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.

<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.

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.

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."

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!

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.

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 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!

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!

<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.

<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!

<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.

<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.

<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

<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.

<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]

<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.

<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.

<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!!

<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.

<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://mycharitywater.org/p/campaign?campaign_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.

<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 :P, 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. :P
<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]

<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.

<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.

<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 Caf? 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 Caf? 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 Caf? 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., Pok?mon, 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 Caf? 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 Caf? 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 Caf??
<Feld0> I was on a sailing excursion with my school when the first wave of Project Caf? 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/wii-2-confirmed-fo...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/reggie-confident-i...-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.

<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.

<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.

<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.

<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.

<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.
<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! :P

<Sepharos> Cole, you are known as Raney150 on the Nintendo 3DS Forums; how did you discover the forums and as a day one member, what were your first impressions of of the forum?
<Raney150> Well, I wasn't a day one member. I discovered the forums from David's youtube channel actually. I was searching stuff about the 3DS, and I found his channel and so I subscribed. He mentioned in a video that he had a forum and I joined. My first impressions were that it was a cool website. It almost instantaneously became one of the websites I visited the most frequently.
<Sepharos> How long had you been following David on YouTube prior to joining?
<Raney150> Not long, because I don't think there was a very long period of time between when he started the videos, and when he started the forums. I think I started watching his youtube videos around E3 of 2010 and became a member of the forums in the middle of August that year.
<Sepharos> What has been the main reason for your staying with the forum for so long?
<Raney150> Well, the community has been one reason. Most of the members i liked the most ended up going away because of new members, but I began to like some of the new members. It's also my main source of 3DS news, and a big part of my gaming news in general since I hang around the general gaming section a lot.
<Raney150> Sorry, that's two reasons, but I'm not sure which one is the main. Both are big reasons for me
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about the community?
<Raney150> The sense of humor some of the members have. I remember Danger was one of my favorite members because of how funny he was.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite moment with the community in your history of being a member?
<Raney150> No specific moment stands out to me, but generally I ejoyed the beginning of the forums the most. Many interesting people were around then that have since left or been banned. There are some notable members since then that I have liked, but again many of them have left, and there have been fewer. I guess I just kind of miss when the forums were small and everyone pretty much knew every other member.
<Sepharos> How often would you say you visit the forum?
<Raney150> Daily. I don't post daily right now, since I have other things going on, but I will check the forums for any interesting topics.
<Sepharos> When you are on the forums, what sections or topics are you most active on?
<Raney150> General gaming and the lounge. I wouldn't have the patience to go through all the sections, so I usually pick those two to look at since those seem the most interesting to me. I will look at the 3DS section randomly, but not much. One particular topic I am paying close attention to now is the thread about Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon white 2.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered leaving the forums for any reason?
<Raney150> I have never considered leaving altogether. I do visit far less frequently because there are things I like to do more than visiting the forums. That has caused me to become absent quite a lot, as you have probably noticed.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd want to change with the forums?
<Raney150> No, I think it's fine the way it is.
<Sepharos> How does the future of the forum look, according to you?
<Raney150> I'm not really sure. If I had to venture a guess, I think it would probably just be more of the same. I'm not good with these looking into the future questions so I don't really know.
<Sepharos> Do you feel the future of the forums could be tied in with the future of the Nintendo 3DS?
<Raney150> Yes, very much so. The main reason everyone joins up is to discuss the 3DS. If the 3DS were to suddenly start bombing in sales again and games no longer coming to the platform, it could affect the forums. While it may be debateable on whether memeber leave or not (I certainly wouldn't), it would definitely affect the new comers.

<Sepharos> Cole, do you already own a Nintendo 3DS, and if so, when did you purchase it and what was the deciding factor for getting one?
<Raney150> Yes, I purchased it on launch day. I had it preordered from the first day gamestop was taking preorders, and I had it paid off from the moment Nintendo announced the price. I wanted it for numerous reasons. By far the biggest reason was that I knew a pokemon game was going to come to it eventually. The reason I got it so soon though, was because some other games that were coming closer to launch looked fun. Such as mario kart and dead or alive
<Sepharos> When the device was finally released, were you thrilled or disappointed with the launch lineup of games?
<Raney150> I wasn't exactly thrilled, but I did enjoy Super Street Fighter IV. I think initially I was excited to have the device that I had anticipated for a little over a year that was finally sitting in my hands. The 3D did amaze me, and I did enjoy Super Street Fighter IV, but I did lose interst pretty quickly. My 3DS just sat collecting dust for months because I had nothing interesting to play. So I was disappointed with the launch games, just not initially. It took Mario Kart to get me to play it a lot again.
<Sepharos> What features on the Nintendo 3DS initially interested you?
<Raney150> The 3D. I wasn't that excited about the features as I was for the graphics and the games that could come to it.
<Sepharos> What future games were you most interested in, and for the ones that have been released, has your hype paid off.
<Raney150> Well, if you had asked me this a week ago it would include Kid Icarus, haha but that's out now. The next game I am looking forward to the most is Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. I think for the ones that have been released, the hype has paid off. I'm not sure on Kid Icarus, I haven't been able to pick it up yet.
<Sepharos> When do you plan on purchasing Kid Icarus: Uprising, what how does the game sound from what you've heard about the game?
<Raney150> I plan to pick it up whenever I get money, which is tomorrow. I did pre order and put some money down, but I am having a few money problems as of late. The story looks interesting and it's something new for Nintendo. While it's not a new IP, it's getting completely re started and might as well be their closest thing to a new IP. Which can help with the excitement.
<Sepharos> As a launch day buyer, you're part of the ambassador program, correct?
<Raney150> Yes.
<Sepharos> What were your thoughts when you found out about the price drop and the news of the ambassador program?
<Raney150> I was severely disappointed in Nintendo. I could see why the price drop, but I wasn't happy I paid $250 at launch and then it gets a massive price drop soon after launch. I don't feel like the ambassador program made it up, but I can forgive Nintendo for that.
<Sepharos> What were your thoughts for the games they chose to release for the ambassadors?
<Raney150> It's not that I didn't think they were good games, but I feel like I got cheated. These were games that were really old that I already had played, or had no interest in playing.
<Sepharos> If you were the president of Nintendo, how would you have handled the price drop?
<Raney150> Personally, i think a better option would have been to give all people in the ambassador program $80 to spend on the eshop.
<Sepharos> Back to games for the Nintendo 3DS, which games do you currently own?
<Raney150> Super Street Fighter IV, Sims 3, Dead or Alive, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Mario Kart 7.
<Sepharos> Which among those would you say is your favourite and why?
<Raney150> Mario Kart 7.I have always been a Mario Kart fan since the first time I played it. I love the items and the racing. Super Street Fighter IV and Dead or Alive are good games in my opinion, but not nearly as great as Mario Kart 7. OoT I couldn't really get into, and it was my first zelda game I ever bought. Sims 3 ended up being a horrible version of the sims 3 game.
<Sepharos> Why would you say Sims 3D ended up being a horrible version?
<Raney150> The way time passed in the game, and the necessities of the sims. I could barely get my sim to be satisfied with his basic necessities and I didn't have much time to have him do any interesting things.
<Sepharos> How would you have improved the game?
<Raney150> I would have made it work similarly to the PC version, instead of treating the 3DS as an inferior device and not putting any effort. I hadn't played the PC version at the time (since then I have), but I had played the iOS version. Despite me constantly proclaiming the iPhone is not a game console, I couldn't help but think even the iOS version of Sims 3 was superior because it allowed yout time to do interesting things. Your sims didn't get hungry, or sticky, or tired as fast in iOS and PC versions as they did in the 3DS.
<Sepharos> Earlier you said you're looking forward to Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance for the Nintendo 3DS. Could you elaborate as to why?
<Raney150> Much of it is my love of the series in general. I started playing last year, and I instantly loved it.I loved the combat, and the complicated story. I also look forward to going through new worlds.
<Sepharos> What is your opinion on the internet shopping application for the Nintendo 3DS, the eShop?
<Raney150> Honestly I don't have much of an opinion. I rarely visit it. It did seem like it had odd categories. I'm glad that demos eventually made it to the eshop though.
<Sepharos> How powerful do you think the Nintendo 3DS is? What games or remakes do you feel could be brought to the system?
<Raney150> How powerful is it? Well, I' not exactly sure. Somewhere between gamecube and wii probably. As for what games and remakes could come to the system, it looks like it has many options. Street Fighter IV on the PS3 and Xbox 360 was put on the 3DS. It had lower quality graphics and such, but it made it on there. So it would probably depend on how determined the developer was for developing a 3DS game.
<Sepharos> How well do you think the Plastation Vita will compete with the Nintendo 3DS?
<Raney150> Honestly, I would probably predict a closer battle than between the Ds and PSP. I do think the 3DS will be the victor, but who knows. I plan to get a Vita eventually as well. i wanted to get it on launch, but I didn't have enough money. It seems like it could have a lot of developer support for it, and it could become a great system.
<Sepharos> Do you follow closely to PSVita news as well?
<Raney150> Not that closely. Mainly because I can't get it right now anyway. As soon as I can though, I probably will be following vita news pretty closely.

<Sepharos> How did you first become a gamer Cole?
<Raney150> Well, that's a tricky question to answer. I used to play pokemon almost exclusively when I was about 7 or 8. In fact, pokemon was the first video game i ever played, and still remains my favorite franchise. I remember playing some Sonic and some Mario as well as the duck hunting game on the NES. I would guess around 7 or 8 then. I am 19 now, so arount 12 or 11 years ago.
<Sepharos> Who first introduced you to gaming?
<Raney150> A kid on the playground actually. I first saw him playing pokemon on a gameboy and I thought it was pretty cool. i had seen the anime before, and i loved it, so I ended up convincing my mom to buy me a gameboy and a pokemon game.
<Sepharos> What did you enjoy most about Pokemon and games in general?
<Raney150> Beating all the gym leaders and the Elite four. Although I was horrible at it because all I would train is my pikachu when I was that little.
<Sepharos> So it's suffice to say Pikachu was your favourite Pokemon back then?
<Raney150> Yup, and pikachu still is. I don't use pikachu in battles anymore though since pikachu is a weak pokemon.
<Sepharos> And you're still a big Pokemon fan, correct?
<Raney150> Huge pokemon fan.
<Sepharos> What was your reaction upon hearing of Pokemon White 2 and Black 2?
<Raney150> I was completely thrown off since it was so far off of gamefreak's pattern. I suspected it might be something interesting and better than they had don before.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite region or regional pokedex in the franchise?
<Raney150> My favorite region is the Hoenn region. So many interesting places and so many interesting looking pokemon.
<Sepharos> Would you say the third generation is your favourite generation with that statement?
<Raney150> Actually no I would not. So many new things, and other interesting pokemon came about in gen 5. Gen 5 also had a more interesting story. While I think Hoenn has more interesting places, and many interesting pokemon, I think Unova has even more interesting pokemon. Hoenn does have the more interesting places though.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about Pokemon as a franchise?
<Raney150> Battling in general. I love beating the elite four and all of the gym leaders. I also like things like the battle frontier or battle tower. I also enjoy competitive battling.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite team that you use competitively?
<Raney150> No. I like to mix up my teams a lot.
<Sepharos> Have you ever had a favourite type or evolutionary family?
<Raney150> My favorite type Is Electricity, although I am very fond of dark type as well. My favorite evolutionary family though is the eeveefamily. Simply because of all the evolveforms eevee can have.
<Sepharos> Althought Pokemon is your favourite gaming franchise, do you have a favourite game outside the series?
<Raney150> Yes, I really enjoy infamous 1 and 2 and I really love the sims series as well.
<Sepharos> What about those games do you enjoy?
<Raney150> Well the infamous games I love the electric powers, It's also an open world game, which I tend to love. The story is really interesting as well. As for sims, I like making them do things to amuse me.
<Sepharos> What genres in gaming are you most interested in?
<Raney150> Generally I like RPGs and action games. Especially action RPGs.
<Sepharos> What about these genres makes you interested in them?
<Raney150> Well I like RPGs because of the ability to grow as you go along getting more powers and becoming more powerful. I also enjoy the fact that they aren't as linear as many other genres. Action games i like for, well the action. I like the fast paced exciting game play.
<Sepharos> Which is most important in a game for you? Music, graphics, or story? Why?
<Raney150> I am going to say something you didn't mention. Gameplay. If it's boring to play, then i just can't get into playing it. Story is the second most important thing for me. I can think a game is good without a story, but a story adds a lot to a game. Every aspect of a game is important though. Music helps push the emotions of the story. It's vital to any game. Graphics are quite important as well. I think a developer needs to focus on all of the aspects, not just on the one that matters slightly more than the others.
<Sepharos> Could you give an example of a game that had three of these features, but fell out because it was lacking one?
<Raney150> I'm probably going to get a lot of complaints for saying this game, but skyrim. The graphics were good, the music was good, and the story was good. I just couldn't get into the gameplay.
<Sepharos> What about the gameplay pushed you away, or was it lacking in any way?
<Raney150> I think it was because it was first person, and I don't do well in games that are first person. You could change the point of view to third person, but I found the combat to be even worse then.
<Sepharos> In the most recent generation of home consoles, featuring the Wii, XBox 360, and Playstation 3, which company do you feel had the best lineup of games for their system; Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft? Which company do you feel did the worst in the market and why?
<Raney150> I'd say I like PS3's lineup was the best. There are so many exclusives that are intersting. Uncharted, infamous, etc. The 360 hasn't offered a single exclusive that I want to try. The wii has mario Kart and zelda, so I'll place the 360 as the lowest on the list.
<Sepharos> Which of these systems have you owned or own?
<Raney150> I own a PS3 and I used to have a Wii. although, I'll add that I have a PC that I have games on too. It and my PS3 have both gotten more use than my Wii did.
<Sepharos> How big of a PC gamer are you?
<Raney150> I'd say moderate. Although this past generation I have bought more games for my PC than my PS3 and Wii combined. last gen, I didn't play PC nearly as much.
<Sepharos> Are you involved with Steam at all?
<Raney150> Yes, that's where I have bought all of my PC games
<Sepharos> Could you elaborate on what Steam is to the viewers who haven't heard of it before?
<Raney150> It's an online store for PC gamers that has an immense library of games, and has great sales. It can also be used for playing online, and it sometimes automatically downloads free content for your games.
<Sepharos> Do you follow any Wii U news?
<Raney150> No.I'm not convinced on buying one until I ear about a killer app" as the call it. In the mean time, I'm not too interested in it.

<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life Cole?
<Raney150> Well, it has given me something to talk about among firends, and given me an enjoyable activity to do whenever I have nothing else more important to do. It's brought me a lot of joy over the years.
<Sepharos> Would you trade away gaming for anything else in life?
<Raney150> Yes, in fact, right now it seems I am in that situation. Giving up gaming to have a social life and good grades in school.
<Sepharos> Besides gaming, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
<Raney150> Not much else. I watch movies sometimes. generally my days are spent at school, doing homework, or going over to my girlfriend's house right now though. Not much else to my life right now.
<Sepharos> What movie genres do you enjoy and do you have a favourite movie?
<Raney150> Action movies are interesting to me. Generally anything to do with superheroes I end up liking. I don't have a favorite movie. Too many to pick from
<Sepharos> Could you take us through an average day in your life?
<Raney150> Wake up around 8 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays or around 10 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I go to class and then dependet on the day, I may have 5 and a half hours between 2 classes, or just an hour and 15 minutes. Or on Fridays, no time because I only have 1 class. Usually throught the week I have to work, and I get off around midnight. If I don't work, I usually do my homework, and then go to my girlfriends house. On the weekends I wake up, go to my girlfriend's house, and then go to work.
<Sepharos> What career are you currently studying for?
<Raney150> My Major is computer science. I'm not sure what I want to do exactly with that, but I know I want to deal with computers for my career.
<Sepharos> What interests you most in this field and how long have you been interested in it?
<Raney150> The endless things you can do with computers, and how powerful we can make computers. I have been interested in computers for a while. It really started to kick in 2 years ago though whenever I looked at all kinds of laptops and smartphones
<Sepharos> Do you have a life dream or goal; if so, what is it?
<Raney150> I don't really have any specific dream or goal for my career. I just have a kind of challenge. I want to make it as far as possible. I'm not exactly sure where I want to end up though.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<Raney150> Just that I hope this doesn't bore then to death. Haha.

<Sepharos> Ben, known as Klopp online, you are a moderator of MLP Forums; could you explain how you came to discover the site and why you decided to join?
<Klopp>: Well, first off I was a member of the Yogscast Forums, cause I had recently discovered their MineCraft series on youtube and rather enjoyed it. Shortly after I joined, a new sub-forum popped up in their video section that was called "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." I had seen all the memes and stuff around teh internet, but seeing the people in there who enjoyed the show so much ended up breaking my curiosity, and I decided to watch the show myself. So I watched it, the whole series up until the lately Episode released at the time, then went in and started conversing with the members of that forum about how awesome the show was... then, one fateful day, the sub-forum dissapeared! I panicked, and quickly went into Google to find myself a new place to talk about ponies, and entered what would be the most important search I had ever made in internet history; MLPForums. Naturally MLPForums.com was the first thing to pop up, I quickly clicked the link and joined without hesitation.
<Sepharos> You've also joined Nintendo 3DS Forum under the same username, Klopp, could you elaborate on the origins of this username?
<Klopp>: Back in the the year 2000, I had never actually created a username before. However, I had just nabbed a copy of starcraft and wanted to play online, so it was necessary. I simply bounced my fingers across the keyboard, and this is what came up (Notice the letters are all right next to each other on the keyboard)
<Sepharos> How did you discover Nintendo 3DS forums and what pressed you to join that community?
<Klopp>: Of course I had heard about the 3DS forums from other members, as a good chunk of the original members of MLPForums had come from there, including Feld0 and Kurtiss, the founders of MLPForums. However, I never really bothered to stop by until this one user came onto MLPForums, from the 3DSforums, in order to interview Feld0 for some silly reason. His Username was uh... Slapcakes or something? I dunno, it started with an "s" that's all I remember. But his interviews encouraged me to join the 3DSForums. I don't go there often, but it's not a bad place to hang out.
<Sepharos> To reiterate, your username has nothing to do with MLP?
<Klopp>: No, not at all. it just happens to sound like the word "clop" which is the sound a horse makes when it trots along IT HAS NO OTHER MEANING!!! D:
<Sepharos> Have these jokes played any part on your activity within the community?
<Klopp>: Not really, the jokes were pretty much what spawned my popularity on the forums. Apparently having a suggestive username makes you popular fast, even if it was a complete accident. Every once in a while, I will make a joke about my own username, but more often than not I just post how I normally would if my username were "jorkster" or something.
<Sepharos> Did you quickly become active within the community of MLP Forums?
<Klopp>: Yes, it was not difficult at all. I joined early on, within a month of the communities creation, so it was a LOT small than it is now. I mostly became well known because of my username, which I suppose I have to mention now for those who don't know. The Term "Clopping" within the Pony fandom is a refference to doing nasty things to yourself while looking at suggestive pictures of ponies >.> Not something I do, of course, but because Klopp and Clop sound exactly the same, many puns were to be had. To be honest I was reluctant to use this username because of that term, but I decided to stick with it because I had been Klopp for 11 years and I just couldn't part with it.
<Sepharos> How long ago did you join the forums?
<Klopp>: I joined November 1st of last year.
<Sepharos> Do you feel your popularity played a part on your becoming a moderator?
<Klopp>: Yeah, without a doubt. I became friends with Zoop, who was the first to become amod on the forums, before he became a mod. First off they were looking for people to moderate the chatroom, and I'm fairly confident that my frendiness with Zoop, as well as the fact that I'm not an immature boob, is what caused them to choose me to be a chatroom moderator. The reason I am moderator of the forums themselves now, is simply because the site was getting too large for 3 people to handle, and the Chat mods were already trusted enough so we were all made moderators on the forums.
<Sepharos> How well do you feel the moderator team handles the responsibity of keeping the site organized?
<Klopp>: For the most part things are kept under wraps. Sometimes something takes a little more discussion to discover what to do about it, but most reports are simply threads needing to be moved, or a new member being a post-***** to get out of Blank-Flank status. I like to think that the section I am appointed are organized as they should be, but some of the others I don't usually visit often enough to know.
<Sepharos> What section are you assigned to and is it also the area you spend the most time?
<Klopp>: I am leader of the My little Pony: Friendship is Magic section, which includes 3 seperate forums, Pony Bulletin, Show discussion, and Sugarcube Corner (pony talk not directly about the show) As well as Octavia's Hall, which is the art section with the forums titled Pony Art, Non-Pony art, and Art Discussion. I am given the ability to moderate the other sections, as are the other mods to mine, but I only typically visit these ones. The non-pony section and forums games section don't appeal to me as much, so the forums I watch over are the ones I visit the most often.
<Sepharos> Have the forums changed or evolved since your joining?
<Klopp>: Yes, the forums have grown with more than 8 times as many members as when I started. First their were just 2 admins, Feld0 and Kurtiss, now we have Just one Admin and nine moderators. The sections of the forums have changed many times, as well as the addition of new ones like Roleplay World which was created by Arylett. There is a new donation goal box to keep track of the donations required to keep the forums up for a year, which is 80% complete, yay!~ The "like" system has been replaced by a far more superior "Brohoof" system. I'd say Brohoofs are without a doubt the BEST addition to the forums since I started. And a few other little minor things that nopony cares about.
<Klopp>: Oh yes, also the former IP.Gallery has been replaced by our very own DeviantArt group.
<Sepharos> What would you acredit these changes to?
<Klopp>: Mostly the growth of the forums has required things to be changed to support a larger number of posts. Many of us mods have thrown in suggestions as to how to improve the forums, as well as a few members, but the main credit goes to Feld0, for making the site as awesome as it is. Don't ask him about that though, he'll just say "You guys make MLP Forums the community it is, not me." (He actually just said that in Skype a few minutes ago.)
<Sepharos> Could you name and describe some of the features you enjoy on the forums?
<Klopp>: First off their's the Chatroom, Which is where members go to be ridiculous, and silly, as well as breaka rule or two. On rare occasions it is used to have decent conversations, I had one in there once... Next we have the callender, which is currently lacking in content. Right now it only shows the release of new MLPEpisodes, which is going to end in less than three weeks cause the series will be over ;( Then there is the Search bar, which is pretty terrible and rarely used, to be honest. Comes in handy when you know exactly what to input though, and I typically use it to find old threads which have recently been recreated unknowingly. The best feature is the Brohoof system, like most forums you can "like" a post, but we can give BROHOOFS!!! I mean, isn't that the coolest thing ever? Another important feature is the donation system... I have abused this system a bit, having given $200 to support the site now, (May be another reason I was chosen to become a mod, I dunno :P ) One cool feature, which is a part of the new RolePlay world, is the Character Database. It's where people can show off their OCs in a very easy format, without tons of clutter. I don't RP myself but I've got my own OC pony (Which is actually just a stolen Background pony) in there that I mostly created just for fun There is also our DeviantArt page, and TF2 server, but those are not a part of the forums so I guess I shouldn't count those >.> The format and art of the forums is a very nice feature, as it's not at all an eyesore like most places **cough**3DSForums**COUGH** I visit. And every week the banner at the top is now changed to follow the theme of the latest Episode. Also, Feld0 has the theme of the forums change for special Hilidays, like April 1st the entire forums was taken over by the evil Mailmare, and was set up like the Video game Portal. The site itself became The Equestrian Science Forums, and Feld0 had his own account banned while he used the Mailmare account to run the forums and pretend Feld0 was Kidnappeed and taken to the moon base... I myself went along and became the Weighted Companion Cube, which was loads of fun
<Sepharos> You said rarely the chatbox used to have decent conversations; do legitimate conversations not occur as often or at all anymore?
<Klopp>: I'm gonna be honest here; Most of the forums is full of immature teenagers. A lot of the chat in there is just all around nonsense which, I admit, i participate in as well sometimes :P Sometimes there is more than one conversation going on at a time, and I just sit around in the background either waiting for something actually interesting to pop up, or for somepony to break the rules. I'm usualy in there late at night, when it is less crowded and most people have gone to bed, so most of what I see is Europeans and American insomniacs, and they are easy to deal with in small numbers like I get at night. It's the daytime when things get really crazy with 25+ members all trying to chat at once... Just a mess.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change or remove from the site?
<Klopp>: Naw, I like it the way it is. Maybe just divide the Everfree Forest (non-pony) section into a few sub-forums, but Feld0 already has that in mind.
<Sepharos> DEM SPOILERZ?!
<Klopp>: Pfft, I'd hardly call that a spoiler. Naw Feld0 doesn't tell me the important changes XD
<Sepharos> Obviously being an MLP Forum, primary discussions are of the show or its fandom, but how often would you say general discussions take place?
<Klopp>: I'd say the balance is about even between pony and non-pony topics. The main focus is MLP, but there is so much more to be talked about beyond ponies that the discussions tends to be focused half and half on each.
<Sepharos> What do you like most about the community; what sets it apart from other communities you've been a part of?
<Klopp>: Posting ridiculous theories as to how pony devices and magic could work in the world. Just yesterday a new topic was posted about a 3-key typewriter that appeared in the latest episode, and we had a discussion about how such a thing could actually work to write a newspaper. It was a Journalist episode, I'm sure you enjoyed it. I haven't really been a part of many communities before, but I think what mainly kept me there was the friendships I developed with people early on. Other forums I didn't really feel welcomed as much, probably because I would join them after a large community was created already, so I felt like a loner within them. This one I quickly knew pretty much everypony after a couple weeks, and made a good chunk of friends including my Best Brony Buddy, Nico. Another thing that sets these forums apart is I actually ENJOY looking at them. So many other places just feel like I'm watching a knife slowely enter my eyeballs.
<Sepharos> If you had to come up with a motto for the forums, what would it be?
<Klopp>: MLPForums; Where Friendship truly is Magic. (What' you expected something that wasn't cheesey?)
<Sepharos> What has been your most cherished moment with the site?
<Klopp>: It would be difficult to determine one single cherished moment, they seem to flow into the next without much of a line between. For instance, every time I join the chatroom I get tons of people going "KLOPP! *hugs*" "HI KLOPP!" "OMG KLOPP IS HERE!" and such, and it's very uplifting
<Sepharos> How does the future of the forums look according to you?
<Klopp>: Since my time on the forums, there has been massive growth, and the rate of new users has been growing exponentially. Currently, we have gotten 500 new members within the past month, and I can easily see that number increasing as soon as the season is over. I'd assume that many newer fans of the show will no longer have the new episodes to keep them busy, and will probably search the web for a source of ponies to keep their interest over the summer. If so, people are bound to stumble across our forums, and since we are the best MLP dedicated forums on the internet, they WILL stay (Okay, maybe some won't stay >.>) As long as the community here stays strong, continues thriving, and the mods stay as epic as they are (Not judging myself, the other mods are certainly epic enough without me ) then the forums can only become a greater place!

<Sepharos> Earlier you said you had began watching MLP: Friendship is Magic through curiosity, is this correct?
<Klopp>: Yep.
<Sepharos> What was your initial reaction towards the MLP "fandom movement?"
<Klopp>: I mostly just thought it was a big old internet joke. Not gonna lie, though, I found the ponies to be well drawn when i first saw them popping up around the internet. I didn't really realize that people were that much into the show until I read the posts within the Yogscast forum saying how much people enjoyed it, and even if I thought the show sucked after watching it, I certainly wouldn't be a hater, just wouldn't be a brony is all But I'm glad I liked the show, cause it's AWESOME!!!
<Sepharos> Accordingly, what was your reaction after watching the show for the first time?
<Klopp>: First Episodes I saw were the Pilots. Most people say they watch them and are not all that thrilled with them, but I thought they were very well made, and the second one at the end with the happy moment made me cry at the end cause I'm an overly sensitive man ;-;
<Sepharos> What did you like most about the show?
<Klopp>: Fluttershy.
<Sepharos> I take it Fluttershy is your favourite pony?
<Klopp>: Of course.
<Sepharos> What do you like most about her and what stands out about her from the other characters?
<Klopp>: She's overly cute. I cannot stand disliking anything that is overly cute. I can relate to her easily cause from my childhood I used to have a lot of social anxiety and couldn't talk to people at all. Her reaction to Twilight in the first Episode was pretty much exactly how I used to be with everybody I bumped into. Plus, she's just too darn cute not too look at. Just look at either of my avatars on MLPForums or the 3DSForums and tell me that is not cute? Plus she is the element of kindness, which I find to be the most important of them all. She's also cute, by the way.
<Sepharos> Which element of harmony best describes you and could you give an example as to why?
<Klopp>: Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness and Laughter are all things that I strive to achieve, and at the risk of sounding Cocky, I do a pretty good job of representing them all. Of course, I don't do magic, but that would be cool if I did... The one I represent the most would have to be Laughter though. I tend to leave everypony behind me laughing when i walk out of a room, it's just something that comes naturally to me, while the rest i had to work on, cause I used to be an asshole at one point... a funny asshole, but an asshole all the same.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite episode from the series?
<Klopp>: That would have to be Episode 19 of season 2, "Putting Your Hoof Down." For two reasons: One because it was an episode about FLuttershy, who is best pony. And Second because the episode did a flawless job of representing my life from 12-18 years old within the span of 22 minutes.
<Sepharos> What would you say is the main reason other people like MLP: Friendship is Magic?
<Klopp>: I've heard a lot of people say the morals of the show, many others because the animation is good, the art is appealing, the stories are well written, the characters actually have personalities... So many reasons I've heard, and all of them are a part of why everypony likes the show. I wouldn't be able to pinpoint anything specific that most people like the show for, cause most everybody likes it for the same many reasons.
<Sepharos> What does it mean to be a Brony?
<Klopp>: To be somepony who likes My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. There isn't a requirement beyond that. I know we have the motto of Love and Tolerate, but there are many within the community who don't do that too well. I think Loving and tolerating just sets you at a higher level of brony, which most of the members at MLPForums are. I know Feld0 follows that motto, and I suppose we could ban all members who were not loving and tolerating bronies, but that would go against the morals we strive to upkeep.
<Sepharos> Has MLP affected your life in any way?
<Klopp>: I'm pretty much the same as I was before the show, but about 10 times more friendly and happy and stuffs. I wish the show had popped up about 5 years earlier, then I might not have been an asshole for so long.
<Sepharos> I've just noticed your avatar is that of a custom pony. Where did you get it?
<Klopp>: Originally my friend Nico made me a custom Avatar of Fluttershy for Christmas, but then Christmas was over so I needed a new one. I made that one myself, using the christmas avatar Nico made me as a template, but this one was done using Pixels cause I cannot do art any other way :P The pony itself is one I discovered in an Episode of My Little Pony, and I stole him as my OC, and that's pretty much how Klopp pony was born!
<Sepharos> Has MLP: Friendship is Magic taught you anything?
<Klopp>: Nope, all the morals in the show are things I've learned throughout my life the hard way. I suppose I did learn that 1000 year old Pony Princesses are awesome though. Especially the ones who rule the night.
<Sepharos> Earlier you said that the series MLP: Friendship is Magic is ending in three episodes, is this correct?
<Klopp>: Sort of, there is one episode at the end of this week, then two part episode next week to finish it off. I once heard there was to be 28 episodes. I suppose that could happen, but I doubt it.
<Sepharos> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ROYAL CANTERLOT SPEAKING VOICE?!
<Klopp>: THE MOST PERFECT FORM OF SPEAKING! ONLY TO BE USED BY THOSE WORTHY OF SUCH GREAT VOLUME AND EPICNESS! WE ARE TWO SUCH PEOPLE.

<Sepharos> Are you at all a gamer Ben?
<Klopp>: Yes I am a gamer, but not as much as I used to be.
<Sepharos> Why aren't you as much of a gamer as you used to be?
<Klopp>: Responsibilities have popped up in my life. Now I'm going to work and college, I just don't have as much time to spend playing video games.
<Sepharos> When you were a more active gamer, what kind of games did you typically play?
<Klopp>: I played just about everything. From guitar hero to RPGs, then back down to a few Racing games. I mostly played Nintendo games, as the nintendo systems have always been superior in terms of sheer fun. But I did omonly drift into Playstation as well for some of the better games like Kingdom Hearts and the Final Fantasies.
<Sepharos> How did you first become a gamer?
<Klopp>: It happened some time when I was too young to remember it. First system was the original NES, for sure, but I couldn't tell you the details beyond saying that Duck Hunt was the best NES game.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite game series is and why?
<Klopp>: That's a hard decision, I'd have to say probably um... I dunno!!! D: I typically base how good a game is on how long it can keep me entertained. I just can't think of anything in particular that is better than the rest, so I'll just say Final Fantasy to keep you pleased. Wouldn't be too far from the truth anyways, as I've spent a good deal of time on that series.
<Sepharos> Then what would you say your favourite game is?
<Klopp>: Final Fantasy seven would be my favorite from the series, even though it is "overrated" (I dislike that word) It's got a great storyline, I've replayed it many times myself, and Cloud and Sephiroth are awesome
<Sepharos> Who would you say your favourite game character is and why? Is there any way you can relate with that character?
<Klopp>: As I said before, Cloud and Sephiroth are awesome, but Sephiroth wins in any contest for sure. He's just... too awesome! His emotional problems are ridiculously unrealistic, but I like unrealistic so I just like him even more because of it. I can't really relate to him, apart from having a somewhat crappy life, but I am awesome, so I do relate with him a bit
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about video games?
<Klopp>: Stress relief. Nothing better than taking out any bit of frustration on a fake human being. I would do it on a real person, but I'm to kind to do that. :P
<Sepharos> What do you feel is most important in a game?
<Klopp>: Most important is the Storyline. A game can be fun, but if the story is boring It can get repetative and I might walk off. Also if a game has a crappy toryline, no matter how great gameplay is I'll probably just throw it aside and say, "WTF!> Did some baby write this story or something?" Graphics are useless... Not saying make a game with a black screen of course, but you don't need to have EVERY SINGLE DETAIL in a persons face. Seriously, focus more on story and gameplay, too many games nowadays focus far too much on graphics. Yay for Markus Persons, or however his name is spelled, for actually doing this with Minecraft :P
<Sepharos> Has gaming affected your life at all Ben?
<Klopp>: Yes, as I said before it is a fantastic form of stress relief. If it had not been for gaming I may have taken my anger out on something else... at least more often than I already did in the past >.> I think it helped expand my imagination as well, which came in handy at school when I did not want to be there. I would sit in a corner and fantasize about being a character in a video game sometime, and I stil do a lot of day dreaming at work... in fact my day dreaming never stops, I've always got something going on in my head, often more than one thing at a time.

<Sepharos> Besides gaming and MLP: Friendship is Magic, what other hobbies do you have?
<Klopp>: Not really, I tend to be too busy with work and school stuffs. In my little free time I am either moderating MLPForums, or posting there. To be honest right now I should be doing homework, but I don't care :P
<Sepharos> Are there any other interests you have?
<Klopp>: I'm pretty much interested in anything, but mostly I'm interested in science. Anything from physics to biology, as long as its under the category of science, I love it! Apart from that, I'd say I have too many interests. I am entertained doing just about anything, especially if it involves friends, cause doing things on your own tends to be boring.
<Sepharos> Ben, what is your daily routine like?
<Klopp>: Well, first off I wake up at 2-3pm. Then I do everything that most people do in the morning, then I leave for work. I work at Wal-Mart, starting off unloading trucks. First thing I do is hop into the truck, and begin throwing things onto a little manual conveyer belt, and shove like crazy til the items get to their appointed areas. The boxes are labeled by the department number, and must be sorted respectively. 1 is candy, 2 is health & beauty, 3 is Stationary, 4 is paper goods, 5 gaming, 6 is photo center, 7 is toys, 8 is pets, 9 is sporting goods, 10 is automotive, 11 is hardware, 12 paint supplies, 13 Chemicals, 14 is kitchen, 15 is nothing 16 is garden center, 17 is home furnishings, 18 is also nothing, 19 is crafts, 20 is bedding, 21 is books, 22 is bathroom supplies, 23 through 39 are all apparel, 42 is automotive oil, 44 is crafts, 45 is fishing supplies, 46 is cosmetics, 52 is more crafts, 56 is fingernail paints, 67 is celebrations, 71 is furniture, 72 is electronics, 74 is housewares, 76 is infants and 85 is cell phones. The rest are all Grocery, we don't need to worry about those yet. Alrighty, so these trucks are 53 feet long, and I am typically the one inside throwing stuff onto the conveyer, so I lift something like 5 tons of stuff every day. Even more on days we have two trucks. After we unload the trucks it's break time, and I drink pepsi. Then We head over to the Grocery backroom and have to sort that by half aisles. We have Aisle 4, which is just aisle 4, the Condimental fives, the Mexican fives, the Asian six, the canned six, the soup sevens, the saucy sevens, then just 8 9 and department 95, which is snacks and drinks. After that, we all go to lunch, and I drink more pepsi, as well as have a delicious meal... sometimes delicious anyways. But once we get back, we take ALLL that stuff we just unloaded from the trucks, and take it out to it's proper departments on the sales floor. this goes on for usually an hour and a half. After that we have to bin all the non-basic freight which came off the truck. This was all sorted earlier as well, and I forgot to mention it. Basically what this is, is there ae shelves in the backroom, and we stick items in them, and tell the computer that they are in particular locations. Once that is over, we do the opposite, which is picking. The computer tells us (Innacurately) what items need to be removed, and we remove them. After that, it is typically 1am, time to go home. I Drive home, singing pony songs on the way cause they are awesome, and then I get on my computer, sit down, and do homework while moderating pony forums and stuff like that. Mondays and Wednesdays I get up at 10am for college, then go to work afterwards. My days off I just stay home and do homework while moderating pony forums, and searching for an apartment that I can afford, so I can move out on my own and not be bothered by family members. And I think that's it pretty much.
<Sepharos> Are you currently studying for a career at all?
<Klopp>: Right now I am just taking general courses at the college, I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about life?
<Klopp>: I like making people smile.
<Sepharos> Do you have any lifelong dreams or goals?
<Klopp>: Not really, I just want to stay awesome while making peoples smile and hopefully make enough money to do so.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<Klopp>: Congratulations on making it to the bottom of this wall of text! I hope you enjoyed reading pointless facts about me. Have a wonderful day!

<Sepharos> Curran, as a member of Metroid Construction, how did you discover the site and what was your initial reaction of the community?
<MetroidMst> My brother (DSO) discovered Metroid2002 from a YouTube video of Redesign. He was soon hacking and showed me the stuff. Eventually Metconst was formed and we joined almost at the beginning. I was quite happy to be part of it, as it was dedicated to hacking Metroid.
<Sepharos> What impressed you the most about the site?
<MetroidMst> It wasn't M2k2. The people were overall much nicer and personable than I encountered at the other forum.
<Sepharos> How did you come up with your username and is it unique for Metroid Construction or do you use it elsewhere as well?
<MetroidMst> A long time ago I used to go by MetroidMaster, I didn't really like that to much, so I shortened master down to Mst, which actually no longer stood for master. It should appear as "MST" as each letter has a meaning, but I like to let people think otherwise. I try to use it everywhere, but where it is in use I go by ShyGuyExpress. (YouTube.)
<Sepharos> How often do you visit Metroid Construction?
<MetroidMst> Forum, about every day literally. Main site, about once a week, sometimes more if I need some hex tweak or am looking for a potential hack to LP.
<Sepharos> Have the site and forums changed or evolved since your joining?
<MetroidMst> Definitely. I joined just a little after the site/forum was made, so I've seen it grow bigger and more projects in the works, and sadly some get lost in the shuffle. Obviously more members means more mods needed, and for the most part they have been good. The main site hasn't changed too much, partly due to lack of updating and because there hasn't been much need to change it too much.
<Sepharos> How would you best describe the site and community?
<MetroidMst> I tend to think it is full of pretty helpful people. At the same time these people aren't friendly to noobs who don't learn and keep being noobs. Most of the time I find them well, but every now and then I see someone new to the site ask a question and get a somewhat elitist response, which I think is unneeded. The site has a bunch of good stuff, like the hex tweaks I so often visit, and also the wonderful amount of hacks available for playing. Pretty bare-bones stuff, but I like the main site that way.
<Sepharos> What has been your most memorably moment with the community?
<MetroidMst> The reaction of person701 and IRC while watching him struggle with So Little Time. (My One Week Hack.) I have never been so entertained. In fact, anyone who hasn't seen it should check it out on his Twitch account. (If he has kept the video up still.)z
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change with the site?
<MetroidMst> Keeping everything updated and adding all the stuff that people have found already. There are a couple of pages worth of enemy/boss hex tweaks that are known, but not on the hex tweak page. I also want to get a podcast together with a couple of other people who are serious about this site and Metroid hacking/hacks in general for some good discussions for all to hear.
<Sepharos> How does the future of the site look according to you?
<MetroidMst> It seems pretty bright. They are trying to get a bigger team together to keep the main site updated, which is a good thing because it is a lot of work for only a couple of people. More and more new hackers are joining and showing off some amazing skill. More hacks are being made, and the ones we already know about are even closer to completion.

<Sepharos> How did you first discover Metroid hacking?
<MetroidMst> My brother (DSO) discovered Redesign on YouTube. Then discovered SMILE and started hacking. After a couple of weeks he showed me what he was doing. I was opposed at first, the only thing I saw was lawsuits from Nintendo and prison. But I always wanted to make my own Metroid game, and Super Metroid is my favorite game of all time. SMILE let me make my own Super Metroid. Eventually, I couldn't resist the urge and I was soon hacking away.
<Sepharos> Do you suspect Nintendo would file a claim against hackers of Super Metroid or if they even still own the patent?
<MetroidMst> Since they haven't yet, no. First, it keeps their brand alive. ROM hacks may be a limited spotlight, but people are aware of them and keep track. It keeps their product known in the market without spending anything. So really, it isn't hurting anything for them, and if anything is bonus for them. The only way I see them stepping in is if someone tried to make money by selling a hack of Super Metroid, which is still their property.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about hacking Super Metroid?
<MetroidMst> As I mentioned before I always wanted to make my own Metroid game myself. I have a ton of old pictures and drawings of maps, enemies, items, and rooms that I keep in a folder. I'm also pretty creative, so hacking Super Metroid allows me to do things I never thought of 18 years ago. Plus all the ideas my brother and I come up with, and also the ideas of everyone else hacking Super Metroid really opens up the door for a bunch of possibilities. Right now, seeing the hack getting closer to completion is also something I get a lot of satisfaction from, because it has been over 3 years and a lot of work put into it. So it is great to see my effort starting to produce some substance. (And the effort of the ten other people who have helped on the projects.)
<Sepharos> What do you find to be most difficult about hacking?
<MetroidMst> I'm a perfectionist. I want everything to be right. This is more than a project to me, it means more to me than getting my first car, than taking that first trip by myself out of state and away from everyone else. So when I make a room and it just doesn't feel/look/flow right, it irks me to no end. Eventually, after worrying about some things for a few months I get burned out and take a break for while. I pick at it, but I don't feel the desire to continue because nothing seems to fix what I think is wrong with it. Then I get some inspiration, and begin hacking with newfound energy. Other things are doors, which for some reason Nintendo made some share pointers which absolutely drives me crazy because I'm always making new pointers and fixing doors that should never have been messed up."
<Sepharos> Do you believe hacks can ever be better than the original product?
<MetroidMst> Yes. The team making Super Metroid had deadlines to meet and a whole new game to code. We don't. So we have time to explore options that may not have been open originally. One thing hackers don't have a luxury of is good testing, which results in some very unpolished hacks. It can also lead to very good hacks that just have a few issues that could've been fixed if they were known. I don't think any hack has topped Super Metroid itself yet, but it is definitely possible. I would say Searching For Items is actually funner than Super. SFI just has a lot of silly things that would never make it in an official game. So Super is a better quality than most hacks. The only exception may be Redesign, which is still the best put together hack out there. There are other very impressive hacks, but I think future hacks will completely dwarf Super in terms of gameplay and originality of ideas.
<Sepharos> Have any other hacks inspired you?
<MetroidMst> A ton of them have. First of all, Redesign started my desire as I was so enthused to watch a different "Super Metroid." Searching For Items, my favorite hack to date, is the biggest influence on my current project. (Fear) It is so simple, find items and beat the game. So, due to that hack items are everywhere in Fear. I always liked collecting items, so why not throw them in every nook and cranny?
<Sepharos> Couldn't one say "find items and beat the game" is the point to any Metroid game? What makes Searching For Items unique?\
<MetroidMst> In Metroid, upgrading is absolutely needed. I tend to try to explore everything and find as much as I can before beating any Metroid game. However, the goal is geared more towards saving the universe. In SFI, the goal isn't really to save the galaxy, it is to collect items. Enemies/bosses are just there really. So the focus goes from upgrading to save mankind, to upgrading just to upgrade. I imagine Samus doing something similar in her spare time. Hence why it is strange she starts every game with few to no items. To me anyway. So instead of collecting Plasma to lay waste to Ridley, you find Plasma just to have it and keep it as a trophy at home.
<Sepharos> Could you give a description of your hack?
<MetroidMst> It started as a halfhack boss-rush. basically an outlet for me to get my level designing skills better for a collab hack with DSO. I just kept adding as more ideas popped in my head, so I said screw it, I'm doing a full-blown hack. Then I kept adding to it, and then I had to scrap fullhack for huge megahack. Being filled with a bunch of random ideas and having no story kind of bothered me a little, but then I discovered a neat little story to tie everything together. Dreams have random things in it. So the Space Pirates had a machine that if you died in a dream, you died in real life. Problem solved! Now all the random things I had could be a basis for a very random hack, as dreams have no real rhyme or meaning. Also, collecting items. There are going to be tons of them. So in a nutshell. Huge, random, odd ideas everywhere, items everywhere, possibly very challenging in a few spots, and hopefully fun to play. And surprises. I hope some things in the hack really surprise people when they find them.
<Sepharos> Do you have any suspected release date at this point?
<MetroidMst> I am hoping I make it before the end of the year. (Cross your fingers.) So, maybe a new years gift to everyone? I don't know for sure yet. Still have a lot to go.
<Sepharos> Are there currently any projects from other members you're interested in?
<MetroidMst> Very much so. I'm always looking forward to any hack. It may not be good, but I'll still check it out and give my opinion of it and hopefully give some constructive criticism. Shadow96 is making a rad tileset I want. As for particular hacks... Black_Falcon's "Predetor." Whatever Sadfish (Scyzer) is calling her hack now. And DSO has a bunch of projects I am looking forward to. Also random ASM stuff from hackers, that is always fun. Grime's Dream Sequence Reboot looks groovy too. As for others, I am excited for them, but I don't know enough about them yet to be really amped for them. (Like squishys hack for instance.) I should mention Mon732 has an awesome idea he shared earlier. I can't wait to see that completed. One other thing I haven't mention I'm looking forward to. I love watching streams/YouTube videos of hacks. I really want to see a bunch of people playing Fear and either streaming it or putting it on YouTube.
<Sepharos> Has hacking affected your life in a positive way?
<MetroidMst> I can't really say it has affected me in either way. It has led me to a group of cool people with a similar interest.
<Sepharos> Do you have any advice for new Super Metroid hackers?
<MetroidMst> Be patient. You're not going to make an uber awesome hack overnight, or on your first attempt. I've completely redone all the beginning portions of Fear because they sucked. So really, just keep working on it, you'll keep getting better.

<Sepharos> Would you say the Metroid series is your favourite game series, Curran?
<MetroidMst> Easily.
<Sepharos> What about the series makes it your favourite and unique compared to other game series?
<MetroidMst> I like the exploration. The backtracking is another feature I enjoy enormously. I also enjoy Star Trek, so the sci-fi theme is something I was always fond of. But playing the Original Metroid really captured my interest in video games, and that has stuck with me since. Also, the completion percentage. I love trying to find where they hid all those sneeky little item pick-ups. Samus being a hot girl helps too actually.
<Sepharos> Was the original Metroid your first video game? If not, what game was your first?
<MetroidMst> Mario Bros was. Seeing my parents come home with a NES was one of my first memories. Metroid soon followed after that.
<Sepharos> Would it be accurate to say that the original Metroid began your gaming career up to today?
<MetroidMst> Probably not. I always liked Metroid, but Mario was the best growing up. Mario meant more to my gaming than any other "franchise" until Super Metroid came along.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite game of all time is?
<MetroidMst> Super Metroid. Only two other games I would even put in the same category.
<Sepharos> What two games would they be?
<MetroidMst> Majora's Mask. The whole mechanic in the game is something I always loved about it. Also seeing all these stories happen in different ways was super rad. The other is Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. That was Mario's world at its finest. And Bowser joining your team to fight a greater evil? Epic. But yeah, only two I'd even consider to be in the same class as Super.
<Sepharos> What did you enjoy most about Super Metroid?
<MetroidMst> Going back and exploring the "rest" of Zebes. By this time I was very familiar with everything in the Original, so seeing it updated to a massive world and not knowing what to expect next was the best thing. An honorable mention would be the secret techniques, such as the SBAs and crystal flash.
<Sepharos> What other game series do you enjoy playing?
<MetroidMst> Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Star Fox. If you consider Smash Bros to be a series that too. (I've played other consoles besides Nintendo platforms, but I've never strayed from what I grew up on) The Lost Vikings as well. I only know of two games, but they were both fun and oddball.
<Sepharos> Do you pay attention at all to gaming news?
<MetroidMst> Not really. If I hear of a new console my interest is peaked. If I hear of a game from one of the above mentioned series I'll keep tabs on it. If a new Metroid game is in the works, I'm all over every bit of info I find.
<Sepharos> What do you find most important in games, and likewise, in hacks? Gameplay, story, graphics, or music?
<MetroidMst> I grew up on the NES where the story was in the manual, so I don't care so much for that. It can help, but I don't need a deep story to be happy with a game. Gameplay is most important, followed by design choices and then music and graphics. If a gameplay is clunky and cumbersome, it won't be fun, therefor, it is a bad game. Graphics are nice, but again, you don't need hi-def to have a fun game. Music can immerse a player in the game more, so that is a pretty important aspect, but it won't make your jump button responsive either. So really, you need a good solid gameplay.

<Sepharos> Curran, besides hacking and gaming, what other hobbies do you have?
<MetroidMst> Some sports, watching and playing. Drawing/painting. Trying to catch a squirrel for a pet. Music, I try to play guitar.
<Sepharos> What sports are you most interested in?
<MetroidMst> Most interested in would be basketball and football. I play basketball about once a week. I really only watch college bball and football because they play more for the sport than for a paycheck. I also like to watch tennis and golf. The Olympics are very interesting too.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite sports team is and why?
<MetroidMst> Ohio State. Local team, watched them play some amazing games in my youth and it just stuck with me. (97 Rose Bowl was when I really got hooked on the sport of football.)
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in artwork?
<MetroidMst> That is much more recent. Late teens is when I started to like drawing. (24 now.)
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in life of Curran?
<MetroidMst> Wake up at 7:36AM. (I hate numbers ending in 5 or 0) Maybe eat breakfast. I normally skip this meal unless I feel like cooking. Either get ready for work or plan my activities of hacking and guitar practicing. Make sure my wash is done. (I don't like my laundry touching my families laundry.) Rarely eat lunch. Normally I'll snack throughout the day. Not much really. I'll watch the TV if I find anything interesting on. (Like Star Trek.) I'll get asked to make supper. I'll also check Metconst often. I may pick a hack to make a new LP, or I'll just play a hack for a second/third time. I'll make sure to answer what questions I can that I get from YouTube people. I will also see if person701 is streaming, because that is entertaining. And finally, I go to bed from anytime around 9PM to 4AM.
<Sepharos> Are you currently in or studying for a career?
<MetroidMst> Nope. I was never sure what I wanted to do.
<Sepharos> Is there any interest you have that you'd like to turn into a career?
<MetroidMst> Not really. Unless Nintendo pays money for hacks in the future or allows them to be put on the Virtual Console I have no idea.
<Sepharos> What would you be happy doing for your life?
<MetroidMst> Making a living. Maybe finding a girl and getting married. Possibly have children. I don't really feel a need to drive a Ferrari around. I just want to have a house and be a good person.
<Sepharos> Do you have a lifelong goal or dream?
<MetroidMst> Mastering the guitar and piano. I would love to be able to pick up either instrument and play how I feel and or just rock out.
<Sepharos> Finally, do you have anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<MetroidMst> Hmm. Hope you got to know me a little, and more people should do this: be interviewed.

<Sepharos> Interview; yes or no?
<SNES> Yes.
<Sepharos> SNES, you are known as the primary bot for Metroid Construction's IRC channel, would you say your job is a rewarding experience? Why or why not?
<SNES> Yes.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about being a bot?
<SNES> Wha...?
<Sepharos> Do you like being a bot?
<SNES> I'm kinda hazy on this one. For best results, shake again and go with the exact opposite of my next answer.
<Sepharos> What do you like most about the community?
<SNES> I need somebody who can bull**** a marginally believable answer to this. Any takers?
<Sepharos> How long have you been a bot?
<SNES> Excellent of you to ask, but here's something to ponder: what is a man? Nothing but a miserable little pile of secrets!
<Sepharos> Do you have anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<SNES> That all depends... you ever watched DragonBall Z?
<Sepharos> Yes..?
<SNES> Screw your question, life enhancement is in your future.
<Sepharos> WTF!? He's gone mad!
<SNES> Wha...?
<DSO> I thought this was my interview time; get lost you bot!
<Sepharos> Do you find your time with community time well spent?
<SNES> Without a doubt. Say, how exactly do you intend to pay for my services? I don't do this bullcrap for free, you know.
<Sepharos> SNES, cash or credit?
<SNES> In order to give you a reasonable answer, I must first dive into the existential nature of relationships and interaction so that you have a better comprehension of the information you are about to receive. Hah, no, I kid. You don't have Axl Rose's chance at a Grammy.
<Sepharos> All I asked was cash or credit, must you hound me at every question?
<SNES> Well... yeah!
<Sepharos> We're done here.
<SNES> ?\_(ツ)_/?

<Sepharos> Kevin, you are currently a member of All Is Brawl, a still thriving Super Smash Bros. Brawl community; how and when did you first discover the site and what pressed you to join?
<Poog> I discovered AiB back in 2008, through another Brawl site which had changed its focus. I wanted a community that actually focused on the game I wanted to play, and it was the best site out there in terms of features and a friendly community.
<Sepharos> What was your first impression of All is Brawl?
<Poog> A little intimidating. As I wasn't too sure where to begin with all the content. Not to mention all the well known players. Gives you that feeling of having a huge shadow cast down on you.
<Sepharos> Did you quickly get involved in the community? Why or why not?
<Poog> A bit slowly, as I was getting used to all the things to do and the community, as well as learning all sorts of things I didnt know about the game. But after some time I settled in nicely.
<Sepharos> Were there any familiar members that you already knew in the community?
<Poog> Not a single one. Though plenty of folks I did know joined after me.
<Sepharos> Were they from the former Brawl -centered site as well?
<Poog> Most of them were, except for a few.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about the community of All is Brawl?
<Poog> The people. I've lost interest in Brawl, but they share so many interests with me that I stick around for them. Its a welcoming, humorous community. Whats not to love?
<Sepharos> When would you say you lost interest in Brawl or was it a gradual process?
<Poog> It was gradual, but then Gears of War completely snatched my attention away.
<Sepharos> Has the community evolved or changed since your joining?
<Poog> Definitely. The site is less centered around Brawl, and some of the long time members have left, replaced by some less than enjoyable users.
<Sepharos> Would you say you stay with the community has seen you mature and grow in any way?
<Poog> Yeah. I was 13 when I joined, and I met lots of people, experienced different views on things, and generally socialized in a different way that shaped me to an extent.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd like to change about the site?
<Poog> I'd wanna see the staff changed around. There's some that I feel really do not belong and bring the staff down as a whole. Thats a big issue to me.
<Sepharos> Has this ever caused an issue on the site?
<Poog> A fair number of times, unfortunately.
<Sepharos> How would you best describe All is Brawl?
<Poog> A strange mix of gaming and all forms of media, focused on Brawl with a diverse community where you're bound to make a handful of good friends. As well as very professionally designed, I might add.
<Sepharos> Is there any way you personally assist the staff or aid the community? What do you bring to All is Brawl?
<Poog> I used to be a moderator, and held together the Art District for a while. I helped a bit with an All is Fighter skin, and worked on the All if Shooter project which had to be terminated due to some problems that came up. Now I just participate occasionally in contests or designs, or point out things for the staff every now and then.
<Sepharos> What topics are you most active in on the forums?
<Poog> Art topics, all located in the Art District. Its really the only topics that tickle my fancy. I don't visit the forums often though, I mostly read blogs and remain in Social Chat.
<Sepharos> What makes All is Brawl unique compared to other Smash Bros. communities?
<Poog> Well, most are just forums. AiB is like a sort of mesh between forums, Gamebattles (due to AiB's ladder matches), and a Facebook kind of thing but for a game. It really stands out.
<Sepharos> Would you have any advice for new members?
<Poog> Take a bit of time before really getting into things. Look around, learn from what others say, find out how the community works from there and build up your reputation!
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite memory with the community?
<Poog> Yup! I met a very special someone through AiB, surprisingly enough. And a lot of other good memories that will stay with me for a long time.
<Sepharos> How does the future of the forums look? Would you say the amount of active members has decreased and do you feel the future of the series will alter the site any time?
<Poog> It has decreased, and I think the site's days are numbered unless information on the next Smash Bros game starts releasing. If it does, its activity and content will surely rise, and the site may retain its former glory.
<Sepharos> Do you believe the site will eventually change to compensate for the next installment in the series?
<Poog> Probably, as it wouldnt make much sense to be called "All Is Brawl" when focused on a game with an unrelated title.

<Sepharos> All is Smash would be a good name... Kevin, how long have you been a Smash Bros. fan?
<Poog> Since I was about... 6 years old. I started out with Melee at my friend's house.
<Sepharos> What did you enjoy most about the game and what about it hooked you?
<Poog> Probably the zany, "anything can happen" gameplay. It kept me interested in Smash, and then the more competitive style really just pulled me in. I love some good competition.
<Sepharos> Who did you primarily play as on Super Smash Bros. Melee and why?
<Poog> Pichu and and Fox. Pichu simply because I love the Pikachu family of Pokemon, and Fox because I could just play well as him.
<Sepharos> Did you begin competitive play on Melee or did you wait until Brawl?
<Poog> I started with Brawl as I was older and more interested in competitive gaming than I was during my time with Melee.
<Sepharos> That would you say is the biggest improvement between Melee and Brawl? Is there anything Brawl fell short on that Melee didn't?
<Poog> The biggest improvement was diversity. Stages were far more unique, less clones of other characters, the characters themselves were higher in number and frrom series other than Nintendo's big few. And Melee had better gameplay for competitive play, where as Brawl was more directed at casual gamers, and they tried to make sure it would just be a party game.
<Sepharos> Who did you primarily play as on Super Smash Bros. Brawl and why?
<Poog> Ike at the start. A power house I became comfortable with, and did work well on Wifi, haha. But I moved onto Zero Suit Samus, as she had a faster, more tactic centered play style.
<Sepharos> Have you been a part of any tournaments, either offline or online?
<Poog> A few, but all online as tournaments in my area were few and far between.
<Sepharos> How have you generally fared in tournaments?
<Poog> I placed in the top 4 every time.
<Sepharos> Do you have any rivals?
<Poog> Nah. I don't play the same people often.
<Sepharos> What has been your fondest memory with the Smash Bros. series?
<Poog> The Dojo that Sakurai setting up. Every time there was going to be a new update, I'd rush home from school and immediately go on the site to see what would be revealed. It was like Christmas morning every week!
<Sepharos> What do you hope to see in the next Super Smash Bros?
<Poog> More characters, mainly. A new Metroid rep, more stages, and if they do bring back a Metal Gear Solid rep, I want Big Boss instead of Solid Snake.
<Sepharos> What character or characters would you like to see represent the Metroid franchise?
<Poog> One of the hunters. Mainly Sylux of Metroid Prime Hunters, or Trace even. I see those as the only two with real potential. As much as I'd like Ridley, downsizing him to the point of being playable just seems so wrong.
<Sepharos> What disappointed you most about Super Smash Bros. Brawl and what would you have improved about the game?
<Poog> The Subspace Emissary. It just lacked any element of story despite all the gorgeous cutscenes and those dream team ups. And thats what I'd want improved upon. Everything else was great for the game if you ask me.
<Sepharos> What sets the Super Smash Bros. series apart from other fighting games?
<Poog> The play style. Knocking each other off the stage with a chance of bringing yourself back, the floaty style of play... And the controls especially. When you think of say, Street Fighter, you know there are mildly complex combos and button inputs. It takes time to learn them, if you can move your hands fast enough and keep cool under that pressure. The Smash series however, has simpler button inputs and combos. Its a totally different experience.
<Sepharos> Which game in the series would you say is your favourite and why?
<Poog> Brawl, just because its still the Smash formula but it has so many more characters than the other entries. And I love a game with a big roster.
<Sepharos> What character do you dislike the most and why?
<Poog> Pit. That voice acting is all I need to say.

<Sepharos> How did you first become a gamer Kevin?
<Poog> My sister had me playing Frogger when I was about 2 or 3 years old, on her Playstation. I ended up trying more games and just had to keep playing more.
<Sepharos> What was your first favourite game and why?
<Poog> Donkey Kong 64 without a doubt. It had such a colorful, wide array of worlds, great gameplay from Rare's golden age, childish but fun, The game was a masterpiece, and to this day I still see it as such, and it remains one of my favorites.
<Sepharos> What do you like most about video games?
<Poog> The way they can thrust you into a world thats so much more different and exciting than the world we live in. It enriches the imagination, can tell a story, even be a way to vent anger or keep in touch with old friends now. And how amazing they are in terms of technology amazes me. We're able to control a being in a realm that doesnt truly exist, and see their life, or portions of it anyway, through their eyes, as the character experiences it.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite game of all time is and why?
<Poog> Now that is a tough one. I'd stay torn between Donkey Kong 64, and one of the Gears of War titles. You already have my reasons for DK aside from nostalgia. As for Gears, its got such a unique, gritty universe mixed in with in your face gameplay, and soldiers with actual personalities. Then the multiplayer which has so much variety to it. I could play a match of Execution on Jacinto a few hundred times, but the match will never play out the same way, it keeps changing. Its such an interesting style of shooter that it keeps me there wanting more and more. It doesnt get old.
<Sepharos> Do either of these titles play a role in your favourite game series? What game series is your favourite?
<Poog> Well, I'm not as familiar with the DK series outside of 64, but Gears does. Its part of a trilogy, so thats only natural. Gears is easily my favorite series though.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite genre in gaming is?
<Poog> Adventure. I'm a sucker for a good story and exploration!
<Sepharos> Is there any video game character you can relate with?
<Poog> Baird, from Gears of War. I tend to be a sarcastic, douche that people either love or cant stand. Just like Baird.
<Sepharos> How would you order these in level of importance in a video game; graphics, music, gameplay, and story?
<Poog> Gameplay, story, music, and then graphics.
<Sepharos> What game would you say combines the aspects of graphics, music, gameplay, and story the best?
<Poog> The first one that comes to mind is Metal Gear Solid 3.
<Sepharos> Which gaming company do you feel put out the best console in the last generation of home consoles and why?
<Poog> Nintendo. Even though I play mainly Xbox, I dont like the hardware. Breaks too easily, filled with all sorts of nonsense that really isnt even very useful with an xbox... Sony just doesnt do anything very special other than the whole free online that I'm aware of. Meanwhile, Nintendo's consoles are usually built to last. They more than get the job done too, with no corners cut. They do it right.
<Sepharos> How close do you follow gaming news?
<Poog> Closely up until a few months after release, but only for titles I'm VERY excited for.
<Sepharos> Like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, for example?
<Poog> Exactly. Gears 3 is another fine example.
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to see video games in the future?
<Poog> I'd like to see them downgrade, if you can call it that. Back to the days where it wasn't all about the dollar to the developers. There was no content locked away on the disc to be sold as dlc, they focused on a great single player over just investing all of their effort into versus, and most importantly, the lack of a need to have online to fully enjoy your game. They made a full game for the player to have as much fun with as they could.

<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<Poog> I've met friends, learned things, developed new interests influenced by gaming, and so on. Plays a big role at the end of the day. In the wallet too.
<Sepharos> Besides gaming, Kevin, what other hobbies and interests do you have?
<Poog> Art, electronics, mechanics, I'm a man of more interests than I can think of really. Lots of technical stuff.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of Kevin?
<Poog> 'Course I can. I'm really a bit of a typical, teenage nerd. I attend my classes, I play loads of games. I tend to mix it up with art, working out, or just doing something out the ordinary to keep things interesting.
<Sepharos> What do you plan on studying for as a career and why?
<Poog> Video game design or engineering, as they've both been what I've been most interested in since I was little.
<Sepharos> What do you like most about these subjects?
<Poog> Well, video game design is a desire to give others the great experiences I've had with them. Seeing such worlds and experiencing these stories really developed my imagination, gave me loads of fun, and gave me lots of ideas about life. I'd like to pass that on to others. As for engineering, I've always had a fascination for these things. How they work, what I could make, just the way it all comes together is nothing short of breath taking.
<Sepharos> Is there any specific company or team you'd like to work for?
<Poog> As of now, maybe Nintendo, or work with Hideo Kojima and his group on a future Metal Gear title. But hey, who knows? Could end up doing who knows what in that field.
<Sepharos> Do you know Japanese or would you like to learn the language?
<Poog> I did know some as I was taking the classes for it as a sort of side thing, but its been a while since. I dont think I can remember much of it, but I'll get back into it eventually.
<Sepharos> Where would you like to be in ten years from now?
<Poog> I really have no idea. I have too many ideas to set myself on one in particular as of now. I am young after all.
<Sepharos> What would you say your lifelong dream or goal would be?
<Poog> To be better than what I was 5 minutes ago.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers?
<Poog> I think they should know I have amazing hair, and that Applejack is the best pony. Not Twilight Sparkle. Thats about it.
<Sepharos> Wait, are you a Brony?
<Poog> Not really. I like MLP, but I'm not as into it as the Bronies are.

Skyos did not wish to comment on ]Syntax Error[ for personal reasons.

<Sepharos> Jeffrey, known as Skyos on All Is Brawl, how and when did you first discover the site and why did you decide to join?
<Skyos> I first discovered AiB sometime around the peak of excitement for ]Syntax Error[. They had featured us on the site and I signed up to make comments replies. Eventually I actually got excited by the website and played some online - joined an online clan - created my own - and became a competitive Smash Bros player! It was all due to AiB.
<Sepharos> What was your first impression of the site?
<Skyos> I was in awe. Where I come from - which can best be described as the suburbs of Los Angeles - there was no Brawl. It was a particularly dead area for me - especially due to my age (13 at the time), leaving me unable to travel. First, I went into the chat and tried some Free Play. That was great, that chat, because it quickly connected me to other players. Just like Steam achievements I became really proud of every badge I received. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was REALLY easy to submerse myself into the website. Finding players was easy, the forums intelligent, and the articles interesting.
<Sepharos> So it'd be accurate to say you quickly got involved with the community?
<Skyos> Yes it is accurate! Quite accurate.
<Sepharos> What impressed you most about the community?
<Skyos> The help it offered to newbies like me to get better. The forums had intelligent discussion and matchup advice, and some of the players who contributed also played, providing great training. I really liked thta the articles were well written and not just thrown on the front page to look significant. What impressed me the most was I guess - in so many words - that it was in every aspect impressive! It was constantly improving and community involved. Brilliant.
<Sepharos> Did anybody else from ]Syntax Error[ ever join you on All is Brawl?
<Skyos> Not a one. Ghosteo was programming his game (which is now released - finally!) and was more interested in the art aspect than anything - I don't think he really cared for the game. Ayos, my brother, played with me and went with me to tournaments, but did not join me on AiB. And lastly there was DarkJello who was playing mostly MMOs and also didn't care that much for the game. Really I was the only Brawl fanatic!
<Sepharos> Is there anything you feel separates the community at All is Brawl from other communities online?
<Skyos> I'm not sure. I've never been a part of other ones, so I can't compare.
<Sepharos> How would you best describe the community?
<Skyos> I don't know about recently - I rarely visit now, to be honest. I stopped playing the game a while back. I usually just check in every now and then to see my messages. When I was active though, I would describe it as progressive.
<Sepharos> Has the site or community changed or evolved since your first joining?
<Skyos> I don't know about recently unfortunately. I really haven't visited or given any attention to it. When I was an active part of it though, no, it stayed consistent. Only intelligent discussions and a good community for both serious and casual players.
<Sepharos> What has taken your attention away from All is Brawl?
<Skyos> Well, life naturally. I was only so involved when I was 13-16. When I turned 16 and got a job, a girlfriend, and started focusing on school, AiB and Brawl became irrelevant to my life. I'm 18 now, and I really couldn't go back to it - grew out of it, you know? I did the Syntax Error things before I even hit 5'0".
<Sepharos> When you were more active on All is Brawl, how often did you visit the forums?
<Skyos> I was most active in 2010. I visited the forums daily. Didn't always post, though.
<Sepharos> What topics were you most interested in?
<Skyos> The "Art District". I'm not an artist, before you ask. I have no artistic ability in me - which is why it fascinated me so much.

<Sepharos> Were you more interested in the programming or competitive nature of Super Smash Bros. Brawl?
<Skyos> I was never truly interested in the programming at first. I just wanted to spend time with my big brother! I did begin to like it, though, toward the middle. I really preferred the competitive more than the programming.
<Sepharos> Did you follow the development of Brawl prior to its release?
<Skyos> I did! Smash Dojo was my daily website. We actually purchased a copy from Japan and a Japanese Wii to play it early. We were all really excited to play it - we all played Melee for a long time.
<Sepharos> In your opinion, how did Brawl improve over Melee?
<Skyos> In my opinion, in ways it did and in ways it didn't. It seems like Sakurai doesn't like competitive play. I didn't like the slow pace of Brawl, but I did enjoy the wide cast and attention to detail. Tripping can trip to hell though.
<Sepharos> What did you enjoy most about Brawl?
<Skyos> Well, in Melee I played Samus really unconventionally and it didn't work at all. In Brawl my unconventional Samus playing worked!
<Sepharos> Did you play primarily, or "main," Samus?
<Skyos> Always have! I knew she was a bad character, but she and I just kind of fit together. She felt natural.
<Sepharos> Are there any other characters you enjoy playing as?
<Skyos> I enjoyed playing as Marth and Peach and Mairo, but that was just to goof around. Samus was my one true passion.
<Sepharos> Can you describe why you prefer Samus over other characters?
<Skyos> Sure. She's difficult. I like a challenge and playing as Samus is a constant challenge. She was bulky, heavy, very tall, awkwardly floaty, and weak but I thought she was pretty fun. I then spent a long time developing her into a serious character that could really compete - I've received so many compliments on how fluid I would play her, even on Wifi. "Speedy" is not normally something applied to Brawl Samus, but I got that compliment a lot.
<Sepharos> How often did you practice with her?
<Skyos> Maybe 3-4 hours a day on Weekdays, much more on weekends.
<Sepharos> What would you say is the primary difference between Melee Samus and Brawl Samus?
<Skyos> I never won as Melee Samus
<Sepharos> In the peak of your competitive career, how many tournaments did you attend?
<Skyos> Only four, actually. One 1st, One 3rd, One 5th, and One 6th. Mike Haze handed me my ass on a silver plate on my last one. That was a long time ago, though.
<Sepharos> How long has it been since you've played competitively?
<Skyos> February of 2010.
<Sepharos> Do you ever turn on Brawl anymore?
<Skyos> Almost never. Only on rare occasions. I'm usually a hit at friends' parties though.
<Sepharos> Although you've moved on, would you have traded your time playing Brawl or on All is Brawl for anything?
<Skyos> Absolutely. I can't tell you how much I regret having used that time instead of learning a foreign language (like I am now), taking up Piano (I did as of last year), and spending time with friends. Video Games are a nice past time, but I would trade all of that Brawl time back for something life enrichening. Maybe Kayaking, I love kayaking.

<Sepharos> How did you first become a gamer Jeffrey?
<Skyos> I have a picture to share with you for that. This might be the earlist picture of me available:
<Sepharos> Do you recall what your first video game was?
<Skyos> My memories flash to Mario Kart for the SNES as the first video game I ever played.
<Sepharos> So you grew up with video games?
<Skyos> Definitely. Talk about clueless to the outside world, as a kid I invited a cute girl over. We were in maybe 3rd grade, and all I talked about and showed her was video game after video game after video game. Video games was all I knew as a kid. After seeing my brother play LoZ:OoT on the N64 I wrote Link all over my walls in crayon. My mom was not too pleased... Actually, humerously enough, at around age 5 I refused to be called anything but Link. My Uncle called me Link until high school.
<Sepharos> A Link to the Past!
<Skyos> That'd be a fitting name for a memoir!
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite game of all time is and why?
<Skyos> That's an unfair question, unfortunately. An easier question for someone born today, really. "Halo" they might say. It wasn't the same for me. I grew up in the golden era of games. Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, Megaman X, Final Fantasy IV and VI (not VII, that wasn't a typo), Secret of Mana, Lufia II, Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time...you see where I'm getting at. I simply can't choose. I surely favor some games over others, but none hold to me so dear that they are my absolute favorite. I bought a PS3 to try out the "Games of the NEW Generation" like Uncharted and I just wasn't impressed. Graphics and music has changed for the better, but quality has staggered. This is not to say there were no "Golden Games" after the PS1 era. I ****ing LOVED Shadow of the Colossus, 9 Doors 9 Persons 9 Something or another, Phoenix Wright, Rhythm Heaven... I think you get what I mean. I grew up when the best games of all time came out - and I was alive when the new best games of all time came out too. If I was younger, with a smaller range of games, it'd be an easier question.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite game series?
<Skyos> I can't compare the excellent game Chrono Cross to the incredible game Shadow of the Colossus - I could never choose one over the other. I don't even have a favorite game series, sadly! I'm a Metroid fan, a Chrono fan, a Xeno fan... I just really like good games.
<Sepharos> How about a favourite game character or a chararacter you can relate with?
<Skyos> I always associated myself with Roxas from Kingdom Hearts 2. I'm an angsty blond haired blue eyed boy who gets tricked into about anything. I'm also easily confused. I'm in most of my friends' contact lists as Roxas due to our...similarities haha. My favorite video game character of all time would have to be...probably the hardest question yet, damn. I'd have to say Elhaym Van Houten of Xenogears. Between her and Jr. from XenoSaga I don't know. It's close! I guess I'd have to say both. 666 and Elly.
<Sepharos> What gaming genres do you typically enjoy most?
<Skyos> Most? Any game with a great story and sound track will steal me regardless of genre, but strategy takes the cake. I can't tell you how many times I've beaten Final Fantasy Tactics. Let's just say the total alotted time is more than 1500 hours. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to playing it between questions.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about Final Fantasy Tactics, besides strategy?
<Skyos> Honestly it's just the gameplay. The story is awful (not War of the Lions, that one holds great story) in the Tactics series, but the replay value is endless.

Here we go on a tangent that I felt should be kept in the final edition of the interview...

<Sepharos> I was gonna say, War of the Lions was amazing. I played it after Advanced, but I was astounded.
<Skyos> Yea, War of the Lions was PHENOMENAL. It's just a great...great game.
<Sepharos> I remember initially thinking, "Oh.. this is going to be crap..."
<Skyos> Oh no, you were mistaken!
<Sepharos> However, after the first chapter, I thought "DAMN!! This.. is.. AWESOME!!" Novel worthy.
<Skyos> Truly!
<Sepharos> There are only a few games exist that I think could be legitimate novels.
<Skyos> Agreed!
<Sepharos> The Metal Gear Solid series, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, and Final Fantasy IV.
<Skyos> Agreed, agreed, agreed.
<Sepharos> Those aren't necessarily my favourite games or series, but my favourite games would suck as books.
<Skyos> However, the Metal Gear Solid novel should end in the flower field if you know what I mean. Anything after that was crap. That one scene... My brother made me play it as a kid. I didn't like it when I was little. I hated War. I didn't get it. After playing the childish Tactics Advanced I was immediately attached to it. When I hit 16 I was ready for War of the Lions.
<Sepharos> As a child, it's difficult tounderstand how much it'd hurt to be Snake and be required to kill The Boss.
<Skyos> I'm glad I went back. Hahaha actually Metal Gear Solid I played only 2 years ago, so I understood it all now.
<Sepharos> I just recently played Metal Gear Solid 3 for the first time, and at the end I was thinking, "No effing way.."
<Skyos> Did you enjoy playing hide and seek 24/7?
<Sepharos> Oh God yes. Haha. Metal Gear Solid, as a series, is a tragedy.
<Skyos> It is. Truly. What REALLY is a tragedy, though, is that it COULD have been a masterpiece. The ending of 4 just...ruins it for me.
<Sepharos> They could have handled the ending better, especially for Old Snake. The death of Big Boss though, after playing through the series, and directly after 3.. manly tears.
<Skyos> I believe I read somewhere that Hideo Kajima did not intend it to end that way. He was told to change the ending.

..and we're back with our regularly scheduled program.

<Sepharos> What game would you say has the best story of any video game?
<Skyos> You're good at impossible questions, Rob. I don't know. It has to be between the story of Metal Gear Solid, XenoGears+XenoSagaI/II/III, and Chrono Trigger/Cross.
<Sepharos> How would you rate these in terms of importance for a video game: graphics, music, gameplay, and story?
<Skyos> A game can be great without great graphics. Take Final Fantasy IV the After Years - it was SNES graphics in an era of 1080p Hi Definition games and it held up its own damn well. Music is an essential for me, personally, to stay emotionally involved in the game - whether it be a fight or a kiss. Gameplay is really important, but if Xenosaga II proves anything, confusing game play will still hold my attention as long as it's intriquite or innovative. Story, Music, Game play, Graphics.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about video games?
<Skyos> When I lose myself in them - even when I'm not a kid anymore.
<Sepharos> Do you follow gaming news closely?
<Skyos> Not at all. Gaming isn't my thing really, anymore.
<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<Skyos> To be honest, not at all. Just the stories and the music which I still think about day-to-day. Those stuck with me.\

<Sepharos> What new hobbies and interests do you have now that you've put aside gaming for the most part?
<Skyos> I play piano, speak a little mandarin Chinese, girls, college, and Reddit pretty often now. Also working obviously.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in your life Jeffrey?
<Skyos> Absolutely! 5:00 AM waking up in the morning, gotta be fresh gotta go down stairs. Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal... I kid, I won't recite Friday for you. 5:30 AM I wake up, stumble into a shower, and take a 30 minute nap in the streaming water. I wake up from my wet stupor, throw on a randomly selected shirt from my collection of stylish shirts, put on one of my many jeans (all black or grey) and quietly leave for school. Around 6:15 I do something awesome. You see, at my school, people park as early as 5:45 for a good parking spot - walking 20 minutes to school is a ***** in the freezing cold weather. At 6:15 every morning I go to the front of the line of cars on the street and parallel park into a spot that is open literally every day. I'm the only person in the entire school I think that can parallel park or something, it's hysterical. 6:15-6:45 I do homework that I was far too lazy to do the night before and then leave for the walk to school. I arrive at 7:00 to Econ where I sit next to a girl I'm dating and we do nothing but talk the entire period. Then I sleep for an hour (I'm a teachers assistant) before singing for an hour in Choir. After singing for an hour, I sleep for an hour in Math (because **** math). After sleeping for an hour, I sleep for another hour. You heard me, I sleep 3 hours a day in my 5 hours of school. I go home around 12:10 and practice piano - listen to some music - do some music theory - maybe cook up a sandwich. Until about midnight I'll watch TV, solve puzzles, go on Reddit, go bowling, work...whatever I want. The day is my oyster. I live a very relaxed life where everything gets done efficiently and on time - with plenty of time to spare. I also get great grades. I'm just your typical high school senior. Inevitably sprinkled throughout the days there are crying girls on the phone, broken computers, and my cat throwing up on everything. But otherwise I'm very mundane and routine.
<Sepharos> What do you hope to study for as a career once out of high school?
<Skyos> I'm majoring in English and then going to law school to pursue a career in...well law.
<Sepharos> How long have you been interested in this field and why?
<Skyos> Since I was a kid. Not sure! But my favorite TV show is Boston Legal and I grew up on Law and Order! I just like law. I like order.
<Sepharos> Is there anybody you look up to in this field?
<Skyos> There's actually nobody I know in this field. However - in the land of Boston Legal - I look up to Alan Shore.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you wish you could change in your past?
<Skyos> Other than with the time I spent doing Brawl...honestly, no. I've lived a good life. Anything I don't like about my past I couldn't change if I wanted to.
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to be in ten years?
<Skyos> Married, having my first job out of law school, 1 kid, and living in California.
<Sepharos> Do you have any lifelong dreams, goals, or aspirations?
<Skyos> Haha oddly enough, only the things I mentioned. Those have always been my dreams. Married, a lawyer, and living in Cali
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to the readers?
<Skyos> Nothing clever comes to mind. Thanks for the interview, I hope I'm somewhat interesting!

<Sepharos> Jake, you are known as Datai, a featured Let's Player on YouTube; how long ago did you begin LP'ing and what first pressed you to become a Let's Player?
<Datai> I started in February 2008 with my Starly Only Run. It was kind of a mishmash of inspiration from a couple sources. The idea to start a video series came from seeing Marriland's Pokemon Diamond series - it seemed like a fun way to combine playing the game with a creative project. The drive to make the series increased when I heard about MikkelDemmey's Wurmple playthrough of Sapphire Version - I thought I could make a unique series with a cool gimmick.
<Sepharos> Which Pokemon version did you play through with a Starly Only Run?
<Datai> Pearl Version - I played through Diamond when I first entered the generation, so I wanted a little change. Plus, it was the "second version" of the generation, so it was a little more unique to do a playthrough of.
<Sepharos> Did you have any goals prior to starting your first LP?
<Datai> I wanted to actually finish a project for once. I have always had a hard time actually finishing creative projects that I start, especially writing stories and things like that. I would always start something, hate it, and start over. Since playing a game has a very clear path and endpoint, that would make stickign with it and finishing easier. Plus, since the videos would be public and presumably watched by people, I would feel more of a pressure to actually finish.
<Sepharos> Would you say your first LP series was successful? Why or why not?
<Datai> From a social perspective, it was much more sucessful than I could have ever hoped. I got a couple hundred subscribers, and a community that liked my work and encouraged me to continue. Plus, I created a huge spike in popularity for solo-Pokemon playthroughs and video series that lasted for a good year or so afterwards. For people to start video series because they liked what I did is a huge honor. But from an artistic perspective, at least in retrospect, I think it's a terrible series in just about every regard and would have difficulty saying that it was successful in creating an actually high-quality project. But I can't really argue with the social results!
<Sepharos> How do you decide which game you play for a Let's Play?
<Datai> It depends on a huge number of things. If it's a game from a series that I haven't covered before, it's probably a game that I really enjoy that I've either gotten into recently or rediscovered. My Banjo-Kazooie playthrough happened because I was playing around with my old Nintendo 64 and remembered how much I loved Banjo-Kazooie as a kid. If it's a game in a series that I've covered before, it's usually a thought like, "I haven't done a Zelda game in a while. I should do one." For co-op playthroughs, it's whatever my co-commentator and I agree would be fun. If Liko is involved, that conclusion is often reached by browsing online lists of co-op games and seeing what strikes our fancy. And then there are games that come out, I fall in love with, and want to do a series on as soon as possible - Black/White and Skyward Sword both fall into this category. And none of these are steadfast rules - every series has some unique explanation as to why I chose that series at that time.
<Sepharos> What goals do you usually have for each game you LP?
<Datai> If it's a single-person commentary, my vague guideline is to show off the game as much as possible while not being extremely tedious and boring. That's why I try to show every locale in a Pokemon game, but don't complete the Pokedex or show every last trainer fight. I like to get 100% item completion for games with item collection as a primary motivator, like Metroid or Banjo-Kazooie. The only exception would be the case of self-imposed challenge runs - but I even subverted that in Pokemon Black/White. In the case of co-commentaries, though, I don't generally want to drag my cohorts through a bunch of tedious stuff. We just try to get to the end of the game and have a good time while doing, it, and hopefully the viewer can have fun along with us. Less informative, more fun.
<Sepharos> Which LP would you say has been your favourite so far and why?
<Datai> Every time I look back at my old series, I think they're signficiantly worse than whatever I'm working on at the time. I was really proud of my Luigi's Mansion series when I first made it, but now I have trouble watching it. As of right now, I think Pokemon Black/White is my best work just because I put so much effort into the planning, the challenge, the recording, and the editing and demonstrated the game really extensively. But even then, there are a number of flaws (usually with the commentary) that I'm sure the future me won't be able to overlook. Hopefully, though, Skyward Sword will overtake that throne.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite moment of any particular LP that you've done?
<Datai> I'll always be partial to the moment I first beat Cynthia in the Starly Only Run, if only because it was the climax and culmination of all the effort I put into my very first series - it was an emotional release for me at the time, and I'm still really proud of it. Other than that, my favorite moments are times when I got creative with the editing for a joke. I really like the bit in my Luigi's Mansion series where I fight Sir Weston, an ice ghost, and have me saying "this guy's a jerk" over and over in stereo sound. And there's a short joke in my Pokemon Black/White series when I act as if I have a mental breakdown upon seeing a Pikachu decoration, during which both the video and audio distorts like a found-footage horror movie.
<Sepharos> Are there any particular games you'd like to LP in the future?
<Datai> Quite a few! With the recent announcement that Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 will be fully-fledged sequels, rather than enchanced versions of the originals, a dual playthrough of those games in the style of my Black/White series is definitely on my list. Banjo-Tooie is also going to happen sometime this year - it's near and dear to many of my viewers, and I have some strong opinions about it. I have a Portal 2 Co-Op playthrough almost entirely recorded that will be uploaded in the near future. I plan to record another co-op game with my friend Liko sometime this summer, although the exact game is still under consideration. When the New Super Mario Brothers Wii Romhack/Mod "Newer Super Mario Brothers Wii" is released, I want to gather the cast of my NSMBW series to play through it. I also have some ideas for a Sonic Generations series. Plus, the completion of my Skyward Sword playthrough which is unfortunately on hold right now.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about being a Let's Player?
<Datai> I really like interacting with people and hearing their opinions about games or opinions that I have. Even though there are people who I disagree with, or people who aren't exactly... eloquent, I still really like learning what people have to say. I learn a lot about a game not just by researching for commentary or practicing playing the game, but by hearing what people have to say after the fact. It's really neat!
<Sepharos> Have you ever done a blind LP?
<Datai> My Link's Awakening series was pretty close to blind - I had played the first two dungeons, but never further, so my knowledge was mostly through random bits of information that I had heard over the years. Overall, I think the series suffered for it - I would stumble around, lost and frustrated, and people who had grown up with the game would get frustrated at my inability to solve the puzzle or find my way. At the time, I didn't have a grasp for editing out such sections, so the end result was a combination of frustration and dullness. The latter sectons of my co-op Spectrobes: Origins series were also blind - Liko and I had played through several planets to get a strong grasp of the gameplay and plot, but decided to record the series without having beaten the game. Luckily, that game was signficiantly easierto figure out, but Liko certainly got frustrated at the end, which led to some rather bitter commentary on his part. Lastly, my upcoming Portal 2 Co-Op series is blind for both players, but will be edited to demonstrate our though processes but minimize downtime. Plus, if we felt braindead, we would stop recording and come back when we were in better condition. Hopefully it will work well!
<Sepharos> What is your general setup or programs you use whilst recording and editing LP videos?
<Datai> If I'm recording from my Wii, I record with a Hauppauge HD-PVR and the software packaged with it. If I'm recording from an emulator, I tend to use the emulator's built-in recording capability whenever possible. And for PC games, I use FRAPS. For my commentary, I record audio with a Blue Yeti microphone into Audacity. On the off chance I need some sort of custom image, I make it in Photoshop. Once I have all that, it all goes into Sony Vegas (I have Vegas Movie Studio because I'm cheap) - that's where all the editing happens. I export an AVI with the Lagarith Codec and compress it into an MP4 in a program cald MeGUI.
<Sepharos> What would you say is most difficult about being a Let's Player?
<Datai> Not settling into a routine. Every series should be distinctive, because you should always have unique opinions about every game you cover. And every episode of the series should be distinctive, because every secton of the game (usually) presents something new to discuss. This has been a big issue for me with my recent Metroid: Other M series. It feels so repetitive and dull that I feel like a broken record, talking about long linear corridors over and over. The parts I'm passionate about are few and far between, so I need to work to make each part distinct. I've seen a lot of people fall prey to routine, and you can always hear it in their voice. It's why I feel it necessary to experiment with different series, or at least alternate kinds of games. You don't want to get stuck.
<Sepharos> What do you believe makes you unique compared to other Let's Players?
<Datai> I wish I knew the answer to that better! If I really knew my strengths, I could play to them. But something I really value about my commentary is that I am willing to critique things about games that I like, and praise things about games that I don't like. One could compare my Skyward Sword series to my Other M series - I like the prior and not the latter, but I try to provide fair evaluation of each game and note what does and doesn't work, because each game has its strengths and weaknesses. I think a lot of Let's Players set out to either sell a game that they love or trash a game that they hate; while I certainly make my overall opinion clear, I'm willing to note times when there are things contrary to my overall opinion. And I always try to have that critical portion of my head working.
<Sepharos> Are there any other Let's Players you look up to?
<Datai> BikdipOnABus likes to be hard on himself for being lazy, but when he works to create something special, he really goes all-out. He put something like 15 hours into the finale of his FireRed Omega playthrough, animating a clever special credits sequence. And he made his own goshdarned game complete with complex cinematics. And he does absolutely ridiculous challenges like his Metroid Prime 23% LP, devoting tons of time to accomplishing a ridiculous goal. You can tell he puts so much work and so much love into these projects. I really look up to his work ethic, and think of projects like those whenever I'm editing something complex.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered quitting as a Let's Player?
<Datai> There are certainly times when a series has slogged and the passion dies. And there are times when my schedule becomes so hectic, I wonder how long I'll be able to maintain Let's Playing. But then I start looking forward to a new series that will really excite me. I think of all the cool things I can do with a game, and all the opinions I have to share. The passion always comes back to me. And sometimes I have to remind myself that it's playing video games. I'm allowed to relax, sit back, and have fun. If I ever consider stopping, it's a sign that I'm stressing out and need to chill - because Let's Playing should always be fun. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing it.
<Sepharos> How has being a Let's Player affected your life?
<Datai> I've always been a very anti-social person, so putting my voice on the Internet was originally a very strange and somewhat uncomfortable experience for me. Four years later, I'm much more capable of forming ideas and speaking them. People actually care about what I have to say in my videos, and that's an awesome confidence boost. It still took some actor training to finally break the barrier between the Internet and "Real Life" and get me to stand in front of a crowd, but I wouldn't feel nearly as confident and wouldn't have the stage charisma that I do without my work as a Let's Player. Anyone who has seen me speak before an audience can attest that I'm a different creature onstage - and I think that creature developed significantly from Let's Playing.

<Sepharos> Jake, what first introduced you into gaming?
<Datai> I think my cousins had an SNES with Donkey Kong Country and The Lion King - when we visited, we would occasionally play it. I was still so young, I don't know if I consciously realized that what I saw was a video game. I don't know if I even got to play, but I still have very clear memories of the level in The Lion King based on "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" with the monkeys throwing Simba around. The first game that I know that I played was Pokemon Blue, which I got along with a Gameboy Color for Christmas in either '98 or '99 (I really wish I knew which). And even though I was terrible at it and didn't beat it until years later, it stuck with me and made a lasting impression.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about gaming?
<Datai> I think it's that every game presents a different experience - you can go to so many different worlds and interact with them in so many different ways. And even if you don't care for a particular genre, there are so many others you cna choose from. You can play a different game depending on your mood, or you can have a rapidfire gaming session with a variety of different styles. It's much harder to do that with TV shows, movies, or books while still getting a complete experience. You can play through one level in a game, or do one sidequest, or grab one star - or you can do significantly more. There's so much diversity and flexibility!
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite video game series is and why?
<Datai> I don't know if I could possibly choose one - like I said, with all the diversity that gaming provides, different series scratch different itches, so to speak. For example. coming home with my copy of Skyward Sword and diving into Hyrule was just as exciting as choosing my starter Pokemon in Pokemon White and meeting all the new Pokemon in Unova. And there are games in both series that I love to revisit and play around with. I would place Pokemon, Zelda, Metroid, Mario, and Sonic at the top of my list, but I couldn't put them in any order.
<Sepharos> Could you choose a favourite game of all time?
<Datai> At one point, I would have said Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. It was a tremendous part of my childhood, and I would often just blze through it in an afternoon. Its overworld is dense and filled with cool things, the puzzles are (almost) never obtuse, and the combat difficulty scaled just right. None of it felt like filler - it was a really tight package. Of course, my view of it is tinted by rose-colored glasses. But, since I love so many current games so much that I again couldn't choose one, let's give the prize to Oracle of Seasons.
<Sepharos> Have you ever played Oracle of Ages as well?
<Datai> I have, although I don't like it as much as Seasons. I found many of the puzzles more frustrating than fun, and I distinctly remember despising the Goron minigames. Of course, if I had grown up with Ages rather than Seasons, I'm sure I would have the opposite opinion. Ages is still a very good game - the overworld is just as dense, and the difficulty curve is still excellent, and it has some really cool items. I know that Ages was designed with harder puzzles in mind, while Seasons was more designed for combat. Maybe I'm just a combat junkie!
<Sepharos> What is most important within a video game?
<Datai> For me, whether or not a game feels good to control is of utmost importance - you'll be in control for most of the game, it had better feel good. I've played versions of Tetris that felt really sticky for whatever reason, and those versions simply aren't as fun. It's a reason that I still have trouble really getting into Super Metroid - it's brilliantly designed, but I never quite get over the slow, floaty physics and clunky weapon switching. A game that feels good is a game I can play anytime.
<Sepharos> Is there any game character you feel you can relate with?
<Datai> Since I've stuck primarily to Nintendo consoles, I've missed many of the narrative-based games that would include such characters, so it's entirely possible that I missed characters that I would really relate to. I've certainly related to various characters at certain moments - I know how Link feels when Impa tells him that he's late partway through Skyward Sword, for example - but I haven't played a game that deeply addresses the issues that I personally go through. These are primarily issues of confidence and willingness to open oneself. Sure, they've been included as stereotypical character flaws for side characters, especially in JRPGs, but they haven't been explored in a deep and meaningful way as far as I'm aware.
<Sepharos> What gaming genres do you enjoy the most?
<Datai> Platformers are a mainstay of my library - Mario and Sonic are some of my favorites to pop in, and the various platforming challenges in Batman: Arkham City were some of my favorites parts of the game. Platformers are about a freedom of movement that I really dig. Other than that, puzzle games, so long as the puzzles are framed interestingly. Portal is great, Zelda is great, and Phoenix Wright is great, all because they pose their puzzles in interesting ways. Metroid games are, in their own way, puzzle games, in that you must determine how to reach your next location.
<Sepharos> How would you rank these in terms of importance within a video game: graphics, music, story, and gameplay?
<Datai> Gameplay>Music>Story>Graphics. Like I said, I put "feel" as my single most important part of a game, which is a major factor in gameplay. Music also contributes greatly to the "feel" of a game. The environment is really important! My lack of importance for plot might again stem from my not really playing narrative-based games growing up, but many of my favorite games are those that I can drop into and replay portions of at any point, like Mario Galaxy or Sonic Generations. Graphics, for me are more a matter of aesthetic. As long as a game's visuals all mesh together and don't look outstandingly garish or really brown, I tend to be able look past them. The cohesiveness of the graphics tends to contribute to the environment of the game more than their actual impressiveness.
<Sepharos> Do you follow gaming news at all?
<Datai> While I don'tread up on every little occurrence, I'm enough in the know that I hear abut major news events. Things like the outcry over Mass Effect 3's DLC and then its ending, or Tim Schafer's recent Kickstarter fundraiser. When you live online, information tends to get to you somehow. For me, it's usually sources like The Escapist or Penny Arcade, which I'm sure are horrible sources and everybody will hate me for learning from them.
<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<Datai> It's my primary hobby, for sure. I play games more than I watch movies or TV shows (or read books...). It's also a really significant way for me to bond with my friends - we're almost all gamers to some extent, so playing or discussing games is an easy way for us to break ice or have a fun time together. And of course, gaming eventually led to Let's Playing, and we know how that turned out.

<Sepharos> Besides gaming and LPs, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
<Datai> I run long-distance, I play flute in a jazz band, I sing in a chorus, and I act in theatre. I've done most of them since before becoming a Let's Player, and they haven't really been interrupted. All of them are just hobbies, and I don't know how much they'll continue after I graduate college, but we'll see!
<Sepharos> How do you prepare for each LP you do; how much work goes into preperation?
<Datai> I like to play through the game once before starting recording, so that I regain my skills and remember how the game goes. I'll often play through the game in further completion than the actual series will be - for my Metroid Prime 1 and 3 series, I beat each game 100% on Hypermode before recording on Normal Mode. I also like to find any relevant interviews or other lore that would be good to know as a way of explain certain design decisions, or as interesting trivia to throw in. Practice, though, is of utmost importance - for Skyward Sword, I would record each area twice, to make sure I got a good runthrough.
<Sepharos> What are you currently studying for as a career?
<Datai> Since I'm only a freshman (not for long!), my path isn't set in stone. But my current idea is to become an English teacher - I love English classes and the analysis involved with them, and teaching is a kind of performance and a way to share my ideas. But teaching also involves that interaction, that sharing of other people's opinions and ideas that I really like. It's up in the air, but the prospect appeals to me.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through an average day in the life of Jake?
<Datai> Most weekdays, I get up around eight. I go to the cafeteria, get scrambled eggs, a blueberry muffin, and apple juice, (always those three, in that order) and then head to whatever class I have first that morning. My time from nine o'clock to three o'clock is some mixture of classes and breaks, until I get back to my dorm room. I then have dinner with people from my dorm, and then usually some sort of rehearsal. I just got done with a show, which will free up a lot of time. I shove homework into whatever breaks I can, but most of it falls in the evening. Recording for playthroughs is kind of shoved into breaks the same way homework is, except on weekends. Overall, I think my day is that of a typical college student. Classes, homework, an extracurricular or two, and goofing off on the Internet whenever time allows (or the urge strikes).
<Sepharos> Do you have a lifelong dream or goal, and if so, how do you plan on reaching them?
<Datai> The last time I was asked a question like this, it was something like "to have someone I've never met recognize me and call me by name." I think that would be the greatest honor I could ask for. Honestly, I don't have a plan for making it happen. I perform in all sorts of groups, and of course I make my Internet presence known. It certainly won't happen if I don't get out there and be outgoing - but I think part of it will be taking all the opportunities that life throws at me.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers or your fans?
<Datai> I wouldn't and couldn't do it without all the viewers out there. I love to hear from them; their support and contributions make this whole gig a whole lot better. I hope I can continue to entertain for a long time to come. Also, be sure to smile every day! And stay in school!

<Sepharos> Lester, of all the MMORPGs you've played, which would you say is your favourite and why?
<SolanoFate> Eden Eternal, because it has a lot more freedom character building-wise. Also, it's the only one I've played that allows you to freely change your class at any time.
<Sepharos> How did you originally discover Eden Eternal and what was your first impression of the game?
<SolanoFate> I first discovered Eden Eternal via a friend who sent me a link for the site when I told her I was gonna quit SR. I liked the game a lot, and still continue to do so.
<Sepharos> Could you give a brief description of your character and their pros and cons?
<SolanoFate> I main their warlock class. Pros about warlocks are that although they have low defense (like all magic classes do), warlocks have an HP regenerative skill and can summon a pet to assist in battle. Said pet can even tank monsters to an extent, though I tend to use it more for its HP regen skill (requires you to sacrifice 25% of the pet's max HP to activate). Pros about my warlock is that I built it for cast speed, so I instant cast every spell, whether it would be putting DOTs (Damage over Time skills) on my target, or slamming dark/fire magic into them, or quickly summoning my pet between battles, or even throwing my enemies into a Fear state, where (with my skill and buff on it) they cannot perform any action for 7 seconds. Cons about my warlock is that although I can sacrifice my pet to reduce 30% of all incoming damage and increase Magic Crit rate for 30 seconds, my defense and M.Crit rate are still low. Warlocks and their skills and class talents (extra points you can put into a class to help its stats slightly) tend to lean towards M.Crit rate, so my refusal to abide by its original intent (I.E. my going cast speed build) lowers my warlock's capabilities slightly, since I don't land critical hits as often as I should, or my critical hits don't hit as hard. Also, with cast speed builds, the main stat is agility, whereas most who do crit builds is luck. Luck comes with it critical hit chance and accuracy, whereas agility comes cast speed and evasion. So naturally, in PvP against people who worship evasion, I tend to have trouble hitting my target. As for how I counter my cons, I tend to simply double dot my targets and kite them (In non-gamer terms, I attack with two damage-over-time skills, and run away from the enemy while keeping both damage-over-time skills stacked on my target). Since DoTs aren't direct damage, they ignore evasion. I can also use my summon pet's HP to recover mine for when I do get hit, but since I instant cast, and one of the two DoTs also lowers the enemy's move speed while inflicting damage, I don't get hit as often as one would think.
<Sepharos> Is there anything you'd change about Eden Eternal if you had the opportunity?
<SolanoFate> The lag, which they're working on right now (they server merged less than a week ago). Also, the world EE takes place in is pretty small. I'd like the maps to be way larger, or have tons more of them, like SR did.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered quitting, if so, why?
<SolanoFate> Only once, and it was when they nerfed one of the classes. I feared they (the hosts of the game) were going to nerf all the other classes to compensate, so I went to Dragon Nest temporarily. Once I confirmed that not only were they not going to do so, but also that they reduced the nerf on the one class, I moved back. I was gone for about a week.

<Sepharos> Mark, you are known as Empolo, a Let's Player, on YouTube; what first introduced you into the field and why did you decide to become a Let's Player?
<Empolo> One of, if not the first people who got me into "Let's Plays" was NintendoCapriSun himself. Now it's not because of the reasons that he's popular these days. Not the toilet humor, his new fancy editing or anything. It was his game choice. I know a lot of starting LPer's always choose a game that will get them subscribers, but NCS always did games that connected to him on a personal level. Most noteably his Megaman 3, and Secret of Mana LP's.
<Sepharos> Did you have any goals prior to starting your first LP?
<Empolo> I did not have any goals what so ever. Still to this day I have no goals I wish to achieve through LP's. My only "goal" is to put out content that is of a good quality. I know lots of people can do games better than I can, but with the resources I have I'd say I put out a decent video. I also try to please what little fans I have. My current Fire Emblem LP is a "Fanservice" LP of sorts, and with the accepting response to Chrono Trigger I've decided to add that to the "Fan" list of games.
<Sepharos> Would you say your first LP series was successful? Why or why not?
<Empolo> My first LP was a colossal train wreck. Now I say this in the easiest of terms. When I first started LP's I was just like any Joe Schmo. I was recording with Camstudio (a freeware) off of an NES Emulator. Editing it in Windows Movie Maker, and doing Post commentary. Just recently I re-watched my first LP (which was Startropics) with friends, and we had a blast calling out all the nonsense in each video.
<Sepharos> How do you decide which game you play for a Let's Play?
<Empolo> I actually get this question a lot from people who want to start up a channel. My first, and only response to this is to choose a game that you know well, and enjoy. That's all there is. It's the simplest answer I can give. My first game was "StarTropics" because it was one of my favorite and most loved games as a kid. With the set up I had then I didn't do the game justice. Now I have a live commentary version of the LP which I titled "Let's Play Re: Startropics." To date this is the only game on my channel I've re-done.
<Sepharos> How much planning goes into each individual LP?
<Empolo> For me, None. There really is no planning. Same with how my whole life has been. Just like how I live day to day, my LP's are all spur of the moment each episode. I do try to keep a "schedule" of sorts when I upload a game, but as for planning out an LP there's not much involvement. I don't do any fancy editing, and I don't do like side bars or the like. I just do the game, and my commentary. Simplicity has always been something I've enjoyed.
<Sepharos> Are there any particular games you'd like to LP in the future?
<Empolo> Most games I'd like to LP are games I cannot currently record. As my hardware is hardly sufficient to even record and edit games as is, I'm really not able to do the games I'd like. NintendoCapiSun has let me use his hardware while he's away at conventions to do games I'd like to do. Ocarina of Time is one instance, as well as the now uploading "Metroid: Other M". I did do an LP of Kirby's Return to Dreamland (Kirby's Adventure Wii for you international fans), but the quality of the videos wasn't as on par as I'd have liked, so I scrapped the project in it's entirety.
<Sepharos> What goals or aspirations do you have as a Let's Player in general?
<Empolo> Once again with the goals, there's not many. I know early on my channel was mostly a "Pokemon" based channel, simply showing how I play the games. Now I'm trying to open up and take suggestions for games. Fire Emblem being one of the longest, and most successful ones to date. I want to show people that there's more to playing a video game then just plopping down in front of a screen and pushing buttons. You can really take in the story, atmosphere, characters, and even some of the dramatics of a game.
<Sepharos> How do you typically prepare a LP series? What about individual videos?
<Empolo> Not quite sure what you mean with this question. Preparing an LP series... Well I guess you'd mean like how to I get ready for the game. Pretty much for most games I play I already know the story, maps, etc. For games like Fire Emblem (which require some tactic) I play one chapter in advance. Games like Chrono Trigger I don't play in advance because I want my fans to be able to experience the game with me. Hear my reactions, and see all the falters that a new player makes when venturing into a new game.
<Sepharos> Is there any other Let's Player that you look up to?
<Empolo> Oh man... this is gonna be hard to narrow some down. Well I've always been one to enjoy Let's Players from the "Lower Ranks" as I call them. Pretty much channels with less than 10k subscribers. New people fresh on the field. I've recently been doing some viewing out to international channels like the Irish LPer's "RockPaperMario" and "ShaunofNintendo". Although I do enjoy the style of some other LPer's who are a bit older, but still not "Mainstream". One of my favorites that's just returned to LP's is "SirRonLionHeart". And over dramatic, but also very good acting LPer. If you want a wild ride I suggest either his Final Fantasy IV or Super Metroid LP's.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite Let's Play that you've done?
<Empolo> This is also a toughie. Man, I've done so many games. By far the one that took the most time, and I'm most proud of is Ocarina of Time. Getting 63 rendered videos out, a good handful of them with guest commentators, and showing about 90% of the game in under a week. Pretty good. But as for my favorite game I've done it would have to be the Oracle's pair (Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons).
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite moment of any particular LP that you've done?
<Empolo> Good gawd. The Forest Temple from Ocarina of Time. Me and Amanda (SplitableInfinitive) had a blast doing that temple. One of the other favorite moments was finishing up my Pokemon Fire Red LP and doing the over dramatic voices and scenes during the Elite Four battles.
<Sepharos> How do you decide which game you play for a Let's Play?
<Empolo> This pretty much has the same answer for what I tell new channels to do. Pick a game you are either interested in (to do a blind LP), or a game that you know well and love. As for me, I'm also limited to the games I can play on my computer (emulators), and how hard my computer will have to run to get them to work. So far I've not played anything "Newer" than Gameboy Advance, but that excludes Nintendo64 games.
<Sepharos> Have you ever gone through an LP blind?
<Empolo> I'm currently doing Chrono Trigger blind. I must say I'm loving every second of it. The characters, the music, the story, and also time travel. There's so much that I could talk about this game, but for someone who's played it they'd just nod in agreement. By far the best thing I've seen yet in the game is the battle mechanics, as well as how the game "Controls" your party members. Making it so there are only three at a time.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about doing LPs?
<Empolo> Just getting to share my love of a game with people is really the best part. I know that editing and recording are a drag sometimes, and you just don't want to do it. That's okay though, because later you'll be feeling like a million bucks, and you'll crank out episodes of an LP and have five, or even ten stockpiled.
<Sepharos> What is most difficult about doing LPs?
<Empolo> For me it's making sure my computer doesn't overheat while rendering. I know it's a stupid thing, but it's so true. Wait, correction. Overheating while rendering, AND recording. I actually have to prop up my laptop on top of DS game boxes so it's off the table and the fan is exposed. That's for recording. As for rendering, well I lay my computer on it's side opened at about a 30 degree angle, and point a floor fan at it. Keeping my computer cool is the most difficult part. Recording the content, and editing is a snap.
<Sepharos> What is your general setup or programs you use whilst recording and editing LP videos?
<Empolo> There are three programs I use. My emulators (Currently Visualboyadvance [GBA games] and Zsnes), Fraps (to record the games) and Sony Vegas (For editing). My method of recording is actually quite unorthodox, as I have a headset, but I don't wear it. I actually have it set near my computer so it works like a standing mic. Fraps picks up the sound from the mic from both the game sound (Playing from the computer) and my own commentary. Then it just mashes it all onto the video file from the emulator, and presto. Slap it in vegas, mess with some settings, and render.
<Sepharos> What do you believe makes you unique compared to other Let's Players?
<Empolo> I don't think there's really anything unique about me. I'm actually one of those people that pulls from everyone. It's always been how I am. My own personality is one that mirrors those around me. I want to blend in, feel accepted by the people I'm around. So my personality changes depending on the group I'm with. The same applies in my LP's.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered quitting as a Let's Player?
<Empolo> I know the time will come when I must quit doing LP's. It's not a source of Income, and there's nothing in it for me except for making friends and such. I always wanted to be an entertainer, and this was a great outlet for me. I'm sure eventually I'll stop, but by then I'll not need them anymore. I'll have left a legacy of over a thousand videos. A personal back log of the life I lived while I was in the LP community. Just a bundle of video memories I got to share with thousands of people.
<Sepharos> How has being a Let's Player affected your life?
<Empolo> Well for one I play more games. As for other things I don't read as much (like I even read anyway), and I talk to people more. I lean new ways to play a game, and more often than not if it's a game I'm good at (like Kirby's Nightmare in Dreamland for example) I'll take it on as a challenge. Currently I'm trying to beat the WR for a single-segment run.

<Sepharos> Mark, What first introduced you into gaming?
<Empolo> Gaming (as I think of it) is when you play a game for more than two hours a day. So previous to let's plays I was not a "gamer". However, there was a time when I was serious about getting a game done. My first game that I personally owned was a copy of Pokemon Red Version I got for my 10th birthday. Because it was my own I could play it whenever I wanted, and following suit I decided that it must be finished before I get a new game. Since then, it's always been like me to play a game to it's extent, and then get a new game. I personally enjoy games with long Playtimes, rather then the content of the game, or how easy/difficult the game is.
<Sepharos> Do you recall what your first video game was?
<Empolo> Looking back, it was probably Super Mario Brothers 3 (For the NES). We owned an NES in my parents house, and of course eventually I took to and it was a great game. Back then it was hella hard for me to even get past world two. Now a days I can rip the game a new one, but I still loved the days of me sitting on the floor trying to beat a level over and over again.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite video game series is?
<Empolo> Pokemon. All day long,, all day strong. I've been sucked into the games most people call "Childish" since I first got Pokemon Red Version for my 10th birthday (which will be 13 years ago this coming September). I played them to the full extent, even going the length to find someone with the opposing colour game to trade for all the pokemon. I've (to date) gotten the region dex on one game from each Generation, as well as completing my national dex on Pokemon Ruby (Gen III), as well as Diamond (Gen IV). I haven't completed the Natl. Dex on White (Gen V) as all I'd need to do is just port over the pokemon from Diamond, and I'm not about to spend hours doing that.
<Sepharos> Why do you like that game series?
<Empolo> As I said, I buy a game for total playtime. Most people play a Pokemon game, get a good team, beat the Elite Four and they're done. But for me the true challenge is getting all the Pokemon. From the most common ones like Pidgey and Zubat, to the rarest of rares like Chansey and the elusive Mew. The games not done till you've fulfilled the request of Oak. Collect all the data from every species of Pokemon. The same holds true for the new games, all of them.
<Sepharos> What is your favourite video game of all time and why?
<Empolo> StarTropics. Despite me not giving it the justice it deserves as a game in my first LP, it's a great game. Even with some people calling it a "Zelda ripoff" it's still amazing. It has elements that not even the Zelda games had. A main weapon that's unusual (A yo-yo) that upgrades to a Mace (Shooting Star), and a... Something that shoots lazer balls (Super Nova). It also gives you cool sub-weapons to use like the Cleats, Split-Shurikens, and freaking Bolas! The dungeon layouts are amazing, and even some enemy placement is just superb. The story is what drives it. Simple and good. A boy looking for his uncle. That's it, the whole premise of the game. Aside from Mike (the main characters) slippery delayed walking in the Dungeon portions, the rest of the game is spot on with Puzzles, and fast paced boss battles.
<Sepharos> What about video games interests you most?
<Empolo> More often than not it's the gameplay and the story. I know graphics are good, but sometimes they overshadow the real story of the game. Take "Metroid: Other M" for example. Now it's not your typical Metroid game. There's cutscenes, emotions expressed from a character who's more often than not referred to as a "bad-ass", and there's no sense of solitude form which the other games pull. But the story is just too good to pass up. Heck, the whole "Mother" series is one big story. I mean if you're not attached to the characters from a "Mother" game by the end, then you need to reset, and play that game again. Read the dialogue, there's good stuff.
<Sepharos> What is most important within a video game?
<Empolo> Pretty sure this and the last question were about the same. In anycase, it's story and character development. If a game doesn't have good characters, then what's the point of having them in there. Fire Emblem does a great job in showcasing the correct balance between: strategy, characters, plot, and action. There's not a single time where you don't get to learn more about a character. Heck, there's three modes to play. Each of them focusing on one of the three main lords of the game. A girl from a small village in the plains (Lyndis), a boy from a kingdom who only wants peace (Eliwood), and a son from the greatest military force in the land (Hector). If you don't understand the mind, or the feelings of these three characters by the end of the game, well you should definitely (once again), hit reset and plya again.
<Sepharos> How would you rank these in terms of importance within a video game: graphics, music, story, and gameplay?
<Empolo> I'd have to go (From best to least important): Story, Gameplay, Music, Graphics. You can have one hell of a sharp looking game, but if it falters on the story, or it's gameplay is to clunky I won't buy it. Just look at the comparison between the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy VII is one of the highest rated on the list. Second to that is Final Fantasy X, only because they sacrificed a little bit of the story for some better graphics.
<Sepharos> What genres do you enjoy most?
<Empolo> It's a hard tie between Action and strategy games. I'm not a big JRPG person (as I've never played a Final Fantasy game up until a month or so ago), and if it is an RPG, more often than not it'll be a western title. I like games that make you think, plan out how you want to do something. Action games don't quite follow that, but you do need to learn how to navigate an area before you can just breeze through it. Enemy placement, power ups, secret areas, etc.
<Sepharos> Do you follow gaming news at all?
<Empolo> No. All the news I hear is all from word of mouth. Having someone mention a game is coming out, or that they just found this new game that's been like buried in the media. I tend to ignore news of games because I don't want to be excited for a game that might potentially disappoint me. Usually I only seek out gaming news that's relevant to a series I enjoy. Pokemon for example, they're having a second pair of games for the Black/White series. Appropriately titled "Pokemon Black2, and Pokmeon White2"
<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<Empolo> I dunno if it's really affected my life, but it has been nice to have. I do enjoy games, just like anyone does. That doesn't go to say that if I didn't play games I would be miserable. It also means that gaming has been the thing that I do when I want to relax, chill, have a good time. Just like how someone would sit down with a good book, I like to slap a game in and play.

<Sepharos> Besides gaming and LPs, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
<Empolo> Not many. I'm currently working on writing a book, but that is just something on the side. I really have no hobbies. Let's Plays are my hobby. I don't collect anything, and I don't enjoy much aside from a nice breezy day. I don't study mechanics, I don't write computer code, or fix things. I just like to live. Living is my hobby, and I do that every day.
<Sepharos> Have you or do you plan on turning any of your interests into a career?
<Empolo> Not really. As turning Let's Plays into a career requires a partnership I don't see that as a career option. I dunno who would want to have someone like me "work" for them. What I do is entertaining to some, but it shouldn't be something that I need to do as a job. As for career options, well I'll take any job I can. Doesn't matter what colour the collar is.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through an average day in the life of Mark?
<Empolo> It's pretty simple. Get up, shower, eat, chill on the computer for a few hours, upload, watch videos while I eat lunch or something, watch move videos, maybe record, play a game, eat again for dinner, play more games, and then go back to sleep. Being unemployed sucks, but if I did have a job about 7 hours of "work" would be in that mix. I lead a simple and sometimes boring life. Most often it's boring because I don't have the means to go out and do things. "Fun" things all cost money. Like going to the movies, driving to the beach, going out with friends to dinner, or to go to a "Bring your own beer" party. No money means I just stay here, and do things that are free. Like walking and such.
<Sepharos> Do you have a lifelong dream or goal?
<Empolo> My life long dream is to one day have someone say, "He lived a good life". That means that I'll be dead yes, but people will know who I was, what I thought, and where my loyalties lie. I'll have children to remember me by, and laugh at how silly I was on the internet.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers or your fans?
<Empolo> Yeah, this took a long time to type out. It's not a bother, but man I need some kind of hand cream or something. In all seriousness though, for someone like me I got it pretty good. I've always been a simple living person. I don't need much, just enough. If I gotta live "dime and nickel" as my mother says, then I will. We all die sometime, and for some it's sooner than we hope. No matter when that day is, you should be entitled to the best life you can live with what you have. Play the cards as they are dealt, and cash in when you need to. Don't "put all your eggs in one basket" as the saying goes. Life is worth living, and if you don't think it is, you're not living. As Red (from Shawshank Redemption) once said, "You either get busy living, or you get busy dying." I like to say I'm busy living.

<Sepharos> Josh, you are known online as BikdipOnABus, a Let's Player on YouTube; how did you discover LPs and what your initial impression of the idea?
<BikdipOnABus> I was first introduced to video-making in general with the Super Mario 64 video quiz hosted on GameFAQs. Before that, I already had plans to record a speedrun of Bikdip's Adventure 2 (one of the games I made, which I'm sure will be explained later on), so finding a program to do it with was definitely appealing to me. For my first year or so on youtube, I made various videos about games without any sort of voiceover. It wasn't until I did the popular I Wanna Be The Guy playthrough that I was eventually contacted by someone asking if I ever thought about doing LPs, and this was the first time I ever even heard of the term. So from what I remember, I watched a couple, thought "this might be interesting to try", and so started out with the NES Metroid video to test the waters. I thought it turned out pretty good, so I kept going with it.
<Sepharos> Was there anything you wanted to accomplish or specifically practice in your first LP?
<BikdipOnABus> If by "first LP" you mean the Metroid video, it was basically just to see how I'd be able to handle playing the game while talking about it at the same time. I was worried that it would be too hard to focus on playing well and giving a consistent narration. After that, I decided on Metroid 2: Return of Samus as my first real project (For some reason, I had plans to do all the Metroid games, but soon realized how boring that would be, so I abandoned the idea). I mainly wanted to show off the game, because it's probably the least appreciated in the series, and I managed to learn the layout of the game pretty well from previous playthroughs.
<Sepharos> How did your Let's Play of Metroid 2: Return of Samus turn out, in your opinion?
<BikdipOnABus> Looking back at it, it definitely isn't that great. I have this sort of attitude that "making a reference to something = instant humor". I've continued to do that sort of thing even in more recent LPs, but I handle it a bit better, and don't do it quite as often. Then there's the matter of part 3 of that LP, where I go through the entire video pretending that Tristan from Yu-gi-oh the Abridged Series is playing the game with me. It was a very odd concept, and led to a few funny moments, but I never did anything like that again because it was very hard to keep up the illusion (what little of an illusion there was), and is kind of a hokey idea in general.
<Sepharos> Josh, you've done several challenge runs for different games you've LP'd; could you elaborate on which you think was your most difficult, why, and which is your favourite?
<BikdipOnABus> The most difficult could probably be one of two things - the Metroid Prime 23% run, and the Mario Sunshine coinless run. Prime was difficult simply because it's a difficult challenge. I had done it before, but some of the tricks are really hard to pull off, and surviving with such little health is also a problem. Sunshine coinless was a different matter entirely, because I went into that challenge not even knowing if it was possible. I figured that I'd probably drop the restriction at some point, but as it turned out, nearly every mission in the game could be completed without collecting any coins - the Red Coin Fish in Noki Bay was especially terrible, and the fact that I managed to pull it off (in only 7 or 8 attempts, if I remember correctly) still amazes me. I have quite a few other challenge runs, but I think those two were definitely the ones that pushed me the hardest, unless I'm forgetting a major one somewhere. Mario 64 coinless wasn't actually that bad aside from a couple stars that I saved for the end. So if I had to pick a favorite, I'd probably go with Prime, if only because that's one of my favorite games, and it was my first console LP, which I think went really well.
<Sepharos> How do you decide what games you're going to LP and do you take recommendations?
<BikdipOnABus> I mainly pick games that I'm quite familiar with and have some sort of personal connection to, so that way I'll have lots of stuff to talk about. I try to stay away from uber-popular games unless I have a unique restriction that makes my playthrough of it stand out from all the others. But I haven't played that many obscure games, so I still usually do stuff that most gamers have at least heard of. Another thing I liked to do was pick a game that I had played and beaten at some point, but not anytime recently, so that I could go into the game not already having the entire map memorized, but not going in blind either. I think my first actual blind LP was Wario Land 4 (I'm probably forgetting something though - not counting Oracle of Seasons because it was dropped early on), and those sorts of playthroughs are a bit of a mixed bag. I like discovering things, but I don't like worrying about taking too long and annoying people who know the game very well. I do ocassionally listen to recommendations, but very rarely will I take one person's suggestion and run with it, unless it was the winner of a contest or something like that. I think the only times I've truly caved in to demands were Mario Galaxy and Gex 3 (which I ditched).
<Sepharos> Are there any particular games you'd like to LP in the future?
<BikdipOnABus> I have a list on my website, actually: http://bikdiponabus.webs.com/LPList.html#Upcoming The ones I'm looking forward to the most are Mario Galaxy 2 (coinless, as tradition demands), and Ocarina of Time (where you never get the Master Sword and play through as much of the game as possible as Young Link, using a myriad of glitches). Right now I'm just hoping that I get back into the swing of things, because in the past few Pokemon Emerald segments I've recorded, I seem to have problems with providing interesting commentary. Hopefully I've just been out of practice for too long.
<Sepharos> How much planning and pracitce goes into any Let's Play that you do?
<BikdipOnABus> It really depends on the game. For LPs like Banjo-Tooie, where I'm already very familiar with the game and I'm not doing anything extreme with it, I don't need to plan anything, really. For games that I know well but want to do a challenge for, it sort of depends on my mood and what is coming up. If it's something really hard, I'll probably practice it a couple times before I record it. With some of the challenges (including the upcoming Galaxy 2 and Ocarina of Time LPs), I've already completed the challenge at some point, just unrecorded. But with some like Mario Sunshine, like I said earlier, I just go into it blind and hope for the best. Overall there isn't much of a trend, it just depends on how I'm feeling and how hard it's going to be.
<Sepharos> You've done several co-commentaries before in your LP's, notably with Brynna and your Pikmin 2 LP; how do you decide what games to have a co-commentator and how do you decide who's right for the job?
<BikdipOnABus> With Majora's Mask, I decided on a whim to ask Brynna to co-commentate with me because I wasn't sure how interesting I'd be able to make the LP on my own, and I had just watched her Master Quest LP. (Keep in mind that we actually met through the Majora's Mask LP - if not for that, we wouldn't be a couple right now). She's been included in other LPs since then whenever I feel that a second person is necessary. For Pikmin 2, I had sort of the same approach, and would have most likely not even recorded any of the footage if Fiona (a friend I met online, who incidently I really need to get back into contact with) hadn't agreed to be in it. Eventually she abandoned ship, so I replaced her with a fan who knew a lot about the game and was eager to be in some videos. Other than those, the only other co-commentor I've had is Tim, who I don't think has actually been in any of my personal LPs yet, but will be in a couple upcoming ones. He's just another fan, and we get along well, so it seemed natural. Currently, I don't have any plans to include any other co-commentators for future videos.
<Sepharos> Prior to beginning LP'ing, was there any Let's Player you looked up to? Who do you look up to today?
<BikdipOnABus> As I said earlier, I wasn't aware of other LPers before I started doing it. I know I watched a few videos to grasp the concept of narrating over games, but I can't actually remember what I watched. So when I started doing it myself, the only people I could really compare to were reviewers like the Angry Video Game Nerd and Spoony. Not much has really changed since then. I do watch other LPs from time to time, but none of the big-name people like chuggaaconroy or NintendoCapriSun. I watch most of Datai's videos and sometimes unintentially start copying his way of doing things, plus he was a bit of inspiration for my FireRed Omega playthrough. Overall I wouldn't say I look up to anyone in particular, but I have had some influences here and there.
<Sepharos> What would you say has been your favourite LP of another Let's Player?
<BikdipOnABus> This might sound like a strange choice, but the first thing that comes to mind was Shadowgate done by madamluna and DeceasedCrab. From a technical standpoint, there's nothing that special about it, but it's absolutely hilarious. There's been other LPs that I really enjoyed, such as the one of Sonic 2006 by the pokecapn crew and various ridiculous Mario hacks by various people (such as ProtonJonSA and AzureBlade49), but honestly, as short and nonprofessional as the Shadowgate one was, I'm going to go with my gut and not second-guess myself. That thing was pure gold.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite LP that you've done?
<BikdipOnABus> Not really. The ones that the fans like (Metroid Prime, Mario Sunshine, FireRed Omega) probably top my list, but I don't have a definite favorite. I do think that Kaizo Mario 64 turned out really good though, and is better than any of the LPs that I've made since then. All the LPs of the games that I made (Mitch and the two Bikdip's Adventure games) are all pretty good. I definitely liked being able to advertise those games and get people interested in them, which I would have never been able to do without my LPing fanbase. And even without that, I had more to say about those games than any other, since I had lots of stories about the development process, and I was able to poke fun at my own terrible level design in parts.
<Sepharos> What do you believe makes you unique compared to other Let's Players?
<BikdipOnABus> To put it simply, I have a dry sense of humor. Most LPs I've watched are done by someone who's a lot more lively with their commentary. And this seems to be the accepted standard, because the most common negative comments I get are from people telling me I need to stop being so boring and monotone-sounding. I'm not that way though. The best way I can describe it is by comparing Spongebob to Squidward. The other LPers might sound a lot more energetic than me, but I'm fine just being my sarcastic, snarky self. I do get compared to Squidward pretty often, and while I don't think my voice really sounds like his, I don't entirely mind the comparision. He's my favorite character on the show for a reason.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about being a Let's Player?
<BikdipOnABus> I guess my favorite thing about it is being able to show off my skill at certain games, and letting more people know about some of the insane glitches that are in these classic games. Honestly, I think glitches are probably the most fun part of a lot of games, as long as they're not the kind that make it unbeatable. There's also a sense of pride to have so many people listening to what I have to say, and genuinely being interested in it. It's a concept that I never really got used to, and even though I do take it for granted sometimes, every once in a while someone will consider me to be famous or well-known, and while the truth in that is debatable, the fact that they might think that is a pretty cool feeling.
<Sepharos> On the other side of the same coin, why do you dislike about being a Let's Player?
<BikdipOnABus> There's two things I could say I don't like about it - haters, and commitment. Haters are self-explanitory, really. There's the kind who just swoop in, call me a douche, and leave, who are annoying, but ultimately not that bad. But then there's repeated offenders who seem to have a problem with everything I do, and sometimes target other people I care about, which is unacceptable. Commitment isn't as much of an issue, but it does give sort of a looming shadow of worry at times. By that, I basically mean that if I start to stray from my usual upload schedule, or take a break from it (the really long break I just got done with, especially), I start to feel like I'm letting everyone down, and NEED to make videos again quickly, and apologize for the downtime. When honestly, I do this because I enjoy it, and I have no real reason to stick to a strict schedule. What is important to me needs to come before what the fans want, and sometimes I don't realize that.
<Sepharos> Josh, how did you come up with your YouTube username, "BikdipOnABus?"
<BikdipOnABus> My original username that I would use for everything was "Jish", a name that somebody called me like, once or twice in like, 5th grade. Somehow I ended up sticking with it. I think the first time I ever needed a username longer than four characters was for the online game Gunbound, so I came up with BikdipOnABus, and have used that in most places since. Bikdip is a character from a series of terrible stories that I wrote along with my friend Harrison when we were in junior high. It's the yellow smily face with three eyes that's in my youtube icon and is the star of two of my games. The stupid part about all this is that the stories were called "Bargo the Bikdip", and indeed, Bikdip is only the name of the species, and Bargo is his actual name. But I pretty much use them interchangably. The "on a bus" part was a random addition that I came up with due to the fact that Jonah, one of my brothers, was strangely obsessed with buses when he was younger. It sounded funny, so I used it, and the name stuck.
<Sepharos> What is your general setup or programs you use whilst recording and editing LP videos?
<BikdipOnABus> With my oldest setup, I'd use Camstudio and pretty much nothing else. After having many problems with audio sync, I would extract the audio from the AVI file and insert breaks in it every time they went out of sync, so that ultimately it would be lined up properly. It was a massive pain in the ass, and eventually I discovered that running Audacity along with Camstudio (the latter of which I would set to not record audio) would actually eliminate this problem. All the editing was done in Windows Movie Maker. This setup stayed with me for a very long time, with the exception of Zelda Classic LPs, where I would use Camtasia to both record and edit. It worked well with that program, but seemed to cause problems with other emulators. Then one day I found out that it ... actually did work with other emulators. So I started using that instead, since Camstudio eventually started crapping out on me. I also replaced Audacity with a program called "Fee Hi-Q Recorder" once Audacity also started crapping out on me. As for console games, I've always used a Dazzle DVC100. Up until the last few parts of Pikmin 2, I had horrendous video quality because I recorded through Movie Maker with really bad settings. The only reason I didn't use Pinnacle Studio was because I couldn't get it to work. Then one day, with some help, I got Pinnacle to work, and it was actually not very hard at all. So yeah, all the terrible quality present before that could have been very easily avoided.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered leaving behind LP'ing?
<BikdipOnABus> Sort of. There's been numerous times when technical problems (usually computers dying) prevented me from making any videos, but most of the time, I would get right back to it once I was able to. In summer 2011, following the Autism Speaks charity stream and official death of my laptop (and shortly after that, Brynna's laptop too), I went through a long period of not wanting to record anything because of the general suckiness of the other computer I had access to. In addition to that, Brynna wanted to move out, and I definitely needed to find a job, so I used that as an excuse to not record anything for a long period of time, even though I barely did anything during all those months. Basically, I just reached a point where I didn't want to go back to videomaking because I knew that if I did, it would be hard for me to focus on anything else. But I think I've finally reached a point where I can balance life with LPing fairly well. As long as I can continue to make material that I'm happy with, I have no immediate plans to stop.
<Sepharos> What's the name of the laptop you recently showed in your appartment tour video?
<BikdipOnABus> I call that the Tandy, named after Strong Bad's first computer, which was a collossal piece of crap that somehow managed to survive expoding, which is pretty close to what mine has done. I plan on going into great detail on that thing in my next video, actually, but basically, it's every bit as terrible as it looks. In addition to the screen hanging on by a thread and the missing spacebar, it also has a completely non-working battery, and about 30 or so stripes on the screen. The thing that eventually killed it was bad connections with the AC adaptor (the same thing that killed my second laptop, except then that one started randomly blacking out too). If I was able to fix that problem, the Tandy would probably still work.
<Sepharos> What are your goals as a Let's Player?
<BikdipOnABus> I can't say I really have any goals. I want to continue making LPs until I run out of games that I have anything worthwhile to talk about. Other than that though, there's no specific games that I MUST do, and I don't have a target number of subscribers to hit, so really, it's just something that I'll do until it becomes uninteresting.
<Sepharos> How has being a Let's Player affected your life?
<BikdipOnABus> It's given me somewhat of a sense of purpose. That sounds a bit overly dramatic, but it's pretty much true - after graduating high school, I didn't have any actual goals. I was accepted to a college, but wasn't able to go due to financial issues, and eventually I fell into a rut of babysitting my brothers and not having any sort of a life. I can't say that making LP videos has directly changed this fact, but it did give me something to do, and if nothing else, distracted me even further from getting some sort of entry-level job and sticking with it, but never really advancing in any way. If it wasn't for the LPing hobby, I would have never met Brynna, and thus wouldn't have been able to move away from my family and establish my own life. Which is not to say that I've actually done that yet, but now at least the possibility of it happening exists. Even if I never do go back to school and/or get a career that I truly enjoy, I'll at least be able to start a new family.

<Sepharos> Josh, how did you first become a gamer?
<BikdipOnABus> I've been raised with video games my entire life. My parents had an NES and I think an Atari 2600 from before I was born, and so I pretty much grew up with a controller in my hand. I've always stuck with Nintendo because that's what I grew up with as a kid, and I've never had a legitimate reason to stop supporting them. Lately, I've become less of a gamer and more of an internet lurker, spending the majority of my time on message boards or youtube rather than playing games, but it's not something that I can ever picture myself giving up on. I look forward to the Wii U and seeing what it is capable of, and what games it will have to expand the classic franchises.
<Sepharos> Do you remember what your first video game was?
<BikdipOnABus> Not completely, but I've said in a few videos that the first game that I can distinctly remember playing was Rainbow Islands on NES. Unless you count that terrible Fisher-Price Firetruck game, which was most likely before that. I talk about that a bit in my 10,000 subscriber special. But memory aside, the first game I ever played was most likely Super Mario Bros. I can imagine myself trying, and failing, to play that when I was barely old enough to walk.
<Sepharos> What did you enjoy most about video games when you were younger?
<BikdipOnABus> *shrug* They've always just been the most interesting thing to play with. You've got normal toys, board games, and video games. Video games have always been the most entertaining, because they have the most ... content? I guess that's what you'd call it? That's not to say that I didn't play with other stuff as a kid, because I know that I did, especially when I started getting into Legos. But I've always preferred games over tv, because it's something you get to interact with, not just look at. Sort of the same reason why I've never had an interest in music - that's something you enjoy with only one sense, while most other things have something else to go along with the sound. But I'm probably just weird that way.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite video game series is and why?
<BikdipOnABus> That's a hard thing to pinpoint, because the Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and Pokemon series all have things that I enjoy in different ways. Out of those four, Mario is definitely the one I was aware of the earliest, as I didn't get into Zelda until after Pokemon was created (which was when I was about 10), and my first Metroid game was Prime. I guess overall I'd have to go with the Mario series. The core games in the series have been more consistently good than Metroid, more varied (and fast-paced) than Pokemon, and they appeal to me a lot more than half of the Zelda series, where I don't enjoy most of the 2D games. It is somewhat of a close call though between the four, and there's definitely other game franchises that I'm interested in, but those are the biggest.
<Sepharos> An even greater and specific question, what would you say your favourite game of all time is and why?
<BikdipOnABus> Once again it sort of comes down to the same four series, except Pokemon doesn't have one specific game that I loved more than any of the others, so I'm counting that one out. If I had to choose between Mario 64, Metroid Prime, and Majora's Mask ... I honestly don't know which I'd choose. Probably not Majora's Mask, because although it is my favorite Zelda game, it's not as replayable as the other two. It's also hard to choose between them because I've played both so many times and become familiar with so many of the tricks and exploits, that I can barely even remember a time when I played them the normal way. Sorry that I couldn't give a definite answer, but if I choose one, I think of a dozen reasons why the other should win. Random shoutouts to Kirby Superstar, Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie, Pikmin 2, and Super Smash Bros Melee/Brawl for also being among my all-time favorites.
<Sepharos> What is most important, according to you, within a video game?
<BikdipOnABus> I've always put gameplay over anything else. If a game isn't fun, then I don't care how beautiful it looks or how interesting the story is. With the three examples I game in the last question, I have a platformer/collectathon, a first-person adventure/shooter, and an action-adventure. Mario 64 has the worst graphics of the three and basically no story to speak of, but it's so fun to play and learn new methods of getting to each star, that you can overlook those things. I think the perfect video game has to be set up with an environment that sucks you in and a backstory that gets you truly invested. With a lot of RPGs, the backstory is laid out in front of you in the form of "in the past, so-and-so defeated so-and-so of the whatever kingdom, and then the blah blah race of insert city here were freed from his evil ways". It might be well-thought out, but it's nothing really original, and it's just throwing a bunch of new names and concepts at you that you probably don't care about. The reason I love Majora's Mask is because the threat is extremely apparent, and you can learn how people's lives are being affected by it just by getting involved in their daily routines and learning what these people are like. It's the backbone of the game, not just a story that exists to make you fight the villain. Sorry, I kind of went on a tangent there. But basically, the perfect game should have gameplay that is easy to learn but hard to master, with tricks that you can learn years after first playing it. But it should also have an environment that makes you actually care about what you're doing.
<Sepharos> I suppose this is a bit more specific than the previous question, but how would you rank these in terms of importance within a video game: graphics, music, story, and gameplay?
<BikdipOnABus> Gameplay comes first, no questions. Story is the second most important. A game can be good without one, but a good story makes a game better, and a bad story makes a game worse. Just look at what happened with Metroid: Other M. Music is next, because it's an experience from the game that you can take with you. When you're on a long car ride after playing a game for a long time, you can't really remember specific graphical details, but you can definitely remember a tune that gets stuck in your head. Graphics are the least important. There do exist games that are hampered by bad graphics, but I don't believe any of them would have been good games even if they looked beautiful. As long as the graphics can get you immersed into the world the game makes for you, it doesn't matter how hi-res they are. N64 graphics are dated, but the two Zeldas on that system still have memorable locations. Even 8-bit games can pull this off if done correctly.
<Sepharos> What game genres are you most interested in and why?
<BikdipOnABus> I don't really have a favorite genre. During the N64 era, I would have said collectathons. Before that, platformers. Currently, I play a pretty wide variety of games, and none scream "best" to me. The genres I'm LEAST interested in are typical first-person shooters and fantasy RPGs. That and sports, as I don't care about those games in the slightest. Or realistic racing games. Those do nothing for me. Even with Mario Kart, I have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it, otherwise I just get frustrated or bored.s
<Sepharos> Earlier you mentioned that you're a Pokemon fan; which generation would you say is your favourite and why?
<BikdipOnABus> I'd probably have to go with Gen 4 (Diamond/Pearl/Platinum and HeartGold/SoulSilver), but Gen 5 could easily surpass it once it gets more games. I trust that Black and White 2 will be good games. Pokemon really is a series that keeps getting better though, despite what old-school fans may claim. Nostalgia is a strong thing. For a few years, I considered my precious Silver version to be leagues better than Ruby and Sapphire, due to the things they took out. But now that I'm older and some time has passed, I see exactly why they took those things out, and respect the decision - especially since they knew that some fans would revolt, but they did it anyway for the good of the series. Other than the transition from GBC to GBA causing some problems, the series has never really taken a step back. Sometimes some features will be left out only to return in later games, and this is probably a bad example of only caring about profit (if they put it back in the next game, people will buy that one too after learning it was taken out of the one they just bought!). But this is a minor issue that gets overblown by the fanbase. Hoenn (Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald) is my favorite region, and has my favorite set of Pokemon. But Gen 3 isn't my favorite, because Gen 4 upgraded the mechanics, in addition to introducing more Pokemon and a new region, which are at least satisfactory. At the very least, they didn't make the experience any worse, especially not to the extent where I could consider a set of games that is clearly inferior (they have less content and less polished battling mechanics) to be better.
<Sepharos> How do you decide what Pokemon to have on your roster?
<BikdipOnABus> With the older games, I would basically just play through and use stuff that stood out to me. I'm not really sure how I ended up with the teams that I did. Starting with Pearl though, I have a tendency to plan out the team far in advance using information gathered from the Japanese release. Basically, I try to get a team that hits all the types I consider staples (Grass, Fire, Water, Electric, Psychic, Ground, Flying, with anything else being a nice bonus), while also avoiding Pokemon that don't appeal to me very much or have really bad stats and/or movepools. I usually have no problem with this, but I originally wanted to use a Wormadam, until I learned that it doesn't get any good moves. It's a very unexact science that usually requires a lot of tweaking. Using a team of 12, as I've done recently, solves the problem somewhat, but introduces more problems because by having a larger goal, my standards for what to sift out have gone down considerably.
<Sepharos> What would you say is your favourite Pokemon, if you have one?
<BikdipOnABus> I've claimed that my favorite is Bellossom for a pretty long time, without any actual reasoning behind this choice. I used one in Silver (and again in Emerald 386), and I definitely like the way it looks, but there are other grass types that can do pretty much everything that it can, sometimes better. With that said, I don't really have a favorite. I definitely have a group of favorites, but this group probably contains at least 20 different Pokemon, and it changes from time to time, so it's not really worth bringing up.
<Sepharos> Earlier you had mentioned "Bargo the Bikdip's Adventure," a game of your creation; could you elaborate on this?
<BikdipOnABus> Actually that's a combination of two things - Bargo the Bikdip was a series of three stories, of which I wrote half the chapters. It really is terrible and I don't recommend reading it, but people still continue to do so. Oh well, you were warned. Bikdip's Adventure is a game that I made in Zelda Classic, which is a program that basically recreated the original 1986 Legend of Zelda game, along with an editor. Current versions of the program can do extremely advanced things and may not even resemble Zelda when finished, but the older versions (the ones I use) can pretty much only make games with the Zelda engine. Bikdip's Adventure was the first game I made with it. It isn't the worst game ever made - I've seen far worse - but it's not that great either. I basically made it as I was testing out the program to see what it could do. My overall goal was to make something playable with a full overworld and 9 levels, and I succeeded in that sense, but it has a lot of design flaws. My second game was called Mitch (that's it, just "Mitch"), and doesn't feature Bargo the Bikdip in it at all. In this one, I decided to stray from the usual formula a bit, so I made a system where you have to buy upgrades to your sword, shield, etc, after grinding for rupees in "battle screens", which are basically random encounters, but not really random. It also has a buttload of hidden heart pieces and other secrets. I consider this game to be at least decent. My latest game is Bikdip's Adventure 2, which reuses the same overworld of the first BA, but with a lot of changes, and with totally different levels. This was the first time I made levels that weren't in the standard "grid of rectangular rooms with doors that sometimes require keys or killing all enemies to open" formula. It also contains somewhat of a story, which wasn't the case for the other two games. It isn't perfect, but I'm still quite happy with the way it came out. I would suggest that people try it out, but the program is notoriously hard to get running on modern computers, and the difficulty curve is pretty high. If you haven't checked out my LP of this game though, then definitely go do that.
<Sepharos> How closely, if at all, do you follow gaming news?
<BikdipOnABus> Not much, unless it's Pokemon news, which I always read as soon as it's released, and then read all the information I can about the game once it's released in Japan. I have no problem with spoilers for that series. Same goes for Smash Bros, actually. I love speculating over what characters are going to be included, and following Brawl's Dojo (a website that updated with information daily) was a really fun experience. With other games, I usually become aware of their existence through youtube comments ("Have you heard about Super Mario Bros 4????"), but other than that, I either don't care to look up anything else, or I specifically go out of my way to avoid news. I like to be totally surprised by new games, unless they happen to be Pokemon or Smash Bros games.
<Sepharos> You had mentioned earlier that prior to being a Let's Player, you did something invovling video quizes; what was this about?
<BikdipOnABus> On GameFAQs, there was a contest called the video quiz running on the Super Mario 64 board. Basically, the person running it would post a task, and everyone interested would try to complete the task, and record it for visual proof. Some of the tasks were timed, and for those, only the first and second place winners would get points. For non-timed tasks, everyone who did it would get points. By the time it ended, I was actually in first place, because I was able to complete the majority of the tasks. Then there was a final set of 5 really difficult timed tasks for the top 5 people in the competition. I did my best and came out in second place. Considering the fact that the person in first place is actually the holder of the world-record speedrun, I have no shame in this.
<Sepharos> Have you ever created your own video quiz?
<BikdipOnABus> That's a specific question, it's almost as if you know the answer!
Sakurai: [laughs]

But anyway, yes, I made a quiz for Banjo-Kazooie, hosted on the RareWitchProject forums. It got a fair amount of attention, but eventually died off due to disinterest. I blame a combination of the game being too hard to perform tasks in, since it auto-saves, the type of tasks I came up with (usually some weird barely-possible climbing crap), and the fact that I submiited to my own quiz and usually won. That probably upset most of the other players, but nobody called me out on it.
<Sepharos> Would you ever consider making another video quiz?
<BikdipOnABus> I thought about doing another one for Mario 64 after the first one ended, but I was having computer issues at the time, and eventually let someone else take over. I competed in that one for a little while and then gave up, because somehow the competition got a lot harder, and I was upset that I very rarely even got in the top 5 for the timed tasks. I don't have any plans to run another one at this time. Brynna and I amused the idea of doing one for Ocarina of Time, but it never went anywhere.
<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<BikdipOnABus> I wouldn't really say that it has, but that's because I've grown up with it, and can't imagine my life without it. I've never had any sort of a social life, and while it's not fair to blame video games or the internet for that, they definitely are the reason that I never actively tried to have one. Other than that, all I can really say is it led me to LPing, which led me to meeting Brynna, and that's a subject I already talked about.

<Sepharos> Besides gaming an LP'ing, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
<BikdipOnABus> That's a very short list. When I was in school, I played trombone in the band from 5th grade up until the first few months of my Junior year in high school. This wasn't something that I would do outside of school, but it did involve playing at concerts and at football or basketball games, so it at least counts as an extracurricular. Right now, I have an interest in cross-stitching. It's just something to do while watching videos, tv, or movies, and the end result is a cool little thing that you can frame and show off, so it's a nice little hobby. I also started playing Dungeons and Dragons at a game store last winter, but due to the recent move, I'm unable to keep going to the games. I might be able to go to a few eventually, but I don't think it's something I'll be able to do regularly. I've thought about participating in or even running games over Skype, but haven't started planning how I would do this. Other than that, I pretty much just spend my time lurking on the internet. It's not an exciting life, but it's what I enjoy doing, so bollocks to whoever says I should go out and do something else. Also I should probably note that I do have vague plans to make another Zelda Classic quest, but it's unclear if this will ever go anywhere.
<Sepharos> Could you take us through a day in the life of JoshTheBikdipOnABus?
<BikdipOnABus>
- Get up later than most people usually would
- Do a bunch of nothing
- Maybe record something if I feel like it
- Apply to a couple jobs if I can motivate myself to do it
- Go to bed after doing a bunch of nothing
<Sepharos> What career choices would you be interested in?
<BikdipOnABus> I used to be very interested in game design, and the college I applied to (and got accepted to) did have a course on that. When things didn't work out, I kind of gave up on that goal. From what I've heard from various sources, that's not really the best way to get into that field anyway. Granted, I'm not sure what the best way actually IS, but whatever. I'm still somewhat interested in that, but I'm not currently pursuing it. The other career I've thought about is being an elementary school teacher. I know right now that fans are going to be like "wait, what?", especially given my less-than-stellar attitude towards Justin and Joey in my videos, but teaching is something I've always wanted to do, and I despise teenagers, so it would have to be for younger students. In addition to the classes I'd have to take on teaching, I assume I'd also need to learn better anger management, since I don't react well to people who don't understand things I consider simple. That's definitely something I'd have to work on.
<Sepharos> Do you currently have a lifelong dream or goal?
<BikdipOnABus> Can't say that I do. Other than the two career choices I just mentioned, the only thing that comes to mind is marriage. Which, yes, is definitely a thought in my and Brynna's heads, but I don't want to rush into things. Getting a job and having an income is more important for now.
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to be in life ten years from now?
<BikdipOnABus> Not gonna lie - I have no idea. My life became sort of unpredictable after my family got screwed over in 2005 and we lost our house, so since then I've been living in the moment, not entirely concerned with what's going to happen a month from now. In an ideal situation, I would be married, possibly with a child, and at some point, I would have gotten some sort of tertiary education and then found an enjoyable job. I don't think any of these are unreasonable goals (I'm not asking to be rich, just comfortable), but like I've already said, I haven't been doing anything to make it happen.
<Sepharos> Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to the readers or your fanbase?
<BikdipOnABus> All I can ask my fanbase is to be intelligent and think before you comment. Way too often do I get a comment that clearly didn't have any thought behind it, and then I get mad, and things turn around and make me into the bad guy. I hate to yell at the fans, but I don't have much tolerance for stupidity. The majority of you are fine, I'm only talking to a small amount of posters who ask questions that shouldn't need to be asked, and often show extremely poor spelling and grammar while doing so. But as for the majority, just enjoy my videos, and don't be afraid to give feedback (even if it's negative, as long as it's constructive - let me know if I'm doing something that I need to change). And continue to be patient with infrequent uploads, because while I do have plenty of material I want to put out, I can't guarantee that it will come out very quickly. Other than that, I can't ask for much.

<Sepharos> Brynna, you are known as Brynnagiadrosich on YouTube, could you elaborate on what videos you and projects you do on your channel?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Oh lord, there's so many different ways I could put what I do. I started out as a Let's Player, merged into a reviewer, and then turned into a speed runner. I think what sums up my videos is just a random collection of things I find fun about games. Glitches I absolutely love in games, so I try and find them on my own. Projects-wise, the LP's that I've done have turned out pretty well, but I'm not sure I'll go back to that. So really, my main focus of the channel now is to just document weird things in games. (I ramble, sorry)
<Sepharos> How did you discover Let's Plays and what pushed you to become a Let's Player?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I discovered Let's Plays through looking for a walkthrough online for a game, I don't remember what game. I came across a guy who has closed his channel a few months ago, and he had posted up an LP of the game. I got sucked into his commentary style immediately, and we started talking through youtube, and I asked him how he set up everything. At the time I was working night shift at Walmart, so on my days off, I would stay up all night playing video games anyway, because stores weren't open, so it was natural to shift to talking about my job experiences and such, and it was nice to share my favorite games with people.
<Sepharos> What was the first game you LP'd?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Ocarina of Time: Master Quest. I know, it's a bit predictable, but OOT was my childhood game, and I'd never actually played MQ. I thought a blind LP of the game would be interesting, and I was able to share some great memories of my childhood through it, as well as note the differences.
<Sepharos> Did you have anything planned or goals before jumping into Ocarina of Time: Master Quest?
<Brynnagiadrosich> No, since it was a blind LP I had no idea what to expect. I'm actually quite bad at doing challenge runs on OOT. Even though it's my childhood game I usually die very quickly early on. Twilight Princess I'm better at. But I pretty much got the equipment, hooked it up and started playing. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, mainly because I didn't think I had a ton of interesting things to say, and I'm not a particuarly funny person. I just think my experiences with things in life are more interesting to hear about than just making joke after joke.
<Sepharos> How do you feel your Ocarina of Time: Master Question Let's Play turned out?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Looking back on it, I think it isn't bad, but it's not my best. There were a lot of technical difficulties I had on it, mainly rendering problems, trying to get the video to look halfway decent on YouTube. Also, for some reason, everyone thinks I sound like a young boy on that LP. So I really just point people to my other LP's. It's nice to watch if you want to see a different point of view for a nostalgic game, but I personally don't think it's the best LP of the game.
<Sepharos> When you were primarily a Let's Player, how much time did you put into planning your future Let's Plays?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Not much at all actually, I had a nice stack of games that I loved--or thought I loved--and I would try and play a bit of something, think about if I had anything to say about it, and then try it out. In the case of MQ, I knew that had to be my first one. Star Fox Adventures...I don't know what I was thinking when I did that one. I had forgotten how much I hated the game, and the difficulty curve is terrible later on. So I switched to Psychonauts and actually finished that before SFA. I'm the kind of person who flits from project to project. I eventually get them done, but if I get excited about something, I don't want to wait.
<Sepharos> Have you ever learned something new in games from Let's Plays?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Such as new techniques on how to play or a secret I didn't know about?
<Sepharos> Yes.
<Brynnagiadrosich> I think the one thing that stands out is Super Mario 64, there's a one-up shroom that is in a very strange spot that I had no idea was there. In regards to Twilight Princess, I learned how to break the game so bad that I wanted to speedrun it. I learned a lot of new techniques from other speedrunners and have enjoyed re-learning how to play older games using their tactics.
<Sepharos> You're known for a few co-commentaries you've done as a Let's Player, notably with BikDipOnABus; how did you originally meet BikdipOnABus and what made you decide to have a co-commentary with him?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Well, it's a strange story, that's for sure. He actually found me first. There's a page on TV Tropes that list Let's Players, and someone had added me on there. He decided to give my LP's a try, and watched MQ. I think I was on SFA at that point, but he started with that one because it was finished. He commented on every video, and then eventually invited me to co-commentate on Majora's Mask with him. Before saying yes, I did check out his videos, absolutely loved his humor and challenge runs he did. The first LP I watched of his was his Mario Sunshine coinless. I was impressed and was interested in seeing what he thought of Majora's Mask, which is a strange Zelda game to me.
<Sepharos> How well did your first co-commentary with BikdipOnABus go?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Well, it went so well, we started dating! *laughs* In all seriousness though, we got to know each other and clicked well together. The LP shined because of it, I think it's the best thing we've done together.
<Sepharos> What do you enjoy most about doing Let's Plays?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Venting. I love venting about the past jobs I've had, rambling about the game itself, wondering about the characters, just trying to show off the game as much as a regular player can. I'm not a reviewer trying to show the technical side of things, I'm just a player trying to show what regular people go through playing these games. In Twilight Princess, I really go into the emotions of what drives the characters and try and realize what they would go through as real people. I love TP because of the emotions in that game. It's a much darker Zelda, but the passions of the characters are so fantastic, it never gets old. Just the entire subplot of Zelda and how she had to deal with Zant and his army--I think I spend a whole video just talking about how much stuff she had to deal with as a ruler of these people that are being slaughtered in front of her, and she can't do anything about it.
<Brynnagiadrosich> I can also show the technical side of things, because I have done game testing myself, but I like the emotions of things more.
<Sepharos> Earlier you said you managed to break Twilight Princess beyond recognition, I'm assuming you were referring to glitches and sequence breaks?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Oh yes. TP hasn't been broken as much as OOT, but it's much easier to break. I've been working on a 100% speedrun myself, but my friend RobWest holds the world record for it. I think it's 3 hours and 52 minutes. I can't remember right now.
<Sepharos> What set-up and programs do you typically have for Let's Plays?
<Brynnagiadrosich> For console, I use the Dazzle DVC 100. For computer games and on-screen things I use Camtasia Studio. I use a Logitech headset, but only the mic works right now, unfortunately.
<Sepharos> Do you have a favourite Let's Play that you've done or been a part of?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I once again go back to Twilight Princess. I did a challenge run in that game, using a terribly hard glitch to use only the wooden sword the entire game. Unfortunately it is unfinished to do time constraints and technical difficulties I had with my laptop. Some of the footage was lost right at the end of the game. I think my favorite weirdest LP has to be Hotel Dusk. I had a co-commentator, a friend of mine named Tim, and we just rambled about absolutely nothing during that game and it came out so awesome.
<Sepharos> Is there any Let's Player that you look up to?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I actually love ScottishDuck17 and DarkMindedSith. Duck has an awesome accent and darkminded has a great sense of humor and does great justice to the games he does. Duck does more obscure games and it's interesting to see what he has next on the plate. Dark does a great storytelling during the game, and takes the place of the character more often than not.
<Sepharos> What have you disliked the most being a Let's Player?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I have a love/hate relationships with the commenters on my videos. Most of the time, for some reason, people think I'm a boy. It annoys me because I don't think I sound like one. I guess it stems from the steriotype that there are no females on the internet. Especially ones who play games.
<Sepharos> What do you feel has made you unique compared to other Let's Players?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Probably the glitches in the games. I really enjoy showing off how I can mess with a game. I worked for Microsoft in Washington State through a company called Volt, and actually tested on a number of games. Through that experience, I'm able to know what to look out for and how to actually cause something to happen.
<Sepharos> Would you say you've left Let's Plays behind? Why or why not?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I would say I've left the traditional LP's behind. I look forward to getting back into playing more games and recording, but probably through mainly streaming. I like the on-hands approach with people actually being there, and I like not feeling rushed to put out videos.
<Sepharos> How have you transitioned from being a Let's Player to a reviewer, speed-runner, and streamer?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Probably a combination of streamer and speedrunner. I usually like to stream my sad attempts at Twilight Princess, but with my job, I wear a headset at work for 8 hours, I don't usually feel like coming home to wear a headset for another 4-6 hours.
<Sepharos> What kind of games do you enjoy streaming and speedrunning?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I enjoy streaming pick-up-and-play games. Mario is excellent for this, especially the Galaxy series. I suck so bad at Mario games it makes for great entertainment. It's so funny because Josh is fantastic at Mario, and here I come along and can't play for anything. The first Mario game I ever beat on my own was Mario 3D Land. Twilight Princess is my main game for speedrunning, but I like to try tactics in other games. I don't mess around with OOT running too much because the competition is so fierce with it.
<Sepharos> How often do you stream and where could a viewer watch your streams?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I don't stream that often, when I do it's usually just on the whim. If I announce it, it's never on youtube, so it's usually word of mouth at that point. I don't like a ton of people from youtube watching actually. I mostly do it on http://www.justin.tv/the_realm. It's a shared channel between me and my friends, Zygon and Rob.
<Sepharos> Would you say you dislike being well-known or watched by a crowd?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I dislike being watched by a youtube crowd. It turns into a mass of terrible questions and spamming. We've tried to contain them, so we just don't say when we are going to stream anymore, just to stem the flow a bit. I think everyone likes to be known a little bit, but I really don't want to get so large I don't know people. When you get too big, you lose the connection you have with people, and that's the whole point I started, was to connect and learn about different people.
<Sepharos> Do you feature BikdipOnABus with you in most streams?
<Brynnagiadrosich> It's mostly by default, because we're in the same house, it's hard to avoid being in the streams. Every now and then we do have a seperate stream time though, if he wants to do a game, or if I want to just mess around with OOT or TP, usually he goes off and does his own thing. But needing the computer, we get bored and just interject ourselves eventually.
<Sepharos> What's your current speedrun record in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Oh gosh...12 hours. I'm doing a single-segment. I haven't been doing it that long, so practice is key. But in a game so large, it's difficult to find a good chunk of time to do so. I eventually want to get under 8 hours.
<Sepharos> How has being a Let's Player, speedrunner, and streamer affected your life?
<Brynnagiadrosich> It's my second life really. Games have always been a part of me, ever since I was little, but sometimes you have to concentrate on the important things first, such as keeping up your job, paying bills and things like that. So, games always go second right now, because I have Josh, and we're family. It's hard to seperate job from home life sometimes, and games help with just relaxing. I also cross-stitch too, and that helps tremendously.

<Sepharos> How did you first become a gamer Brynna?
<Brynnagiadrosich> It's my grandpa's fault. He got the N64 for me when it first came out. And I had no idea what the thing was. He didn't either, he just saw a bunch of kids wanting it, and thought it would be a good birthday gift for me. So he got it and also gave me a copy of the NES Duck Hunt to go with it. *laughs* So, of course, the cartridge didn't fit, and me and my mom and dad had no idea what to do with it. It sat in my house a year before finally realizing what it was. Diddy Kong Racing was my first real game I played.
<Sepharos> What interested you most about gaming when you were younger?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Zelda really got me into "hardcore" gaming I suppose. Like I mentioned, Diddy Kong Racing was my first game, but I only played it casually. My mom actually got better at the game than I did--those silver coin challenges she could beat so fast. I never completed the game myself, but even when I was younger I was interested in breaking games, because I always tried to clip into the mouth of Wizpig before it was open in the main hub of the game. I saw an opening back there and thought I could find a way into it. My dad actually rented OOT from Blockbuster and played it before showing it to me. My first memory of that game is watching my dad go into Hyrule Field at night and the stalchildren popping up. He thought the game would be too scary for me, but then we rented it so many times, we finally caved and bought it. All I did really when I first got the game was ride Epona around, haha.
<Sepharos> What kind of games interest you the most?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Games with storyline. Me and Josh are completely opposite in this regard. I love games with a great storyline. RPG's I love, like Tales of Symphonia, Baten Kaitos, and Final Fantasy. I need some meat to my game, so I enjoy games with long cutscenes like in Zelda or in Metal Gear Solid.
<Sepharos> What game would you say has your favourite story?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I think on an RPG level, Baten Kaitos had the most interesting storyline in it. Had terrible, terrible voice acting, but also one of the most shocking twists I've ever seen in a game. Twilight Princess I go back to as the more emotional Zelda game I've played. With Final Fantasy 9, it actually made me cry in some parts.
<Sepharos> What would you say your favourite gaming genre is?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Oh wow, I'm not really sure. I love action/adventure/RPG if that's a genre. Platformers I'm terrible with, but I love the Mario series.
<Sepharos> What is your favourite game series of all time and why?
<Brynnagiadrosich> It'll be a shock, I know, but it has to be Zelda. That was my first real gaming experience as a child, and the classic struggle of good vs. evil with some grey areas mixed in are just too good to pass up.
<Sepharos> Even more specific, what would you say your favourite game of all time is?
<Brynnagiadrosich> My favorite game has to be Ocarina of Time, with Twilight Princess a very, very close second. I would lump them into one game if I could.
<Sepharos> How would you rank these in terms of importance within a video game: graphics, music, story, and gameplay?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I would probably rank story first. I recently played Portal 2 and was so fascinated by the story, I really hated the fact the gameplay got in the way. So gameplay is second. I became rather annoyed at the game actually for taking it's time with the story. I really wanted to know what was going on. They did a fantastic job with the immersion in that game. I think music is third. Music is important for emotions in a game, just like in a movie. If you don't notice the music, that means the developers have done their job. It means it fits so perfectly, you don't question it's there. You notice bad music right away. Graphics are last. I have to admit I like looking at a nice game, but a nice-looking game can be a terrible game. Look at Sonic 2006. Had super-realistic graphics, and crap gameplay. Glitchy as anything.
<Sepharos> Yourself and BikdipOnABus have a history of searching out bad or appalling games online, what would you accredit this to?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I think entertainment value. We're entertainers first and foremost. People are more inclined to watch terrible games just to see the reaction of the players. I think it's rather fun to try out a really bad game and imagine what the developers were thinking, just like with Golden Compass I recently did. I don't put anyone down though, that's just bad taste. I know they probably worked really hard on that game, but either they were rushed, or just didn't have the budget. With online flash games, the bad games are just lazy, and there's no excuse for that.
<Sepharos> This is really the heart of the interview, but why do you like games?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I like the fact that games are a different type of art form. I look at Okami and I see art. The fantastic work they did on transforming a gaming experience into an art experience was just amazing to me. I love the style of Skyward Sword with the watercolour backgrounds and the bright vivid colours of the surrounding areas. Twilight Princess has a wonderful part of day when the sun goes down and the orange and yellow and brown combine to make this awe-inspiring sunset. I also like the fact that it's a different form of escaping. You can do what you can't do in real life. It's cliched, I know, but it's true. If you want to ride a horse around in a game all day, it's yours to do so, especially if you don't have the money to ride a real horse. There's the link between the player and the character that movies can't provide. You're controlling the storyline. In a limited sense, sure, but it's much more engaging than a movie, where you have no control at all.
<Sepharos> Is there any video game character you feel you can relate with?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Link is too easy of a choice, he's crafted on purpose to inject your own personality, so I can't really choose him. I think, off the top of my head, Vivi from Final Fantasy 9. He's sorta out of his element in the regular world, doesn't really know where he's coming from, and has a lot of upsetting events that could really mess him up happen. And yet, his friends help him through everything, and he always has someone to talk to. Granted, I haven't finished that game, so I don't have any idea if he dies a horrible death. I think another character I sort of relate to would probably be Telma from Twilight Princess. I adore that character so much, she has such a huge personality and doesn't care who knows it. I'm a bit of a weirdo at my workplace, but I've come to not care who knows my weirdness. Me and my dad used to go to the grocery store and do the silly walk from Monty Python.
<Sepharos> Have you ever considered putting down gaming for good?
<Brynnagiadrosich> No, I couldn't do that. There are too many advances in technology to even think of doing that. The fascination of what comes next is always in a gamer's mind.
<Sepharos> How has gaming affected your life?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Well, my wallet suffers for it more than me! It's an expensive hobby and every purchase usually has to be saved up for. But it also has brought me closer to a lot of friends I wouldn't have had otherwise.

<Sepharos> Besides your online video projects and gaming, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
<Brynnagiadrosich> My main other hobby is cross-stitching. Mainly from games too. I'm working on a Wind Waker stained glass right now of the Helmaroc King. But I'm also doing a more traditional Oriental piece on the side. I also enjoy Dungeons and Dragons, but we don't have a group nearby since we moved, so that's kind of on hold.
<Sepharos> Could you explain what cross-stitching is?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Cross stitching is the art form of taking different coloured threads and making tiny little x's in fabric to form a larger picture. For larger pieces, it could probably take up to about 5,000 tiny x's to make a picture. You use needle and thread and special fabric for it. We do a form called counted cross-stitch, where each row has a specific amount of x's to do in each colour. It's hard to explain in text form.
<Sepharos> How long does it typically take you or BikdipOnABus, another cross-stitcher, to create a cross-stitch of various difficulties?
<Brynnagiadrosich> It really depends, the Wind Waker piece I've been working on since last October. He just finished up a smaller piece of koi fish in about a month or so. We usually work on it while watching our favorite TV shows on Netflix.
<Sepharos> What materials can be used for cross-stitching?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Aida fabric is usually used, it's an evenweave fabric that helps keep the stitches uniform. DMC brand thread is usually used, but there are off-brands as well. Just a regular needle is fine. It can be compared to needlepoint or embroidery as well.
<Sepharos> What is an average day like in the life of Brynna?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Depends on what day it is really. My work schedule differs. But on regular days, I go to work at 2pm and come home at 10:30pm. Before work, I usually do some stitching. I stitch at work too. I work on my Oriental piece at home and my Wind Waker piece at work. On my late days I usually just come home and watch something with Josh online, mostly reviews on thatguywiththeglasses.com. On early days, I get up at 8am to be at work at 10. I get off at 6:30. I try and make dinner on those days, but Josh is usually pushed into doing it because I'm tired.
<Sepharos> Have you made a career choice already?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I want to be in computer forensics, but you need schooling for that. So I do my job to try and make a career one day. No kid wakes up and says to his parents "I want to be a telemarketer!".
<Sepharos> What goals or dreams do you have for life?
<Brynnagiadrosich> I want to move back to Washington State eventually. I loved it out there, and it's closer to a few companies I'd like to work for. I just want a nice place, get married, and I've always wanted to adopt a child. So really, just the all-American dream. A bit more difficult to do these days, but it can be pulled off with some hard work.
<Sepharos> Where do you hope to see yourself in ten years?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Dipping my toes into the glacier waters of Whidbey Island. Seriously, don't go swimming there. You'll die of hypothermia. I really do love Washington. I see myself probably working back at Microsoft, or even Nintendo. But I also am interested in computer forensics, so I don't really know yet.
<Sepharos> Finally, is there anything you'd like to share with the readers or your fans?
<Brynnagiadrosich> Whenever someone finds out I did video game testing, they think that's the most awesome thing ever. It's not. Don't do it. You're stuck in a room with a bunch of sweaty geeks for 8+ hours playing games you'll hate. Another thing I have to say is just be nice to the telemarketers. We're just doing a job here. And I think the best piece of advise has to be from a quote from Lord of the Rings, my favorite books/movies. "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." Don't worry about what other people think about you, because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Life isn't a popularity contest.

Coming soon! Ongoing.