Fanterview: Chris aka Hospy

Name or your preferred online alias
Christopher but my City of Heroes handle was Hospy (short for Ms. Hospitality, my Empathy/Rad Defender)

Which country (or Country/State) do you hail from?
I grew up in Florida, spent the last 20 years in Atlanta, Georgia, and I’m currently living in Manchester, England.

What do you for work in real life?
I’m a drama student at the University of Manchester, studying Drama and Screen Studies, and I work at a Staples part time to support my education fees.

What is your favorite food?
Butternut Squash soup is my favourite dinner-- usually with a tuna sandwich. It’s a dieting thing!

Favorite movies/tv shows/books?
Movies -- The Sixth Sense, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, The Shawshank Redemption, Vertigo, Star Wars IV - VI, Salem’s Lot (1979 miniseries)

T.V. Shows -- The Prisoner, Twin Peaks, LOST, Dexter, Superfriends, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and my current favourite, Agents of SHIELD
Books -- The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury, Ordinary People by Judith Guest, Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, The Micronauts by Bill Mantlo, Changing Breeds: Mokolé by Jim Comer

Any big events in your life this year you want to give a shout out about?
Just working my second year of Uni-- nothing much to shout about unless I graduate.

How did you first hear about Missing Worlds Media (MWM) and their first MMO project?
I am on a number of different Facebook pages dedicated to reminiscing about City of Heroes, and the main one has featured updates on the project for some time now.

Why do you think people should support the Kickstarter campaign for MWM’s first MMO project?
Games are created, developed, marketed, and sold, in that order. So maybe you’ll convince some old friends from City of Heroes to come try a new game that’s been released, and maybe not. This is a chance to be a part of it forming, from people who understand our frustration with City of Heroes closing the way it did, and properly reward our loyalty and interest. It’s karmically good, to put faith and trust in this project, and watch your friends do the same-- for all the right reasons. The more I hear about the game and MWM’s direction for it, the more confident… well, to be honest, the more smug I feel about my pledge. I feel triumphant, and we’re two years off, still.

What was your reaction to seeing the KS campaign explode in the first three days?
That I was a part of that will always make me happy. I felt the same kinship with the other kickstarters that I felt with my supergroup (Marut’s The Earthguard, on Champion) when we pulled together to handle Hami raid trollings or zone events. I feel a part of a community that has only just begun to form.

Where do you think the campaign is likely to finish at?
I would guess in the neighborhood of $700,000. I hope it goes beyond and further. I just want it to grow and grow and grow.

Any specific tier from the KS you look forward to seeing reached?
Every one we get to is exciting, but I think if we can fund it beyond what the developers can dream up rewards for, I’ll be majorly happy.

I know we’ve leaked very little so far about the game, City of Titans, but what are things you’d like to know about?
I’d love to know how the concept of ninjas will be in the game. I’m desperate for tidbits on Supergroup bases and base raiding. And I can’t wait to see the Avatar Builder!

What will be the first thing you do in Titan City when the game launches?
I’ve already committed $50, but if I can make it $75 before launch, I would really love to have a flight power at launch. I went through a ‘Catfish’ style bereavement around the time City of Heroes first launched, and it was therapeutic and lovely to soar around the skyscrapers, out of harm’s way, once I reached level 14… I can’t wait to feel that again in an active game.

What feature are you most excited for in City of Titans?
At the moment, I am thrilled with the Alignment system, and can’t wait to see that come in to play.

Heroes or villains - which is more fun to play?
I can’t help it-- I prefer heroes. I have had my dark, evil villains, but I find something inspiring about taking the heroic stand.

Have you witnessed any acts of heroism lately that have inspired you?
I don’t want to bore you with politics, but in the U.S., we seem quite iconoclast and determined to interfere with each other’s lives and happiness at times. So Senator Wendy Davis is my current hero.

What is your favorite quote and why?
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?" -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the fight against Bacon and Chocolate who would win?
To quote Joey Tribbiani, ‘Put those hands together.’

Fanterview: The Grouchybeast

Name or your preferred online alias
The Grouchybeast

Which country (or Country/State) do you hail from?
UK

What do you for work in real life?
Writer - sci fi.

What is your favorite food?
Crispy duck and pancakes.

Favorite movies/tv shows/books?
A random selection of some movies I never get tired of rewatching: Dangerous Liaisons, The Cooler, Tremors, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Damned United, Basic Instinct, Universal Soldier, Labyrinth, Emma, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, The Last Seduction, The Astronaut’s Wife, No Man’s Land, Sleepy Hollow, Grosse Point Blank, Tombstone, Withnail & I.

An even more random selection of TV: Luther, Lewis, CSI, Babylon 5, Rome, Blakes 7, Torchwood, Neverwhere, Yes Minister, The Wire, Drop The Dead Donkey, The Beiderbeck Affair.

Listing favourite books would take forever, but right now I’m rereading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and also reading The Cult Files by Chris Mikul.

How did you first hear about Missing Worlds Media (MWM) and their first MMO project?
I’ve been following the efforts on Titan Network from the first time the idea of a spiritual successor to CoX was mooted. I’ve been hugely impressed by MWM’s sticking power - holding together a project made up of dozens of volunteers for a year is an achievement in itself, and it’s given me great confidence in backing the KS.

Why do you think people should support the Kickstarter campaign for MWM’s first MMO project?
For one thing, this is what I think a Kickstarter should be, in essence -- people raising money for something that most likely wouldn’t be funded in any other way, or couldn’t be funded and still stay true to the vision of the creators. It’s a game by the players, for the players. For another, I want to play it, and I can’t pony up the whole $320,000 myself. :-) So get out there and contribute!

What was your reaction to seeing the KS campaign explode in the first three days?
I was very, very excited. I always hoped that the idea of City of Titans would have enough appeal, if the KS pitch was right, and I think MWM nailed it perfectly.

Any specific tier from the KS you look forward to seeing reached?
Personally, the $600,000 looks appealling. I don’t know what power sets are planned for launch, but more is good! Generally, I’d love the pet class stretch goal to be hit, so all the ex-Mastermind players can get their class at launch.

I know we’ve leaked very little so far about the game, City of Titans, but what are things you’d like to know about?
I’m looking forwards to hearing more about PVP. I don’t PVP much myself, but it can have a huge impact on the game play, and be a contentious subject. I’d also like to know more about the launch powersets...or, honestly, will there be fireballs? Because if there are no fireballs, I might have to rethink my pledge. (Kidding!) Ooh, and badges! I was a massive badge...lady of easy virtue in CoX, so I’d love to hear MWM’s plans for badging.

What will be the first thing you do in Titan City when the game launches?
Recreate my main, a fire blaster, and fly around the city. (Maybe with a tear or two in my eyes.) I’ll also go and take a look at ‘my’ skyscraper -- I’m hoping to be able to name it after my dad, who passed away a couple of years ago.

What feature are you most excited for in City of Titans?
The new alignment system sounds intriguing! I’m also looking forwards to the serverless environment, and hopefully being able to play with people who I knew from the old forums, but never teamed with.

Heroes or villains - which is more fun to play?
They can both be fun, but I tend to play more heroes, because I’m a softy at heart.

What is your favorite quote and why?
"Creating something is not a democracy. The people have no say. The artist does. It doesn't matter what the people witter on about: they and their response come after. They're not there for the creation." (Russell T Davies)

To me, that encapsulates how writing (or any other kind of creative art) should be approached. The vision should be pure. Even though MWM, by its volunteer nature, has a lot of community involvement, I hope there’s an overall plan for the game, tone and content, that will hold it together and make it a coherent and unique gaming experience.

In the fight against Bacon and Chocolate who would win?
If bacon and chocolate need taking down, I always win ;-)