teaching degree to do anything with it, unfortunately. My wildest dream would be to move to New York or LA and work for a film company and make awesome movies, but we'll see.
<Sepharos>  Who do you look up to in life and how do you model yourself to be like them?
<MissPeachyBum> It's going to sound really corny, but my biggest inspiration is Lady Gaga. She's so obviously crazy and unique, but also very funny and intelligent. I'd love to just live art the way she does every day and make a ton of money doing so. She holds true to her beliefs and fights for the greater good. She's really just like Batman with parents and a great pair of heels. I'll brace myself for haters now.
<Sepharos> Who do you feel has made the greatest impact in your life?
<MissPeachyBum> My darling Danger, as I'm sure you all know. He's transformed me into a Sony-loving troll. Of course I'm totally kidding. I don't think there's a specific person that's made an incredibly substantial impact on me, moreso than certain events and things I've read or games I've played. My mom's pretty cool though. She's one tough lady.
<Sepharos> Do you feel as though you've made a lasting impact on other people both offline and on the forums?
<MissPeachyBum> I should hope so! I try to be a good person as much as possible.  Some of my best friends now I've met on the forums. We talk all the time and help each other through tough times just like real life friends would. In real life, I'm quite the giver and would hand someone the shirt off my back if they needed it. Of course, I've made the odd enemy here and there but I guess those people are just jealous.
<Sepharos> Finally, do you have anything you'd like to share with the community?
<MissPeachyBum> Ahem. I've been waiting to make this announcement for quite some time. Me, Kurtiss, and Sylph are expecting our first child together. I'm the dad. Bless your face.

Feld0 - Webmaster of My Little Pony Forums and Wii U Blog

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Feld0, you are the head admin, founder, and webmaster of Wii U forums; when did you create the forums and what pressed you to do so?
<Feld0> I first started Wii U Forums (or TheWiiU.com, as I usually refer to it) in December 2010 as "Wii 2 Boards" - December 19, 2010, to be exact. Back then, Wii 2 Blog (now Wii U Go) was the only active blog about Nintendo's next console, and following some demand from the readers I had at the time, I decided to go ahead and be the first person to start a forum about the console. This happened several months before the first Project Café rumours, so while I used "Wii 2" to refer to the console, many people came up with their own names for it.
<Sepharos> Are you a blogger like David?
<Feld0> I don't have a podcast, but other than that, yes. David inspired and personally encouraged me to start Wii U Go one day, and I've written several hundred articles for it since.
<Sepharos> How do you come up with articles for your blog? Do you have a team or do you do everything yourself?
<Feld0> I have a list of sites that I follow for Wii U news and rumours, along with a set of Google Alerts. Most of the articles I publish report on what I find from these sources. Occasionally, recent news that floats around fills me with ideas for editorials, and then I write one of those. I have two assistant writers, Ruthie and Wertville, who help me out when they can, but I still do most of the work myself.
<Sepharos> Feld0, what are the origins of your username?
<Feld0> I had several usernames before "Feld0", but was never really happy with any of them. One day, when I was choosing a new username for a Sims fan site I was a part of, I decided to sit down and not get up until I came up with something unique that I liked. Three hours of pensive sitting later, "Feldo" came to mind on some random whim. I liked how short it was, and the way it sounded. Then I looked it up on Wikipedia to check if it was "unique". Seeing that someone had already registered the account "Feldo" there, I changed the "o" to a zero and called it a day. The name grew on me over the years; and in retrospect, I'm very happy to have chosen "Feldo" over "Feld0". I eventually decided to try building a brand out of it, and that gave rise to the "Feldian Network".
<Sepharos> Is there anything that makes your blog and forums unique compared to other blogs and forums?
<Feld0> Wii U Go is the oldest surviving Wii U blog in the world, outliving even the Wii U's name. Since the day it began, I've been committed to making it the very best Wii U news site it can be. I have high quality requirements for the site's articles and always track down the original sources of rumours to get the straightest story possible. I went to the trouble of building an entirely custom skin so readers enjoy coming to the site, clicking around, and seeing what my team and I have to say. I strive to provide every resource a Wii U fan might need, including tech specs, screenshots, pre-order information, and more; and I sometimes dig things out of the deepest corners of the Internet to report on them. Quality and completeness, that's my mantra. TheWiiU.com is unique among forums in that I make myself readily available to users, choose staff carefully, and actually enforce my own rules. I learned mostly not to make the mistakes I've seen other forum owners make, so I try to mingle among and befriend my own visitors, and keep the forums a safe, enjoyable, and troll-free little haven on the Internet. In addition to that, I provide a few perks I haven't seen on most forums, like huge PM inboxes, unlimited attachment uploads, and IP.Board - quite possibly the most user-friendly forum script on the market.
<Sepharos> What has been your most memorable moment of being a blogger?
<Feld0> I'm having a hard time choosing just one, so I'll list three of my favourite Wii U Go moments:

- A producer from G4TV contacted me before E3 2011, asking me for permission to include a screenshot of Wii 2 Blog in their Nintendo pre-show (here's the result: Wii 2 Blog on G4tv's Nintendo E3 2011 Pre-Show - YouTube).

- Seeing the EA Origin rumour that started at my blog get so popular, invade Google News, and make it to sites like GameSpot and co.

- Finding out a German magazine printed a purported Project Café photo with my blog's watermark on it.

Back when I still worked for 3DS Buzz (3DS Buzz - See UK's Best Price for Nintendo 3DS), the unforgettable "September 29th Crash" happened. I was running a liveblog for the release date of the 3DS's release date for 3DS Buzz on CoverItLive, but the traffic at the main site swamped its server. The same thing happened to David's server, too. The CoverItLive event, though, kept running and getting linked to all over the Internet, and had about 6000 viewers at its peak. It was really something to be the only live source of 3DS news through all that.
<Sepharos> How have the Wii U Go blog and Wii U forums evolved since their creation?
<Feld0> Both of them started out as little hobby projects for me. Wii U Go (or Wii 2 Blog, as it was back in the day) was on a subdomain of my personal site, Feld0's World | Home of the Feldian Network, using a free WordPress theme. Wii 2 Boards began life as a humble phpBB board with about 20 members. After the first Project Café rumours began, traffic to both sites increased by a factor of 10 and only kept growing. I eventually decided to start treating the sites like a professional job and made a few large changes to them. I purchased an IP.Board license for TheWiiU.com to replace phpBB, which was an incredibly well-received change. I also spent three months working on a custom theme for Wii U Go, which gives the blog a lot of personality, brings out the content better, and opens the door for some cool custom functionality. After David hopped on board with advertising TheWiiU.com, it produced so much traffic that I was forced to move to a VPS, which greatly increased the cost of running the sites. I began putting more and more time into both sites to manage them and keep their visitors happy, to the point where I ultimately retired from 3DS Buzz to remain focused on them. Now, TheWiiU.com and Wii U Go both look to be the largest Wii U community and blog in the world, respectively. I've always wanted to be at the forefront of an emerging fandom on the Internet, and it makes me happy to be in such a competitive position with the Wii U.
<Sepharos> How does the future of your blog and forums look, espcially as we inch closer to this years E3?
<Feld0> Really great. Both sites are on the first page of Google for all sorts of keywords, which people will be searching for as the Wii U becomes more well-known. The groundwork is already there - it's Nintendo that I'm waiting for. I'd also like to give a shoutout to David and Wii U Blog - our sites are on a very comparable level traffic-wise, and rank neck-and-neck in Google. He does a great job with his blog, too. And as we're partners and both use TheWiiU.com as our official forums, all three sites have a symbiotic relationship where a traffic boost to one can and does bring new visitors to the other two.

<Sepharos> i herd u liek mukipz and poniez; could you elaborate on this statement and explain why you are refered to as the second "Pony Overlord" in relation to Kurtiss?
<Feld0> Well, I'm a proud brony and founded MLP Forums together with Kurtiss. I haven't seen people calling me a "pony overlord" yet, but I assume I earned that title because I run two successful non-pony sites and make my bronyism known with a pony avatar and pony stuff in my forum signatures, even on Nintendo sites.
<Sepharos> How did you first become a Brony?
<Feld0> Last year, I witnessed an unusual increase in pony avatars around TheWiiU.com and 3DS Forums. I was aware that My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic had a cult following, but didn't really make much of it. One day, I decided to go ahead and watch the first two episodes, to which my reaction was "surprisingly... not bad." A couple of weeks later, I looked up the third episode - and from that moment on, I was hooked.
<Sepharos> You're a co-founder of MLP Forums, correct?
<Feld0> Eeyup.
<Sepharos> What pressed you to create the forums, of which Kurtiss is also a co-founder?
<Feld0> The idea of creating a pony forum first started as a joke of sorts around 3DS Forums and TheWiiU.com. I think a few users, including myself, mentioned that we could use a proper forum to fill with ponies instead of two threads. One day, I received an email from Kurtiss suggesting that the two of us band together and actually start a pony forum. Kurt's original reason for wanting to co-found it with me was so I could provide the funding for an IP.Board license. I had been turning over the idea of starting a pony forum myself, and knowing that Kurtiss was a well-liked admin at 3DS Forums, was open to the idea of working with him, though I was a bit hesitant to start a new pony forum considering how many of them there already were. Kurt talked me into it, though, and MLP Forums turned out to be a smashing success.
<Sepharos> Rumor has it that in order to become a moderator on MLP Forums one must have a user name ending in 'oop' - is there any truth to this rumor?"
<Feld0> No. Otherwise, I'd have a username ending in '-oop' myself.
<Sepharos> Given five hour notice of an impending zombie apocalypse, what steps - if any - would you take to preserve your life, and/or the lives of your immediate family and friends?"
<Feld0> I'd look the person who told me about it straight in the face and tell them that zombies are a Class III impossibility.
<Sepharos> How do you compare the differences between MLP: Fim season 1 and season 2?
<Feld0> Season 1 had a cozier, quieter feel to it, as it already finished production before the brony movement took hold. With a rabid fanbase to impress, though, they raised the stakes for season 2, with a healthy increase in action and some impressively mature (for a children's show, anyway) themes.

<Sepharos> Feld0, do you own a Nintendo 3DS?
<Feld0> Yep, and a proud ambassador.
<Sepharos> Did you regret, at the time, buying a Nintendo 3DS so early with such a limit game library?
<Feld0> Not really. I knew what I was getting myself into, and mostly wanted a 3DS because I thought it would be shameful for an editor of 3DS Buzz not to have one. I saw a well-designed next-generation gaming handheld, and fully believed that Nintendo deserved $250 for it. I knew the games would come later, but I didn't see anything wrong with already having the system when those came out.
<Sepharos> Do you believe the Nintendo 3DS lineup has picked up since launch?
<Feld0> Oooh yes. The 3DS's library is shaping up to be quite wonderful. Let's just pretend the 3DS truly launched after the last system update.
<Sepharos> Are you pleased with the ambassador program and the games that were released for it?
<Feld0> Very much. As I said, I think $250 was a fair price for the 3DS and I feel proud to have been one of the system's initial supporters (and to have put $80 more dollars in Nintendo's coffers for developing future games). I didn't expect the ambassador program to happen and would not have felt ripped off if it didn't. So I was happy to be simply be getting more free stuff for my 3DS. That the selection actually turned out to be good is just gravy.
<Sepharos> What games do you currently own for the Nintendo 3DS and which of them would you consider your favourite?
<Feld0> Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, Dead or Alive: Dimensions, LEGO Pirates of the Carribean, and Super Mario 3D Land.
<Feld0> Super Mario 3D Land is by far my favourite of the bunch.
<Sepharos> Do you feel that Super Mario 3D Land competes with the other 3D Mario games such as 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy?
<Feld0> I've never thought of Mario games as competitors. Each one delivers an experience all its own, and each one is a fantastic AAA effort that deserves to be played. I'd put Super Mario 3D Land right up there with them.
<Sepharos> How much more power do you feel the Nintendo 3DS has over the Nintendo DS?
<Feld0> Just like I answered your question about how much more powerful the Wii U is than the Wii... ..enough. It's powerful enough to let developers concentrate more on good game design than optimizing every bloody frame out of it. That's all that matters.
<Sepharos> Are you currently on top of PSVita news? Do you feel that the PSVita will compete well with the Nintendo 3DS?
<Feld0> I haven't been following Vita news too closely, but I'm aware of the memory card fiasco that has erupted over it. It's a promising system with a lot of potential, and I want it to succeed alongside the 3DS just like the PS3 succeeded alongside the Xbox 360. But the high price and deceptive marketing that requires you to spend about $300 to get a functional system looks like a silly decision on Sony's side that may ultimately turn out to be the Vita's downfall. As both the 3DS and PlayStation Vita target the same demographic (gamers looking for a console-like portable experience), I see the two as direct competitors. Unfortunately, Sony seem to have handicapped themselves before the battle even began.
<Sepharos> Do you feel that healthy compitetion is necessary for both systems to excel?
<Feld0> Probably not necessary - Nintendo have always followed the consumer market rather than their competitors - but healthy competition is almost always a good thing. No matter how much each company claims to do its own thing, I'm absolutely positive they all watch each other carefully, if only for the sake of seeing which ideas and strategies work, and which of them don't.
<Sepharos> What features do you like and dislike for the Nintendo 3DS and is there anything you'd like to change about it?
<Feld0> SpotPass is one of the coolest 3DS features, in my opinion, and somewhat underutilized. It does everything from giving you cool videos to watch to DLC and downloading full games, and lets you communicate with friends through Swapnote. I always get excited to see what new content has arrived on my 3DS whenever I wake up to that blue light. I do have a few pet peeves with the 3DS, though. The low quality cameras really irk me when they had the opportunity to be a selling point of the system. I also wish that the music player kept a database of songs so it doesn't scan the SD card every time I open the application - sometimes, loading a large album's tracklist takes eons. Finally, I'd add a cross-system instant messaging system that allows in-game voice, video, and text chat (or a combination of the three).
<Sepharos> What games do you plan on purchasing within the coming months for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Feld0> Mario Kart 7, Rayman Origins, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Luigi's Mansion 2, and Paper Mario are all on my list. Further into the future, I'm looking forward to Super Smash Bros. 4 and the inevitable 3DS Zelda game.
<Sepharos> What is your current opinion on the eShop; do you believe it has enough variety of content or has very bland and generic titles?
<Feld0> I feel the eShop's greatest problem is its continued focus on DSiWare. There are a few fantastic DSiWare releases, but I didn't get a 3DS to play blurry, low-res DS/DSi games. The lack of downloadable, original 3DS games is really hurting it.

<Sepharos> Feld0, what is your first experience with gaming?
<Feld0> When I was 5 and my family purchased its first computer, we got this wonderful game called Pharaoh. It was made back when city-building games were all the rage, and placed you in the position of an ancient Egyptian city planner. Pharaoh is old ('twas made for Windows 95), but it's historically accurate, features an impressively deep level of simulation, and has a wonderful, orchestrated soundtrack. I gave it another go last year, and it's still every bit as good as I remember it.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite video game series would be?
<Feld0> Mario, for sure. Mario's games are built around the core purpose of video games themselves - fun - and happen to be extremely well made. They feature creative level design, a whimsical world with its own mythology, and some of the most memorable music I've ever heard. They embody the essence of video games as a whole, so that's why I love them.
<Sepharos> Do you like the adventure/platformer genre specifically or do you enjoy other genres as well?
<Feld0> Platformers are my favourite genre, but I also love simulation games (city builers specifically, as that's where I got my start, along with those "tycoon" games that used to be all the rage), RPG's, and action/adventure games like The Legend of Zelda.
<Sepharos> Besides the Mario series, what other series do you enjoy?
<Feld0> Yoshi, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart (if you consider that a separate series from the Mario platformers) and The Sims are a few personal favourites. I also enjoy the Metroid Prime games, Super Smash Bros., Pokémon, Civilization, and SimCity.
<Sepharos> What would you say is your favourite game of all time and why?
<Feld0> The two Super Mario Galaxy games. I know I chose two games rather than one, but I personally see them as two halves of the same game. It would be criminal to experience one and not the other.
<Sepharos> What about the games make them your favourite?
<Feld0> To me, they represent the pinnacle of the Mario series and everything it stands for. The levels are varied and incredibly well designed, the art direction and musical score are absolutely fantastic, and there is enough meat in both games to keep you going for countless hours. Or to put it another way: I've had more fun with Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 than any other game I've ever played. And fun is exactly what video games are ultimately all about, right?
<Sepharos> What do you believe is most important when making a gamet: graphics, music, or gamplay?
<Feld0> Gameplay. Gameplay is what makes a project a game. A game with no graphics is still playable as a text-based game. A game without music is still playable as a silent game. But a game without gameplay is not a game at all.
<Sepharos> What would you say makes the Mario series so unique compared to other games of its genre?
<Feld0> The Mario franchise has an amazing legacy and a historical significance that many franchises can only dream of. Nintendo have always crafted the core Mario platformers with love and care, and have still got the "Nintendo Touch" more than a quarter-century later. Moreover, one of Mario's hallmarks is accessibility, and I believe that is what has kept his series so popular over the years. The striking visual designs and catchy music draw people in; and while difficulty is a controversial subject, I see it as a good thing that new Mario players can feasibly make it to a Mario game's credits even if they aren't super-skilled button ninjas.
<Sepharos> What are you looking forward to seeing at this years E3?
<Feld0> I'm excited to watch the Wii U's "proper" reveal and get a "proper" look at the games coming to it. In particular, I hope to see some AAA first-party projects like Pikmin 3, Zelda, or Mario, if only to see what Nintendo's artists have done with the power of a next-gen console to work with.
<Sepharos> What was your initial reaction towards hearing about the Wii U?
<Feld0> I was at school the day of Nintendo's E3 2011 presentation, when I knew that Project Café would finally be unveiled. Luckily, I had the chance to drop in and witness the announcement of the name during a spare. The very first thing I did was madly scramble to register a few domains the moment that Reggie spoke "Wii U". It took a couple of minutes for the name to sink in and for me to actually consider it. After that, I was left a little confused and underwhelmed by the name, like many other fans.
<Sepharos> Did you think that you'd become a blogger for it?
<Feld0> I already was - I had been blogging about the console for nine months before Nintendo revealed it.
<Sepharos> What was your opinion on the system video shown at E3?
<Feld0> I was really excited to see it because it was the first proper look we got at the fabled motion-sensitive touchscreen controller the rumours had been all about. All the gameplay concepts the video showed looked very neat, and the golf demo in particular is one of my favourites. I actually liked that Nintendo made an entirely separate video to show off the Wii U's graphics, and really kept the system trailer focused on gameplay concepts that could not be pulled off on any other system.
<Sepharos> A lot of people were upset thinking the Wii U was just a controller add-on to the Wii since the system was only shown briefly during the video; did this ever cross your mind?
<Feld0> You mean, did I ever think that the "Wii U" was just a controller and not an entirely new system?
<Sepharos> Indeed.
<Feld0> No. I had my mind so full of Project Café information at the time, I was fully aware that whatever Nintendo revealed would be the console I had been writing about for so long.
<Sepharos> How did you first discover Project Café?
<Feld0> I was on a sailing excursion with my school when the first wave of Project Café rumours hit, so I didn't even know about them until I met up with my mom. One of the first things she told me was something along the lines of "Oh, by the way, the Wii 2 was revealed a few days ago", which almost gave me a panic attack.
<Feld0> When I came home, I found my email inbox overflowing with messages from people telling me all about it. As quoted from the article I wrote that night (http://wiiugo.com/wi...-2011-reveal/): "Of all the things I thought could happen while I was on my sailing excursion this week, the announcement of the Wii 2 was one I definitely wasn’t counting on. Well, that’s exactly what happened. Without further ado, the story."
<Sepharos> What were you looking forward to most with this system?
<Feld0> I think what I'm looking forward to more than anything else is seeing all of Nintendo's intellectual properties on a high-calibre, HD system. Nintendo have some of the best artists in the industry, and I feel that the Wii had only been limiting their creative potential with its ancient hardware. Now that they're working with a system worthy of their talent, I have no doubt that the Wii U will host some of the most beautiful games the industry will ever see.
<Sepharos> Do you feel the Wii was a major let down?
<Feld0> Not in the slightest. My family didn't get an HDTV until recently, so I didn't suffer much from the Wii's inability to produce HD graphics. I purchased my Wii at launch, and I can safely say that the system's library is what kept me going with it to this day. Nintendo went all-out with their AAA first-party efforts, and many outstanding third-party titles were also released throughout the system's life. Once you abstract yourself from the obsolete hardware and the unfortunate lack of attention third-party Wii games received, the Wii actually has an incredibly diverse library of wonderful, fun games spanning every genre under the sun.
<Sepharos> How well do you think the Wii competed with the Playstation 3 and XBox 360?
<Feld0> I don't think it ever really competed with them, to be honest. Nintendo aimed the Wii, quite literally, towards everyone, while Sony and Microsoft aimed their consoles towards gamers looking for bleeding-edge technology and stunning HD experiences. The Wii was a smashing success in its own right, but I think it's unfair to say it "beat" the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - Sony's and Microsoft's consoles were quite successful at reaching their intended demographic, too. All three gaming giants made commendable efforts - Nintendo had a game for everyone, along with amazing marketing; Microsoft created a sprawling online community; and Sony backed the PS3 up with lots of great exclusives. They all accomplished what they set out to do.
<Feld0> Each console offered something different, and I don't think there were too many gamers who bought a Wii because they believed it to be "better" than a PS3 or 360.
<Sepharos> Do you believe the Wii was as powerful as the Playstation 3 or XBox 360?
<Feld0> No. Not even close.
<Sepharos> How much more powerful do you believe the Wii U will be compared to the Wii and why?
<Feld0> If the Wii's power level was 1, I think that the Wii U's will be.. OVER NINE THOUSAND!! In all seriousness, I don't think it's even relevant to compare the Wii to the Wii U. I honestly don't care exactly how powerful it is. I've seen the Zelda and Japanese Garden demos, which prove to me that it's "powerful enough". Developers are very happy with the console so far, and that's what really matters. I'm more than happy with what I've seen, and I know the Wii U's graphics truly will be "good enough" to become irrelevant. It's the gameplay experiences it will facilitate that really matter. As I said in my last article (http://wiiugo.com/re...s-not-enough/): "[The] Wii U has sufficient horsepower to let developers focus on nurturing new ideas instead of fighting a bloody battle for every last frame."


<Sepharos> Feld0, how has gaming and blogging impacted your life?
<Feld0> Gaming got me into blogging, which came with the need to write hundreds of articles on a regular basis. Over the past two and a half years, I've improved my writing dramatically, which will be a useful skill for life (and really helps when I need to get through an English essay at school). More important than that, however, is the audience I build through blogging. My readers are people who trust me and listen to what I have to say. I'd rather not go into details just yet, but that audience is something I can leverage in the future to kick larger projects off the ground. As a matter of fact, I've already done just that with MLP Forums. And it won't be the last time.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in life of Feld0?
<Feld0>
I wake up-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Check mah email-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Eat breakfast-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Go to school-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Come back home-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Check mah email-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Work on homework-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Check my sites-
=LIKE A BOSS!=

I then have lunch-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Go back to school-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Come home again-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Stop by at a friend's-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Hang out together-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Arrive back home-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Check mah email-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Check mah sites-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Write an article-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Do more homework-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Study-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Work on my sites-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Eat dinner-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Play some video games-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Write another article-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Check mah email-
=LIKE A BOSS!=

Then go to bed-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
Now I'm sleeping-
=LIKE A BOSS!=
<Sepharos> Besides blogging and gaming, what other hobbies do you have?
<Feld0> Programming is the main one, seeing as I plan to become a video game programmer someday. I'm getting a head start on my programming skills by creating applications and games as a teenager. Currently, I'm working on a new music hosting site for bronies as a way to practice working with PHP and databases. After that, I have several video game designs I'd like to realize. I also enjoy composing music, ammassing knowledge about things that interest me, and managing large projects.
<Sepharos> Are you currently studing for programming?
<Feld0> Yes, I'm taking an AP Computer Science course right now. However, at the moment, I feel I'm learning much more from self-study and my personal programming projects.
<Sepharos> What do you plan on majoring in?
<Feld0> Real-Time Interactive Simulation. It's a fancy name for "video game programming".
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in programming?
<Feld0> I wrote my first game engine at the age of 12. The quality of the code was quite bad, but I was quite happy at having managed to create my own 2D platformer, as simple as it was. I didn't program anything too noteworthy since until I decided to get back into it last year. I've moved into web development for the time being because it's relatively easy to whip something cool and useful together with PHP, and it fits nicely into the work I already do as the owner of three websites. But I plan to return to video game development in the not-too-distant future.
<Sepharos> What would you say your lifelong dream or goal is?
<Feld0> To create an intellectual property as an independent game developer and spawn a massive fandom around it. The next Minecraft, if you will.
<Sepharos> Is there anybody you look up to for you dream?
<Feld0> Notch (aka Markus Persson), the creator of Minecraft. He's my personal idol, as he proved it's possible for one man's idea to reach millions of people and leave a lasting legacy.
<Sepharos> Do you feel you've made a lasting impact on the Wii U and MLP community?
<Feld0> Not quite yet. While Wii U Go and TheWiiU.com provide a home on the Internet for Wii U fans, the actual number of those fans is quite small at the moment so there isn't much of an impact to leave.  But come E3 and the Wii U launch, I expect Wii U Go to become a top destination for Wii U news. This is a question I'd be in a better position to answer next year, after we've had a chance to see how the Wii U actually does in the real world. As far as My Little Pony goes, as successful as MLP Forums has been so far, it is but a speck compared to the sheer size of the pony fandom. The fandom as a whole will probably not even notice if it disappeared. But the music hosting site I mentioned, on the other hand... I expect that to leave a mark.
<Sepharos> Finally, Feld0, do you have anything you'd like to share with the community?
<Feld0> Wii U Go is much older than other Wii U sites, and hope you'll check it out if you haven't already. And to all my fellow bronies, if you're looking for a good pony community to settle into, I'll be more than happy to see you at MLP Forums. Wii U Go, TheWiiU.com, and MLP Forums are all fueled by my passion for Nintendo and ponies, respectively; and I like to think that passion translates into fun, well-managed, high-quality sites that are worthy of a Wii U or MLP:FiM fan's time. Lastly, look out for my entry into the other side of the video game industry as a developer whom others will be blogging about.

BonBon - Moderator of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Mike, you're currently a global moderator on the 3DS Forums. How did you discover the site and what pushed you into joining?
<BonBon> I discovered the site through an old friend of mine, who went by the username Clocker here. The forum I had been frequenting at the time was in its final hours, so he logged on to tell us about 3DSF. I checked it out, thought it was alright, and decided to give it a chance. I didn't actually expect to stay on this long when I first signed up, nor did I think I'd ever be a moderator.
<Sepharos> What would you say was your first impressions of the site?
<BonBon> At first I felt that the site would be really immature, since Nintendo forums tend to be made up of 12 year olds. That impression has yet to change after a year of being on the site. The chatbox did surprise me, though. It's really what kept me coming back.
<Sepharos> Have you had problems with immature forums in the past?
<BonBon> Not that I can recall. I just prefer a forum where I can have an intelligent discussion every now and then.
<Sepharos> Have you found such discussion within 3DS Forums?
<BonBon> Rarely, but the site has its moments.
<Sepharos> Would you recommend 3DS Forums to a friend, and if so, how?
<BonBon> The only friends of mine I'd ever ask to join are already members, actually.
<Sepharos> So, how did the chatbox feature surprise you?
<BonBon> It acted as a safe haven from other, crappier sections of the website. I met a lot of cool people on there and always enjoyed staying up late and hanging with them. It gets its drama every now and then, but overall it's more fun than I had expected.
<Sepharos> Would you say you've become an active member because of the chatbox feature? Would you have stayed as long as you have without it?
<BonBon> I would have left ages ago if it weren't for the chatbox. I never had an interest in buying the 3DS, only doing so when my DS Lite died in mid-August. There really wasn't much for me to get involved with on the actual forums.
<Sepharos> What was your first reaction to being promoted to moderator?
<BonBon> When everyone was discussing adding the new mods last summer I was actually away on a cruise. I was shocked when I came back and got the PM from David. I wasn't all that thrilled about getting the position itself, but the forum was in a tough spot at the time so I was willing to help. As time went on and things returned to the norm, you can see that I did my job less and less.
<Sepharos> In December, you requested a ban from Kurtiss, an administrator of the forums, correct?
<BonBon> It started off as a joke, actually. I saw that Snail had said on the chat that I couldn't leave the site for more than an hour, so I was going to give myself a week ban. During that week I left for vacation, and by the time I got back I really wasn't interested in contacting Baroque or Kurtiss to take me off the banned list. Kurtiss had set it to expire, so I figured I should make a return once I saw that the ban was passed. We'll just consider it my holiday break.
<Sepharos> Earlier you had stated that you told Kurtiss to perma ban you; is this true?
<BonBon> Yeah, I had contacted him on Skype telling him to make it a permaban. The idea was that I'd contact him again when it was time to remove it.  Apparently he set it to expire in a month instead, probably because of his resignation.
<Sepharos> When did you discover Kurtiss had resigned and what was your reaction?
<BonBon> I still talk with some members on Skype, so I heard about it the day it happened. He had debated the idea a few times in the past, so I sort of expected it.
<Sepharos> Mike, when you are active in the forums, what kind of threads do you typically post in?
<BonBon> I usually stick to the Lounge, since I'm not really an avid gamer like I used to be. Once I became a mod I did start visiting the other sections, mostly out of necessity, but the Lounge is still my favorite part of the site.
<Sepharos> Has being a moderator affected your activity on the site?
<BonBon> Unfortunately, I haven't enjoyed the forum as much. Arguing with members and dealing with drama is never much fun, and I started to see the bad side of a few regulars. On the other hand, the Mod Lounge is always awesome.
<Sepharos> I heard there are drinking parties in the Mod Lounge; is this true?
<BonBon> That's confidential information.
<Sepharos> How difficult is it to be a moderator, and would you say the work you do is rewarding?
<BonBon> I wouldn't say it's difficulty work. Frustrating, but not hard. As for rewarding, only when banning members. It's so satisfying to write out a ban notice to members I've disliked for months.
<Sepharos> Do you feel there is anything about being a moderator that is often misrepresented?
<BonBon> From past experience, a lot of members have claimed that we play favorites with members we're friends with. I just want to confirm that a lot of the users I'm close to have fairly long infraction lists.
<Sepharos> As a moderator, do you feel there is anything that should be changed or implimented with the forums?
<BonBon> I've always wanted to remove the word filter, but that's more of a personal preference than an actual fault of the forum. I also think that we should either drop the 10 character limit or enforce it better, since nobody actually follows it.
<Sepharos> Mike, how closely do you follow the blog, and has it affected your purchasing habbits or opinions on games/devices?
<BonBon> I have never been on the blog in my life. This isn't an exaggeration. I apologize to David if he's reading this.
<Sepharos> What has been your most memorable memory of the forums?
<BonBon> Anything involving Barkis, really. The weeks leading up to his ban were some of the funniest moments I've ever experienced here. I miss the guy.
<Sepharos> Do you feel that Barkiss has left one of the biggest impacts on the forums? Why or why not?
<BonBon> Yes. His quirkiness made him one of the most recognizable members to date, and even over half a year since his ban we're still making jokes about him. A lot of people have come and gone since then, but I don't think we'll ever get another guy like him. He made every thread he posted in a more interesting topic, for better or worse.
<Sepharos> How does the future of the forums look in their current state? Do you feel they're heading in the right direction? Why or why not?
<BonBon> There's always concern for the future when we have a huge influx of new members, though I don't see us ever getting as bad as we were during the summer.
<Sepharos> What occured in the Summer?
<BonBon> Baroque left, we had a mini-revolution, the game drought left a lot of members bored with the forum and a lot of drama poured into the chat because of Skype. There was a lot of tension and changes during that period.
<Sepharos> Would you say that has all been cleaned up and the chances of a repeat are now slim?
<BonBon> All those issues have more or less been resolved so I don't see it happening again.

<Sepharos> Mike, how did you first hear about the Nintendo 3DS and what were your first thoughts on the device?
<BonBon> I was watching E3 when they first revealed it. I was really hyped for it at first once I heard that games like Kid Icarus, Contra, Paper Mario, Megaman Legends and Assassins Creed were being released for it. As time went on and some of my most anticipated titles were canceled, that hype died down. Now that there is a decent library for it I don't regret my purchase, but it didn't live up to my original expectations.
<Sepharos> When did you buy your Nintendo 3DS?
<BonBon> I picked it up in the middle of August, right before I went to the Carribean. It was a few days before the ambassador deadline, actually. As I said before, my DS Lite died on me. I was going to hold off until this year, but I wanted something to tide me over on the trip.
<Sepharos> What games did you purchase along with your Nintendo 3DS and were they worth it for the time?
<BonBon> Ocarina of Time was all I had bought. I'm not a big OoT fan, but it was the best choice at the time at the time. I also bought Links Awakening, Donkey Kong 94 and Qix on the eshop as soon as I got the online connected, if that counts.
<Sepharos> Were you at all disappointed with the game library at the Nintendo 3DS launch?
<BonBon> Sort of. I wasn't happy with the lineup, but I wasn't expecting anything big at launch to begin with. I do wish we got Layton like Japan, but that wasn't realistic.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the ambassador program released for the Nintendo 3DS and are you happy with the released games?
<BonBon> I was a bit pissed with the NES lineup. Only downloaded the Zelda titles, Mario and Metroid because the others weren't worth my time.
<BonBon> I was more than pleased with the GBA lineup, though. I was actually introduced to Wario Land and Fire Emblem through it, two series that I had been meaning to play for a while now. Running through Fusion again was pretty nostalgic, too. I do wish they chose a better F-Zero game and took out Super Circuit, but that's nitpicky.
<Sepharos> What games do you own for your Nintendo 3DS now and which would you say is your favourite and why?
<BonBon> The four retail games I have are Ocarina, Star Fox, 3D Land and Bit Trip. I actually like Bit Trip the most. Runner is actually one of my favorite games, so packaging that with the rest of the series AND making it portable was an incredible deal.
<Sepharos> What games are you looking forward to purchasing in the near future?
<BonBon> Paper Mario and Bravely Default are definitely on my list of games to get. I need a good RPG fix and they're both shaping up pretty nicely. I'm debating Resident Evil. While I haven't played much of the franchise in the past, I hear nothing but positive things about it. I'll have to think about it closer to release.
<Sepharos> Have you played the recently released demo for Resident Evil: Revelations?
<BonBon> Not yet. Planning to next week, once midterm work dies down and I have more free time.
<Sepharos> Have you made use of the Swapnote application yet?
<BonBon> I downloaded it but never really explored it. That's something I should do in the near future.
<Sepharos> Are there any applications for the Nintendo 3DS you have used?
<BonBon> Aside from the eshop, no. I probably would have removed features like 3DS Sound, AR and Face Raiders if I was allowed.
<Sepharos> What about them annoys you?
<BonBon> I just never use them. Even with systems like the 360 I never really go into the extraneous features and apps. I'd rather give more room to the games themselves instead of wasting memory like that.
<Sepharos> What about the Nintendo 3DS would you like to change if you could?
<BonBon> I know everyone has said it, but I wished Nintendo had a better online structure. Simple things such as having voice chats with friends outside of games. The system has both a mic and a friends list, so I fail to see why we can't have even basic features like that.
<Sepharos> How well do you think the Nintendo 3DS will compete against the Sony PSVita?
<BonBon> I'm expecting it to just be a repeat of the PSP and DS competition. The 3DS will be on top of sales due to being the cheaper family-friendly handheld, but Sony won't be too far behind.
<Sepharos> Have you been following any PSVita news?
<BonBon> The only thing I know about it is that Gravity Rush looks pretty slick.
<Sepharos> Mike, what features do you look forward to being implemented with the Nintendo 3DS?
<BonBon> Like I said before, I'm looking forwaring to improvements in the online capabilities. Nintendo has already introduced demos and mentioned DLC in a few interviews, so I'm hoping for the best.
<Sepharos> Do you have any concerns about the possibility of DLC being a way to cheat gamers into paying for an incomplete game?
<BonBon> There's always that risk, especially with Capcom. However, it has so many benefits as well that I hope companies like Nintendo take advantage of. DLC content for the upcoming Smash Bros, for instance, would be an incredible opportunity.

<Sepharos> How did you first become a gamer, Mike?
<BonBon> I really got into gaming when I was three years old, after family friends of ours gave us their SNES. They actually gave us their entire game library along with it, so my twin and I would spend countless hours running through Donkey Kong Country, Aladdin, Yoshi's Island and Turtles in Time. We grew up with it.
<Sepharos> Whould you acredit your childhood memories to the SNES?
<BonBon> For the most part, yes. The two of us really bonded over co-op games like TMNT and DKC, not to mention that videogames are what originally got me into art. I owe a lot to the Super Nintendo.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite game for the SNES?
<BonBon> Growing up it was Turtles in Time, which is still by favorite Beat 'em Up to this day. As I got older and my library grew, I'd say that Final Fantasy VI or Super Metroid are my favorite titles for the system.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite game series?
<BonBon> As an entire series, Metroid is probably my favorite. There are many individual games that I enjoy more, but Metroid is the only series where I've fallen in love with nearly every installment. I've only been disappointed once or twice out of all the years it's been going.
<Sepharos> What was your opinion on Metroid: Other M, while we're on this subject?
<BonBon> Crap.
<Sepharos> Care to elaborate?
<BonBon> From a gameplay standpoint, the game tried to deviate too much from the normal formula without adding anything groundbreaking or new to the series. As a result, we had a fairly shallow action game with little exploration. It tried to put a focus on close combat and speed, but never really took advantage of those elements in the level design or boss battles. My biggest complaint is the story, though. I didn't have any problems with a talking Samus and was actually sort of happy to see it. However, the acting had no emotion or effort, the dialogue was extremely corny and poorly written and the plot itself was atrociously paced. Many people cite the Ridley scene as the lowest point in the game, but what bothered me most was that they introduced major subplots and a new villain in a 15 minute cutscene AFTER the final boss, while not even resolving the ones running throughout the entire game. It was extremely anticlimactic and embarrassing to watch. But I digress.
<Sepharos> What Metroid game do you feel has been the peak of the Metroid series thus far?
<BonBon> Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. I've always preferred the Prime trilogy to the sidescrollers, and Echoes was the perfect sequel to the original. The atmosphere was amazing due to Retros great art direction, the environments were a step up from the standard fire and ice areas from the first game, the new weapons system required a lot more strategy than Metroid normally needed, and the new items they introduced really made it unique among other Metroid titles.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite 2D Metroid game?
<BonBon> Super Metroid. My favorite aspect of videogames was always exploring. I love being dropped in an expansive world with many different directions to take, discovering the culture and lore of that world and finding new items in every corner of the map. While Fusion was a great game and Zero Mission is a good remake, no other 2D Metroid captured this feel like Super Metroid did. I don't think they ever will, either.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite ability or power-up in the Metroid series?
<BonBon> In the 2D games, the screw attack. It's such a great feeling when you plow through every monster in the game without even touching the arm cannon. In the 3D games, the scan visor. As I said before, I love it when worlds are very developed. The log system really added a layer of depth to each individual planet that captivated me.
<Sepharos> Although the Metroid series is your favourite game series, what would you say your favourite game is?
<BonBon> Mother 3. It's both the funniest and most emotional game that I've ever played. To this day it's the only videogame to make me tear up.
<Sepharos> If you were to recommend Mother 3 to a friend, how would you describe it?
<BonBon> Strange, funny and heartrending.
<Sepharos> What's your prefered genre of video games and why?
<BonBon> Metroidvanias tend to be favorites of mine, as well as open world games, for the elements of exploration and world building I mentioned before. Oddly enough, my top games don't fit into those genres. Most of my all-time favorites are RPGs, like Mother, Chrono Trigger, Thousand Year Door and FFVI
<Sepharos> What do you find most important in a game; graphics, music, or gameplay?
<BonBon> I'd rank gameplay first, followed by music. A game needs strong gameplay. It's the core element that defines the entire medium. I'd rank music over graphics mostly because atmosphere is a very important thing to me in all media. Music is what sets that tone.
<Sepharos> What games do you feel have the peak performance in graphics, music, and gameplay and what one game do you feel merges them all flawlessly?
<BonBon> Hmm, that's a really hard one. I don't have an answer to the first question, but I'd go with Shadow of the Colossus for the latter. The game managed to take the best of all three, and to this day have some of the best atmosphere I've ever seen. All the colossi fights, especially the final battle, are still some of the most stunning moments in gaming.
<Sepharos> What console do you feel has best represented both hardcore and casual gamers in the third generation console battle?
<BonBon> The 360 probably did the best job at representing both groups.
<Sepharos> What games do you feel both parties, hardcore and casual gamers, can enjoy and why?
<BonBon> I'd say sandbox games. The nature of the game allows for people who only casually play to fool around and just enjoy the chaos, while the scale of it appeals to more avid gamers who are looking for a longer, more in depth game. The GTA series is really the perfect example.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to hear about at E3, Mike?
<BonBon> I'd love to hear what Retro is working on, but no particular wishes.
<Sepharos> How do you think the future of gaming looks?
<BonBon> I think it looks pretty good. I've really enjoyed this generation so far and there's still plenty more to come out of it. The Wii U also looks like a huge step up from the Wii, so I'm excited to see where Nintendo goes with that.

<Sepharos> Mike, besides gaming, what other hobbies do you enjoy?
<BonBon> As most of you know, I'm really into art. Actually looking to get a career in illustration and recently finished my applications. Those are really my two big hobbies. I do other things like play the cello and do a little bit of writing, but not to the same extent
<Sepharos> Is it true that you live on the streets selling fanart?
<BonBon> I'm an art student. It's inevitable. I'll just mooch off my parents and siblings until that day comes.
<Sepharos> How long have you enjoyed art?
<BonBon> I always liked drawing, but my passion for it probably started when I was three, as I had broken my arm and couldn't fool around outside all that much until it healed. To pass the time I would draw with my older sister. I wanted to be just as good as she was, so I just kept practicing and practicing. It grew on me.
<Sepharos> What do you plan on doing with your hobby?
<BonBon> As I mentioned earlier, I will be an Illustration major. I'm looking into a concept design or storyboarding job when I get out of college, but I'm also open to things like Medical Illustration or Graphic Design work. We'll see what happens.
<Sepharos> What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of artistry?
<BonBon> I've participated in a lot of art projects for hospitals and animal shelters. It gives me a unique way to contribute to the community. I'm currently doing a painting for the group Splashes of Hope and helped work on this mural for children with cancer.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Mike?
<BonBon> Wake up at 6 AM. Shower and eat breakfast. Go to school. Work after school. Dinner. Fool around on Steam until 2 AM. It's nothing exciting.
<Sepharos> What would you say your life dream or goal is?
<BonBon> I'd love to get involved with animated films. Being part of the process has always been something I wanted to experience. It's not a realistic dream because I don't know a damn thing about animation.
<Sepharos> Finally, Mike, is there anything you'd like to say or share with the community?
<BonBon> Nah.

Applejack - Member of My Little Pony Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Cameron, you are known as Applejack on MLP Forums; how did you first learn of the forums and what pressed you to join?
<Applejack> I was once a member of 3dsforums.  My username on there was Lucariowolf. What pressed me to join was that I had just learned how great MLP was and there wasn't enough pony stuff on the 3dsforums to do anything on so I thought it would be a great idea to join the MLP forums just to talk about pony, sorry ponies.
<Sepharos> What were your initial thoughts on the forum?
<Applejack> "Wow" was my first thought the artwork of the banner was really good and all the people were really nice even though I knew most of them from the 3dsforums.
<Sepharos> Would you say you're an active member on the forums? Why or why not?
<Applejack> I am an active member because I am basically on there everyday especially on my days off work even though most I do now is chat in the chatroom.
<Sepharos> What threads or topics interest you the most?
<Applejack> The pony threads seeing as it's a pony forum.
<Sepharos> Besides ponies, is there anything that make MLP Forums unique compared to other forums?
<Applejack> The members are really nice and they are supportive in helping making MLP forums and the show itself really awesome and 20% cooler. Other forums members really just troll you or are really not any fun they just are their because they have nothing better to do then mess with other people.
<Sepharos> Is it true the members of the forums will love and tolerate the **** out of you?
<Applejack> Yes, take me for example I have been yelled at and called mean names but I just shrug it off and move on. Other members like Rose really love and tolerate people no matter what they do.
<Sepharos> How have you enjoyed your overall experience with the forums thus far?
<Applejack> Yes, this forum make every member feel like a family. You join in your a part of the family already even if you just make a profile and never get on it. So once you join you're in it for life.

<Sepharos> What does it mean to be a Brony, both by definition and by personality?
<Applejack> What I see as a Brony is you not just watch the show but you also make it a part of who you are.  I know that sounds wierd but I believe that just because it's a show about ponies finding out things about friendship doesn't mean that you have to watch it and then move on to the next thing. You make sure that you are being friendly and finding out how to make friends or be better at being friends.
<Sepharos> What do you believe has made the show so popular?
<Applejack> The animation is a big one for me I think that is one of the key reasons.  But it is also something different it's cute even for some adults and it is very likeable for many reasons whether we are alike to one of the characters or that the music is very catchy.
<Sepharos> What do you believe has made you a fan of the series?
<Applejack> Well,  I guess I used to be a person who was very morbid and I like watching very violent things.  Then I saw MLP and it was very different from what I was used to and I just got hooked on all the cuteness of the ponies and how friendly the show was. So it being something different but fun was what made me a fan.
<Sepharos> Cameron, why are you known as "Applejack," one of the characters from the show, on the forums?
<Applejack> Well this might take some explaining.  First off I didn't used to have Applejack as my favorite if anyone remembered me from the 3dsforums I used to like Rainbow Dash.  Then a week before the forums came out I used to watch the first season on my tablet like every day.  Then before the forums came out I started liking Applejack as my favorite pony.  Then when the forums came out I named myself Apple Jack because all the canon names were reserved for mods then a week later I asked Feld0 if he could change me to the original Applejack and as you can see thats how I have Applejack as my username.
<Sepharos> Why would you say Applejack is your favourite pony?
<Applejack> Her tendency to be honest and be honourable which is one of the traits I have. So I guess one of the reasons is that we are very alike and that we don't like being dishonest.
<Sepharos> What would you say is your favourite episode of the series thus far and why?
<Applejack> Favorite episode eh?  Well,  I would have to say Ep. 23 "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" I just loved watching everyponies past and how they got their cutie marks.
<Sepharos> What would you say has made the show so popular amoung teenage and adult demographics, both male and female?
<Applejack> As I said before maybe it's because it's different from what we are used to and the human race loves to change.  With the show having friendship and "Love and Tolerance" being the major demographic it really tries to make the best out of most people.
<Sepharos> What would you like to say to the haters and critics, of both the show and bronies?
<Applejack> "Love and Tolerate" If you don't like how we voice our opinions and how we love a show for little girls then you should do something better with your life instead of making fun of people who actually enjoy what they are doing even if it's different.
<Sepharos> How has MLP made an impact in your life?
<Applejack> As I said I used to be a very morbid and violent person well not violent where I go and beat up every person I see.  It changed me and allowed me to be more true to myself a show that I used to watch wouldn't make me have any feelings for anything about it.  After MLP I started having those feeling again.  I cry at sad parts in movies or feel very good about myself in very happy shows.  So MLP has had a big impact on my life and if I went back in time to change it I would go back in time again to stop myself.

<Sepharos> Besides watching MLP, what other hobbies do you have?
<Applejack> I play video games and I play alittle guitar.
<Sepharos> What kind of video games are you interested in?
<Applejack> I am especially fond of games made by Nintendo.  They make their games more towards the player and make games fun.  Other games I play are RPG's like Final Fantasy or Tales of Series.  I also play xbox like Gears of War or Halo.
<Sepharos> What would you say is your favourite game series and why?
<Applejack> Favorite game series hmmm that's a hard one.  I would have to say Final Fantasy. I love games that are RPG's and Final Fantasy really makes it number one.  I guess another reason is that Final Fantasy feels like a movie but playable.  I am able to feel and get into the action.
<Sepharos> Note to the readers, I definitely remarked on how ecstatic I was to hear his answer was Final Fantasy. What would you say is your favourite Final Fantasy game?
<Applejack> Hmm it would be between VII or VIII.  VII is because I really liked the story and the world that they were in and how the materia system worked.  VIII is because the story was like a love story.  The battle system was way different from what I am usually used to in other RPG's.
<Sepharos> Are they also your favourite game of all time? If not, what is?
<Applejack> Final Fantasy may be my favorite series but my favorite game so far is Golden Sun by Nintendo and Camelot.  That RPG was truly epic and I would recommend any one to get that game.
<Sepharos> Which is most important in a game: gamplay, graphics, or music?
<Applejack> Gameplay by far.  Sure music and graphics would be nice but if a game isn't fun then even if the game had the best graphics or the most beautiful music it still wouldn't be a good game.
<Sepharos> Now, earlier you said you play the guitar? How long have you been interested in this subject?
<Applejack> About a year or two.  I really wanted to play guitar because of just having that fantasy that I would be a big star but I right now I only play it for fun even if I'm not that good at it yet.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Cameron?
<Applejack> Ok, I would wake up, turn off my alarm and try to get on the internet to see what all my bronies are doing on the forums.  Probably get a call from one of my co-workers at my job to get a ride. Gladly agree to take them to work.  Then play video games for a few hours.  Then go pick up my co-worker and take him to work.  Work till 11 at night (I work at a movie theater by the way) get home see if the modem is still on play on computer or watch tv till 2 in the morning, go to sleep.
<Sepharos> What do you hope to do as a career or what are your goals for a job?
<Applejack> Right now I am just searching for what I will do for a career but right now I am trying to get a commercial driver liscense so I'll be working at delivering all types of things as a truck driver.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in this career choice?
<Applejack> Not long actually.  I did try to go through college but I wasn't focused and I didn't do so well so I decided to try something else and this came up.
<Sepharos> What are your life goals and dreams?
<Applejack> Just to work hard and just live life as I want to right now. Nothing big.
<Sepharos> Is there anybody you look up to in life?
<Applejack> Zakk Wylde, he is a singer and lead guitarist for the band Black Label Society.  I really look up to him and am very jealous of his hairdo.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<Applejack> Well all my fellow Bronies.  Do what you want to do and do not let others try to tell you who you are.  Keep the bronydom alive and LOVE AND TOLERATE THE **** OUT OF PEOPLE. I love you all.

Holmes/Vergil - Member of Nintendo 3DS Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Ibrahim, you are a well known and active member of the Nintendo 3DS Forums; how did you first discover the forums and what were your original intentions on joining?
<Vergil> I decided to join a forum after purchasing the 3DS. I needed to get some friend codes for some upcoming games. i.e. Mercenaries 3D
<Sepharos> How long ago did you join the forums and what was your username choice upon joining?
<Vergil> I joined the forums back in April, first name I picked was Kenji.
<Sepharos> Why did you originally join as "Kenji" and what other usernames have you gone through up until becoming "Vergil?"
<Vergil> I picked the name Kenji because I thought it was kind of catchy. Several months later upon Barouqe's return I had my name changed to Mr. Holmes. Then as a joke I had it changed to Senor Holmes. During the server split, Barouqe, Ajm, Emf, and I were the last members left behind. As compensation Barouqe granted us a name change and a custom title.
<Sepharos> This was before custom titles were free and allowed?
<Vergil> Yes, about 2 weeks later they allowed everyone to have their own.
<Sepharos> How did you and others get left behind when the server split?
<Vergil> I'm not sure of the full details behind why specific people were left behind. When I first logged on about 30 active members were still on the old server.
<Sepharos> So, why have you decided to stay with the community for as long as you have?
<Vergil> The main reason for me staying is the chatbox. We have some pretty wild and hilarious conversations.
<Sepharos> Did the chatbox exist when you first joined or was it a later addition?
<Vergil> Yes, when I first joined I didn't post much outside of matchmaking and forum games. So it was a while before I discovered the chatbox. Back when I first joined the post requirement was much higher than it is now. 50 post I believe.
<Sepharos> Do you feel the chatbox attracts uneccesary attention at times?
<Vergil> What kind of uneccesary attention would you be referring to?
<Sepharos> Spam or trolling; do you think some members just come to the forums for the chatbox?
<Vergil> There has been the occasional member that would come to the chatbox to spam or troll. But it's not too bad honestly.
<Sepharos> Is there anything about the community do you believe makes it unique or different from other forums?
<Vergil> What makes this forum unique to me are the trolls that we get. I've never encountered people like Barkiss, FunandOnly, or Greensyntax at other forums that I go to.
<Sepharos> What's been your favourite moment with the community so far?
<Vergil> If I had to choose a favorite moment, it would have to be the time FunandOnly came into the chatbox and started bugging Marina.
<Sepharos> Could you elaborate on this situation?
<Vergil> One question I distinctly remember him asking was "Have you ever sexed". Probably one of the most used forum quotes. A group was even made about it. Though it was deleted shortly after.
<Sepharos> [laughs] Do you feel the forums are full of funny moments like this?
<Vergil> Yes, it's the reason I'm so active. I don't wanna miss out on any of the crazy things that go on.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change about the forums?
<Vergil> One rule in particular I don't exactly agree with. And that's the rule against the discussion of religion. I understand that when religion is brought up, people can become hostile. But I believe that some members can hold a mature conversation about it.
<Sepharos> Have you ever seen any confronation of religion on the forums?
<Vergil> I've seen about 1 or 2 conflicts over religion. Both of those conflicts however was by the same member. Said member however isn't very active.
<Sepharos> How was it dealt with?
<Vergil> The members involved in the conflict recieved a chatban.
<Sepharos> How does the future of the forums look, despite your opinion in that ruling?
<Vergil> I think it looks pretty bright. A while ago the mods got rid of a few members that caused a ton of problems around the forums. And with the 3DS's success more and more members will be joining.

<Sepharos> Do you feel the future of the Nintendo 3DS is as bright? Why or why not?
<Vergil> Yes, looking at the future software lineup, I believe the 3DS will continue to do well
<Sepharos> Why did you originally buy your Nintendo 3DS?
<Vergil> The main reason I bought my 3DS was because of Kingdom Hearts and the inevitable Pokemon game. I bought it at launch because of Kid Icarus, Megaman Legends 3, and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries.
<Sepharos> Are you a part of the ambassador program?
<Vergil> Yes I am. I'm really enjoying the GBA games. I really hope Nintendo bring more of them to the eShop.
<Sepharos> What was your initial reaction from hearing about the price drop and the ambassador program?
<Vergil> I was pretty mad. 2 out of the 3 games I got the 3DS at launch for was either delayed or cancelled.
<Sepharos> What games were they?
<Vergil> Kid Icarus and Megaman Legends 3. MML3 wasn't a launch game, but the Prologue was supposed to be released simultaneously with the launch of the eShop. And it seemed to have enough content to hold me over for a while
<Sepharos> Do you feel the ambassador program has made up for your losses? Why or why not?
<Vergil> Well, I don't believe Nintendo had to do anything to make up for it, I got over it the next day. It was my decision to get it at launch. That being said, the GBA games are a nice add on. I could honestly care less about the NES games though.
<Sepharos> What GBA games have you enjoyed the most and did you play them before owning a Nintendo 3DS?
<Vergil> I'm enjoying Fire Emblem, Warioware, and Metroid Fusion the most. The only one I've owned before was Metroid.
<Sepharos> Have you played any game in the Fire Emblem series before now?
<Vergil> No, but I wil be sure to pick any Fire Emblem games I can. I just recently got into SRPG's so I never had an intreset in the series till now.
<Sepharos> Ibrahim, what upcoming Nintendo 3DS games are you looking forward to purchasing?
<Vergil> Kingdom Hearts 3D and Paper Mario. My favorite genre is RPG's so I'm always looking to get my fix. I'm waiting for word that Fire Emblem will be released in other regions. From my understanding not all of the games have been localized, so I'd rather not get hyped for a game that might not make it over here
<Sepharos> Actually, every Fire Emblem game from Fire Emblem 6 onward has been localized.
<Vergil> O well that's good to hear. Guess I can add that too my list of games to get.
<Sepharos> What games have you bought for the Nintendo 3DS since you've bought it?
<Vergil> SSFIV 3D, RE: Mercenaries, LoZ OoT 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Pokemon Rumble Blast, Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and recently I got Tales of the Abyss as a gift
<Sepharos> Which would you say has been your favourite purchase and why?
<Vergil> Tales of the Abyss. As I've said RPG's are my favorite genre, and the Tales series is one of my all time favorite game series. I see my self easily putting tons of hours into this game.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the Eshop for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Vergil> While it has it's gems, I think it's severly lacking in quality content. They have so many good quality games they could be releasing. I think they should be releasing SNES, GBC, GBA, and N64 games.
<Sepharos> How powerful do you feel the Nintendo 3DS is? What games do you feel could be ported or remade for the system?
<Vergil> I think any game up to the PS2/XBOX/Gamecube era could be ported to the 3DS. We're already seeing proof of this with MGS3D and Tales of the Abyss. And both we're just lazy ports. I can imagine more system intesive games can be ported/remade if a good team is put behind it.
<Sepharos> What do you hope to see ported or remade for the Nintendo 3DS?
<Vergil> I hope that some SNES, GBC, GBA, and N64 games get ported to the eShop, at least the good ones. I hope that one day Metroid 2 gets a Zero Mission like remake.

<Sepharos> How well do you feel the PSVita will compete with the 3DS?
<Vergil> I think it will give the 3DS a good run for it's money. I believe that the PSV was part of the reason behind Nintendo's decision to do a price drop. In the end I think the 3DS will end up doing better than the PSV though.
<Sepharos> How did you first become a game Ibrahim?
<Vergil> You mean a gamer?
<Sepharos> [laughs] Yeah, wait, no; I thought you were a computer game? You mean I can't play you? ;-;
<Vergil> Unfortunatley no, the game based on my life got cancelled once the developer realized I was associated with 9/11. I first became a gamer when my dad bought our family a Sega Genesis along with Sonic 2. I was hooked.
<Sepharos> What was your favourite game for the Sega Genisis?
<Vergil> It's a toss up between Sonic 2 and Super Street Fighter 2
<Sepharos> What other consoles have you played over the years and which is your favourite? Why?
<Vergil> I've played just about every system apart from some of the niche ones (Neo Geo AES). My favorite would be both  the SNES and the PS2. Both systems had my favorite RPG's, Fighters, and Beat em Ups. Such as TMNT 4: Turtles in Time, Chrono Trigger, FF6, Metal Gear Solid 3, Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2, etc.
<Sepharos> Earlier you stated that you're an RPG fan, such as myself; could you elaborate on how you became a fan of the genre?
<Vergil> Tales of Symphonia was my entrance into the genre. Before then I never payed any attention to them. After that I went back and played some of the ones I've missed out on. My favorite RPG up to this point would have to be SMT: Persona 3 Portable.
<Sepharos> What other RPG series do you enjoy?
<Vergil> Other then the ones I've listed already, Xenosaga, Ys, Shin Megami Tensei, Pokemon, Digimon World, Fire Emblem, I also plan on looking into Valkyerie Chronicles, Star Ocean, and Disgaea.
<Sepharos> What do you look forward to when you're playing an RPG?
<Vergil> A good story, great music, interesting characters, a good battle system, and a long campaign
<Sepharos> What other genres and series do you like outside of RPGs?
<Vergil> I'm open to pretty much any genre. But my favorites would have to be, fighters, Platformers, Rhythm, Beat em Ups, Open World/Sandbox, and SHUMPS
<Sepharos> In all your years of gaming, which game do you feel is your favourite of all time and why?
<Vergil> Metal Gear Solid 3. The characters, the story, the gameplay, and the music are all spectacular. It made you care for both the protaganist and the antagonist. Not many games I've played have done that.
<Sepharos> What do you believe is most important in a game? Gameplay, music, or graphics?
<Vergil> Gameplay and Story. Though I believe that graphics and music are important as well, I believe they help immerse you into the game and help keep you interested. Especially during long grind fest while playing RPGs
<Sepharos> Ibrahim, what console do you feel was most superior or had the best library in the last generation of platforms?
<Vergil> I think the PS3 had the best library for this generation. I think it has the best exclusives such as inFamous, Valkyerie Chronicles, Uncharted, Disgaea, Ico/SotC collection, Sly collection, and Little Big Planet. The free online is also a plus.
<Sepharos> Are you looking forward to anything involving the Wii U?
<Vergil> I have a passive intrest in the Wii U. What I need to see is that it's getting some great 3rd party support. Specifically in the RPG and Fighter department. That being said I'm not ready to move on the next-gen consoles yet, and will be sticking to my PS3 for a little while longer.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you look forward to hearing about at E3?
<Vergil> I'm looking forward to Borderlands 2, The Last of Us, hopefully some SSB4 info, The Last Guard<Vergil>, and to see what support the Wii U will be getting.

<Sepharos> Where do you go to for video game information and rumors?
<Vergil> Joystiq, Siliconera, Andriasang, and the forums.
<Sepharos> How has gaming effected your life?
<Vergil> I use gaming as a way to interact with other people. I'm pretty shy so I usually have talking to people. Going to arcades, tournaments, and game stores makes that easier on me.
<Sepharos> Besides gaming, what other hobbies do you have?
<Vergil> Skateboarding, a bit of rock climbing, running, and reading, comics mostly.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Ibrahim?
<Vergil> Wake up at about 6 a.m. to get ready for work, head out at around 7:30 to get there at 8. I work at AMC Theaters as a Projectionist. I'm responsible for making sure the movies start on time and are picture perfect. My opening duties involve turning on the breakers, checking to make sure the movies are where they need to be. Deleting old content and updating trailers. Once all that's done I set back and do nothing until something goes wrong. Get off work at around 6 or 7. Head home and do whatever for the rest of the day.
<Sepharos> Lol, do you ever sneak off for food during your job?
<Vergil> I wish, I have to be there at all times just in case something goes wrong. I usually just order chinese or get people to bring me food in exchange for a free movie.
<Sepharos> Sounds easy enough; what is most difficult about your job?
<Vergil> Troubleshooting. With these new digital projectors it's hard to pinpoint exactly what the problem is. Once you figure out what's wrong you have to figure out what would be the simplest, quickest way to fix it. Even if it's just a temporary fix. The managers wan't to make sure that the film goes back on screen as soon as possible, and they will bug you over the radio until you get it fixed.
<Sepharos> How often does something go wrong?
<Vergil> At least once or twice everyday, on a good day. Normally something goes wrong every hour on the hour.
<Sepharos> Do you enjoy your job?
<Vergil> Apart from the long hours, yes. I have a very laid back job, and I enjoy doing techinical work, as opposed to a desk job, or customer service.
<Sepharos> Are you currently studying to go into a profession?
<Vergil> No, though I should. Don't really plan on doing this for the rest of my life.
<Sepharos> What would you rather do, as a career?
<Vergil> Something in the computer field. I really enjoy messing around with them. Even if I have no idea about what I'm doing.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in computers?
<Vergil> Since I've first used one. I've always been interested in the wide variety of things you can do with one.
<Sepharos> For example?
<Vergil> Moding PC games, creating games, creating programs, etc. A while ago I made a simple rpg, put about 6 months of work into it. Wasn't very good but I was proud of the work I did,
<Sepharos> Do you have any goals for this interest?
<Vergil> As I've said I want to have a career based on computers. But I'm not sure what feild I want to go into specifically.
<Sepharos> Do you have any lifelong dreams or goals?
<Vergil> I've always wanted to be my own boss. Maybe start a small business one day. Not sure exactly what I would do, but it's one of my life goals.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<Vergil> The weasel runs at midnight.
<Sepharos> Also, BonBon is the single greatest moderator to ever moderate and modify because he's so amazingly cool and stuff.

Kieran - Webmaster of Super Mario World Central

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Kieran, you are an administrator of Super Mario World Central, a hacking community for Super Mario World; how long have you been running the site?
<Kieran> Well, the site was launched in January 2006, so just over 6 years.
<Sepharos> What was the basis the site was created for, that is, who created it and why?
<Kieran> I created it together with Smallhacker. At the time there was no proper collection of resources and data related to Super Mario World. We set out to change that.
<Sepharos> How did you discover FuSoYa's application- Lunar Magic, the main hacking resource for Super Mario World?
<Kieran> Smallhacker introduced me to Acmlm's board, which was the main "hangout" of Super Mario World hackers back then. This is where I got in touch with the community.
<Sepharos> How long have you known Smallhacker?
<Kieran> Just about as long as I've been connected to the Internet. Almost 10 years.
<Sepharos> Where is Smallhacker now?
<Kieran> What do you mean, online-wise?
<Sepharos> Yes; is he still with SMWC?
<Kieran> Yes. He doesn't play as big a role nowadays, though. His job used to consist of scraping and moderating content. Since then, SMW Central has grown to become "self sustaining", that is, we now have users submitting content and dedicated moderators.
<Sepharos> Super Mario World Central has nearly 20,000 members; did you ever think the site would be as popular as it is?
<Kieran> I never really gave it much thought. Back when it first launched, we didn't even have a system in place where people could register.
<Sepharos> What impresses you the most about the community?
<Kieran> To be perfectly honest, I don't really pay as much attention to the community as I should anymore. Nor do I play hacks very often. Even so, there has been technical advances in Super Mario World hacking originating from SMW Central. Especially at our annual "C3" event, there is usually a few interesting releases. Of course, now we're also getting close to finishing our second collaboration hack, SMWCP2, led by S.N.N. From what I've seen it looks like it's going to be pretty amazing. But of course, he has put a tremendous amount of work into it.
<Sepharos> What would you say is the reasoning for your blind eye to the community is?
<Kieran> Probably lack of interest in SMW hacking in general. I still enjoy the technical aspects of running and maintaining a website, and I enjoy seeing the community thrive, even if I could participate more.
<Sepharos> So you value your job as a webmaster moreso than a hacker?
<Kieran> Haha, well, even calling me an SMW hacker would be a stretch. I have never really hacked Super Mario World myself.
<Sepharos> Have you ever been interested in hacking Super Mario World?
<Kieran> Oh yes. I used to be very intrigued by it. Since then, the "magic" surrounding it has somewhat dissipated, though. There are a few things I would like to achieve myself in SMW hacking, but so far, I haven't had the time and the patience to really get into it.
<Sepharos>  The magic is gone, and the lunar remains. BUDUM TISH!
<Kieran> Hur dur.
<Sepharos> Could you name a few things you'd like to achieve as a hacker?
<Kieran> I am very interested in working with the audio side of things. Even though we already have the ability to modify the music and such, the process is very suboptimal. Basically, what I'd like to do is write my own sound engine for the game and a music editing tool to go with it. Unfortunately, there would be a ridiculous amount of work involved.
<Sepharos> What achievements in the hacking of Super Mario World are you most proud of with other members?
<Kieran> I couldn't really say.
<Sepharos> Despite never creating a hack, you've no doubt played several created by other users, correct?
<Kieran> A few, yeah. It's a long time ago, though.
<Sepharos> Do you remember any you've played?
<Kieran> Yeah, I think so. I never completed any, though.
<Sepharos> Do you hope to play or complete any hacks at any time?
<Kieran> I will definitely give SMWCP2 a shot when it's finished.
<Sepharos> Earlier you mentioned an event known as C3; could you elaborate on its purpose and who came up with the idea?
<Kieran> As far as I remember, the idea emerged in a conversation between Smallhacker and I. Basically, C3 would be the SMW Central counterpart of E3, that is, an event where you show off all the things you've been working on throughout the year.
<Sepharos> What has been the most memorable C3 hosted, in your opinion?
<Kieran> I don't really know. There's always an impressive amount of content.
<Sepharos> What other activities and events does Super Mario World Central have, if any?
<Kieran> We have level designing contests regularly. Also, every once in a while some staff member (usually Smallhacker or me) comes up with various shenanigans, but that happens pretty sporadically.
<Sepharos> Haha, shenanigans?
<Kieran> That's what it is, though.
<Sepharos>  Kieran, how would you decribe your job as webmaster and what do you enjoy about it?
<Kieran>  Well, my job consists mostly of running the server. I also patch the code every once in a while when there is something that needs patching. It's a learning experience, and it's often rewarding in that there many people who appreciate your efforts.
<Sepharos> What has been your favourite moment as both webmaster and as a member of the community?
<Kieran> That's a tough one. I don't think I can point out something specific. Being in charge of SMW Central has its ups and downs.
<Sepharos> Has being webmaster of SMWC taught you anything?
<Kieran> Only in terms of technical knowhow. However, I would say that the general experience of being in charge and a part of a community has had an impact at a personal level.
<Sepharos> A positive or negative impact?
<Kieran> I don't know. Both, probably. I've put a lot of time and energy into it. And even though I may not be actively working on it around the clock, it's pretty much always on my mind. I have often wondered what my life might look like if I hadn't had SMW Central to fill my time.
<Sepharos> Are you proud of what you do?
<Kieran> I guess so. I consider it an achievement at the very least. Not many can say they founded and currently maintain a website with almost 20,000 users, almost 1,000,000 posts and approaching 200,000,000 page views.
<Sepharos> Should I refresh the main page until it gets 200,000,000 hits?
<Kieran> Haha, no, that'd take a while.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered leaving the site and handing over the webmaster title?
<Kieran> On several occations. I might someday, if the right successor presents himself
<Sepharos> What usually has brought on this thought of leaving?
<Kieran> Sometimes it can be stressful. Usually, when I think too hard about how much time and money I've spent on the project, I end up wondering about a life without SMW Central. I would never just shut it down, though. I feel responsibility towards the users, in a sense. If I were to depart from my current role, I would have to find the appropiate person to take my place. And I'm picky.  Not to mention, it feels sort of weird to just give away something you've spent so much time building.
<Sepharos> There are several other hacking sites that use SMWC as a role model.
<Kieran> It seems that we also get a lot of bad publicity- especially from Jul. I don't know if it's just because I only hear about the bad things, but from what I understand, we don't have the best public image.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to improve with the community?
<Kieran> Yes, but because I'm not too involved with it, I wouldn't really know where to begin
<Sepharos> How would you best describe the community?
<Kieran> Ouch. That's a difficult one. In what sense?
<Sepharos> If you want to get somebody, say a friend, interested in the site.
<Kieran> Well, I don't know. A bunch of friendly SMW hackers? The main page on SMW Central probably says it the best.
<Sepharos> Kieran, does Super Mario World Central hold any nostalgic value for you?
<Kieran> I think that's hard to say because it's still on-going. It probably will, once it's all over... Assuming it will ever be over, haha. For all I know, I might be stuck running it for the rest of my life.  
<Sepharos> Does the game, Super Mario World, hold any nostalgic value?  
<Kieran> Yes, of course!  It was the first Super Nintendo game I ever played.  Probably one of the first video games I played at all. Along with Doom... I have a very faint memory of playing the game back when I was just 4 years old or so.

<Sepharos> What interests you most about video games, including Super Mario World?
<Kieran> What do you mean? What genres I prefer or in general?
<Sepharos> I mean, what excites you the most in video games? The stories, the graphics, the advancement in technology involved?
<Kieran> Probably the combined experience. I would say gameplay above all else. Music seems to be what I remember the most, though.
<Kieran> I always get incredibly nostalgic when I listen to some old soundtracks from my favorite titles.
<Sepharos> What games have the best music or most nostalgic tracks, in your opinion?
<Kieran> One of my favorite soundtracks has to be from Donkey Kong Country 2.
<Sepharos> What game genres do you enjoy and why?
<Kieran> I like platform games, because that's what I grew up with. The Legend of Zelda series also has a special place in my heart. Then I like rhythm games a lot, especially one for PS2 called Amplitude.
<Sepharos> What would you say is your favourite game series?
<Kieran>  Probably the Legend of Zelda.
<Sepharos> For what reasons?
<Kieran> I don't know, the games are just epic in general. The story get's a bit samey, but I find that the gameplay is a nice mix between action, platforming and puzzle solving. Not to mention, most Zelda games have some pretty unforgettable soundtracks. But even with the story being as it is, they still bring in enough variation for it to remain interesting. And sometimes, they do something entirely different- like Majora's Mask. That game has a really interesting story.
<Sepharos> Partly because the game is dark?
<Kieran> In some ways, yes. I find it interesting how you play a role in the fate of so many people. Of course, referring to the Bomber's Notebook quests.
<Sepharos> Would you say Majora's Mask is your favourite of the series?
<Kieran> It's hard to say. The Wind Waker is also special to me. I normally say that A Link to the Past is my favorite, when asked.
<Sepharos> What about A Link to the Past makes it your favourite Legend of Zelda game?
<Kieran> It was the first one I played. Also, it has what I have come to consider a "true" Zelda story. That is, light and dark worlds, plenty of dungeons, rescue Zelda from Ganon, and so on. A setting Ocarina of Time mimics to perfection. I must say that I've generally been somewhat disappointed in the small number of dungeons in later Zelda games.
<Sepharos> Would you say A Link to the Past is your favourite game of all time as well?
<Kieran> Probably not;  I don't really have a favorite game of all time.
<Sepharos> What is most important according to you in a video game? Music, graphics, or story?
<Kieran> Gameplay. Then music and story, because they define the setting and the atmosphere. Graphics perhaps in terms of style. Not really in terms of how modern they are, but obviously, it all has to come together.
<Sepharos> Do you follow video game news at all?
<Kieran> I think with the contacts I've made and the channels I have available, it'd be impossible for something not to reach me in one way or the other. I usually don't do much searching for video game news myself, though.
<Sepharos> You've made contacts? In what ways and with what sources, if you can mention them.
<Kieran> Well, I just mean my online contacts in general. I have many friends and acquaintances who keep in touch with the scene.
<Sepharos> So Super Mario World Central has really expanded your horizons in many ways, would this be accurate?
<Kieran> I guess you could say that.

<Sepharos> How have video games impacted your life?
<Kieran> It'd be hard to say how, but they definitely have. For instance, my English skills are above what most people can offer thanks to video games. The path I'm talking with education and my interest in computers also comes from video games.
<Sepharos> Besides gaming, and potentially hacking, what other hobbies do you have Kieran?
<Kieran> Programming, of course, and electronics, which also happens to be what I hope to work with professionally. Then I have an interest in music, as in, performing, but I never pursued that, but I hope that I will, someday.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in programming and are you currently studying for the field?
<Kieran> Oh, for a very long time, at least 10 years. I'm currently studying Electrical Engineering, but of course, that involves a lot of programming, too.
<Sepharos> What would you say your dream or goal in life is?
<Kieran> Oh, I don't really know. I'd like to work with audio equipment, I guess. You know, synthesizers and signal processing and such.
<Sepharos> Indeed. Seems like a merging of your two top interests.
<Kieran> I won't deny working for Nintendo has also been on the list.  
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Kieran?
<Kieran> Haha, my present life isn't all that interesting:  I get up at around 6:30 in the morning to go to school, and then at some point in the afternoon, I go back home and get on the computer where I'll talk to people and play games and whatever else I feel like, and then I go to bed.
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to be in ten years in life?
<Kieran> I hope to have a good job, a nice apartment or maybe a house, a wife and a kid or two.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to the forums or the readers?
<Kieran> Oh, hmm. Nothing that hasn't been said I suppose. I'm happy that people like spending time on the Central and I hope they will stick around for a long while yet.
<Sepharos> On behalf of the forums and community of Super Mario World Central, I'd like to thank you and Smallhacker for creating such an amazing community and site for us and we hope you continue to do what you do. Thanks Kieran for everything you've given us.
<Kieran> Haha, thank you as well for being part of it.

Arylett Dawnsborough - Moderator of My Little Pony Forums

Spoiler

<Sepharos> Angela, you are known as Arylett Dawnsborough, chat moderator of MLP Forums; could you elaborate on how you discovered the site and why you decided to join?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> More than chat moderator now. I'm also moderator of most sections on the forums, specifically, RP World, the new roleplaying section. But anyways, I pretty much had come off of another forum a few months prior and was looking for a new place to settle. Since I was into MLP and was drawing it a lot, I decided to Google "MLP Forums." I found the forums since they were about the first result. I decided to join because they looked rather official and well-made, with good artwork and a strong layout.
<Sepharos> How did you come up with your unique username?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well, it was several years ago. The Arylett part I had come up with when I was 13. Red's my favourite colour and a huge part of my identity. So I combined "scarlet" (with an extra t at the end), "crimson" and the letter A which is the first letter of my real name. I got Arilett, but I changed the spelling to Arylett. Dawnsborough was made one day as a compliment to that. Dawn is a pretty word and my favourite time of day, and I just added it with sborough from Aerith Gainsborough, who is a character I really like.
<Sepharos> How quickly did you become involved with the forums?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Pretty quickly. It only took about two months since I joined in December.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about the community?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> How everyone seems pretty kind. It seems a lot better than my old forums. Less snarkiness, people get along well, and can mostly talk maturely about a variety of topics that would be considered somewhat risky on other forums.
<Sepharos> Where do you spend most of your times on the forum?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Cloudsdale and RP World. I've always loved forum games and roleplaying.
<Sepharos> How you best describe the forums using only three words?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Pretty damn cool.
<Sepharos> Though you've recently joined, have the forums evolved or expanded since you first joined?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Oh definitely. It's a relatively young forum and yet it's grown significantly. As I said before, there was the relatively recent addition of Roleplay World. And a few other sections were split up and more fully detailed. As well, there's a lot more members. It continues to expand massively everyday.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the chatbox?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well... if I'm honest, I'm not really all that fond of it. It's one of the few things about the forums I think is kind of unnecessary. It's more of a hassle to moderate because it is rather chaotic at times and can't be very customized by the adminstrator. Also, there's already a Skype chat that serves as a good place for members to communicate.
<Sepharos> What would you like to change most about the forum?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I'd get rid of the chat.
<Sepharos> Do you find that there is a balance between MLP discussion and general discussion on the forums?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> There seems to be a good balance. Most of it is MLP-oriented and people seem interested in that the most as it is the main purpose of the forums, but at the same time, there is room for non-MLP material which allows people who aren't as passionate about the show to sometimes unwind.
<Sepharos> How often do you get trolls who join the site just to say something negative about the fanbase or show?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Rather rarely. And even then, they're dealt with swiftly.
<Sepharos> Do you have any memorable moments with the community?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well, there have been a few amusing moments in the chat. Although the most memorable moment to me would be a joke RP me and two other moderators made up that messed with some members' heads from reading it. It was rather ridiculous.

<Sepharos> Angela, how did you first discover the show My Little Pony: Friendship is magic and what was your initial reaction?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I discovered it at my old forums. A lot of the mods changed their names and avatars to pony-related ones, which baffled me. My first reaction, naturally, was one of confusion and dislike. I kept wondering why people were so obsessed with My Little Pony, a franchise known for... not really being all that good outside of the demographic of an 8 year girl. I was never fond of girly stuff.
<Sepharos> When and why did you finally decide to check out the show?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well, it was only a few days after I had seen these people with their avatars. I decided, I might as well check it out. Just so I could have an informed opinion. Since one of them had posted a link to the first episode, I watched it in about February 2011. I found myself hooked and watching several episodes the entire night.
<Sepharos> What about the show had you interested?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I'm not really sure. I think what I found most interesting about it was the art style. It was so simple, yet unique and colourful. And the episode plots, despite being mostly disconnected to each other, had little references to continuity that was very atypical for a children's show.
3/26/2012 11:22:26 PM] <Sepharos> What is your opinion on the community of Bronys? Do you feel any of them take their interest too far or is it natural?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I think the community's mostly nice, talented, and creative, although there are a lot of people out there who do take it too far. As with most fan communities, it's not all sunshine and flowers. Some appear to believe that being a brony is some sort of special movement that can change the world and act rather pretentiously about it. In my opinion, being a brony is just... being a fan of a show about cartoon ponies. Not some odd world movement.
<Sepharos> What does it mean to be a Brony?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I just think it means you like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and are a male fan who is outside of the intended demographic.
<Sepharos> So then you're not a Brony, by definition, are you?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> No. I'm not. Of course, there are those who believe it's gender neutral. But I don't really believe that.
<Sepharos> Why do you feel so many people are attracted to the show?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I think it's because overall, it's a show that has mass appeal. It's appropriate for children whilst having good characterization and storylines that appeal adults. The designs are modern, creative, and nice to look at. As well, its positivity can be refreshing for those who are tired of some of the negativity in the world.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite character from the show?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Yes! My favourite character is Fluttershy.
<Sepharos> Why would you say Fluttershy is your favourite character?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well, when I first saw her, I thought the depiction of shyness was more accurate than most shows. She withdrew and avoided looking ponies straight in the eye. It reminded me of myself, as in real life, I am rather shy like that. As do her struggles with assertiveness and anxiety. I feel I can relate to her character very much.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite episode in the series?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> That's a really hard one. Although I'd have to say my favourite episode is either Green Isn't Your Color from Season 1 because of Photo Finish and the interaction of Fluttershy/Rarity or The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 from Season 2 because it features one of my favourite songs in the entire series.
<Sepharos> Has the show taught you anything since your first watching it?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I guess the biggest lesson I learned was not to judge a book by its cover. Even if something looks eye-clawingly girly, maybe you should give it a try. I definitely have developed a much larger tolerance towards girly things since watching it.
<Sepharos> Would you recommend the show to a friend, and if so, how?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I'm not one to really recommend stuff to others usually. But I'd recommend it if a person seemed vaguely curious about it in the first place. Basically, I'd just tell them to leave their assumptions at the door, and at least give it a try. I wouldn't put any other expectations in their heads. I'd want them to see what they like about it themselves. Or what they don't like.
<Sepharos> How would you best describe the show?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I'd describe it as being better than I expected, definitely. Most of the time, the show seems to be about exceeding your expectations about the quality of things they can actually fit into a children's show without it falling into NSFW territory. It shows that one can be creative even with such strict limitations. Basically, I'd describe it as an all around good show, and entertaining.

<Sepharos> Are you a gamer Angela?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Yes.
<Sepharos> What games are you typically interested in?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> JRPGs only. I'm rather exclusive and picky.
<Sepharos> Earlier you mentioned that you adore the character Aerith from Final Fantasy VII, could you elaborate as to why?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> She's not my favourite of Final Fantasy characters, but I really do enjoy her fashion sense. Her outfit is glorious and has my favourite colour in it. But appearances aside, I enjoyed her personality in the original Final Fantasy VII. She was really sort of spunky, strong-willed, and a little feisty. I don't really usually expect that out of the healer character.
<Sepharos> Who would you say your favourite Final Fantasy character is and why?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Princess Garnet from Final Fantasy IX. I can emphasize with her personality traits the most. She seems to have a more prominent role in her Final Fantasy, and struggles a lot with being taken seriously because she's a Princess. Most of the time, she wants to take care of things herself to try to prove to everyone that she's capable instead of relying solely on others to protect her. She's very intelligent as well, and rather naive, which I feel is a lot like me. Also, her hair. I want that hair.
<Sepharos> Which Final Fantasy game is your favourite in the series and why?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Final Fantasy IX. Part of it is nostalgia. It was the first Final Fantasy I've ever played. And boy did I play it. Several times as we never did purchase a lot of other games. I find the characters endearing though, and quite amusing. And the story builds up to a very large intensity. I get sucked into it everytime I play it.
<Sepharos> Would it be safe to say that the Final Fantasy series is your favourite game series?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Yes, it would.
<Sepharos> For what reasons?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I'm mostly a big liker of complex stories in games, with a gameplay that is easily grasped, but at the same time is at least moderately challenging. I think the series has this in most of its entries. Its gameplay isn't the most innovative at times, but it definitely is fun to play through it and "earn" the scenes of its engaging stories.
<Sepharos> What other notable game series do you enjoy?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Pokemon and Kingdom Hearts.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy about those series?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> For Pokemon, it's mainly the different designs of the 600+ creatures that exist, and the fact that I get to design and customize my own team of them with the large amounts of abilities, personalities, and various other things available.  As for Kingdom Hearts, I enjoy the story in spite of how... dizzying and complex it's gotten. But also the gameplay. I like to just sort of go around and smack things with my Keyblade. It feels very satisfying.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite Pokemon?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> I do. My favourite is Arcanine.
<Sepharos> Why would you say Arcanine is your favourite Pokemon?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Basically, because it's a giant fire dog. Fire is my favourite element, and I am a huge fan of dogs. Its design is so graceful as well.
<Sepharos> What is it about RPGs that make you more interested in them than any other genre?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Again, the story. An RPG is sort of like a movie that you can play at times. And whenever I watch a movie, I always feel the need to be in it somehow. To be involved. Combining interactivity and a good plot line is pretty much perfect for me.
<Sepharos> Has gaming affected your life at all?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> It has quite a bit. I wouldn't be the same person without it.
<Sepharos> How so?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well, mainly because it was what I spent most of my childhood doing instead of going out there and making friends like normal people. XD I was enthralled by the stories of games like Final Fantasy, and inspired by them in my creative pursuits. As well, Pokemon is the reasons why I began to draw on a regular basis. Because I loved to draw the creatures. I still do.

<Sepharos> Besides gaming and MLP, what other interests or hobbies do you have?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Well, there's drawing like I already mentioned. I love to draw things in Photoshop. And well, I also like to write and roleplay though I don't really think I'm all too good at it. On occasion too, I like watching television. I rather enjoy live action comedies, such as The Office and Parks and Recreation.
<Sepharos> Do you hope to make any of your interests into a career?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Someday, I would like to use my minor Photoshop skills to become a Graphic Designer.
<Sepharos> Are you currently studying for this field at all?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Not yet, but that's due to a break I'm taking from college. I'll be starting college in a few months.
<Sepharos> Do you expect to be taking classes involved in the subject?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Oh, definitely.
<Sepharos> Could you take us a day in the life of Angela?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> It's not really anything all that interesting, if I'm honest. Since I don't have a job or go to school yet, I basically wake up, brush my teeth, go to the gym, and then I spend the rest of the day on the computer/playing video games/drawing. Or researching college things. I usually just go ahead and moderate the chat/forums as well whilst I'm at it. Oh and I talk to my boyfriend quite a bit as well.
<Sepharos> How would you best descibe yourself?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> Boring, mostly. I guess sort of eccentric in the head, kind of weird. I live inside of my thoughts. A bit moody. Oh and so insanely creative that I don't understand most of what my mind makes up.
<Sepharos> What is your lifelong goal or dream?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> To reach my full potential and become the best me I can be, basically. Even if that sounds kind of cliche.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you wish to say to the readers?
<Arylett Dawnsborough> If you actually got this far into the interview without falling asleep, I congratulate you!