Lacking funds for his gaming addiction, a down-on-his-luck PoorPaddy say my ad in the paper for willing “interviewees”. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t realise that this isn’t a paid “interview”. Tough break!
[drop2]As always, we’ll start off with: who are you, how old are you and where do you come from?
My name’s Patrick Shiel, I’m 22 and from Reading.
That being the case, I’m sure we can kind of figure out how you came up with your user IDs, but why don’t you make it completely obvious for us?
Well obviously my nickname is Paddy. I’m a big fan of Irish music though, and Poor Paddy is an awesome old Irish song. And ’89 is the year I got birthed.
Such a cliché! I think the next big craze for numbers added on the end will be the year that someone got conceived.
Eeew. The Beckhams are making that nonsense all the rage.
Nine times out of twelve it’d be different.
Badum-tsh!
The Beckhams are a delightfully odd family.
I like Davey though. I have little interest in sports or indeed moving at all, but he seems a genuinely good guy and great role model.
There are very few footballers I like, but I think he’d be one of them. Him and Gary Lineker, who should get a knighthood for services to crisps.
If that’s not a great British public service, I don’t know what is.
Absolutely. Years of self-deprecation to keep the crisps industry going.
Exactly. Look at Mr Pringle now. He gave his life for us.
Legendary. Anyway, I’m sure people are far more interested in knowing how you first came across and got into gaming?
Oh yeah, games. My parents bought me and my brother a PS1 when I was about 8, and I was hooked on playing Croc. I think my mother wishes she could take it back, because gaming just took off for me from there. Got a PS2 soon after it came out and bought a PS3 on launch which was the first console I ever bought just for me. No sharing!
Sharing is for losers. I’m a very bad sharer of things. I think I had some particularly traumatic experiences with not getting things back. Even siblings, they just can’t be trusted.
Yeah, other people in general just suck. Put them all in cages.
Your siblings, or are we talking security cages for your stuff? Hire some particularly dim henchmen to guard stuff.
Hell, both! I’m not paranoid.
It’s not paranoia if they really are out to get you.
Too true! They’re always watching me…
You could always unplug the PS Eye and turn the PS3 off, you know…
Consoles have off buttons?
I believe so, yes. So you’ve always been a bit of a Sony boy, have you?
I wouldn’t like to say I’m a fanboy, but there is a noticable link between owning Sony products and being incredibly smart and attractive. I have really stuck with Sony, but mainly because of backwards compatibility and stuff.
I take it you’re the exception that proves the rule?
Bazinga!
Have you never seen the exclusives on other platforms and thought you might want to try them?
I have seen a few, but I can’t afford a 360, more games and have enough food to eat. From what I understand, the 360 has vastly superior online gaming, but as I find online gaming distasteful I’m not bothered.
Really? What do you dislike about it?
I just don’t get it. The only games I have enjoyed online were co-op on Resistance 2 and Mass Effect 3. I just don’t understand why you’d want to play the same deathmatch or whatever, over and over again with people you can’t see. I love gaming with other people I know who are in the same room, but otherwise I play games for the story.
What about if you’ve got a buddy or two fighting alongside you in these competitive online games?
Well, that kind of returns to the ‘inferiority’ of playing the PS3 online, since I have very few mates who have a PS3! Even so, I’d rather play co-op than versus. Maybe it’s just because I’m a realy sore loser.
Haha, well that’s fair enough. You could always join TSA meets, but… but I guess we know when we’re not wanted or liked… *sniff*
I keep meaning to! But I have been playing a lot of single-player-only PC games recently, and now my Vita.
Yay! A Vita! How have you been enjoying it so far? What have you been playing?
It’s bloody gorgeous! I’ve been surprised about how well they’ve implemented the touchscreen and touchpad tech – far better than what they did with Sixaxis on PS3. Been playing a lot of Uncharted: [Miss] Golden Abyss, of course, which was excellent after the slight let-down that was UC3. Also played a lot of Plants vs Zombies which I also have on about three other platforms already, but it’s such an awesome game. Got Rayman Origins too, which is brilliant, as well as a few others.
Cool. What are you looking forward to with it? And, actually, since it’s a bit sparse a moment, lets include the rest of the games out this year?
Being a huge fan of Metal Gear, I’m very much looking forward to playing 2 and 3 on it. I already got them on PS3 but as I imported from the US, due to my impatience, my saves won’t be compatible. I’m not really sure what else is coming out – I haven’t picked up Escape Plan yet but it looks good, and after playing the Little Deviants demo I’m not entirely convinced on that one.
Oh yeah, Resistance: Burning Skies looks interesting, but I think we need to see more of that before I make a decision, and of course LBP.
You should get Resistance for the multiplay… oh…
I might surprise you and join a meet for it!
Excellent. More n00bs for the slaughter!
Yeah, my lack of online experience means when I do play, I’m cannon fodder.
You’ll get the hang of it, if you ever make a concerted effort with one game, I’m sure. Looks like you’ve got a decent length wishlist, but lets smear some butter over the lens and look back in time once more. What is your favourite game of all time?
Has to be Metal Gear Solid 3. I was late to the party and started with MGS4 and instantly fell in love. Picked up all the others and found MGS3 was the best – amazing characters, great locations, awesome gameplay, and a not too overly-intricate plotline.
A sound choice. I’ve yet to play it, personally. I do need ot pick up the collection at some point.
Do it, the PS3 HD collection is one of the best bargains out there!
uncleniccius
Good article; nice to see these articles! As Paddy said, the sense of community here is fantastic.
coruscant
Croc was the first game I ever got for my PS1, first game I had for years actually I think, I played it endlessly though.
PoorPaddy89
Love it :) Was so happy when I completed that! Then they went and made the sequel which seemed like Croc meets the Tellytubbies :S
coruscant
I liked the Spaced reference at the end there :)
Origami Killer
Nice read. That story about Sims 2 made me chuckle :P
Just remember to never post for a favour in the forums with a low post count otherwise TSA’s craziest resident will be there to tell you off XD
Youles
Nice to meet you – great read!
God I feel old when I here people have a PSone as their first console. That must have been my 4th or 5th console :(
McProley
You and me both mate, we started with loading games off of tapes etc.
Oh, and nice to meet you Paddy. The handle-bar ‘tache is awesome!
TSBonyman
Great read Paddy and nice to meet you. As a fan of Irish music you should check out KÃla!
PoorPaddy89
Cheers dude. Just had a quick look and they definitely look like my kinda band! Will have a listen when I finally stop listening to Tenacious D’s new album :P
Kronik76
Not sure about Uncharted 3 being a let down. I felt the same way on my first play through, but the second really made me appreciate how amazing the game actually is.
PoorPaddy89
I think it’s a solid game on it’s own, but my expectations for Uncharted games, especially after Amongst Thieves, is incredibly high. The ending of the third one was rubbish; it just ended without any proper boss fight (that end fight was NOT a boss fight!). Also, whilst I think the character development in Uncharted is amazing for a video game, they over-saturated the number of characters. Chloe and Phil Mitchell just disappear after the first couple of hours, and it annoyed me that Elena and Nate split up AGAIN between 2 and 3 like they did between 1 and 2. Golden Abyss was a bit more ‘back to basics’ with some Vita-tech thrown in, of which some works better than others.
Kronik76
I would love to play Golden Abyss, unfortunately I can’t afford a Vita. I have to say I agree about it not being a proper boss fight at the end. However, I don’t think it’s essential for all characters to remain throughout the game.
Pleased to meet you by the way :)
PoorPaddy89
And yourself :)
I agree, but it kind of felt that they had to put some of these characters in for the sake of it. I think if Chloe had returned and they had brought back Elena in a more interesting way then I’d be happier!
Mickey2010
Nice To Meet You Mate! You Look Abit Like Sheamus (WWE Wrestler)
PoorPaddy89
HA! Didn’t know who he was so just googled him. I think I have a bit more flab than muscle, sadly. And I don’t have the tache anymore, it was just for Movember last year. I looked like a pornographer and it freaked out some of my girl mates.
element666
Great read,nice to meet you!
gazzagb
Nice to meet you Paddy, it seems strange to me you prefer SP over MP, for me, I always like a solid MP in a game as that what adds the re-playability for me!
PoorPaddy89
I game for the stories. If a game has a story I particularly like then I’ll happily come back to it several times (e.g. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve played MGS4 but it’s in the high thirties). I also like collecting things so if there are lots of little bonuses to collect or unlock then again, I’ll come back depending on the story and gameplay.