PurpleRain was one of the first names I had ever recognized here on The Escapist. He was more into the User Reviews section at the time. Having grown up there, it was hard not to really see a ton of him. This was right after the release of Soul Calibur IV, so I hit a lot of SC IV threads at the time, of which there were many. I could never particularly get him out of my head. I wasn't sure if it was the Rain avatar, or just something about his flamboyant personality that stuck with me. This reigned in my memory for many a days, until the 'I Bet He's Cockney' thread. He was forever immortalized by the backstory I had written him. Fictitious and stupid, but it really helped me remember him. He was certainly one of my favorite posters ever, and is right now a great friend of mine.
Gigantor was a legend. Before I so much as had double-digit posts, Gigantor was already disappearing from the community. Post-disappearance was when I really learned of the personality that his posts had. I kept following his posts until I learned to step away from his style and make my own. In a way, Gigantor influenced me to be the presence on the User Reviews section I am today. I'd like to think I'm both a better writer and a better poster because of it. I do wonder if I could win a review contest against Gigantor. Without his presence, I'll never know.
mjhhiv was another one of my influences, and something of an inspiration to me. To this day, I can't withhold a grin on seeing the most recent post in the User Reviews being from him. I think it was his Orange Box review that tipped me over, but he's a steady presence that I'll never be able to get rid of. I'm grateful for everything he's done for me, even though he never made any specific action toward me. I was floored when he wanted my advice on a review, and I don't think I've ever recovered.
SayAnything and Novajam are to two "new friends" in the User Reviews section. It amazes me that they've both done so well in their reviews, and taught me so much just by reading their reviews. Even on a bad day, they're among my favorite persons to talk to. I confide much in the pair of them, and consider myself much better a person because of them.
FeNinja and Ares Tyr are two of my favorite gems here on The Escapist, because they make up the Triumvirate of Evil. Not that ToE does much anymore, or even anything at all. Even still, I'll never get rid of the feeling of camaraderie. Besides, Bob Ross the shirtless wonder, and the ninja chef. Honestly, how can we go wrong with that?
TheGhostOfSin, TheMonopolyGuy, Shivari, and KhediveRex are all buddies I made on the Cockney thread. It's kinda funny, since Opp/Hyp hated his Cockney thing at first. TheMonopolyGuy had an amazing avatar, which is what stuck with me. Shivers is now my good, good friend. I owe my entire Escapist persona and any amount of fame I ever have to KhediveRex, and anyone you could possibly ask knows it.
Labyrinth is one of the Escapists I was too nervous to ever speak to. She found me. After God knows how many conversations, and many collaborative thread ideas. We tend to have a lot of overlap in discussion threads, and will often soundboard our ideas off of one another. I've yet to meet another Escapist I can so simply connect with on a collaborative and discursive level.
Cahlee is another one of those brave souls who actually hunted me down. She's told me I intimidated her at one point, trying to contact the NewClassic out of the blue. Yet day in, day out, I can't help but feel like I was blessed, and not the other way around. I don't see her much anymore (I miss you, Cahlee), but I'm glad I do still get to see her on very rare occasions.
Through Ms. LaCoil, I ended up meeting Puppeteer_Putin. A great, great friend of mine. I cannot think of many folks I would rather be shooting the breeze with than Puppet. We have lately been blathering on the topic of cars, and games, and cars. You can't go wrong with a guy that likes Lotus.
RAKtheUndead is another name I feel the need to bring up. A man that's simultaneously so relatable and still different from me. He was another of my main Review influences, and the person I most look up to. Even today. Between him and SimuLord, I don't think I could have better mentors. I really feel like I still have much to learn, and I will always look to these people for it.
Gigantor was a legend. Before I so much as had double-digit posts, Gigantor was already disappearing from the community. Post-disappearance was when I really learned of the personality that his posts had. I kept following his posts until I learned to step away from his style and make my own. In a way, Gigantor influenced me to be the presence on the User Reviews section I am today. I'd like to think I'm both a better writer and a better poster because of it. I do wonder if I could win a review contest against Gigantor. Without his presence, I'll never know.
mjhhiv was another one of my influences, and something of an inspiration to me. To this day, I can't withhold a grin on seeing the most recent post in the User Reviews being from him. I think it was his Orange Box review that tipped me over, but he's a steady presence that I'll never be able to get rid of. I'm grateful for everything he's done for me, even though he never made any specific action toward me. I was floored when he wanted my advice on a review, and I don't think I've ever recovered.
SayAnything and Novajam are to two "new friends" in the User Reviews section. It amazes me that they've both done so well in their reviews, and taught me so much just by reading their reviews. Even on a bad day, they're among my favorite persons to talk to. I confide much in the pair of them, and consider myself much better a person because of them.
FeNinja and Ares Tyr are two of my favorite gems here on The Escapist, because they make up the Triumvirate of Evil. Not that ToE does much anymore, or even anything at all. Even still, I'll never get rid of the feeling of camaraderie. Besides, Bob Ross the shirtless wonder, and the ninja chef. Honestly, how can we go wrong with that?
TheGhostOfSin, TheMonopolyGuy, Shivari, and KhediveRex are all buddies I made on the Cockney thread. It's kinda funny, since Opp/Hyp hated his Cockney thing at first. TheMonopolyGuy had an amazing avatar, which is what stuck with me. Shivers is now my good, good friend. I owe my entire Escapist persona and any amount of fame I ever have to KhediveRex, and anyone you could possibly ask knows it.
Labyrinth is one of the Escapists I was too nervous to ever speak to. She found me. After God knows how many conversations, and many collaborative thread ideas. We tend to have a lot of overlap in discussion threads, and will often soundboard our ideas off of one another. I've yet to meet another Escapist I can so simply connect with on a collaborative and discursive level.
Cahlee is another one of those brave souls who actually hunted me down. She's told me I intimidated her at one point, trying to contact the NewClassic out of the blue. Yet day in, day out, I can't help but feel like I was blessed, and not the other way around. I don't see her much anymore (I miss you, Cahlee), but I'm glad I do still get to see her on very rare occasions.
Through Ms. LaCoil, I ended up meeting Puppeteer_Putin. A great, great friend of mine. I cannot think of many folks I would rather be shooting the breeze with than Puppet. We have lately been blathering on the topic of cars, and games, and cars. You can't go wrong with a guy that likes Lotus.
RAKtheUndead is another name I feel the need to bring up. A man that's simultaneously so relatable and still different from me. He was another of my main Review influences, and the person I most look up to. Even today. Between him and SimuLord, I don't think I could have better mentors. I really feel like I still have much to learn, and I will always look to these people for it.
Ultrajoe was one of the Escapists I met through LaCoil, and through him I met mshcherbatskaya. Ultrajoe is perhaps one of my favorite people just to observe, and banter with. From a fiction standpoint, I feel like there's a written dynamic I can really learn just from paying attention to his inflated diction and dialog. Conversely, mshcherbatskaya has such a smooth voice that I really can't help but feel like I could go lifetimes without picking up half of the subtleties she operates on. Hopefully, I can one day learn enough to be even half as proficient with it.
Vanguard1219 is another Escapist I met through LaCoil, and a good friend of mine. I'm glad I get the chance to keep up with him, even though we share few discussion topics in common. He's still quite a cool guy to shoot the breeze with, even if we have little more to talk about than violins.
Larenxis is another one of my RP buddies, whom I feel nothing but blessed to be able to converse with. Her insight and conversation is awe-inspiring. I'm glad she's one of my many friends today, and I do owe that friendship to the Escapist.
Higurashi is one good friend, who originally turned me toward the Ratings War contest in the first place. He's also my good good friend on IRC, and one of my favorite persons to talk to. Without the Escapist IRC, I probably never would've found him.
SaintWaldo is another name I would likely have never crossed were it not for the IRC client. Though we don't have much in common, we've been able to have long conversations with one another.
Vanguard1219 is another Escapist I met through LaCoil, and a good friend of mine. I'm glad I get the chance to keep up with him, even though we share few discussion topics in common. He's still quite a cool guy to shoot the breeze with, even if we have little more to talk about than violins.
Larenxis is another one of my RP buddies, whom I feel nothing but blessed to be able to converse with. Her insight and conversation is awe-inspiring. I'm glad she's one of my many friends today, and I do owe that friendship to the Escapist.
Higurashi is one good friend, who originally turned me toward the Ratings War contest in the first place. He's also my good good friend on IRC, and one of my favorite persons to talk to. Without the Escapist IRC, I probably never would've found him.
SaintWaldo is another name I would likely have never crossed were it not for the IRC client. Though we don't have much in common, we've been able to have long conversations with one another.
Susan Arendt is the one writer I will forever look up to. She has such a good presence on paper, yet still so approachable. That's probably why she's the professional, and I'm still an amateur. She's also taught me a lot, and given me great advice when I've needed it.
Teleios is one of the masters of Hamster-mancy over in tech support, but she's been among my favorite IRC conversationalists. Sadly, since the Escapist is always so busy, we hardly talk, but I always enjoy the time I have to spend with her. Besides, I don't have many others to discuss Harry Dresden with.
The_Root_Of_All_Evil, however, is one such of those I can discuss Dresden with. And when we aren't talking disjointedly about nothing, we're crushing the hearts and souls of the IRC patrons by stringing up monstrous chains of puns. Root is another one of those Escapists I look up to, and whose opinions mean quite a bit to me.
SpinWhiz is perhaps one of my favorite folks to talk to. Both in random discussions in Mumble, official stuff like the March Madness interview, or even just screaming "ZU SOO" at him whenever I get the chance.
Landslide, or DrunkInSpace, isn't around much these days. Still, honorable mention for managing to flood your apartment.
WilsonsCrazyBed and Nilcypher are two of the members of the Red Guard, and certainly a pair I look up to. They're very gifted, intelligent, and good role models. I really do look up to them, Wilson for his relaxed method of being, and Nilcypher for his wit and cynicism. Probably because we overbearing dickheads exist.
Teleios is one of the masters of Hamster-mancy over in tech support, but she's been among my favorite IRC conversationalists. Sadly, since the Escapist is always so busy, we hardly talk, but I always enjoy the time I have to spend with her. Besides, I don't have many others to discuss Harry Dresden with.
The_Root_Of_All_Evil, however, is one such of those I can discuss Dresden with. And when we aren't talking disjointedly about nothing, we're crushing the hearts and souls of the IRC patrons by stringing up monstrous chains of puns. Root is another one of those Escapists I look up to, and whose opinions mean quite a bit to me.
SpinWhiz is perhaps one of my favorite folks to talk to. Both in random discussions in Mumble, official stuff like the March Madness interview, or even just screaming "ZU SOO" at him whenever I get the chance.
Landslide, or DrunkInSpace, isn't around much these days. Still, honorable mention for managing to flood your apartment.
WilsonsCrazyBed and Nilcypher are two of the members of the Red Guard, and certainly a pair I look up to. They're very gifted, intelligent, and good role models. I really do look up to them, Wilson for his relaxed method of being, and Nilcypher for his wit and cynicism. Probably because we overbearing dickheads exist.
SunGryphon and CadeHolwind both came from the influx of users during March Madness, and have swiftly become great friends of mine. The fact that I plan to go see them at some point is living proof of their excellence, and possibly that I'm really creepy.
The Grey Wolf is someone I never would've met were it not for IRC, but has become something of a conversational magnet while I'm on the IRC channel. His presence brightens my day in a way words can't really describe, but serves to be a great friend when needed.
Omnidum, never before has anyone hounded me so thoroughly on a single topic. It is thanks to your efforts alone that the RPG project hasn't been dropped. So, for everyone who wants my game to finally come out. You'll have to keep waiting, sorry, but you'll all owe Omni a round of drinks.
Xitel was a name I knew from IRC before the Holiday Council, but he's since become someone I recognize for both his insight and a haunting voice behind "Old Man River." Honestly, the guy did something big with the Holiday Council, and certainly stuck a neon sign over this community. He does good work, and is someone I'm lucky to call a friend.
Lilith is a relatively new face on the IRC, and on Escapist is general, but I'm already finding myself becoming firm friends. I do feel like it'll take a few weeks to really get to know her well enough, but is easily a name I'm happy to send a shout-out to in this thread. LuzGutierrez is much the same way, and is already one of my favorite persons to see online on the IRC. If I'm lucky, I'll continue to see her day after day. I look forward to many conversations from the both of you.
The Grey Wolf is someone I never would've met were it not for IRC, but has become something of a conversational magnet while I'm on the IRC channel. His presence brightens my day in a way words can't really describe, but serves to be a great friend when needed.
Omnidum, never before has anyone hounded me so thoroughly on a single topic. It is thanks to your efforts alone that the RPG project hasn't been dropped. So, for everyone who wants my game to finally come out. You'll have to keep waiting, sorry, but you'll all owe Omni a round of drinks.
Xitel was a name I knew from IRC before the Holiday Council, but he's since become someone I recognize for both his insight and a haunting voice behind "Old Man River." Honestly, the guy did something big with the Holiday Council, and certainly stuck a neon sign over this community. He does good work, and is someone I'm lucky to call a friend.
Lilith is a relatively new face on the IRC, and on Escapist is general, but I'm already finding myself becoming firm friends. I do feel like it'll take a few weeks to really get to know her well enough, but is easily a name I'm happy to send a shout-out to in this thread. LuzGutierrez is much the same way, and is already one of my favorite persons to see online on the IRC. If I'm lucky, I'll continue to see her day after day. I look forward to many conversations from the both of you.
Okay, due to time constraints, I have to stop this post here. There are many untouched names, such as Galletea, Baby Tea, Rade, and Full Metal Angel who still need to be mentioned. If you don't see your name on this list yet, don't fret. There are still many left to come.
