@CharlieEmerson - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: Where does happiness come from?

Happiness as far as I'm concerned comes from doing what you love and are passionate about. I love making movies and cartoons and making people laugh. Whenever I have the opportunity to do any of that I feel the most happy. Some people love math so much they're probably most happy when solving equations but the point there is that I believe it comes from doing what you love.

Q: What's your view on creativity?

In my opinion creativity involves going to the places no one else has gone. It's trying something different, sometimes just for the sake of being different. The key with creativity is to try not to second guess the process and always keep forward motion going as best you can. If something goes wrong, you gotta be flexible enough to move with it. Work with the unknown!

Q: How to get interested in skateboarding? What is it like to skateboard?

Skateboarding always seemed like the cool thing to do. I wasn't really into team sports growing up, so skateboarding was kind of an identity I could grab onto early on. That being said it is incredibly fun to do. Tricks can be difficult to land but a simple cruise down the street is a fantastic experience as well!

Q: What are some of your favorite jazz music, and where does the interest come from?

As of late I've been listening to a lot of 70's Japanese Acid Jazz. I wish I knew the name of the groups but I usually have it playing in the background when I work. This interest most likely stems from my years of playing drums. I took drum lessons for about 10 years. Anytime I get a compliment for the timing of a joke I always give credit to those years of studying with a metronome!

Q: You both like skateboarding and jazz because they don't have rules, and each person who skates or plays jazz has a completely different interpretation from another, which keeps it fresh. Do you share the same sentiment about art as a form of expression?

ABSOLUTELY! Admittedly I am partial to some art over others, but art can be subjective like that. One thing I will never knock is someones hustle and vision though. I am always insanely intrigued by the rules and interpretations other creators and artists come up with. You enter a world where 'right' and 'wrong' leave and are replaced by 'does it work'. That's the real question by the end of the process, "does this piece work?" And if the answer is yes then you have won!

Q: How has the Internet changed over the years from your perspective?

The internet as of late seems saturated with a lot of corporate media and faux-artists. It seems like the Hollywood and Main Stream systems saw dollar signs behind what used to be a purely raw and open landscape. I don't think I'm alone in thinking the internet has become more commercialized over the years and while it seems like I have some negative feelings towards it I have to admit the transformation has allowed for many independent artists to earn more from their endeavors than they probably would have in the past. So while it is annoying to see hundreds of Jimmy Kimmel YouTube clips in my recommended feed, it is also wonderful that NewGrounds still exists so you can see all of the raw uncut talent still persevere.

Q: What is animation?

Animation is awesome! Having the ability to make anything move is fantastic. Especially when you bring creatures or objects to life that only ever existed in your head! That's some good stuff.

Q: How do you describe your comedic style?

I've been told it's very dry and dark, haha! There are many times I don't even aim for a punchline but when I receive feedback people still laugh anyway. I love comedy through the absurd. I also love dad jokes, many of my shorts are horrific dad jokes with a touch of violence!

Q: What is your pipeline for creating your animations?

On bigger projects I tend to storyboard more. These days I typically pull out an audio recorder, say some goofy nonsense for a minute and then do a few doodles on a sketchpad. If any doodles match with any of the skits I just start going to town in PhotoShop. It's very crude and definitely not up to industry standards but I love run and gun projects that I can finish in a week or less. I love to see how fast I can accomplish a project and refine my process so I can keep up with a weekly schedule. Probably not healthy, but it is something to grind for!

Q: What's the story of Tin Knockers? What do you think about baseball and the Red Sox?

Tin Knockers was born when my buddy and I were homesick in Los Angeles. We missed Boston so much that we spent the night getting hammered and doing Boston accents into a microphone. He would then go on to write a few scenes and we polished it a bit more, but overall we were just missing home. When they win I love the Red Sox. Otherwise it's Red Sox who? lmao

Q: What was it like animating on Post-It note?

Animating on Post-Its was my first introduction to animation. I had done a few motion graphics things prior but this was my first rodeo with frame by frame. It was great! I had a light board and a giant package of sticky notes and honestly it was such a blast! Highly recommend!

Q: How did you descript writing? And puppeteering for Late Night With Allen Edwin

I wanted some more depth out of a project, spatially, so I decided to work with paper puppets. I also had googly eyes from my parents for my birthday so I put them to use! I wanted to try building a set like you would see in a stop-motion but then realized I didn't have the patience for stop motion so I went the lazy puppet route.

Q: The story of Arts 'n Crafts | Jekyll and Hyde

Arts n' Crafts was our first attempt at trying to do commercial work. We thought it would be a good idea to review beers and then also animate stories told from the guy drinking. We still have four more episodes but at this point they might stay in the vault. But you never know!

Q: What do you think about Family Guy?

Family Guy is funny! I'm more of a South Park guy, my style reeeks of south park haha, but I do appreciate the gags and cutaways. They don't always hit, but when they do ohhhh boy!

Q: Where does your interest in blending animation of live action come from Pencil Pushers

I'm really interested in telling stories as fast as I think them up. My mind is still very childish and I love to pretend everything is alive and talking. In some instances, like in the case of Pencil Pushers, I can go from idea to finished video in around 30 minutes.

Q: What is it like working with different styles?

To me working with different styles is both fun and practical. I loved shows like Kablam back in the day and always wanted my own variety sketch show like that. But also I am still searching for my own style in some ways so I try to tweak little things here and there and see which has practical use and which I just prefer overall.

Q: Your advice for creating animation

My advice for creating animation is to be patient. I have loved animation since I was very young but it took me many years before I actually made my first one. And even more years before I made my first one I actually enjoyed! With animation anything you can think of can become real. And also anyone can do it. I never took any official animation classes and here we are, with a bunch under my belt!

@Drake-Star - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: What do you like about tending to plants?

A: I've historically never had the greenest thumb, but I've contentiously tried and tried again to grow something because I like seeing the progress, and also it helps my consistency. Having to water a plant every day helps me with remembering all the daily tasks I need to do.

Q: How did you decide on currently growing an apple tree and some peppermint?

A: The apple was just a seed I had picked when my allergy wasn't flaring up as bad. I do Like eating them, and the yard is pretty empty, so It all seemed to work out.

The Peppermint is also for my own enjoyment, I love Peppermint tea, and the sent/oils from it are a spider deterrent.

Q: And how many plants do you have?

A: Just the two, I'm not a HUGE plant person, but it's a nice side-hobby.

Q: When did you find out you were allergic to raw fruit, and what symptoms do you get when you eat it?

A: I think I've always had the allergy, but never realized it until I explained the effect it has on me to friends. Basically the roof of my mouth and the back of my throat start to itch real bad. Nothing too serious, just very annoying. Though there's always the possibility of it getting worse the more I agitate it, so I eat fruit sparingly.

Q: What do you think about streaming?

A: It's alright, I don't watch people on the regular, but I get the appeal.

Q: You like to collect physical media, especially DVDs. What DVDs do you have, and what games do you own?

A: I've got LOTS of Complete Collection DVDs like Adventure Time, Regular Show, Aqua Teen, and plenty of custom ones that never got releases like MegasXLR.

- Go-Kart

A - One time, as a kid, I was brought to this local fun center. Not a ton to do inside, there were some arcade games, but the real attractions were the outdoor stuff! Mainly Mini Gold and Go-Karts. I was just a short of the required height a the time, but my dad was able to convince the employee working there to let me in anyway.

As it turns out, I suck at go-kart racing in real life, so I was in dead last, but I was having fun... until the final lap. Ya see, the track had two segments for the start of the track, the starting area that was covered with a metal roof and a wall lined with tires, and a straight away that just connected back to the main track. I was unaware of this.

It was the final lap and I was still in dead last, everyone else had quickly noticed the drop-down bar that cut off the track and forced you back into the starting area, I did not. I was still going full speed in a straight line. When I did finally noticed, I was going way too fast and was entirely too far from the turning point to make a clean turn. At this point I was on a direct course to slam into that wall of tires and metal. I didn't know what to do, so I just acted without thinking.

I closed my eyes, hit the breaks, and turned the steering wheel as hard to the left as I could. I heard tires screeching and I felt my body move, then come to a stop. When I opened my eyes, I was perfectly parked at that starting line. My dad quickly got me from my kart, and we left. I remember all the spectators were just staring at me. I don't know what I did, but it must have been impressive.

That fun center shut down years later and my dad has completely forgotten about that place, so I'll probably never know what happened that day.

Q: How would you say the experience changed you?

A: It defiantly made me start thinking about fate, and luck a lot more. In the end, even after what I consider to be a very lucky outcome, I've ultimately never chosen to rely on probability lie it did there ever again.

Q: What is art about?

A: Self Expression; Art is an extension of the artist, who they are, and what they enjoy or are inspired by.

Q: What do you like about creating art?

A: The joy of taking something from my brain and putting it in the real world to show to other people.

Q: What’s your advice for creating art and animation?

A: Write down your ideas! Have a notebook or your Notes App on your phone at the ready at ALL times! Don't hesitate either, you have an amazing idea and can't reach a drawing surface at the moment, you need to jot it down to your future self can recall it way easier. I've lost plenty of good ideas cause I waited till after a meal or I wanted 5 more minutes of sleep, and when I finally remember to take a note, I've lost the idea and I fell all the worse for it.

Q: How would you describe your process for creating animations?

A: Get an Idea. Jot it down. Plan the sequence with either a story board or a script. Start drawing.

Anything after that is all dependent on what's needed in the cartoon.

Q: What do you think about making music?

A: I've tried it a couple of times, even had a collage course on it, but my mind has more of a knack for visuals rather than audio. I do admire the people that can do it though.

Q: Your favorite food and drinks

A: Spicy Breaded Chicken Sandwiches and DrPepper

@Sawisi-soo - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: Where does your interest in bouldering and smelling chemicals come from? What do you like about those fields, and what do you enjoy doing in them?

Bouldering is more of a recent thing, my sister just invited me to go with her once. Super fun sport, also builds coordination and core strength.

Chemicals are chemicals, I am a chemistry major so it is part of the experience. It has its own charm to it.

Q: How would you describe the ways a biochemistry lab is truly a sensory heaven, but not as much when it comes to carcinogens compared to an organic chemistry lab?

Cool pipettes, centrifuges, lots of small bottles and dyes. These are more of minor things in the lab but they’re satisfying to work with.

Carcinogens are scary. Working with bromine was genuinely terrifying experience.

Q: What was it like going to university very early in life?

Amazing but also hard. All my peers are at least 2 years older than me, so sometimes it can be awkward when I act my age. Though I do enjoy a life away from my parents, the freedom and such.

Q: What is Newgrounds about, and why did you join?

Newgrounds is an art platform for all to share, joined because a person suggested I start posting here too.

Q: How do you see the Internet?

Hell and cables.

Q: How did you become interested in creating art?

Me and few classmates weee in detention in school and someone suggested to start drawing Pokémon’s. I joined because it seemed interesting, and my drawings turned out pretty cool. I then slowly realized that art can be one of the ways to express my thoughts/ideas, and since then I’ve been trying to draw whatever comes to mind. A very nice method when you have a constant and uncontrollable stream of thoughts (ADHD).

Q: Do you have any resources or advice for making art?

Always do what you want to make, no matter how obscure or stupid it seems. Requests and popularity is fun and all, but you won’t create true art without truly enjoying it yourself.

From resources - take your own reference pictures if you can’t find any. Don’t be ashamed to trace them either, some shapes are hard to understand first time.

@kr0tyara - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: How did you get interested in making tiny paper robots out of cardboard or other materials? What do they look like, and how did you learn about making paper robots?

1. I started making them in 4 grade, I think. They told us at school how to glue a box out of paper, and it got me really inspired. I also learned how to fold paper springs, and tried combining these skills for a school project. The first 'robot' was not actually a robot, but an orange cat in a space-suit. It was a box with 5 springs attached, representing its neck, arms and legs. Sadly, it broke very fast. But I re-created this toy later, replacing the cat's head with a robot one. That's how the V.N. was born. I created like 5 of them, and they all didn't last very long.

I re-created this toy in 2020, replacing paper with cardboard. And that's how V.Y. was born. There's even a game about this guy!

There's another robot - Ъ (its name is unpronounceable even in russian - it's just a letter named 'hard sign'). It looks similar to V.Y. in many ways, but it's yellow and has a 'ponytail'. Instead of paper springs, it uses wool threads to connect body parts together. It's also a bit depressed and has a broken heart sticker attached to its body.

There's also a pig-like robot with two faces, but I never finished it. Maybe later...

Q: What is your view on creativity?

2. (What should I say about this one... Green is not a creative color?? :D)

Everyone is creative. Most people just don't realize that. Or forget about it while being stuck in a mundane routine.

We all are humans after all! We have created everything around us from the ground up. I really hope one day we will win this war against the machine...

Q: What do you think about the Internet?

3. It's a great place. But I feel like it was much better when the Internet did not invade almost every single aspect of our lives.

- "Secret" Ingredients

I love adding chocolate and gummy bears to my oatmeal. They melt and turn into a sweet goop. It's kind of a guilty pleasure. Once I put a gummy bear in chicken broth and it wasn't that bad. People I told about this weren't very happy with this information. Are you? :D

Q: I think it's all cool! You can put Gummy Bears in any food you want, it's your food. Experimenting is how you make discoveries. What do people say about you putting Gummy Bears in food, and what are some of your favorite foods?

4. Well, they just say it's gross!

As for my favorite foods, I love sweets. Maybe a little too much for my age. My favorite is ... I'm not even sure. Kinder Chocolate maybe? Aside from sweets, I like pasta, my favorite kind is fettuccine. Any sauce is good, even ketchup. (If there are any Italians reading this, please wash your eyes and forget the last sentence. I didn't say that!)

Also pizza with grilled vegetables and mushrooms from my local pizza place.

- Sock Collection

I have a large collection of colorful funny socks. Many of them are Christmas-themed, because my relatives gift those for the holidays.

Q: What makes a good sock design different from a bad sock design?

5. When they just put a logo of something and call it a day. Also I don't really like when it's just a plain image that gets really weird and stretched when you put the sock on. I prefer socks with a pattern design, like bunch of ducks.

- Name Origin

Not sure if this one counts as an obscure fact, but my online personality is based on a mole (the animal! It's weird that English doesn't have an unique name for these creatures). My nickname is a transliteration of the Russian word 'кротяра'. It means 'mole', although not in a neutral form, but something like 'pesky mole'. And the profile picture/logo is a really abstracted image of a mole's head. Someone said they thought it was a picture of mountains :D

Q: What would be your advice for choosing a name for online?

6. Anything is good, just don't put in your real name. And it's better to be readable out loud. Also I can't be qualified for answering this kind of question, because most people (who don't speak Slavic languages) can't pronounce my username at all!

Q: How did you get interesting creating games?

7. In 2013, I learned that my favorite game was made with Adobe Flash. For some reason I really wanted to work on this game in the future, so I decided to learn Flash. And that's how it started. Eventually I learned JavaScript, C# and Haxe, they are a lot similar to ActionScript. It's obvious why my dream was not fulfilled, but well, I'm crafting my own stuff now!

- МиркоМир (MirkoMir)

In the past, I was working on a small multiplayer game similar to Club Penguin. It was called МиркоМир (MirkoMir). We had like 15,000 player accounts. It lived through 2017 to 2020, and then was shut down due to the death of Flash and collective burn-out. I was doing the client-side coding, planned some in-game quests and events, and sometimes I was playing as one of mascot characters during parties. I was 13-15 at the time, and I think that was a great accomplishment.

Q: What would be examples of the in-game quest and events? And your advice on working with multiplayer games?

8. Once we had a really cool Halloween event where you needed to navigate through a large maze and solve the riddles. The riddles were a bit too hard (especially for kids - I'm really sorry for them!) and the maze wasn't properly optimized, but it was fun. I also volunteered to animate NPCs for this event and they didn't even look too bad!

Also there was an Easter egg hunt. One of the eggs had a really funny animation: it swung on a swing, then it fell down, cracked and revealed a note saying something like 'Gotcha!'. And a few seconds later, the real egg was rolled out of a bush.

Also there was a quest based on fairy tales and we decided to design 3 mini-games for it: a 2048 clone, a Simon Says and a jigsaw puzzle. It was a real challenge, especially considering we had only one month. But we made it!

As for advice, well, don't bite off more than you can chew. We had a lot of ambition, but lacked skills and money (we were 15!). That's probably why we eventually gave up on the game.

Q: How did you create One Pencil, what was your process for the development?

What do you think about Undertale?

9. It started in January, when I decided to replay Undertale. I also learned that Undertale Yellow came out and gave it a try. It was really, really good! I got so inspired I wanted to design an Undertale-like boss battle of my own.

A few days later, I remembered about my unfinished prototype of a game that used hand-drawn gesture recognition and boom! It all came together. I also decided to tie it with Toonio and roll it out as an April Fools joke. That's how it started!

During the development, I got even more ideas that expanded the game mechanics, but it quickly became difficult to fit it all in a single boss fight without a proper introduction. Maybe one day I'll turn this prototype into a full-fledged quirky RPG... Who knows, who knows!

Also, this is my first time creating music all by myself. I didn't think it was really good and was too insecure about it, but in the end some people even liked it.

As you can tell, I'm really passionate about Undertale. I have replayed it countless times, I dived into the source code to find the secrets (sorry, Toby!), I've probably read every single dialogue line of the game. The characters were so grown on me, I didn't have guts even to attempt genocide route. I decided to try it only last month (8 years after my first playthrough!) It was devastating, but I needed to do my research...

Q: What is the story of the website: toonio?

10. Well, it started in 2011, when I stumbled upon a website called Toonator (Мультатор). It was a really simple platform that allowed you to draw cartoons and share it with the online community. Kind of like Newgrounds, but for hand-drawn animation. I've became passionate about it and met lots of friends there.

In a few years, the site became abandoned. In 2020, Flash died. Toonator used it for the drawing app, and they didn't do anything to keep it running. I made a port of the app to HTML5 using OpenFL and uploaded it as a browser extension. I felt like a hero :D

But Toonator continued to die out. Moderators abandoned this place as well, it became a really unsafe website. In 2021, I decided to make my own site, as a successor for Toonator and a safe place for the remaining users. That's how Toonio was born! It's not a huge place, but I like it this way. I really hope it will inspire many creative people, maybe even a new generation of artists...

Q: What do you think about NG and why did you create your account?

11. It's a lot like Toonator, so I felt almost at home. Well, except that Newgrounds is much, much bigger and better. And it had a real cultural impact on the entire Internet!

I initially created my account to publish my games to a wider audience. I'm still not really connected to the Newgrounds folk, but I like just watching everything that happens here :D

Q: Challenge! Create your inspirational quotes?

12. That's a hard one. Maybe this...?

We, human beings, aren't designed very cleverly or efficiently. Did you know that our own eyes would be seen as a threat by the immune system? Well, if the evolution crafted us like this and we (mostly) work just fine, why be afraid of imperfections? You can do art, even if you never used a pencil before. It will be far from perfect, but it will still be art. Your skills will evolve over time, just start from something! Become your own evolutionary force!

@CleitonEldorn - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: What fascinates you about engineering? What is engineering, and what type of engineering do you like to do?

A: Engineering is basically creating technologies to solve real problems in the material world. It is where science becomes technique. I actually really like mechanical and electrical engineering, for now as an interest. But in the near future, I want to pursue a superior-level college course in one of those areas.

Q: How would you describe your experiences with robotics?

A: I have a simple chip based on Arduino, and I have already coded some cool experiments using it and some components I have. It's pretty cool, but I am still learning.

Q: What is it like being a theater actor and singer?

A: I am a very timid and awkward person; speaking in public and interacting with new people is extremely hard for me. These activities let me express myself by following a script, so in some ways they make interacting with others a little easier.

Q: You have seen a lot of weird things happen. From your experiences growing up in a small village on the far side of Brazil, what were some of the weird shenanigans? How would you say they have changed your perspective on life?

A: Unfortunately, many of those experiences were somewhat sad and traumatic; I will not elaborate, but I encountered death very early in my life, and that profoundly changed my perspective on life. Also, living in a poor and somewhat forgotten village certainly changes the way you view the world. But there were also a lot of cool moments—I loved taking my bike and exploring the woods, discovering some weird new plant, animal, mushroom, river, or an old abandoned cemetery. There were many adventures in my youth.

- Videogames

I have loved video games since I was a baby. Where I lived, new technologies took a long time to arrive; for example, I got a Super Nintendo when the rest of the world was already waiting for the launch of the PS2 for a long time. I first played Zelda: A Link to the Past when I was 9, and since then, I knew I had to make games for a living. Before that, I wanted to be a paleontologist (what 90s kid wouldn't like that, right?).

Q: Why did you want to be a paleontologist?

A: In the nineties, at least here in Brazil, dinosaurs were everywhere. We had magazines about dinosaurs, movies like Jurassic Park and The Land Before Time, and we even had a cool chocolate called "Surpresa" (surprise in English) with dinosaur collectible cards and stuff like that. I have a lot of books and magazines about dinosaurs—they were so awesome. So, before discovering Zelda, dinosaurs were more than just a passion for me.

Q: Where did you learn to make games? How was your learning process? If you could start over with learning to make games, how would you do it? What would be the best way to go about learning?

A: I wanted to make games since I was 9, but I only got my first PC at 15. So, I bought one of those CD magazines that were all the rage at the time; it featured a new software called RPG Maker 2003, and the cover said that this piece of software would let me make my own games with ease. I started with RPG Maker, then I used Game Maker, followed by XNA, and then Unity. In college, I discovered Construct, which allowed me to make games with a speed and ease I had never seen before. Today, I use Godot and Construct 3 for my projects. My learning process was slow; in the beginning, it seemed almost impossible to create the game that was in my mind. If I were to start over today, I would actually begin with Construct, because it lets you focus on the logic and takes care of the boilerplate stuff. I loved tools like XNA when I was a teenager because they required a lot of heavy lifting, but I believe that focusing on the mechanics themselves is a better way to learn.

Q: Why do you like to implement controller support in your games?

A: Well, I always played video games on consoles. I got my first PC at 15, and even on PC, I always played with a controller. For me, it is the most natural and "videogamey" way to play.

Q: Your advice for what makes a good game

A: A good game is one that the creator feels should exist and then makes it real. Some people make games just to earn money, so they simply follow trends and what is popular at the moment. I would rather make games that I would love to play but that still don't exist. I believe that always produces the best games. They may not be the best for everyone, but they are for me.

Q: What were Media the resonated with you and why?

A: When I was a kid, I loved Nintendo games. Mario, Metroid, and Zelda were the peak of gaming for me growing up. Then Valkyrie Profile and Castlevania really made a mark on my teenage years. And as an adult, my favorite games today are Sekiro and Celeste. I also like books, comic books, music, series, and such. My favorite book is the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and the first author I became a huge fan of was Jules Verne. I loved Back to the Future, and Verne was mentioned in the third one, so I had to read his work—even Doc Brown was a fan, you know? Then I got Journey to the Center of the Earth from my school library and became hooked on it. I always liked comic books; in Brazil, everyone reads a huge series called "Mônica's Gang," and I was no different, but I also love Marvel, DC, manga, and indie comics. In music, I really enjoy rock and heavy metal, but I also listen to a lot of other genres.

Q: Your favorite food and drinks

A: I love to cook and make my own food. My favorite dishes are my versions of the foods that my late grandmothers used to make. My grandmother on my father's side made a pasta Bolognese that was just perfect; I make a version of that which is amazing. And my grandmother on my mother's side cooked potatoes that were different from anything else I'd ever had, and she said that mine were the only ones that resembled hers. As for drinks, I am a very simple guy: my hometown produces some very good wine, so I feel somewhat obligated to like wine. In recent years, I also became a beer guy. And grape juice is the best juice — even better than lime juice.

Q: Your view on inspiration

A: Inspiration is a mixture of things that are important to you—things that leave a mark on your life—and things that you want to express to the world. My advice is to do things that you believe should exist and that you would love to play, watch, or hear. If you do what's best for you, it will touch someone just as art touched you in the past.

@Urichov - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: How did you get interested in art?

My mum does art, so I guess that rubbed off on me. I think the first time I got really invested in drawing was during history class in primary school though. We were learning about the Celts, and as an exercise to keep us invested as seven-year-olds the teachers suggested we draw something in that interwoven style that's in a lot of Celtic symbols. I kept doing that well after we'd moved on.

Q: How is it different drawing on pen and paper?

I was drawing in Adobe Illustrator (and later Affinity Designer) with a mouse and the pen tool before going to pen and paper, so the motion of the hands is entirely different to begin with. There's a bit of a difference in philosophy too, since if I'm planning on colouring the thing later I have to be thinking about that while it's still in black and white and draw with it in mind, whereas in a digital program I can just as easily go the opposite order. Also it feels a lot less pressing to strive for perfection with no undo button.

Q: What makes a good style?

I don't really think there are good and bad styles; there's differences in technical ability certainly, but to me a 'good' visual style basically means getting an idea across well, and there's infinite ways to do that. Personally I dislike what people call the 'Artstation style,' for example, but I wouldn't say a work is inherently poor for using it.

Q: Do you think artists are too hard on themselves?

Yup. Not me though. I'm the best.

Q: What is a positive mindset for creating art, in your opinion?

I think I've been doing it for so long and have it so ingrained in me that the mindset is really just if I wanna draw then I do it because it's fun. Not a great answer, unfortunately. I guess I should try to explain why it's fun then, which comes down to two main things: Firstly, I like when I move my hand around and a pretty thing comes out. Secondly, I enjoy the bit of figuring out a drawing, say how to balance the colours right or how to position the characters or going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole to understand how to draw the hilt of a rapier. It being fun is fundamental to me, though, which is part of why I haven't really given much thought to doing it as a job.

Q: Your advice for people starting in art?

People often say 'work on fundamentals' in response to this question, which I think is kind of an easy way to get people starting out to bounce off of the idea. My advice is draw Goku using one of his famous beam attacks.

Q: The story of your username: Urichov

It's the last syllables, starting with the vowels, of my name, my middle name, and my surname.

Q: How did you discover the NG website? What made you decide to join the community? Do you feel differently about the site now compared to when you first joined?

My brother found it somehow and showed me it when we were sharing a computer, and I decided to make an account to share some of the art I'd been making. I don't know if I'd say I joined the community as such until some point in early 2020 when I didn't have anything to do and checked out the forums. Definitely when I joined back in 2012 there was this degree of veneration I had for most of the people on it since twelve-year-old me was like they're doing impossible shit on the other side of the computer screen, and I'd say that's gone away at this point; we're all just guys on the website. There is something to the median age going down too; I'll often find myself in a talk with someone else on or from the site and suddenly be like oh wait they're younger than me somehow, which is not something I was at risk of when I first made my account I can tell you that much.

Q: What do you like to read and write?

I like to read a lot of things; I've read almost all of Discworld (this will come up again later) and I'd say Terry Pratchett is probably my favourite author by sheer volume of books I like, which I think has certainly flavoured my reading taste. So I'd say I'm a fantasy guy and I like a degree of playfulness in the prose, but like I'll read anything that catches my eye. Doesn't even have to be fiction, could be Stephen Hawking for example. (This will also come up again later.) As for writing I like fantasy, and trying to really get inside the heads of all the characters involved. I also find the latter very difficult so I don't get much writing done I'm afraid.

Q: What music do you like to listen to?

I would say I've listened to more rock than anything else, but once again I'm open to a lot.

Q: What instruments do you play, and what do you play? 

I play guitar at the moment; used to play violin too but it's hard to find time in the day for both. And I play whatever occurs to me at the time; could be some classical or jazz or rock piece I remember or just noodling around until I find some series of notes I enjoy.

Q: You have a very old scar on your forehead that’s only visible when you raise your eyebrow. How did you get the scar?

There's conflicting accounts of this actually. According to my parents I tried to leap between desks in my primary school, fell short, and hit my head on the one I was aiming for. This did happen, but personally I'm pretty sure the one that left the scar was slipping on the tiles at a swimming pool.

Q: What was it like living in Finland for a year?

There was snow the whole time since we didn't exactly live there for the whole year, rather arriving in early autumn and leaving before summer; we were essentially taking care of a friend's house while he had to live elsewhere. The house was pretty remote, which has the advantage of being nice and quiet but the disadvantage of requiring a long trek to the shops. It was often quite dark and quite cold, and everything was considerably more expensive than anywhere else I've lived.

- Buses

A lot of running after buses, the time I rode one all the way to the end of the line by accident and walked back to my school in the snow for about an hour, and my travel plans getting disrupted last year when I got my bag stolen within an hour of getting to Bilbao.

Q: That sucks, what was in your bag?

The Shepherd's Crown, by Terry Pratchett, and A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking. Also my keys and several important documents. One of said documents was my passport, which rather derailed the trip to Spain since we had no plans to go to Madrid initially but the nearest British consulate was there and I needed an emergency travel document. Going to Madrid incidentally involved catching a bus that started from Bilbao at around midnight and arrived at six, which was the best possible option and still left us having to kill time for six hours before the consulate was open for the type of reservation I'd made. My regular passport did eventually turn up, but unfortunately after getting an emergency travel document it's no longer usable.

Q: What do you think about buses?

I find them very agreeable.

Q: Your advice for life

Wash your hands.

Logo and Lax by @OmenaKettu

Hey!

Let's fix up some tunes for

The FIRST Low-Poly Day

EVER!

RULES:

Follow the NG Audio Guidelines

This collab is rated E

Two solo submissions MAXIMUM

UNLIMITED collaboration submissions

Your song needs to have a theme around Y2K Video Game Music / Y2K Electronic Music

Minimal length 1:00 minute -- Maximum length 7 minutes for each submission

HOW TO SUBMIT:

1 - Make a (Y2K Themed) song. Export in WAV format

2 - Upload your file to a file-sharing service

• Google Drive: Click the share button and make a link that can be "Accessed by anyone"

3 - PM me the link

• I will send you an invite to the project

Deadline: June 1th, 2025

The collab is planned to be uploaded on: June 6th, 2025 - Low-Poly Day!

The collab itself is exempt from the prize pool. But to have your song eligible for a prize.

Publish your song on June 6th to NG with the tags:

"lowpolyday2025-compo"

"lowpolyday2025"

“Some of your favorite songs, are ones you’ve never heard.

So go explore!”

- Lax

@Owlandras - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: Who is the male character with a huge ass you developed a crush on? But you are not gay.

1. Good first question! That would be Vimhomless' Mouse character. Their proportions combined with that tight yellow dress they wear is so hawt. Literally everything besides what's going on between the legs is feminine as fuck.

Q: What makes older media better in your opinion? And why?

2. Money and labour are the main reasons why, mainly labour in terms of animation, due to it usually being overseas. Also, Older media is like a capsule, you're instantly set back backwards in time to a simpler or more exciting time in history. When you look at animation back then, everything was cell, and everything worked on those grounds, 3D has its place, for example, dynamic backgrounds were made more tangible in 2D, I think, and studios like Pixar have shown us that 3D could be awesome, but not a replacement! Look at the new Spider-Man cartoon, that shit looks comparable to the Ultimate Spider-Man game from the PS2. Superheroes/Comic characters especially work awesome in traditional animation as their source material is so rooted in the realms of the two dimensions. They nailed it best in the 1940s with the Max Fleischer Superman. That felt like the comic book came to life! To think that cartoon came out 80 years ago and nothing from almost the last 20 years has come close to surpassing it is devastating. For me, superhero animation of the 90s is king. Spider-Man the Animated series and the season 2 efforts of Fantastic Four is my personal favourite adaptation of the family, and never forget to mention Batman the Animated series and its inspiration to the rest of its medium, which was heavily inspired by the 40s Superman too. You can tell by its vibe and art style, and the fact that Bruce Timm, the lead artist of the show, said so himself.

Everything nowadays is too safe and companies have gotten too comfortable, this doesn't just affect animation but movies too, I think every Marvel film now is basically the same. Compare that to superhero films from the past before Iron Man or The Avengers, everything was more fantastical and a lot less grounded in terms of visual style, and it was more interesting because of it, plus not everything was played for jokes, you had your fair share of great drama.

Outside of superheroes, movies are rarely ever new, only remakes and sequels from popular movies from the last 40 years get any attention, overall streaming has killed everything and movies and TV don't look better because of it.

Q: Why do you dismiss anything after 2010? You say, that’s not a problem with the stuff being at fault, you said your being picky. But why?

3. I think I bounce between Hollywood being incompetent in creating art, wanting to instead pander to emotionally retarded adults and me being emotionally retarded but emotionally retarded about the past rather than both past and present. From 2010 to now there is bound to be cool shit in the shit heap, I just think people now are annoying in one way or another, if it is the writing team or front man, I think everyone wants a piece of their voice heard even if what that have to say is just group A, group B talk, all that should be secondary and the stories should be primary. If politics is mentioned and especially if it's all very gray, I'd like to hear both sides.

But overall I think everything post 2010 is either too political or can't stand on its own.

Q: Your experiences with the Internet

4. the internet is mind-numbing at worst and amazing and liberating at best, and yet I blame it for the reason I am the way I am. If I never used the internet, I wonder if I'd be more successful in making relationships and going outside, but I guess I'll never know that. I think the Internet, though, has brought people who would have never met otherwise together, has ultimately brought us further apart.

Q: The story of your username: Owlandras, and why do you have a big O on your head?

5. I liked Owls growing up and the Andras part I got from looking up demon names, Andras is not my name but something else. The reason I adopted a demon's name was because of my sinful artwork, drawing tits and asses and whatnot. I chose Andras specifically because of his Owl head, which I thought was cool. If it were up to me now I'd name myself "OwlClipzoid" because my previous name was "OwlClip" and I changed it because it sounded so dumb, Clipzoid sounded more like Spazmoid which is subjectively more dumb but I like it enough that I'd use the name wherever I had the opportunity.

The O on my character's head is meant to be where he focuses all of the powers. It also looks like an eye making my guy look like a Cyclops too.

Q: How did you discover the NG website? What made you decide to join the community? Do you feel differently about the site now compared to when you first joined?

6. I've been on and off NG for over 8 years, I liked playing games on here during high school, and a lot of my animation inspo came from the site. I watched the awesome series and OneyNG's Sick series growing up too. I watched all of that shit when I was too young to watch it, like, in the middle of Primary School young, and I remember watching specifically Oney's first Harry Potter cartoon and showing it to my Mum's Boyfriend at the time, I didn't understand any of the jokes like harry and Ron jerking off in the girls bathroom, I thought it was the sound of them transforming into girls! But he understood it and turned to me and said "No, you shouldn't be watching that" Hahah

My opinion of the site hasn't changed, I see it as a place for free self-expression and a playground for getting yourself out there and having fun.

Q: What is it like living in Scotland?

7. Bad, people drink at an early age and government sucks. Mel Gibson screaming "Freedom" can't be further from the truth. Also, there is barely a creative industry here besides a few artists and Rockstar North. Scotland can do so much better for its people.

Q: How did you get interested in animation and art?

8. Throughout Newgrounds and early on when I was 14, Anime, and now I like comic artists like Jack Kirby and my friends online.

Q: Creative advice that has helped you

9. Keep on drawing, learn fundamentals and draw inspiration.

Q: The story behind Lameos Intro, what is it like playing games with your friend Seth MacFarlane?

10. Well, you know Seth Mcfarly created the Family Show, erm we've both recorded stuff from 2023 to this January but we've been trying to go through with editing and posting them, but because of technical difficulties, most of it is almost unusable, a lot is especially due to audio problems. We were only really successful with the January recording, which is the one currently on YouTube, and if we were to post the others, we'll title them as lost episodes. As for the animated intro I wanted to try and outdo the Oneyplays and game grump intro and terms of shit that happens on screen. Taking the Taco Man theme and removing the vocals and making Seth sing over it was the basis of the whole intro.

Q: Are you addicted to Spider-Man? What do you think of comics? You like comics, but preferably if they’re more vintage, how do you decide on giving a full breakdown of your animation? Your Spider-Man animation took two weeks, while your breakdown animation took a month because of procrastination. What is your perspective on procrastination? Is it Mountain Dew or Doritos?

11. I came out of the womb Spider-Man daft because of the Raimi movies coming out when I was growing up, my folks gave me a lot of Spider-Man stuff knowing I loved him because of that I had episodes of the '90s shows on DVD, I had a few stuff like that on DVD, I remember owning DVD collections of old 40s cartoons funnily enough and old British children's cartoons from the 80s, maybe to some extent that's why I feel the way I feel about old media as well, I had and still have a lot of merchandise of Spider-Man and don't plan on stop buying stuff of that character, so yes I am obsessed.

My thoughts on comics are they are easier on the artists than animation but are harder on the viewers since you actually have to read, I love all that old '60s stuff with Ditko, I tend to enjoy characters from earlier years to their later because it's the initial idea for who that character is and that obviously gets lost overtime when other writers get other ideas to who these classic characters are.

I decided to go through the animation to simply make the video longer and to also get the viewers used to me as a person rather than a faceless maker of a cartoon.

Yes, my Spider-Man animation took two weeks, while my breakdown animation took a month because of procrastination. It's all about the progress, the breakdown took less drawing and more editing, and editing isn't as thrilling to me as animating, it's satisfying but not as satisfying to me as seeing an animation come to life.

My thoughts on procrastination are that it is a disease that needs to be destroyed. Imagine a world without procrastination, that's a world with a lot more content, a lot more getting done and a lot more happy people.

Never had Mountain Dew so I'll have to go Doritos.

- Art communities



I’ve had calls with people who are very nasty with their language, which is quite liberating, however, these people could be quite rotten when you get to know them. But on the other side of the coin, I’ve had calls with people where if I said something was “retarded” or “gay” they’d react as if I just shot their parents and burnt down their house with them still in them, so it’s been a struggle to find friends in these divided times, also mental illness seems to be a common theme amongst artist so that could usually vary from person to person and could lead to drama from inside groups. (Very cheerful I know plus it’s not much of a story haha)

Q: What makes people UNIQUE, how do they form these identities around their language?

12. The things that make people unique vary, but ultimately I think it's experiences and how people react to the same experiences. War, Love, actions and language, everyone reacts to these things differently. Sticking to a specific crowd, an echo chamber will change someone as a person. So as a result, I think what makes people unique is nature and nurture, how they react to the world and how the world reacts to them.

Q: Media you would recommend, and why?

A piece of media I'd recommend is Robocop, it's cool, it's like a comic book, but its messaging, this is what happens when companies aren't kept in line, your rights will be taken from you and you'll become property. It's so relevant without being in your face about it.

Q: Advice on staying epic online?

And my advice on staying "epic" online, I say this not just for online but IRL too, take your mind out of your head, and what I mean when I say that takes a good look at yourself from the third person and critique what it is you do and how you react to the world and the people you're in contact with, do not become a slave to your emotions and take a step back to avoid confect and to save yourself from saying or doing anything you might regret in the future, read what your saying and what the other person is saying like a script and decide if that how you want to portray yourself and if you're in the right.

@ForgottenDawn - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: What do you think about the Internet? And how would you describe your experiences?

The Internet is such a bizarre entity. It's still wild to wrap my head around how much things have changed in just 20 years. I still think of it as a technological miracle, and the idealist in me sees a lot of good from connecting with folks from all over the globe in real time. Having that commodity is certainly nice and it's generally fine so long as I don't center my entire life around it. Mindfulness is key, in that sense.

I believe that the Internet at large has lost some personality as the years went by. Indies have been trying to revive those "wild west" early Internet glory days through Neocities and blogs, in part as a reaction to the rampant homogenization and corporate takeover of the mainstream Internet. I don't know if it's just 2000's nostalgia mixed with modern-day escapism, but the fact that quiet punk-like counter-tendencies exist somewhere is, I think, pretty neat and encouraging.

I would say that my personal experiences with the Internet have been a mixed bag. I've been able to build a discreet presence through my music for which I'm thankful, and take part in various audio and game development-related activities. I try to stay grounded and avoid getting sucked into the social media vortex and ever-changing algorithm games. I prefer to focus on productivity and spend the rest of my time privately.

Q: On your current account, you’ve been on Newgrounds for 12 years now, 16 if you add your previous account. How do you think Newgrounds has shaped you? What do you think about the community? In what ways do you think Newgrounds has changed?

Discovering Newgrounds in the golden age of Flash was incredible, and the ability to freely upload my own audio blew my mind when I first started composing. The Audio Portal still remains a great hub for people like me. I've had the privilege of connecting with some incredibly talented artists and it's always a pleasure to see them thrive and exchange ideas. Contests, collaborations, challenges... You love to see the activity. Growing together as artists and as people is easily one of the best perks of being a community veteran.

I think that Newgrounds, while still maintaining an old Internet ethos, evolved into an overall nicer and more inclusive community. I think that gradually distancing itself from some of its edgier past and maintaining its independence from large corporate interests cemented itself as a reliable community-oriented hub for hobbyists, aspiring and professional creatives. Time will tell if this sentiment will age gracefully in the future.

Q: How did you become interested in writing introspective fiction that revolves around feelings of melancholy, yearning, and loss?

There are aspects of my process that I indubitably consider therapeutic. I write and compose primarily for myself and my own creative and artistic needs. I remember feeling intimidated at first, because I had trouble opening up publicly. Art that focuses on deeply personal subject matters is always going to meet some resistance by the general public. I persisted, however, and I now feel glad that my original projects collectively constitute a healing space for me, as well as a dumping ground for venting some creative ideas and thoughts.

Q: How did you develop an interest in tackling sad emotions through your creations?

I believe that there's beauty in giving sadness a voice. We can't always paint flowers or write happy endings. There are times when we have to face some dark thoughts in order to grow. When done right, the results can feel comforting and authentic. I often entertain the idea of providing a tonal gradient to thoughtful melancholia.

I think that before I even discovered my musical inclinations, my primary desire was to retreat into a quiet space. Learning about Ambient music was my way of accessing that introspective, self-analytical head space. I consider "Lost" my first proper turning point towards this noisy and textural style that I now feel comfortable integrating into my music. It was both a happy accident and a culmination of thoughts I had matured up to that moment. That aesthetic then gradually bloomed into my ongoing "Isolation Moods" and "Lo-Fi Rooms" original series.

Q: How did you get interested in music?

I'm thankful that music was always around the house in some form or another growing up and I was encouraged by my immediate family members to keep pursuing my hobbies. I was exposed to all sorts of mainstream genres ranging from classical music, jazz, soul, new age, alternative rock, and electronica from an early age. With my mom being a retired music teacher and a classically-trained pianist, absorbing some of that world by osmosis was inevitable, even though my learning process was never forceful.

I had aspirations of producing my own music even as a young kid, but I started dipping my feet in my first DAW at the age of 16. Most of my musical imprint comes from the 90's and early 00's. From then on, I would try to integrate my discoveries into my music.

Q: What’s your process for creating a song?

The initial spark is never the same. Sometimes it's a spontaneous process while other times a motif or more complex musical ideas linger in my head for as long as I pull the trigger and start jamming to see how it all meshes together. I tend to center my pieces around a core feeling or mental image, then build upon it.

As a chronic overthinker, I often have to remind myself to block some of my rational thoughts and get straight to the point. This is crucial for me or else I start losing track of what I want to express, get frustrated, and never touch the project again. Restarting projects from scratch isn't all too uncommon to me. I just want to get the feeling right.

I'm also rather reductionist in my approach to instrumentation. I generally employ few channels and few layers; just the right amount. My ambiances tend to be melodically simple, too. I'm a big fan of squeezing as much nuance and flavor as I can with relatively little.

I have accrued a solid collection of virtual libraries, synthesizers, and samples over the years. I deliberately include static noise, field recordings, and shortwave radio clips in my audio. I like to remix my own past tracks, too, sometimes. It's the sonic equivalent of throwing things into a blender to see what happens.

In retrospect, I think that technical limitations helped fuel this production style. I've never owned particularly powerful machines, so I tend to be wary of my RAM usage and polyphony. I could have a NASA-tier computer and still end up using less than a dozen mixer channels. It's one of the reasons I don't use templates. I like building tracks from the ground up.

Inspiration also comes from all kinds of sources. A detail in the scenery, a memory, a painting, a walk outside, a quote from a book I've just read, a conversation, a past connection, a video game. You name it.

Q: What, in your opinion, makes a good song?

I tend to be moved by the music before any lyrical content. My favorite pieces are often instrumental or tied to another piece of media, like a video game, a film, or an anime. Since I don't feel like my tastes are bound by genre, I will just say that I'm generally more drawn by the emotional impact of a song and its atmosphere than a catchy hook or groove. This is just me, though.

Q: Why is doom metal your favorite subgenre of metal? (e.g., Black Sabbath, Warning, Draconian, Evoken)

My relationship with Metal has always felt unique to me because it's been entirely my own personal discovery. It just wasn't a thing at home, growing up, and even back in high school very few people really knew what I was talking about.

Doom Metal is one of those subgenres that can feel absolutely soul-crushing, and that's precisely why I love it. Certain bands' ability to turn some of our darkest emotions into something so raw, yet skillful and ornate is inspiring to me. Maybe its relatively niche, underground status contributes to its appeal, at least in my mind.

Q: What makes good slow, atmospheric music?

I think that a good ambiance is the glue that binds everything together. You don't always pay attention to it, but that's also its strength. There's definitely a craft to it. It's not just about slowing pieces and adding reverb. Sometimes all you need is a few elements that work especially well together and make sure that the storytelling is coherent to the emotion or feeling you're trying to express.

Q: How did you become a cat person?

Cats are cool. I've had them since my formative years, and I've always liked their quiet and somewhat aloof demeanor. They can be very affectionate when treated well and with dignity. Plus, they are fluffy and friend-shaped killing machines.

Q: What are your thoughts on food?

I'm admittedly picky when it comes to food, though I've gotten better over the years. I play it safe most of the time. I still feel a little more adventurous trying new drinks and snacks than actual meals.

Q: What are your favorite chocolates?

I've been experimenting with dark chocolate lately. I've tried between 90 and 100%. I thought I wouldn't enjoy such a bitter taste, but I proved myself wrong. I actually found it rather pleasant. 70-85% might be the sweet spot for me. I'm looking forward to trying some spicy bars.

Q: What makes good game development?

I'm still testing the waters on the game dev side, both on my own and with collaborators. I don't know if I can give you a good definite answer, but I'll try.

Suffice to say, game development is stressful even in the best possible workplace. In a team setting, good communication and availability are fundamental qualities. Lay aside your ego, don't push, don't arm wrestle for creative control, and just be curious, open to learn, and patient. You don't always have to micromanage everything yourself.

It's easier said than done and I haven't been the greatest example at times, but embracing the chaos and finding out what works best for you is also part of the experience. As a solo developer, I think that time and resource management are as crucial as knowing your strengths while keeping in mind that burnout always lurks around the corner. Also, crunching sucks.

Q: What is your creative advice?

Turn your brain off and create what YOU want. Don't take shit from anyone. You already have the solution at hand. I believe in you.

Q: Why do you like to find really weird, experimental, and abstract pieces of media?

I think they're a goldmine of really interesting creative ideas. I see many indie games taking risks that very few AAAs are willing to tackle nowadays, and I think that's a shame. There's a lot to learn from indies and their personal auteurship. If a game makes you go "Hey, I didn't think this was possible", then that title succeeded as an art piece, even if the results are at times straight-up humorous. This isn't just limited to weird, liminal museum walks, but also those indie games that are willing to push the boundaries and introduce something innovative. It's just a fascinating world and we should have more conversations about it.

Q: What makes a good exploration game?

I'm a sucker for exploration in video games. I love feeling like a tourist. My first playthrough in most video games is to take my time, explore my surroundings at my own pace, talk to everyone, appreciate the art and music, and take it all in before proceeding with the main quest. I'm basically an anti-speedrunner. My ideal game would be about pure exploration. Maybe sprinkle in some secrets, mysteries, and lore, but at the end of the day, I just like strolling around and save the rest for later. I'm mostly in for the game feel. Just give me a good world to explore, add a great soundtrack, and boom. Instant classic.

Q: What video games and video game music do you like, and why?

Dark Chronicle (Dark Cloud 2) and Final Fantasy XII are some of my all-time favorites. I also grew up with classic racing games like Need for Speed and Gran Turismo, and first-person shooters like Quake, Unreal Tournament and Half-Life. I tend to enjoy a good rally game every now and again. The Playstation 2 accompanied my childhood and teenage years, and it still remains one of my favorite gaming eras ever. The walking sim fan in me also enjoys shamelessly gushing over The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide. I've also spent an ungodly amount of hours on The Binding of Isaac.

As for soundtracks, while I could easily spend days listing every single game franchise I enjoyed growing up, I can tell you what game scores influenced me the most stylistically. Tekken 4 is still one of my favorite games in terms of atmosphere and glitchy/distorted techno. David Bergeaud's work in the original Ratchet & Clank games is absolutely pristine when it comes to meshing whimsical electronica with bombastic cinematics. Akira Yamaoka's industrial-laden atmospheres in Silent Hill 2 and 3 are revelatory for their time, and finally, Norihiko Hibino's stealthy, jazz fusion-inspired breaks in Metal Gear Solid 2 are a definitive classic to my ears. Honorable mentions include Jesper Kyd, Austin Wintory, David Wise, Grant Kirkhope, Tim Follin, Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Yasunori Mitsuda, Vincent Diamante, and many, many more for their inspiring work.

While I'm at it, some VGM Ambient recommendations:

- Kairo soundtrack, made by Wounds

- Antichamber soundtrack, by Siddhartha Barnhoorn

- Yume Nikki soundtrack, by Kikiyama, including fangames

Q: Your advice on what makes a good life

Good sleep, trustworthy bonds, cats, enough money for rent, groceries and healthcare, empathy. Enjoy.

@CalamityGanon - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: How did you become interested in Super Smash Bros Ultimate and playing it competitively?

I used to play the original Super Smash Bros. on the N64 along with Banjo and Kazooie, I joined the Esports team this year and I often play my main Banjo and Kazooie! I like playing competitively because I meet some nice people whenever I play too.

Q: How did you develop an interest in singing and participating in karaoke?

Despite me not being in choir or anything, I live to sing because of my parent's taste in music. I remember when my mom showed me the Pink Floyd: The Wall album and I absolutely loved it. As for karaoke, I just live doing it as it's a way of expression similar to drawing.

Q: Why did you decide to memorize the lyrics to the entire Pink Floyd: The Wall album?

No particular reason I just really enjoyed the album after listening to it, same with the movie. Singing the entire album is a decent way to pass an hour and a half long class though.

Q: How come you’ve never watched SpongeBob SquarePants? What are your thoughts on the show?

My parents always thought the show was dumb and that it would have a similar effect to how brainrot affects kids today. I've seen some clips of it and it's alright, it's not my particular taste in humor but some moments made me laugh. One thing that does interest me about SpongeBob though is the lost media, I love lost media especially if it's stuff from my childhood.

Q: What are your favorite foods and drinks? You mentioned bacon hamburgers—why are they your favorite?

I go to McDonald's a ton so I often get a Bacon Quarter Pounder just because I love bacon and hamburgers. My favorite fancy burger place is Long Horn Steakhouse. I also like Rack of Lamb as well as steak. I'm a big meat lover (haha) I could never imagine how I would survive without some kind of protein. As for drinks, water and ice is a classic, but other than that I love Coke.

Q: What, in your opinion, makes food good?

Oh damn, I don't really know. I would say either the way it's made or who made it.

Q: Your experiences with the Internet

I don't really use social media other than Newgrounds, but I do remember playing Clicker Heroes on Coolmathgames.com on the library school computer back in elementary school. However on Newgrounds it's been pretty positive aside from a few incidents.

Q: The story of your username: CalamityGanon

I originally made it around when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out. I thought it sounded super badass and it definitely still does.

Q: How did you discover the NG website? What made you decide to join the community? Do you feel differently about the site now compared to when you first joined?

I discovered Newgrounds through the Behemoth games like Alien Hominid Castle Crashers and BattleBlock Theater. (Pit People out yet at the time) and I remembered seeing a gameplay of the NG version of Alien Hominid. I didn't think much about it until Friday Night Funkin' came out and I visited Newgrounds to play week 7. I went to the homepage of NG shortly after and found so much raw talent and I wanted to join that, so in 2023 I made my account.

Q: How did you become interested in creating art and music?

I've been drawing and coloring since I was two years old, I like doing it because it's a calming creative outlet, same for music but not as much. I prefer listening to music than writing it. I became interested in games and animation because of Newgrounds though.

Q: What's the story behind Kill the Turkey and Wait in Line Simulator?

Oh shit this is going to be a long one. I originally made Kill the Turkey based off the old tale of you being able to shoot the dog in Duck Hunt. It was meant to be more in that style of gameplay where you would rack up medals and score over time. One planned secret medal I remember was if you shot at the clouds, Jesus would come down from heaven and announce Christmas to be coming early, which would give you a medal, but if you shot Jesus, it would get you another medal. It was meant to be for shock value as well as humor. However I missed the Thanksgiving 2023 release date so I postponed it to 2024 to get the version we know and love!

As for Wait in Line Simulator, it was based off me waiting in line at a museum in Arlington to which I timed the wait at 15 minutes to get in, thus Wait in Line Simulator was born. Originally it was meant to have an endless mode as indicated by the unused song in the OST, but I think I might re-impliment it with my knowledge now.

Q: What did you learn from making Russian Roulette and Tankmen Runner?

Quality is better than quantity. Tankmen Runner was essentially a reskin of the Chrome Dinosaur Game. Russian Roulette, while I am very proud of it, took two weeks to make. Meanwhile Wait in Line Sim. Took a month to make and Kill the Turkey took two months or a year depending on how you look at it.

Q: What makes a good community?

Togetherness, kindness, and feedback.

Q: Advice that has helped you

"Don't be afraid to make bad things, it all helps you learn!" - Tom Fulp to me (paraphrased)