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Is there a bridle for this Proteus That turns and changes like his draughty seas? Or is there none, most popular of men, But when they mock us, that we mock again? -- William Butler Yeats, At the Abbey Theatre Rookie is one of the oldest FPL vets around, a mainstay of the FPL community in chat and on the messageboards, the bane of crappy threads and the keeper of quotes. Over the years, he's provided us with many a hilarious and weighty character. I remember when I first stumbled on the site, one of the first characters I read was the second incarnation of the Pupil, a character full of personality and vigor, characteristic of Rookie's later works. He's considering retirement currently, but we all hope he'll change his mind. Here I ask Rook some tough questions and get some honest (and occasionally brutal) answers. Abdiel changes topic to 'Holy Romantic Tentacles Batman! Rook's actually getting an Interview!' TheRookie w00t Abdiel I'd thank you for spending a few moments of your time to answer some questions, Rook, but seeing as you're holding a gun to my head and forcing me to talk to you, that wouldn't be totally appropriate. ;) TheRookie clicks the pistol TheRookie just ask the questions Abdiel You know the drill: Who do you feel is your most "successful" character, and why? TheRookie i guess in terms of the "traditional" sense of success Mr. Hero is obviously my most succesful character to date Ivan how about in the avante garde sense of success TheRookie but in terms of me being happy with a character, something i tend to care more about than wins, it'd have to be the first two incarnations of giaour, i was just so satified with them and i still think had they not appeared during FPL shut downs they would've went far Abdiel what about Giaour makes him stick out in your mind? TheRookie anyways, i like giaour simply because he's cool, a real no nonsense character, he's mad, he wants to kick some butt and he's cocky. Sometimes i think people get too caught up in the gimmicks that a real in your face character is needed to kick people in the pants. Ivan amen Abdiel Do you think that the FPL is too full of angst and character development? TheRookie hmmmmm, i'm afraid to say yes, because i've had more then my share of angsty characters, but i would have to agree, there's too many "i'm a guy who had his family killed and i'm out for revenge" blah blah, it's old and boring now, but people keep making (and voting) them so i guess what works TheRookie but personally unless a character is given a good reason to be angsty i tend to not like it Ivan notices Rookie's gun hand relaxing a bit Abdiel do you think that voting patterns dictate what characters are made to a large degree, or that cool characters coming out change voters' tastes and hence their voting tendencies? TheRookie "cool" is a real subjective word, i've see many characters i though were cool go 0-3 TheRookie as for voting patterns, i don't think they really exsist, they're really random, the cream will always rise to the top, i don't think there's a single fpl "archetype" that gets votes TheRookie i think if you look at landon's horder of HoFers all of them are fairly different yet they all made it Abdiel so you think that votes and wins are a fair judge of a character's worth, objectively? TheRookie it's an easy way to tell if a characters good or not, not necessarily the only way TheRookie personally i like it when a character strikes a chord to one person rather then have a bunch of people liking it only a bit Abdiel even if that person isn't you? =) TheRookie well i guess i'd have to like a character, or at least it's base concept, to even submit it TheRookie i know i've gone on and on of how i don't like Redeemer and Legacy's Allure, but i think they're awesome ideas, if i had spent maybe a month or two on them i would truly love them Abdiel Do you think the FPL is at a high point or a low point? What, in your opinion, is the current state of the FPL? TheRookie up until the fall i would say the fpl was in a huge low point, but now the kids are alright, some of the newbies we're getting are excellent, the "middlebies" are fining their grooves and making some excellent stuff and there will always be vets like landon, so i think the fpl is at a great state Abdiel Do you think there's a place for you in the mix, long term? TheRookie heh, definitely no, i'd say these two guys i have in the gallery are my last Abdiel Why is that, and are you sure? Pardon my skepticism, but we have heard this particular song and dance before. ;) Sir Christopher from Moltar, most recently TheRookie well i have been planning to leave for sometime, maybe even as long ago as last year, but i guess the fpl was in such a rut that i felt a little compelled to stay, to give you guys some real competition to squish, but now the fpl is at a good stage, it's a good time to leave TheRookie also i just feel i can't get past the glass ceiling i have over my head, while i don't think winning is the be all and end all of the game it's nice to win, it would've been nice to win a ME but i haven't yet, and judging from my recent characters i just don't seem to be able to pass that threshold TheRookie in the end i feel like i'm quitting while i'm ahead, all character i would've love to be in the HoF are more or less there, i'm happy and i feel i can leave now Abdiel So you think that you're incapable of winning the Main Event, or that you don't have enough motivation/ideas left to make another run at it? TheRookie well I think I AM capable, but it's just a drag not being able to, i think i'd have to put a lot of energy to make a ME winner, much like i did with Mr. hero, he was pretty much a years worth of making and i don't think i have the time to do that anymore Abdiel Well, I think you're trying hard to talk yourself into it... we'll see what happens in six months. But for now, we respect your decision (start the plotting, guys). Abdiel What do you think about the use of propaganda to talk up a character before or during its run? Like starting a long, involved thread on the CA board, or talking about the character in chat, or writing IC works featuring the character? Fair Play? Effective? TheRookie if it was effective fan would have A LOT more ME wins =) Ivan has chloroform. Rookie WILL stay. Ivan Hey Rookie, I'll give you this Chloroform if you stick around! Sir Christopher heh TheRookie seriously, i think it's great, as for it's effectiveness i really don't see it, it's cool and all but i don't think it's a huge factor - no matter what the best will be the best, there are some wildly succesful characters with no IC ties at all Abdiel if you had to break the reasons behind a character's success in terms of wins down into three main categories, Creator Popularity (elitism), Creativity, and Work (IC works, time spent refining the character and asking for advice, etc), which do you think is the most important? What would the ratio of necessity look like? TheRookie first off i'd like to dispell elitism, it doesn't exsist, i've been here forever and look how many wins i have =) TheRookie elitism is zero to none. IC work i think is also zero to none. so it all falls onto creativity =) Abdiel what advice do you have for creators who are just starting out and trying to make their first successful character? TheRookie i'd say don't rush into things, take time with a character. whenever i made a character i'd often mull over things, look at the small details, make sure it seems right - but more importantly make sure you like it, no sense submitting something you don't like Abdiel What's your opinion on collaborations between creators? Care to tell us a little about Twisted, and what went right/wrong? TheRookie collabs are great, i guess they're sort of not for me but to whoever does them more power to them, i think we've gotten some great characters out of collabs TheRookie as for twisted, i think it was as successful as it could've been, it was just a little too big and took a little too long, some people lost intrest, god knows i did, but one has to admit some really cool characrers came out of the exercise, so it wasn't all bad Sir Christopher Twisted was about the most creatively successful collab I've ever seen Abdiel what would Twisted Mr Hero look like, if he were to ever be made? TheRookie hmmmmmm..... i don't know really, i think he'd probably end up being a villain, there's a sort of vulnerability that i think exists in Mr. Hero that would've absolutely destroyed his soul if he had to live in twisted khazan, but that's as far as i'd say for now, i'd have to give it more thought Abdiel which character would you most have liked to see in Twisted form that didn't get done, for one reason or another? Ivan (Tommy Won the Battle) Sir Christopher (hah) TheRookie another toughy, i would've liked to see one of Pie's creations get twisted, mostly likely pinnacle man or grandstand, i just wonder what pie's take on twisted would be TheRookie also tommy wouldn't change at all IMO >=D Abdiel What are your top 3 favorite characters made for the FPL? TheRookie #1 is easy, it'd be One Million Total, that character is just too cool not to like #2 would probably be Devyn Soyakaze, he's got the cool factor as well plus he has a neat concept I don't think i could pick a #3. probably dragoon t if you put a gun against my head, but even then it'd be too close. ok, make it a tie between toc and dragoon t =D Abdiel What do you think of chat and the messageboards as parts of the FPL community? What purpose do they serve - are they necessary? Do they hurt more than they help? TheRookie i think without them a community couldn't exsist clashes will always occur, that's just the way the world is, but inspite of them i think both are really helpful Abdiel are there fewer crappy threads now, or have your struggles been in vain? Ivan mad props to Abby for that question TheRookie there will ALWAYS be crappy threads, i think i sort went over board with the pictures because Nemo was so offended by them TheRookie but i must traverse onwards to stop them, i think i hear docnfoid logging on now Abdiel under what circumstances can you see yourself actually submitting another character, if any? TheRookie uhhh... when sac finally submits another supercomrade seriously i guess 50 years down the line when serge's son is taking care of the fpl i MIGHT come back of course, probably under another name =) Abdiel A few people are privy to a collection of witticisms and smartass remarks to sad situations pruned from chat logs, collected on a certain website. Care to share your motivations behind starting and maintaining quotes.txt, and your intentions as far as it's concerned for the future? TheRookie well i'd be lying if i said quotes.txt was originally my idea i've been around on the internet for a while, been a regular in MANY irc channels, a lot of them had a quotes.txt file (most, but not the first, started by me) on an especially funny night in #fpl i just snapped and said i needed to start one, since then it's just been growing Abdiel What new-ish (or previously unsuccessful) creator is primed to make a breakout character? TheRookie LANDON Abdiel boo TheRookie seriously i think there's a few Ren so far has wowed me, he's great and he's totally into the same style i like and while i REALLY don't like saying it on the strength of one character, Juli's Dr. Timothy is really neat and she COULD be a big player Abdiel Okay, since you're retiring (apparently) you shouldn't be afraid to burn your bridges. Name some characters and creators that have irked you greatly, being overrated or just plain sucky. TheRookie YOU =) jk * Abdiel cries Ivan wai! TheRookie first off, i'm ashamed that you'd ask this now, i am free to give my opinions whenever * Abdiel looks nervously at the gun still pointed at his head and nods weakly Sir Christopher rookie's wrath waits for no interview TheRookie anyways, ramon is one, definitely he's just a poor creator i think dodge murphy is HIDEOUSLY overrated i mean, really 6 me wins? also, i don't get how Buzzbomb got to me appereances already as many as me =( but really, if i had to name the single most overrated creator moltar i LIKE lord apathy, i don't LOVE lord apathy and his efforts as captain lemmin were... sub par at best Abdiel heh, ouch. Abdiel A little late for this question, but anyway... if you could change one thing about the FPL and/or the way it operates, what would it be? TheRookie ummm... nothing really i think there isn't a better system, WCE CAN DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Abdiel are there any matches you wish you could do over, or any dream matches you wish had taken place between your characters and some of your favorites? TheRookie i think every dream match thinkable has been exhausted to death i'll say every landon character in a spiked pit so i can see them all die >=D Sir Christopher and Ringnifti has to die first Ivan agreed TheRookie yes Sir Christopher BOOYAH!!! Abdiel who would win in a fight, domo-kun or Mr. T? TheRookie whoa i think if two such forces were ever forced to battle one another they world would implode Abdiel (COP OUT ANSWER) Abdiel if you could kill one person and get away with it scot free who would your victim be? TheRookie as much as i say i wish it upon several people in irc i wouldn't want to kill anyone, i'm sort of against that sort of thing so no one, instead i'd give everyone LOLLIPOPS Abdiel okay, quick: if you had 25 points to spend on FPL powers IRL, what would you buy? Ivan 25 points? what a sham TheRookie standard teleportation oh wait, no, that's 30 POINTS =_( (Editors Note: 35, ya numbskull) x ray vision Abdiel perv. TheRookie i DID make a tentacle monster character Abdiel who is your hero (if you have one)? Ivan SAY LANDON TheRookie never he's too weenie =) uhhhhhhh i guess if i had to pick an IDOL (not Hero) Douglas Coupland an awesome author, also canadian, who's doing very well for himself Abdiel If a tree falls on a mime, will it make a sound? TheRookie (insert witty comment here) Abdiel Why don't cows have white meat? TheRookie because they use their entire bodies to move the reason why dark meat it dark is the fact that there's increased blood flow in the legs area since the cow uses it's entire body to move consisten blood flow it doesn't have white meat Sir Christopher Bill Nye would be proud Abdiel bigger artfag - Bryn or... um, some other artfag? TheRookie bryn is the BIGGEST ART FAG EVAR Sir Christopher ab comes out with the TOUGH QUESTIONS Ivan biggest quote whore ever? TheRookie me duh Abdiel give me three reasons why you haven't moved to the United States yet. TheRookie 1.) it costs too much 2.) i'll miss poutine 3.) USA periodicals cover more college football then hockey BLASPHEMY Ivan remember we validate parking Sir Christopher America now has green card discounts on isle 16 Abdiel who's going to win the Stanley Cup this year? TheRookie HABS HABS HABS Ivan I think HABS is slang for Chicago Abdiel What if God was one of us? TheRookie god is one of us, 10 bucks says he's sick of being worshipped and just wants us to live our lives Ivan Pants or No Pants? TheRookie SKIRTS Ivan good answer Sir Christopher rice or poutine TheRookie poutine Sir Christopher yep, he's Canadian TheRookie tho after a while if i don't eat rice for a few days i get the shakes Abdiel DAMN. I missed the obvious "Got Rice?" question Sir Christopher BURNED Abdiel And finally, are there any questions you wish I'd asked, or things you'd like to say while you have the mic? You have the final word. TheRookie pretty much i think the fpl is a great creative outlet, sure there's been some real turd characters but there have also been some great stuff it's been fun really, i hope everyone keeps up the great work as i will continue to visit the site. Previous Rants |
