- ARBITOR 5
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- Exalted Mythic Member
x Foman123 x
We've all seen him, we've all heard of him, we think we know him but do we really? Read the third installment of the Community Joes this year and unmask one of the most notable Forum Ninjas.
Q: Behind your Ninja mask you are you really and where are you from?A: Well, behind the mask lies another mask, and under that mask lies a lawyer from Washington, DC, where I was born and raised.
Q: So you make monies by putting bad people behind bars?A: Actually I make my monies in the corporate legal world, providing a bunch of different kinds of legal services to large companies. I mostly do antitrust law, laws dealing with fair competition and monopolization. However I work on a variety of other kinds of corporate legal issues as well.
Q: I'm good at Monopoly aha! Why did you want to be a lawyer? Does it run in the family?A: Nope, doesn't run in the family at all, theres no lawyers in the Foman household. I became a lawyer because I like reading, writing, and arguing; the three essential past-times for any attorney!
Q: Yup, that sounds like the Foman I know on bungie.net! Speaking of you on Bungie.net where does your username derive from?A: "Fo-Man" or "Fo Man" was actually my college nickname, as my best friend in college liked to call me. When I went to form an AIM account in 1997 or 1998 or so (which was the only instant messenger around at the time, except for ICQ which nobody used), the name "Foman" was taken because it was someone's last name. So I went with "FoMan123." It stuck and I've been using it ever since, which means I've been going by "FoMan123" or "FoMan" for around 14 years. Yikes, I'm old!
Q: Smeg, and I thought I was getting old!! Time for a quick tea break; whats your ultimate weapon in the whole world?A: A modified version of the Halo energy sword, obviously, that shoots out more energy swords which spawn Elites with energy swords.
Q: Talk about dominating the world, you so should suggest that to 343. What was the first Bungie game you played?A: I played Myth at a friend's house long ago, having no idea it was a Bungie game or who Bungie was, but my real introduction to Bungie was Halo: CE. I bought the original XBox a few weeks after it launched and, of course, bought Halo: CE with it. I barely remember the next several months as a Diet Mountain Dew-and-Cheetos-fueled haze of playing Halo, but when I woke up, I was a Bungie fan for life!
Q: So, you were pretty much addicted?A: Addicted is probably an understatement. I remember my brother and I would sing the Halo theme song (the chanting monks) to each other as a signal that we wanted to play :)
Q: Oh dear.. in your opinion whats the best part of gaming? - Apart from singing the theme tunes of your favorite games.A: I've been a gamer since I was old enough to turn on my dad's Atari 2600. The best part of it for me is the escape from the real world into the world of the developer's creation. Even old games that we now see as "simplistic" like Super Mario Brothers, Wolfenstein 3D, and the original side-scrolling Duke Nukem had fairly intricate backstories, and I always enjoyed the way gaming immerses you into those worlds even better than a good book or a movie.
Q: Yeah, I find RPG's like KotOR are good at dragging you in. What are your other hobbies/interests aside from gaming?A: Oh not too many really. The usual stuff like books and movies, plus I have a private pilot's license, I love skydiving, and I love pistol target shooting. I also, as you know, enjoy the online/internet side of gaming, both through hanging out on Bungie.net and administering community projects such as Bungiepedia and Destinypedia. But gaming is my real passion.
Q: You can fly a plane? Well next year you could fly over to the Uk, pick me up and take me to PAX if your up for it?A: Sure; you're paying for gas though! I hope you have $10,000 handy!
Q: Ahaha, I think another break is in order! What do you prefer; coke or pepsi?A: Diet Mountain Dew and only Diet Mountain Dew.
Though I'll drink Coke in a pinch...
Q: Well, I don't like fizzy drinks at all really. Back to bungie.net, whats keeping you here after 6 years?A: Oh, it's almost definitely the community here and the relationships I have built up over that time. A lot of people come and go, but many others have been here for as long or longer than I have. Going to community events like PAX and hanging out with such awesome people who have the same interests I do only makes me want to come hang out with them on Bungie.net even more. Plus it's something interesting to do during down-time at work!
Q: Ahh man, I bet PAX is awesome, your lucky you live so close compared to some people! Tell us of a few community projects you've been and are currently involved in.A: Sure; well the first one I was ever involved with was The Guide, which was a private group on Bungie.net that involved doing "reviews" of other open private groups and interviews of notable community members, much like you're doing. The Guide was run by fellow Ninja Gods Prophet, but no longer exists. I also got involved as an administrator helping with the startup and building up of Bungiepedia, a wiki for all things regarding Bungie and the Bungie Community. That project is going great these days, and so I've stepped away from day-to-day administration and moderating of that site, though I still stop in every few days. Another project I was involved in was helping to start and run CompoundIntelligence, which was a private group dedicated to the IRIS Alternate Reality Game/Viral Marketing Campaign that helped to introduce the world to Halo 3. Nowadays, I focus my efforts on moderating on Bungie.net and my new project, Destinypedia, a wiki designed to cover all things related to Bungie's next title.
Q: Wow, well you really do deserve your salmon text ;) Apart from bunge.net what other websites do you visit often?A: Well for entertainment purposes, I get most of my kicks from Bungie.net. But of course sometimes I find myself in the bowels of YouTube laughing at zit-popping videos or bizarre foreign-language TV show experts. Cracked.com is another favorite destination.
Q: At least you don't link loads of posts to youtube videos like Recon Number 54 does aha. Tell me now, are you trembling with excitment for the next new hawtness like I am?A: Short answer: YES!
Q: Well, thanks for the awesome interview, I don't know about the readers but I can officially say i've has a quick look at the man behind the mask! Have you got any shout outs you'd like to make?A: Thank you! This was fun. I'd like to give a shout out to Deathpimp and BerserkerBarage: we miss you guys more than you could ever have known. Shoutouts to my fellow Ninjas, fellow Seasoned Veterans, fellow WorkPlacers, and fellow Destinypedians. Plus extra shoutouts to the Bungie web and community teams for giving us this hangout and supporting us :)
Interview by Arbitor 5 | Community Joes | Co-Joe