This month I introduce to you one of the junk forums' most attentive members and one of our role-players: [
Avaz]!
Is there a story behind your username?
Yeah. Allow me a bit of backstory for it to make more sense.
Back in the early 90's, I started playing this game called Wing Commander II. At the beginning of the game, it requires you to choose a callsign for your pilot. Well, being the perfectionist that I was, I couldn't just choose any old name all higgledy piggledy. So I spent (if I recall) 2 days going through a couple dozen names, trying to find the perfect one. I eventually settled on "Sandstorm." The name resonated with me on a personal level that I wouldn't understand for many years to come.
So fast forward to the heydey of AOL chatrooms. At this point, I started using Sandstorm as my online handle for various chatrooms and IRC channels. I was in my teens by now, and it was quite popular then to type in alternating case LiKe ThiS. I know. I'm sorry, too. :(
Anyway, "Sandstorm" got butchered to "SanDSt0rM". And that nickname stuck for awhile, and then I matured a bit, realized the alternating caps is stupid, so I dropped that. At the same time, the name was getting kind of tired and I wondered what to do about it. I eventually dropped the -storm and translated Sand to my native tongue, Armenian.
Thus, whammo blammo, Avaz.
What kinds of table top role playing games do you play?
I prefer the kinds that have a good mix of the pillars of many RPGs: Combat, Exploration, and Socialization. I tend to lean toward the more crunchy side of the mix, though. But just slightly.
My current group is playing a campaign in D&D (4e). However, there are many systems I've played in the past - and many more that I would like to try haven't gotten a chance to yet.
I think I might be biased if I said I prefer my own game the best. :P
Do you find it easier to make games for text based role-playing like here on Elftown or for a table top setting?
I find it's much easier to write for tabletop settings, for a couple reasons. First, you have the immediacy of other people right there, so if a question or issue presents itself, you don't have to wait to get any sort of response (as can be the case with text-based). Second, the visual aspect is much better on a tabletop game. Most of the games I play use a gridded battlemat with miniatures to represent the players. So there's no question as to where anyone is at any given time. In text-based games, I've encountered a couple times situations where my descriptions were getting misunderstood.
I wouldn't have that problem with tabletop. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all. Doubly true if that picture is a 1" mini on a mat.
Do you have any advice for all Elftowners?
In the words of the immortal Journey: "Don't stop believing." I think that applies to everything.
Any last comments/critiques on any Elftown matters?
Yes. I can't thank enough all the people that donate their time and energy to doing all the million small things that keep Elftown running.
To view the complete interview with this member go to
fmi avaz
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