(ƒ) does a happy lil' dance

 
 


if member interviews  


Theta14
[ member since may 17th 2001 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
For the past few months before I had joined, I had been getting frusterated with AuroraSoft. 3 of the 6 members of AS were basicly idle and had not released a single thing for months. On top of that, I was doing practicly every company thing (mags, etc.) all the time.
There was still no WebPage after a *long* delay, etc. I then read Herc's post about a position open in Interactive Fantasies. I applied, with Color Revival, my winning 24hoz entry, as my worksample. Herc wasn't sure of who to make a member (there were three that he was considering) so he had the other IF members vote on it. I got the majority of the votes, so I got in.

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
Years before I had even leared to program, I found SZZT on this one computer with lots of old DOS games (at a friend's house), most of which were new at the time. I played Monster ZOO for a while, until I got bored of it and found some other games to play. At the time, I really didn't know the name of SZZT. Later I was using free hours of AOL and downloaded the majority of the old AOL ZZT games, along with ZZT and Super ZZT. I played through them for a few years, then I started on my first "real" attempt at a ZZT game. It was MonoLand, where all the colors had gone away, and you had to get them back. I got the first area done, when it runtimed, and I abandoned it. I then started work on Space Invasion 2000, which happed to be my first release. Soon after I joined the commune, I formed Theta Productions (how original) as my company and released Space Invasion 2000. Unfortunately, that was a time when the "LOLL!olO!LO II AMAM A NEMWMBIE!!!111 Wodold UU leik to joooin my coommpyn'e" jokes were really popular. I was flamed for a few weeks, then forgotten. I released Theta mags 1 and 2 in that time. I also worked on lots of stuff that is better left unfinished. The most infamous of which, was the Classical ZZT remakes. I did City.zzt, but never released it due to popular (or unpopular) demand. I met Hilbilly at that point, and he joined Theta Productions. BenW joined later, and Theta Mag 3 was made. I later changed Theta Productions to AuroraSoft. BenW and I made AuroraMag #1. Around that time, I also released DStation at the time. I left the commune for about 3 months after that. I came back in the summer to find out that my internet provider decided to curl up and die while I was gone. I worked on Roll, a game with Rocket X-Knight style gameplay, quite rapidly when I was out of the commune.
Sometime around December, Herc told me that he won the Autumn 2000 24hoz and was hosting the winter one. I sent in a game, and got something like 10th place. I still didn't have any real internet connection, so I kept out of the commune for a while longer. Around Febuary to March, I was able to get a decent internet connection, and checked out what was happening in ZZT. I saw emmzee's page for the next 24hoz, and entered it. I'd read some posts about me possibly winning the contest, which interested me enought to get back on the message boards. I tied for first with ZZBlue on that contest. I was kinda busy for a while, reading the boards and posting at times. Now I'm up to the point where I read Herc's post from the last question, and I joined IF.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
Most of my early, unreleased, stuff was based on Code Red or Town, my two favorite games at the time. When I first expirimented with getting "good" at ZZT art, I based my models on BenW's stuff, and worked from there until I had invented my own techniques and my own art style.
When I first joined the commune, I wanted to be "the next Koopo" or something to that extent, making only big, engine based games. Lately I've been trying to fill a big gap in current ZZT games: original games that are fun to play. It seems like a lot of games have high visual with fancy graphics, but little gameplay, plot, or meaning. I attempted to help fill that gap with Color Revival.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
Char 5 is cool. Then again so are Theta, Phi, Epsilon, Sigma, and three-line passage symbol.

* What is your favorite quote?
"We have nothing to hide, so we must hide it." - Nickita Krushev

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
They are just trying to fool you into thinking that monkeys and chimps are the 2nd smartest creatures, as compared to us. Our goverment is being paid by the Otters, to cover up the Otter's secret plans. Yes, it is the OTTERS that plan on taking over the world. They would have already, but they have a hippie like mentality. Observe:

Otter1: Hey, dude! Y'wanna take over the world, or surf?

The other Otters: SURF!

Their natural tennacy to surf, leaves no time for taking over the world. So our safety is basicly depending on the surfing weather. El Nino may cause more problems than you think! If the Bahamas freeze over, we could have nuke-toting Otters taking over the world. As to how they would GET the nukes, is another goverment conspiracy, but I'm not going to tell you that because it is my 2.1432th favorite goverment conspiracy...

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
Probably Triangy from "Mr. Shapiro Cares Not For Revival", when he says "AAAAAAA! FISH!". Hmmm I wonder why <"}}}>(? Then again, the first girl scout from "In the Land of Food, where Fatman is King" who askes Fatty if he would like to buy some cookies, then fatty eats here whole - cookies and all.

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
I don't watch TV much, and I hate South Park. 'Nuff said.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
Bah! All of these hard questions. Hmm... I dunno, really.

* Any last requests?
Yes. Errr... no.

BenW
[ member from august 26th 2000 - august 2001 ]
[ member since september 2002 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
I got into IF a long time ago when an opening popped up because Venom left and I applied. Not too much later, I sort of quit zzting and decided to leave IF. Recently, however, I started zzting again and Theta ionformed me IF was looking for a member or two. I asked Herc if I could come back, and here I am.

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
A long while back, after acquainting myself with the ways of ZZT, I began a game called "Darklighter" and shortly thereafter joined Theta's company AuroraSoft (then called Theta Productions). Theta left for some time and I was kind of put in charge of the company. I screwed it up a bit by allowing too many people to join, but we had some good names in there (people like KKairos, DarkShadow, and DPLobster). After I jacked up Aurora, I convinced myself I wasn't doing the company much good. I left and applied for a newly-opened IF spot, which I got. A short while later, I released "Ben There, Made This" under the IF banner, a little collection thingy of mine. I sort of lost interest in ZZT after a little while and left the scene completely. Recently, I picked it up again and began work on "Vela". I reapplied for an IF spot and got in again. That's about it.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
Hmm.. I get a lot of inspiration from other ZZT games and some MZX games, as well. Really, though, most of my inspiration comes out of my own imagination.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
Uhh.. I dunno. #237 is cool... the "o" with a slash through it. I also like the symbol for Beta (ß), which is character #225.

* What is your favorite quote?
"Can we rent an animal?" - a kid I know from school

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
Uhh.. I don't really have one.

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
George, from Lemmer and Viovis's "Wacky World History Part 1".

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
Uhh.. I dunno. I don't really watch South Park all that much. Maybe that one monter.. Scuzzlebutt or whatever he's called. The one who has a guy for a leg.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
Hobbes.

* Any last requests?
Don't shove your religion down my throat.

Chase Bramlage
[ member since august 26th 2001 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
Herc wrote me up, and asked if I would like to join, I guess maybe since I have a few games under my belt now, (Bloodlines disc 1+2, Boof1, Boof2, and Operation:Obrian).

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
Ten years ago, a dear friend of mine, invited me over and asked: "How would you like to make your own games?" I said sure, and he showed me zzt. I thought it was one of the cooler things I had seen right at the get go. Graphics aside, what turned me on was the "ability to create my own worlds and stories and be able to make them interactive." I was hooked.. For many years I would mess around on it every now and then, making little games here and there..(most of them lost now) But recently after getting on the internet, I was turned on to zzt.org, where for once I saw people like me who were into creating on zzt! I had to put a game up! so I made Boof-1, and then Bloodlines disc-1. A pair of zzters contacted me (Hydra and Herc) and let me know that my second game (Bloodlines) had won game of the month! I was shocked, and overcome with joy that a creation of mine would be so well received by the "comunity" that I decided to make more. Despite my absence for a few weeks, (due to film school) I made two more games. Bloodlines Disc-2, and Boof-2 followed. Both did very well, and Boof-2 was up for game of the month. It didnt win but I was still happy that it was more recognized than the first. I then decided to try something new. So I sat down and thought up 3 ideas, two of them sci-fi and one rpg. I picked the Operation:OBRIAN idea first and made it into a game. It was very well received and was givin the highest rating of all my games. it didn't win game of the month, but it was rated higher than the one who did. I'm now working on my next two titles, N.E.O, and Warriors Of Destiny, (kinda back to back) then I will start Boof-3, Bloodlines-2 and another RPG (title undecided).

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
As an independent filmaker in hollywood, I strive to tell stories through art and dialogue, and as a hobby I do the same through zzt.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
#char 21.

* What is your favorite quote?
"That which doesnt kill you makes you stonger."

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
The JFK assasination.

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
Probably my probe droid in Operation:Obrian (he doesn't have all the hokey dialogue that many zzt chars have.. lol).

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
-Hands down ---Cartman.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
Orson Welles, Daffy Duck.

* Any last requests?
Let me know what you guys think of my games -> Czzt@aol.com.

Draco
[ member from august 26th 2000 - september 22nd 2001 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
a gentleman never tells!

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
i made a game in early 98. nobody liked it. i made another game. nobody liked it. then i made teen priest. people liked it. i made some more stuff which went by pretty much unnoticed, and then made a sequel to teen priest. people liked it! and here i am today.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
lots of people, im sure im gonna forget a bunch. umm, let's see... tucan, cly5m, jeremy lamar, bluemagus, akneutron, other people.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
i don't like ascii.

* What is your favorite quote?
NO COMMENT

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
well uhh, i always thought that vanilla ice = that guy from sugar ray. think about it. also, THE SCATMAN = busta rhymes. i had a big thesis on both of these at one point.

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
ME

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
i don't watch much tv, but i'll go with that one fat shit CARTMAN or whatever. because NOBODY LIKES HIM, and i can relate.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
HE-MAN! HELL YES

* Any last requests?
yes.

Hydra
[ member since june 8th 1996 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
Well, in 1996 I heard about Hercules making a company to release his english ZZT games under. I asked if I could join too, and I could. Since then, I'm a member of Interactive Fantasies!

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
I first heard about the ZZT scene when HM gave me some games like Code Red in 1996. In the years before this, I never thought that people outside of a small group I knew in real-life would still be using this old game-creating system. After this I frequently got more games, and then Hercules formed Inferno Soft. I joined (read the answer to the first question), and since then I made games in the English language. I still wasn't really around in the scene though. The first contact I ever had with a ZZTer I didn't know in real-life was in october of 1997 with Luke Drelick. Around that time I also put the Interactive Fantasies page on-line. Since then I'm part of the ZZT scene, though I've never been around as much as other ZZTers are; I never use IRC for example, and I rarely use message boards, etc... This is mainly due to the fact that I *still* don't have my own internet connection. Over the years I released a bunch of ZZT games, like the Freak da Cat and the King's Quest series.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
That depends on the game I'm working on. For Freak da Cat for example my inspirations were both the cartoon Eek the Cat and MeBo's cat. For a game like King's Quest ZZT 2, I get a lot of inspiration from the original King's Quest games by Sierra and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
This might be quite unoriginal, but I still like gool old char 2 (white on blue :) best.

* What is your favorite quote?
"Shoarma? Salami." - the Pizzaschmemed

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
Okkes has made an agreement with the Pizzaschmemed. The Pizzaschmemed has made his pizza's so cheap that everybody is buying their pizza's there. A lot of people come on scooters, and because so many people want a cheap pizza, there is little parking space, so you have to park your scooter at a place where you can't see it anymore when you're inside. And guess... that's when Okkes is stealing the scooter...

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
My own cameo in Treasure Island Dizzy. Myself saying "I AM LORD ACK." really cracks me up ;).

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
Fat Abott, a lesser known but still really funny dude.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
Man, you sure know how to think up hard questions... Errmmm... let's see. I feel resemblance with the gool ol' Tazmanian Devil, since I can be unstoppable myself too :).

* Any last requests?
Yeah, after answering these (weird) questions, I could use a large glass of cool beer, preferably Heineken or Grolsch, please.

Hercules
[ member since june 2nd 1996 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
What fun, I founded IF myself, way back in 1996. :D I checked out a few ZZT products that I got from Hydra and they were pretty cool. I saw some people had formed companies. I got the idea of creating an English game and I decided to form a lil' company to release it under (well, "releasing" is a big word here, since IF wasn't even online yet).

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
As I said, I formed IF in 1996 (June 2nd). IF started growing and I became pretty good at using Super Toolkit and all. I released a coupla games (my first one being "The Search for the Lost Dog", a large SuperZZT game). IF became a well-known company and I released some more stuff (for MegaZeux as well). I entered the scene in October 1997 and got net access at home in May 1999. I started participating in 24 hours of ZZT contests and won the Fall 1999 24hoz. I also hosted the Winter 1999 24hoz and hosted two 24 artistic hours of ZZT contests. I released a big MegaZeux hit, the multiplayer action RPG, Brotherhood and started working on some ZZT stuff again. That's where I am right now.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
Quite a lot, actually. Some ZZTers that've inspired me are Greg Janson, Clint Nielson, Matt Williams, Blue Magus and a few others, too. MZXers that've inspired me include Legendd, Adam Parrish, Snigwich and Luke Drelick. Other sources of my inspiration are Dungeons & Dragons, some computer RPGs, Warhammer, a few cartoons and of course my endless fantasy.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
#char 32. Fear its emptiness!

* What is your favorite quote?
"A lot of people ask me, am I afraid of death? Hell yeah I'm afraid of death. I don't wanna die yet. A lot of people think that I worship the devil, that I do all types of retarded shit. Look, I can't change the way I think and I can't change the way I am. And if I offended you, good, 'cuz I still don't give a fuck." - Eminem (Still don't Give a Fuck). I dunno if it's my exact favorite - Eminem has a lot of other cool quotes (I'm a big fan of his lyrics) and DoggyShop is a king of inventing random kick-ass insane lines, too.

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
They are out there, somewhere, waiting for us. Oh yeah, and Putin is actually Big Brother. You are being watched!

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
The (in)famous IF troll, from games like Fantasy of Freedom, Quest for Glory, Dragon Woods and Stupid RPG Disc Two.

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
Chef. He's the man!

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
Hercules, the star from the Disney movie. I'm not kidding. :D

* Any last requests?
Bring on the women.

aetsch
[ member from february 25th 2001 - june 2002 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
In early 2000 I started ZZTing again. I was looking for a company to join. After tseng quit, yllek and I joined IF. The rest is history, or not. =P

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
I found Super ZZT back in 1994/95 on AOL. This was back when I was really into older ASCII games (I still am, I guess), and Super ZZT was one of the best things I'd seen yet. Also on AOL I found a number of ZZT games, including some older Greg Janson stuff, but I was unable to find ZZT itself. Then, my free month expired, and I played Super ZZT for awhile then forgot about it. Then, Epic released ZZT as freeware in the later half of 1997 (I think). I downloaded it along with other ZZT games that were on Epic's site (Smiley Guy, Best of ZZT, etc.). I then found STK, and slowly worked on and off on a few projects from 1998 to late 1999, when I started making ZZT stuff more actively again. During the period of semi-activity, I made a few things but never completed them.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
Hmm... not sure. Probably just my own ideas. I think probably the ANSI-art scene has been a small influence in some of my graphical styles, although most of their artists greatly exceed ZZT graphical standards - it's amazing what they can do with ASCII. My influences for ZZT music come from underground Commodore 64 demoscene artists such as KB and Daf, MOD chiptune artists such as Pink and Dalezy, and many others of different styles.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
I don't really have one, I guess. If I had to choose, it would probably be char 2. Unoriginal, I know.

* What is your favorite quote?
"To be a Scottish boxer, Scotty, is to be a Scotsman. And a Scotsman has to do what a Scotsman has to do. That means honor, Scotty, and lots of hard work." - A somewhat meaningless line from The Bonny Old Kilts Are Gone Now, a short film that I directed with some friends in drama club.

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
Bob Ornelas, the local political stereotype who is running for mayor again, is involved with the NRA and is embezzling money from HCA. Don't ask me... =)

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
Hmm... probably the "sweaty immig'ant" in NextGame 33. Theh's a fat bloke wot go' 'imself stuck in the co'ih'doh, or something like that. =)

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
I don't watch TV; I usually don't have time to spare for it.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
Another hard question... hmm... someone once said I looked like "sort of an Italian James Bond".

* Any last requests?
How about a Henry Weinhard's - it's hand-finished, you know.

WiL
[ member from october 10th 2000 - november 27th 2001 ]

* How did you get into Interactive Fantasies?
Blind stinkin' luck. I closed my eyes, typed random keys on the keyboard, and by some fluke they came together and I made some games. Then I told other people about these games. They liked them, I've no idea why. I acted annoying, then Herc mentioned there being a need for a 10th member of IF, so I said I was interested, and they decieded I was in.

* Describe your history in the ZZT scene.
I have no history in the ZZT scene. I have learned nothing, though I have much to learn. I act as stupidly as possible in the hopes that I will get people to pity me... no such luck. That is about it.

* Who or what are the inspirations for your ZZT (or MegaZeux) work?
SaMM and M.O.E. are my biggest inspirations. They create games that have such pure playability, I can't help but feel them energizing my work. They've got quite a werid spin on life. They're fun to be around. Oh yeah, and there's also those dignified members of the community who have great art. You know who you are.

* What is your favorite ASCII char?
It's always been char 21, but I think it ties with char 254 now. Boulders = MY FRIEND!

* What is your favorite quote?
There's so many... I guess I could mention the infamous "I don't know how much of that accursed cleanser I've been forced to inhale, but its effects are obvious to me" as well as "Wow! This toilet floats!" Both expressions were coined or popularized by M.O.E. and SaMM.

* What is your favorite conspiracy theory?
I like to think of reincarnation as a conspiracy theory, and I like the concept of reincarnation.

* What is your favorite character in a ZZT game who says only one or a few lines?
I really don't know. If they're not talking, how can one notice them?

* Who is your favorite South Park character?
Cartman by far. He sings and dances.

* Which movie star or cartoon hero would resemble yourself best?
I used to know this one. Wait it's coming to me.... Never mind. Uhh, if there's a guy who's a musical chemist, let me know. He's the one.

* Any last requests?
Play a song. Even one I hate. Preferrably one that I hate. Play one of those newfangled, new-what-have you, Snoopy snoopy poop dog, or something.