Full list: http://forums.poxnora.com/index.php?threads/the-poxnora-spotlight-archive-and-requestlist.5591/ Today's interview is with @Xirone a player who loves K'thir Forest, and enjoys Rune Design. What is your name or nick name in real life? David is my given name. What is the origin of your game/forum name(s): I have a very pleasant and mild form or OCD. I tested out a lot of names and, for some reason, Xirone worked out best. By the way, I'm not exactly sure what the proper pronunciation is for Xirone but I always hear something like Ki-rone (the Xi sounds like Ki in kite) when I hear it in my mind. I've always called you Zir-rone in my head. Though I've heard others say Zye-rone. Yeah, that is probably a more correct pronunciation. Where are you from and where do you live currently? I live in Portland, Oregon but have also lived in California and Mongolia. Mongolia, now that sounds like an experience! Do you have any fond memories, or funny moments you'd like to share? I have tons, actually. Shortly after college I signed up with an NGO and was shipped out to a rather small town on the outskirts of the Gobi. I lived there for two years teaching English and helping out with humanitarian relief work. More importantly, I owned a Bactrian camel named Humpy. One of my favorite memories happened on a sunny Spring day where I took him out by myself into the Gobi and just kept going until I came across a ger (yurt) in the middle of no where. I stopped outside and was invited in by the family. So much vodka was shared between the father and I. He wouldn't let me leave, though, until I was sober. In hindsight, it was a really stupid move, but fun! What do you do for a living, and do you enjoy it? I am a humble server at a restaurant. I do generally enjoy it and it allows me to take time off whenever for more important interests. Have you worked there long? Yeah, I've worked there for a while so I'm close with the owners and, well, everyone there. It feels like a large extended family. You can meet all kinds of people working in a restaurant. Were there any that stood out? Well, I've got a lot but one of my favorite was when I almost turned a certain unnamed a-list female celebrity away when she ordered a drink because she didn't have I.D. with her. She was very nice about it and went out to the car to get the I.D. It was only then that I realized who she was. To be fair, she looked young enough to be carded. How old are you? I am 34. Being born in 1982 I think I am, technically, one of the oldest millennials? How did you come across Pox Nora? In 2007 I was getting tired of playing City of Heroes and wanted to play something else while I waited for Diablo 3 to be released. I found this game after clicking on an ad for it and really liked it. Oddly enough, I played Diablo 3 for only a short while and came back to Pox. In 2007, waiting on Diablo 3. You certainly had some time to wait didn't you. Yeah, I thought it would only be a year or so but ended up being a lot longer. That game was a let down for me. Pox, though, is still great in its own special way. What is your favorite faction and why? I generally stick to K'thir Forest. I know it best compared to the other factions and have always enjoyed the "earthy" nature of the faction. In addition, who isn't annoyed when a Sprite with 34 HP can survive an entire game in side fonts? I think we've all seen you play K'thir, but I don't recall ever seeing you diversify. Did you ever branch out from K'thir for a time? I actually try to get all the runes from ST and FS from each expansion once I get the required ones from KF first. Every once in a while I do try an odd KF/ST or KS/FS split. I do know KF best, though, so kind of stick to that faction. It takes time to learn and do well with a new faction and I try to keep Pox a fun pass-time instead of a life commitment. Favorite part of Pox Nora and why? The sheer number of decks one can make is pretty amazing (i.e. Wizards, Skeletons, Boghoppers, Beasts, Constructs, Demons, etc.) Though meta decks usually are more powerful, I have more fun trying to make theme decks work. Was there a time where a bg you were testing pulled through unexpectedly? I've tried a lot of odd decks out. I played a UD/KF split recently with Arrow Eater champs and runes like Elven Trading Post (for granting Damage: Shield Magical) and Shield of Thorns/Flames (for +10 Damage when attacked from melee range). With minimal set up the Arrow Eater champs would dish out 16-22 damage when attacked with melee units. AoEs and FW had solid counters but it generally was fun to play and did well. What is the first rune you remember seeing and immediately wanting to have one? I don't play them so much anymore but I really did enjoy Apprentice Mages and Elven Mages in the same deck when I began way back when. It was fun having so many teleporters in a deck. Still to this day I prefer highly mobile ranged champs. On the subject of Elven Mage; have you ever noticed his ears? I judge all elves by the length of their ears. Aurora Lancer must feel ear envy whenever he goes out in public. On a different note, my favorite artwork in Pox is for the Elven Bard. Have you ever noticed the smiling barmaid in the lower right corner? It looks to me like she is holding an ebullient severed head. Oh my. That certainly looks like a severed head. I've never noticed that. It's the most unintentionally dark artwork in Pox! What is your best tip to give to new players? Don't get too bogged down by winning or losing. Pox is meant to be a fun pass time, after all. Also, if you don't have the runes you need just ask, some people are more generous than you'd think! Is there a rune that you feel isn't utilized as much as it could be? I do enjoy using Woodland Portal but don't see many others play it. There are so many scenarios where on-demand Swap 3 works wonders. Additionally, any friendly champion can gain Swap which means a lot of relocation shenanigans if the relic is left in play long enough. I particularly like using Condor Furies and Colossal Boas with Woodland Portal. Besides Poxnora, do you have any additional hobbies? I like to travel whenever possible. It sounds cliche but traveling really does open up your perspectives. The little moments experienced while "on the road" make for such wonderful memories. When at home I enjoying hiking, bicycling, and photography. Photography sounds delightful. Would you be inclined to share some of your favorite pictures? I would but I mostly still work with film and my scanner is rather poor. The quality just isn't high enough for me to want to post. I enjoy film because you have to make every shot count. There is also something to be said about waiting to see if a particular photograph will develop into something great instead of knowing instantly what the outcome is. Film photography is sometimes an exercise in delayed gratification. Is there anything else about yourself that you would like to share with the community? I am kind of a geek about experiencing weather and nature. The hottest temperature I have experienced was 118F in Kenieba, Mali. Conversely, the coldest temperature I have experience was -21F in Baruun Urt, Mongolia. The highest altitude I have been to was around 12,555 ft at Lake Titicaca, Peru while lowest altitude was around -280 ft in Death Valley, California. Lastly, the farthest North I have been was to Akureyri, Iceland while the farthest South I have been was in Arequipa, Peru. On the topic of the community, you've been decorating us with your colorful rune ideas, and designs. I think I speak for everyone when I say we thoroughly enjoy your work. Where does the inspiration come from? Do you have a method of brainstorming these ideas or are they shower thoughts? The thoughts usually come when I am playing. I'll see something and then think, "it would be great if there were something like XXXX in Pox." I then go about thinking a little more about it and then post. It's fun to see runes/abilities you worked on get made. Though I've posted a ton of ideas only a few have actually been created (I think Starlight Sylph and Tower of Amareth are the only direct ones made though I've had some say in a lot of others). Oh yeah, as an unapproved leak for the coming expansion, there is a KF spell coming out that I gave a lot of input on. I probably shouldn't say more about that but I am excited to play it and annoy others with it!
@Xirone Nice bio. what was the first of your rune ideas that got made? What was the one you are most proud of.
Come visit Minnesota in the winter. There's just something fun about hitting -40 and not having to differentiate between Celsius and Fahrenheit. I've been in colder temps, but they're much more rare. I believe the coldest I experienced was -52 Fahrenheit.
The ability I like best that was actually made was Brain Eater. What is not to like about an ability that rewards a kill with a stolen ability? As for a full rune, I'm most proud of Starlight Sylph because it is still useful today. The artwork for Starlight Sylph was even accurate and well done!
I love braineater too! http://forums.poxnora.com/index.php?threads/lets-build-an-expansion-together.19825/page-58
Yeah, at some point extreme cold is just extreme cold. There is nothing quite like the feel of icicles forming from the moisture released from your nostrils. -52 Fahrenheit is just nutty! It's weird that humans can survive in places like that (though, I suppose, no one could if there were left outside for too long).
Just remember, you can always put on more layers, but there's a limit on what you can take off. That's why I live here instead of somewhere like Arizona.
I'll be leaving AZ soon, maybe not this year but next year for sure. Can't wait to get out of the damn heat.
In Chinese xi is pronounced kinda like 'she' so I always read it as she-rone like boozha! Always thought you were Asian haha
