Thursday 8 November 2012

What's Your Story? - The Mad Gamer

While I struggle my way through Codename: ICEMAN, it's time to post another reader's responses to the What's Your Story questionairre. A fellow grammar nazi, The Mad Gamer is a veteran of the blog and gaming in general. He's also a reader who in some ways has similar tastes to my own, but in others couldn't be further from them. Finally, The Mad Gamer now holds the undisputed "Most Shocking Answer" title, which will undoubtedly require some explanation.

My home country is… The good old US of A

My age is… 31

The first adventure game I played was… King's Quest III, the first computer game we got on the first computer we got that could do more than word process.

My favourite adventure game is… Quest for Glory 1 or 2. I loved the setting in 1. I loved the story in 2. I'm also a huge fan of RPGs, and love the combination of the two genres. I feel that adventure game RPGs are the only hybrids that really compliment each other, as they both focus on story and inventory puzzles.


QFG = GAG - PNC + RPG

I like my games in (a box, digital format)… These days digital, simply because its easy to transport and use.

The thing I miss about old games is… The feelies. I miss opening the box and finding a thick manual full of beautiful drawings and backstory. I miss the cloth maps and trinkets of the Ultima series. It just helped suck you into the game that much more.

If I could see any band live it would be… Either the Coffin Shakers or Einherjer.


Metal!!!!!!!!! (Although I wish you'd given me an excuse to post a Bathory image)

The best thing about modern games is… The indie scene. Most of the AAA titles are bland and boring. I'm actually having this discussion in several forums right now about how modern gamers seem to focus entirely on graphics and glitz, while the depth that text only dialogue trees and quest branching offered is lost due to budget constraints from hiring big name VAs limiting how much NPCs will react to.

The one TV show I never miss is… My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Yes, I'm a brony and fiercely proud of it. The show has good characters, good writing, and the best animation I've ever seen for flash.


I'm sure you have a good explanation for this. I'd really like to hear it (no sarcasm there)!

When I’m not playing games I like to… I'm currently writing a roguelike, I also watch old school film noir and gangster movies from the 20s through the 50s.

My favourite movie is… Modern times, Boondock Saints. Powerful movie, with great characters and an engaging story. All time, ummmm, I like the '41 remake of Maltese Falcon, or maybe I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang.


Boondock Saints: One of a very select few movies that I couldn't even finish. Others seem to love it though, so it must be just me.

One interesting thing about me is… Back in my crazy days I separated my rib from my sternum taking a huge hit off a waterpipe. I just tied it down, and didn't see a doctor cause I couldn't afford it, or pain killers. I ran out of gas, and had to pay a bum to push me to a gas station. I didn't sleep 2 days from the pain. When I feel asleep I flipped over and popped my rib back in. My roommate later told me he heard it, and was worried until I snored. I remembered waking up, stretching, and being impressed that there was no pain.

If anyone else wants to send their answers and get 20 CAPs, please send them to theadventuregamer@gmail.com.

28 comments:

  1. Heh. I see at least two answers deserving of the "Most shocking" title.

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  2. One interesting thing about me is… is an excellent explanation for why the US healthcare system is so fucked up. /politics.

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  3. Don't know what you want me to tell you about MLP. Its a quality show, with writing that is, I feel, a good step above most of the crap you get with animated shows. Its also a girl's show that isn't the crap you think of when you think "girl's show." They aren't obsessed with fashion, boys, or any of that other fluff, and, instead, go on adventures and have actual conflicts between characters. I guess its just that I think its a good show, despite the fandumb trying its hardest to push the ponies across the internet and getting people to hate us. And, like I said, its got some amazing animation. Its really crazy how far flash has come since the days when I had to wait 10 minutes for a minute long flash animation on dial-up. I still prefer traditional cel animation, though.

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    1. Man, don't get the bronys mad.

      I'm not a brony, but I know a bunch of them on twitter, hardcore ones too that have jobs at the MLP convention and stuff. From what I understand a bunch of people on 4chan decided to watch it and mock how bad it was...and it wasn't bad. They were stunned and told a bunch of other people about it, and it took off. Now there are conventions, roleplaying games (Not official MLP), Magic The Gathering expansions (Not official Magic or MLP), dolls, McDonald's toys and so on.

      I haven't watched it, but I still watch old episodes of Fraggle Rock when I just want something happy and mindless.

      I do know someone I used to talk to on Twitter a lot makes really good MLP dolls: https://twitter.com/Joi_the_Artist

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    2. I certainly didn't mean any offense TMG. I've never heard of this brony phenomenon. I just looked it up on wikipedia and now know all about it. Bro-Pony = Brony. Fascinating!

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    3. Bronys are fine, but cloppers... those guys are messed up!

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    4. I've never watched this new show, but I do remember seeing the original as a kid (they looked a bit different back then) and I even had a couple of the toy MLPs.

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    5. No worries, Trickster, I know you didn't mean any offense, nor did you give any, its just that I really don't know how to explain it better than I did in my original answer. And bro-pony is kinda wrong. It came out of 4chan (like most of the stuff that sweeps the internet seems to), as Canageek said, but bronies were the guys on /b/, hence /b/ronies. Meanwhile, it also was big on the animation board, or /co/, who went by /co/lts. When it got big, the /b/rony label stuck, despite a group trying to incorporate the two into a label of /b/ron/co/es, which I would have preferred, as I think brony kinda sounds dumb.

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    6. (The Trickster looks up "cloppers" to see what Pacpix is on about)

      (The Trickster finds the answer)

      (The Trickster wishes he could unknow everything he just learnt)

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    7. I also wish bronco had stuck. Then MLP fan music could be called broncore.

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  4. The Boondock Saints is a very fun film, I even enjoyed the sequel (and there might be a possible third film, there was certainly a hook at the end). Willem Dafoe in particular is just incredible, but I don't think I'll ever get used to Billy Connolly acting.

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    1. I don't know, the addition of Rocco as a narrator kinda ruined it for me. Yes, I loved Rocco in the first film, but an on-screen narrator just doesn't work for me. If he had been just a voice, I feel it might have worked better for me.

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  5. Woot! Let's hear it for the bronies! :)

    I hear you Mad Gamer. MLPFiM is a great show. The characters are really just lots of fun, and it always manages to brighten my day. I will confess though that I've kept it a secret from my wife that I like the show through judicious use of cookie and browser history cleaning (she thinks I'm just web security paranoid ... ok, a combination of both really).

    This post was also well timed .. because season 3 comes out in 2 days. It's so sad that I know that.

    Back at the end of Sci-Mutant Princess I won the QfG anthology. I had actually bought it the week before when they had there big sale on all Activision stuff (it was so cheap I couldn't resist). Trickster said I should come up with some sort of riddle/puzzle for you guys and hand the code over to the winner. The amount of adventure game knowledge some of you guys possess is incredible though and I was having a hard time coming up with one I felt was suitably challenging. So to heck with it... whoever guesses my favorite My Little Pony character first gets it!

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    1. Tough call. Do I go with the ever popular Twilight or Rainbow Dash? Maybe you're one of the many who enjoys Rarity. I think its a safe bet its not poor Applejack, as no one seems to have her a favorite. Maybe the fandom mascot Derpy? Or poor neglected Spike, another popular character in the fandom. But, I'm going to guess my favorite of Fluttershy.

      And I'm so psyched for the new season, it seems like forever since the last one. Its been what, 8 months?

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    2. OK. I'll go for the orange one with a wink and a cowboy hat, who, if my google skills are up to scratch, is Applejack. She likes apples and is a bit selfish!

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    3. I asked my daughter which ponies she liked and she said Rainbow Dash. My guess is Rainbow Dash!

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    4. I have to admit I also enjoy watching the show with my 3 year old daughter. She is (what a surprise) a big fan. Let's guess Pinky Pie, as I like her attitude towards everything.. :)

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    5. I hear there is one based on Dr Who. If this is true, then that one, whomever it is.

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    6. Fenrus wins!

      I'm a big fan of Pinkie Pie and her special brand of insanity. She is just a lot of fun.

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    7. Yippee! Waking up early in the weekends pays off! (MLP is aired 7:30 AM here in Finland). Although I'm also going to forward the prize, as I already own all QfG's except Shadows of Darkness. Keep tuned for another riddle, hopefully coming soon in a blog near you..!

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  6. Trickster, you're not alone: I also couldn't make it through Boondock Saints. Maybe 15-20 minutes in and I am completely tuned out and ready to pop in the Bogart Maltese Falcon (which is A+ stuff!).

    I remember MLP only from my childhood in the 80s. I am only dimly aware of the modern phenomena.

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  7. Hey, there is an interview on Hero-U that you lot might enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U780GGvEgco&feature=em-subs_digest-newavtr

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  8. GoG Sale! All Tell Tale Games on sale! http://www.gog.com/en/promo/telltale_weekend_promo_9_11_12

    Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space $5.99
    Sam & Max Save the World $5.99
    Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse $6.99
    Wallace & Gromit`s Grand Adventures $3.99
    Back to the Future: The Game $4.99
    Tales of Monkey Island $6.99

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    1. Thank you very much Cana, I have all of these apart from Wallace and Gromit so that's a cheap way to complete my collection.

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    2. I take back my thank you. While trying to only buy the one game, I saw that Deponia and it's sequel are 30 percent off. Thanks a lot for spending my money Cana!! Btw Deponia is a pretty cool looking adventure game if obody else has mentioned it.

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  9. Oh, I forgot to mention this, but last night I had a dream that a regular poster here (I forget who, but they had a two word name) revealed themselves to be Notch in a What's Your Story answer, but we could only say that in ROT13, so that people googling his handle wouldn't find the blog and mob him, and he could keep commenting in peace.

    What? I have vivid and odd dreams.

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