Scaper of the Month - November 2016
Posted November 22nd, 2016 at 06:14 PM by HS Codex
’Scaper of the Month
The Grim Reaper’s Friend
Author: Fi Skirata
Profile:
Who are you really?
Stephen King.
Okay, not really. I’m Thomas Myron, known as Tommy locally.
How old are you?
Twenty-two and counting. Obviously counting. It’s not like I’ve discovered the secret to immortality or anything.
What is your occupation?
My occupation? I have several, each as unofficial as the last. Coming from a family that is self-employed, I’ve always thought out of the box where jobs are concerned. My deepest dread is that I will end up in an unchanging 9–5 job with the rest of the world.
In my pursuit against that dreaded outcome, I work out of my home, helping with my parents’ online businesses in a variety of ways.
I am also interested in writing, and have recently been creating some online video courses on writing and selling them on Udemy.com.
What other interests do you have?
I’ve always been into the design and creation of stuff, and like creating things in Photoshop and Blender.
Another big interest I have is Taekwondo. I’m rapidly approaching my black belt, and I anticipate being able to help teach once that happens.
What’s another board game/RPG you enjoy and why?
As far as board games go ... man, it’s been so long since I played a traditional board game. I don’t know that I have a favorite, but I like a good challenge of Stratego from time to time, though Risk 2210 AD is pretty good too.
Heroscape:
When and how did you get into Heroscape?
It must have been about eight or more years ago now that I got into it. Heroscape had been on my radar for a while, but I never really expected to own any or get into it. Got two RotVs for a birthday and it cascaded from there (there was some confusion at the time as to what “unique” meant).
Funnily enough, the first game I ever played, before I ever knew about Heroscape, was a scenario orchestrated by some friends of mine on a massive board. I won, somehow. I’m still surprised to this day.
You are one of the heads of the Codex project and have been integral in its revitalization; how has this process been for you and what can you tell the readers about the goings-on behind the curtain?
Well, it’s been a long haul, I can tell you that. We had to reorganize the whole department system and evaluate all the contributors and recruit some more, get Google accounts organized and accessed, set up deadlines ... yeah, it took a while.
Aside from the occasional late article though, we’re moving pretty smoothly. Everyone knows their deadline and is sticking to it the best they can. I hope to bring in more backup writers, but it’s been tough finding people that can contribute.
I have to say that we wouldn’t be where we are now without the help of my fellow editors/administrators. El T and Ninja Status were there when I came on, and were gracious enough to let me barge my way into the system and start reworking things. Evar-Scarcarver was there providing help with graphics and is now an editor as well, and Xotli came in later and really helped us with front page things, and has recently been doing a stellar job proofreading our articles and formatting them. Big shout out to you guys.
What is your favorite Elven unit (Classic or C3V) and why?
Elven unit? Hmm, dunno. I never really gave it much thought. My Heroscape collection isn’t really the largest, and to be honest, I haven’t played a game in years.
I know she isn’t strictly speaking an elf, but I’ve always liked Sharwin. I know, she’s not a powerhouse or anything, but I just liked the way her abilities were set out. She always seemed like a cool figure in a fight.
You are also somewhat of a legend in the fanfic section of the site, being known for your participation in fanfic competitions and your many stories centered on the world of Valhalla. So what got you started with writing fiction?
I was privileged enough to enter the fan fiction forum at a time when it was full of writers my own age with too much time on their hands (kind of like me at the time). It was a tight-knit community of people all interested in the same things, and that led to a lot of cross-reading and general cheering on from everybody. We all knew what everyone else was writing, and we were all praising everyone’s works. I just jumped in, found people liked what I wrote, and never got out.
Incidentally, because I did that, and because my readers kept me going (and still are), I am where I am in my writing endeavors. I plan to start writing novels soon, and I would never have gotten there without Heroscapers and the fan fiction forum.
After your latest story, “Apocalypse: Valhalla’s Darkest Hour,” you mentioned you would be taking a hiatus from fanfiction for a while. Do you have any plans to continue with your work in the near future?
If I have one bad tendency, it’s not thinking things through before I post them on the internet. I did indeed take a break from fan fiction for a while and really got to work on the novels I plan to write, but after a while I realized I needed a slightly more stable income first, and turned my focus to that instead. As a result, I have more time to devote to fan fiction, and I am currently developing my next story, “Error 4114.”
Community:
What do you enjoy most about Heroscapers.com?
Hands down, the community. There’s no equal. I was never big in the customs forums, and aside from CoN and the Codex, I’ve never really ventured out of the fan fiction forum.
The community has been great though. They got me into fan fiction and everything else here, and I would be nowhere near where I am now without them.
Describe your favorite Heroscape moment.
That’s a tough one. I’m not really the best HS player, so most of my Heroscape “moments” involve crushing defeats. For me, it’s just a collection of fun memories. Like Eldgrim going wild and hacking Q9 to within a quarter of his life. Or a friend of mine pronouncing the name “Kaemon-Wawa.” Or that same friend disregarding height when attacking (1 range from the castle walls). Or I for some reason thinking that Tor-Kul-Na’s Trample Stomp was a one shot instead of a one wound ability (lost three heroes in one turn to that one). It’s been a wild ride.
Is there any member of Heroscapers.com you’d really like to play against?
Well, I’m not too big in the online ’scape field (read: non-existent). I’ve heard that Matthias Maccabeus fields an all-knight army though. I don’t know about playing against him, but I’d be interested to see how on earth he survives range.
Lie Detector:
Three Truths & a Lie
- I achieved being featured in a newspaper at the age of two, complete with full size color picture, because I did not want to step on sand.
- I like rap, and frequently feel the urge to drop a few lines at random times about the house.
- I disagree with much of what Stephen Hawking says.
- I once mathematically postulated that one could warp across the universe by detecting and manipulating twenty-one dimensions.
Last Month’s Lie:
(TheAverageFan)
- I make my own posters and artwork. [True]
- I still don’t own Cyprien Esenwein. [True]
- I once rolled 9 blanks with combat dice on a DW9000 defense roll. [False]
- I won a contest and appeared on TV as a child. [True]
Three Fun Favorites:
Favorite Poem/Short Story:
I was never a poem or short story guy, but I have got to say, I have for some reason always found ”A Parental Ode to My Son, Aged Three Years and Five Months” to be quite funny and one of my favorite poems of all time.
Favorite Television Show:
It has to be Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s just a fun show. You get a weird one now and then, but the longer the show went the better it got. Nearly every episode in season 7 (the last one) is a definite keeper.
And while I’m on the topic, another fun fact: I have never watched Doctor Who, which everyone seems to be obsessed with in CoN, and I have never, ever watched a single anime (thank heaven). Why? It’s a writer thing.
Favorite Work of Art:
Work of art? This is the digital age! Yes, I studied art in school, but ... Yes, the Codex has an art department, but ... Yes, I’ve created art myself, but ... Okay fine.
Honestly I don’t know. I’m no art critic. For me, the value of a work of art is determined by how inspiring it is. Put it as the backdrop to some epic music with a thought-provoking title and see what happens. That’s the mark of a great artist in my book. I’ve actually come up with and written several short pieces from such works of art (most of them digital). Incidentally, what I consider to be one of my best fan fictions, The River that was Red, was originally inspired by a song.
Closing:
What message do you have for the ’Scaper community?
Never give up. Giving up is for WotC. Don’t be WotC. We’ve proven over and over that Heroscape is more alive now than it probably ever was before. Never give up. And there are days when I look at the late articles in the Codex and feel like this might be it, and that things are at last grinding to a halt, but you know what? I’m going to come back fighting. And you can too. Don’t back down. Life is a struggle, and the only way you ever succeed at anything is by overcoming and soaring far beyond any challenge you meet. Never give up. When the going gets tough, decide that you will get through this, and, God willing, I’ll see you on the other side.
Whom do you pick for the next ’Scaper of the Month?
Me again? Guess I can’t do that ...
I’d say Tornado. He’s been in and out of the fan fiction forum for nearly as long as I have, is an excellent writer himself, and I know is quite active in the custom scene. It would be nice to know some more about him.
Comments 5
Total Comments 5
Comments
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This article was intended to be posted around the 15th. I apologize for the lateness. I remembered only today that I had not yet posted it.
We have another article planned for the 1st of December, and are still intending to relaunch the Codex in January. |
Posted November 22nd, 2016 at 06:25 PM by HS Codex
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Thanks to all who work to keep the Codex going, especially those of you who, apparently, haven't even played Heroscape in years. Now THAT'S dedication.
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Posted November 22nd, 2016 at 11:16 PM by Sherman Davies
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It stopped being about HeroScape when I got into fan fiction. Since then, it's been about the community 100%. They've given me a lot, including a boost to a future novel-writing career (I hope) and invaluable experience organizing a magazine. And those are just two spotlights in a flood.
If I can give back to the community in a way everyone appreciates, I'm honored to do so. |
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Posted November 23rd, 2016 at 02:38 AM by TGRF
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Great read TGRF.
I would love to play you in Stratego. Perhaps the Fan Fiction will return one day. Thanks for the selection.  |
Posted November 23rd, 2016 at 10:27 PM by Tornado
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Thanks for the shout out.
 This line made me laugh out loud: "Never give up. Giving up is for WotC. Don’t be WotC." |
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Posted November 30th, 2016 at 12:18 PM by Evar-Scarcarver
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