Community Interview Project [HCBailly - Part II]

[Sepharos]

[INTRODUCTION]

I'm currently interviewing various members of this different communities in a project of mine.
Each interview takes place between fifteen and thirty minutes and is usually in depth.
Note that I do not accept interview invitations, rather, I will accept recommendations.


[INTERVIEWS]

    This interview occurred between myself and GF Kennon, founder of Metroid Construction, a community of Metroid hackers. I took it upon myself to interview him after joining the community weeks before. Truly a great place to be, it's always full of great people as well as amazing projects.

<Sepharos>   First off, what first brought you to what you do- what got you to be a creator of a Metroid Hacking community?
<GF Kennon>   When I first started hacking or when I created the site?
<Sepharos>   Well, both.
<GF Kennon>   I started hacking back in December last year; I wasn't very good but it felt nice to be working on something, though my learning curve was very steep in the hacking world- I learned a lot very quickly.
<GF Kennon>   [The site was created] sometime during February, around that time my college Project was to create a website. I didn't have many ideas at the time and then it hit me. There was no hacking site for Metroid, so Metroid Construction idea was conceived.
<GF Kennon>   Sometime there after, I made the actual site and it was hosted on SiteSled. I got some artifacts left over from the old site that it all started from.

<Sepharos>   How did you become a Metroid hacker? I realize when you became one, but how did you become one?
<GF Kennon>   Always had a love for Super Metroid, back when I was much younger I saw modifications of the game and I was just gobsmacked. I really wanted to make something too at that time but i had nothing to work with.

<Sepharos>   How did you meet some of the higher ranked members of Metroid Construction?
<GF Kennon>   Heh, some of the first few people I met were all hardcore doom fans when it was my assignment time and I thought of this site. I told Zhs2 who told me about SiteSled
<GF Kennon>   I needed a few staff and Zhs2 and Bloodsonic were very good friends of mine- been there for me since the very start
<Sepharos>   How do you feel about Metroid Construction as a community?
<GF Kennon>   Well everyone is quite active around MetConst, everyone tries to help in what ever way they can, we all get along too. Occasionally someone will come by though who is not so nice.
<Sepharos>   But you do enjoy new members.
<GF Kennon>   Yes. If someone joins on the forum or comes to the channel they are always greeted by everyone in a friendly way.
<Sepharos>   Is there anything you wish you could change about the community?
<GF Kennon>   We are all lazy faggots, hehe, so I guess I would like to change it so that we are not so lazy. We all lack motivation half the time, but in the end we work our best and brew some amazing stuff.

<Sepharos>   Do you find games released by companies better than those made by people or do you find games (hacks) made by the people more creative?
<GF Kennon>   Depends who made the game really, obviously some guy who comes in and makes an insanely hard hack with spikes everywhere (you will hear this term go around a bit, its one of the first things first time hackers do), but I say I prefer well done hacks to commercial games.
<Sepharos>   What would you say impresses you the most about people who make the creative hacks?
<GF Kennon>   Aesthetics, level design, and very nice custom graphics and story. I love custom graphics.
<Sepharos>   In your opinion, which is more important in a hack? Level design or story?
<GF Kennon>   Level design, in the end, Metroid doesn't have much of a story really, you tell your own. You can have a good story but poor level design
<GF Kennon>   The game would be put down very quickly if its spike- spike- spike, but you can have quite literally no story, as nothing is said, really.
<GF Kennon>   You load up the game and boom, your in- run left or right.
<Sepharos>   How does the story affect the gameplay, or does it affect anything at all?
<GF Kennon>   You need to base your level design around your story if you have one, its no good making a good story, and your game doesn't match up- one of the reasons most people don't have story.

<Sepharos>   Okay, now, how creative do you think people are in general, in other things, besides gaming?
<GF Kennon>   A lot of people i know are creative in different areas, like bloodsonic. He is quite the artist. Most people I know have some kind of skill in something other than games.

<Sepharos>   What has been your most memorable moment with Metroid Construction?
<GF Kennon>   Oh, that's a hard one. One moment.
<GF Kennon>   [Do you] mind if i come back to that one in a bit?
<Sepharos>   Sure, I was going to ask for that anyway.

<Sepharos>   Has Metroid Construction changed since its creation?
<GF Kennon>   Quite a bit; we moved to paid hosting, grown in size, host everything ourselves, become a big place full of hack resources, and had a big site facelift too- thanks to Grime.
<GF Kennon>   Grime created the new site layout. Also most likely the best place to hack ever.
<Sepharos>   Nicely done.
<Sepharos>   Are you content about the current direction of Metroid Construction?
<GF Kennon>   Yes, definitely.
<Sepharos>   What is there to look for in the future of the community?
<GF Kennon>   New members, most likely with hidden talent, as we usually find, lots more stuff for the main site, and best of all a few big and well looked forward to hacks coming out very soon, as well as taking Super Metroid apart.
<GF Kennon>   Perhaps even a revolution in GBA hacking and NES hacking.
<Sepharos>   What projects are you currently interested in?
<GF Kennon>   Being who I am, I'm always interested in anyone's work, usually helping out too.
<GF Kennon>   I must say I'm looking forward to some hacks coming out soon though

<Sepharos>   So, back to the earlier question, what is your most memorable moment with the community?
<GF Kennon>   Another moment.
<Sepharos>   Is it good or bad that you can't think of a moment? Haha.
<GF Kennon>   I would say very bad.
<Sepharos>   Because there are so many moments or a lack of moments?
<GF Kennon>   Because there are so many [moments].
<Sepharos>   Well, I think that shows how good of a community this is. Maybe that is the answer.
<Sepharos>   It's not possible to single out a moment, since they're all memorable.
<GF Kennon>   Heh, awesome things happen every day nearly, as well as memorable.
<Sepharos>   Indeed.

[personitis]

Interesting interview. Actually, I've always liked reading them. ^_^ I still would've pressured Kennon to answer "What projects are you currently interested in?" =P

[Zhs2]

I never sanctioned interviews of my staff members. What the fuck is going on here? >:C

also IT;S A FAEK JAMES CAN;T TYPE THAT WELL

I suppose you could interview me as well if you cared, but we're gonna have to schedule it in advance, me reckons

[zephyrtronium]

He can if he's drunk! I've seen it!

Or was it that his typing got even worse...?

[RealRed]

Sepharos probably prepped him before the interview. I doubt seph just typed "/query GF_Kennon First off, what first brought you to what you do- what got you to be a creator of a Metroid Hacking community?" and this all happened. Or, Seph edited what he said to make his post here look nice and perfect.
And besides, what's wrong with sepharos interviewing people?

..When is it my turn? ;D

[personitis]

He can if he's drunk! I've seen it!

Are you drinking?

[Sepharos]

Actually, I had to do some editing to make the text both organized and spelled correctly.
However, as a client, he did answer the questions quite well, just..less organized...

[Digital_Mantra]

Captain Duck interview with Digital Mantra
November 28th, 2009


So, what got you into the whole Super Metroid hacking scene?

Well, when I first found out that Super Metroid had an editing program, I pooped a little in my pants. Shortly after doing the laundry and putting a fresh pair of boxers on, I began to learn SMILE (Super Metroid Integrated Level Editor).

What inspired you to devote years of your finite existence to hacking this particular game?

Dude.. Super.. Fuking.. Metroid. My childhood in a cartridge.

Are the rumors true? Have you really quit hacking?

Yes. It wasn't easy being a hacker with a girlfriend. Nor was it easy having sex with level design on the mind. You kind of get soft and lose the momentum. Though sometimes thinking of a certain tileset helped me regain stiffness.

Is there anything you'd like to tell other hackers? A bit of advice perhaps?

As a matter of fact, yes. Finish you god damned hacks so I can play them already! I'm so sick of re-playing older hacks..

Any last words?

You aren't real.

[Sepharos]

"Well, when I first found out that Super Metroid had an editing program, I pooped a little in my pants."

You, you're joking..right?

[Zhs2]

DMantra wins.

I logged in just to post that :)

[Sepharos]

<Sepharos>   Well, I guess we should start about your history at Metroid Construction. First, how did you begin here; I know you were one of the original members when Kennon created it, but what happened to bring you here?
*Zeke fills himself a glass of water, and gulps it down.*
<Zeke>   Well, James said he had a homework project he had to do. It involved making a website. He said, 'Where the heck am I gonna find decent hosting?' I told him 'Sitesled,' and it all went downhill from there. Well, I guess that's not really where the history ends. After that, I suggested, since we loved IRC so much, that we make a channel. I forget who mentioned abbreviating it to "#metconst," but it most certainly worked! We had the Sitesled thing for a while, and then James was like, "How 'bout a forum?" I said, 'Hmmm, does Sitesled let you do that?' He said, 'Nah. We'll have to find something else.' I ended up finding Forumotion, which sucked pretty bad, but it did well. He put me on the forum staff as Co-Admin (admittedly because I begged him,) but I did the job okay. I appointed a staff, told them to monitor boards and stuff, and shit was cool until James said "Sitesled's dead." We were all saddened until we finally decided paid hosting was going to eventually become part of the Metroid Construction reverie. After that, Grime jumped on board and designed a site for us, and we took down the Forumotion boards (with a little trouble, they wouldn't give us a backup of posts to merge into SMF) and set up a new one And that is how we got to be Metroid Construction here and today, site, forum, Wiki, subdomains and everything.

<Sepharos>   How did you come to know Kennon before the creation of Metroid Construction?
<Zeke>   Hmm. That's a toughie. He seemed to be a pretty inconsequential guy on Metroid 2002 (which is where we all started out sooner or later). Eventually, he figured out how to get onto IRC, where he made friends with Bloodsonic. Admittedly, we were all chillin' in #jzd and #doom (a channel I set up because I liked multiplayer Dooming a lot) when James' evolutionary homework assignment appeared. Bloods trusted James, so I did too. I still troll him as part of my daily exercise routine, but I consider him a good friend regardless.
*Zeke gulps down another glass of water and waits for the next question.*

<Sepharos>   Do you have any other relationships with members besides Bloodsonic or Kennon?
<Zeke>   Another toughie. Gimme a minute to run over the list, hmm... uNsane, Squishy Ichigo, Digital Mantra, Interdpth, and Jathys, to name a few. Well, I guess you could say a good handful of members I've had relationships with because we dragged most of the mainstay force from #jzd as well.

<Sepharos>   Did you play any part in the community becoming a Metroid site?
<Zeke>   No, not really.   It was all James idea. Blame him. I'm just responsible for adminning.
<Sepharos>   What was your initial thought when the community became Metroid based?
<Zeke>   I don't think I actually had a thought like that. I was just okay with it because I'm okay with most things, and you must remember that we HAD been hanging out in various Metroid communities when we all found each other.
*Zeke chuckles.*
<Zeke>   I admittedly followed Bloodsonic around because he found SMILE.

<Sepharos>   So, do you do any Metroid hacking yourself?
<Zeke>   Nope. It's all modding for ZDoom, an advanced source port for Doom. James and Bloodsonic (and now uNsane, since we converted him) also share the love in the multiplayer, although only James mods for ZDoom as well. I suppose you could call putting Samus' arm into Doom Metroid modding. Or not.
*Zeke chuckles again.*
*Sepharos laughs.*
<Sepharos>   You have played Metroid hacks, right?
<Zeke>   Of course. I've played a few, but I don't have the drive to finish most of them. I'm lazy enough as it is; I'd rather spend the time doing 'more important things,' that of which has a very variable definition in my mind :

<Sepharos>   Any woman on this mind of yours?
*Sepharos chuckles.*
<Zeke>   Admittedly not. I've never been interested in a relationship other than those I share online. Again, too lazy, and not enough money.

<Sepharos>   What other things are you interested in?
<Zeke>   Writing. I've written a few things, some SFW, some not.

<Sepharos>   What other communities have you been to?
<Zeke>   To answer your next question, forum.zdoom.org, and m2k2.taigaforums.com, but that's pretty self-explanatory from the rest of this interview.

<Sepharos>   Now, I'm sure the question in everybody in the audience's head is this, who is the evil genious one? You or Bloodsonic?
<Zeke>   Evil genius? I'm too crazy to be evil. I'm not sure if Bloodsonic even fits the part either, but I might be surprised. We too busy trollan.,.

<Sepharos>   I think everybody would. Back to the community. How has the community grown since it's begun?
<Zeke>   Well, now we have a moderate amount of people that I have no idea who the hell they are. Before, it was maybe a select 20 people, and now we've got, what, about 100 more, and probably twice that shuffling through IRC. Some good, some bad, all of them I love. It wouldn't be a community without people, and I am very accepting, not to mention patient.
<Sepharos>   Indeed.

<Sepharos>   What do you see with the future of the community?
<Zeke>   Hmm. I see us gaining possibly a few more people here and there, possibly expanding into the wonderful world of Metroid Prime hacking somewhere in the near future. Antidote and Interdpth are making beautiful progress. I also wonder if we'll get plagued by more journalists that get offended by being told on the grapevine that I'm going to troll them the entire interview.
<Sepharos>   Plagued?
*Zeke laughs.*
<Sepharos>   A swarm of me worse than a swarm of locusts? I think not... well, maybe.
<Sepharos>   What is the most gratifying part of being with Metroid Construction?
<Zeke>   Hmm. There you go with the tough questions again... I'd say the most gratifying part of being a member of Metroid Construction is "being that weird admin that creeps you out, writes hentai (that some of the members have actually read and won't admit they did,) and is generally an all-around good guy that does stuff and gets the job done, whenever he's not TOO busy."

<Sepharos>   So, is there anything you would like to change with the community?
<Zeke>   Hmm. As for changing the community, I'd like to leave the expansion plans to James and Grime. They're much more focused on what's good for the site's future, and I can't plan ahead to save my own life.
<Sepharos>   Finally, what is your most memorable moment with the community?
<Zeke>   There is no one moment that is most memorable in my mind. We tend to take life as it comes and goes, like a gentle breeze and the stormy winds of change.

[GF_Kennon]

Reading though that interview was very entertaining.

I still troll him as part of my daily exercise routine, but I consider him a good friend regardless.

Ill never escape you will i? :P

[DSO]

Would you (Sepharos) let someone interview yourself as well?

[Sepharos]

Would you (Sepharos) let someone interview yourself as well?

I suppose, though it would certainly be awkward for myself.

[Digital_Mantra]

I'd like you to interview Jathys or Kejardon if at all possible. Interviews with those two would be magazine material to the likes of us.

[Zhs2]

Hahahahahaha @ "Interviewing Kejardon"

Err, I mean, I wish you much luck and faring well in thy quest, brave knight.

[DSO]

I'd like you to interview Jathys or Kejardon if at all possible. Interviews with those two would be magazine material to the likes of us.

Code Select Expand


<Sepharos> You are the grandfather of all Super Metroid hacking.
<Sepharos> Tell me, how did you get involved in romhacking and what moved you to make an editor for Super Metroid?
<Jathys> poop
<Jathys> that is all
*** Jathys (Jathys@pool-74-106-67-19.spfdma.east.verizon.net) has quit IRC [Quit: Sleepage]
<Sepharos> ...

[Digital_Mantra]

Well he says he's a journalist. I thought I'd give him a challenge. :lol:

[personitis]

I'd like you to interview Jathys or Kejardon if at all possible. Interviews with those two would be magazine material to the likes of us.

This is very true. Would also kinda write a "Metroid hacking history" as well to the newer members.

[Sepharos]

<Sepharos> You are the grandfather of all Super Metroid hacking.
<Sepharos> Tell me, how did you get involved in romhacking and what moved you to make an editor for Super Metroid?
<Jathys> poop
<Jathys> that is all
*** Jathys (Jathys@pool-74-106-67-19.spfdma.east.verizon.net) has quit IRC [Quit: Sleepage]
<Sepharos> ...


That is the best thing I've ever read in my years as a person.

[Zhs2]

1) It's also the way I would have expected it to go. xD
2) What were you before you were a person? o_O

[Sepharos]

19:40   Sepharos   This is a joke interview, so be sure to make with the funny. They call you uNsane, is this true?
19:41   uNsane   What do you make me for anyways? ..Sometimes.

19:41   Sepharos   Do you like Super Metroid?
19:41   uNsane   Which one?
19:41   Sepharos   Super Metroid.
19:42   uNsane   I dont get whats so super about it, but for the most part, yeah.
19:42   Sepharos   Why?
19:42   uNsane   Because mockballing is fun-w hy else?
19:42   Sepharos   Why?
19:42   uNsane   It's like your balls are moving really fast.

19:43   Sepharos   Okay, Samus or generic hot chick?
19:43   uNsane   Depends; is the generic hot chick hotter than samus?
19:43   Sepharos   Not likely.
19:43   uNsane   Why not?
19:44   Sepharos   She's all droopy, and her face is starting to melt, but Samus' face isn't cause she's wearing the Varia Suit in Magmoor Caverns.
19:44   uNsane   Droopy? As in sad?
19:44   Sepharos   ..men would certainly be sad, I imagine.
19:45   uNsane   In that situation I'd have to go with generic hot chick, because samus is inside a robot.

19:45   Sepharos   Would you say that Metroid is the Dragon Ball Z of the gaming world?
19:45   uNsane   Don't the DBZ games take the place of the DBZ of the gaming world?
19:45   Sepharos   . . .
19:45   Sepharos   I'll take that as a yes.
19:46   uNsane   Oh, I'm sorry!
19:46   uNsane   I'm afraid I may have seized your attention!

19:46   Sepharos   Samus is fighting against Meta Ridley, who wins the Superbowl- the Vikings or Packers?
19:47   uNsane   Most likely the Steelers since theyre from Pittsburgh
19:47   Sepharos   Of course!
19:47   uNsane   Just like the Pens who are busy being in intermission right now

19:47   Sepharos   What would say is your favorite Metroid game?
19:47   uNsane   Metroid Petroid
19:47   Sepharos   BUT!! Can you dance?
19:48   uNsane   It depends; by dance, do you mean write programs that have a vaguely useful purpose but are never used?
19:48   Sepharos   Duh.
19:48   uNsane   If so, then most likely.

19:49   Sepharos   Last question, why?
19:49   uNsane   Forty-two.
19:49   Sepharos   Great, well, this was the best interview EVER!! THE GAME!!

[zephyrtronium]

You make me sound like I'm grammatically coherent on IRC. Because of this libelous situation, I shall post the actual log of that discussion.

[spoiler]

[2009-11-30 20:40:49] [INFO] Now logging to <file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/BJ%20Brown/Application%20Data/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/povwrysn.default/chatzilla/logs/irc.us.esper.net/users/Sepharos.2009-11-30.log>.
[2009-11-30 20:40:49] [INFO] Query view for ``Sepharos'' opened.
[2009-11-30 20:40:49] <Sepharos> This is a joke interview, so be sure to make with the funny.
[2009-11-30 20:40:50] === Sepharos <Mibbit@c-98-214-210-186.hsd1.il.comcast.net> ``http://www.mibbit.com''
[2009-11-30 20:40:50] === Sepharos: member of #metconst
[2009-11-30 20:40:50] === Sepharos: attached to triton.esper.net ``King of the Korgs (Paris, France)''
[2009-11-30 20:40:50] === Sepharos has identified for this nick
[2009-11-30 20:40:50] --- End of WHOIS information for Sepharos.
[2009-11-30 20:40:59] <Sepharos> They call you uNsane, is this true?
[2009-11-30 20:41:01] <uNsane> what do you make me for
[2009-11-30 20:41:03] <uNsane> ayways
[2009-11-30 20:41:06] <uNsane> anyways*
[2009-11-30 20:41:09] <uNsane> sometimes
[2009-11-30 20:41:22] <Sepharos> Do you like Super Meroid?
[2009-11-30 20:41:34] <Sepharos> Er, Metroid.
[2009-11-30 20:41:39] <uNsane> which one?
[2009-11-30 20:41:46] <Sepharos> Super Metroid.
[2009-11-30 20:42:05] <uNsane> i dont get whats so super about it, but for the most part, yeah
[2009-11-30 20:42:11] <Sepharos> Why?
[2009-11-30 20:42:31] <uNsane> because mockballing is fun
[2009-11-30 20:42:37] <uNsane> why else?
[2009-11-30 20:42:39] <Sepharos> Why?
[2009-11-30 20:42:54] <uNsane> because its like
[2009-11-30 20:42:59] <uNsane> your balls are moving really fast
[2009-11-30 20:43:06] <uNsane> "ha ha"
[2009-11-30 20:43:10] <Sepharos> Haha.
[2009-11-30 20:43:30] <Sepharos> Okay, Samus or generic hot chick?
[2009-11-30 20:43:34] <uNsane> depends
[2009-11-30 20:43:40] <uNsane> is generic hot chick hotter than samus?
[2009-11-30 20:43:44] <Sepharos> No.
[2009-11-30 20:43:54] <uNsane> why not?
[2009-11-30 20:44:27] <Sepharos> She's all droopy, and her face is starting to melt, but Samus' face isn't cause she's wearing the Varia Suit in Magmoor Caverns.
[2009-11-30 20:44:37] <uNsane> droopy? as in sad?
[2009-11-30 20:44:51] <Sepharos> ..men would be certainly sad, I imagine.
[2009-11-30 20:45:08] <uNsane> well anyways
[2009-11-30 20:45:11] <uNsane> in that situation
[2009-11-30 20:45:17] <uNsane> id have to go with generic hot chick
[2009-11-30 20:45:18] <Sepharos> Would you say that Metroid is the Dragon Ball Z of the gaming world?
[2009-11-30 20:45:21] <uNsane> because samus is inside a robot
[2009-11-30 20:45:43] <uNsane> dont the dragon ball z games take the place of the dragon ball z of the gaming world?
[2009-11-30 20:45:55] <Sepharos> . . .
[2009-11-30 20:45:59] <uNsane> there are only like
[2009-11-30 20:46:00] <Sepharos> I'll take that as a yes.
[2009-11-30 20:46:01] <uNsane> 20 of them
[2009-11-30 20:46:04] <uNsane> good luck
[2009-11-30 20:46:31] <uNsane> Oh, I'm sorry!
[2009-11-30 20:46:42] <uNsane> I'm afraid I may have seized your attention!
[2009-11-30 20:46:48] <Sepharos> Samus is fighting against Meta Ridley, who wins the Superbowl- the Vikings or Packers?
[2009-11-30 20:47:03] <uNsane> most likely the steelers
[2009-11-30 20:47:10] <Sepharos> Of course!
[2009-11-30 20:47:13] <uNsane> since theyre from pittsburgh
[2009-11-30 20:47:24] <uNsane> just like the pens
[2009-11-30 20:47:30] <Sepharos> What would say is your favorite Metroid game?
[2009-11-30 20:47:30] <uNsane> who are busy being in intermission right now
[2009-11-30 20:47:36] <uNsane> metroid petroid
[2009-11-30 20:47:50] <Sepharos> BUT!! Can you dance?
[2009-11-30 20:48:03] <uNsane> it depends
[2009-11-30 20:48:27] <uNsane> by dance, do you mean write programs that have a vaguely useful purpose but are never used?
[2009-11-30 20:48:36] <Sepharos> Duh.
[2009-11-30 20:48:47] <uNsane> if so, then most likely
[2009-11-30 20:49:07] <Sepharos> Last question, why?
[2009-11-30 20:49:22] <uNsane> forty-two.
[2009-11-30 20:49:51] <Sepharos> Great, well, this was the best interview EVER!! THE GAME!!
[2009-11-30 20:49:54] <uNsane> did you know that 42 to the power of 69 is 10097201832880355573875790863214833226896186369872326994250398570376877433686009543845316266007917815719968899072?
[2009-11-30 21:00:22] [QUIT] Disconnected from irc://irc.us.esper.net/ (irc://irc.us.esper.net/). [[Reconnect][Reconnect to irc.us.esper.net][reconnect]]

[/spoiler]

[begrimed]

Being interviewed sounds bothersome. Count me in sometime.

[Sepharos]

Since I have returned, I indeed plan on making more rounds on terms of interviews.