<![CDATA[VadaVaka - Columns By Beastie]]>

<![CDATA[VadaVaka - Columns By Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/ Sat, 24 Oct 2026 10:35:12 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Layin' Down the Law]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=519 Sun, 27 Jul 2003 01:17:03 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=519
I had expected to fly Nick out on my private jet, but he wasn't having it. He sent me an email that contained a link to some obscure website. He told me that when I was ready for his arrival I could simply click the link and follow the prompts. I did so and was floored by what happened.

My Real Download application began to open the program, but right in the middle it stopped. My screen went blank and further all of my lights went out! All electricity to the suite was cut except for that to my computer. As weird as this was, I knew it wasn't over. A booming bass-filled voice came from nowhere.... no... everywhere! It proclaimed louddly yet calmly, 'BRACE YOURSELF MUTHA F*****R!!' I was already in the corner of the room, huddled in the fetal position, so I was about as braced as one can be. An intense blue flame emerged in the middle of the room, and from within formed a being.
Gwarsbane stepped forward and looked around. 'What's up?'

Gwarsbane in his own words: Nick Julian, old enough (older then 19, younger then 1 million), Programmer\Graphics Artist\Webpage Designer\Web site admin\Packrat\TV watcher\Music Listener\and other things, from Nova Scotia Canada.

And he is an admin. Not just an admin, but he has been the most visible on the Holdout's servers since they became popular. While there are many admins on the servers, yours truly included B), Gwar has been involved in the most controversey. I will not be talking with him today about specific incidents. Those have been discussed up, down, and backwards in the forums. Many threads have been opened and closed regarding Gwar's relationship with those who have been removed from the server group. You can go back and read them if you'd like.

Today I am here to discuss the role with Gwarsbane in a civilized fashion, on my column. I for one have always respected him and his policies. Here is his chance to speak uninterupted. Further, as you all have figured out over the last few weeks, I am askin the friggin questions! Shall we get into it?

Beastie: Hello Gwarsbane. I have been waiting to get you into my column. After all, you helped to set up the current home to my column, vadavaka.com! Tell me what prompted you to do such a thing.
Gwarsbane: Well I like creating web pages, I have 6 personal websites. When I was asked to be an admin for the Vadavaka game servers I had asked GRITS about a website and if she had any space for one. I can't remember if she said she had a space at the time but that she did plan on making one evnetually once she learned how, but that it would be a while. Thats when I made up most of the site that you see now and gave it to GRITS to not only put up to help people people informed but as a thanks for making me an admin. Big Grin

Beastie: Where did you learn so much about websights and computers in general. Does it fit into your carreer goals, or is it strictly a hobby?
Gwarsbane: I've been into computers for such a long time. I bought my first IBM compatable (486 DX-2 66) many years ago. The more I used it the more I liked computers. I formatted the drive many times, I removed all the hardware in it many times. Everytime I did I learned something new. I knew by then that computers were going to be in my life big time.
In high school I just blew through the computer courses but I have to admit that they were pretty easy, except for the CADD (Computer Aided Design and Drafting) course, but I did good in that course too.
In college I went for programming. While I was learning programming, I also learned web design on my own which also lead to graphics design, after all I needed to make pictures for my website.
Computers fit right in with my carreer goals. Everything I would like to do has to do with computers. Computers is what I see myself making lots of money from in the future, but I also see me using them as a hobby too. To me online games are my hobby.

Gwar has played as long as I have, give or take a few days. Sonetimes I wonder how I have kept up with it, for many have come and gone. We are in a time of change as we speak.

Beastie: Be honest here, do you still enjoy this game? You have had to play a tough role as a senior admin on vads. Without citing individual incidents, how has it shaped your experience, for better or for worse?
Gwarsbane: Damn right I still enjoy this game. It reminds me so much of the game
Discs of Tron from the 80s that I used to play that I can not just walk away from it now. Best thing about it is that its multiplayer so I get to take on live humans instead of stupid computer AIs that are super easy to beat.
Yes my role as admin on the Vadavaka servers has been tough. Its harder then anyone realizes. Its hard to tell a friend to behave or I'll kick them. As you and a few others know, I don't play favorites when I am playing on a server where I am admin.
It has not really shaped my experience. It has been a learning experience to balance being an admin and being a friend all at the same time. It has been hard, but I think I'm doing an ok job of it.

I will have to vouch for that. I am only within rights to speak on events where I have been there in person, but I would definitly ask him to admin my own server.

Beastie: Adminning obviously has it's good sides to come along with the more publicized bad. What has been the biggest advantage to adminning on Vad's?
Gwarsbane: The biggest advantage is working side by side with GRITS and all the other admins. They are a great bunch of people. Its also nice to be able to get rid of the idiots that show up and want to cause problems.

What's he talking about? I don't remember any... heh... riight.

Beastie: As a key player in building the infrastructure for our community, give me some insight into the future. Will we see any new waves of Ricochet players? Are we ready for it? Could the forums handle a blast of say three hundred more registered users?
Gwarsbane: I also think the forums are important, besides screaming for bugs to be fixed, the forums were the #1 item people wanted. Other sites had them, but most of them didn't stay up long because they were attached to clan sites.
I do hope we see new waves of people coming in, but I hope they are small waves so that our community can grow without busting at the seams. I think we are always ready for it, I have been seeing more and more new people each time I play. There are times when I don't know anyone on the Vadavaka servers at all. The forums could easily handle 300 new people, it could easily handle 3000 new people, well maybe not in one day as I think that would overload the server, but over a few weeks ya no problem.

Beastie: Heading back to before forums, Vad's, the current clans, and all. What got you so interested in the game to begin with? Who do you credit for helping to develop your skills?
Gwarsbane: When the last patch come out, I seen the little thing where it said "install Ricochet Icon onto the desktop?" I said sure. Then I went and read in the docs what Ricochet was and I though on cool, Tron!!! I'm a big Tron fan and like I mentioned above, I used to play the game Discs of Tron in the arcade when I was younger.
I jumped onto a server and seen people jumping around so I just joined in and boy did I suck, but I kept on playing.
This might sound weird but I credit everyone that didn't help me which was most of the people. One of the first clan servers I went on, I found that just about everyone of them seemed stuck up and I felt like they thought that they were better then everyone else playing. There were a few nice players there but the rest all seemed like jerks. Thats when I thought, I'm going to get better just so that I can beat all of them and teach them a lesson that you can be nice and still be good.
The short of it is, no one tought me to play, I learned on my own by just watching other people. People have certain patterns that I see when playing and I just learned to counter each pattern. But there are some people that I have not figured out their patterns and still have problems beating.

The only tag you will ever see Gwarsbane wear is GAG, which says to others that he is an admin on Holdout's. For a while we were the clanless wonders together. I eventually broke.

Beastie: Like me in my first year of play, you have stayed clear of clans. While I certainly understand it, please explain it for others who may not.
Gwarsbane: I'm just not fond of clans. I just see no use in them. Some people like being in clans, I'm just not one of those people.

Beastie: Tell me about what you do in your off time away from the servers and the websight. Do you play other games? What do you do off-line?
Gwarsbane: Well I'm an admin for a very successful Mech Warrior programming site.
mektek.net I've been an admin there for a bunch of years. They are a great bunch of people that I would not want to trade anything for... well ok maybe a few state of the art computers, but nothing less then that. :lol:
I also work on graphics in Photoshop 7, Poser 4 and 5, Bryce 4 and 5. I do some work only own websites, gwarsbane.mektek.netis my main one though.It hasn't been updated for a bit, but I have been working on it offline. I also work on video editing, sound editing and I even made some of my own songs years ago. No worries, I never sang for any of them.
I'm also a sci-fi fan and watch Farscape, Stargate SG-1, Andromeda, Enterprise and a few other shows. I love Anime, I won't mention all the ones we like because that is a long list. Big Grin

I also do some programming every now and then, its not much as I don't remember much of what I was tought, but its usually enough to build a program that I need at the time.
I'm almost always listening to music. I'll listen to anything from Heavy Metal to Classical. Heavy Metal is my fav thou.

Gwar programs only when he needs to get to Vegas without the inconveinence of air travel. Programs that send him via violent, fiery upload are so much easier!

Beastie: We share an enjoyment for a band most of these players have never heard of. Who is Gwar and what albums/songs should gwar-noobs check out for first impressions?
Gwarsbane: Ahh yes Gwar, my favorite group. They are a group of insane people that do whats called shock rock. Basically they dress up in some really freaky costums, sing and dance around on stage. They sing heavy metal (which is my favorite kind of music). I really like them mainly because their songs are funny and they don't take themselves seriously.

Beastie: Gwar is pretty badass in concert. I have heard some people don't make it back! The band vs uT, OS, RiP, RFA, CAKE, and Pro in a WWE style Battle Royale... is there a chance in hell for any of the clans? Does this sound like a good pay-per-view?
Gwarsbane: While I have never been to one of their concerts live, I have seen what they are like from pictures and videos I have downloaded off the net. People walk in feeling great, walk out feeling even better but missing their head!
hehe
Gwar vs all the clans... well thats no contest man, Gwar would kick their butts and then pile the bodies up in the center and sit on them like a throne! Tongue

And that is probably the truth. I came across a large group of concert goers one time in Appleton, Wisconsin. Sure they all made it out alive, but only after they were spraypainted hair to shoelaces in orange! Wish I had been there!

Gwarsbane will continue to run the Holdout's servers and this forum you are on as you read this. His knowledge, experience and good judgement help make our game more civil for all. Remind him of that when you see him next!

Look for me next week when I will have another fun chat with one of your mediocre mod-mates. Until then have a good time decapping... and I want to hear no crap about our community disolving!! We are strong!! Oorgle!!]]> <![CDATA[Beer and Chips]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=496 Sat, 19 Jul 2003 10:45:49 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=496
This week I bring to you another good friend to me and to the game. This gentleman is one who helps to maintain the integrety of our community. He is funny, friendly, and fun to play. He has earned the respect of all players new and old. He deals snack-food by day and slings frisbees by night. Yes today I interview the Chipman himself, you all know him as Fritoman.

Today I instead know him as Don from Rolla, Missouri. As a fellow midwesterner originally, we share certain values. One of those values is beer. He brought a case of Busch and a case of Busch Bavarian. What a guy!
I had planned a strip tour for my good buddy, but we decided instead to crack the cases, chalk up the pool cues, slap on the big screen, and watch a little baseball. Cardinals vs the Brewers, how fitting!

Don racked while I looked over my interview material. Don is 37 next month, and is in fact a Frito-Lay route sales rep. He is a family man first and foremost. After which follows chips and hobbies including computer gaming. SMACK!! I broke with authority, balls flying everywhere! Everywhere but in the pockets that is. I left exactly sixteen balls on the table, including the cue ball. I sat down to let in with the questions.

Beastie: Hello Mr. Fritoman. It's good to finally get you into the column. Please tell me what has kept you interested in this silly game. You have played the mediocre mod as long or longer than I have! Does it ever get old?
Fritoman: Well the game does get a little boring sometimes, but that is when the chat comes into play. I sometimes just log on for the conversation, but on those days I just kinda put a slight effort into the game but mostly am just there to BS with people. The game is great in that aspect because when I am done with kissing up to all of my customers all day long, all I want to do is talk to people that I don't have to explain sales or promotions to and rico is the perfect world for that.

Beastie: I have beaten the whole clan thing to death as of late. Touch just briefly on your new clan and what it's all about. What can we expect in terms of challenges, participation, and it's impact on the community?
Fritoman: Well with OS it is mostly about hanging with the guys and talking about things of interest to US, and maybe talking about a problem that you think someone else might understand. It is a great group of guys that all share the same interest to an extent, we are diverse in our jobs but have one thing in common for sure, and that its we are all old skool; Pix , Jabba and Power and Glory, are a great bunch of guys that are just fun and fun to hang with.

Beastie: Who have been your favorite opponents over time? Who is the most underrated player in the game today? How about from the past?
Fritoman: Well that is a tuffy, Beastie, since your name pops into mind when that question was asked. It was always a treat to see you log on while I was in game, cus I knew that you are competitive but also a fun player to talk with, never seems to take the world to serious and willing to talk about anything. Also 2 other players come to mind besides the players in my clan "which I always love to see" are Quickining and Gemakk. Quick and I have spent most of our rico time knowing each other, him and hylander tried very hard to teach me the game when I first started, all the buttons and what they did and just all around pretty cool to a newb like me at first. Gemakk was awesome to play also cus we got along well and he was interesting to play. For a while before he got really good we were close in skill and it made for interesting matches. And that made me feel good cus everyone talked about Gemakk and how great he was so that made me feel good that I sometimes could beat him. If you are a friend and I didnt mention you here, please forgive me, it is because, I just ran out of time, it isnt because I wasnt thinking about you.

I think Frito was saying these kind words to pity me. He had just ran the table. Not just his balls mind you, mine too. In fact he even banked the final three just for good measure! I cracked another brew and racked em' up again.

Beastie: Nacho, Cool Ranch, or Original? Tongue

Fritoman: Im not a big dorito eater but would have to say out of the 3 I would pick cool ranch. They are tasty but I prefer ether cheetos crunchy or fritos. But I dont allow chips in the house too much because I can't stand the sound of the crinkle of the bags. I hear enough of that during the day so I don't need to hear it in my off time. <_<

Beastie: Seriously, you obviously must know a lot more about the chips than the average junk food fanatic. Tell us about your job and how you got into the field.
Fritoman: My next door neighbor asked me to play golf with him one day and he was a fritoman at the time. When we got to the first hole and ready to tee off he asked if I would be interested in coming to work for them. By the eighteenth hole I had asked all the questions that I needed answered and he given me good answers so I said I would like to come to work for them.
All in all I do like my job but every job has its draw backs. Interestingly enough, when I went to work for frito I weighed 200 and 3 and a half months later I lost close to 40 pounds because it is soooo hot on the chip truck (it is 10 to 15 degrees warmer on the truck then it is out side). You will sweat it off, so I learned that during the winter time I have to put weight on if I dont want to look to skinny by the end of summer.
I drive about 150 miles a day on average and the truck isnt that fast. So it is a slower then normal 150 but I like the alone time that you get while you are going from one stop to the next. "time to think about stuff" and my boy thinks that it is awesome that I am a chip guy cus his friends come over and they all shop on the truck for snacks at lunch time. They think he is pretty cool for being able to do that. "anything I can do to help him out with his lady friends" cus they always want a chip truck tour also. B)

After another game where I only shot once, I was down 0-2. As a Ricochet player, I knew if I let him go 3-0, it would officially be a PWNING. I had to do something to thwart this shark! Hmmmmm.... :blink:... I got it! Idea

I went into my kitchen and got a big bag of Cheetos Puffs. This would work for sure! I went back into my pool room and looked him up and down... :ph34r: CRINKLE CRINKLE CRINKLE CRINKLE :ph34r:
Don seemed unamused.

Beastie: Give us some dirt. I want something fun, something they Don't Want us to Know about snackfoods. If I write in and say I found... oh I dunno... a severed head in my bag of Tostito's, will I get a free case or something?
Fritoman: There is a phone number on the back of each bag of chips, so that if you are unhappy with your purchase they will try and make it right by you. That is a funny thing you said that cus my mom was telling me a story about when I was young and she had bought some of that powered cake mix in a box and when she opened it there where bugs in it. So she called the company to complain and a few weeks later she got an entire case of the same mix she had bought before. Sounds great huh? Funny thing was she had already made up her mind that she didn't want to buy that brand anymore BECAUSE IT HAD BUGS IN IT!! But we were poor and she was taking care of us by her self on minimum wage. "3 boys", so we looked in the boxes very carfully from then on, and had a butt load of cake, Woohoo!!!
So my question to you is, if you found a head in a bag of chips then why the hell would you want a case of them?

A valid point indeed! Anyone ever seen that really obscure sequel to The Wizard of Oz? Some people collect severed heads! Anyway...

Beastie: What is the absolute worst snackfood product to come through in your time as a rep? Is it because it didn't sell? It tasted bad? It just plain sucked?
Fritoman: I think the worst selling snack that we came out with would have to be "hot popcorn". Holy crap that stuff was nasty, and since we all knew it wouldn't sell they did a support load to everyone so we would have to put it out in the market. We did but it didn't sell worth a crap so they pulled it out of the maket here.
Now what people don't understand is that it depends on where you live in the world as to what flavor of chip you are offered by fritolay. In japan for instance they have octopuss flavored chips and in texas the hot line of chips does real well, mostly targeting the hispanic and black population. But in the midwest it doesn't do well at all, so it takes a lot of research to best determine what will sell where.

Octopuss chips?! Betha' can't eat just one! Yeah... so my plan had worked. The crinkling on my chip-bag worked like Kryptonite to Superman. I was able to get 3 separate turns, in which I won the game by a 3 ball margain. He racked them up and I prepared to break.

Beastie: So you are not peddling chips or playing Ricochet, what the hell are you doing? Tell me about Fritoman's other routine activities.
Fritoman: I like to do a lot of stuff with my son. He is at that age that he is really cool to be around, and I dont want to miss that part of his life. ((Or he will grow up and hate me and join online video games and fourms and bad mouth me and we don't want that to happen.)) :lol:
Also I have just recently joined a gym and am trying to get buff. Stress the word trying. I tried to make skydiving my hobby but good lord that gets expensive in a hurry so I cut that out and went to RC airplanes insted. Not cheap but at least when the money is spent you have something to show for it.

Beastie: As older, more experienced gamers, we have played some pretty old games. Tell me about your first favorite video game. I will go first... Arkanoid. It's the bomb! I own one... seriously, a stand up machine! If you would ever buy an old machine, what game would it be? How about your favorite computer/console games?
Fritoman: I had a pinball game called sting-ray full size, remember that game? it was awesome, I also remember playing astroids, that was a kick ass game also. But that question makes me think back to my first home video game which was an atari and we (my bros and I) would play pong for hours. Then they would kick the crap out of me for beating them badly and then making fun of them. I deserved it.

Another strong showing, this time it was Don that only shot once. For I broke, sank two and ran the rest on my next turn. At 2-2, this would be a great match. Frito and I generally have pretty good matches! Smile

Beastie: Potato chips, micro-chips, or buffalo chips?
Fritoman: Micro-chips, cus I like to game, then potato chips cus i like to be able to afford to game, and then last but not least...well yeah it is least, buffalo chips. Who are these buffalo and why do they make such a nasty tasting chip?

For a second I thought Jerry Seinfeld was actually in the room! 'Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one!?'

Beastie: Say OS, uT, RiP, and CAKE (no bugs) were to sit down with a whole bunch of poker chips... deuces wild!! Who walks with all the money? How's your bluffing face, Frito?
Fritoman: I would lose all of my money and then I would go tell my wife and she would come and win it all back because she is an awesome poker player. But I do do better when there is wild cards cus that changes the whole make up of the game.

Fritoman has been changing the make up of Ricochet with his very presence alone. While agreed upon as one of RC's nice guys, he certainly does not fail to compete with the hot shots, either! I would suggest, however that if he is pwning you hard one day and you can't take it any longer... put a big bag of chips up to your mic and crinkle that mofo until he mutes you!! It works.

As for our match, it ended abruptly. My final break leaped off the table and nailed Don square in the nuts! Poor guy even dropped his Bavarian. I felt so bad, I gave him the final win to end it up 3-2 him.

sry... np... gg... gg.

Have a good week. I want severed heads!!]]>
This week I bring to you another good friend to me and to the game. This gentleman is one who helps to maintain the integrety of our community. He is funny, friendly, and fun to play. He has earned the respect of all players new and old. He deals snack-food by day and slings frisbees by night. Yes today I interview the Chipman himself, you all know him as Fritoman.

Today I instead know him as Don from Rolla, Missouri. As a fellow midwesterner originally, we share certain values. One of those values is beer. He brought a case of Busch and a case of Busch Bavarian. What a guy!
I had planned a strip tour for my good buddy, but we decided instead to crack the cases, chalk up the pool cues, slap on the big screen, and watch a little baseball. Cardinals vs the Brewers, how fitting!

Don racked while I looked over my interview material. Don is 37 next month, and is in fact a Frito-Lay route sales rep. He is a family man first and foremost. After which follows chips and hobbies including computer gaming. SMACK!! I broke with authority, balls flying everywhere! Everywhere but in the pockets that is. I left exactly sixteen balls on the table, including the cue ball. I sat down to let in with the questions.

Beastie: Hello Mr. Fritoman. It's good to finally get you into the column. Please tell me what has kept you interested in this silly game. You have played the mediocre mod as long or longer than I have! Does it ever get old?
Fritoman: Well the game does get a little boring sometimes, but that is when the chat comes into play. I sometimes just log on for the conversation, but on those days I just kinda put a slight effort into the game but mostly am just there to BS with people. The game is great in that aspect because when I am done with kissing up to all of my customers all day long, all I want to do is talk to people that I don't have to explain sales or promotions to and rico is the perfect world for that.

Beastie: I have beaten the whole clan thing to death as of late. Touch just briefly on your new clan and what it's all about. What can we expect in terms of challenges, participation, and it's impact on the community?
Fritoman: Well with OS it is mostly about hanging with the guys and talking about things of interest to US, and maybe talking about a problem that you think someone else might understand. It is a great group of guys that all share the same interest to an extent, we are diverse in our jobs but have one thing in common for sure, and that its we are all old skool; Pix , Jabba and Power and Glory, are a great bunch of guys that are just fun and fun to hang with.

Beastie: Who have been your favorite opponents over time? Who is the most underrated player in the game today? How about from the past?
Fritoman: Well that is a tuffy, Beastie, since your name pops into mind when that question was asked. It was always a treat to see you log on while I was in game, cus I knew that you are competitive but also a fun player to talk with, never seems to take the world to serious and willing to talk about anything. Also 2 other players come to mind besides the players in my clan "which I always love to see" are Quickining and Gemakk. Quick and I have spent most of our rico time knowing each other, him and hylander tried very hard to teach me the game when I first started, all the buttons and what they did and just all around pretty cool to a newb like me at first. Gemakk was awesome to play also cus we got along well and he was interesting to play. For a while before he got really good we were close in skill and it made for interesting matches. And that made me feel good cus everyone talked about Gemakk and how great he was so that made me feel good that I sometimes could beat him. If you are a friend and I didnt mention you here, please forgive me, it is because, I just ran out of time, it isnt because I wasnt thinking about you.

I think Frito was saying these kind words to pity me. He had just ran the table. Not just his balls mind you, mine too. In fact he even banked the final three just for good measure! I cracked another brew and racked em' up again.

Beastie: Nacho, Cool Ranch, or Original? Tongue

Beastie: Potato chips, micro-chips, or buffalo chips?
Fritoman: Micro-chips, cus I like to game, then potato chips cus i like to be able to afford to game, and then last but not least...well yeah it is least, buffalo chips. Who are these buffalo and why do they make such a nasty tasting chip?

For a second I thought Jerry Seinfeld was actually in the room! 'Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one!?'

Beastie: Say OS, uT, RiP, and CAKE (no bugs) were to sit down with a whole bunch of poker chips... deuces wild!! Who walks with all the money? How's your bluffing face, Frito?
Fritoman: I would lose all of my money and then I would go tell my wife and she would come and win it all back because she is an awesome poker player. But I do do better when there is wild cards cus that changes the whole make up of the game.

Fritoman has been changing the make up of Ricochet with his very presence alone. While agreed upon as one of RC's nice guys, he certainly does not fail to compete with the hot shots, either! I would suggest, however that if he is pwning you hard one day and you can't take it any longer... put a big bag of chips up to your mic and crinkle that mofo until he mutes you!! It works.

As for our match, it ended abruptly. My final break leaped off the table and nailed Don square in the nuts! Poor guy even dropped his Bavarian. I felt so bad, I gave him the final win to end it up 3-2 him.

sry... np... gg... gg.

Have a good week. I want severed heads!!]]> <![CDATA[Shootin' the Shizzle]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=472 Sat, 12 Jul 2003 02:26:13 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=472
Early this week I realized I would be interviewing somone who may need a bit of translation help. My feature this week speaks english as a second language. While he does it quite well for being half-way around the world, I recruited somone who could help us interpret everything for us from Shalk's english into wordage we could all understand one hundered percent... Snoop Dogg!!

The Doggfather arrived early in his coveted new Cadillac Snoop Deville. This sweet custom ride was bumpin his latest. I heard it from all the way up on my thirty second floor! By the time I made my way down to greet him, Shalk had also arrived. He instead was driven up in the limited edition RiP Hummer. His guards in RiP attire cleared a path through the Snoop autograph seekers, and I met the both of them at the front entrance. I escorted the all important clan leader and the new drug-free pimpin' thug to my floor. Introductions were made, and we made our way into my studio.

Shalk's real name is Alon, and he is from Israel. Alon is 16 and in school, but is on summer break which allows him to play Ricochet on our hours a little bit. Even though he in a far away land with many different customs, he speaks the language we share: Ricochet. He speaks it well, in fact he is the leader and co-founder of one the game's top clans in RiP. He is involved in all clan activities including kicking my ass!

Snoop sat in the booth playing around with the turntables and the trackboard. He had us on mic so he could hear us load uand clear. He would be there to help the rest of you understand exactly what went down. All in place, I began with the questions.

Beastie: Mr. Shalk it is good to have you here on the column. I know you have been awaiting this interview for a long time. Now you can say whatever you would like to all of your friends, rivals, and clanmates. If you had only one sentence to do it, what would it be?
Shalk: No pain no gain. B)
I think that this sentence saying it all, RiP have passed a hard time and now we're in the place at the top and well all know it wasn't easy for us, the hard times we have passed, the inactivity that left me alone at the leading until we found a solution and believe me it wasn't easy.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Life aint easy, but RiP the shizzy.

Beastie: You have been a leader in the RiP clan for a very long time. I recently learned that prior to your membership, you were actually in uT for some time. Please tell me about that and why you branched out into your new clan.
Shalk: Well, uT started with Cloud-Fuel, Shakira, Fritoman and me, I was in uT for very much time but I had a fight with Cloud-fuel which really pissed me off and at those times Cloud-fuel acted in a way that didn't like (as a leader) and the inactivity of the people in the clan, all together just gave me an idea to make a new clan. I was playing with KillingSpree and RulePool2 (which they are the players that I most admire and I learned a lot from them) on Vad's server and suddenly I had the idea about opening a clan together and from then we recruit our 3rd player which was g-boy (which from him I learned the stall style, which is the best style ever and I'm using it a lot and its doing hard time to everyone that I played against) and RiP has grew and become what we are today.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Some uT hoes be trippin'. But he down, it's all good in the hood.

I wondered whether Snoop had any idea what we were talking about. He just chimed in while playin with beats and layin' tracks. Shalk and Cloud have since mended and co-exist in out friendly Ricochet world.

Beastie: In previous interviews, former members from KIA and APS have said that RiP is perhaps the best there has ever been. How does this make you feel? Is RiP the best and why?
Shalk: Now when u mention it, it does make me feel good because as the only player from Israel and I learned to know each other from this community, maybe we are small but itÂ¡Â¦s the best community I have ever seen and I can't say for sure if RiP is the best but I do can tell u that we had hard time recruiting
players, we didn't took them by skills only, we chooses the most by the personality because we want respected people and when all get along just fine then the clan can move on. ^_^
Snoop Dogg Translation: He be representin'... middle east siiiide!! RiP is fo' eva'! Know whad Im sayin?'

Of course I stay fairly indifferent when working for vadavaka.com, as a member I have to agree with those that hold RiP as the highest in the arena. Also I wondered whether we could recruit Snoop into the clan. I would have to bring it up with Shalk at a later date.

Beastie: I discussed a number of clan related issues with Cloud Fuel last week. One of them was recruiting and membership. Is the process pretty similar in RiP? What are some of the important factors when choosing who gets in?
Shalk: I, as a leader, think that skills are not the only meaning there is in a player I think his personality and loyalty are very much important even more than skills, though I think skills are truely a part of the deal.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Gots ta have the skillz ya'll. Skillz to pay the billz.

Beastie: I had also asked Cloud about the rivalry that exists between the two major clans. How important is the clan match record to you as a leader? Do you expect each of your members to be active in outright challenges?
Shalk: There is no rivalry between the two clans, the matches aren't for points, we all know each other for along of time and we are the only people who can match each other so those matches are for fun only, but as a leader I do want my clan to win but really if we will not I can care less, game are for fun and matches are to make the game even more fun. And who ever want to play welcome but those who don't want I can't say no, its their choice and if they aren't interesting in playing their match its ok.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Ain't no thang. We're all in the same hood, gots ta get along. Word!

It's good to see that the opposing clan leaders share similar beliefs on this topic. I guess I will stop carrying my winning screen shot with me everywhere I go. (( Jabba Tongue

))

Beastie: Apparently GRITS :wub: has a Counter Strike web page on the way. It would not be suprising to me that she would potentially run a CS server someday. Would RiP consider playing it as a team as well?
Shalk: I don't think so, because CS isn't like ricochet that ping doesn't matter a lot, cs u can't play with 200 ping. Maybe we will play at the server for fun but as a team I don't know. For the answer we can only live to see what will happened because personally I have no clue what will happened.
Snoop Dogg Translation: If your ping is shizzle, stick with the rizzle.

Beastie: Do you play any CS? How about other games? Have you always played
as Shalk or do you play by other names? Where did your screen name come from?
Shalk: I'm playing counter-strike from the start of beta 6.5 (I did a lot of breaks), it was fun at the old times but today every second man is a cheater but I'm still trying to enjoy as most as I can.When I started to play cs I started to play TFC too, but the Israeli community is too small, we got 4 clan max and we donÂ¡Â¦t have a league so its pretty hard to keep it active, the TFC is being away from year to year until it will be totally gone. As u can see I started to play ricochet 6-8 months ago, I used to play on IGL Israeli server when there was always playing in it, but slowly people started to leave the game, 1 after another until I was the only one that left but then Cloud-Fuel found me on IGL, and he saw that I got potential in the game and he told me to start to play on NOH servers (when they was still up), I started to play there and then Gemakk and Davion checked me to KIA, we played on IGL (wanted to show them how I am with low ping) and I pretty much did fine, but then KIA broke up, and then I joined pr0.I'm using the nick Shalk forever, I found it by that I wanted original nick and I just typed some letters that looked nice so I decided that I will use it and from then I stayed with shalk. Big Grin

Snoop Dogg Translation: Homeboy been hangin' with some straight G's. Shalzzle Dalzzle, fear the name!

As in all of my features, I wanted to find out more about Alon in his time while not playing Ricochet.

Beastie: Please tell me about what else you do in your free time? Do you play any sports? What sports are big in Isreal?
Shalk: I'm playing on the guitar for 3 years, at my school we set up the show Hair which we did pretty damn well, going to play soccer with friends, basketball, movies (I prefer comedy + action, I think it's the best), but the most fun is just to go to other city and to fool there by going there randomly and having fun. I'm not playing at a league or something, just with friends because to be honest I'm not at all at everything which is about sport. About big sports in Israel, well all know that the Israel people aren't good at nothing beside basketball which is the only hobby that is big around here, beside that nothing.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Israel be ballin' like a ((censored)). Shalk be just chillin' wth the doggs.

Beastie: What are you studying in school? Are you a good student? Does your Ricochet addiction affect your grades at all? :-)
Shalk: This year I just finished the 10th grade, at the school I choices to learn music and Electricity as the main subjects, beside that I am studying the normal things like math, English, history and those. As for a student I will say I'm average student, and no the addiction to the ricochet didn't affect my grades at all, I know how to make my time free to study and when to have fun.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Homeboy keeps busy, feeding his head, knows when to play the rizzy.

Time for a little ego boosting.

Beastie: I joked with Cloud last week that I could perhaps be bribed away from RiP into uT. If I were magically turned into a rope and we had to have a tug-of-war contest, which clan would win?
Shalk: Well this is confusing, because in 1 point of view I'm thinking about just leaving the rope because no one worth enough to fight about him but in the other point of view its still Beastie, this man worth a fight but I think I will just give up and leave the rope, especially after the bribe I couldn't say no. but its not a big lose, only Beastie, we can live with that. :lol:Now serious, I will give a hell of a fight, I will not quit until it will be total win to 1 side.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Bizzle got clowned ya'll!!

Huh

..... <_<..... :lol: Big Grin

:lol:

Shalk is a very nice guy in addition to his high stature in the game. It is a true honor for me to be able to bring to all of you the views and laughs from somone so far away in Israel. Credit the internet for this possibility. And since then of course the community held together by vadavaka.com. Say hello to Shalk when you see him and tell him you enjoyed his thoughts.

As for me, I will have another fun and informative entry next week with somone you will all want to learn more about. Who? Have I ever told you before? Happy decapping!

Snoop Dogg Translation: I'll pop a de-cap in yo' ass, fool! Shizzle.]]>
Early this week I realized I would be interviewing somone who may need a bit of translation help. My feature this week speaks english as a second language. While he does it quite well for being half-way around the world, I recruited somone who could help us interpret everything for us from Shalk's english into wordage we could all understand one hundered percent... Snoop Dogg!!

The Doggfather arrived early in his coveted new Cadillac Snoop Deville. This sweet custom ride was bumpin his latest. I heard it from all the way up on my thirty second floor! By the time I made my way down to greet him, Shalk had also arrived. He instead was driven up in the limited edition RiP Hummer. His guards in RiP attire cleared a path through the Snoop autograph seekers, and I met the both of them at the front entrance. I escorted the all important clan leader and the new drug-free pimpin' thug to my floor. Introductions were made, and we made our way into my studio.

Shalk's real name is Alon, and he is from Israel. Alon is 16 and in school, but is on summer break which allows him to play Ricochet on our hours a little bit. Even though he in a far away land with many different customs, he speaks the language we share: Ricochet. He speaks it well, in fact he is the leader and co-founder of one the game's top clans in RiP. He is involved in all clan activities including kicking my ass!

Snoop sat in the booth playing around with the turntables and the trackboard. He had us on mic so he could hear us load uand clear. He would be there to help the rest of you understand exactly what went down. All in place, I began with the questions.

Beastie: Mr. Shalk it is good to have you here on the column. I know you have been awaiting this interview for a long time. Now you can say whatever you would like to all of your friends, rivals, and clanmates. If you had only one sentence to do it, what would it be?
Shalk: No pain no gain. B)
I think that this sentence saying it all, RiP have passed a hard time and now we're in the place at the top and well all know it wasn't easy for us, the hard times we have passed, the inactivity that left me alone at the leading until we found a solution and believe me it wasn't easy.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Life aint easy, but RiP the shizzy.

Beastie: You have been a leader in the RiP clan for a very long time. I recently learned that prior to your membership, you were actually in uT for some time. Please tell me about that and why you branched out into your new clan.
Shalk: Well, uT started with Cloud-Fuel, Shakira, Fritoman and me, I was in uT for very much time but I had a fight with Cloud-fuel which really pissed me off and at those times Cloud-fuel acted in a way that didn't like (as a leader) and the inactivity of the people in the clan, all together just gave me an idea to make a new clan. I was playing with KillingSpree and RulePool2 (which they are the players that I most admire and I learned a lot from them) on Vad's server and suddenly I had the idea about opening a clan together and from then we recruit our 3rd player which was g-boy (which from him I learned the stall style, which is the best style ever and I'm using it a lot and its doing hard time to everyone that I played against) and RiP has grew and become what we are today.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Some uT hoes be trippin'. But he down, it's all good in the hood.

I wondered whether Snoop had any idea what we were talking about. He just chimed in while playin with beats and layin' tracks. Shalk and Cloud have since mended and co-exist in out friendly Ricochet world.

Beastie: In previous interviews, former members from KIA and APS have said that RiP is perhaps the best there has ever been. How does this make you feel? Is RiP the best and why?
Shalk: Now when u mention it, it does make me feel good because as the only player from Israel and I learned to know each other from this community, maybe we are small but itÂ¡Â¦s the best community I have ever seen and I can't say for sure if RiP is the best but I do can tell u that we had hard time recruiting
players, we didn't took them by skills only, we chooses the most by the personality because we want respected people and when all get along just fine then the clan can move on. ^_^
Snoop Dogg Translation: He be representin'... middle east siiiide!! RiP is fo' eva'! Know whad Im sayin?'

Of course I stay fairly indifferent when working for vadavaka.com, as a member I have to agree with those that hold RiP as the highest in the arena. Also I wondered whether we could recruit Snoop into the clan. I would have to bring it up with Shalk at a later date.

Beastie: I discussed a number of clan related issues with Cloud Fuel last week. One of them was recruiting and membership. Is the process pretty similar in RiP? What are some of the important factors when choosing who gets in?
Shalk: I, as a leader, think that skills are not the only meaning there is in a player I think his personality and loyalty are very much important even more than skills, though I think skills are truely a part of the deal.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Gots ta have the skillz ya'll. Skillz to pay the billz.

Beastie: I had also asked Cloud about the rivalry that exists between the two major clans. How important is the clan match record to you as a leader? Do you expect each of your members to be active in outright challenges?
Shalk: There is no rivalry between the two clans, the matches aren't for points, we all know each other for along of time and we are the only people who can match each other so those matches are for fun only, but as a leader I do want my clan to win but really if we will not I can care less, game are for fun and matches are to make the game even more fun. And who ever want to play welcome but those who don't want I can't say no, its their choice and if they aren't interesting in playing their match its ok.
Snoop Dogg Translation: Ain't no thang. We're all in the same hood, gots ta get along. Word!

It's good to see that the opposing clan leaders share similar beliefs on this topic. I guess I will stop carrying my winning screen shot with me everywhere I go. (( Jabba Tongue

..... <_<..... :lol: Big Grin

:lol:

Before winding down in Cloud's office, I also toured the incredible play room with its four story imax pc monitor and a sound system to match. He shattered me with a freeze decap and the ground shook, it was intense! I let him win, for it would be impolite to own him in his own lair Tongue

. He spoke also of another room, where construction had begun on a fully functional ricochet arena. Gravity was undoubtably the biggest physics obstacle, but incidently Stephen Hawkings had been called in to work the job. I drifted off into thought and imagined a man flying a wheelchair, maneuvering s-jumps and backflips. In any case I was not shown this room. Apparently it was tight under wraps.

Now face to face with Blake, 18, at his desk, I pulled out my material and he whipped out a guitar. I was a little suprised, but while he played around with chords and riffs I let in with the questions.

Beastie: Mr. Cloud, the high leader of uT! Please tell me about the clan and how it came to be. How did it originate?
Cloud: Well *thinks back long, long ago* It all started after the demise of the great clan [K.I.A]. I was kind of restless, trying to decide if I wanted to continue downthe solo road or possibly join the ranks of |APS|. Many other players were attempting to convince the likes of Davion, Hylander, and Gemakk that they deserved to be in and well I wasn't too sure that was how I wanted to go out, so I tried out, but never asked to join them. I did, however, meet up with the wonderfully awesome Shakira and after she promptly kicked my ass I was like wow you're the first girl to ever beat me that badly. She just smiled, laughed, and left me standing there speechless. From that day on I had the utmost respect for her as a player and, as I got to know her better, a person. We both got tired of waiting on APS, so one day she said "Hey cloudy, why don't we just make our own clan?" I, of course jumped at the oppurtunity and after a week or so of trying to come up with a name, with the likes of USA (Universal Squad of Ass-kicking) and other retarded names she said unTouchables and it fit. The rest, as they say, is history...

I seem to remember envying uT's membership and even considered trying out for a period of time. I always wondered how that process worked. Of course the process is now a bit more visible with the forums and all.

Beastie: What are some of the important factors in the recruiting process? If I am an up-and-coming regular who can casually beat some of the clan guys, what must I do to get noticed, and further considered?
Cloud: One thing I stressed from day one was the fact that we as a clan had to be able to get along and enjoy playing against each other. I did not want to end up like the preceding clans who got too big and just fell apart. We made a pact that we'd always vote on any issues and if we had a clear majority vote in a certain direction that is what we'd do. So as far as recruiting goes, typically one of us sees or hears about a player (usually me, since I'm kind of always on the search) and then we relay the information amongst ourselves. Sometimes players ask to join the clan and usually I don't consider them unless I know them and they've been around for awhile and are rather consistent. I personally look for a player who has some skill, but more importantly can and will get much better and is willing to practice to do so. I also want someone who will be easy to get along, has some type of personality (isn't a stiff or such), and isn't a trouble maker. I couldn't really ask for much more than that. If you look at most of the clan, any of them could honestly become an admin. I just wanted a "classy and professional" clan if that's even such a thing. Basically if you follow that criteria then you can't go wrong. Another thing I also fussed over, especially to newer players who'd scream "I beat you g-boy or I beat you RWS...I am teh pwn!", that beating a player means nothing. I can beat virtually everyone in the game, but on that same token they can all beat me. There are some I consistenly beat, but I honestly feel that once you get to a certain point, it's hard to say who's the better player and I personally don't care if you can beat me or any of the other players or not, the skill level is the least important factor to getting in. As long as you strive to become better then you're golden in my eyes.

Beastie: You have taken some heat about previous recruiting decisions. How does this pressure affect your leadership role?
Cloud: I try most of the time to do what's right and as many people know I'm very much an idealist. I tend to be a bit overzealous about making everyone happy and well we all know that's not always possible. Anyways, I always stick to my guns in the end, unless I realize I am in the wrong, then I go and crawl into a corner and beat myself with a keyboard. Hah, seriously though, I just look at it all in the end and analyze it and if I'm still happy with the decision of the clan, then that's all that really matters.

Beastie: On the same note, how does the position affect your casual play? Also in matches, I understand RiP is currently ahead in the standings? What is the current score and how important is it to you as the head of uT?
Cloud: Well I used to be one of the only people who wouldn't ever go "undercover" as some call it, but recently I've found ricochet to become a slight "soap-opera" if you will. It's very odd at times and many newer players emerge and pester me about joining the clan, so now I'll go in as an erratic name, but if I see players I want to consult with I'll either lead them on to who I am or just out and out change my name. I honestly have no idea what the score is. I'm sure I could go find it, but I really could care less. RiP is an awesome clan and they totally deserve credit for being as badass as they are, but as I don't always agree with some things that are done over there and they don't see eye to eye with us at all times, we've been thrown into this heated "war". I really never wanted it to go this way. I simply wanted one match and it be done in a manner that was somewhat weird, but it is hard to do clan matches on ricochet, so you have to cope sometimes. Many problems arose, however. One being the fact that we both have so many players. So of course someone came up with the idea of having mini scrims between the clans and while that's all good, you'll notice I have not taken part in this yet. I tend to not want to 1 on 1 very much, unless it's a good friend or something, but that's just how I am. I don't want to know that I can beat someone in a match of 10 rounds and then they ask me for a rematch and claim they had a bad day or visa versa. It doesn't seem important to me to be able to beat someone and then be considered a better player or a member of a better clan. I don't want RiP and uT to be in an arms race where we try to gather the best players to stock up our armies and fight a long and daunting war. Shakira and I wanted the clan to be merely a club of members who kicked ass and had fun playing and I still believe that's the way it is today, although I know some of our members are restless and want some of that RiP flesh. I don't mind as long as it doesn't get out of control. Hell, I've even noticed in-clan duels lately, thanks to the likes of Reciprocity, so it seems all good to me right now, let's just hope it stays that way.

Though I had already gotten answers on how Blake felt about his own competitive outlook, I felt the need to beat the topic a little harder anyway. I was curious to know more about the clan view on competition.

Beastie: It seems that while many players lobby to joinclans, they then fail to participate in the challenges. Some even play less and less altogether until they have been nearly forgotten. How important is it to you that your members participate competitively against other clans? And also, are all members basically permanent? How long can a player go inactive before he is replaced?
Cloud: As I mentioned before many of our members are super competitive and while I respect that, I don't require it. I love to see a good fight, don't get me wrong, but it's not the sole purpose that I look for having a newer set of members. Recently I've noticed a bunch of our members had gone inactive for a long period of time and at first I wasn't sure if they should be removed or not. After consulting with the clan, the general consensus is that if you are inactive that's fine, just come play when you can and by all means wear your tag. We've also noticed our numbers are rising into the deadly ranges of the high teens, but then again not everyone plays, so we take those numbers with a grain of salt.

I wondered whether there was another way to show clansmanship and skill without direct challenges. Maybe Blake had some fun alternatives.

Beastie: Standing based on individual challenges is certainly better than no standing at all. Are there some other ways for the clans to demonstrate their skills?
Cloud: I absolutely believe so. Clans can be traced back very far in ricochet, but how many have stuck it out and kept themselves together? Ignore [CAKE] and we're the longest running clan in Ricochet history, clocking in at over a year now. I think that clans also can be role models in a way for the rest of the players of the game. We strive to play by the rules and not cause trouble and as such do not tolerate these things in any way shape or form at any place or time. Now I'm assuming you mean skills like knocking the stuffing out of your opponent or carefully removing his/her head from his/her body and while individual challenges can display this, I also know of many times when I've stumbled upon a heated server where many awesome players, not necessarily in clans, are playing. I absolutely love to play on these occasions, because it's pretty much like being in a live tournament. You constantly play against awesome players and you can totally test your skills and knock heads with them. I really don't know how far skill can be traced, but as I've seen up to this point, you really can only measure it by the amount of players you can consistently beat, so unless you have tons of individual matches, then I'd say stick to playing in open servers and just own everyone here...or try your hardest to do so.

With all of this clan talk out of the way, I was curious to know more about Blake, his life away from the uT headquarters, and this guitar he was now handling pretty skillfully.

Beastie: Tell me about Cloud Fuel apart from Ricochet. What other games do you play, online and off? Do you play any sports?
Cloud: I started playing Counter-Strike about 4 years ago, but soon got tired of the cheaters and annoying noobs who'd join and ruin a fun game. I also regretted the fact that I tried to lead a bunch of players on an open server to a win and I was either laughed at or ignored, so I headed to Team Fortress Classic. I found the maps to be quite enjoyable and still play them to this day. I used to be involved quite heavily in baseball, but after I found band I really had no time for it anymore, what with marching band, concert band, and professional drum corps. I am very much a music enthusiast and am about as much of a computer ###### as there can be. I play my tuba and guitar constantly, to the cries of my parents and neighbors. I'm also a big time warez freak. I constantly download the latest movies, music, programs, games, etc. My parents think it's just for fun, that I love the process of downloading, but I swear I use the things I get...sometimes atleast.

Beastie: What are your aspirations in schooling, career, and beyond? What is your most sacred long term goal?
Cloud: I plan to attend the University of North Texas, located in Denton, Texas, which is slightly north of Dallas. They are one of the leading colleges in the nation when it comes to musical programs. I am attempting to snag a major in performance and a minor in either education or composition. I plan to join a drumcorp this next summerb and it's something I'd need quite a few pages to explain, but I'll save space and tell you all just to go here (www.dci.org). I hope to possibly join a symphony and maybe teach either high school bands or drum corps. I also want to continue with my computer skills and potentially have some side cash from freelance oppurtunities. I currently delve in the world of 3d graphics and animation as well as video editing, audio remastering and editing, networking, website design, C++, C, and C# programming and 2d still imagery. I don't plan to let these "talents" waiver or decline, so I'm going to put them into use as much as possible and continue to hone my skills. My most sacred long term goal would be to feel like I, in some way, helped this world or atleast some of its people in some way and to also feel like my life was not pointless. If I can simply enjoy my life and not become bored with it, then I've done my job properly and I an die in peace.

Cloud already has himself a life size statue of himself in the Hall of Members, but apparently that alone is not enough. Programming, music, good will... he is truly a renaissance man!

Beastie: uT vs RiP in a jousting tournament... on skateboards with plungers... dirty plungers! Who wins?
Cloud: Jeebus, that's a toughie. I'd have to say uT takes the cake, simply becuase we've got some runners and bumpers that are in a league of their own. Take a look at RWS...I mean come on, the kid runs with scissors how could he not kick some ass? I personally am quite coordinated with the whole jousting concept, thanks to the many players who attempted to defeat me in that way. So, sorry RiP, but this is just our category!

I thought for a few minutes about the first time Cloud approached me about possibly playing in a clan, and how content I was to be solo. Then I turned towards how broke I am now after my recent vacation.

Beastie: If I were to accept bribes and consider betraying my clanmates to join uT, what kind of propositions could I expect?
Cloud: You know I pushed for you to join the clan and although you denied me and took up the crown of RiP, I'm sure the clan would love to have someone as talented as you in our ranks. I know Shalk left us for RiP, so I see no reason why you can't come join the unTouchables, unless you'd prefer to Rest in Peace...

Hehe, nothing personal! B) But no price? No Dice.

Cloud Fuel continues to seek members for uT, and will head up the clan as long as he remains interested in the game and its wonderful community. He has the respect and admiration from his clan, and also remains a feared competitor to opposing clans and non-clan members alike. Look for him on the Vads servers as well as on uT's own server.

As for me, look for another exciting episode next week. This of course unless my pc implodes and I am stuck doing these at some lame cyber cafe <_< Then I don't know how long they will take! Let's just hope that doesn't happen. Happy Decapping!]]> <![CDATA[Graduation Weekend]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=2778 Thu, 19 Jun 2003 17:58:13 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=2778
Security at G-Boy's Graduation Gala was tight! I had trouble getting in, for my ID doesn't exactly say Beastie. But I was on the list. Right on page 3 with Seth Green, Carrot Top, Ben Affleck and Alyssa Milano among others. Wow, G-Boy is hooked in! I was finally allowed through, I was led to a room set aside for my little appointment. I was offered some food and drink, then told Mr. MacKenzie would be in shortly.

G-Boy arrived with a small entorage. I couldn't place the entire group, but was pretty sure I saw Wesley Snipes, Conan O'Brien, and Freddie Durst. He pecked Brittany Murphy on the cheek and the group left him to me. He sat down and shook my hand. He was all... B) I was definitly more like...:o

While I was quite curious about his celebrity connections, I was here to talk ricochet and get to know G-Boy better. So that's what I would do. Brandon MacKenzie is 18 for two more weeks, had graduated high school this morning, and will be attending The University of California, Santa Barbara in September. He plans to major in the Biological Sciences.

Beastie: Mr. G-Boy, I seem to remember beating you a good eighty percent of the time just... what four months ago? Please share with me how you have become so good since then? What does it take?
G-Boy: Incidently, I would say it is a result of those beatings that I acquired my skill. I remember spending several nights up rather late with you and Rulepool2, and it was extremely frustrating. So, I attempted to adapt. I realized that my jumps would need a bit more complexity, unpredictability, and most of all, I would have to learn midair shots. Now, both of you would still beat me pretty good, but it made me better against everyone else. I just kept playing, and I really don't know what happened, I started just hitting people midair with instinct and barely even thinking. I also attribute much of my skills to RWS, Acid, and Darkson. I first learned the camping/stalling from Darkson, and watching RWS I got to realize stalling could be used so many other ways. Acid and RWS had amazing hops that I kept emulating. Killing Spree taught me the most complex jumps that I like to start out rounds with. So what does it take? Practice and observation. In sports, you watch your favorite players and try to reproduce what they do when you play. Eventually it just becomes a part of your unique repetoire. I had a tournament match with Acid a while back too. I figured I was a goner, but I held my own, we went back and forth, and he eventually won by about 2 points. That was a turning point for me, as I had confidence and could basically beat anyone if I tried hard enough. That was the only 1v1 match that I've ever lost, by the way.

Beastie: Within your arsenal of strategies, you have multiple styles to raise hell with. Your knowledge of the Arena is up there with anyone who has played the game. Is there anything else left? Can we do anything else with this map? Are there secrets still awaiting discovery? Or is it instead time for a new 1 on 1 map?
G-Boy: I take pride in my multiple strategies. Not only does it throw people off, but it also keeps me from getting bored. I can do a little Darkson camping... I can stand around in the middle... whatever it takes to win. I see people get frustrated, and it's fun to do. And I do feel I can do about any jump that's available, so there isn't much left. Perhaps all it means is we must mix up styles a bit more and implement some of the most complex jumps. Killing Spree has shown us that complex jumps can be linked together and with a nice midair decap, makes for a damn stylish kill shot. There really is not much more to do on the map in terms of basics, but I am sure style possibilities will be endless in arena. I do, however, feel a new 1v1 map would be nice. Reinvent my whole strategy. I think now that we understand the physics of the game, adapting to new surroundings will not only be relatively quick, but fun as hell. New jumps innovated... Gemakk and KS have invented moves in arena, and I would love to invent new moves in another map (I came around too late).

Somone poked his head and and asked where the bathroom was located. G-Boy pointed him in the right direction. Was that Ashton Kutcher? Brandon confirmed this and further informed me that Ashton was at the party with Demi Moore! Wow, that's just not right!

Beastie: Some say RWS is the best in today's game. I seem to remember you sneaking by with a victory in your famed clan match with him. Tell me about this match and how you feel it has defined your position in the rankings? Can we expect a rematch?
G-Boy: I loved that match. Not just because I won, but... well, yeah, because I won. Like the match I had earlier with acid, I was not exactly confident. And needless to say, when you get down by 4-0, then 5-1, in a first to 7 match, you feel a bit down. I have mentioned this before, in the third game, I slammed my mouse down so hard that the batteries went flying, and I had to pause about 15 seconds or so to fix it. Thanks to RWS for not taking advantage. Now, there is not much to say about the first 6 games of the match... basically, I was being owned. I did not get many good shots, I was falling, it was not going well. When it got to 5-1 in favor of RWS, I kept saying to myself that it would be awesome if I made a comeback and won this. At the same time, RWS said he was telling himself not to choke. So perhaps he got a little overconfident, and I was driven by pride? Not sure exactly. All I know is, I decided to change up my style. Instead of the usual outside jumps and decaps, I pulled a little Razor9/NoxP style by going in the middle and holding my ground. The games got pretty close, but I got a couple of wins in. After that, I was playing like he did in the beginning, and I just dominated until I led 6-5. He did come damn close, he tied it up at 6-6, but I finished it off and won 7-6. Now, my feelings on rankings and such? Hell, I still say RWS is better than me, and I still think he is the best player. That's not a diplomatic answer, either, because I would love to consider myself the best. If you look at the points in that match, he had more. It very easily could have gone the other way, but a little luck and a little difference in tactics gave me the win. And if he really tries, he still beats me pretty good, but like the acid match, I now have confidence against him and I can beat him. I don't know about a rematch just yet, but after a match like that, I definitely think one is in order. Match of the Century, then a Rematch of the Century.

I sweat just hearing of this match. I think it is the true pinnacle of Ricochet rivalry. While it was a great shwoing in the dance between RiP and uT, it superceeds. This match was an epic, I think we need a television movie!

Beastie: What other rivalries have you enjoyed in your time with our group here. Who else gives you trouble today?
G-Boy: Well, of course, you my buddy Beastie. You don't know how good it feels that you used to kick my ass, and now I have the ability to wipe the floor with you. You can still be frustrating as hell though, not a common style you have. Acid is one of my greatest rivals, even if he is a clanmate, we have always had epic battles. He is also the only player to beat me in a 1v1 match situation, and I perhaps we can have a rematch later. Killing Spree approaches me with the same attitude as he does with any other player, and I'd say probably gives me the toughest time next to RWS, if not the same amount. Pique has been a thorn in my side since I started, damn those hops. Rulepool2, my first leader and one of the first players I played in Ricochet... his style has always done well against me, but so much practice, I can hold my own now. Darkson... you should see the two of us playing, just camping and stalling on opposite sides of the arena. Great stuff. Apparently I've also been a rival with myself. I one time started using the name -C L'e-Meursault, and no one seemed to know my style or WONID. First, Pique had no idea who I was. I kept winning, and finally Pique said that I was like an unbelievable player, was so frustrated. When I revealed myself... I guess he was shocked. But g-boy isn't that good! I also recall using that name against lil face and .asm. They both were trying to figure out who I was, Rulepool2 suggested it was g-boy, and they said "no way... I mean, g-boy is good and all, but this guy is beyond." So apparently I am better than myself.

Brandon's pocket rang, he grabbed the phone from it and answered. 'Mr. MacKenzie, the Foo Fighters are doing sound tests now." He approved and hung up. Huh

Beastie: Obviously able to attain a high level of skill here in ricochet, what else is G-Boy good at, gaming or not. What are you not so good at?
G-Boy: Well, I consider myself a rather intelligent and somewhat knowledgeable person. I can learn almost anything really quickly, which translates well into games. So with that, I do well enough in school and plan on furthering myself in college. Specifically, I consider my greatest skill to be writing. I love doing it, and it is a nice creative release. Same with photography, I am still very amateur, but I consider it an artistic skill as well. I am a pretty good speaker, I can act pretty well, but I never got too much into Drama. Along those lines, I can be a pretty funny guy when you get to know me, and I have so many ideas for satire movies and such. My friend DJ (he plays Ricochet occasionally under the names Target Practice or Bouncer) and I have this "Idea Book" of all of the funniest crap we say that we want to translate into a movie or movies. And science of course, specifically biology... something GRITS and I share in common (though I am still way off from her level). Psychology is also a big interest. I consider myself a good friend too, I seem to be the go-to guy for help and such. As for what I am not good at... many things. While I communicate well, I am not very good at making new friends, I don't necessarily think it is so much being shy as just not being interested in being very social. And while I'm good at Ricochet, I rarely get above mediocre in other multi-player games. I am much better at single-player stuff. I completely suck at math, although that just could be because I don't like it. That's about as specific as I'm gonna get, anything else people want to know, they will have to find out for themselves....

Who needs to be social at school when you have all of Hollywood and the Foo Fighters hanging out at your graduation party!?

Beastie: We just surpassed Ricochet's 1st year anniversery, or at least since the patch release. Please describe for me your vision of Ricochet one year from now. What are your predictions for the coming year? Will you still be playing?
G-Boy: Seeing as we have such a core playing community, and thanks to GRITS for making that community so close, I see several players as being around a year from now. I mean, I have been playing HL and its mods for several years now, CS since beta 6, and I don't stop. And since Ricochet has people so close, why leave? People will leave, new people will come in. I do not see it expanding very much though. Honestly, I don't really want it to, and I'm in a minority for that. I would rather just have bugs and stuff fixed, maybe some new features, but a bunch of players would get annoying to me. If I want that, I'll play another mod. The only cool appeal a vastly expanded community would have for me is to have my name associated with some of the original top players for future newbs to look up to. The biggest inhibitor will be that so many great new games are coming out, including HL2. The fact is, I doubt any mod will really grow too much. I also say the Raiders will win the SuperBowl, the Kings will win their first Stanley Cup (with Cechmanek and a healthy roster), the Dodgers will kick ass in the World Series, and the Lakers will take their title back from the damn Spurs. Or did you mean Ricochet predictions? Oh well. And I most likely will still be playing, but probably not without some breaks, especially if I get stuck on other games, my studies, or other non-computer related stuff.

Note to self: Hit the Cesar's Palace sports book when I get back into Vegas.
I know that Brandon and I share some musical interests. I am curious to explore this further.

Beastie: You are kidnapped and stuffed in a cell with only a stereo and some headphones. Your captors allow you any three cd's to get you through your eternal imprisonment. Which three albums do you choose and why?
G-Boy: Green Day - Nimrod: Green Day is my favorite band... and at first I was thinking Dookie, but Nimrod is just as good and has 18 songs, so more variety.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication: Also pretty much my favorite band... and of course, I'm from California, the album rocks, so it's the natural choice.
Weezer - The Blue Album: Is that the title of the album? All I know is that's how I refer to it. Anyway, some of the best music ever is on that CD, and I can't get enough of it.

Green Day, Red Peppers, Blue Album? I think I have a few more you might like, a band called The White Stripes, an album called Purple Rain, and song called Yellow Submarine? Maybe you have heard of them.

Beastie: You can meet one musician dead or alive and ask him anything. Who and what?
G-Boy: Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers... how in the holy mother of hell did you get so good with the bass guitar? I mean, my God!!!

Beastie: With the emergence of programs like Napster and Kazaa, along with the access to free music, we are simply bombarded by more of it. Record lebels are no longer able to filter out the bad music. Is the indusrty suffering for it, in either profits or quality? Have you ever discovered a band online whom you wouldn't have otherwise?
G-Boy: You know, I've debated about this with my friends, strangers, and even with myself. There aren't many of us who haven't downloaded music for free. To be honest, there haven't been many songs that I've downloaded that weren't radio hits. I downloaded an entire album online one time, but only because I lost the CD to one I bought, so there was nothing too bad about it. I do not necessarily think the industry is suffering. The most popular bands that are being downloaded are of some rock genre, and there's nothing wrong with spreading it. Maybe it gives more chances for bands to make a break, get a following. It used to be that you had to be good, but you also had to be lucky. Now perhaps it is easier to get lucky. I have not downloaded to many "unknown" bands, but I have certainly been pointed towards them by friends. My brother utilizes the system in his favor, with his own music being available for download, as well as downloading other bands of similar style and so forth. I do not think there is anything wrong with it, I think like anything else, people and companies will simply have to adapt. I do sort of object to people downloading whole albums though, I would prefer they stick to just songs played on the radio and unknown bands that want to be downloaded. Quality-wise... I don't really care, if I hear bad music, I just don't listen to it again.

A man in a tux with dark glassed poked his head in. "Mr. MacKenzie, the band is ready and your dates are here. In walked Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore. Obviously this meant our time was nearly up. I looked him dead in the eye and asked G-Boy one last question.

Beastie: RiP vs uT in a Kareoke singing competition... who wins?
G-Boy: I have to go with RiP... the guys from uT can't handle their discs very well, they would miss every time they tried to get a CD in the machine.

:lol: Big Grin

:lol:

G-Boy is a very valuable part of our Ricochet family, as he maintains a leadership role in game and within RiP. He is also active on the forums, at least in threads that require some thought. He will continue to own Beastie for a while, I fear. But since he is a genuine and nice guy, I will not mind all that much.

You all got this a day early this week, because I am packing for my trip tonight. Please be patient, for you will not get another installment for two weeks. I will be in Wisconsin visiting friends and family. Look forward to more of the same when I return.Until then, happy decapping!!]]>
Security at G-Boy's Graduation Gala was tight! I had trouble getting in, for my ID doesn't exactly say Beastie. But I was on the list. Right on page 3 with Seth Green, Carrot Top, Ben Affleck and Alyssa Milano among others. Wow, G-Boy is hooked in! I was finally allowed through, I was led to a room set aside for my little appointment. I was offered some food and drink, then told Mr. MacKenzie would be in shortly.

G-Boy arrived with a small entorage. I couldn't place the entire group, but was pretty sure I saw Wesley Snipes, Conan O'Brien, and Freddie Durst. He pecked Brittany Murphy on the cheek and the group left him to me. He sat down and shook my hand. He was all... B) I was definitly more like...:o

While I was quite curious about his celebrity connections, I was here to talk ricochet and get to know G-Boy better. So that's what I would do. Brandon MacKenzie is 18 for two more weeks, had graduated high school this morning, and will be attending The University of California, Santa Barbara in September. He plans to major in the Biological Sciences.

Beastie: Mr. G-Boy, I seem to remember beating you a good eighty percent of the time just... what four months ago? Please share with me how you have become so good since then? What does it take?
G-Boy: Incidently, I would say it is a result of those beatings that I acquired my skill. I remember spending several nights up rather late with you and Rulepool2, and it was extremely frustrating. So, I attempted to adapt. I realized that my jumps would need a bit more complexity, unpredictability, and most of all, I would have to learn midair shots. Now, both of you would still beat me pretty good, but it made me better against everyone else. I just kept playing, and I really don't know what happened, I started just hitting people midair with instinct and barely even thinking. I also attribute much of my skills to RWS, Acid, and Darkson. I first learned the camping/stalling from Darkson, and watching RWS I got to realize stalling could be used so many other ways. Acid and RWS had amazing hops that I kept emulating. Killing Spree taught me the most complex jumps that I like to start out rounds with. So what does it take? Practice and observation. In sports, you watch your favorite players and try to reproduce what they do when you play. Eventually it just becomes a part of your unique repetoire. I had a tournament match with Acid a while back too. I figured I was a goner, but I held my own, we went back and forth, and he eventually won by about 2 points. That was a turning point for me, as I had confidence and could basically beat anyone if I tried hard enough. That was the only 1v1 match that I've ever lost, by the way.

Beastie: Within your arsenal of strategies, you have multiple styles to raise hell with. Your knowledge of the Arena is up there with anyone who has played the game. Is there anything else left? Can we do anything else with this map? Are there secrets still awaiting discovery? Or is it instead time for a new 1 on 1 map?
G-Boy: I take pride in my multiple strategies. Not only does it throw people off, but it also keeps me from getting bored. I can do a little Darkson camping... I can stand around in the middle... whatever it takes to win. I see people get frustrated, and it's fun to do. And I do feel I can do about any jump that's available, so there isn't much left. Perhaps all it means is we must mix up styles a bit more and implement some of the most complex jumps. Killing Spree has shown us that complex jumps can be linked together and with a nice midair decap, makes for a damn stylish kill shot. There really is not much more to do on the map in terms of basics, but I am sure style possibilities will be endless in arena. I do, however, feel a new 1v1 map would be nice. Reinvent my whole strategy. I think now that we understand the physics of the game, adapting to new surroundings will not only be relatively quick, but fun as hell. New jumps innovated... Gemakk and KS have invented moves in arena, and I would love to invent new moves in another map (I came around too late).

Somone poked his head and and asked where the bathroom was located. G-Boy pointed him in the right direction. Was that Ashton Kutcher? Brandon confirmed this and further informed me that Ashton was at the party with Demi Moore! Wow, that's just not right!

Beastie: Some say RWS is the best in today's game. I seem to remember you sneaking by with a victory in your famed clan match with him. Tell me about this match and how you feel it has defined your position in the rankings? Can we expect a rematch?
G-Boy: I loved that match. Not just because I won, but... well, yeah, because I won. Like the match I had earlier with acid, I was not exactly confident. And needless to say, when you get down by 4-0, then 5-1, in a first to 7 match, you feel a bit down. I have mentioned this before, in the third game, I slammed my mouse down so hard that the batteries went flying, and I had to pause about 15 seconds or so to fix it. Thanks to RWS for not taking advantage. Now, there is not much to say about the first 6 games of the match... basically, I was being owned. I did not get many good shots, I was falling, it was not going well. When it got to 5-1 in favor of RWS, I kept saying to myself that it would be awesome if I made a comeback and won this. At the same time, RWS said he was telling himself not to choke. So perhaps he got a little overconfident, and I was driven by pride? Not sure exactly. All I know is, I decided to change up my style. Instead of the usual outside jumps and decaps, I pulled a little Razor9/NoxP style by going in the middle and holding my ground. The games got pretty close, but I got a couple of wins in. After that, I was playing like he did in the beginning, and I just dominated until I led 6-5. He did come damn close, he tied it up at 6-6, but I finished it off and won 7-6. Now, my feelings on rankings and such? Hell, I still say RWS is better than me, and I still think he is the best player. That's not a diplomatic answer, either, because I would love to consider myself the best. If you look at the points in that match, he had more. It very easily could have gone the other way, but a little luck and a little difference in tactics gave me the win. And if he really tries, he still beats me pretty good, but like the acid match, I now have confidence against him and I can beat him. I don't know about a rematch just yet, but after a match like that, I definitely think one is in order. Match of the Century, then a Rematch of the Century.

I sweat just hearing of this match. I think it is the true pinnacle of Ricochet rivalry. While it was a great shwoing in the dance between RiP and uT, it superceeds. This match was an epic, I think we need a television movie!

Beastie: What other rivalries have you enjoyed in your time with our group here. Who else gives you trouble today?
G-Boy: Well, of course, you my buddy Beastie. You don't know how good it feels that you used to kick my ass, and now I have the ability to wipe the floor with you. You can still be frustrating as hell though, not a common style you have. Acid is one of my greatest rivals, even if he is a clanmate, we have always had epic battles. He is also the only player to beat me in a 1v1 match situation, and I perhaps we can have a rematch later. Killing Spree approaches me with the same attitude as he does with any other player, and I'd say probably gives me the toughest time next to RWS, if not the same amount. Pique has been a thorn in my side since I started, damn those hops. Rulepool2, my first leader and one of the first players I played in Ricochet... his style has always done well against me, but so much practice, I can hold my own now. Darkson... you should see the two of us playing, just camping and stalling on opposite sides of the arena. Great stuff. Apparently I've also been a rival with myself. I one time started using the name -C L'e-Meursault, and no one seemed to know my style or WONID. First, Pique had no idea who I was. I kept winning, and finally Pique said that I was like an unbelievable player, was so frustrated. When I revealed myself... I guess he was shocked. But g-boy isn't that good! I also recall using that name against lil face and .asm. They both were trying to figure out who I was, Rulepool2 suggested it was g-boy, and they said "no way... I mean, g-boy is good and all, but this guy is beyond." So apparently I am better than myself.

Brandon's pocket rang, he grabbed the phone from it and answered. 'Mr. MacKenzie, the Foo Fighters are doing sound tests now." He approved and hung up. Huh

:lol:

G-Boy is a very valuable part of our Ricochet family, as he maintains a leadership role in game and within RiP. He is also active on the forums, at least in threads that require some thought. He will continue to own Beastie for a while, I fear. But since he is a genuine and nice guy, I will not mind all that much.

You all got this a day early this week, because I am packing for my trip tonight. Please be patient, for you will not get another installment for two weeks. I will be in Wisconsin visiting friends and family. Look forward to more of the same when I return.Until then, happy decapping!!]]> <![CDATA[Cuttn' the Deck with Scissors]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=351 Fri, 13 Jun 2003 05:37:13 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=351 It seems all of you were quite interested in last week's installment, for her views have already surpased week 1's Knightmare post. I think Griits has some fans!

You all know this week's guest as the guy who beats you each and every night. He wins and then wins again. He then switches styles just for kicks so he can beat you again, this time a little bit differently. In addition he is a genuine nice guy, recently earning a junior admin spot on Vad's new 24/7 Arena server. He is a key member of the uT clan, he is a regular on the forums, and he walks around in full RC model atire (blue). Running_With_Scissors is all that is Ricochet.

RWS had won his first three hands of Black Jack. He had done so with 18's or higher on each. I had been dealt three 12's, and had busted on three jacks. In for a long night, I started in with the questions.

Beastie: Mr. RWS, can I call you Sciz? It's all fun and games until somone looses an eye! Where does the name come from? Have you ever been wounded by a sharp metal object?
RWS: Of course, anything for you Beastie. B) Ah well, my name originates from my first experiances with Ricochet. I started playing during the patch release, and the community was rather "tough" on new players, but I expected no less. This drove me to become a better player and I decided that I would deliver sweet vengence upon the players that tossed me around like a rag doll. During this short period of two weeks I met a player by the name of PlAyInG_WiTh_FiRe(I still don't know his real alias), who was the first player to give me truly sound advice. He was an awesome player and a better person, so I decided to play on his name for comical purposes. Hence, RuNnInG_WiTh_ScIsSoRs came about. I then disappeared for about 6 months and never heard from/about him again. I think he fell off a cliff, or something along those lines. Sharp metal objects? I have nicked myself with my razor a few times, but other than that, I'm careful to avoid impaling myself. I've heard that it's quite painful.

I, too have suffered a sleu of razor related injuries. I shave a LOT! Maybe you have seen the picture.

Beastie: People tell me you may be today's best Ricochet player. In fact Gemakk labeled you potentially his toughest current opponent just two weeks ago in his interview. Are you the best? Who gives you the most trouble?
RWS: I have to thank Gemakk for such an honor, any casual mention from one of the greatest players of all time is good in my book. Me? The best? Perish the thought! I personally don't think there is a true 'best', but some players can consistently kick some serious ass. Oh man, everyone can give me some serious trouble when they put their heart into it. Although, KS, G-boy, Acid, Shalk, Gemakk, Knight, and Rule can make me sweat buckets at times. On a side note, I have to say that MaGoo is my easiest opponent, I'm usually drinking tea during our matches. :lol:

Sciz had mentioned my name right after Gemakk's however I editted it out of this interview as to show humility. No actually I was not mentioned. I lose almost every match. He makes me cry my self to sleep each night.

Beastie: While this may be old news and perhaps a painful memory for you, please tell some of our newer readers about your epic match with RiP's G-Boy a few weeks ago. Recount the madness. G-Boy will be interviewing in a few short weeks. Can we expect a rematch any time soon, perhaps by that time?
RWS: Ah yes, that was quite the battle, I picked up a strong lead in the beginning and thought that I would be pulling up to the finish line in no time. I soon let my own self-confidence get to me, and G-boy took full advantage of the opportunity. He came back like a K-mart shopper who bought the wrong color of shaving cream. With some excellent shots and a good strategy he defeated me in an awesome match of 7-6. As for a rematch, only time will tell.

Possibly the best clan match to date, G-Boy will give us his perspective on it sooner than I led on in the question.
Back on the Black Jack table, Sciz had managed to draw a crowd. Most were tourists in awe of his blue jumpsuit. 'Are those frisbees?' The others were probably hotel personel incognito. He had managed to win each and every of his four-teen hands of Black Jack. I had lost all but two, and was dreading the thought of top ramen for the next three weeks.

Beastie: Gemakk talked about something else I know you can relate to. How does the word 'best' plague your ability to enjoy the game when looking to play casually? You seem to use many aliases. Is this why?
RWS: Sorry to say, but being called the best can be a double-edged sword of epic proportions. Pressure can take a serious toll on the fun factor. I have talked with multiple players and it seems more people think that ricochet is about being the best, and not about having fun. Why do I have to prove myself to you? Why should I care what you think my level of skill is? Why must I play like it's my life on the line for every game? In reality, I'm finding playing ricochet to be more and more of a chore and less of a GAME. I'm tired of entering the server to find some soap opera or another taking place. This is after all, a GAME. I don't care if some 9 year old calls me a moron from 3,000 miles away. Sorry folks if I'm secure with myself and not going on an abominal rage to plague the server with stupidity after every insult or action.
On an earlier note, here's an example of something that happens to me every time I enter the server would go as followed: Hypocrite enters the server, RWS beats Hypocrite 10 times, Hypocrite beats RWS once in the eleventh match. Hypocrite proceeds to go on a rampage spitting and swearing that RWS sucks and that Hypocrite beat RWS, making him a better player than RWS. RWS leaves due to the fun factor dropping through the floor. I have no problem with losing, in fact it just pushes me to become a greater player, but throwing insults after a match/talking behind their back is an immature and obnoxious way to handle a win. You may beat them 1,000 times, but there is always that 1 match you lost, hence they're better than you. Period. This is why I use multiple aliases, because I like to have FUN. I go through enough of these situations in the REAL WORLD.

Beastie: I have played you under various names, and I have noticed that you will undertake entirely different strategies at times. Have you generally stuck with the same over time or do you feel yourself evolving?
RWS: As a player, I have to say that I'm constantly evolving, it's survival of the fittest. Some player comes up with suchandsuch move, you find a way to counter it, they learn to counter the counter, etc. The cycle goes on for eternity. Unpredictability is the key to success in Ricochet and if they know the moves to one style, use another. G-boy proved this point excellently when he changed styles half way through our match, props! Changing strategies/styles is also a key to remaining incognito, most players don't check wonids unless they're familiar with the opponent's style. Why check a wonid when it's probably some player you've never seen before, but if they recognize your style of choice, they'll become curious.

Many had in fact become curious. 'Who is that trekee at that Black Jack Table? Why is he surrounded by security? What's with the ridiculous outfit?!'
I had stopped playing cards, for my pockets were long empty. I instead ordered seven shots of sambuka. Let Sciz tip the cocktail waitress. He can obviously afford it.

Beastie: Along with your obvious handle on Ricochet: the Game, you have been very involved in Ricochet: the Community. What does this group of people mean to you?
RWS: I've never seen anything like it, the players are great, the people are great. What more can you ask for? I used to play a good amount of TFC and CS and I was in a number of clans, but they were nothing compared to uT or the community itself. This is the first time I've ever truly gotten to know fellow players and their outlooks on life. It is a unique and wonderful experiance that I hope will live on for ages to come.

Beastie: I am sure people are growing tired of this particular question, for I have beaten it to death. But are we ready for a patch and a new group of players?
RWS: I myself like beating dead horses, but that's just me. As for your question, variety is the spice of life.

My shots arrived and I took them one-by one. Soon I would forget about the rent check I had just instead invested into Las Vegas's most notorious industry.
Now I just wanted to learn more about RWS. His name is Conor, and he is 20 years old,and a full-time student at PCC in Pasadena, CA. He does odd jobs and plays a lot of Ricochet.

Beastie: Tell me about a day in the life of RWS. What other activities outside of Ricochet (gaming or non) do you enjoy? Do you ever play with play-doh?
RWS: Beastie my friend, anybody who's somebody plays with play-doh. I play a mean game of tabble-tennis, but my true love is basketball, nothing like it. I played for the JV and Varsity teams in high school, great fun. My day usually involves me getting up and going to class, followed by working, which is then followed by playing ricochet. From here I proceed to do whatever random thought pops into my head, be it dates or sleeping on the bench next to the bus stop. Usually I get back to my apartment around 1-2 am, where I proceed to play more ricochet. Unfortunately, sleep soon overtakes me and the cycle repeats. Redundant, isn't it?

No. Losing to you 60 or 70 times in a row.... THAT's redundant. <_<

Beastie: If you had to choose a single food, and you could only eat variants of that food for EVER, what would that food be? Have you ever eaten play-doh?
RWS: Sushi, my god, this stuff is great, nothing bad comes out of Japan (unlike the 80's). There's no substition for forking over 5 bucks for a Tamago, only to have finished it in 5 seconds. Ah, good times.
Yes, I have eaten play-doh, a little bit on the salty side, but an exquisite dish none the less. Big Grin

Beastie: What were your favorite toys as a kid? I was a big Star Wars, Transformers, and Legos kid. I also liked to make sculpteres of my favorite foods out of play-doh and eat them. Did you ever do that?
RWS: Legos were mad fun. I loved making models, trains and the such, but my favorite activity had to be playing with my toy dinosaurs. Nothing like a 5 year old expressing his murderous intentions by having figurines rip out each other's lungs. I did the same thing with play-doh, but now I bought the play-doh former thing you see on T.V. Saves me a good 2 minutes at making play-doh into fat producing fast food.

I must have missed the play-doh sushi mold.
My buzz came to a sudden hold as something happened... the dealer flipped over her card and Sciz's winning streak came to a halt! His hand showed 20 and hers showed the same... a push!!
No ricochet player likes a push. Sciz jumped up onto the table and screamed at her. 'Lies! Hax! YOU DIRTY BUMPER!' :o
Security swarmed in. 'That's it, Flash! You're out of here. Take your.... frisbees with you!'
We were excorted first to the cage, where Sciz collected his winnings, and then to the exit. My buzz raging, I felt my stomach turn a bit. I could really go for some play-doh sushi!

Beastie: I am starving! Is there a toystore near by?
RWS: How coincidental you should ask! I was just heading to one right now, I call it "The Liquor Store."

Why stop now? He's buying!

Running_With_Scissors is at or near the top level of play. He will continue to beat the rest of for a good while. Next week's feature is a player who shares this upper-tier of talent. Who will it be? Ok I will tell you... 'Lies!'

No I won't.

Thanks, Sciz!]]> It seems all of you were quite interested in last week's installment, for her views have already surpased week 1's Knightmare post. I think Griits has some fans!

You all know this week's guest as the guy who beats you each and every night. He wins and then wins again. He then switches styles just for kicks so he can beat you again, this time a little bit differently. In addition he is a genuine nice guy, recently earning a junior admin spot on Vad's new 24/7 Arena server. He is a key member of the uT clan, he is a regular on the forums, and he walks around in full RC model atire (blue). Running_With_Scissors is all that is Ricochet.

RWS had won his first three hands of Black Jack. He had done so with 18's or higher on each. I had been dealt three 12's, and had busted on three jacks. In for a long night, I started in with the questions.

Beastie: Mr. RWS, can I call you Sciz? It's all fun and games until somone looses an eye! Where does the name come from? Have you ever been wounded by a sharp metal object?
RWS: Of course, anything for you Beastie. B) Ah well, my name originates from my first experiances with Ricochet. I started playing during the patch release, and the community was rather "tough" on new players, but I expected no less. This drove me to become a better player and I decided that I would deliver sweet vengence upon the players that tossed me around like a rag doll. During this short period of two weeks I met a player by the name of PlAyInG_WiTh_FiRe(I still don't know his real alias), who was the first player to give me truly sound advice. He was an awesome player and a better person, so I decided to play on his name for comical purposes. Hence, RuNnInG_WiTh_ScIsSoRs came about. I then disappeared for about 6 months and never heard from/about him again. I think he fell off a cliff, or something along those lines. Sharp metal objects? I have nicked myself with my razor a few times, but other than that, I'm careful to avoid impaling myself. I've heard that it's quite painful.

I, too have suffered a sleu of razor related injuries. I shave a LOT! Maybe you have seen the picture.

Beastie: People tell me you may be today's best Ricochet player. In fact Gemakk labeled you potentially his toughest current opponent just two weeks ago in his interview. Are you the best? Who gives you the most trouble?
RWS: I have to thank Gemakk for such an honor, any casual mention from one of the greatest players of all time is good in my book. Me? The best? Perish the thought! I personally don't think there is a true 'best', but some players can consistently kick some serious ass. Oh man, everyone can give me some serious trouble when they put their heart into it. Although, KS, G-boy, Acid, Shalk, Gemakk, Knight, and Rule can make me sweat buckets at times. On a side note, I have to say that MaGoo is my easiest opponent, I'm usually drinking tea during our matches. :lol:

Sciz had mentioned my name right after Gemakk's however I editted it out of this interview as to show humility. No actually I was not mentioned. I lose almost every match. He makes me cry my self to sleep each night.

Beastie: While this may be old news and perhaps a painful memory for you, please tell some of our newer readers about your epic match with RiP's G-Boy a few weeks ago. Recount the madness. G-Boy will be interviewing in a few short weeks. Can we expect a rematch any time soon, perhaps by that time?
RWS: Ah yes, that was quite the battle, I picked up a strong lead in the beginning and thought that I would be pulling up to the finish line in no time. I soon let my own self-confidence get to me, and G-boy took full advantage of the opportunity. He came back like a K-mart shopper who bought the wrong color of shaving cream. With some excellent shots and a good strategy he defeated me in an awesome match of 7-6. As for a rematch, only time will tell.

Possibly the best clan match to date, G-Boy will give us his perspective on it sooner than I led on in the question.
Back on the Black Jack table, Sciz had managed to draw a crowd. Most were tourists in awe of his blue jumpsuit. 'Are those frisbees?' The others were probably hotel personel incognito. He had managed to win each and every of his four-teen hands of Black Jack. I had lost all but two, and was dreading the thought of top ramen for the next three weeks.

Beastie: Gemakk talked about something else I know you can relate to. How does the word 'best' plague your ability to enjoy the game when looking to play casually? You seem to use many aliases. Is this why?
RWS: Sorry to say, but being called the best can be a double-edged sword of epic proportions. Pressure can take a serious toll on the fun factor. I have talked with multiple players and it seems more people think that ricochet is about being the best, and not about having fun. Why do I have to prove myself to you? Why should I care what you think my level of skill is? Why must I play like it's my life on the line for every game? In reality, I'm finding playing ricochet to be more and more of a chore and less of a GAME. I'm tired of entering the server to find some soap opera or another taking place. This is after all, a GAME. I don't care if some 9 year old calls me a moron from 3,000 miles away. Sorry folks if I'm secure with myself and not going on an abominal rage to plague the server with stupidity after every insult or action.
On an earlier note, here's an example of something that happens to me every time I enter the server would go as followed: Hypocrite enters the server, RWS beats Hypocrite 10 times, Hypocrite beats RWS once in the eleventh match. Hypocrite proceeds to go on a rampage spitting and swearing that RWS sucks and that Hypocrite beat RWS, making him a better player than RWS. RWS leaves due to the fun factor dropping through the floor. I have no problem with losing, in fact it just pushes me to become a greater player, but throwing insults after a match/talking behind their back is an immature and obnoxious way to handle a win. You may beat them 1,000 times, but there is always that 1 match you lost, hence they're better than you. Period. This is why I use multiple aliases, because I like to have FUN. I go through enough of these situations in the REAL WORLD.

Beastie: I have played you under various names, and I have noticed that you will undertake entirely different strategies at times. Have you generally stuck with the same over time or do you feel yourself evolving?
RWS: As a player, I have to say that I'm constantly evolving, it's survival of the fittest. Some player comes up with suchandsuch move, you find a way to counter it, they learn to counter the counter, etc. The cycle goes on for eternity. Unpredictability is the key to success in Ricochet and if they know the moves to one style, use another. G-boy proved this point excellently when he changed styles half way through our match, props! Changing strategies/styles is also a key to remaining incognito, most players don't check wonids unless they're familiar with the opponent's style. Why check a wonid when it's probably some player you've never seen before, but if they recognize your style of choice, they'll become curious.

Many had in fact become curious. 'Who is that trekee at that Black Jack Table? Why is he surrounded by security? What's with the ridiculous outfit?!'
I had stopped playing cards, for my pockets were long empty. I instead ordered seven shots of sambuka. Let Sciz tip the cocktail waitress. He can obviously afford it.

Beastie: Along with your obvious handle on Ricochet: the Game, you have been very involved in Ricochet: the Community. What does this group of people mean to you?
RWS: I've never seen anything like it, the players are great, the people are great. What more can you ask for? I used to play a good amount of TFC and CS and I was in a number of clans, but they were nothing compared to uT or the community itself. This is the first time I've ever truly gotten to know fellow players and their outlooks on life. It is a unique and wonderful experiance that I hope will live on for ages to come.

Beastie: I am sure people are growing tired of this particular question, for I have beaten it to death. But are we ready for a patch and a new group of players?
RWS: I myself like beating dead horses, but that's just me. As for your question, variety is the spice of life.

My shots arrived and I took them one-by one. Soon I would forget about the rent check I had just instead invested into Las Vegas's most notorious industry.
Now I just wanted to learn more about RWS. His name is Conor, and he is 20 years old,and a full-time student at PCC in Pasadena, CA. He does odd jobs and plays a lot of Ricochet.

Beastie: Tell me about a day in the life of RWS. What other activities outside of Ricochet (gaming or non) do you enjoy? Do you ever play with play-doh?
RWS: Beastie my friend, anybody who's somebody plays with play-doh. I play a mean game of tabble-tennis, but my true love is basketball, nothing like it. I played for the JV and Varsity teams in high school, great fun. My day usually involves me getting up and going to class, followed by working, which is then followed by playing ricochet. From here I proceed to do whatever random thought pops into my head, be it dates or sleeping on the bench next to the bus stop. Usually I get back to my apartment around 1-2 am, where I proceed to play more ricochet. Unfortunately, sleep soon overtakes me and the cycle repeats. Redundant, isn't it?

No. Losing to you 60 or 70 times in a row.... THAT's redundant. <_<

Beastie: If you had to choose a single food, and you could only eat variants of that food for EVER, what would that food be? Have you ever eaten play-doh?
RWS: Sushi, my god, this stuff is great, nothing bad comes out of Japan (unlike the 80's). There's no substition for forking over 5 bucks for a Tamago, only to have finished it in 5 seconds. Ah, good times.
Yes, I have eaten play-doh, a little bit on the salty side, but an exquisite dish none the less. Big Grin

Oh did I mention that I also rented the top of the Stratosphere? If you have been to Vegas, you know. If not it is the 110 story needle with a roller coaster at the top!! The view is spectacular... which takes me back to GRITS's arrival... again, the view was spectacular!

GRITS, a Girl Raised In The South, currently lives in the Midwest. She is a research scientist by day and a kick-ass-gamer-chick by night! She began with HLDM in March of 2002, ran her very own server by late June. She learned of Ricochet and put up a server to accompany her other. In December she topped it off by making another to separate the dm players from the arena buffs. Since then, the Holdout's Server pair represents the most successful Ricochet establishment to date. Along with the numbers, GRITS's servers are decked out with features that make the game better for its visitors. Post-release programming done by her staff and their connections has eliminated the use key function and will soon put an end to reconnectors!

GRITS and I sat inside Shintaro, the 5 star Japanese restaurant inside of the Bellagio Hotel on the strip. GRITS likes sushi. After ordering the wine, I began with the questions.

Beastie: Well Grits, let me start with the obvious. What interest does a smart and classy, attractive lady have in a mediocre halflife mod and a bunch of silly gamers?
GRITS: Ahhh what a sweet way to ask a question....I have always been a workaholic HLDM was my first online experience. I am a marksman with a 38 special and that was a good way to âpracticeâ until I got my weapon registered after my move from cowboy country. Took me a while to stop aiming with the site on the 'game weapons' and use the one on the screen. Might be a problem when the time comes to go back out to qualify...not sure I will be able to find a green and red cross hair on the range. I can hear me now....."I don't have my aiming thingy." And what a crew I found to hang with both on the HLDM server and on the Rico servers I couldnât possibly leave them now.

Beastie: Running a successful server is not for everyone. How has it been different than you expected coming in? Has it been worth it?
GRITS: Wow! I get a compliment that precedes every question. This is nice. I am very surprised at the popularity of 'our' servers. I don't ever like to say 'my' servers because I wouldnât have them if they were just for me. I love the camaraderie and the discussions that we have. It is mostly a social outlet for me...guess that is why I talk so much in game. I have enjoyed a whole lot of help from guys like Evil_Admin in getting everything going. The biggest surprise for me was the depth of knowledge and issues that come from the players....and yeah that makes it worth everything, even the headaches and heartaches.

GRITS caught on to my subtle flattery. I have always heard that flattery will get you everywhere!!

Beastie: As if running the premiere server isn't enough, you went on to set up the forums so our group could communicate in complete sentences. This really gave our group a new identity: a community. Was this your intention?
GRITS: Oh my â¦.yet another...I get the feeling all these compliments are heading somewhere ...I love that our forums are so active and popular. I have to give Gwarsbane the majority of the credit for the forums. I had no idea where to begin. It was something that was offered by Holdouts for a mere $5 a month and I wanted to register the vadavaka.com domain so I did and just held onto it until one day GB answered my pleas for someone to show me what to do with it. I think he did a great job and I was really happy to see the way they turned out. I am so excited that we do have a place to go and get to know one another better and share some feelings and release some emotions. It is a great way to experience some deeper personal stories and other talents of the players. netniV helped get the DM stuff going...one day when I find some free time I will update those pages and get the CS one started too.

Beastie: I have made this question a recurring theme within this weekly column. Is our community ready for a new group of players? A patch update will undoubtedly invite new interest in the game. What if it is massive, say 500 players?
GRITS: Oh this is official stuff here no compliment ^_^
It is hard for me to imagine. I am sure with the new players will come more servers. Some people will have better pings and want to flock to those servers but I think the core group will always be loyal to each other and to our servers. I can tell by the way the players love to see the vets come back and the way they talk about NOH and KAH. Rico players have more invested in their community than CS or HLDM players do. I think the diversity will be great I just hope it lasts.

Beastie: As you have provided the groundwork for this said community, you have also made a point to uphold a certain standard for language and behavior. You have filters in your server and on your forums as well. Why is this important to you as a chief administrator? Are you a role model?
GRITS: I think this is one of those sort of back-handed compliments
Not sure I provided the groundwork since a lot was going on before I even found Ricochet. Maybe we can say I poured the footing. I do have a vested interest in helping the community grow and not letting the mod die. I think everyone needs to learn to live in society on a mature level. You hear so much negativity against gaming and gamers it would be nice if Ricochet has a ânice repâ more moms might let their kids play. This is a game... poor sportsmanship should not be tolerated. It is something you should want from other players and something they deserve from you. I don't believe good sportsmanship should be lost when the playing field becomes a computer screen.
Everyone has their limits to what amount of foul language they will tolerate. I really am into brainpower and enjoy witty bantering. But the kind I am talking about is where the person is creative and thought it out. Maybe made an innuendo or alluded to something not directly being crass or foul mouthed. There are a couple players that are really good at picking up on the innuendos and teasing back...it is a true art form to know the limits. Kind of like your questions or teasing in game. I must admit there was a time that I might have had to gag you but I think you said you lost that bind.

Who... me? Eeeeeeeeveryone loves my binds!! Ok so only a few remember that one.... ANYway...
GRITS fell for my ruse. I had successfully snuck in a pair of proper questions before moving into the reeeal reason I was here (as are all of you :lol: ).

Beastie: I happened to come across a post you made recently. Apparently you are smitten for one of our friendly Ricochet players. Would you care to share any details? I happen to KNOW we have some VERY interested readers. :heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat:
GRITS: So many players know how to make me smile. A few even know how to make me giggle. Both these emotions bring on their own euphoria. A very natural 'high'. One in particular knows how to change my breathing and that is a special kind of ecstasy. He will always have a piece of my heart...maybe even my soul for his talent. He has a poetic heart and a romantic soul and a brain that excites me. What else can a girl ask for....ok.... yeahâ¦. hugs and kisses would be nice.

Oh this lucky sonova.....

Beastie: So let's say this incredibly lucky individual were to take note, or even better, share these feelings with you. Let's look into the crystal ball for a bit; do you think you could meet him/her (I am not here to judge) outside the game someday?
GRITS: I believe he shares at least a smidgen of my Shangri-la with me. I will always have a special place for this someone in my heart even if we arenât ever meant to be together...we give each other what we can now and I can be content with that...and you never know what the future will bring...so I leave my self open to new experiences without ever letting go completely of the ones that make me happy now.

Note to self part 1: Call Peschi, a hole is needed a few miles south of town... somone's gettn' whacked!!
Note to self part 2: Schedule therapy to get over my thriving jealousy disorder.

Beastie: So Grits is into gamer guys. That is awesome! What else is Grits into? Do you read, see movies, or watch any good television?
GRITS: Admining the servers takes up a piece of my time these days and it is a great hobby. I have been a science nerd for too many years...just starting to explore things that I enjoy this past year and a half. I love wine tasting events and live music. I enjoy going to the gym. I like to watch sci-fi movies and tv shows. I love brain games and playing cards. I have a vivid imagination and some tantra training. So sometimes I like to write down my fantasies. Maybe one day I will put them in a book.

Has any publication ever sat atop the New York Times Best Sellers List for longer than a decade? Lost in dirty thoughts, I began to feel a little light-headed. :blink:

Beastie: Do you think you will someday branch out into other net based computer games? Have you tried any other games?
GRITS: Ricochet and HLDM are the only online games I have ever played and I plan on trying out HL2 when it is released. I am pretty loyal kind of girl and probably wont go out of my neighborhood unless it folds. I just don't have enough free time to diversify too much.

I did not even hear GRITS's answer. I could only see her lips move, my sanity melting away in lusty and quite un-professional delight.... GOTTA BUY THAT BOOK!!
What am I doing here again... games? :wacko:

Beastie: I have a little game I would kind of like to play with you sometime. It involves a stethoscope... and a white coat... and... :wub:
GRITS: I have a white coat myself and have been know to exchange it for my baseball jersey on occasion when I play but the black stilettos were murder on the jumps. :o

We finished dinner and changed into more comfortable clothing. My self, shorts and a t-shirt. GRITS, a baseball jersey and some incredibly sexy 110 story black stiletto heels. We never made it to the Stratosphere, for I can go there any time. GRITS and I headed straight to WebJoi, a local internet cyber-cafe.

We played Ricochet. We did so for hours, late into the early hours of the Vegas dawn. As our wonderful dat.... Interview came to a close, we each stood mid-arena face to face. I looked deep into her eyes and took a deep breath.... and watched my own head fall to the platform as GRITS S-jumped repeatedly over my sad, severed torso. I will never forget her laughing from three rows away. :heartbeat::wub: Rolleyes

GRITS has a new 24/7 Arena Server on its way with new technology supplied by her wonderful staff of admins and programmers. Look for her on any of the three servers in her Holdout's Ricochet hot-spots.
Tell her you enjoyed her interview, but don't try and convince her you enjoyed it more than Beastie did! There is no fooling Vadavaka's Queen.

Thank You, GRITS!

Next week I am back to the gentlemen (yes, I use the term loosely). Who will it be? Muhaahaahahaha.]]> <![CDATA[Lessons from the Master]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=299 Fri, 30 May 2003 00:52:19 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=299 Gemakk needs no introduction.

Sure, there are some new players out there who have not witnessed his wrath, and fewer yet who are unaware of his longstanding reputation. The rest of us know. The rest of us remember. The rest of us were mercilessly beaten... and beaten... and beaten... for months by the player that is simply known as The Best.

I chose to conduct this week's discussion in my study. If there is somone who's game we would all like to study, it is Gemakk. It goes without saying, since he has all-but-left the game, that his dominance is not what it once was. As a player today he is in the upper average of the better players. We discussed his reputation and how it developed. Where is he now? What other games is he playing? How does he handle hauling around the reputation he has earned, while catching occasional and casual games? Settle in, enjoy and read on to find out.

Beastie: Gemakk, you have quite a reputation in the Ricochet world. Some say you sold your soul. Is this true?
Gemakk: I guess I could say I had a reputation in the Ricochet world. So much time has passed since I stopped playing Ricochet full-time...somewhere near 7 months now. As for my sold so- I mean about people thinking I sold my soul....let's just say they're nice and toasty someplace right now... Tongue

You heard it here first!

Beastie: But no, seriously. Are you the best the game has ever seen? People talk and they tell me you are.
Gemakk: To me, there's always been debate in any given game or sport in the world on who's the best. People are good at different kinds of things and some players are simply better than others due to one's advantage exploiting the other's disadvantage, so then you end up getting this sort of "I beat Joe! But Joe beats Mark and Mark beats me". I guess then that would make me somewhat of a kind of player who generally did well against most other players...and I'm talking most since I know of some players who simply own me in nearly all circumstances...say Davion for example. Also because of the fact that I played quite a lot during my prime time in Ricochet, would mean that I played against a lot of people and sometimes had a little advantage over others, causing me to seem to be extremely good at Ricochet.

Beastie: How does your reputation affect your play today? Do you find yourself using aliases?
Gemakk: Oh boy, it gets quite complicated when reputation is put into the situation. I noticed that after some months of playing, my standards were far too much above normal. I could barely stand losing to anybody, whatsoever. But then again, I was also given that sort of average. I had many people beat me and then say, "OMG!!!!! I BEAT GEMAKKK!!!!!!".
Well, after having a lot of people doing that, it sort of ticked me off and generally caused me to be nervous when playing anybody who has skill.
As for aliases, I never used them just because I was too nervous about using my reputable name. I happened to be an admin for two servers, KAH and APS. During those times, I would occasionally pop in using a fake name to look for trouble-makers. And I found out that after I play somebody I know and then I reveal myself, they also tended to become nervous and then made more mistakes. So, using my usual name would bring more positive effects than negative actually. As for my reputation today, I would say I'm just an "Old schooler" who appears every so often. I would usually go into the server and then have somebody ask me, "Are you really Gemakk? I heard you're the best." Being gone for 7 months and having seen how tons of players have improved in incredible amounts, performance anxiety really gets to me.

Beastie: You mentioned Davion as a guy that gave you some stiff competition. Let's leave the past alone for a second. Tell me who in today's game gives you the most grief.
Gemakk: Oh...well if not Davion, then RWS would be my vote. ^_^ His style kills anybody who likes to fly a lot (Me).

A veteran of precision and skill, Gemakk is a young man of 16 from Vancouver, Canada. It is common knowledge that he was a key member of the now famous KIA clan.

Beastie: Let's talk of clans for a bit. Jabba and I discussed a pattern last week. It seems the best players join clans and leave the game shortly after. Do they in fact get bored? Did you?
Gemakk: There were three causes that made me leave Ricochet. First, I was involved in another Team Fortress clan, other than KAH, called PFM. I realized that the clan required a large amount of dedication and effort, so I started to play TFC instead of Ricochet whenever I had free time. The second reason was that Ricochet did actually start to become boring. I found myself not wanting to wait for the rounds to end - my rounds are always lightning fast for some reason - and Ricochet had started to become a bit repetitive for me.
The third reason and the final draw was Tibia. 2 years and 7 months ago, I had started playing Tibia, an online RPG. I played well for about a year and then quit, because I didn't like getting killed by other players in the game. 7 months ago, Tibia released a new server - one that did not allow players to kill each other - and so, I was immediately drawn back into Tibia. You know how much effort needs to be put into Online RPGs...especially ones where everybody starts from scratch, so...I left Ricochet.

Gemakk makes mention of a game I will ask him to talk more about in detail later.

Beastie: KIA of yesterday (with Knightmare) vs RiP today (with Knightmare) in a corn-dog eating contest. Who takes it home?
Gemakk: I'd say RiP of today - the skill in Ricochet has dramatically increased since the KIA, KAH and APS times.

Gemakk read through my subtle pisod. He gave me a straight answer to a hidden question. Admirable!

Beastie: You were in your hay-day as the patch was released, bringing a large influx of new players. Can new, clumsy, inexperienced players add to the boredom phenomenon? Could a new patch hurt the game instead of help it?
Gemakk: Actually, I was part of the influx of new players. I was that new, clumsy, inexperienced player who jumped in straight lines and shot only when my feet were both on the ground. But as for the question on hand, yes, new players definitely bug those who just want to play. Don't you just hate getting stuck in the tournament round cycle that pits you against the same new player again and again every other round? And you have got to hate those players who play for 3 minutes, talk about his incredible skill in CS, about how he could own us all in CS and then promptly leave after swearing at us. Well, at least those ones leave when we ask them to...

We all love those guys! :angry:

Beastie: This RPG you brought up earlier, I understand you recently acheived somewhat of a milestone there. Please tell me about that. Also about the game its self.
Gemakk: You must be talking about Tibia - www.tibia.org (Site might not be working at the moment) and my recent accomplishment of gaining level 100 - tibia.gamigo.de/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24442
Tibia is an Online RPG created in Germany. It's about...6 years old and although the graphics are not as good as, say Neverwinter Nights or EverQuest, it's a simple, addictive game that you'll enjoy once you get into it. It's in a medieval setting with Dragons and Warlocks. There are many different servers to choose from, including some American servers and servers that don't allow players to harm each other, like the one I play on, Secura.

Beastie: Where did you learn about the game and where can others? Is it something I need to pay for and if so how much? What type of connection do I need?
Gemakk: I learned of Tibia from an old friend...we went back a long time, but he quit Tibia. We both used to play an online game called Silencer and then after it stopped beta testing and stopped production, we muddled around trying to find another online game and stumbled upon Tibia.
Tibia is a free game, completely free and you don't need a good computer to run it, but there are such things called "Premium Accounts", in which you pay money to obtain extra features in the game, such as new spells, new hunting grounds, new vocations and such. But playing as a "Free Account", which the majority of people do, doesn't have too much of an effect on you..you would just have less opportunity to do things.
As for connection, Tibia was designed specifically to be modem-user friendly. Although the original servers are based in Germany, there are many American servers available. And even though you choose a German server, you wouldn't notice much lag at all, it barely affects Tibia. I play on Secura, which has its server in Germany and I'm fine...maybe I'm just used to it Tongue

Beastie: Gemakk, you are obviously very good at learning and mastering games. Are you a perfectionist? Does this carry over into any offline or even off-computer games? Sports?
Gemakk: Strangely enough, I tend to become quite good at whatever game I choose to play. It's either that or I only play games that I'm good at Big Grin

I play TFC and it's a very fun game to master. In Tibia, when I quit, I spent the next few months and years planning on what I would do if a non-player vs player world came out. Ricochet was simply quite easy to master...I took some aiming and movement rules over from TFC. I guess I would be a perfectionist B) Oh, and I suck at sports.

Beastie: Y2K? No... really the name. Why are there two K's and where did the name come from?
Gemakk:I think I get that question from every single person I meet, one day or another: "What does Gemakk mean?" "Where did it come from?"
Basically, I had many old names before Gemakk, but they couldn't be used everywhere. Accolade, Lord Spoon, they all went down the drain. So then, one day, with Google in front of me, I decided that I wanted the first part of my name to be "Gem". I was considering making my name simply "Gem" but then it would be quite common. So then my brother suggested the double K since he always wanted to create a name that has a double K....so then...Gemakk was born. I looked up Gemakk on Google and got no results.(although if you look it up now, gemakk seems to be a word in some European language...at least two of them. I did some research and found out that Gemak means "Easy" in some language and "simply" in another) That was my new name and I have been using it for everything. So far, Gemakk has not been already taken for a single thing that I have signed up for, or in a game so I'm happy with it.

Humble, yet determined. Young, but accomplished. Smart and learning. This is Gemakk, your Ricochet all time best.

Look for next week's when I will have another in the many names. A hint? Never.]]> Gemakk needs no introduction.

Sure, there are some new players out there who have not witnessed his wrath, and fewer yet who are unaware of his longstanding reputation. The rest of us know. The rest of us remember. The rest of us were mercilessly beaten... and beaten... and beaten... for months by the player that is simply known as The Best.

I chose to conduct this week's discussion in my study. If there is somone who's game we would all like to study, it is Gemakk. It goes without saying, since he has all-but-left the game, that his dominance is not what it once was. As a player today he is in the upper average of the better players. We discussed his reputation and how it developed. Where is he now? What other games is he playing? How does he handle hauling around the reputation he has earned, while catching occasional and casual games? Settle in, enjoy and read on to find out.

Beastie: Gemakk, you have quite a reputation in the Ricochet world. Some say you sold your soul. Is this true?
Gemakk: I guess I could say I had a reputation in the Ricochet world. So much time has passed since I stopped playing Ricochet full-time...somewhere near 7 months now. As for my sold so- I mean about people thinking I sold my soul....let's just say they're nice and toasty someplace right now... Tongue

I play TFC and it's a very fun game to master. In Tibia, when I quit, I spent the next few months and years planning on what I would do if a non-player vs player world came out. Ricochet was simply quite easy to master...I took some aiming and movement rules over from TFC. I guess I would be a perfectionist B) Oh, and I suck at sports.

Beastie: Y2K? No... really the name. Why are there two K's and where did the name come from?
Gemakk:I think I get that question from every single person I meet, one day or another: "What does Gemakk mean?" "Where did it come from?"
Basically, I had many old names before Gemakk, but they couldn't be used everywhere. Accolade, Lord Spoon, they all went down the drain. So then, one day, with Google in front of me, I decided that I wanted the first part of my name to be "Gem". I was considering making my name simply "Gem" but then it would be quite common. So then my brother suggested the double K since he always wanted to create a name that has a double K....so then...Gemakk was born. I looked up Gemakk on Google and got no results.(although if you look it up now, gemakk seems to be a word in some European language...at least two of them. I did some research and found out that Gemak means "Easy" in some language and "simply" in another) That was my new name and I have been using it for everything. So far, Gemakk has not been already taken for a single thing that I have signed up for, or in a game so I'm happy with it.

Humble, yet determined. Young, but accomplished. Smart and learning. This is Gemakk, your Ricochet all time best.

Look for next week's when I will have another in the many names. A hint? Never.]]> <![CDATA[A Good Chat with a Good Friend]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=273 Sat, 24 May 2003 05:23:34 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=273 I also chose to challenge this player this week, to my first official clan challenge. We will play this weekend sometime, I suppose many of you know this. :ph34r:

JabbaHunt arrived in a cab. He waved and tipped the driver, who quickly lifted Ben's bag-o-clubs from the trunk. Ben introduced himself with a big smile and shook my hand. I showed him to his room as he told me stories of running promotions for a national retail management group. He also told of plans in July to run his own furniture store. A young 40, Jabba was rimming with youth and energy. Ben, from Tennesee is a very positive guy! B)

In preperation for the arrival of my good friend, I had attained a healthy stack of singles. As many of you gentlemen know, a pilgrimage to Vegas is never complete without a night at the strip clubs! However I was shocked when JabbaHunt declined. His admirable love and completion for his wife left him entirely uninterested in the fabulous topless nightlife that I will instead soon share with Acid Head. (few weeks! Wink

We suited up and hit the greens.

Beastie: Jabba, we are pretty good friends, at least as far as Ricochet can go. Do you think you'd still be playing this mediocre half-life mod if it weren't for our tight community?
Jabba: From the beginning I have loved this game. The basics of the game appeal to me, similar to a chess game, or checkers. But, I am drawn to the antics of the game. So in truth, the community keeps me here day in and day out. Otherwise I would come and go as others do that have not allowed themselves the opportunity to get to know so many good people.

Beastie: We have been playing for just about the same amount of time. I broke it out 3 days after the patch release. Is ricochet here to stay? Do we have enough players to support another release?
Jabba: If there is another patch, I believe there would be more players. I started with hl, then fell in love with FireArms, and with patch started ricochet as a lark to see what it was. I've always loved multiplayer because bots are boring. This has always been a multiplayer game, It will stand for that alone.

I think there was some other game that came out of Halflife; something to think about. JabbaHunt was up after 3 holes. I think it was by 9 strokes, but who is counting? With all of my interview material, I had opted to bring only my putter. My drives were less than spectacular.

Beastie: Let's say for some odd reason the pool of regulars jumps to 500 players.Good for the game? Good for our community?
Jabba: Great for game; a little revolution never hurts.

Beastie: Let's talk about uT. Have you enjoyed your time there? Has being in a clan enhanced your Ricochet experience?
Jabba: When I first started, I didn't want to be in a clan. Jeez i'm 40, was 38. Never liked fraternities in school and was available in every click thru my life, not belonging to any. There were two friends that I enjoyed playing with, Fritoman and Shakira, they are the reason for joining uT and I believed it would help ricochet keep going. And I'm really glad I did because I would not have gotten to know the best people in ricochet otherwise.

Beastie: It seems many of the top players join clans and disappear. Why is this? Do they get bored?
Jabba: A lot of the top players are bored when they join the clans to start with. Hoping to spice things up, or the clan will offer something they are not gettting, (i.e. beastie joining rip) you can only make of it what you want out of it. again (i.e. sinbon, gemakk, knightmare) these guys were the best of the best. they left when they felt they had done all they could do or rico could offer, now they are avg. to good players and are back for the challenge. It takes a little more to keep them interested. I've always believed, some are great salespeople, some are great managers, great salespeople don't always make great managers, and visa versa.

Jabba had par'd each and every hole. I was still waiting to break the double-bogey mark. As a gentleman, JabbaHunt had offered me his driver two holes previous. It worked pretty well on the first few shots, but I had trouble putting with it. (I had thrown my putter into the drink.) <_<

Beastie: We will be battling it out this weekend in epic fashion. When can we expect to see more clan challenges?
Jabba: I believe that as people are more comfortable with asking grits or admin to lock server it will happen more often. I for one will accept any challenge from reputable and deserving opponents.

Beastie: uT vs RiP in a midget tossing contest... who wins?
Jabba: ut, with the exception of cloud, we outbench all of rip.

Beastie: Aside from the pre-patch players (KIA) who do you feel are players who have spent time as the game's best. Meaning who have had peaks that surpassed all others at the time?
Jabba: The problem is most of the oldies still can do it, they just lack enthusiasm.
I would have to actually sit and do a month count of who kicks my ass and not. This game is so stylistic of dominance than any other i've played.
ex: Acid says I give him so much trouble, (he owns me)
rws is owner of all and not me?
You and I always have great matches, even up. I used to get the better.
Punkgirl: 2 months ago, i owned, now she makes me weep like a little boy.
did I get lazy or she now knows me?(seriously, I thought she was gonna make me impotent.)
Shakira: she owned in beginning and evened to end.
gwars: he has gotten so much better since he got interested.
morning star: you have to play him in the morning and he will make you cry. otherwise forget about it.
Linus/Killing Spree, let's just say he's better than me, but I can kill him in a crunch.
cloud for some reason either I don't try or he does kicks my butt.,
Fritoman is my jumping and fallng buddy, he used to own me until I just waited until he fell.
Me, Frito, and terrorizor, aka, lil face are fairly even and haven't improved over the field like we should have.
There is really to many to mention, omg, phyxious, zombie lord(he rocked)
sri lanka, whole fkn show,jaelum, flaw, pix(omg, how do I forget Pix), rulepool, pique, (cake)rush.
For this reason alone, anyone of these guys have beat me and I have beat them, more they beat me, but that's what makes this game so great. This is why Arena. 1vs1 is the only type of map for me. There are no real excuses.But always the possibility.

After that long, diplomatic fit we were standing at the 16th tee. As I pondered whether Jabba had answered my question, he knocked a beauty 324 yards straight down the fairway. I dug deep down, and managed to place mine perfectly in line with his; a couple hundred yards short, yet still my first to land ON the fairway its self! A step in te right direction indeed! Big Grin

Beastie: Are there any rookies that have really impressed you recently?
Jabba: Concita Banana was on the other day, I liked her curves.

I bet. With that he scooped an incredible iron shot. The ball went onto the green and into the cup. I, on the otherhand took a big rip and missed the ball completely. A slight pull to my groin landed me on the ground. I got up, ran over to Jabba's bag and emptied it onto the green. I may have gone too far when I broke two or three clubs over my knee. The rage I feel at times is immeasurable! :angry:

Beastie: Do you ever feel like life is tossing triples at you while your stupid freeze disc is off doing who-knows-what?
Jabba: I think you ran out of questions. of course the irs might beg to differ.... ummm, times up, nice talking with you, gotta run, bye now. Huh

While I haven't seen JabbaHunt since, I know we are still great friends. We will engage in vicous warfare this weekend to decide who gets the first lead in the battle of the clans. Watch for a posting in the forums, I am sure many will be overly eager to find out what happens.

Next week I have somone you are ALL waiting for!! I can not wait to learn of his/her feelings on the game and how it has developed. Who is this soul? Wait and see.]]> <![CDATA[In the Shadow of a Reputation]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=250 Sun, 18 May 2003 07:21:44 +0000 Beastie]]> https://vadavaka.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=250
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 Smile

Everyone has gotten alot better Smile

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 Tongue

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 Smile

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 Smile

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 Smile

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 Smile

Everyone has gotten alot better Smile