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Funny thing, the Dink Network. The web is full of game forums and communities, more often than not littered with overly bold, rude and anonymous people. To be truthful, many of us have been to these sites and taken advantage of this anonymity for various reasons. Striker had something to say about this on the board a while ago, and summed it up quite nicely. Most of us here have chosen not to be anonymous; bold sometimes, rude seldom. So, it’s really no surprise that we meet interesting, intelligent people. Sometimes the relationships become something more, as has happened on TDN twice now. Today, we’ll get into the head of one of these interesting people, one who can not only share with us her creations, but her other experiences in the community as well. If you haven’t already guessed, here is my interview with Anna-Leena, Dink Network’s own, Sharp.
AI Two: Sharp
Conducted Oct. 29-30, 2002
Q. Hey Sharp, you made your first D-Mod, Forest of Dangers, when you were 13. When did you first get the game, and what has kept you in the community?
A. I got Dink from a CD that had lots of programs and games etc. that I borrowed from my cousin to install something else from it to my PC. Then I started checking out the games and ran into Dink.
Around those times my life outside internet was pretty much a hell, and when everyone was so nice to me in the community, helping me out and so on, I got kind of dependant on it.
These people here whom I know are my friends just as well as those in real life.
Q. Forest of Dangers was a small D-Mod, just a few screens, and contained only the bare essentials. But as many have advised, you chose to use your first project as a means for learning and gaining experience. What were some of the obstacles you faced when creating it?
A. Actually, Milder!1 was the first one.. but that project got frozen when I did some fatal mistakes, so I tried making another one to see what was going wrong.
Very good advice: Don't you ever ever ever copy scripts by copying the files in windows. Never ever. That's trouble. It took me half a year to figure it out.
Q. With those thoughts in mind, any additional advice would you give to those currently working on their first, or at least contemplating it?
A. Yeah, keep trying no matter what comes up - and go to the board for help of any kind.
Don't start a big epic mod before you know what you're doing. Practice makes perfect, or it should at least.
Q. Now, of course, you’re well known for your Milder! Trilogy. In these three games, Dink is involved, but you actually play as Milder. Something else new is Milder’s archenemy, the evil Sharp. The unique thing about this series, is that Dink is continuing his other quests, and we get to see what has become of Milder. There are some conversations between the two, and we learn that Milder is just a bit jealous of Dink now, rather than the other way around. In the first D-mod, Milder does not fight, he sings when the “control” key is used, and dances when we sometimes expect him to speak. Could you tell us about your original ideas, and explain the absense of fighting?
A. I just wanted to do it from Milder's view.. for some weird reasons whether it's a game or a book I always find the "evil ones" most interesting characters. My mind develops background stories for them..
It didn't have fighting cause I only had paint shop pro. (now I don't have even that.) Yeah, i'm lazy with graphics-making.
Q. Okay, in 2001, you released Milder2!! – The Adventure in Finland. Sharp is on the loose again, and Milder is sent to Finland to contain her. Sharp seems to be a master of disguise, but we also see Milder getting a disguise of his own, and this is a unique feature. Another common element in this series is your sense of humor, and the quests that are born of it. Could you tell us the stories behind some of your quests, such as the human slavery angle in Milder 2?
A. Hmm.. that's going to be tough to explain, I've just kept doing whatever came to my mind.
It's just my sick sense of humor everywhere.. I don't plan these things, they just happen.
Q. The finale of the trilogy was Milder3 – End of Questing. We finally get to see Milder do a little fighting, complete some more difficult quests, and use some magic. This game seemed much bigger than the others and according to reviews is the best of the three. In Milder3, the player is faced with a few tasks that are very foreign to Dink, such as
kill innocent people to better himself. We’ve not seen that happen in a game where Dink is the main character, and it seems to build Milder as an anti-Dink, or at least someone with questionable character. Was that your intent?
A. Yeah, in Milder2 I realized he was becoming way too nice, so I had to come up with something to fix that.
You can't go around helping people all the time. Dink has always been way too kind to everyone (well, if you wanted to complete any quests that is), in my opinion.
Q. Looking back at these D-Mods, is there anything you wish you had done differently?
A. Yeah, doing more stuff like Forest and not releasing them, before I started Milder1. I don't dare look back to the scripting in that. It is awful.
Q. Before changing the topic, your D-Mods have improved with each release. What can we expect from you in the future? Is there anything you are currently working on?
A. Yep, there is. Actually I've got 2 D-Mods going on somewhere.. Currently working on just one of those. Don't want to reveal too much, but don't build your expectations very high.
Q. Now it’s time to delve into your personal life. In February 2001, the Dink Network staff posted some news at Phoenix’s request. According to this news post, Sharp and Phoenix were now a couple. Can you tell us how you met, and who contacted who first?
A. Phoenix had just released that Emerald Hunt demo, and I emailed him, complaining about.. I think it was the save-machine in the mod. He answered, we kept mailing, and at some point it developed to something more than just a friendship.
Q. You live in Finland, and Phoenix is in Norway, how often do you talk? With IM’s and mobile phones, it makes such a relationship a little easier, how often to you speak to each other by phone?
A. Hard to say, it varies.. basically something like once a month. (and MAN that costs.)
Q. Having spoke to both of you, I can see you both speak English quite well. I also know that Phoenix knows a little Finnish. When you speak to each other do you speak English? Have you learned any Norwegian in the event you visit him?
A. Heh, English of course. I don't know nearly any Norwegian (I speak some Swedish though), and we wouldn't get anywhere speaking Finnish.
I can count to 10 in Norwegian, and lessee, what else do I know.. that's pretty much it. Q. In summer 2002, you finally had the opportunity to meet face to face, as Phoenix went to Finland to see you. What was it like explaining to your parents that you met this guy online, and you wanted him to visit for a week? What was their first reaction?
A. I had been talking to my parents about it for about a year back then, and they thought it was okay.
I think, if I remember correct, even in 2001 they said it would be okay. I remember we made big plans back then, it just didn't work out. But it wasn't my parents fault.
Q. How did that meeting go, and what did your parents have to say afterwards? Finally, what plans do you have for the future, when will you meet again?
A. Went REALLY REALLY well!
I think mom and dad were quite happy with it. Unless something happens, we'll meet again - surprise - next summer.
Q. Tell us a little about your new web site. With links such as “about me” and a more personal “my life” the site seems to be a rather personal one, as it gives quite a description of you. In your latest update we see your mother warning you to be careful with your entries.
A. Heh, yeah. There are also a bit more informative sections, but no one reads them, and I'm quite content with that (of course I'm a lot more interesting than, for example, Latin magical verses for everyday use). I don't know how the site can have so much stuff about me.. considering the fact that I hardly have a life and all.. well, mysterious stuff.
Q. The site is well done, and quite a step up from SharpWeb. But what’s with all this WWE wrestling stuff? What might we find on your site in the future?
A. Don't you mention SharpWeb. Ever. It's in the same category as Milder1.
And are you asking me what's with WWE stuff? It is.. ah well, I just keep getting hooked on TV programs I should NOT be watching in my parents' opinion. It's pretty entertaining, that's what's with it. I like it, it's gotta be cool. 
It's the soap opera side of it.. you get hooked just watching one episode. And, you might find "Sharp's weird speculations on really strange things" really soon on the site. That won't be of interest to anyone but me, though, but.. well, my site, my decision.
Q. I’ll check it out. Besides Dink, what other games do you regularly play? What web sites do you often visit and why?
A. I hardly play anything but Dink, I'm an IB student and that means "I have a life" <=> "I have homework". I play LORD, playing 5 characters myself and making up really twisted relationships between them, if that counts. And then I play Worms2 with worms named after people I know, and WWE people. Heh.
As for web sites (besides the DN), I check at least www.holochaust.tk daily. That's the site of a really good band. And of course www.wwe.com, less often though
Q. On your new web site you have a quotes section, could you leave us with some words of wisdom? And lastly, what else do you do for fun, besides watching very large grown men beat each other to a pulp?
A. I'll quote my math teacher, Mr Perälä, if that's ok, cause he is smart
"Love is not an equivalence relation."What else.. hmm, this is a tough one.
Well, I of course love doing my homework, but besides that I'm still Dinking, reading really good books, listening to Fin-heavy(my term for Finnish heavy metal music), doing something to my website, playing good songs with my piano and turning them to something really awful to hear, and I also like to draw. Whew, that's it I think.
Q. Well, you can at least tell what books you're reading.
A. Fantasy!
There it all is on my site!Q. Thanks for taking the time to do this, I hope you had fun.
A. Yeppers, I did, this was cool
*mwahahaha* And that was it, as Sharp was off to do homework, and to watch steroid enhanced beasts kill each other. Before she left, I did hook her up with some driving tips. Good luck Sharp, and check the oil.
In two weeks, we'll go looking for answers from one of the original Dinkers, a guy who should be able to share some great stories. Although he isn't very active in the community anymore, I think we'll find him very interesting.
Boo! Happy Halloween
