Application to join
The Basics:
Name: Phillip
Age: 30
Location: Austin, Tx
Occupation: Customer support
How did you find out about this community? (Specify usernames if you remember them.) Fromherashes did all but threaten me with physical violence to get me to join this community.
Personality Questions:
1) List and expand upon your three best traits / strengths. (These should be personality-related, not physical.) friendly, creative, competitive - I genuinely want to see the best in everyone, and as a result want to be surrounded by all these awesome people I meet, both for the enjoyment, and because I honestly like making people happy however I can. I’m a pretty creative person, and enjoy making something up for its own sake, or trying to find an interesting way to solve an existing problem. I also tend to see most everything as a competition. I see that as a good thing though, since that’s the way of the world, and enjoy the spirit of competing more than I do the cut throat stuff.
2) List and expand upon your three worst traits / weaknesses. Self-doubt, laziness/procrastination, somewhat short tempered - A lot of it really all hinges from that first one. If it is possible for a thing to be done wrong, I am sure that’s the way I will do it and there’s only going to be scorn coming my way thereafter. Having hung that over my own head, it’s often hard for me to push off on a new project, or finish one that I’ve got going. And when it does all fall apart, there will probably be much rage and gnashing of teeth. It’s the one down side of the competitive nature I mentioned that when faced with repeated failure, I tend to flip my shit.
3) Rate yourself on the following traits by putting an 'X' in the box you think fits best. (E.g. if you are slightly more introverted than extroverted, put an 'X' in the second box.) Explain your choice as well.
Introverted [ ] [ ] [x ] [ ] [ ] Extroverted
Explain: I’m pretty even divided on this subject. I love the company of friends, and want to be out doing things, enjoy mixing in with a large crowd of people and generally being involved in a ruckus. On the other hand, while I have no trouble with that once I’m out in the mix, I sometimes find it hard to get motivated to get out, and value my peace and quiet when I get it.
Cheerful [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ x] Gloomy
Explain: Nothing is ever as good as it seems, the whole world’s going to hell as quickly as it can manage, it’s inevitable that nothing is going to work out in my favor, and more than likely when things really do go to hell, I’ll be left holding the bag.
Reserved [ ] [ ] [ ] [x ] [ ] Impulsive
Explain: I’m really not much of a planner. A plan right before we plunge into something is great, but more than that leaves me feeling constrained. I’d live entirely without a schedule and just do things as they came along, if I could, but I’ve got to tone it down a bit.
Energetic [ ] [x ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Calm
Explain: One of the good things about my blend of depression and slacking is that a) I’m always hunting for something that looks enjoyable, and b) and fucking coiled and ready to go off when I find it. If there’s something that’s fun, or really catches my eye, I’ve got boundless enthusiasm for it, and can’t wait to share it with everyone.
Logical/Thinking [ ] [ ] [ ] [x ] [ ] Emotional/Feeling
Explain: Everything tends to have a big effect on me. I have really high moments and pretty crushing ones, and am usually not particularly great at disguising which one is which, as much as I try to be the cool and quiet sort at times.
Grudge-holding [ ] [ ] [x ] [ ] [ ] Forgiving
Explain: I can forgive a lot, for a long time. There comes a point however, where we’re really just done.
4) Describe how you typically work in teams. Is it generally a good experience, or do you prefer working by yourself? Do you like to lead and make decisions or do you prefer to let others make decisions so that you can do the legwork? You may find it helpful to give an example of a team you worked on recently and how that went. I don’t want to lead, really. I’m very happy to supply an initial idea, and try to keep the leader on that track with my advice. I also like to get down and do the actual work on whatever it is we’re doing, since I both enjoy putting some sweat into something, and it’s a good way to lend some credibility to my ideas.
5) Spider-Man Decision: If you had to choose between saving two dozen innocent children and saving your best friend/significant other/person closest to you, which would you pick and why? Hrrgh. I’m going to feel remorse for the rest of my life no matter what. I will always wonder if I made the right choice, but I have to save my friend. The people that are close to me and too important for me to allow one of them to die, if I could have done something. In the heat of the moment, I’m going with my friend. More grimly, they’ll probably also be more of a comfort to me when I’m tearing up in my whisky about all the kids I let fall off a bridge, or whatever.
6) Your friend has had their feelings hurt and comes to you for consolation. What do you do? Let's say, two days later they come to you again still upset over the same issue. What would you do in that case? If one of my friends is coming to me with something that’s hurt them, they’re going to get my full attention. I’m going to listen to their problem and then go from there. If it’s something I can fix, we’re doing that, no question. If it’s not, I’ll do everything I can to be supportive of them both listening to the problem, and maybe giving advice, if I can. When they come back to me a couple of days later still hurt from the same thing, that’s not going to change, though I might try a little bit more to do something to get them out and having a good time. If they need more time to heal over something, okay, but otherwise, I want to try to bring some happiness to them.
7) What interests/hobbies do you have? How do you like to spend your free time? As I said, I tend to be pretty competitive, so anything that lets me compete against something else, gets my attention. Not surprising then that I love pretty much any type of game. I’ve got a particular soft spot for wargaming, particularly of the table top miniature sort, since that lets me scratch the creative itch as well. I also spend a bit of time writing, though really there’s far less of that than there should be.
8) Describe one to three careers you would find ideal, with a little explanation of why it appeals to you. The most ideal career would be working in the creative development side of the game company I work for. All of the creative outlet, none of the crushing pressure of doing it all myself. Plus, I just really enjoy putting a story together as a group. I love seeing it come together from other people’s ideas. Alternatively, I’ve often thought I’d enjoy working as a cop, or something else kind of “real world” service to the community kind of thing. Seeing the things I do to help people have a tangible impact would be really rewarding, I think.
FF Questions:
9) List one to three favorite Final Fantasy games and why you like them. Sequels/spin-offs/non-numbered/KH/Dissidia games are okay. 6, tactics, and Kingdom Hearts 2 - Six will always be the definitive FF for me. It’s an awesome world and background, characters that I immediately fell for almost across the board, and a system that was simple and fun. It was the first series Rpg I played, and I still don’t think anything has really ever taken it’s mantle. Tactics also gets some serious points for the system, but what really gets me about that game is the depiction of the stress and clamor of war. You don’t really see that much in Final Fantasy games, and for whatever reason, I’m always drawn to that sturm and drang kind of thing. I love KH2 for completely the opposite reason. Free-wheeling high spirited adventure! Midair sword fights! Jumping off flying buildings! Kids and fun!
10) List one to three of your favorite Final Fantasy characters and why: Sabin and Ramza - Two characters who said, consequences be damned, I’m doing what I think is right and removing myself from a situation that I think is wrong. That drive and sense of self and right is something that I admire in a lot of people, particular when it puts someone in conflict with the norm.
11) One to three characters you relate to (you may reuse answers from #8 if applicable) and why: Terra and to some extent Vivi for the same reason - a perennial outsider, who overcomes bad experiences with people in the past, opens themselves up and finds friendship and acceptance.
12) The FF game you liked playing least: Eight. A million times: eight. Lousy system. Shut up Squall.
13) One to three FF characters you dislike and why: Squall - I always felt that he was kind of redundant characters, after Cloud. That, and for me at least, never really delivered in the same ways. I guess he eventually got over his stuff, but I felt it a bit more strongly for Blondie.
14) Favorite weapon in a Final Fantasy game (either the name if you liked the name, or a picture if you liked the look of it, or a description if it had awesome stats/abilities): The Atma Weapon! Looked good no matter what hp level you were at, was a cool kind of mechanic, that rewarded you for watching you for your party, and smashed some heads. I have fond memories of Terra as a complete shop wrecking badass with the combination of Genji Glove and Jewel box. The very image of her mageknight fore bearers.
15) Your favorite Final Fantasy summon (e.g. Ifrit, Carbuncle, Bahamut, etc.): It’s Bahamut. The classic, and he’s a dragon. Sorry any other interesting thought on this: Dragons are kickass.
16) Your favorite spell/ability/technique that can be learned in a Final Fantasy game (e.g. Esuna, Steal, special finishes/overdrives such as Tifa's Final Heaven limit break, etc.): My pack rat nature demands that Steal be present in all parties at all times. I need to know what everyone/everything is carrying and I’m probably going to need that later.
17) A Final Fantasy mini-game/sidequest you invested entirely too much time into: Triple Triad. I loved that game, playing as it did both into my love of strategy and collecting things. I may even have some of the physical cards I picked up years ago buried somewhere.
18) Your favorite Cid: Highwind. C’moooooon, that’s scarcely even a contest for me. Grizzled pilot, who after years of heartbreak finally lives out his dream? Nothing could be finer.
19) Optional: Up to one class you think does not fit you, with reasoning why.