I’m handing the reigns over to Bunimomike for an interview that most certainly need reigns. No, not Rudolph… Oh, I’ll let him explain. There’s no audio here, but there’s a little supplement over in General Chat which you can listen to after you’ve finished reading.
[drop2]Could you introduce yourself. Tell the lovely TSA throng how old you are and also where you’re from? Please!
I’m a 22 year old Dutch female, that’s all you’re gonna get from me. I get stalked enough already by you lot and now you’ve made me do this interview as well…
*sighs the most exasperated sigh*
I could be doing something useful by now, like painting my nails.
Dutch? How disappointing.
/Interview ends.
What do you mean I’m contractually obliged to continue? For fu…. So, how did you get into gaming, TSA member 41,345?
It’s my cousin’s fault really, I come from a very tight knit family and I used to spend a lot of time with my older cousin who happened to love gaming a lot. I looked up to him and I thought everything he did was really cool, but I wasn’t any good at the games as a whole so I ended up watching as he played. I thought it was awesome, and what was really nice of him was that he’d always play the games I wanted to watch, haha. It wasn’t until much later that I could afford my own console – it was a second hand PS One with a lid that wouldn’t close, but I thought it was awesome. I could finally play games myself!
Right, so you’re a lonely conformist who was way too close to family members and inbreeding has produced those gimpy feet of yours. What a stunning picture I paint for TSA’s members. Talking of which, how did you become a member at the finest gaming site online? (read: TSA)
Says the person who told me first cousins can actually legally get married in the UK, tut tut!
And my feet aren’t that gimpy! Not really, if you take your glasses off and look away carefully.
Anyway, I started visiting TSA because of a friend, Boomshanks, who’s a regular here. At some point, he had written an article and it was published on the front page so as a proud friend I read it and browsed through the site for a bit. We were also at school together and I used to see him muck around on the forum a lot and it seemed so much fun that I asked him if he minded if I joined in. He said he’d actually like it and that was that. I think I’ve just passed my one year anniversary here at TSA too!
Now, where is my cake?
As a Welshman with hooves for hands, I can only say “touché, madam… touché”. I’ve heard a rumour that to deflect your lack of gaming skills that you’ve decided to try and get into the industry by joining dots and using the bucket-fill in Photoshop. Care to expand?
I follow a course in Communication and Multimedia Design, and I specialise in Concepting and Game Design. I am indeed trying my best to become a game artist, so hopefully if I work hard enough I’ll be able to land a job in the industry. I really love the development process of making a game, especially the early stages as they fascinate me. The part where you’re all letting your minds spin with ideas and the only limitation is your mind, that’s the awesome bit. The actual production bit is pretty damn cool too, mind you, once you get used to the fact that 80 percent of what you wanted to make won’t end up in the actual game, haha.
What I really love about game design though is the variety of people you need to make a game. You need a great team that not only works together really well, but with people in it that have their own special talents. The process is both very technical and super-creative, so the variety of people needed fascinates me the most.
So I can see that the creative element is fun but the interactive side of things really appeals to you as opposed to the more passive film world. However, much like the latter we all have our favourite genres and I’ve been privy to some of your unique choices. Let the internet at large hear about the types of games you love to play.
Oh, this is a really hard question because of the course I follow! I look at games in a completely different manner and I appreciate them at a different level than most people do. I do know that I’m attracted to the games that do something new and different though.
I really loved Flower, for instance, because of the experience it brought me. Also, because of my artistic background I love it when a game has a distinct artistic style to it, such as Limbo and Bastion. Then again, I’ve had loads of fun playing Left 4 Dead 2 and I think it’s an awesomely great and balanced game and that doesn’t have happy, pretty colours at all! So I really wouldn’t know what my type of game is, sorry!
If I may reply on your behalf, you have a love for the entire industry and it also applies to the output of developers and studios too. The only thing you leave alone is a genre where you wouldn’t feel yourself gravitating towards anyway.
For example you don’t catch yourself playing FIFA or other sports games. You have a creative mind and love the idea of the escapism and fantastical element that gaming can bring to you. Your social side has found love in Left 4 Dead 2 as the fun had with that has been utterly incredible.
Taking it one stage further you actually have an inner struggle when a game is truly beautiful and your mind sees the game itself as utter crap. Your heart yearns to purchase but it’ll be lost on you in minutes as games don’t feature a fast forward button!
You’re absolutely right Mike, you can answer the rest of my questions as well if you want. You do a far more accurate job anyway! haha.
Okay, so I can go now? Bye!
*reaches for nail varnish*
carson321
Loving the banter! Such a nice and easy way to start a hangover Sunday, good read guys!
bunimomike
Best ‘Meet the Reader’ so far. Funny, beautiful, passionate, intelligent, solid gaming skills and a great sense of humour.
The female lets things down a bit but Mike was superb.
Deathbrin
Puts all tef’s prior effors to shame, huh?
Hannypoppie
If you ask me, I think Tef’s a lot less offensive than this blighter above us. A bit less of a bastard too!
lenn117
Great work from the two of yee. One of the best if not the best Meet The Reader. Truly great work. *Fist bump to both yee* :)
Origami Killer
LOL, good read. That was just random and all off topic which I liked :P
The Lone Steven
Oh god, Hanny was interviewed!? *steals back the rights to MTR* :P
Nice to meet you again Hanny. I suspect Mike had to drink a lot of beer after this to recover from it. ;)
Hannypoppie
He needed five bottles of cider just to get the edge of the nasty feeling for an hour. The poor man, so gobsmacked by my awesomeness.
RocketSOL
A very good read. Nice to see someone else looking to get into the industry! I know what you mean about looking at games in a different manner. I’m forever over-analyzing things when playing which usually spoils the enjoyment for me!
Hannypoppie
Ohhh you too eh? Haha! I’m forever a child at heart so I still enjoy games even if I’m overanalyzing it. It helps that I’m not too fussed about the technical stuff though, so I’m usually just looking closely at the story, art style and basic gameplay elements. It’s a bit frustrating for my teammates in L4D sometimes though when they’re all dying and I’m there standing looking at the pretty scenery hahahaha
RocketSOL
As long as the game has a sci-fi element to it i’m happy. L4D’s humour is what does it for me…the graffiti especially. Things like “no zombie is safe from Chicago Ted”. Brilliant.
posem
i went out last night and woke up about 10 minutes ago, reading this soon as im awake…0_o whoa, just whoa.
Did someone just put Mike in his place? Several times?
Have some cheesecake :D!
Hannypoppie
Someone had to eventually, haha! Yaaaay, cheesecake! =D
posem
i’d offer to deliver to door, but im not coming all the way to the netherlands :D
Spotter5
Makes me want to eat Frikendel. :D
Hannypoppie
Frikandel is pretty awesome! Have you ever had a Kroket? Those are even better, I swear.
Spotter5
I’ve had Kroket but not Frikendel. Want to go to Holland and just eat all the delicious sounding foods. Except Soused Herring. :P
ron_mcphatty
Good interview, I’m glad to hear you name your computer, I did that once. I also named my car, but I’m not gonna say what it is because it’s embarrassing… I also went on a rafting trip a few years ago and named my oar Elanoar. Some of the other guys went with Izadoar, Theodoar, Noara and Dirty Whoar.
Hannypoppie
You name your stuff as well? Ohhh that’s awesome, I do believe I’ve found a soulmate! Dirty Whoar is easily the best out of those names. I tried to name my clever phone as well, I named it Mojo-jojo…but somehow it didn’t stick
ron_mcphatty
Mojo jojo, wherea that from, in sure I’ve heard that somewhere before… How about mobo hobo instead? I’ve had to name some knitted animals my girlfriends been making for her nieces and nephews, what Ive come up with is a whole new level or embarrassing haha.
Spotter – my old 60gb was the black shiny beast! The newer slim one has a bit less character sadly
Ben
My sister decided to name my car a few years ago, most annoying!
Forrest_01
@ron_mcphatty – Mojo Jojo is from the powerpuff girls. he is one of the many enemies that they defeat on a daily basis.
Don’t ask me how i know.
Spotter5
I call my PS3 Sarah and my PC ‘The Beast’
seedaripper1973
I name my weapons…*ahem*
DrNate86
Spoiler alert: In the general chat audio we learn that Hanny is in fact just Mike putting on a high voice and tucking himself between his legs. Never saw it coming.
bunimomike
“Never saw it coming” *golf claps*
Only the people behind did.
You tap it across, son, I’ll put it in the net. :-P
BIGAL-1992
Hahaha! Without question the best meet the reader i’ve seen on tsa.