Scaper of the Week Interview # 67 -- AliasQTip
Scaper of the Week Interview #67
Everyone has seen his little bot roaming the site. His custom terrain works well with Marvel customs. He scored the highest on his own quiz he made for his website!
And we can't wait for the Jungle Temple to arrive either.
Say hello to this week's Scaper:
-Scaper of the Week #67 -
AliasQTip
Who are you?
My real name is Matt Baker. I’m a father of three, husband of one. I live in Sharpsburg, MD.
Who, or what, is your avatar and how did you come up with your username?
My avatar is a little cartoon droid-like robot. I found it in a book all about the Mobius strip. He eventually worked his way into my email signature. I call him Siggy.
For some reason I fell in love with the little guy and have made a number of thread-post versions.
He’s actually become such a part of my persona here that he manifested himself as something tangible – Major Q1.
(Click the image to see his card.)
As for my username, when my wife and I would play video games (RPGs in particular) together I often name the main character Q-Tip. It just looked funny in the dialog boxes. I started using it on pinball games too. If you ever see “QTP” on the scoreboard you’ll know I’ve been there.
When I was trying to set up an email account one day, Q-Tip was taken. However, AliasQTip was not. Thankfully Unilever, the maker of Q-tips, has never found out. Otherwise I might have to change my name to AliasCottonSwab.
Age:
I’ve traveled around the sun 29 times now!
Occupation?
I stock vending machines for a living. (No, I’m not a member of the mafia.) It pays the bills – at least most of ‘em. And it’s kinda a cool job. I have complete access to a truck filled with junk food and soda. My kids (any kids really) think it’s the greatest job ever!
Allegiance and why?
Well, my allegiance I give to Jehovah God. (Yep, I’m a Witness.) But if we’re talking ‘Scape, I’ve gotta go with Vydar. I love the tech-stuff. Robots are awesome. If you had asked me who’s my favorite general I would’ve said, “Tso.”
When did you get into HeroScape and why?
I guess it was 2006. I had been eyeballing the Rise of the Valkyrie at my local Walmart for weeks, literally weeks. I’d pick it up, look it over, flip open the little flap, look at the $40.00 price tag, and put it back. (Money has always been kinda tight.) Finally, I told my wife that it was something I’d like to buy. She said, okay. I promised her that I wouldn’t spend over $100.00 on the game. I’ve only gone over budget by about $1,200.
Favorite aspect of HeroScape and why?
Replayability. This game is so configurable that you’ll never, ever, ever run out of game options. Not only can you build infinite battlefields, you have infinite army combinations, plus infinite scenarios to choose from.
(Is that it? I thought it’d be more than that. Oh, well. Infinity is still a lot!)
Favorite Unique Hero and why?
Probably Krug – I love that guy. He’s got the greatest sculpt in the entire game, hands-down. Plus, his specials are awesome. The guy’s a beast… or more specifically a troll. The only thing Hasbro did wrong with Krug is give him an ultra-wimpy voice in the HeroScape commercial.
Favorite Uncommon Hero and why?
My wife would say, “Fen Hydra!” But I’m gonna go with the Werewolf Lord. Another great sculpt and such wonderful theme. Also, Darklord Bonding is an excellent bonus.
Favorite Common Hero and why?
I’ve really enjoyed the few times I’ve played with the Drow Chainfighter. Favorite Chainfighter moment: yanking Dad_Scaper’s White Wyrmling into a poorly placed pool of molten death. Priceless.
Favorite Unique Squad and why?
I’m sure this has been said before but the Marro Warriors cannot be beat for their price. They are worth every point and then some. And just when you thought you were almost done fighting them – WATER CLONE! Take that!
Favorite Common Squad and why?
I’m kinda liking the Death Knights of Valkrill (Valkrill, yuck! I spit on him. *ptwy*) but my wife keeps wiping them out long before I get to use their devastating Soul Weapons. I only wish I had more of them.
Favorite Marvel/C3V/C3G Unit and why?
To be honest, I haven’t been following the C3V or C3G threads at all. I know they’re all supposed to be balanced and as close to actual ‘Scape figures as you’re going to get but to me there just not the genuine article. I hardly let my own customs see play, let alone somebody else’s. (For example, my Transformers only battle other Transformers.)
And although Marvel doesn’t get much play in my house I can easily say Red Skull. His Master Manipulator ability lets me go easy on the strategy for a while.
Favorite Special Ability and why?
Stealth Flying. Mobility is quintessential in a good game of ‘Scape. Phantom Knights, Einar Imperium, and Cyprien can dominate the battlefield because of this ability.
Cyprien or Kaemon Awa?
Ooh, tough choice. Kaemon Awa-some. He most likely has the best paint-job in the game. I love the Quick Release option and Counter Strike is really cool. “You hit me and I killed you. Sorry about that, dude.”
Anything you'd change about the game - a unit, rule, or mechanic?
Hmm. Nothing comes to mind right away.
Oh, I got one. How come double-spaced figures, like Major Q9, can only see in one direction? That’s dumb. He’s a robot; his head spins around 360° for crying out loud. Sheesh.
What do you enjoy most about Heroscapers.com?
I was going to say that HeroScapers is a fantastic community of enthusiastic gamers, but apparently that thought has already been expressed numerous times. So instead, I’m going to say…
I love the ability I have to share my HeroScape creations (maps/scenarios, resources, etc.) with the entire world of ‘Scapers. I find it incredibly satisfying to know that somebody used my map at such-in-such tournament, or that so-in-so played a game on one of my maps with their friend and had a blast, or that some guy over in Germany used my maps as a base for his own scenarios, or a few thousand of my dice towers are keeping the dice rolling out there – somewhere. It’s a great feeling.
Favorite HeroScape moment:
Thinking my wife (MrsQTip) was going for the gold at the last tournament we played. She had totally decimated my army(ies) in our pre-game activities with her all-girl B-ranked army. When she went 3-0 in the first three games of the tourney, I was like, “Oh my! She’s going to win this thing!” I was so happy and excited for her. Next time, you guys better watch out!
MrsQTip's Avatar
Another board game you enjoy and why?
Growing up, my friends and I played Talisman. Loved that game. We still play once in a while. It had a lot of striking similarities: character cards, dice rolling… um… that’s about it. Still, it’s a great game.
Three true things and one lie about yourself:
I also pretend to play the guitar. I don’t play what’s on the album; I play the “campfire” versions. You know – I strum the chords, everybody sings, and they think I know how to play.
Magic (conjuring, not the occult) is another fascinating hobby of mine. I especially enjoy vanishing lit cigarettes in my bare hands, never to be seen again (good riddance).
Five Fun Favorites
Favorite TV Show:
Cowboy Bebop. If you’ve never seen it, it’s a very cool Japanese Anime about space-age bounty hunters.
Favorite Movie Of All Time:
Although I loved the first Matrix movie, the movie Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn is up there too. It’s a great romantic-mystery-suspense-comedy. A must see… two thumbs up, way up.
Favorite book:
Of all time? Easy, the Bible, especially the book of Matthew. But more recently I’ve enjoyed Splinter Cell: End Game by David Michaels. Before that, perhaps Prey by Michael Crichton.
Favorite sport:
I used to really enjoy paintball. That’s a sport right? Haven’t played in years though. And camping.
Favorite food:
I love Mexican food even though it’s all basically the same. Meat and beans with lettuce tomatoes and cheese in a tortilla. Mmmm.
How's your HeroScape website coming along? Any new features appearing soon? What did you make when you first took your quiz?
When I first took the quiz my score was 310 and it hasn’t been beat yet. Of course that was before I changed around the question distribution making 300 the highest possible score.
New features? Well I’ve got a few ideas rolling around – some I’ve been sharing, some I haven’t. Recently I’ve been busy with other (semi-secret) HeroScape projects and haven’t had the time I wish I had to get things moving over there. What would you all like to see?
When is your Jungle Temple supposed to be released? Do you have any other new maps to be released soon?
You guys and that darn map!
Believe it or not, I’ve been trying to finish that one. It’s just impossible to balance. When I release it, it’s strictly going to be for casual play only. It’ll have 2-4 players, disintegrating treasure glyphs, and Fyorlag Spider bonding. Seriously, I’ve been working on it. It’ll be done sometime… next year… or the year after that.
Now that my kids have gotten older, the number of players in my house has doubled. Hence, my maps are starting to require more players. I’ve got a doozy of a 4-player map coming. It has a massive icy river running through the middle, two bridges to cross, and a lot of highway to traverse. And, it’s also a lot of fun.
I’ve got many other map ideas but I just haven’t had the time to get to them. For example, I’ll be visiting Crumland for the first time soon; there’s a canyon there I want to show you. And, nasty sand storms too. They’re coming, I promise.
What convinced you to start a HeroScape calendar? Any plans for 2012's calendar?
I don’t know, really. There were just so many great artists on the site; I wanted to show them off. A community calendar seemed the best way to do that. Plans for 2012? More submissions would be nice. It can be a lot of work tracking down the best photos and artwork over the past year. Send me some links, please!
Any HeroScapers member you'd really like to play against?
I don’t believe I’ve played against ClanCampbell yet. He’s a really great guy and next time I journey to Savage, MD, I’m looking forward to taking him on.
What message do you have for the community?
All I can say is, “’SCAPE ON!”
What Units would you like to see in the next Unit Debate?
What’s a Unit Debate? Sorry fellas, I don’t keep up on those threads.
Who do you pick for the next 'Scaper of the Week?
Even though it’s been a while since we chatted, I just *have* to pick the President of the AliasQTip Fan Club and my buddy, rednax!
Everyone has seen his little bot roaming the site. His custom terrain works well with Marvel customs. He scored the highest on his own quiz he made for his website!
And we can't wait for the Jungle Temple to arrive either.
Say hello to this week's Scaper:-Scaper of the Week #67 -
AliasQTip
Who are you?
My real name is Matt Baker. I’m a father of three, husband of one. I live in Sharpsburg, MD.
Who, or what, is your avatar and how did you come up with your username?
My avatar is a little cartoon droid-like robot. I found it in a book all about the Mobius strip. He eventually worked his way into my email signature. I call him Siggy.
For some reason I fell in love with the little guy and have made a number of thread-post versions.
He’s actually become such a part of my persona here that he manifested himself as something tangible – Major Q1.
(Click the image to see his card.)
As for my username, when my wife and I would play video games (RPGs in particular) together I often name the main character Q-Tip. It just looked funny in the dialog boxes. I started using it on pinball games too. If you ever see “QTP” on the scoreboard you’ll know I’ve been there.
When I was trying to set up an email account one day, Q-Tip was taken. However, AliasQTip was not. Thankfully Unilever, the maker of Q-tips, has never found out. Otherwise I might have to change my name to AliasCottonSwab.
Age:
I’ve traveled around the sun 29 times now!
Occupation?
I stock vending machines for a living. (No, I’m not a member of the mafia.) It pays the bills – at least most of ‘em. And it’s kinda a cool job. I have complete access to a truck filled with junk food and soda. My kids (any kids really) think it’s the greatest job ever!
Allegiance and why?
Well, my allegiance I give to Jehovah God. (Yep, I’m a Witness.) But if we’re talking ‘Scape, I’ve gotta go with Vydar. I love the tech-stuff. Robots are awesome. If you had asked me who’s my favorite general I would’ve said, “Tso.”
When did you get into HeroScape and why?
I guess it was 2006. I had been eyeballing the Rise of the Valkyrie at my local Walmart for weeks, literally weeks. I’d pick it up, look it over, flip open the little flap, look at the $40.00 price tag, and put it back. (Money has always been kinda tight.) Finally, I told my wife that it was something I’d like to buy. She said, okay. I promised her that I wouldn’t spend over $100.00 on the game. I’ve only gone over budget by about $1,200.
Favorite aspect of HeroScape and why?
Replayability. This game is so configurable that you’ll never, ever, ever run out of game options. Not only can you build infinite battlefields, you have infinite army combinations, plus infinite scenarios to choose from.
infinity x infinity + infinity = … infinity
(Is that it? I thought it’d be more than that. Oh, well. Infinity is still a lot!)
Favorite Unique Hero and why?
Probably Krug – I love that guy. He’s got the greatest sculpt in the entire game, hands-down. Plus, his specials are awesome. The guy’s a beast… or more specifically a troll. The only thing Hasbro did wrong with Krug is give him an ultra-wimpy voice in the HeroScape commercial.
Favorite Uncommon Hero and why?
My wife would say, “Fen Hydra!” But I’m gonna go with the Werewolf Lord. Another great sculpt and such wonderful theme. Also, Darklord Bonding is an excellent bonus.
Favorite Common Hero and why?
I’ve really enjoyed the few times I’ve played with the Drow Chainfighter. Favorite Chainfighter moment: yanking Dad_Scaper’s White Wyrmling into a poorly placed pool of molten death. Priceless.
Favorite Unique Squad and why?
I’m sure this has been said before but the Marro Warriors cannot be beat for their price. They are worth every point and then some. And just when you thought you were almost done fighting them – WATER CLONE! Take that!
Favorite Common Squad and why?
I’m kinda liking the Death Knights of Valkrill (Valkrill, yuck! I spit on him. *ptwy*) but my wife keeps wiping them out long before I get to use their devastating Soul Weapons. I only wish I had more of them.
Favorite Marvel/C3V/C3G Unit and why?
To be honest, I haven’t been following the C3V or C3G threads at all. I know they’re all supposed to be balanced and as close to actual ‘Scape figures as you’re going to get but to me there just not the genuine article. I hardly let my own customs see play, let alone somebody else’s. (For example, my Transformers only battle other Transformers.)
And although Marvel doesn’t get much play in my house I can easily say Red Skull. His Master Manipulator ability lets me go easy on the strategy for a while.
Favorite Special Ability and why?
Stealth Flying. Mobility is quintessential in a good game of ‘Scape. Phantom Knights, Einar Imperium, and Cyprien can dominate the battlefield because of this ability.
Cyprien or Kaemon Awa?
Ooh, tough choice. Kaemon Awa-some. He most likely has the best paint-job in the game. I love the Quick Release option and Counter Strike is really cool. “You hit me and I killed you. Sorry about that, dude.”
Anything you'd change about the game - a unit, rule, or mechanic?
Hmm. Nothing comes to mind right away.
Oh, I got one. How come double-spaced figures, like Major Q9, can only see in one direction? That’s dumb. He’s a robot; his head spins around 360° for crying out loud. Sheesh.
What do you enjoy most about Heroscapers.com?
I was going to say that HeroScapers is a fantastic community of enthusiastic gamers, but apparently that thought has already been expressed numerous times. So instead, I’m going to say…
I love the ability I have to share my HeroScape creations (maps/scenarios, resources, etc.) with the entire world of ‘Scapers. I find it incredibly satisfying to know that somebody used my map at such-in-such tournament, or that so-in-so played a game on one of my maps with their friend and had a blast, or that some guy over in Germany used my maps as a base for his own scenarios, or a few thousand of my dice towers are keeping the dice rolling out there – somewhere. It’s a great feeling.
Favorite HeroScape moment:
Thinking my wife (MrsQTip) was going for the gold at the last tournament we played. She had totally decimated my army(ies) in our pre-game activities with her all-girl B-ranked army. When she went 3-0 in the first three games of the tourney, I was like, “Oh my! She’s going to win this thing!” I was so happy and excited for her. Next time, you guys better watch out!
MrsQTip's Avatar
Another board game you enjoy and why?
Growing up, my friends and I played Talisman. Loved that game. We still play once in a while. It had a lot of striking similarities: character cards, dice rolling… um… that’s about it. Still, it’s a great game.
Three true things and one lie about yourself:
- I programmed my entire website using only Microsoft Notepad.
- I was nearly struck by lighting once.
- I’ve been paid money (real money) to play ‘Scape.
- I can tie my shoelaces by simply shaking my foot.
I also pretend to play the guitar. I don’t play what’s on the album; I play the “campfire” versions. You know – I strum the chords, everybody sings, and they think I know how to play.
Magic (conjuring, not the occult) is another fascinating hobby of mine. I especially enjoy vanishing lit cigarettes in my bare hands, never to be seen again (good riddance).
Five Fun Favorites
Favorite TV Show:
Cowboy Bebop. If you’ve never seen it, it’s a very cool Japanese Anime about space-age bounty hunters.
Favorite Movie Of All Time:
Although I loved the first Matrix movie, the movie Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn is up there too. It’s a great romantic-mystery-suspense-comedy. A must see… two thumbs up, way up.
Favorite book:
Of all time? Easy, the Bible, especially the book of Matthew. But more recently I’ve enjoyed Splinter Cell: End Game by David Michaels. Before that, perhaps Prey by Michael Crichton.
Favorite sport:
I used to really enjoy paintball. That’s a sport right? Haven’t played in years though. And camping.
Favorite food:
I love Mexican food even though it’s all basically the same. Meat and beans with lettuce tomatoes and cheese in a tortilla. Mmmm.
How's your HeroScape website coming along? Any new features appearing soon? What did you make when you first took your quiz?
When I first took the quiz my score was 310 and it hasn’t been beat yet. Of course that was before I changed around the question distribution making 300 the highest possible score.
New features? Well I’ve got a few ideas rolling around – some I’ve been sharing, some I haven’t. Recently I’ve been busy with other (semi-secret) HeroScape projects and haven’t had the time I wish I had to get things moving over there. What would you all like to see?
When is your Jungle Temple supposed to be released? Do you have any other new maps to be released soon?
You guys and that darn map!
Believe it or not, I’ve been trying to finish that one. It’s just impossible to balance. When I release it, it’s strictly going to be for casual play only. It’ll have 2-4 players, disintegrating treasure glyphs, and Fyorlag Spider bonding. Seriously, I’ve been working on it. It’ll be done sometime… next year… or the year after that.Now that my kids have gotten older, the number of players in my house has doubled. Hence, my maps are starting to require more players. I’ve got a doozy of a 4-player map coming. It has a massive icy river running through the middle, two bridges to cross, and a lot of highway to traverse. And, it’s also a lot of fun.
I’ve got many other map ideas but I just haven’t had the time to get to them. For example, I’ll be visiting Crumland for the first time soon; there’s a canyon there I want to show you. And, nasty sand storms too. They’re coming, I promise.
What convinced you to start a HeroScape calendar? Any plans for 2012's calendar?
I don’t know, really. There were just so many great artists on the site; I wanted to show them off. A community calendar seemed the best way to do that. Plans for 2012? More submissions would be nice. It can be a lot of work tracking down the best photos and artwork over the past year. Send me some links, please!
Any HeroScapers member you'd really like to play against?
I don’t believe I’ve played against ClanCampbell yet. He’s a really great guy and next time I journey to Savage, MD, I’m looking forward to taking him on.
What message do you have for the community?
All I can say is, “’SCAPE ON!”
What Units would you like to see in the next Unit Debate?
What’s a Unit Debate? Sorry fellas, I don’t keep up on those threads.
Who do you pick for the next 'Scaper of the Week?
Even though it’s been a while since we chatted, I just *have* to pick the President of the AliasQTip Fan Club and my buddy, rednax!
Total Comments 21
Comments
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Oh! Wow! I completely missed the part about my being chosen. Thank you so much AliasQtip.
~Rednax |
Posted June 21st, 2011 at 09:32 PM by rednax
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I'm guessing... #2.
Of course...
Spoiler Alert!
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Posted June 21st, 2011 at 10:21 PM by Kaemon Awa 123
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Go AQT!
Definitely a well earned and well deserved spot as SotW. |
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Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 08:42 AM by Lamaclown
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Great interview!
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Posted June 23rd, 2011 at 10:53 AM by Sylvano the Wasabus
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Three true things and one lie about yourself:
Spoiler Alert!
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Posted June 26th, 2011 at 09:51 AM by AliasQTip
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My most requested map ever is now available. (So stop buggin' me!
) After more than a year since it first appeared in my design blog and numerous requests to make it available, it's finally done. Reasons it took so long:1. Although the map looked great it was really unbalanced.I'm still not totally happy with it but it's done and I'm never going back. Enjoy!  NEW! Jungle Temple Ruin Battlfield  Shrouded in mists for a thousand years or more, the remains of a sacred Green Leaf tribe shrine emerge from the dense jungle. The massive stone walls, etched with hundreds of ancient symbols, are slowly returning to the swamp as vines, moss, and other vegetation entangle the structure. Required Sets: Swarm of the Marro Master Set, Battle for the Underdark Master Set, Fortress of the Archkyrie, and Ticalla Jungle Footprint: 28" x 30" MASTER GAME - Sanctum of the Spider (2, 3, or 4 Players) While exploring the darkest corners of the Ticalla Jungle, several bands of warriors stumble upon the ruins of a massive temple complex. In an attempt to seize the strategic advantage the ruins could provide, soldiers hack their way through the thick vegetation encircling it. Unknown to them, the ruins are not as abandoned as they appear. |
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Posted November 19th, 2011 at 02:04 PM by AliasQTip
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