Even though I've been busy planning my trip to The Moon, I knew it was high time for a Dtoid Midwest update. Let's kick this off with an interview with Dtoider M47R1X, who hails from Oklahoma City, OK




Let’s start this off with a really fun game. We’re going to play who is my daddy, and what does he do.

Hah, my daddy pushes drugs and passes gas, so to speak. His name is Doug and he’s an anesthesiologist who used to be a dentist. Had one of those late in life decision changes, and he’s still paying off loans for it. He likes classic cars, pulling pranks, and telling me what to do even though I’ve been out of his house for several years and am now married. Smile and nod, smile and nod.


What about you? What do you professionally, or just for fun?

As for work I slave away at UPS where I sort out boxes at 1000mph every day. I am training for my A+ certification to be an IT guy instead (so I don’t go even more insane) and I’m also trying hard to get some vocal gigs/design/something that doesn’t suck and I can use my natural talents for. As for fun, well, there’s obviously the vidja games (although with school I’ve had very little time for them). I also like to work on cars, listen to music that doesn’t make me want to rip off my ears (see: wub wub wub), making shoops, getting into debates where I have a chance at “winning,” avoiding those that don’t, trying to play the guitar without sucking at it, and tearing things apart to put back together in ways better than the original from something as small as a control pad to as large as my house.

Also, I’m working on making a videogame based on a certain group of people I know. Yeah, it’s happening. I just need to work on my programming skills.


So whereabouts are you anyways?  The midwest is a big place after all.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which is about as exciting as it sounds. There is nothing to do here. The city is trying to increase tourism, but they’re going to have to try harder than our crappy natural parks, crappy entertainment district, and our pretty good NBA team (we have one now! Suck it, Seattle). Also, I’m on the north side of town. Southside is a deathzone. And no, we don’t all have cows. The closest I have is a fat little dog. I have a fat cat as well, but I’m pretty sure he’s Satan incarnate.


You’ve mentioned that you’d like to be a game voice actor.  Tell us about that.

I’ve always enjoyed acting and doing imitations and such, but I’d never really done anything with it. I noticed as I played games with voice acting (as well as TV shows and movies) that I’d always look up the credits to see who did what roles. I was originally looking to see if there were any A-list celebrities doing roles, but I began to catch on to the guys/gals who only did voice. I would pick up on who did what kinds of roles, genres, etc. Then one day after my wife had played Dragon Age II, I made a little Fenris imitation while she was in another room, and she came back in to turn off the Xbox 360 (it was already off). When she realized it was me, she said I should give it a shot.

I thought about it: I love to act, but I’m stage/camera shy--being in a room with a microphone sounds like an excellent remedy; I could work with these people that I’ve been following the careers of; I could use my natural talents; it would be fun, as opposed to several other prospective careers; and last but not least, I’d get to work in the games industry without having to learn how to make the games themselves (even though I am working on that). And maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to move on up to Hollywood, baby.

Right now I am honing my skills, trying to come up with new voices and characters and will soon put together a demo reel of some of my finest bits. I also plan to audition for local radio and television commercials; I’ve even applied to work as a DJ for the local rock station (the local rock station. Read: Oklahoma sucks). Having a voice fit for voice acting is fine and all, but does nothing for you financially speaking if you don’t get it out there into the known.

If I had a time machine, I’d go back to when the development for Mass Effect started and audition like crazy for the role of Commander Shepard. Mark Meer is good in his own right, but let’s face it: he hammed up that role. Also, I’d have the pleasure of saying that I’m Commander #%$^ing Shepard.

Either that or I’d pick the winning lottery numbers for a $450 million jackpot. You know, whatever.


Kumquats: Yes or no?

I’d have to try one in order to make a real judgement, but I’d probably like ‘em.


What would you like to see out of Dtoid Midwest in the future?

More people to move here so It’s not just me and Zodiac Eclipse :D.

But seriously, I feel like all that I can do to be involved with Destructoid is online. The Midwest is huge, and most of the Midwest Dtoiders live in and around Ohio. It’d be great to have more going on in the southern reaches. Hell, in order to have a good NARP, Starkey has to come down from Minnesota. We might as well just take the four-hour drive to Dallas for anything.


If you could change one aspect of the games industry, what would it be?

The cashwhoring. It’s in everything. On-disc DLC, pointless tie-ins and marketing ploys, even as much as changing key characteristics of a game in order to reach a broader audience, rather than letting the game itself live the way it should. True, it’s good business sense to make a game catered to everyone, but it shouldn’t all be about dollars and cents.


Funniest thing you’ve ever seen?  GO!

That I’ve ever seen? Crap, man, my memory sucks. It’s goldfish bad. Of what I can remember recently, I’d have to say Jim Sterling’s attempt at an episode of the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon. I guffawed like an idiot for several minutes straight. Either that or any of the Guile’s theme videos. Ask me again tomorrow and I’ll have a different answer.


Non-question time, tell us what’s on your mind as an outro.

Never before has an online community felt so much like home. I love all of you guys. Even the birdman. I’m so glad I finally joined this place and I plan to stay here for a good long while to come.

Now that all this fuzziness is done, who wants come here and gimme a little Eskimo kiss?


And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks to M47R1X for sparing a moment to share with us.


I can never find a picture that gives a good idea of how massive the arcade is at MAGFest

So MAGFest is creeping closer and closer, and people are getting fucking hyped. I know that ZombiePlatypus, DanlHaas, Ruckus, Gatsby, Glitchy and myself are attending. Any other Midwesterners making the journey? If you are, speak up; MAGFest is a blast! The Midwest room was where it was at last year, with visits from Jon St John and Mr. MAGFest, plenty of booze, and one of the most epic games of Kings I've ever been involved in. So if you're going, make sure to say hi! I'll be sad if I don't get to party with each and every one of you.

Live in the Chicago area? Dtoider JrisJunior (formerly Fleet3000) mentioned on our facebook group page that he'd like to get some people together in that area. Hit him up if you feel like meeting some Dtoiders for a good time.

If you don't have plans for New Year's Eve yet, be aware that Daniel Starkey is trying to get together an Oklahoma/Texas New Year's NARP. I'd be all up in that shit if I could, so contact him if you're interested.


As usual, if you're interested in being an interviewee feel free to contact me at jonbloodspray A T gmail, and don't forget our forum thread and our Google group.

I think that about covers everything.



Random picture.