AtticusSage

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” - Somebody

Who is AtticusSage?

What part of this earth do you live in? What’s one positive thing and one negative thing about it?
I was born in Virginia and have pretty much been here since! I moved around a bit while I was in the Navy but never stayed anywhere for more than a handful of months. We don't really have much to do in terms of entertainment but we have great weather and marijuana is legal. Growing up I always loved hunting crawfish in the creek, getting lost in the woods, and adventuring with my dogs. I love the outdoors!

If you had unlimited access to money, what is the most bizarre thing you’d buy for yourself?
I would create a gaming themed I Spy book series where I pose (tastefully) nude in the background of every page. I'd call it: "I Spy With My Little..." 

What’s one thing that gets you out of bed everyday other than to go pee?
Streaming and all that comes with it! I struggled hard with depression/anxiety quite a bit and being able to put myself into growing the stream has absolutely had me pumped to wake up every day! I am in a much healthier state of mind as a streamer than as anything else in my life. I've met so many new friends and made tons of memories between both of our communities. I stay excited for tomorrow every day! Im finally finding my people!

Growing up, what were some of your hobbies you dabbled in or school clubs were you part of?
I raced motocross from the age of 6 til I was about 12 with my Dad. We spent almost every weekend at a dirtbike track between those years and I loved it. I ended up getting in with some really tough competition and stopped doing it. At around 14 or 15, I picked up skateboarding with a group of friends and pretty much didn't stop until I shipped out for Basic Training at 20. 
The only school club that I can remember being in is the spelling club. I was the known short kid in school and during my first competition, I had to bend the microphone down to my face each time it was my turn. It made a horrible screeching sound every time I went up which was followed by roaring laughter from the audience. Good times.

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What’s a dream job you’d love to have and why?
I'm honestly not sure what my dream job is! I know I want to be in some realm of gaming or design. Voice work, level design, creative ideas, IRL interior design, I have lots of interest and natural skill in those areas but no formal training. I think it would be awesome to help create something that people become emotionally attached to whether it be a character, a design, a living space, I love to create things people can fall in love with! 

What are some of your favorite foods and why? You cook? Any recipe(s) you’d like to share? 
I know I'm a little guy, but I LOVE food. I'd have to go with seafood as a whole. I can't get enough of it. Give me a nice fat and juicy broiled scallop plate, some crab legs, sushi, or endless shrimp and I'll be the happiest man alive. Mexican dishes are a close second. I love hot sauce and mexican always pairs best with it. I very rarely cook but a month or so ago I realized I really enjoy baking! Looking forward to more of that. I'm also looking forward to trying my first REAL crawfish boil so keep me updated! 

Do you have any weird fears in life? For example: I’m terrified of blue toilet water and black toilets.
Sounds corny but I always try and make an effort to conquer the things I'm afraid of. I was afraid of heights so I went skydiving. I was afraid of the military so I joined the Navy. I was afraid of showing myself creatively so I started streaming. I always see the most growth in myself when I face things head on. One that I cannot shake however, is my fear of spiders. Keep them away from me. Please.

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What’s the most fun trip you’d ever taken? Would you do it again or keep the memory strong by not trying to relive it?
My Dad was competing in a championship motocross race at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Tennessee. Honda held a Guitar Hero tournament on a giant blowup screen for a couple hundred people to watch and I ended up winning. Honda paid for my Dad and I to fly to Atlanta and hang out with the pro Honda riders at one of the big races. It felt awesome at the age of 17 to be able to take my Dad on a trip to see his favorite hobby and it felt even better that video games paid for it. He hasn't fussed about me gaming since haha. I would absolutely relive all of that again if I could. 

What’s one celeb you’d like to meet one day. What would you wanna say to them?
Kristen Bell, easily. The wife and I find her absolutely amazing and she seems to be a genuine sweetheart. I'd tell her to keep Atticus in mind if she's looking for an interior designer or someone to mentor in voice work haha. We would love to meet her and her husband Dax! 

I know you’re married to a wonderful gal and it’s so cute when she shows up in your stream! ^_^ How did y’all meet and what’s something y’all love doing together or anything you’d like to share about her?
I am! She is the most wonderful person I have ever met. That woman is my world. She's my best friend and I couldn't ask for a better person to wake up next to each day. She's got a million different laughs, all of them equally as adorable and she's the kindest person I have ever known. I'm incredibly lucky to have her. She and I will be celebrating 10 years together in April! 
We actually met at a house party! The cops showed up, everyone was wasted. She had to get a ride home from a parent and I was offering the cops alcohol and showing them my trampstamp while they waited on her parent to arrive. She thought I was a figment of her drunk imagination until people mentioned my trampstamp weeks later at another party. Apparently that's hot though because she gave me her number and I locked her down for 10 years. Trampstamp ftw. 

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GAMING QUESTIONS

How did you get your alias/gamertag? Let us know the meaning behind it please!
The Atticus bit comes from "To Kill A Mockingbird". I always found Atticus Finch  to be incredibly respectful, intelligent, confident, and powerful. He doesn't let fear or danger stop him from doing the right thing and he is scary when he's serious. I have always admired and appreciated the firm but fair types in my life and he fits the bill. The Sage bit isn't as deep. I'm a big Zelda fan and I loved the wisdom and elemental symmetry of the sages in Ocarina of Time. I really admire intellect in characters and people.

If you could realistically have one Pokémon live in your house, which one and why? (Can’t be unreasonable like saying lapras lol.)
Alolan Vulpix because that little fox is the cutest thing EVER!! Who wouldn't want a snow fox as a pet?! 

I know you enjoy collecting funko figures, which one would you say you cherish the most, which one would you sell if you needed to & which one is the most rare/expensive?
I do! I wouldn't say I'm an avid collector but if I see one that I like, I try to grab it! My favorite has to be Queen Elizabeth. I'm not sure why I like it so much but I know I'm attached to it haha. If I had to sell one, I could honestly part with all of them...except the Queen. My most expensive is Holly Golightly from Breakfast At Tiffany's. She's sitting around $155 if I'm not mistaken. 

You’re a fantastic streamer! Good vibes, smart, funny, engaging… When did you start and what motivated you to into streaming? Any tips for other streamers?
Thank you so much! You inspire a lot of what I do so that means the world to me! It was your idea to add the "Summon SageWife" command! I got fed up with running Spirit Halloween and tried my hand at Walmart. I was partway through the application process and was already bogged down by the corporate feel of it all. Something snapped and I decided to go hard into content creation and breaking my anxieties. I knew I was a good shiny hunter so I figured I would spread those shinies to others and maybe help someone smile. I started with YouTube for a short time, used the momentum of it to hit the streams hard in March of 2023 and by April of the same year I had made Affiliate! The biggest motivators for me have been the communities I've gotten involved with and the freeing feeling of putting myself out there and not giving a fuck. I've met tons of friends and overcome so much anxiety because of streaming. The best advice I've got is to take things one step at a time and don't take things too serious. Little tweaks here and there will eventually build your final product and remember it's all in good fun. The most beautiful paintings are made up of countless, tiny, brush strokes. 

L337Lauren & AtticusSage at a Twitch Meetup 2023!

What video game character would you switch bodies with for a day? What would you do? Would that character mess things up being you (fish out of water story) or help with your life?
I said Tifa from Final Fantasy VII but my wife says I shouldn't elaborate any further because it's not appropriate for an interview...so I'm gonna go with Sora from Kingdom Hearts! He's got a huge heart and he's incredibly determined. He will do anything to protect his friends. I could trust him in my body for sure. I would use his body to visit all the Disney worlds he gets to see! I have always been a Disney fan and he has literally got a key to all the Disney universes! I'd probably mess things up for him though because I can't fight. A few swings of a Keyblade and I'll be winded for sure haha.

I know you’re into Final Fantasy, are there any parts of the story that get you emotional every time you encounter it again?
I won't say too much since this particular game is currently getting the remake treatment, but that one scene in Final Fantasy VII. If you know, you know. The music breaks me every time I hear it.

Is there a game you could never fully finish even though you tried? Would you try again or placing it on its forever resting place on the shelf?
Ever since I was a kid it has always been The Lion King SNES but I actually beat that for my first time last year on stream! The only other one I can think of will be REALLY cringe to my Final Fantasy peeps. Final Fantasy IX. I've played it about 4 or 5 times and I've gotten quite far but never finished it. I enjoyed every second of it but probably got distracted with other things. You know how it goes. 

I know you’re saving up to get a new gaming PC. Have any idea what theme or color scheme you’re wanting to get? Mine is a white windowed case, pink LEDs and purple liquid coolant!
Yes!! I'm looking forward to some CS and whatever else we may get into! My favorite color is green but I think purple LEDs would fit my lighting better. I may get an artist friend of mine to do a custom case for me! I hadn't even thought about what my PC should look like. I'm not even sure what's possible! I've got some research to do!

Ever been to a LAN party and/or played in a tournament before? If yes, with what game(s)? If no, what game would you want to compete in?
Man, I miss LAN. In my group of neighborhood friends I was one of the best at Halo. I thought I was the peak of skill, then I went to my first LAN tournament for Halo 2 and got absolutely demolished. I couldn't believe some of the things they were doing. It was like Cirque Du Soleil with spartans. I went to plenty more after that to "git gud" and had so much fun doing it. Last one I went to was before the release of Halo 3. I've only ever been in Guitar Hero tournaments but I'd love to compete again in something. Why isn't competitive shiny hunting a thing?! 

What’s a memorable moment in your life with gaming?
I was home from the military and playing some matches of Halo: Reach with my little brother. We were splitscreen matchmaking and had been in this one particular match about halfway through when I got a phone call from a Navy buddy of mine. He was at his friend's house to visit during his leave and saw his buddy playing against me. He called to confirm every detail of the match I was in and we both freaked out forever on the phone about how slim those odds were. It still blows me away to this day. 

FAVORITE QUESTIONS:

1. Preferred Type of Socks: Long, plain, boring, tube socks. I save cool designed socks for my prop skeleton. The designs make my feet itch. 

2. Cereal: Special K Original, no sugar. I'm not really a fan of sugary cereals.

3. Button on the Xbox Controller: RB. When its not busted, the click is extremely satisfying.

4. Midnight Snack: My midnight snacks are all over the place but I'm currently hooked on Keebler Fudge Stripes and a glass of milk.

5. Form of Transportation: I've had the most fun on a dirtbike but as far as actual transport, probably a plane. I've never been on a moving ship even though I was in the Navy. 

6. Sports / Team: Skateboarding. My favorite skaters are Mike V, P Rod, and Andrew Reynolds. 

7. Video Game Character Hat: Vivi from FFIX takes an easy win here.

8. Fast Food Chain: Biscuitville. That place is amazing. They make the biscuits from scratch right in front of you. 

9. Pokémon Game: Such a tough one! Probably gotta go with Silver though. I loved having access to both Johto AND Kanto and it was my first Pokemon game!

10. Band / Singer: Band: Asking Alexandria. Singer: Does Eminem count?

The_Mr_Shank

"The steps you take don't need to be big. They just need to take you in the right direction." - Jemma Simmons, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Who is thE_Mr_Shank?

Where ya from and what do you like about it?
I’m from the suburbs of New York, born and raised. Been here my whole life. I feel like this type of area is just perfect for me. Not too far away from anything important, enough people to have some towns around, and near a small city. And only an hour away from NYC itself, so easy enough to pop down there for a few hours. And still quiet enough that I don’t need to hear sirens or construction all day long or anything like that, and space enough for houses to have some property.

I know I’ve known you for like maybe over a decade at this point. What has changed in your life from 10 years ago that you didn’t see happening?
God, I sound so boring, thinking of it, but not really a lot. I guess I work from home now, instead of in an office, but that might change soon. Things are pretty similar to 10 years ago for me.

What is a fun unique fact about you that no one would guess?
Again, sounds boring, but the only thing I can think of is that I have a metal rod in my leg from when I broke it in high school. I can’t think of anything else, haha.

I know we have been to conventions together. Have any interesting stories? Meet anyone famous? Hotel horrors?
I don’t think I have had any crazy wild stories at conventions (I do have an awful memory, though), mostly just fun times. I think the most famous people I’ve met are you and Clifford, to be honest. I’ve met with various cosplayers, content creators, etc., too, but no like A list celebrities or anything like that. I’ve met the english voice actor for Barret in Final Fantasy VII Remake. I’ve been pretty fortunate with my hotels. Granted, some of them have been pretty old, and not like, super clean, but no horrors, fortunately. Don’t know how long my luck will hold out, so, fingers crossed.

You’re known as the guy who brings donuts you pass around conventions! How did this come to be? (No complaints here! Yum.)
Well, early on in my con going career, back in 2015, there was a couple cosplayers that I had wanted to meet, and they were attending PAX East. And I’m not much of a talker, so I figured donuts would be a great way to break the ice, cause who doesn’t love a good donut? And then I kept doing it.

We have also visited NYC together and so I know you enjoy broadway type shows! Which show did you like the most that you’ve seen and which one are you wanting to see next?
Oh man, I mean I haven’t seen that many, but it’s still a hard choice! At the moment, I guess I’d pick Potted Potter. Just a small, two man show, but it’s just sooo funny. Probably made me laugh the hardest out of all the comedies I’ve seen.

From picture posts in discord, we know you cook! How did you learn and what is the most exciting thing to cook? Will we get The_Mr_Shank cookbook one day?!
I don’t remember how exactly I started to really learn. Probably from my mom, since she does most of the cooking. One of the family’s favorites recently has been something called Lion’s Head meatballs, which are Chinese meatballs which have a pretty high fat content, so they’re softer and kind of melt in your mouth. I don’t think I’d make a cookbook, I just follow recipes well, haha. I don’t really do anything of my own.

Baby Shank! Awww

Do you sing in the shower? I HAVE to know. (If not, I challenge you to do it once this year! Accept the challenge?)
I do not, I don’t sing at all, like ever, haha.

What is your dream vacation? Are you more of a woodsy area, city, beach guy? What’s something on a bucket list you’d like to do on that vacation?
Hmm, I think for vacation, I’m more of a city person. I like to have things to do and see. I don’t know about dream vacation, though, there’s so many places I’d like to see. Maybe Japan. Definitely is up there. Bucket list is definitely to eat, haha. Try all the good stuff.

Ever have any recurring dreams? The one I have the most is me in a WalMart dim lit public bathroom with a wet floor and I’m wearing socks trying to tiptoe out without stepping in the gross creepy puddles. IDK what it means! Haha
I don’t dream that often, actually. Once in a while, I think if I’m in a really deep sleep, but even then, not very often. So no recurring ones that I can think of. I don’t remember them very well. You have a thing with bathrooms it seems, hahaha.

GAMING QUESTIONS

How/when/what got you into being a video gamer?
I don’t remember exactly when, but it was definitely when I was very young. My older cousin had gotten into gaming, so he introduced me to it when we visited. The earliest thing I remember was some of the early SNES days. Probably Super Mario Bros. I don’t think I remember anything earlier than that. I would want to play every time we visited.

I know you’re great at finishing games! How many games roughly have you completed on Steam (and would you like to share how many you own on steam)?
Oh lord, I don’t think I can even begin to guess how many I’ve finished. I have about 800 games on my Steam account, total. And according to a Steam account calculator I’ve “played” 498 of them, so that includes games I’ve launched for like a minute, but never really played. So maybe I’ve completed somewhere around 350? I mean, there are also multiplayer games that can’t technically be completed, and probably have more time than most of the single player games I’ve played. (LawBreakers is currently my 31st most played game!) 

What boss fight is most memorable to you and why?
Man, there are just so many, and my memory isn’t that great, so I’m sure there are so many fantastic ones that I can’t recall off the top of my head. I guess in recent history, some of my favorites are admittedly from the Sony side of things, from games like Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War, Final Fantasy. I don’t think I can choose a most memorable, though.

FMK: Mileena, Lady Dimitrescu, Tifa Lockhart?
Wow, those are some options, haha. Marry would definitely have to be Tifa, I guess fuck Lady Dimitrescu, and kill Mileena.

Is there a game you’ve never been able to complete? Will you ever revisit it? Lion King on SNES here.
I’m sure there’s quite a handful from my early gaming years, but the two that really stand out are Kingdom Hearts 1, I got stuck in Agrabah, and never went back to try and finish it. Always hearing how great of a series it is, but just never got through it. And the second one is Final Fantasy 10. Big fan of Final Fantasy in general, but I never owned a PS2. It’s one of the games that I played at my cousin’s house. Over time we just started visiting less, and also moved onto other games, so never finished it. It’s on Steam now, so maybe one day I’ll go back to that. It’s a great game. Also, one game that took me years to finish is the original Final Fantasy VII. I’ve played it several times, all the way up to the final boss, then went to finish up side things to do, and always end up grinding to the point of burning out, and never ended up killing the final boss, until a few years ago, haha.

If you were to ever make a game, what genre would it be and why?
I guess either something along the lines of Darksiders, or a FPS. I’ve actually had a couple ideas for a FPS, but I don’t have the skills to make them. I think they could be fun, though!

What’s the longest game spree you’ve experienced and how long did you go? Did you fall asleep on the keyboard at the end?
Probably nothing crazy compared to a lot of people out there. I’m generally pretty reasonable when it comes to that, but maybe like 18 hours or so. I’ve never fallen asleep on my keyboard. I’ve taken naps in my chair during work and the like, but never while I was gaming.

Any gaming accomplishments you’d be proud to share?
Not that I can think of, haha. I’m not a boastful person, so I’ve never really taken note of anything that might seem like a great accomplishment.

Which video game world would you live in? Who would be your neighbors?
Another tough choice. I feel like most video game worlds are actually terrible for the average person. At least during the time periods where the games take place, because there’s always some sort of conflict. And if you’re not the hero, there’s a good chance something bad is going to happen. Maybe Final Fantasy 7. Some modern technology, and some magic, so it could be fun to live a normal life. Also chocobos and moogles!

You’re not only a great friend but an *amazing* Twitch moderator for me… (^_^) Thankies! I value you so much! How many channels do you mod for?! We are so spoiled to have you. Any weird/funny mod stories you’d like to tell us about? Or your experience with being a mod.
Currently 16, haha. A few of which aren’t active any more, and some that I don’t view very often any more. There was one guy, who was just absolutely delusional, like very serious mental problems, that a female streamer friend of mine had to block. And then he started messaging me, at first I would just tell him to chill out, but he kept sending me messages he wanted me to relay to her. I started to largely ignore him, but didn’t block him, just in case something dangerous was said (thankfully not). And then eventually he would message me as if I was her, and he was obsessed. Like talking about things as if he and her were married or things like that. It was very strange. After a while he actually stopped messaging me, but I noticed that he’d just go back and edit his last message every once in a while with a new message. Definitely the weirdest thing I’ve ever had to deal with that.

FAVORITE QUESTIONS:

1. Mouse of all time: Like hardware mouse? Or animal mouse? Hardware mouse would be the Logitech G500, I think. Animal mouse would probably be Jerry from Tom and Jerry.

2. Nickelodeon/Cartoon Network Show: Avatar The Last Airbender.

3. Crayon Color: Black

4. Breakfast Food: Impossible to choose, but if I had to, I guess….bacon?

5. Gaming News Outlet: I don’t really follow any in particular. I just get my news from Twitter mostly, whoever tweets/retweets about it first, haha.

6. Song/Band: Favorite song is probably The Sound of Silence by Disturbed, but my favorite band is probably either Halestorm or Ad Infinitum.

7. Type of Clothing: I guess just a nice T-shirt.

8. Outdoor Activity: Been a while, but I guess maybe soccer? 

9. Co-Op Campaign Game: Borderlands 2

10. Video Game Dev/Studio: So many great ones, but I think I’ll have to go with Platinum Games. Their combat is just absolutely stellar. Honorable mentions include Guerilla, Insomniac, Santa Monica, and Nintendo.

Neo_182

"Don't confuse kindness for weakness." - Al Capone

Who is Neo_182?

A basic question, but it’s gotta happen. Where are you from / live? What’s something you love about living there, something unique to the area?
Hey Lauren! I'm from Gatineau (Pronounced gat-ee-no) Quebec (Kay-Bec) Canada and have lived here my entire life. It's a large city right next to the Canadian capital. The people are extremely friendly and usually speak both French and English. Once a year we have a hot air balloon festival. > view

Care to share what you do for a living? What’s a day in the life at that job for you?
I’m an IT technician. I do pretty much everything with computers and technology. If someone wants a fancy water cooled computer, i can do that! If they want ethernet lines for schools or government, i can do that! I specialize in smaller component repairs such as laptops and motherboards. I've always liked this field of work and seeing technology evolve and advance through the years. In my off time you can usually find me trying to repair a motherboard or playing around with CPU voltages to see how much performance i can squeeze out of a machine.

I know you love doggies, like me! Have any cute memories you can share about your pets in your life?
I do very much love doggies 🙂 My very favorite memory would be the last time i and Astro were at my family cottage and old decommissioned camping. We went for a walk along what used to be the beach for camping residents. We came across a mother duck and ducklings. Astro in his curious nature gently swam in the water in front of me. We just sat there for a few minutes enjoying the view. 🙂 (will share video)

What’s your favorite holiday? What’s your least favorite holiday? What makes you like/hate them?
Christmas. Though I'm not religious anymore, i do like to be with my family during this time. It's a little complicated because me and my siblings all have different beliefs but we make a point to be together and have a good time. We celebrate on December 23rd. My least favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I hate turkey!

Where has been your favorite place to travel in the world and where do you wish to plan to visit one day?
I haven't traveled out of Canada or even been on a plane yet. I'm boring and don't like the idea of traveling. So my favorite place is again, my family cottage. Though if i were given the choice I'd like to visit somewhere cold like Alaska, Greenland or even Antarctica. True story!

What’s the most extreme thing you’ve done? Example; skydive, jump on a moving train, eat a bug …
I used to downhill bike quite a bit. So that's the most extreme thing I've done. And snowboard! Though i haven't done so in 5-6 years now. I'd like to get a new board and visit the local ski resorts again this year.

Are you into cooking/baking? Let’s hear about your favorite foodz. (Like if you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?)
I love to cook! My favorites? Oh where to even start...In typical Canadian the way to my heart is with a nice poutine haha. Some favorites are stir fry, burgers, lemon herb marinated chicken. If i were to chose just one for the rest of my life? I'd choose pizza. Pizza has all the things you need. It's always the correct answer. So final answer: Pizza.

What’s one your favorite childhood memory? One of mine was camping out at the Mall with my mom and twin brother outside Babbage’s store waiting for them to open to get the new Pokémon games and toys!
Oof. So many wonderful memories. My favorite memory is playing in the basement with my brother, sister and dad with the dogs. My dad took us (me and my siblings) to ToysRUs. He said "Okay, go pick anything you want!" we spent the better part of the afternoon searching the store up and down for the most awesome thing we could find. When we returned to dad he said in very sarcastic tone "Hey those are great! When you grow up and get a job maybe you can get one of those!" ...And then we left the store. My dad had a terrible sense of humor but we def. love him.

Is there a life quote you like to live by?
Yes. It's an Al Capone quote of all people. "Don't confuse kindness for weakness." I consider myself to be kind and understanding. But certainly not dumb! Respect is very important to me. That's always been a sensitive spot. Once you lose it, it's unlikely you'll get it back. So be nice to each other dammit!

Are there any movies or tv shows that made a big impact on you in your life
My favorite show growing up was Reboot. It was the first CGI show on TV. I unknowingly learned computer jargon and lingo from it through the 90s. My favorite movies are Goodfellas (It's my comfort movie because Ray Liotta's character reminds me a lot of me in terms of personality) as well as the first Matrix. It's iconic. Really made me question reality and how things *just happen* for a reason. If things are real or aren't and what makes them that way? The old if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around does it make a sound? Intriguing!

Video Game / Nerdy Questions:

What game was it that got you into videos? How old were you?
My dad had an IBM computer and had a collection of games not entirely sure which game it was. 1988 so I was just 4yo. But i remember sitting at his computer with him trying all the things haha. Shortly after I got NES with Mario/Duck Hunt and a game I'll never forget called "Rescue The Embassy" I couldn't get through it as a kid. Eventually after falling so many times i learned what to do and what the enemy spawning mechanic was. Fun game! Then i got a Sega Genesis in 1992 and Sega Nomad (portable Sega) in 1995 which I still own today. I replaced the screen on it a few years ago. Still works nicely!

What is your favorite type of genre to play? Tell us some of your favorites.
I enjoy First Person Shooters. We met on Counter strike in 2003 so that game will always hold a special place in my heart. Overwatch 1, Rainbow Six Siege are some of my favorites. I also like role playing games. World of Warcraft, Diablo and Star Trek Online are some of my favorites.

If you could live in a video game world, which one would it be and why?
I'd like to be in the Star Trek Online universe. I'd make a pretty good admiral or captain. If not then engineering as my department. If none of the above would work then I'd join a rebel faction of some sort haha.

Have you ever broken gaming equipment due to gamer rage? I have back in Counter-Strike 1.6 competitive days, and had a drawer in my room I called my graveyard filled with nice and headsets. lol
Oh yes. Last time was my mechanical keyboard in summer 2020. I was permanently banned on my Overwatch 1 account for "suspected cheating" even though I tried appealing several times and was streaming at the time. Blizzard completely ignored me and gave me the standard cookie cutter response. So, I was locked out of my high level account.

If all electronics shut off tomorrow never to be used again, what hobby would you pick up to keep yourself occupied?
Wonderful! I've been looking forward to this actually hahaha. I'm purchasing a small decommissioned shipping container and building myself a tiny off grid home. Then I'm getting a giant female schnauzer and naming her Nova. I'd probably pickup wood carving or furniture making.

Tell us about your gaming “battle station”! We need deets and a pic please!
Ah the battlestation. >:D
Case: Lian-Li lancool 2 mesh black CPU: AMD Ryzen 5900x 12 core RAM: XPG 4x8Gb 3600MT 1.25v GPU: Gigabyte 3060 12gb Overclocked (2100mhz) Drives: Western Digital SN770 2Tb boot, SN750 500Gb 2x, WD Black 2Tb HDD 2x PSU: CoolerMaster 1000w Gold Monitors: Left MSI G27C4 27in 165hz - Center LG Ultragear 34GP63A-B 34in 160hz - Right MSI G27C4 E2 27in 170hz Keyboard is a heavily modified Redragon K582 (I have lubbed the switches for less noise. All keys have dampeners) ASWD keys are cherry purple switches while the rest are kail red. The keycaps are white pudding from Kingston HyperX. My mouse is the Logitech G502 SE Hero @ 1800 dpi, Speakers are Edifier Prisma in white, Astro A40s with amp 2018, microphone is fifine AM8 in white with a red flexiarm.

Uh oh, a zombie is coming at you! You look around and see a mop, a cardboard box, and a stool in arms reach of you. Which one do you pick to use as a weapon?!
Gimme the stool. Breaking off the seat and using it as shield and using the legs as spear. Bring it zombies!

Take the last 2 games you’ve played and merge them together. How would you pitch this idea as a potential new IP?
Diablo 4 and Starfield? So basically, Doom but with more exploration!

What’s the longest gaming spree you’ve had? How long and which game?
32 hours on Battlefield 3 in 2013. I did a stream for extra life (and the entire thing was under DDOS attacks...) I remember coming back from a bio break after 30 hours and having drank some mountain dew and feeling like I was about to die. The thought was "Well, at least i raised money for a good cause!" Razer had sponsored me.

In the game industry, are there any devs or studios you like the most, keep up with, and why?
Def. Digital Extremes. The people behind Warframe. At least in the early stages of Warframe. They were communicative about what they wanted to introduce or put in the game. As the years went by the word of mouth spread and the game got massively popular. They weren't struggling financially anymore. The devs and community team were quite down to earth and friendly. Though i don't play or keep track of how the game is doing anymore -- I was happy to know we saved a Canadian gaming studio from closing it's doors.

FAVORITE QUESTIONS:

1. Ice Cream Flavor: Can't be anymore Vanilla than vanilla. If you want any other flavors in there then add it! I like Vanilla by itself though haha.

2. Sports Car: Dodge Viper RT10 fire red > view

3. Mario Kart Character: Oh my I haven't played Mario kart in ages so I wouldn't know

4. Song: Favorite song… Hmm hard to pick I have two? AFI Bleed Black. Because that's what I was listening to when my life was not too good in 2003. I tried to unlife myself. And Fastball Fire Escape. Because that's pretty much me.

5. Shoe Brand: Fox Union Canvas > view

6. Superhero: Spiderman. But more so Venom. Not the movie version. He's fucking awful. I've been keeping up with most of Venom's history since 1996. I like that he tries to do good despite being a terrible person while fighting off villains and his personal demons. > view

7. Breakfast Food: Breakfast is eggs and bacon. Bonus if there's chocolate milk.

8. Childhood TV Show: Childhood TV show is again Reboot 🙂 Very influential! > view

9. Comedian: George Carlin - His sanctity of life skit is gold

10. Twitch Channels: @LaggyLuLu @L337Lauren @Taryn @thKillerQueenBee @jackiequacky > view

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Wendy "Zaythar" Willis

WHO am I?

"I comic, I game, I bake, I food, I read, I nerd." - Zaythar

NORMAL QUESTIONS

Let's start with basics. Where did you grow up and where do you live now? 
Grew up in Davenport, IA (Iowa/Illinois border), lived in Raleigh for total of 5 years. Moved to Irvine, CA four weeks ago.

What do you do for a living?
Business Analyst in digital world; I currently work for an amazing digital marketing agency. It is the best company and job I've ever had. I even have my own "Easter Eggs": http://fiveanddone.com/12 

Where is your favorite place you've traveled to? 
Visited some friends a couple times in Raleigh before we moved there. Fell in love with the area and jumped at the opportunity when I had the chance to move there.

Have you ever dressed your pups up in costumes? Do tell! 
Sindaen HATES clothes. However, he does have a huge assortment of bow ties: Christmas, Marvel, Great Gatsby, Easter, Spring, etc. Zoey has cupcakes and Marvel collars. Sindaen knows where I keep his ties and collars and will let me know when he wants to change it up.

What or who inspired your to get into baking?
My grandma always had me in the kitchen with her at home and at her taco house. I was always stirring and "making" recipes. At 5 years old I made my first batch of sugar cookies and entered them in the county fair and won grand prize. From there, I expanded my skills and figured out how to incorporate my love for comics, games, and movies into my baking.

Have you ever invented your own recipe from scratch? How did it turn out?
I have! I have come up with a mocha spiced orange cake; cranberry orange pistachio icebox cookies: chocolate mochi waffles and currently working on a few more recipes for the holiday season. There is always trial and error trying to get the right amounts. If they aren't good enough, by my standards, the treat is thrown out and I start over.

Does all your family expect cookies and cupcakes from you for the
holidays?
My friends, who are my family, hope I bake them something. Normally, I do a full-on baking extravaganza every holiday season so they get tons of cookies, cupcakes, breads, and brownies galore. They tell me those are their favorite gifts. :)

Where are your favorite restaurants in the NC area? Or Downtown Raleigh? (I
love Oro & Sono!)
I love Taste in Morrisvile (fantastic Vietnamese), Rise Doughnuts in Durham, Joule in Raleigh, LaFarm Bakery in Cary, Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham

Now, that I moved, I'm getting to discover new restaurants and flavors: legit ramen, oxtail pho, Peruvian food, poke, and so much more.

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I know you are a huge dog fan like me, tell me more about your 2 dogs. 
We've had Sindaen since he was 8 weeks ago. He actually was my sister-in-law's dog but Sindaen didn't get along with their other dog, a Great Dane puppy. We met Sindaen at Christmas time and it was love at first sight. A week later, my sister-in-law asked if we wanted to be his new "parents". Sindaen is so spoiled, he loves his baby, Frog, and BALL (any will do). He also knows how to spell ball and bone. He LOVES the ladies, human and doggie. Of course, he is a huge fan of bow ties, collars, and bandanas. 

Zoey came to us in July of last year. She had been in four previous homes. The folks who I got her from loved her but Zoey didn't get along with the other female dog they had. I arranged to meet Zoey and fell in love. She is a love bug. She wants to cuddle with everyone. She has acclimated well to being spoiled as much as Sindaen. Sindaen is finally warming up to Zoey and is actually starting to chase and cuddle next to her. 

Outside of doggies and dessert goodies, what else do you like to do for
fun?
I recently taught myself to crochet so I have been crocheting up nerdy scarves and gloves. I also am an avid reader. I tend to read mysteries and fantasy/sci-fi. The last book I read was Summer Wind by my friend Christa Charter. Next on my To-Read list is Broken Soul by Faith Hunter.

VIDEO GAME/NERDY QUESTIONS

I've noticed you are quite the Diablo fan. When/how did you get into
Diablo?
My husband brought the original Diablo home after it came out. He was excited because he bought me my first "real" computer game and he knew I would love it. He was right and I spent so many hours with Diablo, Diablo 2 and now Diablo 3. 

Do you play any other Blizzard games? I'm addicted to WoW (again).
I am such a Blizzard fangirl. I played WoW since the beta. I take breaks every now and again but always come back. I wanted the new expansion but unfortunately, my PC is in storage and only have a my work laptop. I played the original Warcraft series as well. I didn't really get into StarCraft. That's my hubby's game. 

I tend to buy the collector's editions of their games so I get all the sweet schwag. I picked up all the Funko POP! Blizzard figures because I am sucker for Funko, too. I also have one of the plush murlocs: Gurky. My friend, Max, used to work for Blizzard and surprised me for my birthday one year with Gurky. I am also close to the Blizzard campus now and hoping I can score a tour. :)

Are you a Sony, PC, or Microsoft fangirl?
I'm mostly a PC fangirl but tend to lean more towards Sony, too. I love my PS4, PS3 and Vita. My 3DS also gets a lot of love. My poor Xbone rarely gets any love these days. I think it's mostly because I got to know the old Xbox in-house community team. When Microsoft decided to be idiots and get rid of their community folks and filled their dashboard with ads, I move away from the 360. That is actually what made me become a Sony gal.

What type of class do you gravitate towards in games, and why?
I love action, rpg, puzzle, sim, and MMOs. I love puzzle games because of the logic, especially if they are mystery puzzle games. With action, RPG and MMOs it's because of the story and quests. I started my rpg love with the Final Fantasy and Zelda games. Then Everquest and WoW cemented my dedication to the MMO genre. Oh and I am a huge fan of the LEGO games, Animal Crossing, and Cooking Mama. 

What was the first video game you have played?
First video game was Asteroids at a bar/restaurant in Springbrook, Iowa. Quarters were a precious commodity to me as a child.

Is the cake a lie?
Nope, it's inside the cube!

I also know you like EQ. Have you ever played EQ2 pvp? Hardest PVP ever in
my opinion. heh.
I really don't like PVP and it's because of EQ. LOL There was so much griefing with PVP in EQ. Just trying to get to level 10 back then was AWFUL. 

What is the longest gaming spree you've ever done?
Oh that was EQ as well: I'm pretty sure it was a 16-hour day with leveling, dungeons and corpse runs. You really had to work to get your experience in EQ. LOL

What is your game of the year for 2014 and why?
My game of 2014 was Diablo: Reaper of Souls. I was a kind of disappointed when Diablo 3 was released because I thought Blizzard missed the mark a bit. However, with RoS they completely redeemed themselves and hit a bullseye. But they didn't stop there and keep improving and adding things. I'm hoping it also means Blizzard is setting me up for Diablo 4. :)  I had so much fun with it that I even picked it up for the Xbone and have been debating if I want to get it for the PS4.

What top 3 games are you looking forward to most this year?
Batman: Arkham Knight (My company is actually doing the website for the game!) 
The Order: 1886
Yoshi's Wooly World

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FAVORITE QUESTIONS

Cake flavor + topping combo? Red Velvet Cake w/ Boiled Flour Frosting (NOT cream cheese)

News website? Twitter :)

Childhood toy? Star Wars Death Star

TV Show? The Flash and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Video Game Genre? RPGs

Marvel character? Rachel Summers Grey & Magik

Kitchen tool? Kitchen-Aid Mixer

Meme? http://mydarknessfalls.tumblr.com/post/73944316958

Celeb? Chris Evans

Dog store/items? Oliver's Collar in Durham (Chloe and Mr Cuddlebear help you shop), Stevie's Studios on Etsy, Kong Dog ZoomGroom Brush, Stella & Chewy's dehydrated food

Check out Zaythar's twitter! http://www.twitter.com/zaythar

What is this L337FL337 thing?

Hey there, Jellybeans!
Many many many of you have been following me since my hardcore pro Counter-Strike and/or Myspace days. That’s like 10 years ago! So I wanted to dedicate some of my time to learning more about who some of you are. Once in a while I choose one of you off twitter (who are frequent responders) and ask you 30 questions. 10 regular, 10 nerdy, 10 favorites. Those who participate receive a personalized letter from me with a special edition L337FL337 sticker! <3