DRAGONS Member Spotlight - Wax

Determining an outstanding member is a very subjective and challenging task. There are always variables and biases that mud the waters, but if you stare long enough you start noticing trends and pasterns, things that everyone looks for, and then things get a little bit easier. For August, and for our very first interview I’ve selected one of the Septagon’s grizzled ancients, a member with not only experience, but wisdom, and most important of all, the characteristics of an exemplary DRAGON. Without further ado, I give you Wax. [b]A user since 2005, you're easily qualified as being one of the more grizzled users on Bungie.net; care to share your origin story?[/b] "Yeah, I'm from a time before Youtube. I checked out Bungie from the back of my Halo 2 case; XBL was new and the internet was certainly new to me. I checked out the site to complain how crappy their game was and I happened to see people talking about a website called High Impact Halo (HIH). HIH was the first forum that I ever joined. We were the original Beta testers, cause lets face it, Halo 2 had issues. It was a blast messing with glitches, testing with the different skulls, and goofing with the game's physics engine. As that was starting to die down, I was bored, it was February in Buffalo so I came back to check out Bungie.net. My first post was me asking the community manager if their were any eggs left to find. I also kept quoting myself on each new page saying "I'm with this guy," next page, "This guy has a great question," and so on. Right away Bungie thought I was cute. Which I am. Ha. I quickly saw this fiery dragon in the forums named Shishka and I joined his group called Igni Ferroque. The group debated many things about games, art, and technology. It was great and I came to B.net to learn from nerds and their were no shortage of people willing to help. I became somewhat friends with Shishka so that when he left Bungie and closed the group, he, under much of my complaining, allowed me to try to reopening it. I'm still very proud that he allowed me to do that. But it failed, the group had lost so much energy and a very important member that I needed in there passed away. A few guys get together each year for a ~BB game night still to this day. After he passed away a lot of my passion died with him. But I try to remind myself that ‘Everything changes, nothing dies’" [b]Times certainly change, and a lot of things come and go. You mentioned groups as being a huge part of your existence on Bungie.net, and similarly a lot of people have things to say about groups. With the new incarnations of Bungie.net, many users have been lamenting over the deaths of private chapters, what are your thoughts on the subject?[/b] "Wow, tough question. I think the influx of new members with a new game to play is important. This site is often a springboard for people to meet form a group and eventually create separate website communities. I've seen many friend come and go and just a ton of offshoot websites be made. When Igni Ferroque died I did just that with a bunch of members. Many more groups that I was a part of here did that as well. The mass amount of community websites out there all got their start here. I've stayed and watched them go. I check in from time to time, but I guess I personally have been more a fan of the process than an actual feeling of belonging with them. I hope to change that with Dragons and be more committed to the brotherhood of it all." [b]And we're excited to have someone of your experience joining us. Any advice for newer members?[/b] “A thing that I've said many times is "This is my ship," I'd like every new members to feel that way. Always be learning, but always be closing. This website is yours. Not Bungie's, not the ninja's, and not old bastards like me. It is what you make of it. We need new characters here, we need fresh ideas. There will be critics and haters, but there are many supporters too. Take the jump to be part of something bigger than yourself and you will be rewarded.... It's sometimes hard, but it's fair. All anybody really wants to see is people do their best. Not every idea is brilliant, not every post is Shakespeare, but the effort alone is respected by the Bungie community. We are brothers. Stretch your wings and fly. It's the only way to get off the ground. We all start feet planted safe and secure. Just jump and figure out what's hard on the way.” [b]Splendid advice for everyone. Any parting thoughts or shout-outs?[/b] “Nope. Sounds about good.” And there you have it.