Reference Vox Popoli II - Return of the Interview - Now featuring LordTroepfchen

Hello there and welcome to our new interview booth. After the great success of Vox Popoli and Darth Kronos interview thread I thought it is time to return with this wonderful tradition .



So this is gonna be a place where I interview people from around the RPF and you can join me, too.

There are to modes of interviews.

1. Launch Interviews
2. Full Interviews

Launch Interviews I will conduct for every game that launches and will give a little background for those games (if the GMs are willing to participate), while a Full Interview will take place over a week where I bug my interview partner with questions about all their roleplaying activities present and past and then open the floor to you guys to dig even deeper for exactly one week.

As we got so many games and I need to write a lot of guys if they are ready to be interviewed I will start with a number of launch Interviews to warm us all up.

Any questions you might have to any of the RPers, you can ask right away here. Always.

Let's get started!

 

Launch Interview #1: The Strange Case of Ethan Carter by @Sir_Draco

My first launch interview is for the latest game to be launched. Sir_Draco is also family, so he was very available.


1. Draco, how did you come up with a two-player Sherlock Holmes game?

I always loved the characters and it is an old dream of mine to do such a game. I played with the thought of such games from character driven francises for a long time. James Bond. Indiana Jones. Max Payne. I always returned to Sherlock Holmes. Something about the Victorian setting I guess.

When I saw the discussion about limited-player and one-on-one games in the GM Group I thought ... someone should try this! So I did. Been away for quite a while, so I thought perfect food for thought in times of Corona. A good old fashioned crime-solving adventure.

2. How did you find your players? Those are very well-known roles you cast there?

LordTroepfchen jumped on board right away. Being himself a very keen observer and mind I thought he is perfect! Then I used this wonderful Casting Couch threat and Reynar_Tedros took the bait. Two wonderful players. I was very lucky there.

3. How influential were the original stories and the many adaptions of the material? I realized you seem not to follow one specific Holmes canon.

No, I consider Sir Arthur Conan Doyle canon and what we do there is our own adaption of his material with a brand new case. I love all the adaptions, but I felt no need to pick up any of them. If I had to it would have been the old Rathbone version though.

4. Do you see the game more as a one shot or could this be the beginning of a Sherlock Holmes franchise?

Early days. I am happy to have this one going, but it is no secret those two Gentlemen solved many cases. So a sequel is certainly not impossible.

5. You got only two main characters, any way people can join the game?

I will accept guest roles and already got three players having signed up. They will be limited though. The investigation will be done by Homes and Watson.

I open the floors for a day to any additional questions. The short time space is necessary as we got plenty of games launching and I want to give them all room.

 

Launch Interview #2: The Coming Darkness by @TheAdmiral


1. In times when many GMs turn their attention to non-Star Wars games you did a classical Clone Wars game. How did you come up with it?

Well, it is a bit prosaic, after all this is a Star Wars forum. But to give a more detailed answer, I feel that the Clone Wars is a very accessible era for a lot of players. Originally I was going for a SWTOR themed game, but I felt it was a bit too niche as not everyone has played the MMORPG. Also the setting allows for a more techno thriller kind of story (a genre that I love), with politics and intrigue in the mix.

As for non-SW game, well I have some ideas, but I need to get more experience as a GM, also need to craft a good story.

2. Did Clone Wars Season 7 influence you?

The show as a whole influenced me. The game is a kind of a spin off of a fan fic that I have been working on back in 2008-2009.

3. How do you deal with canon in your game? How do you deal with the EU?

I try to mix both, like adding Krennic and the Death Star project, but I use certain EU elements like vehicles, planets, events.

4. Do you consider this a one of game or do you see potential for a franchise of Clone Wars games?

Well I am hoping for a franchise, but it is a bit too early to tell. The Clone Wars allows for multiple stories.

5. If a player wanted to join tomorrow, could he still? What would be the roles you are seeking?

The game is still open for new players. I am looking for an original character, preferably a Jedi or a Clone.

 

Only seen this now, very interesting so far. Guess you got a hard time catching up the the games that are all starting up now!

 

Launch Interview #3: The Yakuza: Territory War by Master Vo‘Un‘Var

My questions:

1. The game picked a very unique time, setting and premise. How did you come up with it?

Well, to be honest, I had a few key influences, which I will detail later in my second answer. Using these influences and a desire to create a world within the boards, I decided to go for a particularly unique type of game which has not really been seen on the boards before. We have had crime games, we have had Japanese-influenced games, and I believe even a few WW2/post-WW2 games, though the latter was before my time on the boards. However, a combination of these things does not normally surface, so I decided that is what I would go for. Once I had the idea, I wanted to create the unique places in the game, once that was done I moved onto characters. I think when the game was really born was when I had finished creating my main NPCs.

2. What would you consider your main influences for the game?

Ah, now, a huge inspiration for me would be the series Battles without honor and humanity. I saw this a good while ago, and it played a large role in me creating the setting The Yakuza is in. Had I not seen Battles, I doubt The Yakuza would even be a thought. I almost was tempted to call Yakuza a spin-off from Battles, however once the plot took its form and characters gained shape, the game and films mainly shared a common setting, so I decided not to. If I had to list some other inspirations I suppose I would choose the video game series Like a Dragon (a.k.a Yakuza) and several other Yakuza films and shows.

3. Is it a challenge to deal with the Japanese culture? What attracted you to it?

I wouldn't say it is too much of a challenge, as I have studied it much in the past and present. It is definitely something I pay careful attention to when writing my posts. I think it definitely was a key factor in me creating the game, and I notice many westerners and others find Japanese culture very attractive, and that may be a key part of the games success so far.

4. Do you see the game as a one off game or would you say it could be the beginning of a franchise?

Now, my best-scenario plan is actually a rather long franchise. However, I do intend to have the current characters and story arcs to be wrapped up in a few games, maybe even one or two. I never intended it to be a one-off game, however life happens which could lead to shortening or lengthening the game. It is intended to be a franchise however, starting into the forties and going to the present day.

5. If someone would want to join could he still do so? Of yes: What roles are you still looking for to fill?

In this stage, most definitely. Once the game moves to far, it will close, as most do. But there could be a chance for guest roles then. However, if anyone did want to join now, I am open to any ideas they have.

 

Launch Interview#5: Genesis Gate by Darth_Elu



1. Certainly the game is one of the more unique offerings around here. How did you come up with it?

I certainly did my best with making it unique. *laughs* In the end, it is the biggest crossover possible, so not exactly the first one to come up with the idea. But I always noticed that when getting to anything related to the full Omniverse, people tend to shirk away from anything major story-wise. Usually keeper it simple and small in scope, which is probably wise. There is just so much out there! Yet the challenge of tackling it in a major story, opening up to as many possibilities as I can, has always been tempting to me. Also, while I've only done one or two games on tfn in the past that were crossovers, it is something that I've come to find as a specialty for myself throughout the years.

In the end, for me, a game like this was more an inevitability than anything.

2. You are an oldbie as old as they get around here. What made you come back to GM now?

Hey now! What are you trying to say? Eh, I kid, I kid. Just pass me my cane and I'll get to your question. *winks* As for why now, I suppose its because I'm simply a writer and storyteller at heart. I have too much invested here on the JCC and the RPF specifically to ever really leave for good, so I'll always return. With ideas constantly nagging me and with the unfortunate global events we're all dealing with, I was given some time to really refine those ideas. Then I thought, why keeping fighting it? As with any good story, I fell in love with it, and that passion requires me to share it with all those I know who would be interested. And role-playing is an amazing way of letting people not only enjoy it, but become part of the world itself and find their own unique stories amidst the rest. And there you go.


3. Do you see this as a limited game with a definite end or will t be an infinite game?

Hm. That is a good question. I can easily see it going either way. In my mind, I have an end pictured, yet I have an alternate conclusion that is more open as well. I've set Genesis Gate up to be more character driven, as it felt the most natural thing to do, and so it'll largely be up to the players. Depending on what the characters do and the wishes of the players, it could end relatively soon or go on for years. We shall see.


4. You joined the many GMs who have decided to do a non-SW game nowadays. Was that a conscious decision? Were you tempted to do a Star Wars game?

So I've noticed. Yes, it was very much a conscious decision due to the infrastructure of the story, as it were. Being a massive crossover, I wouldn't discount a Star Wars appearance in there. So I could definitely say I could run a min-SW game within a game, who knows. As for a pure SW-centric RPG, I'm always tempted. I have numerous files on two different computers of ideas that I've accrued over my time here, most of which I've even created the Opening Post for already, but for whatever reason decided not to launch. Many of them are SW.

I may still launch one in the future, but for now, trying not to overwhelm myself. I also have spied that many players in the RPF right now seem to have filled up their plate, proverbially speaking, and I don't wish to overload them options either.

5. If tomorrow a player would decide to join your game, what roles are you still looking for?

My response to that scenario is as simple as it gets. Come on in! You're absolutely welcome and don't worry about any particular roles. I am not hunting for anything specific currently, and if one type of character seems to become predominant over others...well, that's just the way it goes. I am sharing my story and its world with all of you, yet by doing so, it becomes all of ours. I will not dictate how you wish to play if that's what makes you happy. *smiles* Indeed, one of my current players exclaimed that her character idea was one she had been wanting to do for a long time, but only now found somewhere she could do it. I was overjoyed to give her that opportunity.

Thank you for the interview.

I thank you!

 

Long time listener, first time caller. I know this is just a launch interview, not a full one, but I must ask @Darth_Elu, will there ever be a Path of the Elements reboot, because I will sell you my soul if necessary.

I’ll hang up and listen.

 

I apologize if I'm not supposed to post this in here, but wasn't sure where else to answer it. I'll keep it brief.

@Reynar_Tedros

A blast from the past you're requesting there and am glad to see it as PotE was one of my most cherished worlds/stories. Currently, there are no plans for reviving it and with the awesome addition of Things We Lost In The Fire by @The Jedi in the Pumas, I don't think now would be a good idea for another elemental based game. But, who knows.

The future is ever-changing after all.

 

No guys, the internet floor is yours so ask and answer whatever you like!

 

@Darth_Elu, you have created the first unclassified game I ever saw. How would you callsify it, if you could have chosen any Tag?

 

@DarkLordoftheFins

That's a good question. Given the options available to us in the RPF, I'd have to say Drama & Thriller. Open would still be there as well, naturally. Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical Earth, etc. are too niche. Being set in the Omniverse, it encompasses them all so it wouldn't sit well to choose any of those. Drama and Thriller, being sub-genres can cross the main genres evenly and as such work well. There will definitely be thrills and drama, for sure!

Horror can also work across other genres, but is a bit too 'strong' to be used. Though I plan for there being some odes to the genre now and again as well. Thanks for the question!

 

Launch Interview #6: The Darkening by SirakRomar

So changing seats today and SirakRomar will be the one to answer the questions. Felt like she deserved her own launch Interview.

1. SirakRomar, you have posted a second game within what people call now the Crossingverse. The Darkening is a post-apocalyptic game that is kind of a new take on the franchise. How did you come up with it?

Actually the Darkening was my original idea, which then turned into something else when I received Sir_Draco's CS with his backstory. I decided this is something fresh and I am interested in a story that is a bit more drama and free of the conspiracy and mystery and urgency of The Seeking. So I brought it up and on the weekend I am gonna write the opening.

2. How is it to now be the GM of the Crossingverse? You stepped into the shoes of LordTroepfchen, HanSolo29 and me, so you are the fourth GM to tackle that world, how does it feel? Do you feel pressure?

So far it has been nothing but fun. I must say once I got into it I was looking at the toolbox LordTroepfchen had provided with The Crossing and found I have several ideas what to do with it. It is a challenge to do a Crossing-sequel, that is also a SirakRomar game and the same time do all these characters justice.

I was a bit convinced by you to do it and I must say I am very grateful for that.

3. What is the connection between The Seeking and The Darkening? The two games share one character in form of Sir_Draco's Justin Pfeiffer. Can we expect more connections?

The two are less connected than one might think. The Darkening is simply not about the Gifted, but about the world they might create if things turn wrong and how people would survive in it.

Connections will be there for those who know what to look for. But it will be few and they are not essential to the plot. Not in a way that players need to get them.

4. So doing a third part of a Trilogy is never easy, but doing a fourth part the same time is unusual. Why did you feel it was the right move?

It just felt like a story I would love to do. It really is not part IV, but really a spin-off. A "what-if".

Back when you and HanSolo29 were doing The Reckoning I had this idea as a spin-off and pitched it to LordTroepfchen, but we felt it would be too confusing. Now is the perfect time to do it, I feel.

Regarding the third part, yes that is difficult. I am aware of the trilogy curse. Return of the Jedi was not as good as Empire. Terminator 3 and Alien 3 kinda were weak compared to the franchise average. But I try my best to make a conclusion to this franchise well worth playing. I did not expect the game to become so big, having 13 players now this is more characters than my previous games combined.

5. If anyone wants to join the game, can they? Could players from The Seeking or it's predecessors reprise their characters?

No reprising character except Justin and actually five is my maximum, so if anyone wants to join, that would be my last addition. I don't want the game to become big. I want it to have a certain intimacy.

Thanks for the interview, Fins. Highly appreciated!


The floor is open for questions. 24 hours as always.

 

Launch Interview #7: Wasteland Motorcycle Club by Reynar_Tedros

Our seventh interview, which now turns to games so fresh out of the press the Opening Post has not yet even be done.


1. The project was described by you to be close to your heart, please tell us how you came up with the concept and idea?

Well, I always start out with the question of “What kind of game would I want to play in?” And like I wrote in the game’s opening post, it’s sort of a combination of things that I enjoy. I think what comes after an apocalyptic event is almost always interesting, because you’re dealing with the collapse of society and getting down to the base of what it means to be human. What do you do when all of your support systems are torn down? But as we’ve had some games here dealing with the immediate repercussions of the so-called end of the world (you yourself having just launched The Darkening), I decided to set mine a couple generations after, and explore what kind of world has risen from the ashes.

And of course, there are a lot of different ways you can take that. There’s Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, but that’s a very isolated father/son story, the exquisiteness of which I couldn’t dream of approaching. Then there’s something like the Walking Dead, but I’m not out to make a zombie game at the moment. And eventually I settled on two franchises that are essentially the base influences for WSMC; the Mad Max film franchise and the video game Borderlands. Stories full of action and chaos, with interesting characters and narratives that are rollercoasters from start to finish, all set amongst a desert landscape, which is an aesthetic I’ve always been a big fan of.

Now, there are a lot of things you can play with in a universe like that, even within that desert-soaked subgenre. So I needed a specific thread or two to tie everything together and make things more focused. Enter the Motorcycle Club. Years ago I got in to a little show called Sons of Anarchy, and I loved watching the camaraderie that came with being a part of a motorcycle club like that, and the sort of communal aspect that came with it. When those guys roared down the streets, people knew who they were. But in a world full of no-good bandits in their gas guzzling machines roaming from settlement to settlement pillaging and plundering, what’s a good counterbalance to fight that?

Samurai. The honor, the nobility, the quiet intensity. I’d seen a trailer for an upcoming video game called Ghost of Tsushima that sort of sparked an interest in Samurai culture for me, and I proceeded to undertake the hefty task of reading through James Clavell’s novel, Shogun. I’ve literally got it open on my chest right now as I type this. I’m about a third of the way through it, and I already feel like I’ve learned so much that I’m able to apply to WSMC. Naturally, I’m hardly an expert, but neither are the characters in my game. As the opening post states, they follow their own interpretations of what it means to be Samurai, based on what Old World materials they’ve been able to get their hands on. So, like me, they’re working with imperfect, incomplete knowledge, and I think that makes it all the more interesting, and unpredictable.

So, to make a long story short, I thought about what kind of game I wanted to play in, decided on my influences, and asked myself if there was anything like that being made right now. There wasn’t, and so I threw my hat in the ring, and I’m very excited to see where it goes from here.

2. So what can players expect from the game? Any spoiler-free outlook what it will be about?

The game begins in the aftermath of a Samurai MC member committing seppuku, which is a form of suicide, as punishment for a vile act which he committed that brought dishonor to the club. And essentially, the game follows the series of consequences that emerge from that act, and the challenges the club is presented with as a result. I can sort of see it as a violent road trip game, with the club encountering some new allies and old enemies. But even with all that violence and noise, I’m hoping to have some quiet character moments as well. And as I’ve already got a few very talented players on board, I’m really looking forward to seeing how their characters interact with each other, and what kind of relationships are formed through their trials.

3. You lately explored the questions of “game conclusions” in the GM Group. Is this meant to be a standalone game? Is there a definite ending and if so, will there be sequels?

Well, I don’t think I’ve quite earned the right to expect one of my games to spawn a sequel, so I’m definitely going into this thinking it will be a standalone game. I have a specific roadmap plotted out that does lead to a defined ending, but naturally these things can change depending on what happens over the course of the game. That’s why we call it role playing and not fan fiction. But even if this game does end and we see the conclusion of this specific story, that doesn’t mean the universe itself ends, and there are plenty more stories that can be told in this world after the fact. So, I’m not expecting a sequel, but I certainly wouldn’t rule one out should the inspiration arise.

4. The game follows a trend of non-SW-games that were posted lately, but you have a long tradition in non-SW games around here. Why do you prefer those?

Oddly enough, I tend to gravitate towards non-SW games because they don’t seem to be as popular. As I alluded to at the end of the first question, I like to make and participate in games that are unique, the kinds of games that no one else is doing here, and small casts are a bonus. I have a limited amount of time that I’m able to devote to role playing, and Star Wars games usually have larger casts than non-SW games, which means more reading and more catching up than I typically have time for. Not that I don’t enjoy it, because I love reading everyone’s writing here, it’s ridiculous how much talent the RPF has. But I have to be realistic, and I don’t want to commit myself to something that I may have to leave due to time restraints. I’ve learned that the hard way in the past.

I also just seem to be a little less familiar with Star Wars than most people here. Don’t get me wrong, A New Hope is my all time favorite movie, and I can quote the Star Wars films with the best of them. It’s when you get into the extended universe, which a lot of the games around here pull from, where I get a little lost. So when I see games that require knowledge of the EU, either canon or legends, I tend to back off. I feel non-SW games give me more freedom, whether they’re original stories like WSMC, or if they’re in a franchise I’m familiar with, like the game I’ll be launching next (that’s called a tease).

5. So if someone wants to join tomorrow, what kind of character would you be looking for?

Why wait until tomorrow?

I’m just looking for characters who belong or seek to belong to the Samurai MC. That’s it. Anything else is totally up to the player, what kind of personality they have, what they look like, their role within the club, etc. Like I told one prospective player earlier, the Wasteland is your oyster!

This was a blast, thank you for having me for this interview!

P.S. I also have to include a special shoutout to Sound & Fury, an anime anthology that is a companion film to the Sturgill Simpson album of the same name. It has some incredible post-apocalyptic Samurai scenes set to some truly badass music, and was really the genesis of this whole idea now that I think about it.

 

Launch Interview #8: The Things we lost in the fire by The Jedi in the Pumas


Hey everyone! Its me...Pumas (or Blu if you're wacky)



1. The game is set in the universe of Avatar - The Last Airbender, an anime that is a few years old now. What made you want to get the game out there now? What inspired you to do it?

*sips tea*

Thanks for having me, Claire. How's the family?

A few things inspired me to do it now. One would be the release of Avatar on Netflix in the US and the remaking of the show into live action format next year. I figured old fans would enjoy being able to watch the show and be able to play in the world alongside the resurgence in its popularity. I've been a fan of the series since it began and have long, maybe 10 years now, wanted to bring it to life in the RPF. I feel that now I've evolved enough as a GM to bring it to life for a fun and story driven adventure that will be worthwhile for the players. It is, after all, all for the players to enjoy.

2. The game is based on a show with amazing world building and a rich canon. How important will it be to be familiar with this world?

I expected fans of the show to jump right into it, but I tried to make clear in the opening post that one does not have to be familiar with the world. The game is set in a world where characters can manipulate the elements. The location is a city that has been taken over by the oppressive Fire Nation regime. That is all players need to know to join and from there the world will open itself up.

3. Can we expect canon characters from the show to show up?

Of course! Some of the major cast may not show up because they are busy doing other things at the moment, but there are definitely some surprise appearances to be made by canon characters.

4. Is it meant to be a game with definite ending or is it an infinite story? If the first, do you plan sequels?

This game has a definite ending. The Fire Nation is defeated within a few months of the conquering of ba sing se. So "Things We Lost in the Fire" is definitely headed towards a foreseeable end. But the fun, as is the fun when playing Star Wars games set during the Empire or Rebellion eras, is not the end, but the journey getting there. TWL covers a period that is overlooked in the show, so it opens the book for players to carve their own stories in a world they love without colliding with the story they know.

As far as sequels, *cracks knuckles* I guess I have to lay out my plan. The plan for TWL is that it will end in a few months time, to simulate the months that Ba Sing Se was occupied before being liberated. However, once the game closes, if the demand by the players is still there, I have in my back pocket an idea to continue their stories in the new world created Post-Fire Nation. Avatar has a huge world and there is a lot to be explored. I'd love to follow the characters to ends that the players feel is fitting, however long that takes.

5. If someone wanted to join tomorrow, what kind of characters are you looking for? Anything special you wanna see?

A mixed response I must give. So, I am currently not looking for any more players. I guess you could consider the game to be soft closed. That being said...If anyone would still like to join, please PM me and we can talk about it. I find it really hard to turn players away. While there are things I want to see, I try very hard not to direct players in their creations. I want them to release their own desires and what THEY want to see in the game world.

Thank you for having me!

 

And that concludes our Launch Interview Series and I am proud to present our first Season of Longform Interviews! Beginning with no other than our Mod and One-Man-Games-Factory Sinrebirth (and this Season will include the legendary Greyjedi125 and the mysterious Lawbreaker and a fourth and fifth interview partner yet to be revealed).

 

Oh Sinrebirth is a rare one. Can we actually appoint potential interview partners? I got someone in mind who has probably never been interviewed also that person was around for ages.

 

Sure, write me a PM. I am open for any suggestions.

 

WE WANT KTALA

WE WANT KTALA!

WE WANT SITH I-5!

[face_demanding_RPFcitizen]

 

I want SirakRomar.

When I was doing these five questions I realized she has never been in the seat for a long one herself.

She is overdue.

 

Thank you for the opportunity to participate! Looking forward to more interviews with the excellent players on the RPF!

 

We shall see. Let me ask the questions for now!

 

Ladies, Gentlemen, after these great shorts to talk about games launched recently, here comes our first long form Interview. I had a few questions and form now on the whole week will be up for digging deeply into the man himself, Sinrebirth!

Interview #1: Sinrebirth

Hey Sinre, a pleasure to finally get to interview you. A rare chance to dig into the mind of the RPF's Mod and most active GM. Many of us know you for many years, but how did you actually end up on these boards?

A pleasure to be here, Sirak. I ended up here while hiding from my then-girlfriend, actually. I hid a fair amount of my fandom from her back in... oh, 2004, and so I ended up lurking online. At the time I was all about Super Star Destroyers, thanks to the X-wing books by Stackpole and Allston, and I actually started posting in the Lit area after we broke up - and refused to ever hide my passions ever again.

Do you remember your first game? What was it like?

Archangels & Alchemists by @Winged_Jedi. I remember it to this very day. A massive time-jump forward in the story, a reset, and a new set of Force users. My character was a Kya, of course, a General in the Third Republic military who wanted to weaponize the cure for Force users. Though it was unfinished, it remains one of my favourite games.

When did you get bitten by the GM bug?

In Archangels, actually. Winged gave me a lot of space to develop my Echo weapon, and when I had the option to drop it on Coruscant - untested, with the potential for all manner of side-effect (think Alpha Red from NJO), I could see the tantalising possibilities of running a game.

So I think you GMed too many games to ask you about all of them, but this interview would probably not be complete without me mentioning the last real Flagship game these boards ever had, your 128ABY - The Sith Imperial War. How did you come up with that one?

My favourite thing to do is to take a gap in continuity, be it a question, or a theory, and run with it. The Legacy comics introduced us to the Galactic Alliance as it was defeated after a three year war, and then leaped ahead seven years. We only knew in passing from Legacy 8 that the Sith intervened a year into the war - which implied the Sith only waited until the Empire and Moffs needed them. That gave me a sublime tension to take advantage of.

Did you know it would be so massive? It seemed to be planned with a lot of players in mind?

Oh definitely not. I planned three factions, but didn't expect for it to get nearly as big as it did. That spun out to firming up the separatist faction into a formal Confederacy, so I had a small army of NPC issues for the cast to be kept busy with - and a separate offensive on the GA to play out and hand the GA and Jedi some wins later game as the Empire and Sith started winning.

What do you consider your own best work as a GM?

128 ABY remains a big one for me, but I am pretty proud with the first of the Twilight of the Force games.

As a co-GM, it has to be New Sith Trials, because releasing a Sith God from the Well of the Dark Side on Mortis remains one of the most epic moments of my GM career - a shout-out to @Dath_Wanderguard and @Lady Belligerent for that, as well as longstanding players from that game - @QueenSabe7, @greyjedi125, @Snokers, @E. L.Knight, @Darth Kronos, and @HanSolo29 among them.

What do you consider you worst failure?

Oh. That's After the Awakening. I was admittedly desperate to roll out a One Canon game soon after TFA and it doesn't work. Knights of the Last Republic is a spiritual successor to that game, and does a lot better for a firmer grip on my thoughts on both continuities.

You are also a very active player and have been in almost every major game I can remember. What attracts you to games?

I am a massive fan of a good opening post. If you catch me with a well-crafted opener, I am done. Damn my work-load I am playing. I went through a spell of exclusively GMing, and I am glad I have gone back to playing too.

What character are you most fond of?

The Master is more of a storytelling archetype than a character at times, as writing a character with no visible face is incredibly fun. I am exceedingly fond of him. But Ike Kya, formerly Ike Sera, is such a blast to write that I cannot not mention him. He's such a flamboyant pain-in-the-ass to everyone around him.

Well, back to GMing. You are advocating something called One Canon. Please could you explain what this is about?

The idea is essentially that, with two relatively minor tweaks, both continuities can fit together. With Ben Solo born a year after Palpatine's 'final' death in Dark Empire III: Empire's End - from Legends - and with Jacen's fall moved forward three years - as was originally intended - you can place the Sequel Era after the last novel in Legends - Crucible. The Legacy comics simply stay where they are, and happily so. Inconsistencies are ironed out as they come along, but Han and Leia having a fourth, neglected, child, isn't too far from what we saw happen with Jacen, Jaina and Anakin Solo, who had so many spells without their parents or each other.

So into the current games. You right now got about ten active games running and they all seem to be connected by a Master-storyline. I know many people out there do not fully understand this over-arching narration, so would you tell us a bit about it?

In essence, the Master, the great narrator, has created a series of events which will inevitably cause the End of Time in the Legends story. This largely involves him creating a Holocron of Prophecy which is completely accurate - to the surprise of even himself. Whether he did this benevolently or malevolently is up for discussion, as his plans involves the point after the End of Times, whether on purpose or by accident. His intentions - and indeed his ultimate identity - is what makes him such a compelling character and my favourite.

You had an amazing run over the years, with too many games to count ... do you actually know how many games you participated in?

I have GM'd.... twenty-three games, I think. I keep remembering games I've forgotten as I go. It's probably that many I have played, too, but I imagine I have GM'd more games than I have played.

You also must have seen many player come and go. Tell me are there any you miss?

Winged_Jedi is one I miss the most. His games were always delightfully intriguing - I missed out on Man Cubs, possibly his best game. I also didn't manage to play a @Saintheart game before he moved on. But I have regulars I miss too - @TheSithGirly (who very kindly did some brilliant scenes in TotF), for example, and indeed we have posters on these forums who have simply moved on from the RPF for a variety of completely valid reasons - and sombre ones, as with some posters who passed during my games. Obligatory shout-out for our now Admin - I loved the portrayal of @GrandAdmiralJello's Roan Fel in 128 ABY, for example.

What do you think is the biggest changes to the RPF over the years?

I think the Community spirit is stronger nowadays. GMs foster a group of posters that form their core groups, which is helpful when running a new game, but of course it has his pros and cons as fresh-blood is also key to most games. But we have so much cross-pollination between games that some games have almost every member of the community in - or at very least sizeable chunks of each group.

You are also our Mod for quite some time now, tell me what is your approach to this. Why did you accept this and how does it affect your view on the RPF?

I accepted it because I wanted to have a more active role as a community member. There was a period when Moderators were not playing or leading games, and that struck me as an oddity. I don't expect the Mods to be the centre of the community, but I did expect them to take a leading role. If the RPF is small enough that I can play or run every game, then something is wrong. With how things are, I am so happy that there are games which get pushed to the second page of the RPF and get the chance to jump back up.

Do you have any dream project you wanna do? Anything you still feel burning under your nails after all those years?

A Final Fantasy crossover game is always gestating in my mind, and a game set in the 'real world' too. The Epitaph Saga also needs an Ending, which will be difficult to pull off! There are four games I am preparing 2021 for, and that will hopefully cover every one of those dreams (including the inevitable Twilight of the Force III: Title Is A Spoiler).

Thank you. I open the floor to the RPF now! You guys got seven days to ask anything you always wanted to ask!

I already know @Adalia-Durron will probably give me a hundred questions and @darthbernael will egg her on.

BRING IT!

 

Oh this is a rare honor. Great to see some insight into your long career as an GM and RPer. 23 games is a lot.

So I got a few questions, actually.

What was your first game to GM?


You are also a very active member of the JC community itself, being member of FancClubs and such. How did this influence your RP life?


As a Mod, what change would you like to see in the RPF? Speak freely, what do you think we as a community could improve on?


How does one GM so many stories the same time? How do you focus on them all at once? For me it seems like an impossible task, to be honest. How the hell are you doing it?


How many Kya‘s are there?