Well, it came from Resident Evil. There was this gun there called Colt python .357 and it was my fav gun. So I created a hero with that name.

and the CHR part?

Ah, the three first letters from my first name: CHRis.

Interesting. And how long have you been moderating for?

About a month now.

and where is your moderating focused? (as in room)

Well, nowhere in particular actually. I like to be a wandering mod. Wherever I see people need me that’s where I go

How…..Romantic. But do you have a favorite room to visit?

That I do. It’s The Hall of Odin.

Cool, and what about that room do you like?

That was the first room I entered and soon become a regular. Most part of my friends are in there.

And what do you like about kongregate?

The variety of games you can play. From click and play to full action madness, it’s up to you. It pleases everyone and that’s awesome.

: Oh, got a favorite genre?

Oh yes, I like RPG very much.

: Nice. Well, what do you like to do outside of kongregate? Other than think about kongregate?

: Well, I like to hang out with my childhood friends, ride a bike, go to the beach, jog and watch movies.

Looks like this interview is coming to a close. Got anyone that you wanna shout out?

Haha, no, not really. If I need to I’ll do it personally.

First up in the line of questions, where is your name from?
Weeell, I really like pet rocks. I always imagined one with glasses, a nerd rock. And, the traditional class suffix 101 was added. Kinda long. >.>

And cute. Now let’s talk about this new room of yours(Lunatic pandora). What’s it’s name story?
Hahaha, not much of a story. The room was someone else’s at first, and I think their choice of name had something to do with Final Fantasy… I just stole their room. XD

And when did you get the room?
Yesterday. So, in a sense I’m still unpacking. Hardy har har.

And when did you join kongregate?
August 13th of last year.

Veteran alert. And a mod for how long?
A couple months I think. Knowing how excited I was, I should remember. XD

Did you want to have a room from the start?
Actually I didn’t know. I found a couple small rooms to hang out in and rotate through, and then finally stopped in Lust. I saw how much sense of community there was in a room.

And how lenient/strict of a moderator do you see yourself as?
I’m pretty lenient overall. But, I’m still finding my place; still a n00b mod.

In your opinion, what would make moderating easier (Maybe make it easier for n00b mods?)
The transition period was pretty tough, when you realize that you’re not calling mods. You do it yourself. Also, that first ban is hard. A little guilt came after. But, it’s nice to feel more active in the fight against evils. :3

I wouldn’t know about this, but doesn’t the letter you get saying that you are a mod now, metaphorically, throw you into the water and tell you to swim, to your own style and whatnot?
It would help if I could swim better. The email is more of a question, and you answer. Then, read the guidelines .(a pretty bare bones description) It’s really about experiences though.
Learn from mistakes, hear what other mods have to say, understand opinions.
And that is advice?
Sure, if it will help anyone else!

And what do you like to do outside of kongregate?
I love hanging out with my friends, playing music, going to school and exploring the great outdoors.

And do you have a rolemodel on kongregate?
Well, there’s a couple. I have to admire Koko, she was my first friend when I ended up in The Lair my first day. I still enjoy talking to her, a really kind person with a good heart.
and Mastry, my other pal I met while I spent some time in Lust. We came to know eachother very well. He’s got such a gentle soul and is quite fun-loving. He always makes me smile.

And would you like to use this one last spot to give anyone a shout out?
To all my buddies on Kong! And ones I’m soon to meet.

Thanks for the interview.
No problem!

Just a basic switch around of my real name actually, I made it just different enough to avoid stalkers

You sir are a few letters away from anonymity! Now, got a favorite chatroom?

As much as I try to hide it I like Feed the Ducks over all other rooms, my first main room was the van, so any room with most of the old gang is going to get my vote

So, when did you join kongregate, and why?

I was doing a search for flash games and found a link from Jay is Games for one called Anika’s Odyssey. I beat it and then realized that I could have gotten a badge for it, then I joined (got the badge automatically apparently)

Addicted ever since?

I then saw the card challenge and was hooked from then on. I joined on Dec. 17, 2007

And how long have you been a mod for?

somewhere between 2-3 months, I’ll look for the exact date ah, June 24th :), so not as long as I thought. my friend count is 5 times higher in that time in comparison to what it was before XD.

Jolly good. And in the time before modship, did you have a role model

same one that I still do, Ducklette

Awwwwwww. And what’s your favorite and least favorite part about being a mod?

My favorite part would be helping people that ask for help and keeping spammers from polluting kongregate as much as they otherwise would.
-My least favorite part would have to be all of the alt accounts, intentional trolls, and regular users that yell at me and tell me that they don’t like mods in said rooms I get called to.

What’s the first computer game you ever played? Do you still play it?

I honestly don’t remember which one it was, but I can promise you that I no longer play it. It was a game that worked from DOS on a windows 3.1 OS, the odds of even finding it again are very low.

What do you do for fun when you’re not on Kongregate?

I normally read or play video games (don’t bother asking me about FPS games, I know absolutely nothing about them)

Have you ever been banned?

This account hasn’t, an alt of mine once was after I became a moderator. I had made an alt with a confusing name for the average user since a lot of other users were making forms of that name and I wanted to get it out of the way, but I forgot to log off of it.
A moderator came by saw it and banned it for being able to confuse normal users into thinking at it was owned by a mod. Said mod was very embarrassed when he found out that it was me.

What would make moderating easier?

A greater user to mod interface would be nice, to enable one to sent chunks of the chat log to mods whenever they send them a message, I don’t know how well that would work though.

Do you moderate anywhere else?

If this relates to other rooms then I go where I am called as often as I can, obviously I occasionally get more calls than I can go to and have to ask another mod to go in my place, If no one shows up I was likely away from keyboard and apologize for missing your message.

Have you moderated or been an administrator on other sites?

I haven’t, which was one of the reasons I was so surprised to be picked as one on kongregate, however I have never dedicated this much time to any other site before, so there might be a reason.

What area of study do you most enjoy?

I have always loved math, I really have no real reason for loving it, I just do. I enjoy the challenge of a new problem every so often.

Thanks boatloads for the interview

Likewise

I was on an anime/graphics forum, called G-Boards, and I found a Naruto forum I was gonna join. So I was looking at anime pictures at the time, and I found one of a pretty anime girl in a bikini. The name Sakuya was next to it, and I liked it, so it stuck.

A past shrouded in mystery… and anime women in swimsuits. Gotta love it. Now, how long have you been a mod for?

I’ve been a mod for a little over 4 weeks now

Now, what are, in your opinions, the best and worst parts of being a mod?

Best part and the worst part has to do with the trolls.
Best part: You can ban them. Worst part: You have to deal with them.

What would make dealing with them easier?

They becoming smarter would help.

Hm… I see where you are going with that. Where do you most often hang out on kong?

Cafe Kong.

What is the appeal of that room to you?

Most of my friends are in there. Plus, It’s where I began.

Speaking of which, when did you join kongregate, and why?

I joined December 4th, 2007. I’ve been in DeviantArt and there is a Chat called Trivia. But since the bot for the room wasn’t working, they recommended the site, so I joined.

Do you have a favorite game on kong?

Haha. Platform Racing 2, Kongregate Chat, and Pieces.

And do you have a favorite game outside of kongregate?

Ah. Toughy. I really like the “Tales of Symphonia” type of games, or the .hack series.

What system would that be?

The “Tales of ….” games are on PS2 and Game Cube. The .hack games are on PS2.

Do you have any role models on kong?

Hm… Wow. Damijin I always seem to talk to him and ask him questions.

Now, what do you do for fun when you aren’t online?

Mostly Sports or hanging with friends, or school

Heh. Looks like I’ve run out of questions. Anything you wanna shout out here?

Hi Friends!  I love you.

Perfect.
Thanks for teh info!

it does, actually. so here’s a shameless plug! got it from my favorite non-kong site: http://www.cuteoverload.com. saw the word there, and decided it would make a good username.

Now, what made for you becoming a regular of the van?

honestly, it was where i was put to begin with. but i didn’t use chat for a couple months. i read it, and one day decided to jump in. i liked my van friends so much, that i never left until they gave me Feed the Ducks.

And they followed you, did they not?

a lot of them did. i’m glad, too. i’d miss them terribly!

Insane as they are Now, did you have any goals when you made your super-extra-awesome room?

well, honestly, i wasn’t expecting to get a room so fast! so i didn’t have time to think about goals. i just wanted to create a fun, safe place for people to visit while they’re on kong.

A success?

for the most part. i’ve got a lot of really good help from other mods, and even the regular users are great, responsible people! so i’ve kind of been spoiled.

And how long have you been modding for?

a couple of months now. although it feels longer than that, i think.

Well, did you have a role model back in the van?

i had tons of good role models in the van. i was there back in the days when AlisonClaire was. she was a good person to whom i still look up a bit. and trickyrodent! ahh, the old van was a good time.

And is there a new one?

they’re all my favorites! even the ones i fiercely hate, haha. the game i love that i wished loved me back right now is indestructotank AE. not having so much luck with it, but who doesn’t love exploding things?

I have absolutely no ground to argue with that. So, do you play any games outside of kongregate?

well, not too much. play pc games like myst and other beautiful point’n’clicky type things. but, we just bought a wii, and are receiving it in the mail tomorrow, so i think i’ll be doing that a great deal.
i have to say that back when i was rooming with someone with a wii, zelda: twilight princess was, to me, the best game on the face of the earth. i’m counting down the hours until i can play it again!

May your ups truck travel with the speed of a bullet. So can anyone expect to see you online tomorrow?

haha, yes. it probably won’t be around until the evening. that, and i’d never forsake kong for THAT long. games are wonderful, but these fine kongregans are my good friends.

Those friends seem very lucky..

All of em! The FTD group especially!

Ah, yes, the malkes!

How are we?

we are well

and yourself?

I am well. We are pleased to hear you are well, now let me roll out the red carpet for thee and get this train a-rollin’

Wonderful, I love red *grin*

Kongregate red?

All red. But yes, Kong has a pleasing shade as well, heh.

Oooh. Pretty. Now, on to the questions. First, where’d your name originate from?

Years ago I started playing Ultima Online. My brother played already and had a character with the last name of Talren. I created the Malkes part myself. Since then I’ve kind of assumed the “Malkes” name as myself while online. I have used it pretty much in any game/forum/chatroom that I have been in since.
It just kind of rolls off the tongue, heh.

Cool beans, but I have always wondered one thing… How do you pronounce that?

Mal (As in the name Al with an M) – Kiss (or Kes like Kestral). Either is acceptable.
So, you mentioned ultima online. Do you play many games outside of kongregate?
Well, currently I play World of Warcraft. Before that was Ultima Online. I’m actually not that fond of the “pay to play” concept, but in the case of those games, I found that the cost was worth the amount of time that they allow me to kill while still feeling like I’m “progressing”. However, the majority of my gaming time is spent on Kongregate.

So, you mentioned ultima online. Do you play many games outside of kongregate?

Well, currently I play World of Warcraft. Before that was Ultima Online. I’m actually not that fond of the “pay to play” concept, but in the case of those games, I found that the cost was worth the amount of time that they allow me to kill while still feeling like I’m “progressing”. However, the majority of my gaming time is spent on Kongregate.

ooh, so do you have a favorite game?

Hmm. For Kong it’s hard to say. There are many games out there that have the mark of having the developer actually caring how it turns out. I’m fond of games like DTD 1.5 and the Mardek rpg series.

Outside of?

for games outside of Kong: I am particularly fond of Final Fantasy games, right now, particularly, of the ones that I can play on my Nintendo DS. Love the portability, heh.

Oh, joy, isn’t there a new one out?

Aye, I have been playing the heck out of it too, heh. FF Tactics Advance 2. Quite a mouthful, eh?

Not as much as tom clancy’s ghost recon advanced warfighter 

Hehe, touche!

How do you compare mardek and FF, If at all?

Well, I like that Mardek is a nostalgic throw-back to some of the original rpg games that I grew up playing, like FF and Dragon Warrior. I think that based on the constraints of a flash game, Mardek is excellent and has a good bit of humor as well.

That’s a good point there

In short, I like the quality of Mardek without having the backing of a major game producer, heh.

Any areas outside of rpg’s in gaming you like?

Well, I like all kinds of genres. I can play a sidescroller, FPS, real time strategy game, etc without having any real difficulty in “getting into it”. It’s all just about what I feel like playing at the time.

Same here. Time to move out of games and into… mod questions!

So, I am understanding that you haven’t been modding for long.

No. I’ve only had mod status since June 25th or so. I am a recent addition to the current mod staff

And bleachers is the room, right?

Aye, that is my common place to be while on Kong. I will make trips to other rooms if someone shows up saying that moderation is needed in another room, though.
And I will sometimes use an alt account to spot-check random rooms, to see if everything is going alright

Yes, and you were a regular there before?

Aye. When I first came to Kongregate I was randomly placed into The Bleachers chat. I liked many of the people that I saw there, and so, started making it my regular hang out.

What is your favorite part of modding?

Well, to be honest, there is very little that’s “fun” about modding. As far as anything I like about it: I just like being able to help ensure a more pleasing experience for the other users in a given chat room. To help reduce the “trolling” element that often comes with being in a room.

So I take it that you have a least favorite part. Care to tell?

Well, despite how annoying a user might be, and how deserving of a temporary ban they may be, it’s not really pleasing to have to ban someoneAlso, there are sometimes users, fully deserving of bans, that feel like they have been “wronged” by a moderator. Which, until the full facts are found out by a higher up, brings your own judgement into question.

Well, its all quite troubling. So, do you moderate elsewhere?

On Kongregate, I will sometimes go to other rooms. Outside of Kong, not currently. A few years ago I used to have site staff/moderation duties on a site about Ultima Online. There making decisions to ban a user were even harder, because it wasn’t just an hour/day/week ban. We had the power to fully ban someone from ever being on there.

If you had to choose, where would you rather mod?

Hmmm, that’s a tough one. Preferably, I would like to not have to mod at all. But, given that people will cause problems no matter what, I like to think that just having a moderator presence in a room helps cull a lot of the bad behavior. Many times a user will cause problems and be asked to stop by a non-mod user, and will continue, but when asked by a mod, they often will stop the actions. I would rather there not be a NEED for mods. Since there is, and always will be a need for them, I’m happy to do what I can to keep people from verbally bashing each others heads in, heh.

Hehe, trivial pursuits and all that.

Hehe

So, enough about the moddingz?
So, I hear you are from georgia. And it’s summer, isn’t it?

Aye, it’s summer. Been a pretty warm one at that.
I go outside and my skin literally melts from my body. I’m sitting here with no skin right now, in fact. Heh

Have you ever gotten any “Devil went down to georgia” jokes? And its hot in chicago too…

Actually, I haven’t really gotten many comments like that, heh. *shifty eyes* Although I love the song, heh.

Do you have a profession?

Not so much a “profession” as a “hopeful desire”. I am hoping to become a published author.

interesting! What do you like writing about? Fiction?

I’ve always been fond of the literary device of “many earths with a few differences”. I like to say “ok, what if it was earth, but THIS was different” and then create a story from there. But yes, fiction is my forte. Sometimes just basic fiction, but often sci-fi/fantasy

Well, any favorite hobbies outside of kong?

Hmm. I am an avid reader. I have a thing for Sudoku puzzles as well. For non-solo activities I see a lot of movies. I also spend a lot of time out at bars, heh.

Sounds fun.

I am all out of ammo, thanks for the interview! Got anyone you want to shout out to?

Thanks for the interest, heh. It was a pleasure.

Hmm, I could say hi to all my Bleachers people…but I won’t. Can’t let them get big heads, ya know? Heh

You mean, bigger, right?

“You’ve just been interviewed by doctormarmalade, what are you going to do now?” “I’m going to Disney World!”

Hehe, yeah. That Alcibiades guy does have a pretty big head, eh?

I think that that is a very good note to end on.

The aim of these interviews is to allow people that don’t frequent other chat rooms to get to know mods in other areas of Kongregate and perhaps switch up their hangouts a bit. If you have any questions that you would like us to include go ahead and contact us or leave a comment.

Thalarion: So Scotti, you mentioned you’re a consummate geek. Are you in the biz? What does a typical day involve for you?

Scotti: I’m a network administrator for a medium sized non-profit, so my day mostly consists of sitting in front of a computer, making sure everyone can access the data they need to do their jobs.
Unfortunately, we have 11 different sites, so I’m not always at the same location day to day. That’s why I’m usually ALWAYS logged in somewhere, but also usually AFK.

Valkyrie: Ah.. that explains a lot of things.
So congrats on your newborn Scott. How does it feel to be a father again?

Scotti: This is my second kid, but the first one we had while I was working overseas. I was home for the birth (and the conception, of course), but spent the first year and a half of his life running around Southwest Asia.
This one I’ve been here the whole time… and I can honestly say I miss Kuwait…
Ok.. maybe not MISS Kuwait.
Anyway, I’m a very proud dad. My wife is amazing (she’d have to be put up with me AND my offspring), and my 4.5 yr old is going to be a great big brother ( so he keeps telling me… can’t get him to touch a dirty diaper)

Thalarion: Oh the joys of infants and bigger brothers All right, in regards to Kongregate what do you feel is the biggest draw for you?

Scotti: Without a doubt, the community that is developing! I’ve met some really interesting people, ranging from the administration to regular users. I also really like that it feels like it’s still in the planning stages
Oh, and there’s some games to play, I hear!

Valkyrie: The Admins, Moderators, and the majority of the users seem to be very passionate and dedicated to Kongregate. Would you agree? And if so what brings about such deep feelings about Kongregate?

Scotti: Again I’d have to say it’s the sense of community that makes people feel so strongly about protecting it… or in some cases tearing it down. For many of the Kommunity (did I just coin a new word?), it’s more than just a random group of people on a website. Most everyone has a room that they enjoy the feel of…
and/or a group of regulars that they like to room-hop with.

Thalarion: Kommunity…nice. So how many Star Trek jokes regarding your name do you hear on average?

Scotti: Surprisingly few, especially from the regulars. The TRUE Trekkies know that the beloved engineer on the original show was named “Scotty”, and most everyone else doesn’t make the connection. I still get the occasional “beam me up, Scotti!! LOL”, but the joke usually dies right there.

Valkyrie: Montgomery Scott was quite a capable engineer. And you seem to have his Jeans. :P. Has Kongregate in any way changed you?

Scotti: Hmm, that’s an interesting question. I don’t really think it has, to be honest. I probably spend a little more time than is healthy working on the latest badges, or chatting with people in Sanctuary, but for the most part, I’m still the same person. Those that know me IRL can attest that I really can be just as grumpy…

Thalarion: Sanity’s over-rated. I’m curious about what brought you to Kong in the first place.

Scotti: I was afraid you’d ask me something like that. I have no clear recollection of when I initially created an account, or why. I just looked at my favorite games, and one of the first ones was Desktop Tower Defense, which I’m pretty sure was the first game I played here.

Valkyrie: Scotti, tell us about your moderating style.

Scotti: I’ve been dealing with online communities for quite a while; forums, chat rooms, online games, etc. I have very low tolerance for people that I recognize as having an agenda that focuses on ruining other people’s enjoyment.
I give a warning to people that are in the “questionable” or “newbie” category, but when an account that was created that day starts spamming or trolling immediately, I’ll ban them right away.
Usually for the minimum one hour, but longer for repeat offenders, or ban evasions.

Thalarion: Yeah, I tend to come down pretty hard on ban dodgers myself. Okay, how about the perennial favorite; what advice do you have to offer aspiring mods?

Scotti: Aspire higher.
No, no, no… ok, I was asked to be a moderator about 6 months before I finally accepted. I just didn’t want the headache that came with it. But as Kongregate gets more and more popular, inevitably it’s going to need to be moderated.
Those that are foolish enough to want to help shape the community should be as active and helpful as possible both in the chat rooms and the forums, and start building their reputation as a solid member.
Repeatedly asking to be a moderator pretty much assures that you won’t.

Valkyrie: yeah.. Not a good way to gun for Greg’s Chair if you are aspiring. One last question Scotti. As a parent, what do you think of Kongregate and the relevance and influence it has on children today?

Scotti: In the past few months I’ve been a moderator, I’ve had the opportunity to see how “children” interact with the “Kommunity”, and it hasn’t been a great experience, in my opinion. In this context I’m referring to those “children” that are not of the legally required age (13), yet create accounts here anyway. Quite simply, they don’t have the social skills to interact here, and almost always wind up becoming an issue.
Scotti: Now, as they mature emotionally and intellectually, I’ve seen and had some GREAT discussions with kids 13-16 years old, and think that experience is very positive, both for them and for Kongregate.

Valkyrie: Thanks for the insight Scotti.
We appreciate you taking the time.

Thalarion: Definitely. Thanks for the time and we’ll see you around

Scotti: No problem, thanks for deeming me interesting enough to interview!
Scotti normally hangs out in Sanctuary and, as mentioned, he can be found throughout the day.

The aim of these interviews is to allow people that don’t frequent other chat rooms to get to know mods in other areas of Kongregate and perhaps switch up their hangouts a bit. If you have any questions that you would like us to include go ahead and contact us or leave a comment.

Having Valkyrie in on the last interview worked out so well that I invited her back for this one.

Valkyrie:  Our Special guest this evening is Alcibiades, Mod of repute and history buff.
Welcome Alcibiades.

Thalarion:  So this is a question you probably hear a lot, but I’m curious about the history of your username and just how you pronounce it.

Alcibiades:  Alcibiades is pronounced like “Al See Bye-uh-deez,” and is the name of an ancient Greek admiral and politician from the time of the Peloponnesian War.

Valkyrie:  I am glad you did not choose THIS IS SPARTA!

Alcibiades:  He’s one of my favorite historical figures, and is a colorful character who helped to lead the armies and navies of Athens (until he was accused of sacrilege), then Sparta (until his affair with the queen was discovered), then Persia (really!), then Athens again.  Well, you get the idea.  He didn’t end well.

Thalarion:  He got around, all right.  So I take it you’re a history buff?

Alcibiades:  Absolutely.  If I could go back in time, I’d have majored in history.  I never get bored of it, though I do tend to jump from era to era every few years.

Thalarion:  Well that ties nicely into the next question.  What did you study in college and how are you using that now?

Alcibiades:  I studied political science, with a focus on international security issues, and I don’t think it relates directly to my profession.  I am an attorney, and the type of “security” I deal with now is the paper kind that gets people rich . . . or into trouble.

Thalarion:  Ooooh, a lawyer.  And you still have time to play on Kong?  Lucky.  Speaking of spare time, how else do you spend that?

Valkyrie:  Hope you do not stick a bill for this interview.

Alcibiades:  No billing = no talking.  Sorry.
Kidding!

Thanks to some very fortunate timing and a handful of good contacts during the dot-com boom, I am semi-retired from the practice of law, so I have more time to game than I otherwise might.  I spend most of my time, though, helping the Alcibiawife to raise the Alcibiadaughter, who is just under a year old.

Alcibiades:  I used to spend a good deal of time on the Xbox, but Kong is my addiction, now.

Thalarion:  Congrats (belated) on the kid!  So how long have you been a moderator on Kongregate now?

Alcibiades:  Roughly three months.

Valkyrie:  Kongrats Alcibiades

Thalarion:  And what do you find rewarding about the job?

Alcibiades:  I love this community.  The chatroom I frequent, “The Bleachers,” didn’t have–or even see–a moderator in the time between when I joined and when I became a mod.  We largely self-moderated, but there was a lot of troll-stomping.  Which was kind of fun, though it could be frustrating.  I like being able to help keep things focused on games and getting to know one another.  Also, I get to meet so many interesting people–people I would never encounter in everyday life.  That’s rewarding, too.

Valkyrie:  Does your legal experience in handling situations help in dealing with trolls on Kongregate?

Alcibiades:  Hah!  Great question!  I think it does help–but it also leads me into temptation.  I cross-examine a lot of the trolls I encounter, and I am certain that many users would prefer that I simply ban them, and not get down into the muck.  I try to retain a veneer of respectfulness in my disdain for, say, racism or homophobia, but I end up muted sometimes because I try to talk people out of their offensive views.

Thalarion:  I have always been tempted to interview a troll but I just can’t justify giving them the attention.  So what sort of advice would you give to people looking to get into the legal field?

Alcibiades:  Reconsider it!  Well, maybe just, “think hard.”  A lot of people get into the law for the wrong reasons, or have misconceptions about what being an attorney is all about.  I would highly recommend interning or even just asking to be allowed to “shadow” a lawyer for a day or two.  The actual practice of law can be rewarding, but you have to go into it with eyes open.  Also, learn to write well.  That’s absolutely key.

Valkyrie:  That is great advice. Does Kongregate make any difference in your life? How?

Alcibiades:  I really think it does.  It allows me to connect with people who are very different from my offline friends.  On Kongregate, I have friends from all over the world, and have been surprised to find fellow game fans of all ages.  Sometimes I am able to give advice about real-life situations, and at other times I have been fortunate enough to receive good advice from others.  That surprises me, when I think about it.  For a Flash-based game site, it is quite remarkable.

Thalarion:  Yeah, the community is what makes it great.  So on that same vein, what do you feel users could do to help out the moderators and the community at large?

Alcibiades:  As in all areas of life, a little bit of thought and empathy goes a long way.  Just putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.  Most moderators don’t enjoy banning people, and there are few things worse than having your judgment called into question.  But I think there are many users here who already embrace this ethic.  They make the lives of moderators easier by helping rooms to self-moderate, and the best of them do it with a light touch.  With a joke, rather than a threat.  With an appeal, rather than an order.  I respect that, and I always appreciate it.
I should just add, though, that moderators are here to help users, rather than the reverse.  So those users who behave the way I just described really are going above-and-beyond.

Valkyrie:  That is true. what do you think of the present system through which moderators are selected?

Alcibiades:  I know that there is some frustration because it is slow, and because many users would like to see more moderators in more chatrooms.  Having seen the selection process from the inside, though, I am very impressed with how seriously and carefully the decisions are made.  I am also surprised to have been asked to serve as a moderator, given some of my more “spirited” conversations with trolls.  The system is working, in that I see a high level of dedication and professionalism in other moderators.  But the Kongregate staff understands that there is a need to adapt to the site’s growth, and I am excited to see how they–as a group of bright, creative people–deal with that challenge.

Thalarion:  I can’t imagine what they have to go sift through to find the mods, even after having seen the process first-hand.  All right, any other words of wisdom before we let you go?

Alcibiades:  Just this: Kongregate is a special place, and I would urge users to be patient with one another.  When I think about the fact that we have a lot of users who are in their early-to-mid teens, I feel that it is important to be understanding when someone asks a question that seems silly, or makes a comment that isn’t appropriate.  There can be a “pack” mentality when a new user arrives, and I think it is a mistake to be anything other than welcoming.  Adolescence, from what I vaguely remember, is a tough time, and Kongregate should be a place where people can escape from their real-life stresses and find a friendly community that expands their social group.
Also, check the “Help” tab.  99% of your questions, including “how do I become a mod,” are answered there!

Thalarion:  Nice…  Thank you very much for taking time to interview with us and I’ll see you online

Alcibiades:  It’s been a pleasure.  I am a big fan of ACKK, ever since DoctorMarmalade linked me to it!

Valkyrie:  Thank you Counselor. It was a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you for the bill!!

Woo-hoo, we’re always glad to have fans   You can find Alcibiades on throughout the day in The Bleachers or other rooms.

The aim of these interviews is to allow people that don’t frequent other chat rooms to get to know mods in other areas of Kongregate and perhaps switch up their hangouts a bit. If you have any questions that you would like us to include go ahead and contact us or leave a comment.

Today’s we are interviewing SevenofSpades. Yes WE. Joining me in this interview is Valkyrie from the Hall of Odin.

Hello Val! Welcome SevenOfSpades

Valkyrie: Hey Thal. Thanks. Hello SevenofSpades

SevenOfSpades : Hello. This is interesting. Hi Val.

Thalarion: So Seven, we had a user-submitted question asking about the origins of your name. Care to clue us in?

SevenOfSpades :Well, most of the names I’ve ever come up since 13 have all kind of bled into one another. A very long time ago I made up this character named Roland Smith for this Medieval (not Fantasy, there were no goblins or wenches or Goblins hitting on wenches), and then that character evolved into a billion different names, and then I had a phase with the MMO city of heroes

When I left the game I had an Idea of a Superhero who was sort of a cross between Gambit, Incredible Hulk and Date from Devil May Cry. Being he was all about reckless luck and energy and what have you, I figured I name him after a card
Ace of Spades – too obvious.
Jack of __ – Unless I’m naming him Jack, it would’ve been silly so I hit on SevenofSpades, a name which combined a nice alliteration with that underdog quality that no one really thinks of that card.
pause And that pretty much answers that question in 3 million words or less.

Valkyrie: Lol. I read that as wrenches. That ought to be fun. Interesting Concept Seven. (May I call you Seven?). How did you come across Kongregate and how long have you been a member?

SevenOfSpades :I came across Kongregate back in 2007, a year where gas in America was around 3 dollars a gallon and I bumped into a message from Evil-Dog on his Punk-o-matic page on Newgrounds

in short he said that he was releasing a special Version of P.O.M and wanted people to vote for it on Kongregate.
_I’m allowed to mention newgrounds right? I wont be called a heretic?

Thalarion: Burn him!

Valkyrie: We tie people to the stake and burn for that here.

Thalarion: All kidding aside, how long have you been a mod for? Sounds like a good long time.

SevenOfSpades : I’ve been a mod, interestingly enough, as long as my cousin’s been married. which is actually just about one year to date. A full year, not one of those loose I’ve coursed middle earth in 9 moons kind of year.

Full years are over rated. I personally prefer Martian years. What were your first reactions to being nominated as a moderator in Kongregate?
In all honesty, I didn’t even know I was nominated as a Mod until, well, I became a mod. I got a shout one day from Koko saying “oh, I nominated you as a mod, [Insert giggle here]” and then I was just telling myself “…huh.” Mind you, I’ve had an account on Kongregate less than 2 months before I was nominated so I thought it was some kind of prank….or at least a misunderstanding of sorts.
::shrugs:: I guess she really liked me.

Thalarion: Koko and giggling. Those two go together like ham & cheese Yay for bad metaphors! Okay, I’d like to hear about your favorite game?

SevenOfSpades : My favorite game on Kongregate? The World? With Coffee? Only needing one hand?

On Kongregate
Well if it’s Kongregate, I really tend toward several different games, I can’t say I have one end all favorite.
I love Drunken Masters, a quaint little adventure which explores what would happen if you took Tom Cruise from Cocktail and decided to give him Tony Hawk capabilities, not limiting to throwing 500 bottles in the air and not breaking a single one, not matter how hard you throw it. Caravaneer is also fun, watching what would happen if the word happened to dry and up and all you had are 12 AP to save the world…and 40 Mercenaries armed with Military Armor and Rocket Launchers.
What sort of games do you like? Which badge did you enjoy the most?
I lean toward the Adventure and RPG games mostly cause I’ve been raised on them since I was a little Spade (I mean I install my SNES just to play Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 3 US). Though, it being a flash game site, I also like the simple instant gratification games. Namely the music games. Coolio_Niato has plenty which I like…which I wont look in my My Favorites tab right now cause somehow I think Thal would resent me for it. ::looks towards Thal::
Thalarion: Huh, what? No, of course not

Valkyrie: Do you have an affinity towards any particular game Developer?

SevenOfSpades : Game developers though, I find a few to be fairly consistent with what I’m looking for. Coolio_Niato, I mentioned earlier, will nearly always have a decent rhythm based game hidden in production in some underground bunker near the center of the earth that I will love. Weasel and Diseased Productions also has plenty of good work I’ve taken a liking too. (The Thing-Thing series, namely) Although it did feel like with the fourth installment the gameplay came off a little more like a Console Game than I’d like. Joining the 80% of shooters who removed health bars from their mechanics – let me know if I’m scaring you any, I’ll understand.

Thalarion : Nah, you’re good thus far. Okay, what do you feel would help you in your work as a moderator?

SevenOfSpades : Right now I think My Banning-Basshammer made by Ibanez gets the job done. I have plenty of people private message asking for my Batman-esque assisstance in a room i’ve never been to before, but Probably the one thing I would really like to have is some way to have an automated warning system, which you could access similar to the way you’d ban someone.

You could put in bold text standing out for just that user and it will come more far more official than a Robocop making an arrest, letting the user know that he’s being a bad boy and will be smacked really hard in the face with a BANjo if he doesn’t calm the hell down.
::thinking:: That and perhaps some sort of system that allows you to watch over another room without physically being there or needing a second account. (which I don’t have), and gives you automated messages if someone is spamming or using too much cussing, which then you could go in and alleviate the problem.

Valkyrie: The warning system sounds like a great idea. You might want to pass that to the admins. What is the flip side of being a moderator?

SevenOfSpades : I’d say it’s the situations similar to what happens when you put a cop in the same room who hates the very idea of cops and peace-keeping people. Sure, as a mod, many people and respect you and love what you do and shower you with Jolly Rancher candies and Bazooka Joe bubble gum for what you do, but when you come across someone who just hates Mods and then flame directly at you. It becomes a a challenge to keep you calm from breaking and just unleashing on the guy. Regardless of whether or not he deserved it, it always bothers me when I do that because I know that someone picked me as a mod knowing that I would be acting better than that and not bickering over such trivial stuff….sorry if that came off as a ramble.

Thalarion: Nah, that’s totally fine. Heck, sounds like how my mind works. What would you like people to take away from this interview?

SevenOfSpades : That I am utterly and completely Insane.

Valkyrie: Apart from the obvious truths Seven..?

Thalarion: Sweet.

::laughs:: I don’t think I could really make any more clearer of a moral to the story. Be good Kong users, shower me with compliments, and I can be a pretty nice guy when you’re not u51ng 1337 5p34k in my face or anything like that.
Insanity is a blessing that clears the mind of unwanted stuff. Someone is sticking a pencil into my ribs telling me that the interview is heading to a close.

Valkyrie: Ok. last question Seven. Make that two, what do you prefer to be called in Kongregate? And how do you spend your time when you are not on Kong?

SevenOfSpades : On Kong, you may call me Seven. entombor2 likes to call me Sauce, and I’ve taken a liking to that name as well so I guess you can call me that too. No SoS, I am not a reference to a Police Song…nor am I the focus of a telegrammed distress signal. As for me not on Kong, I have my Indie-Rock-pop-Alternative-[Insert Random Genre to make it funnier here] Band, which is right at this second on pause cause one of our members is away on tour with another hardcore-Angry-metal…some such band. But we are working on a CD, and I promise to market myself as much as human possible to everyone on Kong as soon as it’s done.

Thalarion: Thank you for taking the time to interview, I really appreciate it.

SevenOfSpades : No problem

Valkyrie: Thank you for spending some time with us for the Interview SevenofSpades. I enjoyed it. We look forward to that CD.

SevenOfSpades : You are more than welcome Val & Thal. Gee that Rhymes.

The aim of these interviews is to allow people that don’t frequent other chat rooms to get to know mods in other areas of Kongregate and perhaps switch up their hangouts a bit. If you have any questions that you would like us to include go ahead and contact us or leave a comment.

So Bobo, what’s the story behind the username?
lol ok, well first off I am NOT a dude called Bob O. Its the name of Mr. Burn’s teddy bear from The Simpsons.
Heh, that’s a classic episode. But truth be told, I always think of Bobo the clown. No offense.
Yeah yeah, and the game on Kong with bobo the hobo hasn’t helped my street cred much either

I can imagine not. Now I’m going to have to link that game in the interview. Thanks Okay, so how long have you been a mod for?
lol well I wasn’t going to make this easy for you now was I (and yes I really really overuse the smilie). Um about a month I think.

Ah, fresh meat! So what do you find interesting about the Kongregate community? Why this site over other flash sites?
You said it right there, it’s the community aspect I love. I’ve been a gamer for a long time now (yes a girl gamer, we do exist but only in the shadows :P) and I’ve tried a few sites in my time. Kong was the only one I really got chatting on though.

I still never understood why they took Sheriff Lobo off the air… What about your favorite game? Or genre?
Oooo ok, I have a few faves, I’m a big fan of the puzzle/platformer style, things like Chronotron and M.I.L.O. I also like Monsters Den, reminds my of my early years playing Baldur’s Gate
Early years? Man, you are young. I was playing that after college XD
lol

But enough about me being a geezer. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Sorry, don’t understand the question, spare time? What’s that? Well at the moment I’m writing up a thesis so I spend pretty much all of my time on the computer like the true hardcore geek that I am. When I DO get 5 minutes to myself I try and get some skiing in if I can though.
Water or snow?
Snow and dry slope, not much snow in the UK

Mind the rocks, then. All right, you mentioned school. What do you want to do if you grow up?
Not going to grow up, ever so ner ner ner. I’m about to start yet another degree, although my parents have threatened to disown me if I do another one after that :P. I plan on starting a real job about 5 years before retirement.

Good way to elude debt, that. Right then, you have one wish. What would you wish for?
World peace? hmm no too corny…Kong peace? hmm actually, what I would really really REALLY like, is a nice little group of subjects to let me play with their DNA. (no I’m not a weirdo I’m a geeky geneticist :P)
Or Sonny 2 to be released, that would be acceptable too

Oh yeah, definitely acceptable. …Weirdo How about music? What do you get your groove on with?
lol nice, pot, kettle black there on the weirdo front dude :P. Music, ok, yeah this is just going to make me sound even more weird. I have a rather eclectic taste, I really like some of the old bluesy stuff like Nina Simone but i have a dark secret passion for cheesy rock, Lordi ftw!

Way to ramp up the weirdo factor, lady. At least you’re not into hair bands. Okay, so what sort of advice would you offer to people that want to be moderators?
Um…take the second star on the left and fly on till morning and you will meet the mod fairy. Or alternatively be nice, pleasant, help people out whenever you can and someday you will be interviewed for ACKK too.

Oh the horror! Okay, any parting words of wisdom?
Parting words maybe, containing wisdom…probably not :P. Be nice to each other and if you cant be nice learn to use the mute button. Oh and cooooeeee hiya! waves to the HoO people

And in case you couldn’t guess, Bobo82 hangs out in the Hall of Odin and she’s on +/- 0 GMT. We’re not going to speculate what else she’s on, though ^^