Gunslinger Gaming

Feature MisterYoda, May 2013 Edition of the Member Spotlight does! Please excuse the awkward sentence structure for sake of a Star Wars reference. There is, however, plenty to GS*MisterYoda beyond that of being a Star Wars fan. He has been a Gunslinger member for over two years, and many of you have interacted with him on the GS Forums or on some game’s online servers. Let’s put down the controller for a moment to find out more about MisterYoda, the person. By all means, pick up your favorite beverage and enjoy the read!

GS: You have a habit of greeting new members via replies in the Introductions section of the GS Forums and have even taken the time and money to put together a Battlefield 3 Server for your fellow Gunslingers. What inspires you to continue to help out the Gunslinger group, and who made the first lasting impression on you when you signed up back in January, 2011?

MisterYoda: I believe there is a lot of things that make me want to help out the Gunslinger group. One being that we are a mature group of adults. Heck, we all like to sit back, drink a few beverages and goof off. I love the atmosphere that has been set since the beginning, where I can goof off, relax, and just laugh with people that are either equally as bad as me or better. I believe the first person that got me to sign up was Twin40, back when I played MAG. Asked me if I wanted to join GS after I started playing in Black Ops, then just went with it since. I have seen great members such as MargirataMama, leifvr, and shawn come through. Sheesh, good times.

GS: Are you still part of the United Air force? How long have you been serving and what drew you to the military experience in the first place?

MisterYoda: I am lucky still part of the United States Air Force. I been serving for 4 years now and

MisterYoda’s first video game experience was Top Gun.

will continue for another 4 more years. I love doing my job there, which is Network Administration. Really blast of a job, because I get to work on servers all day. The thing that drew me to the military experience was two things: my dad who served 22 years and a bit of me wanting to get a Masters Degree. I always wanted to get one, because seriously, who has one theses days?

GS: From the very beginning of your GS membership, you have stated you play both PC and console games. If a crazy person held your PC and your PS3 over a cliff and made you pick only one to save, which one would it be? Why?

MisterYoda: Well, seeing as it is only those two, and I get to keep my Wii U and Xbox360, I would have to go with the PS3. The crowd on the PS3 is amazing, and I get to hang with crazy people who get to put up with me. I don’t get that same experience in a PC when I played through, which is why I went to playing consoles. I will always miss Zombies in Counter Strike Source, but heck, PS3 has some pretty cool Zombie type games or plug-ins, so I am okay with it.

GS: What was the very first game you remember playing?

MisterYoda: I have to say my first game that I ever got to play was….wait for it…Top Gun for Nintendo. Yes, my brother had it and I got addicted to playing that game. I never did get the landing portions down right, as it was pretty much luck anyways. From there, I went to the PC world for a LONG time before really coming back to consoles. I went from Starcraft, to Counter Strike which I played for many years to a game that many people did not know was online play, Halo. I played Halo for about 5 years, and know the ends and outs of that game very well.

[Here's MisterYoda during some Frosty Pints high jinx]

GS: Once upon a time in the GS Forums, you confessed a secret love for J-Pop. Please explain. What groups are among your all time favorites? Does this musical taste bleed over to an interest in anime as well? Which series are among your favorites?

MisterYoda: OH NOES! No one was suppose to know about that. Man, I got addicted to J-Pop from watching a large amount of anime. Listening to large amount of J-Pop will piss the Miss Yoda off, but hey, she doesn’t mind if she gets to watch her shows. I know very well it did bleed over from watching anime, because when you starting watching as much anime as I have, you start getting songs in your head, and then from there, a new world opens. As for anime, that is a different subject for a different day. I could give anyone reviews for almost every single anime out there, and if I don’t know it, I go watch it. As for some of my favorites, it would have to go with Gundam series (pick one), Fruits Basket, Hellsing, or Astro Boy (1980).

GS: I must ask. Why isn’t your name MasterYoda? In other words, what’s the story behind your name?

MisterYoda: Well, it started one night with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Nah, I seen too many Master Yoda’s, so I thought to bring out a gentlemen side to it, and then began MisterYoda. I been using this name since I

MisterYoda is also a anime and J-Pop fan.

been gaming online, and people see it sometimes and know it from 10 years ago. Man, I never went outside as a kid, but I never wanted to annoy adults online, so I kept my mic off to make people think I was a gentlemen. As for the Yoda part, picked it up from watching the old school Star Wars and thought he was the best out of all the characters.

GS: E3 is right around the corner. What are your thoughts on the upcoming generation of consoles? What things are you excited to hear? What are elements that you aren’t?

MisterYoda: I believe the next generation console war is already deciding a few fates of companies (sorry Nintendo fans, reminds me of Sega). I think if Microsoft doesn’t pull something crazy like a cheap console, I know Sony is leaving them behind finally. I am really super excited about the idea of the share button. I like playing my games, but would love to show a few friends how my drunken play is at times, and you really can’t do that now. As for a few elements that aren’t, I think the Wii U would be one. I really thought they would go the route of Sony, and make that spare screen something that can be used on tablets and gaming on the go. Instead, they made a separate screen and kept a different handheld.

GS: Okay. Let’s pretend you have a plane with unlimited fuel. Hell, let’s even say the thing is invisible, but Wonder Woman is not included (sicko). Where in the world have you always wanted to go? Why? Now, let’s pretend you got over-excited after a viewing of Top Gun and you crashed the plane. What are some local flavors where you live that a traveler MUST go?

St. Augustine, Florida. It’s MisterYoda’s top recommendation when visiting the Jacksonville area.

MisterYoda: I always wanted to go to Ireland. I am half Irish, so going to Ireland only makes sense. I wanted to go to the churches there and check out the scenery. It is a place that people can enjoy the locals just cussing up a storm at you, and it’s okay. As per your second question, lets pretend that no person has to come here to Wichita Falls. Now back in Jacksonville, Florida, I would say go to St. Augustine. It is a place to enjoy the scenery.

GS: What is something about you that tends to surprise people when finding out? Now, you don’t have to tell us, but we will be forced to make something up, Mr. Slinky Champion of 1994.

MisterYoda: I would have to say how much of a sports fan I am. People are blown away on how much I watch sports. I watch anything from NBA to MLB to NFL. I have ESPN as much as possible, and tend to keep up with it more than the real news.

GS: Yarr! What is your favorite drink?

MisterYoda: I have two really: 18 Year old Jamison Whiskey straight up and Crown ‘n’ Coke.

Thank you for taking the time to sit down with us, MisterYoda, and thank you, dear readers, for taking the time to learn more about a fellow Gunslinger. If you would like to comment on this interview, feel free to do so in this forum topic!

You may already know covan2306 through a couple of different in-game adventures. Perhaps you raced him while he burned rubber (or demolished his car depending on which piece of photo evidence a person views) on the track of Gran Turismo 5. You may have plundered the landscape of Pandora with him in Borderlands 2. Just recently, he may have provided cover fire as you reloaded your weapon on the Crysis 3 battlefield. Regardless of how you have encountered him previously or have yet to game with him, join me as we pick his brain in this month’s edition of Member Spotlight!

GS: You are building quite the reputation amongst your fellow Gunslingers for your willingness to help out with in-game questions. For example, take a look at the kind praise GS*bigwillydier gave you:

“Covan…is by far the most helpful person I’ve met on here…If you wish you had a particular item, if he has it, he’ll give it to you. If he doesn’t have it, he’ll either help you farm it or farm it himself and give it to you. He’s also a wealth of knowledge about the game and always happy to answer questions and explain things.”

Were you aware you had such an impact on other people’s gaming experience?

covan2306: This is my gaming mentality when it come to loot games, share the pixels, that’s all they are. I’d sooner be playing with people enjoying their game, than running around gloating about my pew pew guns.
Same goes for giving advice, this is how I have always pictured gaming clans/communities, all about finding like minded people, and having fun, helping each other when needed, sounds cheesy, ‘cuz it is.

GS: Back when you first signed up with the Gunslingers in May of 2011, you did so for the game, Brink. What are you final thoughts on that title, and what is among your favorite experiences in the newest games you are playing?

covan2306: Brink was a great game, that was killed by it’s launch (during psn downtime), I still rate the game in my top 10 ps3 games easily.
My favorite experiences would be Borderlands 2, try to help BigBangBear, then help Bigwillydier beat Hyperius-the-Invincible. After both times think all of us called it a night, mentally exhausting. That’s the fun in the game, trying to bring down bosses with friends, especially with a boss like Hyperius who can randomly kill you against all logic.

GS: You list Cabinet Maker as your occupation in your GS profile. How long have you been making cabinets? What drew your interest in doing so? Finally, what was the most challenging cabinet you have ever made?

covan2306: Been making cabinets for 6 years, firstly custom household cabinets, now larger scale manufacturing of computer cabinets, for medical IT. I was drawn to it needing a job, I’m actually a semi-qualified Chef, but I don’t really have the temperament for that.

Most challenging..Custom full wall study, desk with cabinets, was made to look “antiqued”. On the day of staining, I worked on a Saturday with the boss, last staining method before the finishing lacquer was to create the effect of old varnished wood. This consisted of applying a heavy dark coat of a brown stain, then hitting it with thinner fast (very fast) to only leave it in accent areas. This all went well until the 11ft end cabinet, trying to stain then strip within 20 seconds of staining, by the end of it, I left didn’t say a word to my boss, fuming. Came into work on Monday, and we both just cracked up laughing. “I thought you were gunna fire me for sure“, “I thought you were gunna tell me to get _________ and quit“.

GS: Speaking of your profile, you mention music as one of your key interests. I think you know what is coming. What are some of your all time favorite musicians? Albums?

covan2306: I have so many of both, very hard/maybe impossible to answer. I will say I grew up in a household that played Pink Floyd, Led Zep, Dio, Gunz, etc. Heavily into metal and progressive rock.
Musicians Tom Araya (Slayer), James Lynn Straight (Snot) and Mike Patton (Faith No More and Mr.Bungle). Favorite albums…too many. So I’ll tell you what my latest addiction has been. Orange Goblin.

GS: As a father, you must have seen your share of kid movies. Which title is a household favorite that you have had to put in for the kids for one millionth time? Do they also game with you?

covan2306: Ninjago (LEGO TV series) and a lot of Veggie Tales. A lot.
I let my 4 year old run around and shoot on Borderlands every once in a while. He has his own game on there, Warp.

GS: How about you? What kept the rugrat version of Covan busy? Were you gaming, and, if so, what was the first video game you every played?

covan2306: Rugrat Covan is still a rugrat, LOL (son’s name). I was playing sports from the moment I could walk, still play football nowadays. One of five kids, so gaming consoles created wars fast, but we did have some of the systems. First game I remember playing was Oh Mummy on the Amstrad.

GS: The next generation of consoles is right around the corner. What are your thoughts on what you have heard rumored so far? What do you hope is included with the next gen experience?

covan2306: I haven’t paid much attention, to be honest. I don’t buy into hype or rumors very often. I do hope we get a lot better graphics on the new consoles. Seeing Borderlands 2 on a PC, console gamers for the most really don’t understand the tamed down versions of games we get. Also, PS3 needs to add recording software.

GS: Anyone who takes a glace at your body of posts made in the Gunslingers forum knows that you enjoy GT5. Without going as far as shining a flashlight in your face and asking if you know how fast you were going, does your love for racing carry into your real life? How many speeding tickets do you have?

covan2306: None, thanks to a few over-enthusiastic friends I quickly learned about trying to be a speed racer in real life. We drive a jeep that death shakes when you go too fast, LOL. I prefer 4×4 off-roading out in the trees where there isn’t many people.

GS: Which is your favorite football/soccer team? Why?

covan2306: Manchester United. Grew up in northern England. Grew up supporting them to spite both my parents. LOL.

GS: What is your favorite drink?

covan2306: Guinness and Hobgoblin ale. I like my 25+ year scotches, also.

Thank you for taking the time to read more about your fellow Gunslinger, Covan. If you would like to leave any comments, feel free to do so in the Member Spotlight topic within the GS forums.

Welcome to the first Gunslinger Member Spotlight interview of 2013! We are starting off the new year by catching up with the social guru that is otherwise known around these parts as Yuuuki! So, toss that left over carton of eggnog (trust me, it is expired) and learn about her love for anime, how “electric goo” prompted a marriage proposal, and why you shouldn’t trust your car’s GPS system.

GS: Happy New Year! The holiday season is officially over. How did you spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year? Did you acquire any new games along the way?

Yuuuki: No new games. I only play one game at a time and my husband knows it, so Black Ops 2 all the way for me. For Thanksgiving, we do my family in the morning and my husband’s family at night. Christmas we go to my Aunt’s on Christmas Eve, my parents on Christmas day morning and his family Christmas day night…very exhausting. For New Years, we went to a restaurant down the street from our house with our house-mate and his girlfriend. Had two drinks and was in bed by 12:20am, woo-yay being old.

GS: Looking back at your thousand-plus posts on the GS Forums, it really appears that you like creating discussion and making others feel welcome. Would you consider yourself a social butterfly in “real life” or is the online version of you quite different?

Yuuuki: Hmmm… I’d say I am like this in real life. Usually after a few drinks, though. Hahaha. I learned Korean from a girl once at a bar after getting sloshed with her randomly.

GS: There has got to be more to Yuuuki than just gaming. What other passions do you have in life? For example, does your username point towards a love for anime? Are there any hobbies (past or present) that would surprise us?

Yuuuki: Yes, I love anime. I just made a Totoro emblem on Xbox, but no one knew what it was. I also love Korean pop music. Most of my friends on here have had to listen to it through my mic at some point. Hahaha. Wakko especially loves it, calls it my feminist music, LOL. My passion is photography. I have my college degree in it. I sell prints as a side job and have my first art fair later this year. For a surprising hobby, I’d say its that I rock and mountain climb. For our honeymoon, I dragged my husband up a 6,000 foot mountain near Mount Olympus in Washington State. There was snow at the top in the middle of September we were so high. We camped up there for the night, it was so beautiful. I incorporate the two by taking pictures every where I go.

GS: Both you and your husband are gamers. Do you two ever get competitive? Do you have a humorous example of what it is like being a gaming couple?

Yuuuki: Oh yes, but he always wins so it never gets too out of hand. We used to bicker over who got to play because when I moved in there was only one Xbox. So, I bought another for him for Christmas our first year together so we’d each have our own Xbox, headset, TV set up now. (Of course he decided he was a PC gamer shortly after so…..) The funniest thing was him proposing to me while we were playing Portal 2. We had just gotten the game and were playing together, and he kept getting mad at me because I kept shooting the wrong color portal. So, finally i just started moving the portal and dropping him in the electric goo I was so frustrated. It was awesome. I couldn’t stop laughing. We kept calling each other names and yelling at each other ’till we finally beat it. We took a break, and I got in the shower. After I got out, he had the ring out in our bedroom and asked me to marry him! I was like seriously? I just called you an asshole. Hahaha.

GS: What is your secret (i.e.: guilty pleasure) favorite movie of all time? Why? Warning: if it has won an Oscar, we will assume you are lying.

Yuuuki: Friday Night Lights. I love football, and I love movies about football. The movie is pretty terrible, I bought it off Amazon for 1 cent. But, I can watch it 30 times and not be sick of it. I’ve had to buy it twice. I watch it so much, and the DVD craps out.

GS: Throughout your membership with GS, you have gamed with a good amount of folks. How did you ever come across us in the first place, and do you have a favorite in-game memory?

Yuuuki: I’ve tried to think of this before in talking with Bloodstoner. I played with someone who played with someone who was in GS and then I met more and more GS and they kept saying to join, so I did. I was originally in Hupit but the people there were hit or miss, so I thought I’d try here. I wouldn’t say I have a favorite in-game memory. But, my favorite time was when people who hadn’t played in forever came back on for Black Ops 2. I used to game with Grigor, Bratty, Meatpuppet, Wakko, Rika, Chilled, and some others over 2 years ago on Black Ops 1 and then they all went away and did family stuff when MW3 sucked so much. Then, they all started coming back on, and its been awesome having the OG group back on to pound some faces. I love everyone in GS that I’ve met but us oldies will always have BLOPS1 memories together

GS: There are some big game releases on their way for 2013. What games are you most excited for? To book-end that question, what was the very first game you remember ever playing?

Yuuuki: O.o whaaaa??? Honestly, I only play COD titles >.> Hahaha. Is that disappointing?? So, I guess I wont be getting a game this year. But, I do have Halo 4, and I’ve only ever played 2 games on it so I promised Grimm I’d give it another whirl and see if I was doing something wrong (it seems like I was). The first game I remember playing is Excite Bike on Nintendo. I hated that game. My brother always beat me. We played on a little 12 inch black and white TV, ugh.

GS: Let’s pretend the world has flooded and you have to rush onto a raft (oh, it could happen). What is one very impractical thing you could not part with and would demand to take along?

Yuuuki: I’d probably take my digital camera. Which would instantly be ruined by the water and I’d have no computer to off-load the pictures, so I’d be constantly trying to decide which ones to delete so I could take more. It’d really cause more problems then solve anything, hahaha, but I take it every where. You never know when that perfect shot is gonna pop up!

GS: Time for a fill-in-the-blank question! Complete this thought: “When traveling long distances with Yuuuki in the passenger seat, you can expect________________”.

Yuuuki: Her to argue with you about every turn and to mistrust the GPS. (I drove my car into a small pond once following my GPS, so I think they are all STUPID, long story, some of you on here have heard about this and seen the pictures).

GS: Finally, the most important question of all. What is your favorite drink?

Yuuuki: Whole Foods Market Cherry Vanilla Soda and Salerno Blood Orange Liquor.

Thank you for taking the time to read this interview and learning more about your fellow Gunslinger, Yuuuki, in the process. I am sure if you are REALLY nice to her, you can convince her to show you those car-in-the-pond photos!

A father. A husband. A veteran. Those are just some roles our friend, GS*Spooky, fill that make him so interesting. We are fortunate enough to refer to him as a fellow member since he first joined our group back in October 2012. With luck, you have run into him on the forums, in chat, or on the Battlefield 3 servers. Please join us in learning more about Spooky, about his love for horror films, and why you may see him at the local Gamestop buying Skylander figurines.

GS: Before we go too far, let’s address the terrible storm label “Hurricane Sandy.” Being that you reside in New Jersey, are you and your family safe? What has been your personal experience with this force of nature?

Spooky: First off, I would like to say thank you to everyone that showed their concern and support of us Gunslingers in the storm’s path. Growing up in this part of the county, we never had to deal with many natural disasters. In the past year we had two hurricanes, two earthquakes, two nor’easters, and a derecho. The news is saying that another nor’easter is going to hit us this week.

As far as Hurricane Sandy, the New Jersey Coast is decimated. Fortunately, my family and I live far enough inland that we did not suffer much damage. We lost power only for a few minutes and some minor flooding. We were/are very fortunate because we are surrounded by complete devastation. I am sure you all have witnessed the disaster on the television. It will take many, many months for any sense of normalcy to return here.

GS: You joined the Gunslingers as a Xbox360 player for Battlefield 3 on October 3rd, 2012. Which fellow members did you first game with in game? Is there any advice you would give other new members in regards to getting one’s self running and gunning with others?

Spooky: I was always a Call of Duty gamer. I started playing multiplayer games when COD 4 was released to the world. I was so disgruntled with Modern Warfare 3 that I totally stopped playing it. I thought I would go out and purchase Battlefield 3 because I heard lots of great things about it. After playing Battlefield 3 for a little while I thought I would look for a platoon to play with. I found the Gunslinger recruiting thread on Battlelog and applied.

Once in the Platoon, I remember playing my first games with the infamous duo of Tick and Dunkaroo. I know there were more Gunslingers in the game but their names escape me. Tick and Dunk made my adjustment into the community an easy one. They were great to play with and easy to talk to. They made me feel at home right away.

As far as giving advice to new comers, I suggest you get your names on the master lists and jump right into the matches. Don’t be shy. Be active in the forums and have fun. This is a great community where everyone treats each other with respect and everyone has the same mentality. It’s all about gaming and fun.

GS: In your profile, you state you are a Iraq Combat Veteran. What was your role while serving? Are you the first in your family to serve or are you from military line?

Spooky: Yes, I am an Iraq war veteran. I joined the United States Army a year after I graduated high school. I enlisted in 1996 where I went to basic training. My MOS was 11M (Mechanized Infantry). I was a gunner on a Bradley fighting vehicle. I was stationed in FT Stewart, GA and Camp Hovey Korea. After Korea, I returned to New Jersey and I went to college to get my degree in Network Management. Thanks to the ARMY my college education was paid for.

After 9/11 happened, I re-enlisted in the Army Reserve. I changed my MOS to 38A (Special Operations / Civil Affairs Specialist). I was deployed to Romania in January 2003 where we were being held prior to the start of the war. In March 2003, we were flown into Iraq for the start of the war. My unit flew into Irbil, Iraq which is in the northern part of the country. There we were attached to 3rd Special Forces Group and made our way down to the city of Kirkuk. Once in place, our job was to help clear the city of Sadaam’s loyalists. Once complete, we were tasked out to “rebuild” the infrastructure of Kirkuk; i.e.: police, fire, education, government. I spent a total of 15 months deployed.

GS: Speaking of your profile, why did you pick the username, “Spooky”?

Spooky: I came up with Spooky simply because I am a stickler for horror flicks. I enjoy the tense, dark, and spookiness of horror films. I have been a fan since my early teenage years. I relish all the work that goes into the costumes and make up. There is nothing like a good scare.

GS: What was the first game you ever played? Being a father, how has being a gamer affected the way you purchase, participate, and/or supervise your own children’s gaming habits, if at all?

Spooky: I can remember way back when playing Mike Tysons Punch Out and Tecmo Bowl. Not too sure if they were one of the first games I played or not. I am lucky if I can remember what I did last weekend, let alone something 30 years ago. LOL. With my son only being seven years old, I try to keep the gaming to a certain limit. My son is heavily involved in sports so that takes up most of his and my time. I purchased the Wii and an Xbox for him to use. He is not allowed on Xbox live. He mainly plays sports games and is big into Sky Landers on the Wii. Most of the other games he has for his systems are family fun games. We have Mario Kart on the Wii and the whole family battles each other on that one. I must admit that I get my butt kicked by him every time. He is not allowed to play on “Daddy’s” Xbox unless we play a game together. I introduced him to Black Ops, and we played some matches against each other in Combat Training. I can tell he has the knack for FPS games already. Watch out future gamers!

GS: You list sports as one of your interests. What sports do you enjoy the most? Do you have a favorite team?

Spooky: I enjoy most sports that are out there. I follow American Football the most. I have been a Philadelphia sports fan my whole life. I love the Philadelphia Eagles, the Phillies, and Flyers. This is a disappointing year for Philly teams. Ugghhhh. No wonder why I drink so much. Hehe. Also, I try and keep an active interest in football by playing fantasy football. I am in two fantasy football leagues this year. So far I have one fantasy team that is doing well and one that stinks.

GS: Okay. You are a tough-as-nails sort of guy. That said, what horror movie has ‘creeped’ you out the most? It is okay. The secret will be between just you and a few thousand people.

Spooky: Hmmm… That’s a tough question being that I love horror flicks. I am going to have to go with “The Entity”. The Entity is a horror film purportedly based on the paranormal events a woman and her family experienced back in 1976. This movie was released back in 1983. Now, I know the movie is a bit dated, but when I first watched it I was totally “creeped” out.

GS: The first item you mention as an occupation in your profile is being a father. The first thing you list for your interests is family. What is a favorite family outing for the Spooky clan?

Spooky: Since we are so close to the coast, we love to spend time at the New Jersey beaches. Now this is only a summer thing so during the winter we like to go up to the Pocono Mountains and get some fun snow time.

GS: What is an ideal day off for Spooky? How does Spooky enjoy it? It is okay if you answer by talking in the third person.

Spooky: Spooky generally doesn’t have a day off. My two wonderful children take up most of my spare time. If it is not the kids then it is the daily chores of the house and lawn. When Spooky does get some down time I love to get some gaming in. My gaming time has dwindled down a lot since having two kids, but I try to make time for it every day. This is why Gunslinger Gaming is the perfect fit for me. I am not pressured by a clan to put in certain hours every day.

GS: What is your drink of choice?

Spooky: I am a seasonal beer kind of guy. I am a big Sam Adams seasonal fan. Right now my beer of choice is Sam Adams Octoberfest. During the winter season I will be drinking Sam Adams Winter Ale and Sam Adams Alpine Spring. During the spring I continue with the Alpine Spring, and in the summer months I will sip on Sam Adams Summer Ale and Bud Lite Lime. Delicious!!! If I need a hard drink I prefer a nice chilled glass of Gentleman Jack. Smooth and to the point! A nice Dirty Martini is always nice too.

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Spooky. It has been great having you as a member, and not only do your fellow Gunslingers look forward to gaming with you during your downtime, but we wish you and your family the very best!

The new Gunslinger, Hermit Grimm, swaggered through our saloon doors for some rounds of Borderlands 2. Before he loots TOO many chests or kills TOO many raiding mutants, let’s get to know the man behind the controller a little bit better. Without further adieu, here is the interview with our brother Grimm!

GS: You were part of the record-breaking wave of new members who signed up during the week of September 21st for Borderlands 2. What are your thoughts on the game thus far? Also, have you had a chance to co-op with any fellow GSers for the game yet?

Hermit Grimm: I have been able to game with a few GS members. Though not as much as I’d like. Laynas has been especially fun to group with. I believe he’s another fairly new member and the games I’ve managed to play with him and the few others I’ve managed to wrangle up at my odd play times have definitely been memorable experiences. As for borderlands 2, initially I was stoked I believe I was one of the first GS members to make it all the way to 50. I just wish there was more to do once there. So I started over again. Attempting to lead GS teams when I could to help others reach the so called “end game”. And recently with the new mechromancer DLC in convinced gearbox expects people to enjoy the journey to 50 and are unconcerned with people who have “finished” the game. Perhaps that will change, but either way I’ve got 5 characters now to take through this amazing game.

GS: Within your Introduction, you mention that you log in some long hours as a Industrial Mechanic. What is exactly involved in that role, and how did you happen to get involved that line of work?

Hermit Grimm: As far as my job goes, I work on production lines as a mechanic for Hillshire Brands (previously Sara Lee Foods) making sure the various machines and assembly lines work the way their supposed to. As far as how I got into it, it honestly just seemed a natural progression after dropping out of college with a partially finished structural engineering degree. Not my proudest moment but considering what I make now, I’m pretty darn lucky all things considered.

GS: Have you gamed all your life? If so, what was your first home console and favorite game as a child?

Hermit Grimm: My first game system I’d have to say was a DOS based PC on which I heavily played the original Duke Nukem. Followed shortly after by an NES and Super Mario. But yes I have gamed nearly my entire life and have no plans of stopping anytime soon.

GS: Both your GS Forum name and your Xbox360 gamertag is “Hermit Grimm.” How did you decide on the alias, and is there a story behind it?

Hermit Grimm: I’ve always been a bit of a “Hermit” between growing up as a military brat and later after my father retired growing up as an Iowa farm boy I’ve always been on the outskirts. Just a bit away from normal whatever that happens to be. So I took the Gamertag Hermit with pride feeling I was the outsider with a wider perspective. The “yoda” amongst my group of friends. Sorry for the Star Wars reference. Grimm comes from my college days, my friends and I took on the title of the Brothers Grimm through our fascination of all things both fantasy and historical. Not unlike a lot of gamers I’m sure.

GS: You have also mentioned in the forums that you enjoy boating and swimming. Where in the United States do you reside? Are there other hobbies that keep you entertained outside of the work week?

Hermit Grimm: As I mentioned before I do live In Iowa, unfortunately. Right next to a very sizable lake. As a military brat I learned to love surfing. Although I can no longer do that, my love of the water hasn’t changed. The rest was just a natural progression, I suppose. As far as other hobbies, I do work on my car regularly, though that’s more of a necessity than a hobby as its literally as old as I am, and of course I game every chance I get.

GS: You are the subject of October’s Member Spotlight, which is the month of Halloween. Do you have any fond Halloween memories? For you, what movie/game/television series best personifies the holiday?

Hermit Grimm: Halloween is a strange subject. I’ve never been asked about it before. But as far as movies from the past that remind me of it, I’d have to go with Earnest Scared Stupid. Yes, I know it’s a cheesy old school bad comedy. But that’s what Halloween is to me. It’s not scary, it’s comical in a very silly way. Fond memories of this particular holiday are few and far between aside from the hordes of candy I would bring back and sort with my friends.

GS: Do you enjoy watching any sports? If so, which ones? Do you have a favorite team?

Hermit Grimm: I do greatly enjoy watching American football (not soccer). Growing up how I did the team of my birthplace, The Atlanta Falcons, kind of became one of those unchanging pillars I depended upon. Not that they haven’t randomly sucked from time to time lol.

GS: The rumor is that the next Microsoft console will be almost exclusively geared towards digital copies of games. Is that a change in the industry that you welcome or dread?

Hermit Grimm: With the creation of larger and larger hard drives and Steams obvious take over of PC game sales, I just see this as another step forward. Whether we like it or not, nothing ever successfully stands in the way of technological progress. That just seems to be the human way of things.

GS: Real or otherwise, what person do you consider as a personal hero?

Hermit Grimm: This ones easy. As a gamer and a nerd it has to be Gary Gygax, for those of you uninformed he is the deceased creator of the original Dungeons and Dragons and arguably the founder of RPG’s as we know them. A true visionary and gamer. R.I.P. Gary. You will be missed.

GS: And, for the toughest question you will ever be asked, what is your favorite drink?

Hermit Grimm: This is a tough one! My most common drink would definatly be beer, Bud Heavy or a nice Sam Adams depending on the budget. But as far as favorite I’d have to say its Vodka, Svedka or other highly distilled brands to be specific. That bottom shelf stuff is just begging for gut rot.

And on a personal note I’d just like to say thank you to this amazing community. Both in game and here on the forums GS has never felt like anything less than a really, really large group of friends. One that I’m proud to be a part of!

The following interview originally started a few months ago and was intended to accompany the Gunslingers 5 year anniversary celebration. Aligning the interview of Freddy with said celebration made sense. Freddy, otherwise known as bigfreddy or TripleF, has been with the rest of us for quite sometime, traveling with the clan across multiple games and even consoles. Life is the cleverest of pitchers and, due to some curve-balls slung Freddy’s and his family’s way, the discussion had to be postponed until now. Please, readers, join me as we learn more about a long time member and dear friend to many members, bigfreddy.

GS: You originally joined the Gunslingers back in October, 2008. To put that in perspective, we were all communicating back on the original GS site then. We weren’t exactly easy to find at the time, either. How was it that you ever came across the group, and what made you decide to join the Gunslingers? Do you remember who you first gamed with after joining?

bigfreddy: I had recently managed to get online with my Wii and was enjoying online racing so much I thought I might join a clan. I had signed up on mariokartwii.com (when the site admin wasn’t full of douchebag spineless hacker wannabees..lol) and looked through their clan recruiting threads. Most of the clans seemed to be little kids who took the whole thing WAY too seriously. Being a teacher I didn’t want to hang around with kids. I have enough of them at work, coupled with the fact that it would be just weird.

I was looking for an adult-only clan, and Gunslingers popped up from the search. The rest, as they say, is history.

I believe the first people I gamed with was Vykk Drago, Thorny, LilBev, Korchie, Balki, yourself (Murph), Worcester Rob, Forming, Jethro and Bennet Tilapaugh also seem to ring a bell.

GS: Extremely few active members can have the global perspective in regards to the evolution of the Gunslingers as you. What are some of the most striking changes that have occurred here that, maybe, people who have joined after you may not be aware?

bigfreddy: The clan was so small back then compared to now. You would go into chat and know everyone there. In fact, because the Wii had such a poor friend request system, the GS chat was the only way to communicate with other clan members.

It was fun, Friday nights used to be the BIG event. Everybody would be on, and because the site revolved around one system and one game (MKWii) we could have 2/3 rooms going at one time , all full of 12 GS members. One of the biggest changes is the way the site operates. It is huge and amazing compared to how it used to be.

As many people will be aware, I don’t use the forums much, mainly because I just don’t have the time, anymore. However, the games and topics that are now available are astounding and a great credit to yourself, the site admin and the contributing members of GS.

GS: Let’s take a trip down memory lane. The following is the exact quote from the registration information you provided when first joining:

“Interests/Hobbies:Walking the dogs, flying my kite, spending quality time with the wife, taking the piss out of my friends and Logging on to NASA’s Website.

Brief Bio:
Left Uni in the late 90′s, studied Applied Chemistry, but most of my uni mates will say I studied Mariokart and Super Mario World instead. Worked as R&D chemist. Now in education.”

How much of the above information is still reverent to your life now days? And, Freddy? Flying your kite? Really?

bigfreddy: Well, the “Brief Bio” is still fairly accurate, but I would need to add “Proud Father, zombie slayer and occasional pwner of Noobs on CoD”.

I have a kite in the boot/ trunk of my car still …. so, really Murph, I do still fly it ….infrequently..lol. I would need to add “Playing with and educating my son Theo (aged 3), going to the park and gardening”.

Some things change and some things stay the same, like me taking the piss out of my friends, Murph …. lol

GS: There was a segment of time when you took a break from the Gunslingers and gaming in general to support your wife during her pregnancy. What are some of rewards and challenges of fatherhood that you didn’t necessarily expect? Can you give an example how your son is clearly taking after his father?

bigfreddy: That time was sadly due to the unexpected arrival of Theodore, our son. Why sadly you ask? Well, he was born premature because my wife, Sammie, had a placental abruption, and I nearly lost them both. It was a very worrying and then ecstatic time for us both. He was 3 lbs 7ozs when he was delivered by emergency C-section.

Rewards:- When he looks me in the eye and says “lub you Daddy”, running to greet me after I get home from work, his first milestones in talking, crawling and walking, the list is endless.

Challenges:- Changing and burping such a small baby, he was like a little doll ; Having to take him to A&E (ER) because he went blue through crying when he had colic at 2.5 months old ; Having to wait 4 weeks to get him home as he was in special care ; Screaming to get his own way (doesn’t happen often but it still does happen…. thank goodness almost never in public) ; Puking on me …I have an irrational and pathological fear of vomit ….I can’t stand it. He puked on me two nights ago…..and I just whined for Sammie to come and take him off of me ….lol.

Poo and wee :- Not a problem, as a baby he projectile pooed and wee’d on me many times …it was funny, I didn’t bat an eyelid, but puke……urrghh…lol.

Theo takes after me in quite a few ways … He likes gaming…..He makes sackboy jump up and down on LBP and says jump, then laughs. He also likes toy cars. Oddly enough, I have also rediscovered my love of playing with toys cars and going “brummmmmmm, brrrrummm, rrrrrrrrr (Brakes squealing)” …lol. He also is a bit of an adrenaline junkie….like I used to be before I got fat…lol, He also likes using the “….” key instead of a comma ….

GS: You are a teacher of science. How did you first figure out that you had such a passion for science? What do you find most fascinating about it, and what article of scientific trivia still proverbially blows your mind that you can share with the rest of us?

bigfreddy: Ever since I was a kid and allowed to mess about with mercury and actually touch it (something that health and safety no longer allows), science has always interested me. The fact that it CAN actually answer many of the questions that plagued me as a child also helped; i.e.: How did we get here? Where are we? What causes night and day? What happens when we die? Obviously the last one (and maybe the first one, too, for the creationists..lol) is contentious. I’d say rotting and a good time will be had by bacteria everywhere….lol. There are many things that “blow my mind” about science.

There are three that I will share with you. All of them are quotes by the great Carl Sagan:

The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.

Atoms are mainly empty space. Matter is composed chiefly of nothing.

This was Carl’s speech when Voyager’s cameras were finally turned around and A “Portrait” of the solar system was taken. Our planet was smaller than one pixel. Man, that guy had a way with words.

Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.

― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space.

Finally, this is a clip I show to the kids at school to get them to realize the vastness of the universe:

Science is truly the greatest pursuit that humankind has ever undertaken. (That’s my quote…lol)

GS: Anyone who has gamed with you can testify that good times have been had. For example, you have been known to wander off to grab another brew or take a needed smoke break…sometimes in the middle of the match. These moments can lead to hilarious times. Can you tell us about one of your personal favorite moments while gaming?

bigfreddy: Many times I have to wander off after getting crawlers on BO Zombies, and I come back and my bro, Mr. Richard Lazer (Dick Lazer) is standing over my soon to be cold corpse. “Bro the crawler died, you went down, blah blah I’ll try and save ya.”

The one that sticks in my mind though I was playing with Dick, the Docs and Tick….I think GS4thMason was there too and others. We were playing sticks and stones. I come back from a smoke to find that EVERYONE is lined up in two rows all aiming at me. I am on mute and I can hear them laughing. I think about what to do and then just fire my crossbow. I dunno how many I took out….only that I was dead very soon after.

GS: Recently, your news in regards to your wife being diagnosed as having breast cancer has made us all collectively pause. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during these trying times. Are there any updates or thoughts you can share with the rest of us?

bigfreddy: I have been meaning to update the thread I posted for a while, but it has been just too much emotional for me to do. Sammie has had her mastectomy and is coping with losing her breast very well now. She was obviously quite upset at first, saying that they have “butchered me”. Now she uses a prothesis to go out and she feels absolutely fine.

The chemotherapy has been rough, though. She has been quite poorly and has had some touch-and-go moments with her white blood cell count being so low and getting infections. So far, she had had Bladder and kidney infections, pneumonia, gastric flu, and been 4 hours away from total organ failure. We have been back and forth to the hospital quite a lot recently.

Sammie is halfway through her chemo now. Her nails and the rest of her hair will go after the next treatment. She is coping, and we are still laughing at life. But it is hard sometimes. Especially when putting it in print.

To those people who don’t know me very well, I may seem a bit sweary and aggressive when playing online. This is currently my release valve and opportunity to vent my pent up anger and rage at the injustice of it all.

Sammie is a good person who has never harmed a soul and always worked her whole life, who desperately wanted to be a mother. It seems that there is no justice in the world, that just three years after the difficult birth of our son, at the age of 42, after being told she would never conceive naturally (which she did), she is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Her odds are an 81% chance she will live 10 years. Theo will be 13 in ten years. Further thoughts or words aren’t necessary. I just can’t contemplate that possible future. It is just too awful, not just for me but for our little boy.

GS: You reside in the UK, but more specifically, where? Do you have any locally bound interests that keep your attention?

bigfreddy: I live in Royal Lytham St.Annes, more specifically in St.Annes on the Sea. Any golfers amongst the clan will recognise the name as The Open was recently held here. I live about a ten minute walk from the course. I didn’t go because the price was ridiculously high just to gain access to the course.

I could watch it all in glorious HD, and I am not that interested in golf, though I do play infrequently.

My main interests lie in going to the park I “inhabited” as a child and taking my son around it, playing football (soccer), and taking him on the swings and slides. We also teach him about nature, and it is fun watching him explore by himself. There are plenty of tourist attractions that we have and can go to, as St.Annes and the neighboring toilet of a town Blackpool is well known for it’s tourist attractions. We don’t go often as we like to get away from crowds of people and get some piece and quiet.

GS: Not too long ago, you had a real life get together with a few other English Gunslingers. Who was involved, and what do you all do? It is reasonable to believe that it may have been awkward at first. Was it? What broke the ice, sort of speak?

bigfreddy: We got together in Blackpool. We went to the Pleasure Beach, which is a Theme park, which for a while had the tallest rollercoaster in the world.

Dave and Becs Gosling (goz007boyz & ss007mums) and Steve Shaw (GS SteveUK) and their children (Harry, Mia and Matthew). You would probably think that it was awkward, but we have been playing together for over 2 years and had been talking on a daily basis almost for over a year. So after a bit of “you look different to your photographs” it wasn’t awkward at all. In fact, we invited them all to our house and ate dinner together and played the new maps for BO that had been released that day.

We also met again this year. Sadly, Sammie wasn’t well enough to join in on the first two days they were here, and we sadly missed out on seeing Steve, Emma and Matthew this time.

However, we went out for a meal with Dave, Becs, Harry, Mia and baby Mason. Then they came over to our house the following day, and we went for lunch and a shell hunting expedition on the beach. We had a great time. Theo loves babies and older children. Mia and Harry were excellent with him and played with him like he was their little brother. No, from our experience meeting GS’sers is a good thing. Just got to organise a trip to the States to meet some people. Richard and Lee, family Freddy is a coming…….Well, sometime in the near future. Hopefully.

GS: Most importantly, what is your favorite drink?

bigfreddy: Jamaica’s finest : Red Stripe Lager Beer is my favourite tipple. That and Dr. Pepper, Barcardi and Coke, Vodka and Coke, JD’s and Coke….lol…. the list is endless…..Oh, I forgot Southern Comfort and Coke or lemonade…..lol.

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. We are honored to count you as a member and a friend. Fellow Gunslingers, if you would like to leave your best wishes to Freddy and his family, you are invited to do so in the “Sammie’s Get Well Thread.”

For the members that have been with the Gunslingers for a few years, you probably have fond memories of racing some karts or staying up to the wee hours of the morning talking with shotgunjen. For the considerable amount of members to sling with the rest of us since that time, your introduction to her may have been through the ongoing love and support we all collectively post as she battles with cancer. However you know her, join me as we take a moment to learn more about the talented and creative soul we are proud to count as a fellow Gunslinger.

GS: You joined the Gunslingers way back in April of 2009. How ever did you happen to come across us, and what games are you playing now?

shotgunjen: I had just started playing MKW (Mario Kart Wii) and was looking for some nice people to race with. I searched the mariokartwii.com forums for clans and found GS/SS to be the most interesting. I visited the chat and got greeted by a whole bunch of friendly folks, and just like that I was part of the gang. I remember sitting up all night and all morning just racing and yapping on Skype, insane fun.

GS: Listening to your music that you have shared in the GS Jukebox, it is no secret that you are talented, creative person. How long have you been composing and writing music? What other artists have particularly inspired you?

shotgunjen: I don’t know about talented, but thank you, Lee! I’ve only written songs for a few years. I started in 2005 with my first songs, and now I haven’t really composed or written anything for the last couple of years, just bits and pieces (maybe that should be the title of my next album, “Bits and Pieces” hehe). I get inspired by a lot just in everyday life, but when it comes to artists I’d have to say that Tom Waits has been a great inspiration to me. As has Joni Mitchell, Nick Cave, Jeff Buckley, Pink Floyd, Leonard Cohen … And more.

GS: Speaking of your music, your live cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is breathtaking. Can you tell us more about the setting and circumstances around that particular live performance? Where was it played, for example?

shotgunjen: Wow, thank you very much. Well, this was back in the days when I went to high school. We were having this concert in the school concert hall. And those who wanted to could sign up and then get the approval and the time on stage. I teamed up with this guitarist (’cause I suck at playing the guitarr, ssscch.) and we decided to do this song. I had loved it since forever and he, well he heard it in an episode of the TV series… I think it’s called O.C (lol). Anyway he liked it a lot also so we started rehearsing, and it all went well. At the day of the concert, the concert hall was packed with people and there was a really good mood. I couldn’t really hit the lowest notes because one to many whiskey the day before but people seemed to enjoy it anyway, and so did we.

GS: You have spoke of other creative ventures in previous discussions. What are some other artistic exercises do you partake in to keep the creative juices flowing?

shotgunjen: I just finished two purses, which I made out of leather. It was fun, but a bit tricky. I started on this crazy idea that I should make my own chess board, but I only made it to, like, four pawns, which I carved out of wood and then I got sick of it. I also made a bunch of bracelets made of braided tin wire and leather. Now days I’ve been making a lot of pottery. I also started on a leather belt but that’s on hold for now. Right now, I’m in the process of making these kind of silly looking owl paintings in bright colors for Stellas room, my brother’s baby.

GS: Being that you reside in Sweden, what are destinations a traveler must see while in your country to get the most out of their experience? Where are some places around the globe you have traveled yourself? Do you have any favorite spots?

shotgunjen: Oh jeez, what do I know of Sweden? (Starts thinking) We have a bunch of old castles, if you consider visiting a castle an experience… Hm… We have a lot of beautiful nature. I guess that’s about it. Oh wait, Gotland is nice (it’s an island in the Baltic Sea). We had a gig there, like, two years ago. I have been to America twice, once in Florida and once in LA. I really liked Venice, Lee! I traveled a lot with my family when I was younger. We went to Italy, Venezuela, Thailand, Greece like once a year and Poland. I’ve been to England at least three times, and I love Camden. I’ve been to Ireland three times and I really loved it there. Cork is beautiful.

GS: How many languages do you speak? What are they? Most importantly, how do you say “Frosty Pints” in each of them?

shotgunjen: English, Swedish, Polish and I can understand and speak a little Greek.

In Swedish: Iskalla stora starka (ice cold big ‘n strong)
In Polish: zymne duze (cold big)
In Greek: παγωμένη μπύρα (ice cold beer)

GS: Have you been watching the Olympics? If so, what are some of your favorite sport events in or outside of the Olympics?

shotgunjen: I don’t watch the Olympics much. Sometimes I have it on in the background, and it’s always fun when someone from Sweden wins, but I don’t care that much. I like to watch football. My brother, and my father too are big Chelsea supporters so I have seen a game or two in my life. Also I like to go to the local pub with Owl (The arcade freak in the forums) and watch the game when our city’s team is playing.

GS: Many Gunslingers at this point know you through your continued “Get Well” thread. We all are sending our love in your battle against cancer. Is there anything you would like to say at this point or comfortable sharing?

shotgunjen: I want to begin with saying that I feel pretty alright at the moment. The tumor (for those who doesn’t know, I’ve had a tumor which they surgically removed in 2008 that came back the Christmas before this one) is suppressed and not moving neither growing right now. I am not cured and the chances that I will be is like winning the jackpot on the lottery. The illness that I’m suffering from is called Anaplastic Astrocytoma, type 3. I won’t live as long as most of you. The tumor will come back, we just don’t know when. But when it does, I promise I’ll be a fighter and survive a third surgery, and I can take more chemo to curb it. So I won’t be done when it comes back. Unfortunately, I can’t get any more radiation therapy, since I’ve had a lifetimes dosage already.

The only ways that I’ve been damaged by these treatments are the memory. It’s not as good as it used to be. I’m more confused, slow and weaker. Other than that I’m pretty good. And I am so grateful for having the support of GS through all the rough times. You’ve made me cry, laugh and sometimes both at the same time. I am also grateful that I live in a country where there IS help to get. Man-oh-man am I lucky. So, I’m not that unlucky, after all!

GS: Which is more appealing to you during a particularly cold winter? Enjoying the snow with friends or reading a book near a fireplace? If the former, what snow activities do you enjoy the most? If the latter, what are your favorite authors? Of course, feel free to cheat and answer both scenarios.

shotgunjen: I choose to cheat. I’d build snow lanterns outta snowballs or maybe try to make a cave. Riding a sled is also fun. Dragging it up the hill, not so much fun. If I’d start a fire in my apartment, I’d probably get kicked out with my head first right into the snow, so lets say it’s a blanket instead. Hm. Favorite authors. I haven’t read that many books by one author. But I love Neil Gaiman, I just love the way he writes. He has such an infinite imagination.

GS: What is your drink of choice?

shotgunjen: Rum with coke (preferably Pepsi Max) and a LOT of lime or lemon. Or just an παγωμένη μπύρα!

Thank you, Jenny, for taking the time to answer our questions. We are lucky to have you as a member. Gunslingers, you can send your positive thoughts and well wishes via the Get Well Thread. Large or small. We are all in this together.

Whether you have run across Merky Water in chat, in game, or on the Gunslingers Forums, you probably noticed he is a friendly and interesting person with whom to swap ideas. He has been sporting the GS tags since December 28th, 2010, and it is high tide..er..I mean, high time that we learn more about Merky Water! Please forget the lame pun and join us in reading an interview about him below!

GS: You joined the Gunslingers on the final days of 2010. What game drew you to here, and what was your first memory in regards to gaming with another member?

Merky Water: CoD: Black Ops. First CoD title the Wii had with in-game comms. The day after Christmas, the amount of screaming youngsters on the headset was enough to get me looking for a way to mute them. The solution: Gunslingergaming!

GS: In the “How’d You Get Your Name?” thread, you mention that your username is, in part, a reference to working on a river. What is your line of work, and what do you enjoy about it the most? Speaking of rivers, what state is said river in?

Merky Water: Ha. I say a lot in that thread but the river aspect is a bit of the truth. I work at a canoe, raft and kayak livery that operates on the Delaware River. As I love the outdoors, this job appealed as at least 90% is under an open sky. I love kayaking the river and while work requires it from time to time, the type of paddling I enjoy most occurs on my days off. We have a few campgrounds as well but the river work is the draw for me. Interaction with various customers is also usually a plus. But as others in the Recreation business know, even with 95% of the people being pleasant, that other 5% can be so difficult smiles can wander off my face… but then I remember the other 95% and carry on my day! The river flows through a few states, but the area we operate on is where it borders NY and PA and later NJ and PA considered “The Upper Delaware.”

GS: The word on the virtual street is that you have a mean Netflix addiction. What tends to be your genre of choice? What have been some of your favorite “rentals” thus far?

Merky Water's current signature in the forums.

Merky Water: Much to my girlfriend’s dismay, Documentaries are my favorite genre when on Netflix. Ken Burns docs being the best by far. National Parks: America’s Best Idea being my favorite and Baseball being second. Also, nice to catch up on TV shows I either missed nostalgically or missed in existence. The TV show “Life” slipped by me somehow. Arrested Development was good to finally watch, too. Would have been a loyal fan almost to the extent I am of The Office and 30 Rock had I but known.

GS: Since joining, you have convinced your significant other (known around these parts as “Liz_Lemon20“) to also join GS. How did that come about, and are there any games that you both enjoy playing? Has this created a new dimension over who gets rights to the television?

Merky Water: Liz thought I was a bit odd to be playing games as much as I do let alone with ‘strangers.’ Just before MW3 hit, her sister-in-law talked her into trying BO and she fell in love. From there, she started realizing the benefits of an online gamer community. Now, she and I keep trying to nudge her brother and sis-in-law to join the ranks. Liz and I also enjoy bowling and playing You Don’t Know Jack together. The big TV (although mine) is hers when she’s here and rarely would I put up a fight as I already know the winner.

GS: Being a Wii player, I must ask. What are your initial impressions on the WiiU, and do you think you will be purchasing it?

Merky Water: I think I might. It looks very interesting. I honestly thought I was done with console gaming since my N64. Had a friend not talked me into trying his Wii, I would have dismissed it as well. But the motion controls got me hooked. Locating one around launch may prove the issue. I may get one of the other next gen consoles as well if they start to embrace the motion controls they hesitantly started to try.

GS: Okay. Let’s pretend that the controllers need to be recharged. What are some other interests of yours that keep you busy?

Merky Water: Rechargeable AAs are in good supply and I almost always try to keep an extra wiimote with fresh in arm’s reach… But aside from gaming, I enjoy running, cross-country skiing, biking, hiking, rafting(aka drinking as we float) and my favorite: kayaking.

GS: A band of GS members jump into a DeLorean and travel back into time to see what 80′s child version of Merky Water would be doing. What were some of your favorite toys? Cartoons?

Merky Water: Depending the year, watching Fraggle Rock, Voltron or Thundercats, and running around the neighborhood keeping my parents on their toes. “Toys” would largely be Legos, Playmobile, Matchbox cars, Micro Machines and water-guns that showed the least resemblance to guns (overprotective mother ). For the record, I do not consider Legos a toy, but I realize the department they are placed in retail stores.

GS: The world is going to be hit by a comet because Bruce Willis wasn’t a qualified astronaut, after all. What would you do on the final day of Earth? (Pretty morbid, huh?)

Merky Water: Kayak the rivers and streams and enjoy the sights. Even the streaming comet through the blue sky.

GS: We had a couple silly questions, so let’s talk a bit more seriously. What is something you personally regard as important to lead a fulfilling life?

Merky Water: Nature. We humans can make a lot of ‘improvements’ and while comfortable to work and live in, mother nature is second to none as a decorator.

GS: What is your favorite drink?

Merky Water: mixed: Bushmills and Ginger
beer: Yuengling (lager or black&tan)
straight: Bushmills (…or most any whiskey on hand when that runs dry)

Thank you, Merky Water for taking the time to sit down with us. If you would like to read more about him or swap gaming contacts with him, feel free to find him in the forums or chat.

Robin has been a fellow Gunslinger since August 2011, but if you have spent any time in the GS chatrooms, you probably know her best as the ever polite personality named Sophiebean. Of course, you may not find her crossbow tactics all that friendly on the Call of Duty battlefields. Let’s find out a bit more about Robin/Sophiebean/TheReasonYouHaveanArrowStuckinYourHead by sitting down for an interview with her!

GS: The very first post you ever made in the GunslingerGaming forums was in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Masterlist. Is it safe to assume that was the game that got you here? Regardless, how did you happen to wander into our virtual saloon? With whom did you first get into game?

Robin: I found Gunslingers when I was looking at the Battlefield forums and happened to come across this great place. The first people I remember gaming with are Margarita Mama, Bullet Stopper, RLGORMORTIS, and Carbon Bigfoot in Black Ops.

GS: Despite the fact that you have many responses that welcome new members into the group, you like to keep your discussions close to the vest. Would you consider yourself a shy or secretive person in real life? Speaking of real life, how widely known to your friends and family that you are a first person shooter killing machine?

Robin: At first I am a very shy person in real life. As for my friends and family that know that I play first person shooters, that would only be the ones I hang out with the most so not many know.

GS: Your profile states you reside in New York. All too often, people assume that must translate to a life in New York City. What is YOUR New York life? In the city? In the country? Can you share with us a story from your personal life that, for you, best illustrates what a life in New York state means to you?

Robin: I actually live in the country. The closest city to me is Rochester about an hour away. Though, someday I would like to visit New York City. As for what life is like in New York, I don’t really have any stories to illustrate what life up here is to me, but, to me, it seems fast paced at times, and I like it at that pace. Though, the winters up here are too long for my liking, and the summers are too short.

GS: Your PSN is a crossbow reference. How exactly did that come about? Since we are on the subject of names, your forum name is Robin, yet you may be best known for you chat handle, Sophiebean. Which of the two do you identify most with and why?

Robin: I was given the nick name Crossbow Queen in Black Ops. I like the crossbow and some how managed to get kills with it, so the name was created and stuck. I liked the name so much that I decided to make it my PSN. The name I identify with most is Sophiebean since Sophie and Bean are the names of my two dogs, who every once in a while can be heard in the background when I have my headset on. So, that name just means more to me.

GS: Right now, there is a thread in the forums discussing favorite GS moments. As someone who enjoys a presence in chat, what would be one of your favorite moments in chat, funny or otherwise?

Robin: There are so many moments that I have enjoyed in chat, but my favorite has to be one night when we where talking about interesting flavors like Soy sauce Kit Kat and Smokey Bacon Lay’s chips. And so many other flavors there are.

GS: We need to know what makes Robin tick! Gaming aside, what are some of your other passions in life?

Robin: Some of my passions are to read and to spend time outside when its nice out, preferably 80 degrees and up. I also like to look at the stars on a clear night.

GS: True, you are a killing machine in FPS games (and, no, she is not paying me to type that), but you also seem to love a good role playing game. If someone absolutely green to the genre asked you what were some titles that are mandatory to play so he/she got a true impression of the potential of the genre, what titles would you name and why?

Robin: Even though I like role playing games, I can’t remember other ones that I’ve played, but I would definitely recommend Skyrim since you can do almost anything in the game that you can think of. I think it’s a good game to jump into even if your new to Role Playing Games.

GS: Okay. A leprechaun appears in front of you, gives you a million dollars for traveling expenses, and limits you to only to the speed of light. What place would you most wish to visit? No, you are not required to take the leprechaun along. Lawn gnomes, perhaps.

Robin: I would have to say Ireland. Even though I could go any where at the speed of light, I would still choose there mainly because I’ve always wanted to go there.

GS: It is time to come clean. Everyone has a guilty pleasure when it comes to favorite television series or movies. What series/movie that you just can’t help but like?

Robin: My guilty pleasure for TV/Movies is MASH. I know its an old show, but I’ve always loved watching the series.

GS: What is your favorite drink?

Robin: My favorite drink is Snapple raspberry tea.

Robin, thank you for taking the time to answer some of our questions, and, to everyone out there reading this interview, thank you for taking the time to learn more about your fellow Gunslinger!

April’s edition of the Member Spotlight features House.Lannister, a Playstation 3 player who sports a Game of Thrones reference as his username, has been a Gunslinger for just over a year, now. If you ask him, he will swear he is a shy, unassuming person in his “real life.” You got on mic with him and play some rounds of online combat, you start to doubt his claim. That is why he is a great Gunslinger to get to know better, and I invite all of you read the following interview.

GS: As of March 30th, 2012, you have been a Gunslinger member officially for a year. How did you happen to come across the rest of us, and with which GSer(s) did you first get into game?

House.Lannister: Amazing that it’s already been a year… Wow, what a great year it’s been! Anyway, I had just gotten my PS3 about a month before finding the Gunslingers and the only game I had was Killzone 3. I tend to enjoy the objective type of games over the straight deathmatch stuff and since I was so new to the PS3, I didn’t have any buddies to squad up with. I went out to the Killzone site and was shocked and appalled at the incredible nastiness and disrespect that existed there. To this day I always feel like I need a shower after visiting that cesspool. I almost threw in the towel and resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to go it alone; but as a last ditch effort, I started sifting through the clan threads. That’s when I came across Murph’s gunslinger thread. I swear it’s only a slight exaggerating to say it was like the heavens opened and a chorus of angels sang – I signed up immediately. The first Gunslinger I gamed with was Scars… (normally I’d throw in a jab here because it IS Scars after all and who doesn’t like to poke fun of HIM!), but to be perfectly honest he’s the main reason I knew I was hooked from the get go and would make Gunslingers my online family – he really made me feel welcome and got me involved immediately. Within a couple of days I was running with Bison, Steak_N_Fries, Sosyc, CheesyMonkey, BigBangBear and quite a few others.

GS: Your original Introduction post remarked that you signed up for KillZone 3. What many people may not know is that the Nintendo Wii and your kids have a big role in you getting back into gaming. Can you tell us about that? Did it affect your decision in buying the Playstation Move? Additionally, let’s put some context the questions. What was the first game you ever owned and what was the last game you played prior to giving up gaming until picking it up again?

House.Lannister: First games were for Atari 2600 – Breakout, Combat (since it came with the console), Defender, Yars Revenge, and Pitfall come to mind as favorites among the shoe boxes full of cartridges. Pretty much kept up with most new consoles from then until the early nineties when I went to college. Even though I took my SNES with me to school I ended up playing more games on my computer at that time… Maybe it just felt more like studying!! For the next 10 years or so I’d get an occasional game on the computer (Sid Meier’s Civ and Alpha Centauri were a couple that consumed me for a month or 2 at a time) but for the most part games took a back seat to Real Life. Then a few years back my Mom gave my kids a Wii for Christmas and the seal was broken. At first, it was just some Wii Tennis here or some Band Hero there… with the kids of course. Then IT HAPPENED. A friend handed me this disk and said I should give it a try… COD4: Reflex. This was my first ever experience with Online Multiplayer (and first FPS since Doom) and Holy S^*t was I hooked. I convinced a co-worker (and now fellow Gunslinger Iskaral_Pust) to pick it up as well and we’d always try and play together. Only major complaint we had was we couldn’t talk to each other while we played (well, the noob tubes and quick scopers too, but that’s another long winded post all by itself!). That’s when the wife surprised me with the PS3 as a belated birthday present. It was bundled with KZ3, but I immediately ran up to Gamestop and bought COD4, figuring “hey, I know the guns and maps, I just have to get used to the new controller and I’ll be in business!” Um… Nope. That’s when I realized that aiming with analog thumb stick is a skill I just do not possess. So COD went back to the store and the PS Move came home.

GS: You have been playing KillZone 3 for over a year now. Do you find yourself as the type of gamer who enjoys one title at a time or do you juggle other titles as well? What unreleased game that is coming out in 2012 do you find of interest, and in what ways may your experiences in KillZone 3 serve as a meter stick to your expectations?

House.Lannister: Historically I’d say I tend to have one primary game at a time. I’m a bit of a “completionist” (some would call it OCD) so I tend to keep at a given game until I’m done with it. Online multiplayer has changed that a little for me though since it’s never really DONE. So now, I’d say I have one game for online gaming and a couple of other single player/offline games to mix in when I’m in the mood for just getting lost in a game by myself. As far as future titles are concerned, I’m really looking forward to Dust 514 and Counterstrike: Global Offensive. I wouldn’t say that I use Killzone 3 as a meter stick per se, but fun gameplay, varied game modes and good graphics (all while being Move supported) is a combo that’s been pretty hard to find so far.

GS: You have remarked that you are an engineer in your GS forum profile. What sort of engineer are you? How long have you been in this profession, and what do you find most appealing about the profession?

House.Lannister: I’ve been a Mechanical Engineer in the Jet Engine Business for the last 15 years; initially in the design and improvement side of the business but now in the troubleshooting and repair side of the house. Basically I’m the onsite technical support for the Air Force whenever they have engine problems – If the engine isn’t operating like it should, they look to me to help figure out what’s wrong and get it fixed and back in the air as quickly as possible. It’s taken many years of job shopping within the company to find my niche, but I can honestly say now that I Love My Job. At the risk of sounding kind of cheesy, to me the most appealing part of my job is the pride that comes with helping keep the F-22 flying – that and getting to walk out of my office throughout the day and watch Raptors take of and land (yeah, if it hasn’t been fully established by now, I’m a geek).

GS: Being a parent, which gender has caused you more grey hairs? Your sons or daughters?

House.Lannister: Tough question… It is true I didn’t have a single grey hair before kids, but each one causes grey hairs in their own special way. I struggle with the mind blowing emotional swings with the girl (and she hasn’t even hit puberty yet!?!) and the strong willed defiant nature of the boy. But I’m not sure how much of that is gender based or simply the particular personality of the kids.

GS: We now know House.Lannister, the professional and the gamer. What are some other loves in life you wield that we may not yet know? Living in Virginia, does any of your other interests have a more local application?

House.Lannister: We’ve only lived in Virginia for a few years and really haven’t found a local niche hobby yet – does shuttling kids around town count?? Before VA (and kids), we lived in Connecticut for 7ish years so we really embraced Skiing and Snowboarding. Before CT, we lived in South Florida where my in-laws introduced me to SCUBA diving. By far diving is still one of my favorite hobbies; we just don’t get to do it as much as we’d like to anymore. Last but not least, motorcycles have been a life long passion – I’ve been riding them in some fashion since I was about 5 years old.

GS: What was the last vacation or trip you and your family took? If asked, what would your family say it is like traveling with the House.Lannister? Please refrain from using phrases such as “God-like” or other red-flag terms of untruth.

House.Lannister: Nearly all of our family vacations involve driving to visit family. Since that’s the way it’s been since the kids were infants they actually handle the 6-16 hour drives like champions. Where the complaints tend to come from is the seat next to me… She’d be the first to tell you that my right foot is entirely too heavy and I’m not the most tolerant of drivers that aren’t paying attention or think they are the only car on the road.

GS: What was the first album you remember buying, and, to date one’s self, on which media format was it on?

House.Lannister: I love music in general but I never really spent much of my disposable income on it. My parents had a pretty large record collection that I’d sift through when the radio inevitably got too monotonous, so I never felt the need to have to go out and buy more music. However, the first album I remember buying for myself was Metallica’s Ride the Lightning on cassette tape. The main reason that one sticks out is I had just gotten this new fanged device called a Walkman (how’s THAT for dating myself) and was amazed that I could actually bring my own music with me while I was cutting the grass.

GS: You have been a responder to the “What Are You Currently Reading?” thread and have noted in your GS forum profile that reading is among your interests. What sort of genres do you most often read? If left on a desert island (yes, I did just add a desert island question), what are some reads you just couldn’t live without?

House.Lannister: I try to mix it up a pretty good bit. Fiction tends more toward the sci-fi and fantasy genres with some spy, mystery, and horror mixed in for spice. I also try to have a non-fiction in progress (usually political or science based, but occasionally I’ll pick up a historical account or biography as well) to try and put some perspective on the 20 second sound bites that are thrown at us on a daily basis and passed off as “News”. As an aside, for anyone still in the “reading with kids” stage of life, I highly recommend The Strange Case of Oragami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back… They are just full of win. As far as the desert island question goes, I’m going cheat a little: I’d choose my Kindle with a solar charger, that way I can load it up with Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, and Tolkien. Almost sounds like an awesome vacation… Don’t suppose I’d have access to the 3G network would I??

GS: Prepare yourself. The following question is going to be a tough one. What is your drink of choice?

House.Lannister: Sweet Iced Tea! But, I assume that’s not what you’re really asking; if I’m aiming for something a little stronger I’ll usually go with a Jack and Diet Coke.

Thank you, House.Lannister, for being a member of the Gunslingers and taking the time to answer our interview. To our readers, thank you for your attention and game on!