The big hoo-rah has finally arrived, a weekly interview with the names. These are names you see and have so for some time. Some will be names you like, others not so much. Some wow us with their skills with discs, others with their friendly presence alone. Still others are misunderstood, and just invite some probing.
The person I chose to kick this event off with is a player only a few of us have the longevity to remember in his hay-day. He recently reappeared in the servers and has also been active in the forums.
Knightmare was a mainstay on the KAH server and an active member of the legendary KIA clan that dates back prior to the June 2002 Counterstrike release of the Ricochet Mod. As one of the most feared and respected names among the list of pioneers within the KIA clan, he returns to a larger field of talent; a field that includes multiple reputable clans, each with some incredible players. Some of these are new, others played him back in the day. All of them have something in common however, that is the hope that Knightmare will stay with us again for a good long time.
I sat down with Knightmare in my penthouse suite high atop the Four Seasons Hotel here in Las Vegas. (try and pretend anyway) We sipped martini's for a couple of hours and had this conversation. Security was tight, because Knightmare, Frank, is 18. He is not allowed by law to consume alcoholic beverages. He attends high school in Indiana currently when he is not visiting Vegas for important interviews on behalf of Vadavaka.com.
Beastie: It's really great to have you back on the Ricochet scene, Knightmare. What made you decide to come back after what, 9 months?
Knightmare:Wow, has it really been 9 months? Well, I uninstalled RC and started up AO. Then [Anarchy Online] got boring and took a while for me to take the time to download the whole patch again to play RC again.
Beastie: On the flipside, what made you leave at such a time you did? The game was growing with the patch release. You were at the top of your game in the premier clan, KIA.
Knightmare: Many reasons why I left. One of the reasons was because I was getting bored with the game and wanted something new, there was nothing fun about RC anymore and other games became more interesting to me such as Anarchy Online (my 1st MMORPG). Thats where i've been for the past 6-9months.
The patch release brought on a huge wave of NOOBS, one of which was me. Perhaps this period meant too little competition for the existing players. We had no chance of even competing with the likes of Knightmare or his KIA clanmates.
Beastie: I mentioned KIA, how did that all begin? Was it the first true Ricochet clan to gain any recognition?
Knightmare: Well, KIA... I forget how it all begin really... but I know that it got alot of the top players back in the day and was one of the best (in my mind) clan at my time. I don't believe it was the 1st to gain recognition, being pr0 has been around for a bit and some other clans that were alive back then.
Beastie: Has the game changed much since you left it?
Knightmare: Well, the game is the same to me but the players are awesome now:)Everyone has gotten alot better:)
Beastie: You have been back for about 2 weeks now. Are you feeling any pressure to compete with a reputation you still hold with experienced players. All the discussion obviously trickles it on down to the rookies as well.
Knightmare: Yes, I feel sorta pressured.. When was reading that thread in the forums, some considered me being the best (which i wasn't), but still makes me feel like I have to be good. But then again I remember that I play this game for fun and all the pressure goes away:P
Knightmare had confided in me that all he really wants is to be considered a regular player. It can be tough, however when there are big names tooting horns for you.
Beastie: Modesty is an admirable quality. Let's talk just briefly about this reputation's roots. Many players automatically point to Gemakk as the best ever in his peak. However I seem to remember at one time Gemakk pointing to you. I recently had a chance to speak with him about your play with KIA:
"Knightmare was a centre-hogger! You could try your best to out-jump him, but you'd fail horribly. Knightmare was known as one of the best well known and highest skilled players."
Would you care to respond?
Knightmare: Bah, Gemakk is one of the best I've played back in the day. He owned me plently of times. When I first met Gemakk he beat me terribly as well as some of the other KIA. But then I guess we got use to each others style and I say we were about eventually matched:)
I beat Gemakk once myself, although I think he was afk. Knightmare has had only a breif chance to meet and play with our growing number of talented Ricochet players. He admits he is quite rusty and insists he does not want to compete with the reputation he once built.
Beastie: Our friendly players are quite understanding. Hell I start falling off plats after a 2 day absence. 9 months is a Loooong time! Now that you are back, who are some names that have already impressed you?
Knightmare: Need more time to play all the players to come up with this:)
A gentleman and a diplomat.
Beastie: Does it seem like the same general strategies are employed, or are you seeing new innovation from the younger breed?
Knightmare: Well, the S-jump and some other move I saw a player do was pretty cool, but other that seems the same to me.
We logged into Vad's and I showed Knight a few special FALLS I have been working on lately. He seemed unimpressed.
Beastie: You joined up with RiP fairly quickly upon your re-entry. Did you consider any other clans prior to accepting? What were some of your deciding factors?
Knightmare: uT, was one because that was the guild I was in before I left. Well, just thought a fresh start would be good, and other reasons I wish to keep to myself.
Beastie: Do you plan to make any formal challenges to opposing clan members any time soon?
Knightmare: Well, once I feel I'm ready to take on them, then non-stop challenges:)
Beastie: RiP today vs KIA ten months ago. Is this a contest?
Knightmare: Hmmm that would be interesting match up. :ph34r:
At this point I could not decipher whether Frank was again being diplomatic or instead the martini's were overtaking his insight.:wacko: He was nodding off a bit and I felt it may be best to wrap it up.
Beastie: Thank you so much for sitting down with me for this long awaited treat. I know our viewers will be excited to hear what you have to say about ricochet and its community of personalities. I hope we can do so again in the future so we can follow up to some of the remai.....
Knightmare: .....zzz .....zzz -_-
Beastie: Knight?
Knightmare is active in Anarchy Online, Vampire Slayer, Counterstrike (never heard of it), and of course Ricochet. Look for him on the servers and remember he is on a brand new start and would like to be treated as such. Do tell him you enjoyed the conversation we had here in Vegas.
Also look for next week's installment with another important name within the community. Who? You will just have to wait and see. Until then happy decapping!!
The person I chose to kick this event off with is a player only a few of us have the longevity to remember in his hay-day. He recently reappeared in the servers and has also been active in the forums.
Knightmare was a mainstay on the KAH server and an active member of the legendary KIA clan that dates back prior to the June 2002 Counterstrike release of the Ricochet Mod. As one of the most feared and respected names among the list of pioneers within the KIA clan, he returns to a larger field of talent; a field that includes multiple reputable clans, each with some incredible players. Some of these are new, others played him back in the day. All of them have something in common however, that is the hope that Knightmare will stay with us again for a good long time.
I sat down with Knightmare in my penthouse suite high atop the Four Seasons Hotel here in Las Vegas. (try and pretend anyway) We sipped martini's for a couple of hours and had this conversation. Security was tight, because Knightmare, Frank, is 18. He is not allowed by law to consume alcoholic beverages. He attends high school in Indiana currently when he is not visiting Vegas for important interviews on behalf of Vadavaka.com.
Beastie: It's really great to have you back on the Ricochet scene, Knightmare. What made you decide to come back after what, 9 months?
Knightmare:Wow, has it really been 9 months? Well, I uninstalled RC and started up AO. Then [Anarchy Online] got boring and took a while for me to take the time to download the whole patch again to play RC again.
Beastie: On the flipside, what made you leave at such a time you did? The game was growing with the patch release. You were at the top of your game in the premier clan, KIA.
Knightmare: Many reasons why I left. One of the reasons was because I was getting bored with the game and wanted something new, there was nothing fun about RC anymore and other games became more interesting to me such as Anarchy Online (my 1st MMORPG). Thats where i've been for the past 6-9months.
The patch release brought on a huge wave of NOOBS, one of which was me. Perhaps this period meant too little competition for the existing players. We had no chance of even competing with the likes of Knightmare or his KIA clanmates.
Beastie: I mentioned KIA, how did that all begin? Was it the first true Ricochet clan to gain any recognition?
Knightmare: Well, KIA... I forget how it all begin really... but I know that it got alot of the top players back in the day and was one of the best (in my mind) clan at my time. I don't believe it was the 1st to gain recognition, being pr0 has been around for a bit and some other clans that were alive back then.
Beastie: Has the game changed much since you left it?
Knightmare: Well, the game is the same to me but the players are awesome now:)Everyone has gotten alot better:)
Beastie: You have been back for about 2 weeks now. Are you feeling any pressure to compete with a reputation you still hold with experienced players. All the discussion obviously trickles it on down to the rookies as well.
Knightmare: Yes, I feel sorta pressured.. When was reading that thread in the forums, some considered me being the best (which i wasn't), but still makes me feel like I have to be good. But then again I remember that I play this game for fun and all the pressure goes away:P
Knightmare had confided in me that all he really wants is to be considered a regular player. It can be tough, however when there are big names tooting horns for you.
Beastie: Modesty is an admirable quality. Let's talk just briefly about this reputation's roots. Many players automatically point to Gemakk as the best ever in his peak. However I seem to remember at one time Gemakk pointing to you. I recently had a chance to speak with him about your play with KIA:
"Knightmare was a centre-hogger! You could try your best to out-jump him, but you'd fail horribly. Knightmare was known as one of the best well known and highest skilled players."
Would you care to respond?
Knightmare: Bah, Gemakk is one of the best I've played back in the day. He owned me plently of times. When I first met Gemakk he beat me terribly as well as some of the other KIA. But then I guess we got use to each others style and I say we were about eventually matched:)
I beat Gemakk once myself, although I think he was afk. Knightmare has had only a breif chance to meet and play with our growing number of talented Ricochet players. He admits he is quite rusty and insists he does not want to compete with the reputation he once built.
Beastie: Our friendly players are quite understanding. Hell I start falling off plats after a 2 day absence. 9 months is a Loooong time! Now that you are back, who are some names that have already impressed you?
Knightmare: Need more time to play all the players to come up with this:)
A gentleman and a diplomat.
Beastie: Does it seem like the same general strategies are employed, or are you seeing new innovation from the younger breed?
Knightmare: Well, the S-jump and some other move I saw a player do was pretty cool, but other that seems the same to me.
We logged into Vad's and I showed Knight a few special FALLS I have been working on lately. He seemed unimpressed.
Beastie: You joined up with RiP fairly quickly upon your re-entry. Did you consider any other clans prior to accepting? What were some of your deciding factors?
Knightmare: uT, was one because that was the guild I was in before I left. Well, just thought a fresh start would be good, and other reasons I wish to keep to myself.
Beastie: Do you plan to make any formal challenges to opposing clan members any time soon?
Knightmare: Well, once I feel I'm ready to take on them, then non-stop challenges:)
Beastie: RiP today vs KIA ten months ago. Is this a contest?
Knightmare: Hmmm that would be interesting match up. :ph34r:
At this point I could not decipher whether Frank was again being diplomatic or instead the martini's were overtaking his insight.:wacko: He was nodding off a bit and I felt it may be best to wrap it up.
Beastie: Thank you so much for sitting down with me for this long awaited treat. I know our viewers will be excited to hear what you have to say about ricochet and its community of personalities. I hope we can do so again in the future so we can follow up to some of the remai.....
Knightmare: .....zzz .....zzz -_-
Beastie: Knight?
Knightmare is active in Anarchy Online, Vampire Slayer, Counterstrike (never heard of it), and of course Ricochet. Look for him on the servers and remember he is on a brand new start and would like to be treated as such. Do tell him you enjoyed the conversation we had here in Vegas.
Also look for next week's installment with another important name within the community. Who? You will just have to wait and see. Until then happy decapping!!