Click on the comments to read the scratchiness.
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Hello, Skull here, and welcome to Dinkerview #7! It has been a while! You could say season 2 of Dinkerview has begun! Anyhow, Merry Christmas to all you Dinkers out there! I don't actually know whether Christmas is gone or coming when this gets posted but WHO CARES?! We get Dinkerview and I'm so frickin' excited! Aren't you excited?! *Grins like a madman* Anyhow, I think that's enough stupid jokes for now (except for my crappy pun in the title). Maybe I'll make some more horrible jokes in the end.
Enough babbling! We have a very special interview this time, as we step into the dark and mystical realm of the staff members. Heeeere's... SCRATCHER!!
Q1: Howdy Scratcher? How are you? (I think I just asked the same question twice. Darn those confusing American accents!)
A1: Howdee boo boo. Honestly, I feel like I should be spending time doing something that's useful to me in real life instead of answering this interview, but screw all dutilations! Answering this will be much more fun.
Q2: Now, I'm a bit confused. I've heard rumours that you live in Sweden, but other rumours say that you live in Finland? So where are you really camping at the moment?
A2: SWEDEN?! What the duck?! I don't even use make-up.
(Note to self: Must resist urge to make further jabs at Swedish people.)
No, I'm quite definitely Finnish. I'm not sure why people would think I live in Sweden. Maybe I've demonstrated my fantastic Swedish skills somewhere. (Which is not to say my Swedish skills are at all fantastic)
Q3: So how do you like living there?
The summer is too short and cold, but I like Sauna, I like the language, and I do like the fact we have definite seasons here instead of just warm seasons and rainy seasons. And it's not Sweden.
(Note to self: ****)
Q4: So tell us a little bit of your legendary tales of Dinking. How did you first come across our beloved pig farmer?
A4: I played the first demo (v1.03) of Dink with a friend on one of those CDs that come with computer magazines. PC-Play, if I remember right. We loved it, and I played the freeware version of Dink on a similar CD some years later.
It was the best game I'd ever played, and I felt crushed when I finished it, because it was over. I was sure there wasn't anything more to it, because that's usually the case when a game claims "Hundreds more adventures are awaiting you online!"
But there WERE lots of dmods available, and I was suckered into posting on the message board sometime in late 2000. I haven't left since.
Q5: So your Dinking days go far back. Way before this current board even existed. Can you tell us a little more about your adventures within the community?
A5: Hahaha, fun times. I'm a rather arrogant person, and when I was younger I had little tact or self-awareness, so I often barged into topics with some profoundly stark comments and told people how things ARE. Not everyone agreed all the time. I knew a lot more people on a personal level than I do now though, and somehow I feel like that kind of sociality played a much bigger role in the community in the past than it does nowadays.
Q6: What is the most memorable thing that has happened to you in the Dinkiverse, within your time here?
A6: Probably when the Dink source code was released. All the things that could be done now! There was even a subforum called "Source Discussion", but no one ever posted there and there were a scant few people that could do anything useful with the source. But the enthusiasm was so cool, almost like a Dink 2 had been released.
Q7: Why the username 'Scratcher'?
A7: Good question.
No really, I've no idea.
I remember thinking up names, and Scratcher probably just sounded cool to me. Subconsciously, I may have taken a cue from Sharp, whom I somehow knew prior to creating an account.Q8: During the last decade, you seem to have only released two files. But from what I understand, there were more at some point? Can you explain more about this? Were your D-Mods removed, or were they lost between the dimensions of TDN's generations?
A8: Oh yes. They were Dink's Revenge (demo), the Spy Number 13, HORRORdink (demo), the Fairy Named Bincabbi, the Dungeon, and 'the Experience Machine' which was just a supershort intro section for a game I was making. I released it for no other reason than the fact releasing dmods feels nice. (Only until the regret kicks in)
They weren't horrible dmods, but they were all rushed to varying degrees so I asked redink1 to remove them, with the honest intention of improving and finishing the dmods, and uploading them again later. I made good progress too, but then my computer gave up the ghost and I lost all my work. *sob*
It remains my most traumatic computer experience to date. *cry cry* I learnt to make backups as a result.
Q9: So what do you think of your only D-Mod currently available, Lost Forest Romp? Being your first D-Mod in quite a while, it seems to have gathered quite a lot of positive feedback, winning the Throwback Contest. What are your feelings on how this D-Mod turned out?
A9: It turned out excellently. It's exactly what I was aiming for with the Throwback Contest, and a great comeback after many years. (All my old dmods I released in short order in the early 2000s, so it has been at least a decade since I completed anything)
Q10: How did the idea of Lost Forest Romp first come to you? Were there any inspirations for the story, or did it all just come to you in a bright flash?
A10: I used an old dmod as the base for Lost Forest Romp. The first village (ie. the undestroyed version) is actually way old, and I also had scripts for the village that I intended to use for the contest mod. That's where the setting of a mysterious village came from.
Then I thought of the story, and ended up with a draft of the actual dmod. The scripts from my old dmod didn't fit, so I did all that from scratch. I still finished my contest entry over a month before the original deadline. I worked on it at a really fast pace, but that's easy when you're in the right mood.
Q11: Looking back now, is there anything you would have done differently with Lost Forest Romp?
A11: I wish I hadn't written the dialogue for when you meet the hags near the end when I was tired. That's the only part of the dmod that I'm not perfectly happy with. I actually altered the dialogue quite a bit between the beta version of the dmod and the final released version, but you can't fix something that's vitally flawed. I should have written the whole scene again from scratch.
Q12: With all this positive feedback, has it inspired you to perhaps keep creating D-Mods? Are there any future projects you want to share with us?
A12: Indeed! I'm working on something awesome that will either be an epic or a large quest. Lost Forest Romp satisfied my cravings for a small and cool dmod, so now I want to release a full-blown adventure dmod replete with kickass midis, new enemies, larger-than-life villains, total warfare, powerful magic, new and unique environments, and what have I.
It's about halfway complete, and will most likely be released eventually. Of course, everyone's heard that line before.
Q13: In late 2008, you were appointed as a staff member. How were your feelings about that decision back then, and how about now? Do you enjoy being a staff member, or do you wish it was a burden never put on your shoulders?
A13: I was overjoyed to be appointed a staff member. I like it, although...
Q14: So as a staff member, you take care of the reviews and the forum. Is there perhaps a staff power that you would really enjoy to have? Making Polls or writing news, for example?
I wish I could BAN people! It's a crucial power that no one on the staff currently has. And there are people on the board who deserve an instant perma-ban.
By the way, on the subject of reviews, the amount of reviews written seems to have really died of late. I fear this might reflect from how much dmods are being played. In a recent poll half the people claimed they didn't even try the Throwback entries, which is pretty appalling. First and foremost, I believe dmods are what keeps Dink Smallwood alive.
Q15: This next question is a bit unusual and I apologize if it's a bit too hard. But since you have only released one D-Mod, I'd feel dumb asking it about your files. So instead I'm going to ask; What is your favourite review you have written thus far?
A15: I like the harsh ones. I used to be a much harsher reviewer too, but I deleted most of my then-existing reviews at one point (probably around the same time I asked for my dmods to be taken down). Not because they were harsh, but because they were basically written turds.
I'm not happy enough with any of my reviews to call a favourite. I still have that one perfect, ultraharsh review ahead of me.
Q16: Since you've been here a long time, are there any things you have done within the community, that you would change? Mostly referring to the forum here.
A16: Not really, I don't have any big regrets. I don't think it's healthy to wish you could go back and change things, it's much more useful to just come to terms with the fact you'll say things you perhaps shouldn't have said now and then, and try to do better in the future.
(Note to self: Banana smoothies laced with ample amounts of moonshine take away the pain.)
Q17: Do you have a favourite D-Mod and author?
A17: Prophecy of the Ancients and Paul Pliska. Paul's stuff is always great both in terms of scripting, and in being fun to play. He needs to release an epic sometime.
Prophecy of the Ancients is the dmod I have the brightest memories of, but I haven't played it in many years, so it might not live up. I think it was the sense of adventure and epic storyline that appealed to me.
Q18: Alright, onto the lighter questions now. Cookies or Bananas?
A18: Cookies < Bonca Crap < Bananas < Seedless Mandarins
Sorry Robj.
Q19: Do you enjoy reading? If so, what is your favourite book?
A19: Very much, I'm constantly reading something. My favourite book... Umm. I don't want to cop out by saying I don't have a favourite (it's mostly true though, a really tough question to answer), so I'll go with The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien.
The upcoming movies are going to suck, by the way.
Q20: Do you have any favourite television shows or movies?
A20: The original Star Trek, and the Black Adder. For movies, Evil Dead 3: The Army of Darkness and the original 1982 Conan the Barbarian.
Q21: And how about any favourite games?
A21: Ninja Gaiden for the NES, Tombi for PS1, and Prince of Persia (the original where you have a white-clad dude climbing through dungeons) and Dink Smallwood for the PC.
Q22: What else do you do on your free time?
A22: Mostly I sleep. Sleeping is the best thing in the world. I also have a 5-year-old daughter who ruins my sex, alcohol and chiptunes weekends with her presence. Wait, that's a horrible thing to say.
No, having children is actually great after they turn 2 years old and older. Taking care of babies is not so much fun because you have no life of your own during that time.Q23: SabreTrout vs. Tal. Who will win? This question is to determine your personality.
A23: I'm camp SabreTrout. Is there going to be a deathmatch?
Q24: Oh yeah... the question is back. The one that you've all been waiting for!! What is the meaning of life? You can't answer Sex, Street Fighter, 42, Coffee n' Chocolate fudge, Creativity, "Why would there be a meaning? Life is. You can fight it, deny it, try to give it a meaning or try to live with it. I'd choose that last option... " nor gloves.
A24: Can I answer Woolly Socks? I want to, but I won't. *a tear slides down one cheek*
Actually, from an evolutionary viewpoint, I think the meaning of life is survival. The survival of yourself, your lineage, your species, perhaps even life in general. Often evolution leads to progress, and humans are doing really well. I'd like to see what's at the end of the road. Maybe we'll be able to really pinpoint the meaning of existence eventually.
The pin will point to a woolly sock.
Q25: Any last words you'd like to say to your friends, enemies, those in between, fans, God, and perhaps even the New York Yankees?
A25: Don't eat yellow snow.
As a fellow Finn, I can really agree with that last comment. DO NOT... eat yellow snow! No matter how tempting it looks. Anyway, that's that for this time! Hope you enjoyed reading it and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it, and a Happy New Year to the Dinkiverse! Thanks to Scratcher for the interview! And this is Skull saying over and out.
Behind the scenes comment: Aww man... really. Going through the text trying to make those certain parts bold. It's a freaking eye-destroyer!
