SSG Speaks – SSG Wookiee

In the dark, shadowy corridors of power somewhere beyond the reach of mere Knights Templar, this man treads. Answering only to the Overlords, he ponders how to rain fire & vengeance down upon those who cross him. He is the Chancellor; the hirsute gamer known as Wookiee. The great & powerful Oz of Camelot. The man feared by all Knights……..or, you know, not. Actually, Wookiee is a great guy & tons to fun to game with. But who is the man behind the fur? Let’s find out.

 

How did you find SSG?

www.swordandshieldgaming.com like everyone else. (Editor’s note: smartass) Or perhaps I had just picked up Reach, and was looking for tips for MP. I did a web search, and ended up on Bungie. One of their suggestions was basically “go find a clan.” Then they pointed to TTL. The rest, as they say, followed sequentially.

 

What lead you to choose SSG over any of the other Good Game Network clans?

Really, I only looked at SSG and the Geezers. None of the other clans really seemed all that welcoming, and SSG’s emphasis on fun and family over competitive play was a very nice match to the PC clan I played TF2 with (The Old Timers Clan). And the Geezers had some…questionable leadership, so….

 

Oh, so it’s going to be that kind of interview, is it? Permission to treat the witness as hostile, your honor?
How has your gaming experience changed since you joined SSG?

I tend to play with a lot more people with SSG in their name… (Editor’s note: again, smartass)
Also, I’ve become that guy that says “Battlefield has SP?”
Also love, hugs, all that stuff. See other SSG Speakses for reference.

 

Yeah, we’re all cuddles & rainbows over here. So, let’s look at your gaming history. What’s the first game you remember playing?

It was some sort of Haunted House game on the Odyssey 2. It was just a plastic overlay you put on the screen while you moved a white block. I think.

 

High technology right there. Though, the amount of character we could imbue a few white pixels with was something else. So, that was your first gaming memory. What was you first gaming addiction?

Probably Zelda, or Adventures of Link. Which is odd, because I really don’t care about them anymore. Adventures of Link was the first game I bought a strategy guide for, I know.

 

And how about your proudest gaming accomplishment?

Probably hitting max skill level in Star Wars Galaxies, and beginning the quest to become a Jedi.

 

Stepping away from the mouse & controllers, what’s Wookiee’s life outside of gaming all about?

Chase my kids mostly. Watch TV with my wife. Go out on dates (also with my wife). Play MMOs or League of Legends. Every other Thursday, and occasional nights I play board games. On Sundays, I hit people with padded sticks at my local Amtgard park. I also read a lot, and play iOS games (mostly board games).

So…..when you’re not gaming, you’re gaming. Gotcha’.

Speed dating favorites time:
Favorite books? Movies? Bands?

Books: The Name of the Wind, Neverwhere, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. Name of the Wind is a fantastic book, everyone should read it that enjoys fantasy. Neverwhere is by Neil Gaiman, who is one of my all time favorite authors, and is awesome urban fantasy. You can also include Good Omens as a bonus. And all of Diskworld except for the Rincewind parts. And then Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is the Bloggess’ book. She is absolutely hilarious, as well as a great role model for the depressed, odd, unbalanced or misfits (which is basically everyone worth knowing). That and Wise Man’s Fear (the sequel to Name of the Wind) are the only two books I’ve ever preordered. Also, Heart Shaped Box, by Joe Hill, which is an awesome Southern Gothic Rock n Roll Ghost Story. That’s three right? Also Snow Crash.

Movies would be Grosse Point Blank, Prophecy, and, obviously, the Star Wars trilogy. And the Matrix trilogy. And Dark City. And everything Tim Burton ever did. Especially Nightmare Before Xmas. And Josie and the Pussycats (I’m not kidding. I love that movie).

Bands would be Clandestine, a Celtic rock band from Texas, the entire Rat Pack, and the 80’s.

 

Nightmare Before Christmas is pretty much the best musical evah. I’ll second the recommendation for Name of the Wind too. But, I sadly have to say that in the sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear, he really dropped the ball. Sophomore Slump we’ll say. Beverage of choice?

Mountain Dew White Out. Or guava juice.

 

Favorite Halloween costume you’ve ever had?

My granny, or maybe my mom, made me a full sized Gizmo costume when I was little. It was freaking awesome.

 

You dressed up as your granny? Oh, they made the custom for you. I got it. I was worried for a second there… Favorite board game?

Currently? Zombicide. Also Blood Bowl Team Manager. And Age of Empires 3. And For Sale. Of all time, Twilight Imperium 3.

 

Obviously you don’t have a problem with sequels. Speaking of which, I’m anxiously awaiting Zomicide’s Season 2 which just hit Kickstarter earlier this month. Can’t get enough of the zombie killing fun! What’s the best thing that’s happened to you/with you/for you or your family in the last year?

My son, who is autistic, started first grade in his actual school, without any IEP in place, after spending kindergarten at a transplant school. And my oldest daughter graduate from high school, then started college. And my wife and I had our 10th wedding anniversary.

 

That’s a lot of good stuff. Here’s hoping the next year is just as great. Now we get into the heavily Star Wars weighted Knight submitted questions. First off, would you rather: Spend the rest of your life with Nzapster following you around, constantly pointing out the flaws of Halo (even when Halo stops being a thing) OR Spend the rest of your life with Grant following you around, constantly trolling you?

Nzapster. I’d just quit playing Halo and ignore him.

 

Fair enough. In 200 words or less: Han Solo or Malcolm Reynolds? Why?

That is a terrible terrible question. I’m going to say they’re both equally wonderful expressions of a great archetype and leave it at that.

 

Wuss. Total cop-out answer. I demand a recount!
You’re always asking new forum people about velociraptor outbreaks or robot uprisings. What’s your contingency plan for either of these?

Raptor outbreaks, you need to stay indoors most of the time. Be sure you have a secure area with no windows they can break, and a weapon. Wait them out. Then, when its reasonably safe, pile in a large vehicle and move to a high office building or the like, and clog the stairs. Wait until their lysine runs out. Robots, were just screwed. Try to convince them you’re a useful carbon life form and wait for an action hero to show up.

 

As a small child what was a favorite memory?

I have basically no vivid memories from being a kid other than seeing Captain EO at Epcot. Also, reskinning D&D to anew game called Heroes and Monsters with my friend Andy.

 

Have you been a gamer your whole life?

Yup. From Odyssey 2 through NES, C64, Mac 512k, SSI Gold Box, Genesis (SG 4eva!), Arcades, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Xbox, 360, and PCs all along.

 

Have you ever been in a gaming community before?

Sort of. I was a regular at the Old Timers Clan, I’m a member of the Old Timers Guild for a number of games, and I’ve been in a fair few guilds, supergroups and outfits, but nothing like SSG.

 

Well, obviously. There is nothing else like SSG. If you fell in a hole and you had two options of getting out, digging or climbing, which way would you go and why?

Call for help on my phone, duh.

 

Can’t really argue with that logic. Okay, don’t shoot the messenger–I just ask what the people want to know: Why Wookiee? Han Solo was cooler… So was R2D2…

Chewie played Holochess.

 

Who shot first? Where’s Kessel?

Han. Kessel is in the Kessel system, which is a particularly hazardous system, but a profitable run. The best pilots are those who can use Kessel to make fast smuggling runs, to maximize profits. Your skill was shown by how close you could skirt the dangers and still make it through in one piece. The more skilled you were, the less you had to dodge around stuff. So if you made it in 13 parsecs (a unit of distance) you were good. 12.5, better. 12, great. Less than 12, you were amazing. Or it was all an elaborate ruse by Lando to punish Han for winning the Falcon and get his credits back.

 

Ahh, so that’s why it was a distance not a time. You’ve enlightened me, in a completely useless kind of way, but nevertheless… If you had to pick one and only one Star Wars property (ie: a single film, animated series, Wookie themed Holiday Special, video game) as the very best Star Wars has to offer, what would your choice be?

Star Wars Galaxies, pre-CU. No doubt. I spent so very very much time in that game with my wife and daughter, doing everything I could. It was the best MMO I’ve ever played, and likely will ever play.

 

Why should we let the Wookiee win?

Because you like your arms, and I’m a helluva guy.

 

In a battle between you and Caz, with your only weapon being lightsabers (real ones), who would win?

Clearly me. He’s ancient, evil, and sneaky. And we all know ancient evil and sneaky loses in the end. Because it gets dumb.

 

Lies, sir! Baseless lies! That’s it! I won’t stand for this libel!! No soup for you. Paging Boba Fett, I have the location of a wanted fugitive! I’m out & you, sir, can make like a tree & get out of
here.