Here is the latest installment of our monthly "Community Spotlight" series. The month's community member is zoboa, who signed up in December of 2005. (Call it laziness, lack of subject material or opportunity seized, but I went with myself this month to give you a glimpse into my background.)
XbA Username: zoboa
Gamertag: zoboa
Could you tell us where you are from and your age?
Affectionately referred to as "old man" by some of the old-school XboxOhio members, I am 35 years old and originally from a sleepy little farming community called Swanton, OH, which is in Northwest Ohio just west of Toledo. I currently live in Hilliard, OH (Columbus suburb) with my wife and two wonderful kids.
Would you mind telling us a little about yourself?
I'm a pretty laid back guy that is into just about anything sports, spending time with my family and video games. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in Journalism back in 1994, and have been fortunate enough to use my degree for my work here at XboxAmerica as well as my contributions as a writer for GamingNexus.com.
How did you find XboxAmerica?
Hmm, I believe I saw a post on the Xbox.com forums about XboxOhio.com from Pasta (Muffinos back then) and stopped by. I never left. ;-)
Favorite restaurant?
I am absolute HUGE Quizno's fan, but I love going to the Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory whenever I get a chance. I guess I am more of a big chain kind of guy instead of the local restaurant.
Most famous person you have met?
In terms of the gaming world, I was fortunate enough to meet Larry Hryb(Major Nelson), the gang at Gamerscoreblog and Chris Satchell, General Manager of Game Development at Microsoft when I traveled to the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show. Outside the gaming world, I have met several Heisman Trophy Winners including Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Troy Smith, Desmond Howard and Hopalong Cassidy. I also shook hands with former President Jimmy Carter when I was a kid.
Person you would most like to have dinner with?
I would love to spend an evening with Tom Clancy. I have been a huge fan and read every single book with his name attached to it. It would be interesting to talk at length about his fictional characters, how his game empire (Red Storm Entertainment) came to fruition and what the future holds.
Tennis Shoes or Sneakers?
Tennis Shoes. I guess it is time to come up with a different question, as I'm about the only one that gets the inside joke.
PC or MAC?
PC by far. MAC has it's place in the publishing world, but the MAC fanboys have such an overbearing amount of arrogance and spend so much time defending it, you wonder how they are able to live with a machine that integrates into the computing world about as well as a three-legged cat chasing a mouse. No offense to the MAC users on the site ;-) How are those video cards?
How long you been an active gamer?
I have been actively gaming since 1980 when my family received an Intellivision for Christmas. From that point until 1990, I gamed constantly on either the Intellivision or my Commodore 64. I stopped gaming during my college years, but picked it back up after playing Bill Walsh College Football on SEGA in the early 1990s. Once I graduated and bought a new PC, I have been gaming on some sort of platform on and off since 1995.
What is the story behind your Gamertag?
My gamertag comes from a novel I read in the 80's of the same name. Zoboa was a fanatical terrorist group that had hijacked some nukes. Well hell! I forgot about that, not such a classy name now is it? The other reason I chose it is the uniqueness of beginning with the letter 'z' and it being a nice short tag. Much better than the fools that have 30 character Gamertags.
Favorite game genre?
Still 100% behind a quality hack and slash RPG. I grew up when Dungeons & Dragons was hot, both as modules and then in the computer realm. The Bards Tale, Dungeon Siege and Diablo series probably account for a half year of my life that I dedicated to playing these titles.
Favorite 360 game?
Quite frankly, Test Drive Unlimited is still one of my two most favorite games. There is just so much to do, including exploring the island or just basically screwing around. For the same reason, I really enjoy Crackdown. The sandbox style has really altered my view of playing games.
All-time favorite game on any platform?
Boy, I would have to go way old school here and say the whole Bards Tale Series on the Commodore 64. I would spend hours upon hours playing this game (sometimes until dawn) trying to get drops of diamond armor and weapons.
Worst game you ever played on the Xbox 360?
LOL, this is easy. Full Auto is simply the dumbest concept of a game I ever played with the worst AI ever. I still haven't come across a game that cheats to win as bad as the AI in Full Auto does. Reminds me of the SEGA days when a sports game would suddenly become unstoppable after you spent 2/3 of the game just handing the computer it's lunch......
Xbox 360 game not named Halo 3 you are looking most forward too?
I would say Mass Effect would be high on my list and probably Star Wars The Force Unleashed. The physics in that game are simply amazing From the Xbox Live Arcade side, I am huge into retro games, so I am waiting for Track & Field, Double Dragon and Tron
How often do you play multiplayer on Xbox Live?
Very little unless it is a MMO format (like Test Drive Unlimited) or chilling with friends.
What type of Live Gamer are you?
I am pretty quiet unless playing with friends. I usually adapt myself to the group of people I am playing with, but 95% of the time my mic is on mute. Personally, I enjoy playing games offline in a campaign mode more than I do in multiplayer....
What does your Gamerscore mean to you?
As a whole, not too much anymore. However, I really enjoy the extra motivation unlocking an achievement gives me when playing games. With the sheer quantity of games that are available on the Xbox 360, including Xbox Live Arcade, players tend to jump from game to game. The great thing about achievements is that is gives you a reason to go back and visit something you set aside months before....
Best in-game accomplishment?
It may seem weak now, but completing Call of Duty 2 on Veteran back in Fall 2005 was a rewarding experience. Oh yeah, beating Helacool to 10,000 Gamerscore when I still cared (before the birth of my son and death of my first console.) That was some serious competition, as I was playing GR:AW and he was playing Amped. I stayed up until 4:30 in the morning to beat him by less than 50 points.
If you could bogart 5 things from existing games to make the ultimate game, what games and what parts would they be?
1. Graphical power of Crysis
2. Halo 2 multiplayer concept
3. Sandbox Style from Crackdown, GTA, etc
4. The Depth of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
5. Iconic stature of Mario
One thing you would like to change about anything related to Xbox 360?
Adjusting the Xbox Live rating system where it actually has some teeth and provides a fair outcome after an assessment of what events took place.
What can be done to improve XboxAmerica?
There are many things that can be added to the site to improve it, but the simplest would be to create a buzz around something that will keep the daily participation level high.
Got a question or comment? Put it below!
XbA Username: zoboa
Gamertag: zoboa
Could you tell us where you are from and your age?
Affectionately referred to as "old man" by some of the old-school XboxOhio members, I am 35 years old and originally from a sleepy little farming community called Swanton, OH, which is in Northwest Ohio just west of Toledo. I currently live in Hilliard, OH (Columbus suburb) with my wife and two wonderful kids.
Would you mind telling us a little about yourself?
I'm a pretty laid back guy that is into just about anything sports, spending time with my family and video games. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in Journalism back in 1994, and have been fortunate enough to use my degree for my work here at XboxAmerica as well as my contributions as a writer for GamingNexus.com.
How did you find XboxAmerica?
Hmm, I believe I saw a post on the Xbox.com forums about XboxOhio.com from Pasta (Muffinos back then) and stopped by. I never left. ;-)
Favorite restaurant?
I am absolute HUGE Quizno's fan, but I love going to the Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory whenever I get a chance. I guess I am more of a big chain kind of guy instead of the local restaurant.
Most famous person you have met?
In terms of the gaming world, I was fortunate enough to meet Larry Hryb(Major Nelson), the gang at Gamerscoreblog and Chris Satchell, General Manager of Game Development at Microsoft when I traveled to the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show. Outside the gaming world, I have met several Heisman Trophy Winners including Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Troy Smith, Desmond Howard and Hopalong Cassidy. I also shook hands with former President Jimmy Carter when I was a kid.
Person you would most like to have dinner with?
I would love to spend an evening with Tom Clancy. I have been a huge fan and read every single book with his name attached to it. It would be interesting to talk at length about his fictional characters, how his game empire (Red Storm Entertainment) came to fruition and what the future holds.
Tennis Shoes or Sneakers?
Tennis Shoes. I guess it is time to come up with a different question, as I'm about the only one that gets the inside joke.
PC or MAC?
PC by far. MAC has it's place in the publishing world, but the MAC fanboys have such an overbearing amount of arrogance and spend so much time defending it, you wonder how they are able to live with a machine that integrates into the computing world about as well as a three-legged cat chasing a mouse. No offense to the MAC users on the site ;-) How are those video cards?
How long you been an active gamer?
I have been actively gaming since 1980 when my family received an Intellivision for Christmas. From that point until 1990, I gamed constantly on either the Intellivision or my Commodore 64. I stopped gaming during my college years, but picked it back up after playing Bill Walsh College Football on SEGA in the early 1990s. Once I graduated and bought a new PC, I have been gaming on some sort of platform on and off since 1995.
What is the story behind your Gamertag?
My gamertag comes from a novel I read in the 80's of the same name. Zoboa was a fanatical terrorist group that had hijacked some nukes. Well hell! I forgot about that, not such a classy name now is it? The other reason I chose it is the uniqueness of beginning with the letter 'z' and it being a nice short tag. Much better than the fools that have 30 character Gamertags.
Favorite game genre?
Still 100% behind a quality hack and slash RPG. I grew up when Dungeons & Dragons was hot, both as modules and then in the computer realm. The Bards Tale, Dungeon Siege and Diablo series probably account for a half year of my life that I dedicated to playing these titles.
Favorite 360 game?
Quite frankly, Test Drive Unlimited is still one of my two most favorite games. There is just so much to do, including exploring the island or just basically screwing around. For the same reason, I really enjoy Crackdown. The sandbox style has really altered my view of playing games.
All-time favorite game on any platform?
Boy, I would have to go way old school here and say the whole Bards Tale Series on the Commodore 64. I would spend hours upon hours playing this game (sometimes until dawn) trying to get drops of diamond armor and weapons.
Worst game you ever played on the Xbox 360?
LOL, this is easy. Full Auto is simply the dumbest concept of a game I ever played with the worst AI ever. I still haven't come across a game that cheats to win as bad as the AI in Full Auto does. Reminds me of the SEGA days when a sports game would suddenly become unstoppable after you spent 2/3 of the game just handing the computer it's lunch......
Xbox 360 game not named Halo 3 you are looking most forward too?
I would say Mass Effect would be high on my list and probably Star Wars The Force Unleashed. The physics in that game are simply amazing From the Xbox Live Arcade side, I am huge into retro games, so I am waiting for Track & Field, Double Dragon and Tron
How often do you play multiplayer on Xbox Live?
Very little unless it is a MMO format (like Test Drive Unlimited) or chilling with friends.
What type of Live Gamer are you?
I am pretty quiet unless playing with friends. I usually adapt myself to the group of people I am playing with, but 95% of the time my mic is on mute. Personally, I enjoy playing games offline in a campaign mode more than I do in multiplayer....
What does your Gamerscore mean to you?
As a whole, not too much anymore. However, I really enjoy the extra motivation unlocking an achievement gives me when playing games. With the sheer quantity of games that are available on the Xbox 360, including Xbox Live Arcade, players tend to jump from game to game. The great thing about achievements is that is gives you a reason to go back and visit something you set aside months before....
Best in-game accomplishment?
It may seem weak now, but completing Call of Duty 2 on Veteran back in Fall 2005 was a rewarding experience. Oh yeah, beating Helacool to 10,000 Gamerscore when I still cared (before the birth of my son and death of my first console.) That was some serious competition, as I was playing GR:AW and he was playing Amped. I stayed up until 4:30 in the morning to beat him by less than 50 points.
If you could bogart 5 things from existing games to make the ultimate game, what games and what parts would they be?
1. Graphical power of Crysis
2. Halo 2 multiplayer concept
3. Sandbox Style from Crackdown, GTA, etc
4. The Depth of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
5. Iconic stature of Mario
One thing you would like to change about anything related to Xbox 360?
Adjusting the Xbox Live rating system where it actually has some teeth and provides a fair outcome after an assessment of what events took place.
What can be done to improve XboxAmerica?
There are many things that can be added to the site to improve it, but the simplest would be to create a buzz around something that will keep the daily participation level high.
Got a question or comment? Put it below!
