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I'm friends with the president I'm friends with the pope We're all makin' a fortune Sellin' daddy's dope -- The Ramones Austin is a rebel. No wait, Austin is a walrus. Eh, forget it. Austin's a respected creator (albeit with an attitude) who recently racked up his first ME win with the frantic trio Danger Austin Danger. He's an artiste - you may have seen some of his work appearing as character pics sprinkled throughout the gallery. In addition, he's currently doing a webcomic. Check it out here. Rookie sits in for this interview. (Editor's Note: Since "Abdiel" and "Austin" look pretty similar if you squint, to improve readability I've changed the "Austin"s to grey text. If it bugs anyone let me know and I'll change it back.) Abdiel alright, first off I'd like to thank you for joining us, Austin. I know you have a full schedule. ;) Austin Oooo yeah. Only on here everynight... cough Abdiel Alright, the infamous first question: which of your characters do you feel is your "greatest success" and why? Austin Well, probably I.V.S. II. He was almost at his final design when I made him, and I did a lot of stuff on the IC board and the FanArt board to round out the character. It ended up being a very well put together piece. Perfect Zero is close, but... Well, I'm still doing IVS2, so he's still 2nd. Some people got a weird thing for the maze, though. Abdiel what are the most important factors or elements in a truly great character that you think IVS and Zero share? Austin First thing straight off is it's gotta catch your attention, somehow, some way, it doesn't matter. If I'm passing out trying to read the first four sentences of the bio, something's gone horribly wrong. After that it's just a matter of degree. Abdiel Please give us some examples of scale. Austin Okay, well Hitokiri Shinigami. Pretty good powers. Okay writing. But, goddamn, the IC aspect of that character kicked the shit out of almost everything but the Apocalypse. That made you willing to read the character, and appreciate it. My main scale is usually IC development or potential Abdiel And someone further down the scale? Austin Well, I'll just use one a my own bloody characters again - The Getaway Driver. No real IC stuff, but you could see him being used IC, and the bio was, if I may say, very exhilarating. Abdiel so to you the most important/central aspect of any character is the degree it is or could be involved in IC works? Austin It's what I usually give the most consideration. I'll vote for a character that's not as well written if it's got more GOOD IC stuff than another character. It's one thing to do a good sketch. IC developement that works is MUCH more impressive. Abdiel given that, what are some of your favorite IC events or sagas that have taken place in Khazan thusfar? Austin Hmm, let me see, I really have to think hard here... The Apocalypse maybe? Abdiel heh Austin Beyond that one obvious one, LuciferHawk and Rimfiztrick are doing one, called Light & Dark, and that's nice work. Also, I'm a big fan of my own work. I think those three are the main ones. There have been other small ones, but they usually peter out. TheRookie (what about mr. hero saga if i actually finished it and wasn't lazy =) ... don't put that in Austin (if you FINISHED it Rookie...) Abdiel rook: that is going in >:) TheRookie no Abdiel heh Austin yes Abdiel any other underappreciated author's you'd like to recommend to the FPL populace? Austin Well, I haven't seen much of his writing, but all those people who have voted against Red should feel really bad. He's better than some veterans, and I bet he's an awesome fiction writer. Also, when he wants to, Rimfiztrik on his own kicks ass. Abdiel Do you think Elitism exists in the FPL? If so, should anything be done, and what? Austin Oooo yeah, it exists. And sometimes I think something should be done, but damn it all, I'm a pretty elitist bastard myself. Mostly I think if it wasn't for elitism, we'd have no way to admit to ourselves that some stuff is good and some stuff is [CREATIVELY EDITED] "not good." Damn, I am so not being the total asshole I oughta be, but tha hell with it. Abdiel do you have any advice for newbies who feel crushed under the invisible heel of such elitism, or simply advice for those just starting out trying for their first hit? Austin That would be pretty hard for me to give, possibly hypocritical, cause it didn't really happen too much to me. All I can say is this. READ. The information is there. Don't just jump in, give yourself a week or two to just READ the FPL, then create. That was my technique, and it worked okay. Abdiel What's your take on some of the groups and collaborative projects you've participated in in the FPL? Austin So far, my experience has been mostly negative. The only "group" project I ever got off the ground was the OTHERS, and that was a semi-positive experience. And for once I've even been invited to join one, which is nice to feel. As to my overall opinion of them... Well, mostly I don't like them. They all seem to center on stuff that doesn't seem either fun or really interesting. Semi-pop culture crap that annoys the hell out of me, as an avowed misanthrope, punk, and general reader of nasty dirty realistic type stories, or some crap like that. God, someone kick me off this high horse. Abdiel obliges Austin Oh well. I stand by my vast an unending personal standards of unreachability... If it's any consolation, I can't meet them either. Abdiel So how do you feel the FPL has changed over the year(s) you've been here? Austin By and large it's improved. Virtually everyone here (including me) has honed their talents both in the FPL and elsewhere, and I think it pushes a lot of us people to new heights. Everything about characters has improved, from writing to powers to IC aspects... I mean everydamnthing. The only negative aspect is it's now even harder to start off, but I think even new people get good pretty fast. Or not, and then, well, then it sucks for them... But that's the way it happens sometimes. Abdiel if you could change one thing about the system now, what would it be? Austin It would be a bunch or weird little details, BS stuff that would be a pain in the ass to program. On a broad scale, I'd probably like to be able to yell obscenities at various people without fear of repercussions. But that's also something I'd like to change about my own life... Or hit people. I definitely need to be able to hit people. Abdiel what are some matchups you'd like to see in the upcoming Contest of Champions (ignoring the fact that by the time this interview will be up the CoC will probably be over)? Austin Well, cause I'm an egomaniac, IVS II versus Forté always seemed like it would be a funny match. Cause IVS II fights by having no set shape, while Forté immitates who he fights... it would look odd. Also, two immobile characters in a fight always crack me the hell up. Last, OTHERS versus COMING - I don't even want to see it, but it has to happen. Abdiel any fights you wish you could do over throughout your whole FPL career? Austin Eh, not really. There's about ten million that I think should've gone the other way, but I can't see how getting a rematch would change anything. (Well, not ten million literally...) Abdiel Tell us an amusing story about your experiences in the FPL or a bit of gossip Austin Damn, I have no amusing stories. Or gossip. Here, spread this around: Austin is totally not my name. I've been lying all the time I told people it's my last name. It has been a pseudonymic character I enjoyed developing. Also, I hear Rookie is also a 60 year old woman named Belva. TheRookie YES I AM 60 WOMAN ON ONE COMPUTER Abdiel why should people vote for your characters? Austin Because I have a better hair cut, a cooler car, and a bigger ego than they do. And cooler shoes. I have totally cool shoes. Besides that, only my characters are ACTUALLY REAL! Really. What? Abdiel care to share any of your future plans for characters and/or stories with us? Austin Yeah. The Dead Girl. IVS2. IVS1. Some characters I won't even make, just post. All this and more, just keep reading "Changes." Believe me, everything is gonna get f*cked up. Abdiel In Five words or less, describe your "style" Austin Cooler than god. Abdiel lowercase g? Austin As an atheist, I use a lower case. It's just my thing. I do it in my stories too. You can tell if a character is an atheist, if he curses and uses the lower chase g in my stuff. Abdiel if you could off any one person in the world and get away with it, who would it be? Austin Just one? Abdiel yup Austin Man, tough call. Abdiel that's the idea Austin The only person I can think of, where killing him would instantly end all my problems, would be me. But then, I'm pretty much garaunteed to get away with that. Beyond that, I guess it would be the next guy who looks at me wrong. But I'd beat him to death. Abdiel what's the true meaning of life? Austin Muscle cars, punk rock, books that physically hurt you, cool clothes, and fast women with kinky tastes. Personally. I guess art should go in there somewhere. Abdiel who's the man? Austin That would have to be me. Though sometimes it's also John (SoM). Abdiel give me three links everyone should visit (including a comic link if you have it) Austin Frag, links? Ummm, hang about... 1) http://www.srl.org/ 2) http://oddjobs.keenspace.com/ here's yer damn comic. And damn his eyes for being so much better than me. 3) http://www.plif.com Oh, and of course http://adventuresanatomica.keenspace.com Gawd I suck for links. But my shoes remain cool, so all is well. Abdiel Can anyone learn to draw? Austin No. Abdiel Why does your artwork kick ass? Austin A few reasons: I've been doing it for almost 20 years (which means it sucks on a relative scale), and I won't spend much more than an hour on a drawing. If it takes you THAT damn long to draw it, give up already. And, also, cause I'm a really sick person. Abdiel who is your personal idol? Austin I talk a lot, but I haven't really got one. Harlan Ellison came close once, and Kyle Baker is pretty high up. But I just don't idolize. I get pissed that someone out there is so damn good and I'm not. I guess it's a self-improvement system. Go ahead, impressionable youths! Try it! Abdiel Name three Records EVERYONE should own Austin *Why Do They Call Me Mr. Happy* by Nomeansno, because they're better than everyone. *All Their Hits And More* by the Ramones, because if you don't own those songs then you suck. And *Sin City* by the Genitorturers, because the chick who sings lead is so hot and totally my type. Anyone still left who isn't offended? Abdiel hey, I'm the one asking the questions Austin Well, I'd just like to tell them to kiss my ass if they're out there. Heh. Abdiel So, what would you do if YOU were president, Austin? Austin Actually I have pretty detailed plans. Want to hear them? Or just the short summary. Abdiel up to you Austin Well, I'd basically slowly dissolve the government, first consolodating a dictatorship, and then gradually eliminating all laws until we were a properly sociallized anarchist society. There. Middle version. Abdiel interesting Austin Um, just as a note, I end up with no power in the end. In case that read wrong. Abdiel notes he'll have to eliminate this one early... Abdiel anyway Austin trips Abdiel Abdiel collapses Abdiel any final words for the FPL while you have the mic? Austin Good lord. What is there left that I could say to possible make every person who reads this even less impressed with me as a human, and more angry at me as a creator. Lessee... Hmm. I know: Not only am I fairly good looking, a good writer, a talented artist, and in decent physical condition, not only that, but my car is so much better than your car it's not even funny. Except to me. There. Everyone pissed and disgusted. Now get lost and complain about me on the FPL MBs. Abdiel well, uh... thanks for your time. Good luck with all your future characters and plans, Austin. Well, except for the anarchy thing Austin Muahaha Previous Rants |
