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Subject: Community Joe Interview: Sonic John

Sonic John
Welcome back to another season of Community Joes; bringing you closer to the community that you've come to love. Todays interview highlights Sonic Johns bungie.net life and work. So instead of me rambling on i'll let you read rollin's awesome work. (WARNING: DOUBLE POST).

Q: Who are you and where are you from?A: Bnetters know me as SonicJohn, but I go by Sarsion everywhere else on the internets. I'm from Dundee in Scotland (and yes, it's custom to wear kilts and eat haggis on a daily basis here). My accent is nearly implacable; Americans think I sound Scottish and Scots think I sound American. It's my eternal curse.

Q: What do you do for a livng?A: I work at an indoor skatepark, known as "The Factory", as a Retail Assistant (and sometimes I clean up wounds that our daredevil kids inflict upon themselves). It's a pretty awesome job. I get to spend time watching a lot of talented kids (and sometimes adults too!) fly through the air on a variety of wheelbound deathtraps, and when they're done, sell them equipment to make their flights more comfortable and enjoyable.

But that's just my day job. By night I'm the "Director of Art, Operations and Community Management" for a cloud-based indie-game-dev team known as Whisper Game Studios, which I founded with CAVX (if you're using Coup d'Bungie right now, it's him you have to thank for that) back in 2008. That's my true passion, and once we get further off the ground, and once I'm happily married and living in Seattle, I will turn it into what I do for a living.

Q: What made you want to get into what you do?A: The Retail Assistant job? Well, I've been a bit of a lazy skateboarder since 2007. I know how to drop from quarter-pipes and verts (depending on the height) and accidentimanual, but beyond that, I can't ollie or kickflip or anything EXTREME, so my secret goal from working there is to mentally practice techniques from watching the kids do it. Also I just like the atmosphere; they play some sweet music there.

As for Whisper. There has never been anything I've ever wanted to do as much as make video games. We set up Whisper so we could freely explore our interests. I've personally dabbled in design, art, animation, PR and production whilst at Whisper, and I'm finding that a Producer role is more where my heart and soul is at. When I get a vision for a game, I see it so clearly that I'm able to manage an entire team to achieve that goal, and keep everyone on the right lines. I can't wait to get our first big game, Elysia, out the door, but not because I'm bored of it or want to do something new, but because I'm excited to see what the response is like. I have put the past 3+ years of my life into the game, so it's become a deep-seated part of me. And also I think my friends and family want me to shut up about how the development is going for it already.

I also wanted to provide a place for people to gain experience without trying to get a job at a company in order to gain that experience that they need you to have gained already....so we're also constantly on the lookout for aspiring developers from a variety of fields, so if you're interested in getting experience, lemme know!

Q: So when did you get into gaming/how old were you?A: I was 3 years old when my parents first got our Sega Mega Drive (Americans read: Sega Genesis). Sonic 1 got bundled with it, so that was the very first game I ever played. I say "played", but what I really mean is panic because I couldn't get past the Choppers (jumping piranha robots) at the start of Green Hill, and so my mum and dad took turns in playing with me throughout the entire game, encouraging me to try the hard parts myself. Eventually I gained confidence and hand-eye coordination enough to master Sonic 1 (with the flower ending, no less!). I've gotten every single Sonic game since then (apart from the Riders, Rivals, and Storybook offshoot series) and completed all of them without my parents' help! (Mostly...)

I consider Sonic 3 & Knuckles to be my all-time favourite Sonic game. Yes, I consider it to be even better than Sonic 2, much to my Whisper buddy Ash55's disdain.

Q: Where did your gamertag/username come from?A: SonicJohn is pretty simple. When we finally got the internets in 2001 (AOL 7.0, boii) I had to make up a name for my email, so, completely stuck for any ideas, my mum said that usually people just combined something they loved and their name. So between hotdogs and Sonic, Sonic won out. HotDogJohn sadly never saw the light of day.

Sarsion is even simpler. 2008 hit and I suddenly realized how embarrassing my online alias of 7-years was. I was pretty jelly of cool single-purpose names like "Achronos", "CAVX", "Yoozel" and "Duardo"; you know, just names that aren't specifically referencing anything and refer only to that person. So I took "SonicJohn", removed the middle letters "onicJoh", shortened it to 7 characters and filled in the blanks with letters that looked like they fit until I got my gamertag. My only regret is that everyone pronounces it wrongly. It's "sar-shun", in case anyone was wondering, not "sar-see-on", or "sar-ih-son".

Q: What was the original Bungie title you picked up and how did you get into it?A: Tis a cliché but an unavoidable one; Halo: Combat Evolved was my first introduction to Bungie's genius. There's a funny story behind that actually. I can't recall whether this was Christmas 2001 or just after the New Year in 2002, but my dad heard about the new Xbox and a particular game called Halo that he wanted to get with me and my little brother (at the time I was 10, and my brother was 4). So we went to the game store and had a look at the games. Dad immediately picked up Halo and had a read of the blurb, whilst I saw "Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee", so with vague memories of the Abe's Oddysee game on the Playstation I tried to convince him to get it instead of Halo, which, in my words "looked silly and boring". So we, of course, got Halo, and dad spent the journey home detailing every spoiler about the game that he could, referring enthusiastically to "jumping popcorn" enemies that appeared torwards the end of the game.

Needless to say, I was never as afraid of the Flood as everyone else was during their first experience with Halo.

Q: What aspects of gaming do you enjoy the most?A: For the first half of my life, I replayed Sonic games on a daily and hourly basis. I even began creating imaginary stories in-game, as if it were some sort of non-linear adventure game, and I would rehearse the stories and eventually tried to record them to VHS so I could show people (minus my mental narration).

That experience, just thinking back on it now, has made me realize how much I connect to both good stories and to experiences you can share with people. Even just to connect with people on the level of how they approached different levels or boss fights or achievements or multiplayer matches. That's definitely the core reason I adore video games. Millions of people can play the same game all of the way through but have entirely different perspectives and approaches to completing it, even if they're ultimately non-linear. I love sharing experiences with people, and I adore hearing new takes on things that I hadn't yet considered. That's part of why I love speculation on story elements and what the future might bring for Bungie. It's not the "being right" thing that gets me excited (though that does end up being the focus if it turns out I was), it's the process of sharing something with so many people.

That's why I want to make games, and that's why I love my team. In this social age where the word "Share" is reduced to a button under articles and videos, I really want to emphasize on how important a concept sharing really is to people. So yeah.

Q: Why do you play video games instead of doing other things?A: Truth be told, in the past couple years, my gaming has dropped to an all-time low. I don't think I've played Reach since the last Ride Along. In fact, I think I only game on my iPhone now (Sonic CD came out recently) when I'm about to fall asleep, or when nature calls. I spend all of the rest of my time these days making games or thinking about making games. It takes up a lot of time and effort. I do want to start making time for me to play games again. As a designer, it's important to find sources of inspiration and motivation, but simply as a gameaholic, the withdrawl symptoms are unbelievably difficult to work through, so I need to get my fix on.

Regarding the industry in its current state, I might add, I buy games after at least a year of them being released. There are way too many games being released at way too high a frequency and all with investment economy systems and long-term addiction gimmicks and I can't get behind any of that. It's why I've stayed away from World of Warcraft and, generally, any MMO. I only stick to franchises that I know I'll enjoy, and sometimes I'll dip my toe in the water and come across a game I can play in moderation. I just bought Mass Effect 2, for example.

But anyway, I game, because games transport us to entirely different worlds where we can be or do whatever we want. That's important to me.

  • 06.01.2012 7:13 AM PDT

Part 2
Q: What are your other hobbies/interests aside from gaming?A: Apart from typing up verbose interview answers and speculating on Bnet about things we know like, nothing about. I'm an avid Dean Koontz and Stephen King fan. I like my books in the same way I like my games, I guess. In fact, I do that with food too. I always choose Chicken Tikka Massala when I go for Indian food...I'm so boring.

Creative media has taken up so much of my life in these past 4 years that I don't think my brain will let me have time for much of anything else. I make YouTube videos with my fiancée when we're in the same country, I practice digital and traditional art to keep myself fresh, and I skateboard lazily.

Q: Why Bungie? What made them appealing to you?A: Bungie is reserved, deliberate and mysterious. They do a great job of tying all of their strings together to ensure no loose end. They delivered with such accuracy with Halo 1 that it was hard to fault them. I figure it's because they hadn't anticipated doing a sequel, but that's what made Halo 1 so special to me; the fact that it was uncharted territory and entirely innocent; it was honest. As great as they were, Halos 2 and 3 felt just a little forced to me. I enjoyed them, but having the understanding of the relationship with their parent company, I totally get it. That's actually why I'm excited for Destiny. It's that same Bungie approaching uncharted territory, but with 10 years of hardcore field experience and more than double their workforce. The mind cannot fathom.

As for their appeal, I value their Community wing of the company. It's not that it's rare, but it was more that it was definitely a pioneer in that sort of thinking. Though I don't believe I had explored too many online communities before I came across Bungie, I had made a couple of my own Proboards (lawl) to support my Sonic fandom, but that was the extent of my knowledge of forums; so I suppose Bnet was even more fantastic to discover in that regards. Any other site back in '03 and '04 with forums seemed hostile (still feels that way today).

Q: What makes you important within the BNet community?A: What makes me important? What kind of silly question is that? Who comes up with these? Where's my lawyer? Foman, where are you when I need you?

I don't believe I am any more important than any of the other posters that come here. My ego may have believed myself to be "Semi-Famous" in my early teens, but eventually I realized that what makes someone interesting to talk to isn't how well-known they are, but what they actually do. I mean, take Paris Hilton for example. Sorry, what does she do again? Exactly!

I'm probably best known, or recognizable at least, for my Webcam MVP title which I won during the great Webcam Games of Summer 2007. Oh dems were the days. I have my worries that with the impending Clean Sheet that will be the arrival of Bungie.net's Destiny facelift, that along with a new Member Titles system, we may see the removal of custom titles such as my own. I think it's a great way to reward community dedication and interaction, much like Recon, Nameplates and the Eternal Flames were all fantastic little perks to give yourself a little more personal flair in Halo Reach.

Otherwise, I'm known, or again, recognized, for many of my boredom-induced projects. My personal favourite being the coinage of LASO. Seeing the term used in Reach's challenges was really cool, and although many people may look to others or may not look at all for who coined the phrase or started the craze, it's my own little bubble of happiness whenever I see the acronym mentioned.

Currently, I'm working to figure out tiny little details of what Destiny may be, simply based off of information available to the public. I hang out in the Universe forum specifically for this reason, and I look forward to the day when Halo Vs Star Wars polls stop being the norm in there, and explosive discussions of Destiny arise. I guess my topography map is important to people, if only because it gives us something tangible to think about regarding Bungie's next game, since we have almost nothing to go on.

I still strongly believe I'm minuscule in the grand scheme of things on this site, but I have a habit of liking to leave a mark wherever I go. I'm like a damned puppy.

Q: How do feel about you being so active on BNet?A: Hah. These days I'm as active as anyone else.

Put simply, I used to be a poster like spartain ken, until I took a check to the reality.

Years ago (okay like, two years ago) I'd post 50 times a day, at least, simply because I felt so unfocussed on my life at the time. Since finally fine-tuning my artistic abilities to a point where I can roll with them, and since meeting my fiancée, along with getting a job and a car, and such, I've sharply cut down on my participation on the forums. I'd like to say I've grown up, but I'm still as short as Joe Staten, so I'm not sure that counts.

I come here mostly now to share my experiences, find excuses to practice my art (be it 2D or 3D), and generally observe the community in its darkest days. I'd say I was bored, if I was here all the time, but I'm not, so all is well. I just wish I was a group person; I'm a member of as many as I can be, and I never post in any of them. Just goes to show how infrequently I'm here nowadays!

Q: Where else do you go online other than BNet (what communities are you a part of)?A: Ah, a perfect opportunity to plug--er, I mean, promote--er, I mean, talk about my friends and family at Whisper Game Studios!

Okay, but in all seriousness, I started Whisper with CAVX (anyone wearing a Coup, please to be saluting to that name) back in November 2008, and since then we've grown rapidly. In fact, had it not been for Bungie, none of us would have ever have gotten together in the ways that we have. Our philosophies, for both social and production, have our experiences and understanding of Bungie as such a central foundation to our own make-up that it's hard to think of Whisper and not think of the Bungie Community, after all more than 75% of the guys who've been on our team have been from the Community. Halcylon included! (Traitor!)

Ah man, I've just really enjoyed my time with everyone who's come and gone with us, as a team, immensely, and the things I've learned throughout my time developing XBLIG and PC games there has been astounding; such as "Deadlines are hard to properly estimate for a team that isn't being paid to actively work on the game until after the game is done". But I digress.

Most of the guys on our site are from here on Bnet, having stalked me so hard that they've found their way into our lair, and decided to hang out. Anyone else are just pretty cool guys and gals who love what we're aiming to do. I'm also moving to Seattle very shortly, so hopefully we can get a little attic studio and do some evening development as a team in one place! And maybe host joint Whisper-Bungie Community parties; that would be most excellent!

Q: Who do you associate with online?A: Good question. Probably anyone who says anything to me and says anything back to anything I happen to say back. That seems to be how it goes. If you're a nice person and interest me with your babble, then chances are I'm going to give you my attention and the honour that is my association.

I try associating with Marty, but he never returns any of my emails or calls, but I like to pretend that I know everything he'd say anyway, so we have nice conversations in that respects. And if we have an argument, I always win, and he's okay with that [:)]

But in a nutshell, if you're nice, I'll be nice to you, up and until the point that you're not nice for no good discernible reason, and then I'll be even more nice....up and until I get bored and call you a dolt. Then things get ugly.

Q: Favorite zodiac sign?A: Is it possible to have a favourite without it being your own? I'm a Cancer, and I think we're all pretty cool guys. I'm going to cop-out on you and say that's my answer.

Q: Have you got any shout outs that you'd like to make?A: I'd just like to say that I love my fiancée, Christicake, and can't wait to be with her finally in Seattle. In a funny roundabout sort of way, if it hadn't been for Bungie, I would have never founded Whisper, and if it hadn't been for Whisper or Bungie, our team would have never hired her on as our Audio Director. The rest is history!

To everyone else, thanks for being you. I love observing the dynamics and social structure that is our community. I recognize so many names and avatars and even post-styles amongst the community, and I still find it fascinating just how diverse the Community is, whether it's during its most busy and populated days, or its darkest hours. I love watching your relationships and personalities grow with the Community, and I feel humbled to still feel happy to interact today, after 7 years of my presence.

Thanks for taking the time to ask me some questions, dude. Sorry I spoke so much. Last time I was asked to do this sort of thing, I told urk my entire life story. I was genuinely embarrassed just how cut down my Average Joe was from the original draft.

Hope I did a *little* bit better this time!

If you have any moar questions, feel free to ask away in this thread.

<3, SJ

Interview by RollinRollin13 | Community Joes | Reporter Joe

  • 06.01.2012 7:14 AM PDT
  • gamertag: ALI217
  • user homepage:

I'm gonna finish it. Just like Jigga did to the pyramid.

1st

  • 06.01.2012 7:32 AM PDT

Posted by: A Bit Of Zero
This thread would have appealed to me more if it was written with crayons.
Posted by: King Dutchy
I broke one of the cords for my X11s because I couldn't get past the final American course in Doritos Crash Course.

Ha ha - I used to go the 'Factory' Skatepark, the old one though, it used to be in an old church. I still have my membership card.

Quality interview by the way.

[Edited on 06.01.2012 8:07 AM PDT]

  • 06.01.2012 7:41 AM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

Well, here we are. I guess that it was destined to come to this.

* performs a CTRL-F and searches for the word "short"*

Only 3 mentions? I am dissapoint.


JK. Good interview John.

  • 06.01.2012 7:55 AM PDT

Remember,
It is easy to be male
it is another thing to be a man.

Nice interview, strange that one of the things i can credit John for,is helping me learn how to spell Susurration without looking. Two s's and two r's baby.

[Edited on 06.01.2012 8:20 AM PDT]

  • 06.01.2012 8:17 AM PDT

@spaboolly

better than Sonic 2

Other than that glaring inaccuracy, great interview.

  • 06.01.2012 8:25 AM PDT

Great interview! It's good to get to know what community regulars do outside of Bungie.net.

  • 06.01.2012 8:31 AM PDT

Dead Mans Hand-Always Loaded.

I WAS SOCK

Good stuff!

WTB HotDogJohn =P

  • 06.01.2012 8:36 AM PDT

*´¨)---––•(-• Dutchy •-)•–--–-(¨´*
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)••(¨*•.¸ (¨´*•.¸´â€¢.¸
(¸.•´ (¸.•Everything fails•.¸) ´â€¢.¸)

Awesome interview is awesome.

[Edited on 06.01.2012 8:39 AM PDT]

  • 06.01.2012 8:39 AM PDT

@spawn031

"So much of what we do is ephemeral and quickly forgotten, even by ourselves, so it's gratifying to have something you have done linger in people's memories." John Williams

I think this username may have suited you much better. Great read, always looking forward to what WGS has down the pipe. Maybe I'll dig up that recent video of the Ride Along in Bnet Regs, I'm pretty sure your name was mispronounced in there a few times ;)

So between hotdogs and Sonic, Sonic won out. HotDogJohn sadly never saw the light of day.

  • 06.01.2012 8:48 AM PDT

Whisper Game Studios - shhhh, it's a public secret.
Webcam MVP
Sarsion.net
Bnet PM Policy

[*Please note that anything in my posts is likely to be filled with sarcasm, and should be taken with a pinch of salt. I tend to help people, usually*]

Who? Never heard of him.

Posted by: SkilPhil
Ha ha - I used to go the 'Factory' Skatepark, the old one though, it used to be in an old church. I still have my membership card.
That's awesome! You're probably in the database still too. One of 16,000.

*makes mental note to creep for anyone called Phil*

You should come in sometime, man, would be really cool to meet you in person. I'd even pay for your session :D

Posted by: Recon Number 54
* performs a CTRL-F and searches for the word "short"*

Only 3 mentions? I am dissapoint.
Yes, I'm in short supply of height.

Posted by: Peacekeeper MX
Nice interview, strange that one of the things i can credit John for,is helping me learn how to spell Susurration without looking. Two s's and two r's baby.
I see what you did there. You may actually one of very few to know how to spell it correctly! *goes to award Honorary Royalty...* oh wait.

Posted by: MsCadetUNIVERSE
better than Sonic 2
Other than that glaring inaccuracy, great interview.
Keep telling yourself that. (It's not that video again, but I might link it later :P)

Posted by: spawn031
Great read, always looking forward to what WGS has down the pipe.
Thanks man! And oh yeah, keep your eyes peeled :D

(Ignore the top, that was Ash's idea of a joke. Also credit to BlueSkyfish for painting the scene and to Ash for cleaning it up).

Yay, my interview's up. I think I wrote this a little way before Mass Effect 3 came out, so just in case anyone's wondering whether I only just got ME2 this month, lol, sorry, nopes. Finished the third one a couple weeks ago.

  • 06.01.2012 9:37 AM PDT

Loading C://NAVSPECWEP/S-II/074....done

KIA during augmentation procedures. Body not recovered ?
>>ERROR: YOU DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO VIEW THESE FILES<<
>>>WARNING<<< YOUR SESSION HAS BEEN LOGGED. SECURITY HAS BEEN DISPATCHED TO YOUR POSITION. CLOSE FILES IMMEDIATELY.

Shameless Elysia plugging for the win! It's fun to have gotten to know you more through elysia's development and in turn whisper, Sars. Sorry for busting your balls so much. :P

  • 06.01.2012 12:32 PM PDT

I am never late,Nor am I early; I arrive precisely when I mean to.
Also
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick -Potatoes!-... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

Check out this Thread on how to help new members here on Bungie.net

Awesome Read Its cool to finally get to know you better sonicjohn I have only seen you slap Yoozel on youtube.

I hope to someday as a side project create a simple game

  • 06.01.2012 12:54 PM PDT

Key

>makes a series about interviewing regular community members
>interviews SonicJohn

e: Good read though. I'm just being a dick.

[Edited on 06.01.2012 12:58 PM PDT]

  • 06.01.2012 12:57 PM PDT
  •  | 
  • Exalted Legendary Member

Posted by: CrazzySnipe55
>makes a series about interviewing regular community members
>interviews SonicJohn

e: Good read though. I'm just being a dick.

I'm confused...are you implying that John's not a regular community member? Because lol.

  • 06.01.2012 1:02 PM PDT

To Make Posts is Glorious

Some threads will get posts before others and it is the duty of the Leadership to ensure that posts are made that best suit the public welfare.

"heh"

Posted by: SonicJohn
Yes, I'm in short supply of height.
I see you're also in short supply of cropping tools.

  • 06.01.2012 1:02 PM PDT

Key


Posted by: CAVX
Posted by: CrazzySnipe55
>makes a series about interviewing regular community members
>interviews SonicJohn

e: Good read though. I'm just being a dick.

I'm confused...are you implying that John's not a regular community member? Because lol.

He's a semi popular one. Semi-popularity is like top-tier on BNet.

  • 06.01.2012 1:03 PM PDT

Xbox LIVE gamertag: Dat3lessNutella
Steam username: TopWargamer
To look up my Halo stats...search for the gamertag TopWargamer.
SAVED THREAD PAGES: 283
One does not simply get rid of TopWargamer so easily.
You know this to be true.
ALL HAIL GABEN


Posted by: Recon Number 54
* performs a CTRL-F and searches for the word "short"*

Only 3 mentions? I am dissapoint.


JK. Good interview John.


Only 3 mentions? I am dissapoint.

I am dissapoint.

dissapoint.

Somebody misspelled disappoint. I still love you anyways Recon.

OT: Nice interview.

ninja comment
it's not misspelling when you're intentionally trying to mimic a meme. Example: the = teh


[Edited on 06.01.2012 1:22 PM PDT by Recon Number 54]

  • 06.01.2012 1:06 PM PDT

"I will show you how a true Prussian officer fights!"

"And i will show you where the iron crosses grow..."

- "Cross of Iron"

Great interview!

  • 06.01.2012 1:29 PM PDT

I remember when I used this space to put cool looking links to my chapters back in the day. I don't even know why I'm using it now. Why are you even reading this? You must be interested in me. Still reading?

Great read! And probably one of the better choices of interviewees.

  • 06.01.2012 1:46 PM PDT

Gamertag: Deus Avertat

Café

Nice interview! Very interesting read.

  • 06.01.2012 2:18 PM PDT
  •  | 
  • Exalted Legendary Member
  • gamertag: dm8ns
  • user homepage:

24 years old.
BA in Politics. MSc in Business Management.
Buyer in Medical Technology Industry.
Music: Ambient, Folk, Alternative.
Interests outside of Halo - Soccer, Philosophy, Movies, Politics, Natural Science, Space, Animation, Gym Freak.

Nice interview.

You've now encouraged me to finally give in and buy Sonic CD on my iPhone ;).

  • 06.01.2012 2:20 PM PDT

Please stop complaining about the 'death of a loved one' it's my job. They probably deserved it anyways. Here's a warning, if you keep making pentagrams out of the neighbors livestock I will personally come to your house and kill everyone you love. Now leave me alone, I got to get back to work.
~M.D~

Quality read.

  • 06.01.2012 2:22 PM PDT

I am an Xbox Live Ambassador so feel free to hit me up with any questions via PM :)

Follow me Twitter: @TheBestTheyHad

Nice read!

  • 06.01.2012 2:24 PM PDT

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