Character Interviews

[SorceressofTime]

Hey guys!

I used to go here a lot in the past, and now I need some help from all you Phantasy Star fans.

I have a final year major university assignment that includes interviewing gamers to talk about their characters they've created.

I was wondering whether or not any of you would be interested in filling out one of the default sheets. The URL is at http://playersgameavatar.ning.com/
- It's within the middle of the page when you go on it.

I didn't know where else to ask since I've gone through Facebook, my uni program's social network and on my Myspace profile. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[Dre_o]

Sounds like a good cause! I'll fill one out. Always willing to help a fellow student.

[NPCMook]

So we're like your last resort?... I see how it is! HMPH!

I'll probably check it out later >.>

[Dre_o]

There, I had a little trouble getting the images to work, but all posted! Best of luck my friend.

[HUnewearl_Meira]

All right, SorceressofTime. I will play your game.

Real life first name: Garrett


Real life last name (Optional):


Email address (Optional):


Avatar/ character name: Meira Bragwin


Which game/ virtual world/ software is your avatar/ character from? Phantasy Star Online / Phantasy Star Universe


Why did you choose this particular race/ class? The HUnewearl class in Phantasy Star Online was very similar to my favorite character in a previous, offline installment of the franchise. I created the character again in PSU, because I'd grown rather fond of the character over the years of playing PSO.


Please describe your avatar/ character (e.g. appearance, special abilities): She is a Newman, which simply means that she has long, pointed ears. Newmans have been described as "Space Elves". As a race, they excel in magic abilities, and supposedly, they are "lithe and agile". In my fan fictions, Meira is portrayed as a naive young woman, having heightened senses and mild empathic abilities. She is very trusting, and quick to develop rich emotional attachments.


Did you choose your avatar/ character in reflection to your real life self? On some levels, yes, but on the whole, she represents an idealized romantic partner. She has a sense of humor, she's cute, loving, and, importantly enough, she cooks.


Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why? Not at all, actually. In fact, she's pretty much custom tailored to be a girl that people want to care about.


What do you dislike about other people’s avatars/ characters? There is a rampant habit among people, to create massively clichéd or unoriginal characters. This habit manifests itself most vividly in the form of names used by characters previously existing in media, such as "Sephiroth" and "Naruto". My own problem with it, comes from my point of view that a game that allows you to create your own character deserves to receive your own character. By re-creating someone else's character, one is trying to drag another story across the game's world, and I can't reconcile that to be right. Particularly when characters named "Sephiroth" (or named after similar characters) appear, I am given to wonder if the user that is responsible believes that I will be impresssed, or possibly concerned that this is, in fact, the Sephiroth that I am seeing. This has the invariable result of making me doubt that individual's intelligence.




Avatar/ Character image:
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/VanGarrett/MeiraByJey-Colored.gif
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/VanGarrett/Meira.jpg





Real Life Photo:
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/VanGarrett/196039688_650906741_0.jpg



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: HUnewearl_Meira on 2007-10-15 21:45 ]</font>

[SorceressofTime]

Hey thanks guys! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

I'm trying to get into the video game industry once I graduate at the end of this year and I'm focusing all my final assignments onto video games. This helps a lot! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif I've been trying to get people from everywhere to fill it out. This is awesome guys!

[Sinue_v2]

I have many characters, but I'll stick with my main one for PSU.


Real life first name: Jim


Real life last name (Optional): No


Email address (Optional): No


Avatar/ character name: Neika


Which game/ virtual world/ software is your avatar/ character from?: Final Fantasy XI/Phantasy Star/Phantasy Star Universe


Why did you choose this particular race/ class?: I first chose it in FFXI as an homage, and because I've always been a fan of the old-school PS games. Also to snub my nose at Final Fantasy fans a bit.


Please describe your avatar/ character (e.g. appearance, special abilities): Neika tends to be the more idealistic and noble of my characters, very intelligent - but at times rather naive. Because she was born through artificial means in a laboratory. I chose WarTecher for her class, as it most closely resembles the role her race played in the classic games of hybrid melee/casting. As time went on, I created a second character as a "sister" to Neika to better reflect a Nei/Neifist connection in PSU since I was highly dissatisfied with Sega's offical reference. In this scenario, Neika play's the Yin to NM-3084's Yang. NM is spiteful and bitter, and wishes to impart her pain on others. They are both Wartechers, but Neika focuses on support and healing while NM focuses on offensive casting, even at the detriment to her party.


Did you choose your avatar/ character in reflection to your real life self?: Not at all. She represents a classic (if cliche) nemesis contrast that I have always rather enjoyed in literature. It was my Phantasy Star Online characters who I felt represented the different parts of my personality (though none of them represented me as a whole).


Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why?: No. If anything, I am an outsider to their world regardless of the fact that I am in control. Much like a playwrite or director who has a favorite character, but doesn't necessarily wish they were like that character.


What do you dislike about other people’s avatars/ characters?: I tend to dislike characters that too closely represent a player in real life, as I don't believe that online games should have a bearing in reality. I also dislike characters who mold themselves to their stereotypes. Just because a race is the strongest, doesn't necessarily mean they have to be a warrior/fighter. The mix-matched characters (the dumbest races playing magicians or alchemists) might never reach the power levels of their contemoraries, but they are also more difficult to play and are more dynamic. Another classic allusion that I enjoy, the "fatal flaw", if you will.



Avatar/ Character image:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v203/Sinue/?action=view&current=Neika.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v203/Sinue/?action=view&current=ActionPose.jpg





Real Life Photo:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v203/Sinue/?action=view&current=15840718_088f2bbdf5_o.jpg



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sinue_v2 on 2007-10-16 06:09 ]</font>

[Tetsaru]

I PM'd mine to ya. Good luck on your assignment! =D

[Neith]

Sounds fun.

Real Life First Name: Darren

Real Life Last Name: Sorry, not on a forum.

Email Address: See above

Avatar / Character Name: Teika Suzuki

What game is your character from: Phantasy Star Online / Phantasy Star Universe

Why did you choose this particular race / class?: I wanted to play a melee-orientated character, but as a player who played often with a set team, the added ability to support my allies as a HUnewearl was great. Also, I liked the backstory to the Newman race, which were seen as scientific experiments, which could die in days, or live for years.

Please describe your character: Teika is relatively petite, probably around 5ft 4ins, with an Oriental-Asian appearance. She has dyed lilac-coloured hair, split so it flows over her shoulders, and purple eyes. She is an extremely skilled swordswoman, and in the background I have written for her, she has a very unstable personality, stemming from a violent past. She is very agile, but antisocial and resents the company of others.

She was part of a cruel experiment, which left her with a resentment for her creator, and over the years has become known as the Violet Mantis, for her recurring interference in both military and scientific activities. She eventually began to dwell in the ruins site of Pioneer 1, which has slowly driven her mad over time, and she's now become a demented killer, with no recollection of the cause she was fighting for, which was to avenge the suffering of her 'sisters' in the experiment.

Did you choose this character in reflection to your real-life self?: Partly, I guess. Teika shares the same 'antisocial' behaviour I have, but where as she does it of her own free will, I appear that way because I have trouble connecting with people. As for appearance, unless I underwent some really major operation recently, no. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why?: Hmm.. although I love the way I made Teika look, I wouldn't want to look like her, I'm happy enough the way I am. As for abilities, it'd be nice to either have some skill with a sword/bokken, or to be more athletic, but it's not something I'm really bothered about. So I guess Teika has some qualities I would like in a fantasy world, but I'm not in any hurry to go and beat on someone with 'mad sword skills' in real-life.

What do you dislike about other people's characters: To be honest, most of the time it's the person behind the character that bothers me. As far as characters go though, I hate people who make characters such as 'Neko [insert name here]', then proceed to fill every sentence with :3 =^.^= and the like. I guess I don't like characters with stupid dimensions either, whether they be tiny lolis or huge behemoths http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif Generally, I just stick to what I like, and let other people get on with whatever they want to do though.

Character Image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/jordison197666/SangeYashaPose1.jpg

There, hope that helps.

Edit: Also, my signature here is Jey's artwork impression of her- that's how she would look if PSO's character customization permitted it.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: UrikoBB3 on 2007-10-16 07:40 ]</font>

[CupOfCoffee]

Sounds more interesting than class!

Real life first name:
Jack


Real life last name (Optional):


Email address (Optional):


Avatar/ character name:
Rilo


Which game/ virtual world/ software is your avatar/ character from?
Phantasy Star Online.


Why did you choose this particular race/ class?
Rilo is actually more or less an original creation, but I eventually made him into a PSO character when I decided I'd like to start a HUmar.


Please describe your avatar/ character (e.g. appearance, special abilities):
Rilo is a human with a very strange, silly past. I won't go into it in too much detail, but he was originally a human from the European dark ages. He was brought to another dimension by karma-controlling ferrets and offered a job as karma police. He naturally accepted, but later deserted the ferrets and spent a pretty good deal of time with another runaway. Later, Rilo was turned back into a human and allowed to decide which era he'd like to live in. It can be assumed that he chose the PSO era because, as we all know, PSO was great.
He has long, dark hair, green eyes, and is just a bit on the short side. He's also completely naive and clueless to other people's opinions, but he has a strong sense of chivalry and is a very optimistic outlook on life. He tends to fight similarly to how a ferret would, due to having spent so much time as one, and his trademark PSO weapon was the Sonic Knuckle.


Did you choose your avatar/ character in reflection to your real life self?
Maybe in that he's bright-eyed and busy-tailed, but no, I've never been a ferret.


Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why?
Not particularly. Usually when I'm making up a character, I make a few parts of his or her personality distinctly different from my own, just so that it doesn't feel like I'm writing (or playing) myself.


What do you dislike about other people’s avatars/ characters?
Mainly I just hate it when they try to make their character appear as badass as possible without actually doing anything cool. XxXXXxKILLerXxxxXx, CloudInuyasha_666, and anyone who had the spiky hairdo without a very good reason were all guilty of this in my book. Everyone knows the coolest villains don't really care if anyone thinks they're cool, and very rarely have gratuitous X's in their names. Homage characters I can usually deal with, especially when it's a really clever one--it's just the idiots who name their character some type of violent noun or verb, type in alternating caps, and generally just pose as interesting that get me rolling my eyes. Oh, and anyone named anything relating to weed or the smoking of weed. Nothing against those who can do it responsibly, of course; but bad hair days and paper cuts to all the morons who think the internet wants to know how that "IT'S ALWAYS 420 SOMEWHERE, MAAAAN!"

[SorceressofTime]

I <3 you guys! This is going really great. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif
Let me know if I need to edit any of the posts that are up there.

And to think that I only started playing PSU recently too! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif

[Out_Kast]

Real life first name:
Chris

Real life last name (Optional):


Email address (Optional):


Avatar/ character name:
Adalia

Which game/ virtual world/ software is your avatar/ character from?
PSU - Offline http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_disapprove.gif

Why did you choose this particular race/ class?
Beasts have the best ears! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

Please describe your avatar/ character (e.g. appearance, special abilities):
Moderately long hair, which is semi-jagged. Normally wears a bandana or sorts. No special abilities of sorts, but precise and accurate, and laughs at practically everything.

Did you choose your avatar/ character in reflection to your real life self?
Only the 'laughs at everything' thing.

Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why?
No, not really. Although I'd like to be as slim http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

What do you dislike about other people’s avatars/ characters?
Usually hair colour and fashion sense. Sometimes, people's creations just look awful http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_disapprove.gif

I don't have a picture!
Good luck with whatever it is you're doing http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Puppet_Papaya]

I will do one, for sure! But I need to go to work son. Expect one from me within the next two days!

[Puppet_Papaya]

Real life first name: A Rock or Erik


Real life last name (Optional):


Email address (Optional):


Avatar/ character name: Ramona. Named after a Ramona from the impossibly likeable Scott Pilgrim and a cirtain band I enjoy.


Which game/ virtual world/ software is your avatar/ character from?: Phantasy Star Universe.


Why did you choose this particular race/ class?: Ramona is a Fortegunner (she uses guns. Lot's of guns.) I did this because guns are really really cool. I think you'd agree.


Please describe your avatar/ character (e.g. appearance, special abilities): Ramona is all original. She appears in unusual hairstyles and "vintage" clothing. She has a short temper and plays in a band. She dosn't have an epic backstory or a dark, haunted past. She's just a girl.

Did you choose your avatar/ character in reflection to your real life self?: I act like myself no matter what situation I'm in, including internet games. Ramona is basically just like me. Except for being a girl.


Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why?: Would we bother playing these games if we all didn't secretly desire the ability to gun down a 20ft space lizard in real life?


What do you dislike about other people’s avatars/ characters?: I can't stand unoriginality. When we have this whole character customization system and everybody looks the same, we have a problem.

Avatar/ Character image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/PuppetPopaya/PSO%20BB/ram13.png

Real Life Photo:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/PuppetPopaya/other/camera235.jpg

[Zorafim]

I suppose I've gained a liking to gloating...


Real life first name:

Michael


Avatar/ character name:

Levia/Leviathan


Which game/ virtual world/ software is your avatar/ character from?

Phantasy Star Universe (Phantasy Star Online)


Why did you choose this particular race/ class?

I liked the female customization of the game, but I disliked the clothing options for any non-android character. I could control a feminine character without her being too girly or prissy.


Please describe your avatar/ character (e.g. appearance, special abilities):

White armor, blue under-armor, blue eyes and hair, pail skin, sad eyes. Alternatively, I may change the armor to blue and under-armor to white, and change my character's skin to white and eyes to black to attempt a fish-person look.

Her general theme is an aquatic warrior.


Did you choose your avatar/ character in reflection to your real life self?

I choose and customized her based on my ideals, but not on myself.


Does your avatar/ character obtain desires you wish you had in real life? For example, magic/ mana, super strength or speed, athletic abilities, paranormal abilities, popularity, or even from appearance. If so, why?

I wish my combat skills were higher than they currently are now, yes. I've been studying martial arts for a few years, which reflects on my character's close range combat.


What do you dislike about other people’s avatars/ characters?

How childish or immodest they are. Examples are baggy pants and bathing suits.


Avatar/ Character image:

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z88/Einhart2/psu20070829_121027_039.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/Zorafin/psu20070422_043612_001.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/Zorafin/Levia.jpg


Real Life Photo:


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/Zorafin/DSCN0272.jpg
(Sorry, that's the best I could do)

[SorceressofTime]

Thanks all for participating in the interviews. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif I now have 15 collected interviews, and that's considered to be a lot since I was only supposed to gather around 5-6 interviews.

Isn't it great to talk about yourself for once? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Edit: I have 15 interviews now.. wow. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif]



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: SorceressofTime on 2007-10-22 04:25 ]</font>