For this rounds Member of the Moment, we had to stop and ask ourselves a few questions. "Can you know the mighty ocean? Can you lasso a star from the sky? Can you say to a rainbow... 'Hey, stop being a rainbow for a second'? No! such is Mango!"
MightyMango, that is. He certainly does have a mighty gamerscore to go along with his name, at an amazing 80,619 at the time of this interview! He is in the top 1% after all. He also plays well with others, and has a mighty forum presence, including helping people out in support threads. Not bad for a fruit! Some people may also know him as Ryan, and he resides in my home state of Minnesota!
Let's see what the good word is from the fruit bowl today!
Q: So here goes... How long have you been gaming?
A: My wife tells me all my life, but probably since about 1982. I started on an Apple IIe of all things. I didn't actually play on a console until 1983 and my first console was an Atari 5200. I actually still own it.
Q: What was the first game that you played and what drew you into gaming in general?
A: Well, if you want to call it a game it was "Turtle". You basically had to "command" the "Turtle" which was nothing more then a triangle through a maze. My first console game that I really remember was the awful Pac-Man port on the 2600. The game that really sucked me in though was Dig Dug on my 5200.
Q: What brought you to 360voice, and what do you think is the best feature of the site?
A: Well my friend Sothy kept posting in a IRC channel about his blog on 360v. So I signed up and kinda forgot that I did until around August of last summer. The I discovered the forums and was instantly hooked. It is a friendly forum and I felt right at home. ZeroDesolation was the first person I really started to talk to and then I joined the Order. I guess the rest is history.
Between the forums and the blogs I don't think I can really pick out one feature that I really think is the best. There are so many things that the site and the community do so well. The one feature that I know I obsess about the most though is the streaks. Yeah, I know I'm just over 100 days right now but the lengths that I go to to keep it going are just silly. I just moved and I was having problems getting my internet up and running, I was just about ready to take my 360 to my work to use the internet on my day off.
Q: Speaking of streaks... your current streak is 105 days, but you had 167 at one point, wow! Do you plan to keep going past your record this time?
A: Well I have 3 systems now as well as my PC so I think my streak will be safe. It all depends on my wife going into labor. I looked and the hospital looks like it has wireless so I may be bringing a 360 with.
Q: We need video if you're sitting there playing the 360 while your wife is in labor! Is there anything that you would like to see on 3v that isn't already here?
A: One thing I would like to see is the time that you played a game recorded like it was over on Liveeye. Other then that the guys in charge seem to be doing an excellent job adding features all the time so by the time I think of something to add its already there.
Q: Who would win in a fight, Syndelin or Mr. Achievement?
A: Syndelin because she is from Minnesota, women from here are fighters, mainly because of the 6 months of winter we have to deal with.
Q: Good answer, and too true!! When did you sign up for live?
A: Well, I signed up when live was available over 5 years ago. That was on a different gamertag that I haven't used since the 360 launch. So I've been on live since the beginning.
Q: What is your game setup?
A: Well, right now its mostly in cardboard boxes pretty SWEET. It will be two 360's on a 63inch DLP, one US system and one Japanese system. The 3rd xbox will be in my bedroom on a 50inch or on a 42 inch plasma in my new family room. Though the cardboard boxes do look pretty sweet.
Q: I think I'll have that setup in a week or so (The boxes that is)! What other systems, if any, do you own?
A: This is a funny question. I'm a video game collector and have systems from the PS3 back to the RCA Studio II (Yes thats a system). I currently am pushing close to 3000 total titles and my 360 collection is at 214 US retail titles as well as all the arcade games and a few imports as well. I will say that my favorite older system is the NES with about 491 titles.
Q: No wonder you have so many boxes for your setup! What's your favorite feature on Xbox LIVE?
A: Other the achievement points, the voice chat. I like that I can talk to a friend who is playing a completely different title than I am.
Q: You have played 250 games! That's amazing. What new ones coming up are you looking forward to?
A: Gears 2 has my interest. Bionic Commando looks interesting as well. Grid, Haze, and Lego Indiana Jones all look fun as well.
Q: Do you own or rent games for the most part?
A: Own, but I do have an account on Gamefly. I end up buying a lot of games through them because the games are complete and in really good shape. I have been know to "rent" games to people though :-P
Q: You have enough, you could be your own gamefly! ;) Are there any genres that you prefer over the others, or do you just like to game, no matter what type it is?
A: I just like to play games pure and simple. FPS and Race titles tend to be my favorite genres but hack and slash games tend to be ones I play the most.
Q: Any must-have titles for 2008, or ones that you have played already this year that you think will take the title of "game of the year" for you?
A: I think Grid could end up being my game of the year. Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is another excellent title as well, I just haven't had enough time to really get into it.
Q: You do seem pretty busy lately. You have a 3 star challenge badge, but not the HTTK badge yet? Do you play for points... or fun?
A: Well, every challenge that I really tried in someone tried harder. I had the first chance to get the viral badge and Fatty and Disbron walked all over me. So now I play for fun, if I get the HTTK badge thats just an added bonus.
Q: You have a badge that everyone seems to be after! What contest did you win?
A: I got randomly picked on a contest that was on the front page. I won "The Simpsons Video Game" and its actually a game that my kids request me to play all the time.
Q: I see that you're one of the members of the race to 100 completed retail games as well. How is that going and who do you think will be the first to pull it off?
A: I think Tynstar will do it, but it depends on his future schooling. I think I still have a chance now that I've finally moved. Its going to be interesting to see in the end, everyone of the people that are in it have a good chance of pulling it off.
Q:What is the one Achievement you are most proud of?
A: Beating COD2 on Veteran. People say its a fast 1000 points, but its a VERY hard 1000 points. That is one that I will remain proud of. Closely behind that would be the score 50,000 in Discs of Tron.
Q: Is there a feature you would like to see in the next Xbox 360 System Update?
A: Group voice chat is greatly needed. It would make the 360 enviroment in gaming more like PC gaming.
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add, or that you would like the community to know about you?
A: Well, most of the things I say are just to egg people on. It was fun to pick on Fatty a few months ago that I was going to catch his gamer score. I would like to think that I'm a helpful member of the community that is willing to help out other gamers achieve their gaming goals. I would also like people to check out Rfgeneration.com if they are into collecting as its an excellent database for collectors to keep track of their games. Thanks to 360 voice for choosing me to be the Member of the Moment, its a pretty sweet honor. Thanks Everyone, you are what makes this site great!!
Congrats Ryan, on the new house, the future hospital visit for the birth of your new baby, and also congrats on them having wireless internet there! Oh yeah, and the whole Member of the Moment 15 seconds of fame on the front page thing too. Thank you so much for your time, and contributions to 360voice. Community Members like you make 360voice the wonderful place that it is!
Congrats Mango!
I love these Member of the Moments!
Posted by: StormSurge | May 13, 2008 at 10:24 PM
alright, nice interview! was a great read as always.
congrats mango!
If Mango can't do it, grapefruit can. 8P
Posted by: ZeroDesolation | May 13, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Congrats Mango.
I can say I actually know him, thanks to GRAW2 Saturday nights.
Posted by: one crazy idiot | May 14, 2008 at 02:12 AM
Nice one Mango, I've known you from over at DP
You seem cool though.
Posted by: Lothar | May 26, 2008 at 04:58 PM