Sunday Sit down Number 3! Flanrific with Flannan!

"Flanrific!"

Hello Exiles and Dominion of the planet Nexus and beyond! My name is Zilvis. This is my end of the week community spotlight that I’ll be doing each and every week to delve a little more into who a certain member of the WildStar community is, learn the what and why of their choice to migrate to Nexus, and maybe some surprises along the way. The way I looked at it we're all community bound like brothers and sisters in this game of WildStar. Why not get to know someone a bit better? Once again welcome, sit back, and prepare to meet this week's community member, Flannan, or as I call him Flan. Welcome to Sunday Sit down.

 I’ll let you write a little introduction. 
If you have other monikers some may know you by, feel free to throw them out there. Mainly just tell  where people can find you online and any background you'd like to share we might not know.

     Thanks, but this intro may be a bit short as there isn't much to know. Well, as you said, its me, Flannan. Though, thanks to a few in the WildStar community a number of interpretations have been created, ranging from Flambe to Flanana. So, thanks to them for wonderful new names for my alts. But this intro isn't about them is it?! You can usually find me hanging out in the WildStar Turntable room, in fact I am in there as we speak. I also tend to be a fly on the wall in the WildStar-Central IRC. As for me outside of the WildStar relatedness, I am finishing up my CIS degree in the coming year. Other than that well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out!

Question 1:As this is a WildStar themed project, we'll get those underway first. As most of us at one time or another have asked ourselves, what is WildStar?

 Hrm, that is a very deep, thought provoking question. First question in and already making me think. Well, as I'm sure most of your readers already know, it is an up and coming Sci-Fi MMORPG from the good people over at Carbine Studios. To me it looks to be a new and exciting world filled with a fantastic art style, with a newly discovered world just waiting to be plundered by the Dominion.

Question 2: What is one thing in the game your most hoping to be perfectly done, whether because it's needed or just something for your experience specifically?

 End game content, and I don't just mean the 20/40 man raids, but things that make me not want to just stand around town between raids. Whether that be in the form of dailies feeling not so monotonous, or just areas around the world that say COME HERE AND DO THINGS WITH ME!

Question 3: I did a blog post discussing maybe why someone might pick one race over another in WildStar. What race do you think you identify with and why, even if it won't necessarily be your main?

 With the recent release of the last two races, my main will be a Chua. Out of the Dominion races I feel I identify mostly with them, and no its not because of any sociopathic tendencies...they seem to fall under the necessary evil category for the Dominion, of which I seem to find myself in that position more often than not. Also, I have been told I have a creepy laugh, so we have that in common.

     Aside from just identifying with the Chua, part of me does also identify with the Exiles, not any of their races particularly. but the whole being uprooted and having to move aspect. Since I had to moved multiple times growing up. But, that's all, I am glad to say that I do not have anything else in common with the filthy Exile.

Question 4: I'm sure everyone has their WildStar moment, as I call it, that quintessential thing that cinched in your decision on the game.

 I didn't learn about this game until early 2013. A guild mate posted something about it. After heading to the Wildstar site, it was the art style that first caught my eye, it seems games these days are trying to become more and more realistic with each passing year. While that can be neat at times, my life is realistic enough, I don't want to immerse myself in a game that is a near mirror image of life (visually), but I digress. The art style was not the quintessential gotcha moment that hooked me. It was just what kept me interested in digging through the sites and learning more about this game to be. I would have to say, and its probably true with many others out there, that the Path system is what really got me interested. I feel MMO's these days seem too scared to break out of the whole “this is what an MMO is and how to do it” box, sure some in recent years have tried to with small success. Of course all try to sell the 'play how you want to play', but they always seem to get stuck at PvE/PvP aspect of the 'play how you want to play'. Whereas, with WildStar, I feel, has broken through that box and gone past just the 'play how you want to play' in regards to PvE/PvP. With the Path system, you are not just given a chance to 'play how you want to play'. It rewards you for doing the things that you love to do when playing an MMO, and they've realized that it varies from person to person.

TL:DR Path's man, Path's...

Question 5: What aspect of WildStar are you most excited about and feel you'll spend the most time on such as Questing-Housing-PVP?

To be quite honest, there isn't one thing I am currently most excited about. Though, that could change between now and launch. I am excited for it all equally, since I will probably be dipping my hand into it all at one point or another. When playing I try not to focus solely too much on one aspect or another, else I would get burned out from the game. Which is probably true for most other people as well. I try to balance it all, so I may be in need of someone to come by my housing plot on some sort of monthly bases to do some dusting and mow the lawn, since I might forget to do that being busy with all the fun things I am sure WildStar will be offering. The roommate spot is still open.

Question 6: Out of everyone from Carbine that you've interacted with, who has surprised you the most for one thing or another by what you have seen that they have said or done so far?

The entire development team at Carbine all seem to be wonderful people, the amount of time and effort into interacting with the community is pretty awesome. I can't recall the last time a development team has been so much a part of the pre-launch community as the WildStar Devs have been. With that said, it's hard to single out anyone. Hanging out in the Turntable room, I have had the most interaction with Bardic (@Bardic_), Bull (@baoghal), and Jeff Kurtenacker (@JeffKurtenacker), though I have chatted with a number of others, all of whom had interesting things to say.

I guess the most surprising thing is the fact, as stated before, is just the somewhat nonchalant interaction they have with us. In that, I mean, they don't look down upon us as just vessels to give them money.         They will, when they aren't being completely distracted by their work have a conversation with us, and it doesn't always have to be about WildStar.

For instance, again this is Turntable related, a number of times Bull has started “theme music” selections, where the people djing have to follow a certain genre/time period of music, which is a lot of fun, and can sometimes be difficult to find a song to match, and then there are sometimes.... well lets just say, be glad your ears didn't hear what happened during “those” themes...

As conversation aren't always about WildStar when one of the Dev's talks speaks, another instance was with Bardic, and in this case she wasn't even at work (I know right, not at work! Blasphemy!), she was at home attempting to put her mini-me to bed, and once she mentioned that in the Turntable chat, we all started to play soothing/sleepy songs to help her out, and in no time, her mini-me was fast asleep.

Then there is Jeff Kurtenacker, oh Jeff, his Vines...amusing would be an understatement. As Lead Composer for the WildStar music, I will admit when I first saw him show up in the WildStar Central IRC chat, I may or may not of let out an audible fangirl squee....I mean, you get to experience the music created once you are inside the game, but how often do you get to talk to the Composer of those pieces and iterate your appreciation towards them. Though, amongst the fun and cool things that I have had the pleasure and privilege of talking with Jeff about. I think the highlight (thus far) was when I and a couple others, requested if it was possible to hear some (at the time) currently unreleased WildStar music. We knew full well that it probably wouldn't happen, but a few days later Jeff came into the Turntable room saying he had gotten permission to share a couple tracks, needless to say it was an epic few minutes.

     Well, those are just a few of the 'surprises' that I didn't expect to be experiencing from being apart of this awesome WildStar Community. There are many other snippets of stories with other Dev's but I am sure you all would like to get to the end of this sooner rather than much later. As I pretty much said at the start, all the WildStar Dev's are very cool people, treating us (the fans) as more than just vessels to monetary gain, makes me want to play the game even more.

Question 7: If you were given the power to either alter the game in some way or add something to it that has not been mentioned or rumored, what would it be and why?

 As stated in the previous answer, with the WildStar Dev's being so approachable, any idea I may have large or small, I can just bring it straight to them, of course warning them/asking them before the onslaught of the idea. Though admittedly the majority of any idea I may toss out, they'd have to be really bored and have nothing to do to for it to be implemented. But there really isn't anything, given the power I would want to add or change, from what they have shown/talked about, they are doing a wonderful job and I wouldn't want to change it.

Question 8: What is the one thing you want Carbine on a personal level or business level to know that you yourself have enjoyed from them?

Oh dear, there is a list of things I could say, I'm not sure where I would begin. So I'll just go with the old adage of, keep up the good work.

OK, that's it for the cross section on WildStar Q's. Next is a few Q's to get to know Flannan a bit better besides his amazing exploits across Nexus!

Question 9: Flannan, Your in Turntable a lot. Have you always been big on music?

Well, yes and no. No, I am admittedly tone deaf and can not play any instrument to save my soul (sorry Tenacious D the demon would beat me, though tricks on him as I'm a Ginger I don't have a soul).

Yes, in that I have always had an appreciation for those who are able to play the music, and even more so for those who create it. Music for me is very broad, as I may listen to some songs for the lyrics, some for the music itself, but mostly I listen to a song for how it feels. I don't just mean, the feeling you may get from hearing a sad or happy piece, but how the vibrations of the music feels against me, as it reverberates through my chest. It's hard to describe. So in that way I have always been 'big' on music, but there isn't a musical bone otherwise in my body.
      You know, with all this talk of music, and as this is about WildStar it would remiss of me not to mention the WildStar music that has currently been released. Of which you can find at the soundcloud website: https://soundcloud.com/inhisgroove . The music of course created by Carbine's resident wonderfully awesome Lead Composer Jeff Kurtenacker. I would have to say, my current favorite out of the ones they have released is 
“The Cold Science of Supremacy”.

Question 10: How long have you been gaming and what are your top 3 moments you'd say you remember in your own personal gaming history?

Adding together all the years (as there was a couple start and start points, growing up in Alaska, video games at times were a premium) I would take a guess at 10-15 years, some of those may have been of directly video game related, a couple might have been playing board games (Axis & Allies comes to mind) with my older brothers, or watching my oldest brother partake in his DnD group (it was more interesting to me at the time to watch than to partake). So my first experience with the video games was the Original Nintendo, then SNES, PS1/Xbox. I didn't get into PC gaming until my later teen years (again the whole Alaska internet being a premium), so my first real experience with an MMO was WoW when it came out. Though I did have a few friends who had been addicted to Everquest prior to that.

Alright with that rather brief gaming summary done, my top 3 gaming moments would probably have to be. Number 3, the damn dog from Duck Hunt, his taunting still haunts me to this day (I think he is where I got my laugh from and why I feel so in common with the Chua).

Number 2, it was during one New Years Eve, I hadn't planned anything, so I was just hanging out in WoW, around the time the in-game fireworks were about to start, a couple of my guildmates and I found ourselves in Thunderbluff, just standing there watching the fireworks. While I agree it is kind of sad/pitiful to some extent, it was a very poignant moment, just a couple of friends hanging out watching some fireworks, only difference was we were doing it in a game instead of outside in real life (hard to coordinate that when we all lived around the country).

Well that brings us to the number one, top spot for games and me, well its more of game related, it was the day I 'lost' our Original Nintendo to my brother, when we were deciding who would get to take it home with them during one Christmas get together. Lets just say, Rock/Paper/Scissors failed me that day.

Those moments may be a bit unconventional for gaming memories, but they are what stick out the most.

Question 11: Besides Gaming and Music do you have any other interests or hobbies you find fun?

I enjoy long walks on the... oh wait, that's not what this is about....Though I do enjoy going on walks/hikes and to go camping. Unplugging from technology every now and then is both good and fun.

Also, and this may sound odd or even wtf to some people, but just thinking, is something I try to do now and then, and/or thinking about thinking, it's harder than it may sound. It is really enjoyable especially when out hiking or camping. The following is a tongue twister that pretty much sums it up.

I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought

wasn't the thought I thought I thought.
If the thought I thought I thought

had been the thought I thought,

Did I really think at all?

Question 12: If there was one place in the world you could live where would it be and why?

 I would really enjoy to go back up and live in Alaska, as a Ginger, the heat and I do not get along very well, so the air up there is perfect for me, though it does get a tad cold sometimes. Aside from that the views of the landscape, can be breathe taking. The wildlife, just the whole package is amazing. And with there being very little 'light pollution' the sky at night is wonderful.

Question 13: Flannan, is there any hidden talents or trade skills you'd like to share? Is there something new you'd like to learn?

No hidden talents or trade skills here, just me. Every day there is something new to learn, sometimes not knowing what you're gonna learn is part of the experience. So, currently there isn't anything new that I want to learn right away, but if something new comes up during the day, I wont turn it away. Though, I might put it on the back burner, depending on how busy I am at that moment.

Question 14: Simple one now I promise. Do you have any pets? If you could have any real or made up pet, what would it be?

I currently don't have any pets living with me, unfortunately, though I did leave a few dogs behind in Alaska when I moved from there. As far as what real pet I would like to have, a Siberian husky/wolf mix. I had one when I was younger and it was a very good and loyal friend to me. For the imaginary pet, while there are many that are running through my head (some might even be flying) I think I would just stick with the Siberian husky/wolf mix, I already know how good of a companion it is.

Question 15: Finally, If there were one person living or dead, real or fake that you could sit down and have a long discussion with, who would it be and why?

Oh man, just one? I think I'll stick to real and dead, for this. Though, some fake ones would be just as interesting. It might be a bit cliche to say, but I would probably have to go with a philosopher, Plato or Aristotle. Well, as long as there is a language translator if we ran into any issues like that. I just think it would be a very interesting conversation to hear first hand the thoughts they have on it all.

OK, Flannan, I hope that wasn't too painful for you. I appreciate you being the first guest for the Sunday Sit down. Now, I’ll let you have free reign. If there's anything else not asked here that you'd like to get out there that you think would be interesting for us to know, feel free to share. Things like plugs for your twitter or anything, and of course feel free to give shout outs of any kind!

I'm Free! I'm free! Oh wait, I still have these plugs attached to me, right so. As it has been mentioned a few times amongst my ranting, turntable is a very fun place to hangout and listen to music while befriending other people of the WildStar community, and even a few dev's as well! Www.turntable.fm/wildstar is where you wanna go for all that excitement. There are so many cool people in this community, it would not be fair to give a shout out to just anyone in specific and not mention the many others, (if I were to mention them all you'd be here all night reading the list).

I am still relatively new to the whole Twitter thing, having only made one so I can follow WildStar news. But if you feel the need to follow the rantings of a crazed Ginger, @Flannan_ would be the handle I go by.

That's it Folks. Everything you'd want to know about Flannan and hopefully more! I thank him again for putting up with me as well as you the reader. Each and every week we will have a new and fascinating community member to learn about and see what really does make the WildStar community tick inside and out. Feel free to contact me anytime on twitter @zilvis78, comment below, or if you bump into me on the interwebs say hi!