Interviews with Stars of the Community Volume 10: John-117

[Drizzy_Dan]

This was an interview that I originally thought I had been blown off on but it turned out John was just busy and read it late and by that time I had already had another interviewee lined up so I promised him I would make it up to him this week. It really was a fantastic interview and I had so much fun that we went above 10 questions but I'm only posting 10 for your guys' sakes haha. Here is, John-117:

 

 

 

DD: "Why is your member title: 'A.I.'?"

117: "You see Drizzy, my title is 'A.I.' because an A.I. is artificial intelligence that has the power to find things that humans cannot see. When I got near my later days of News Group, I asked for that title because I think and act like an A.I. I am able to find news that other people could never find or know about no matter how hard they tried. Take Halo 4's Forge for example, they are planning to reveal that at RTX or Comic Con, they are trying to decide which venue would fit is best. I learned that info from going to places people wouldn't normally go for info. That's why my title is, 'A.I.'"

 

DD: "I love it! I hope everyone gets a look at this interview because that right there is important news! So what was the cycle of your jobs in the Community Staff? Where did you start and what other positions have you gone through before you became our new Youtube Channel Co-Ordinator?"

117: "Well, I started as a basic user like everyone else (excluding Twam). I began my first two weeks on the site as just your everyday poster, that is when I decided I wanted to be more than that. I decided I wanted to be helpful to the site. I thought, it's not what the site can do for me but, what can I do for the site? That is when I decided to created a post under announcements to act as a HUB for all Halo info. I of course followed the procedure and reached 200 posts and became a Trusted Member. I then began talking to Twam. After many long personal messages back and forth to each other, he and I finally came to an agreement. That is when the News Group was created. I then held that job for about 3 months and the site continued to increase. That is when Fire, took a league of absence and we needed someone to take over his duties of Community Moderator. I (being the clever man that I am) teamed up with my good friend Vitamin PWN and created a viral campaign on the site for me to take over Fire's position. It was crazy! I know for a fact Twam got a little mad at it but, I can tell somewhere inside him, he was impressed with how I will stick to my dream until I achieve it. I then got promoted to a community moderator. I was also happy that Vitamin got to join me as one also! About two months later, the site had grown a lot! The thing was, we had too much staff, that is when Twam gave me an honorable discharge from the position and kept the two more active people while promoting Spectral Jester to Moderator. I then took my own league of absence from the site because of personal issues. I got to the point to where I lost everything. I lost my girl friend, my job, my house, everything! I then took a small life journey and found out how to live my life the good right way, through Jesus Christ. Anyways, I make my return and everyone still accepts me with open arms. That is when I realize this is more than just a site, it is my home. Everyone on the site is family, no matter if we get along or not. Back to the story, I then saw that we had a position for YouTube open and I decided what the heck, I should at least try! Turns out, Spectral and Twam being my two awesome friends, we're waiting to see if I was going apply. After seeing that I did, they knew I was good at what I do and promoted me to the position. That is how I got to where I am now."

 

DD: "Original News Group member, Community Mod, and now our Youtube Co-Ordinator. You have a long history with Staff here and I feel like as long as there's a position open, there's a good chance you'll get it John. That was an interesting forum life story there, I read it all the way through. All the people you mentioned are fantastic members and great at what they do, Vitamin, Fire, Spectral, Twam (of course). When you were demoted from the Community Moderator position, were you surprised?"

117: "Yes, I was surprised but I was more disappointed than anything else. That is due to the fact that I realized I wasn't putting enough time into the site. It made me very angry also, that was a reason why I went off the radar for a while. Absolute Dog, being one of my best friends and my mentor, decided to talk to me a month after I left and just helped me with how I felt about it and everything else. Absolute is by far one of the wisest men I have ever met. He has plans, he will go very far in life! Anyway, he then persuaded me to come back. I agreed to it and started back up, I was still not as active and I know I could be more active now but I have a family to take care of now! I am very thankful that everyone welcomed me back with open arms, it means the world to me!"

 

DD: "It was a surprise to us as well to see your name in normal Dedicated Member silver. I have to agree with you and I'm sure everyone else will too when you say AD is an amazing person. Not just member but person. So how many submissions have we had so far to the Youtube Channel and how many have made the cut?"

117: "So far I have had tons of videos sent in! Right now we currently have one up and it is our featured video! I am trying to take the time and look over every single one in detail to see if the followers on the channel would actually like the videos or not. Most people think that it is easy but, the process is actually very difficult. You have to narrow down the videos, check for anything that could possibly be added to it, get info for it, and then publish it! Not as easy as it looks if you ask me."

 

DD: "I didn't know that, that does sound like a harder process than I originally thought. So you're working towards becoming a more active member now correct? How do you balance the time with your family and other real life needs with time on the forums?"

117: "I just try to be on the site whenever I can. Whether it be a the crack of dawn or in the middle of the day, I am always on, whether it says I am or not. I make time with the family by spending dinner with them, going to church with them, doing fun weekend activities with them, stuff like that."

 

DD: "That's awesome John, truly. Which position were you most satisfied with on the site, if there was one (News, Mod, Comms, Member)?"

117: "Most people would say Community Moderator but I have to go with News Group. I love it there and would love to go back to that! It just gives me a certain feeling that none of the other positions give me!"

 

DD: "I know you were able to play Halo 4 earlier this year and others may not know that. Could you tell the readers why you were able to do this?"

117: "Well you see my dad used for Microsoft, he was friends with many people there so I got lucky and we were able to contact one of his old friends and I was able to get my hands on a Halo 4. I was allowed to play one game of infinity's later on the map that is now known as Haven. The game looks a lot different since when I've played it most likely because they have been in update the build. I am very proud and pleased on how far Microsoft has come with Halo 4 so far from when I last played it."

 

DD: "That is sick. I'm sorry if this leads to the flooding of your PM inbox John, but I thought it was an interesting thing for the readers to know. With all the positions you've held and how long you've been here, do you ever feel undercredited? Or are you just grateful to be apart of this community?"

117: "I don't feel undercreditied. I am just thankful to be apart of making the site what it is today and contributing to the future of the site. As you know, we have a couple of surprises for the site coming in the future! :)"

 

DD: "That's right, there's much to look forward to in the future . What are your views on how the site's going at this point in time? If you read last week's you'd know that Twin believes it's going south, but how about you?"

117: "I actually think we are going 'North' so to say. HALO 4 IS COMING OUT PEOPLE! I have noticed an increase in activity and size due to that! I remember 6 months ago it was hard to have 130 member on, now our regular activity is from 436- 800, it's crazy that someone would say we're going South!"

 

DD: "Well that was in terms of quality of members and activity, I saw Twin's points and in a way I agreed but not fully. He was right about the complaining needing to stop and us needing to be a better community and not a popularity contest and learning to accept everyone's opinions even if it is against Halo 4. What are your words of advice to the members of the site John?"

117: "My words of advice to the members would have to be, it's not what can the site do for you but, what can you do for the site. Always remember that."

 

 

 

 

Thank you John for being so damn interesting I hope we can become better friends. And I know this was long readers but I hope you read through it because it's great! Thank you community for being awesome and supporting these. See ya next Tuesday!

[Azaxx]

Great read, though i am sad to say that i have become blind to a severe cause of 'wall of text disease'. I have heard its incurable

[John-117]

I loved being interviewed, thanks for everyone's support!

[Archangel Tyrael]

Nice interview Drizzy. I was shocked you got demoted like that as well. I will always honor this position with up most respect John. I Do my best for this community and the news group. I try and make it better and better. I have a hard time when Adam is making his posts every 2-3 days when i post lots of topics on lots of things. You gave me a chance to become staff, i appreciate that every day and you got me recognized by the moderators to be a good asset. You are my friend and always will be, if you need anything i am here man. I am glad you got back your staff position, al though it is youtube and back on this site making this community better, makes me happy you are doing well.

[ZB-85]

Another fantastic interview! Great job John-117, quite an interesting read . Keep up the good work Drizzy_Dan .

[Baby Boo]

An awesome read! I must say, John just might have been the best yet. I learned a lot about him. Back a while ago, I didn't know John very well... I knew that he was a great moderator, and that he had gotten demoted. I was very sad to hear the news. But then, one day, he appeared in the shoutbox, and I started talking to him. He told me of a few of his goals, and I was instantly interested. One of them being he wanted to make a kind site of his own, based off of games everywhere, from every platform, every age, and both genders. Seeing that he didn't have the time or resources, I decided to help our dear John out, and help administrate his site. John, you are a great friend, and I appreciate everything you do here! Keep being the great member that you are. I helped then... I will help you with anything in the future, you can count on me, and everyone else

[Vitamin Pwn]

i was lurking on the forum when i saw John had been interview so i had to come back from my little break to post here.

John was one of my first friends on the site, there were days when we would talk in shout til late into the night, i remember when i joined the news group (a position John helped me get btw) i was always in awe on the Halo info he got, that i didn't even want to compete with that so i just focused on other games and left halo to john lol. if anyone Deserved to be interviewed it is John and im glad he got it Great interview John and thanks Drizzy for another great interview

[Anarchy]

That is one long interveiw! Nice one, i hope to get interviewed sometime

[Drizzy_Dan]

That is one long interveiw! Nice one, i hope to get interviewed sometime

 

This is a promise Anarchy. You will be interviewed.

[Ccup-mann]

A great interview!

[Fire]

A great interview, I had no idea that there was a campaign to take my job ;__; but okay. Anyway a great interview Drizzy, if you ever need someone to interview, i'm here.

[GermanShepherdD]

lolz

[♠ Spades N AZ ♠]

So I am catching up on post interviews John 117 and was grateful to read more about you. I have also noticed you have been gone for sometime, what gives? Hope to see you return soon. Your obviously a strong part of the foundation of this forum.