SSG Speaks: Nzapster

When I first met Nzapster I was elated to find out I was speaking to someone from Middle Earth. Now imagine my disappointment when I found out he was only from New Zealand and not actually a hobbit. Be that as it may Nzapster, despite his misleading identity, has proven to be one of our most valued Knights. His skill on the battlefield is matched only by his knowledge of Halo lore. His quick wittedness and perpetually positive attitude are a boon when online multiplayer is a little less than for giving. With some help from my fellow Knights I’ve come up with some questions so relevant to the content of Zap’s character, I dare say you’ll never look at this none hobbit forming Kiwi the same again.

 

1.   If you could be anyone from Lord of the Rings would you be and why?

I’m not sure who I’d want to be – if I could be one of the Valar or Maiar then it’s unfair. If I choose to be an elf, it’s at least partially because I want immortality. Also I prefer the First Age elves over the remnants left in LOTR – those elves were BADASS.

I always have liked Fingolfin – he was loyal, wise and a fearsome warrior. I mean, Fingolfin had a 1v1 against Morgoth! On his way to challenge Morgoth, everyone fled in front of him, mistaking him for one of the gods. Yeah.

The other option I’d be tempted to choose would be Elros, live 500 years and found the strongest nation that had been seen (Numenor).

Sorry my answers come from the history of Middle Earth, not LOTR itself.

You all should read the Silmarillion.

 

2.   How did you find SSG?

I can’t remember exactly how I came about looking around for group to game with, but I ended up at Midworld and made a thread. SSGers were by far the most welcoming in that thread so I sent out some friend requests and joined up at Camelot. I think the first game I joined was a race map with Gambit and good times were had.

 

3.   Is it hard being part of a clan that has a primary member base that is in such a different time zone?

Well while I have been at University with flexible hours I have had a relatively easy time hopping online in afternoons to get on for MKH or other PGLs. It actually works in my favour sometimes, as I don’t have to wrestle the TV from my flatmates during the evening.

I had looked around at groups of people in my timezones, but the few places I found were really hardcore and/or frustrating to deal with. I wanted to play with people who I enjoyed gaming with, regardless of who was winning. That was more important than being in the same location.

It’s going to get a lot more difficult once I start work early next year, but I hope we’ll still be able to game on the weekends at least.

 

4.   Has being in SSG/GGN changed your outlook on gaming or clans?

Before joining one I had seen my fair share of the XBL messages along the lines of, “Message to all recent players: I have a new clan called xx420xx hArDcOrE GaMeRz xx if you want to join just send me a message and you’re in.” – all in the reassuring tones of a 12 year old boy. As appealing as these were, I never did feel tempted to join one of these ‘clans’.

Naturally, after such experiences, I had dismissed clans as not for me, but after playing with a group of people who are fun to game with – you never want to go back to playing alone. The majority of my Halo 3 playtime was alone or with one or two others on my friends list – now if no-one else is online, I’ll not bother. Even frustrating games are fun to play with great people.

Gaming is a lot more fun in a group and SSG has gotten me to try many more games that I would have otherwise. When looking at games I will also generally look into the multiplayer first because I know that is where I’m going to be spending 90% of my time.

 

5.   When did you first get into gaming? Have you been a gamer since then, or have you taken breaks?

I was not allowed to buy a game console by my parents until I was about 13. I was given a PS1 by one of my parents’ friends who was upgrading to a PS2. After realising that gaming wasn’t the devil, I received an Xbox and Halo 2 for my 14th birthday. That was how my Halo love began. When Halo 3 came out, I couldn’t buy a 360 and so I borrowed my friend’s 360 and hired Halo 3 on launch to beat the campaign. He also had XBL gold, which gave me a chance to sample online multiplayer. It’s like a LAN but whenever you like? AWESOME. Within 6 months I had bought my own 360 and began my foray into online multiplayer.

Without Halo I would not be much of gamer, even now. I have not found another game that captures me as much as online Halo multiplayer. If I stop playing Halo online I will go from a ‘several times a week’ gamer to a ‘couple of times a month’ gamer. Most other games just won’t hold my attention like Halo.

 

6.   Terrorists have your family hostage. You decide to go on a covert mission to rescue your family. You are bringing 3 SSG Knights with you to help save your family, who are you bringing and why?

I’d bring Kristov to help bring the pain, Rhys to intimidate the enemy through yelling obscenities and Gambit to drive us there.

 

7.   What are you studying in school? What job is he hoping to get with said education?

I actually have just finished my degree (exams going well). I originally was doing a Physics and Business double degree. I enjoyed physics and wanted to keep doing it for fun while I used my business degree to get a job in the financial world. I dropped the physics degree once it stopped being fun half way in, and added more majors to my degree instead. I enjoyed Economics and Accounting (I know, I know) – the numbers behind businesses and the economy have always been fascinating to me.

I will be graduating with a degree in Finance, Economics and Accounting. I have a job lined up at one of the big 4 accounting firms, so we’ll see how that goes.

 

8.   What is the first game you ever played, and what did you like about it?

Probably Sim City. I loved being able to build my own cities and then destroy them with UFOs and monsters. I’m really looking forward to the new Sim City game in 2013.

 

9.   Do you think games should be considered an art form?

I’m not convinced about the argument surrounding this. My way of looking at is, can games be art? Sure. Are all games art? No. Kinda like how some movies are works of art, but others arejust cheap cash ins.

I feel that the more indie games are much more an artistic expression than mass produced AAA titles will ever be.

 

10.   Tell us about yourself. Where’d you grow up, how was your family life?

I live in New Zealand, I grew up in a small town with a very close knit family. I’m finishing up my student life and starting on the death march of adulthood.

 

11.   What is the trait you look for most in new members of the clan?

I look for several. They should be funny, mature, immature and not a douche. Mainly they should be nice people.

 

12.   You seem to enjoy breaking down details of the games you play, any reason why?

I will generally only break down Halo – because I love it. It’s the only game that I really want to play. I don’t like the direction it has been taken in the past two games and I want other people to understand why I believe that way.

 

13.   Who do you have a crush on?

 

14.   What hobbies do you enjoy outside of gaming?

I am an avid reader, not only of fiction, but I have started reading non-fiction particularly books by economists and the like. Last night I spent 2 hours watching economic discussions on youtube, It’s kinda strange I guess.

I enjoy a good debate or discussion on anything.

I love swimming and the like – I plan on getting my PADI soon so I can start diving.

TV shows such as The Wire (WATCH IT) and Firefly count, right?

 

15.   Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moonlight?

I thought we weren’t going to talk about last night, Rhys.