Official GTPlanet Member of the Fortnight [Member of the Week]

[Cano]

Needs more Photoshop.

You mean this...

isn't Photoshop?

 

[Terronium-12]

This has also (finally) been patched, er, updated!

760PP!

 

[Monatsende]

Yeah, you noz it! I like right proper funniz n'all, dog.

Nice interview. So much more interesting to read than your normal stuff.

Yay, eye uzed ma brainz four dis.

Needs more Photoshop.

I didn`t dare...

Congratulations MS!

👍

Nice interview 👍

👍

Crud, I was one of those folks who read it as Monta-sende.

Everything's better with monkeys.

So common misread. Don`t punish yourself.

👍

Nice one MS.

:tup:

Me too.

Ego te absolvo.

Another great interview 👍

👍

That's not abuse. That's art!

Some say it`s art, some say it`s abuse. Monatsende says: I agree!

Congrats, Mona! 👍

Best one yet, IMO .

:tup: To what do I owe the honour?

Nice job Michael. 👍

Michael? Uhm... Who?

Congrats Monatsende.

:tup:

You mean this...

isn't Photoshop?

Unfortunately not.

--------

This has also (finally) been patched, er, updated!

760PP!

I knew you can do it.

 

[Terronium-12]

I've been meaning to ask...

Why is there a deer's ass on your head?

 

[RACECAR]

I've been meaning to ask...

Why is there a deer's ass on your head?

Cannot unsee it now

 

[Danny]

Michael? Uhm... Who?

Yes.

 

[Terronium-12]

Our second member with real life racing experience, and our first member with real life racing experience that wasn't late in answering the all too important questions because of an exciting race. Welcome the newest inductee into the Member of the Week madhouse, Motor City Hami!

1. First and foremost, you're officially the Member of the Week so what were your thoughts going into this and how does it feel to be recognized amidst the hundreds of thousands of other members here?

This is really cool. It means a lot to me. I have tried to add value to the community and help people get faster in GT5. I get kind comments in my tuning garage every so often, but you don’t realize how far that stuff reaches. I don’t know why, but I still get surprised when someone recognizes my screen name in an online race and then tells me that they are using one of my tunes.

2. What brought you to GTPlanet and what keeps you coming back?

I found GTPlanet when I purchased GT5. I skipped the whole GT5 Prologue thing so I didn’t have any exposure to the online community for Gran Turismo until I started searching around for GT5. I was looking for a place to share ideas about tuning.

3. There's a lot to do around the forums so I have to ask: what sub-forums/threads do you frequent most often and why?

The tuning forum is home for me. I have spent hours and hours trying to figure out how to tune in GT5. I share pretty much every tune that I race. I race in real life and love suspension tuning there, so tuning in GT5 serves the same passion. I guess it is a good thing, in a way, that GT5 isn’t a direct mirror to real world tuning. I wouldn’t have spent so much time really breaking things down. I can’t wait for my copy of GT6 to arrive so that I can start breaking down the new physics.
I also spend a bit of time in the seasonal forums. But even there it is about sharing tunes that I have built/used to beat the AI.

4. What was it that sparked your interest in Gran Turismo?

Racing is my thing. I grew up in a racing family. My dad and his cousin raced dirt oval and I crewed for them. I got my first slot car track when I was 4 years old. I raced slot cars until age 12, every week with my dad. Then we got into remote controlled cars and I worked up to be sponsored and won a National Champion in 1/12th scale on-road. Then as soon as I could afford to go full-scale road racing, I jumped at it.
The reason that I bought my first PlayStation One was because of Gran Turismo 1. Then of course I bought GT2 and GT3 when each of them came out. I purchased a PlayStation 2 just to upgrade to GT4. The story with the PS3 is the same, got it to play GT5. I am sure that GT7 will be the reason for a PS4 purchase. Gran Turismo just helps fill the time between my real life events and the winter months.

5. How did you come up with the name "Motor City Hami"?

When I was racing remote controlled cars, one of the PA announcers just started calling me that, Hamilton from Detroit, the Motor City. It just stuck. All of my competitors starting referring to me as Motor City Hamilton or MCH, especially in the online forums.

6. Controversial question time: Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport or both?

No controversy. GT1 was out first. I didn’t see a reason to leave it. Each game version has improved. Yes Gran Turismo does still have its flaws, but it’s still a top notch game. If you want controversy, ask me about iRacing.

7. Because it's finally occurred to me that the question above doesn't allow enough freedom, do you play any other racing games that you perhaps enjoy more than GT or FM?

The most realistic racing game is Gran Turismo. What is important to me in an online racing game is how the cars drive. The Gran Turismo experience offers the most realistic action in return to the inputs that I apply. IRacing is close, but they tried to go super realistic. Without the g-forces, you just can’t keep up with the inputs needed. There is a bit more error room in GT5 that comes closer to feeling real. In real life, I can step over the line of grip and have a chance at saving the car. PD modeled that pretty well in GT5. Saves can be made.

8. Can you pronounce "Rødgrød med fløde"? (Translates to red berry pudding with cream)

You are from NY. Why are you asking about red berry pudding?

9. Why do you think manhole covers are round?

Is this an interview with Microsoft? Not all of them are round.

10. If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet what would you want?

Spaceship technician. I bet that I could make them corner faster.

11. If you could live in any video game which game would it be and why?

Am I me in the game or can I be anybody. Being the virtual Sebastian Vettel in GT5 would be cool.

12. If you could create your own motorsport series what would it entail?

I would love to start an electric car racing series. Use it as a way for manufacturers to show off their latest technology. It would surely push the market forward. I have a remote controlled racing friend, Fred, who has figured out just how hot lipo batteries need to be to pump out the most performance. That seems to be right before thermal meltdown. So if I hired Fred to be my battery chief, I would be rocket fast with a slight chance of bursting into flames. Race car drivers are truly crazy.

13. Tell us something interesting about your hometown.

I live in Dearborn, Michigan USA. It is home to the Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford’s hometown. If you get the chance to visit, you must go to the Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. I cannot think of many places in the world that have so many things to see all in one place. If you are into history at all, it is a must see.
I live four blocks from Greenfield Village so we can hear the steam train whistles all summer. My four year old son is super into trains now because of this. I am shooting for father of the year at Christmas when he opens up a model steam train that looks like the Edison train at GFV.

14. Let's say GTPlanet was another person’s brainchild—and there's really no way to know this for certain—but could you see the community being as prominent?

As mentioned above, I found GTPlanet when I bought GT5. I am amazed at how on top of new content that Jordan and his team are. That’s what keeps the site so interesting is the weekly news. Well, that and the epic debates over GT5 – pick a subject.

15. Do you have any hobbies we should be made aware of?

It is all cars and racing. It sounds a bit one dimensional, but I did pick a pretty expensive hobby. I found my one thing early on in life and have focused a lot of energy on it. In college, many of my friends went through hobby roulette; mountain bikes, cross country skis, downhill skis, hockey equipment, roller blades, tennis, racquetball, guitars, etc., etc., etc. They all ended up with a closet full of two month used items and still no real passion for anything. I will race anybody in anything at any time. Line up two chairs in the hallway and call me out and it’s on.

16. Are you driving anything special at the moment?

I just purchased a 2013 Mustang Boss 302 in Gotta Have It Green. It is an amazing car. It actually frightens me a bit. I will not be able to find its grip limit on the street. It corners so flat – it’s amazing. I guess I am going to have to track it to see what it can really do. Next summer, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course… look out.

17. What's your favourite video game, currently?

GT5. Second favorite would be EA Sports NHL Hockey. I do racing. I love to watch hockey. I do live in Hockey Town.

18. What songs have been on repeat for the past few days?

Red Hot Chili Peppers is always in the mix. I have also been really into the Verve Pipe and Brian VanderArk too.

19. Why did you choose that avatar, and why is it not a monkey? (Don't ask me, I had nothing to do with this. )

Same old boring answer from me – my avatar is my own race car on one of my favorite race tracks, Mid-Ohio. Tip for racers – always buy the photos from the track photographers. You can tell a lot about how your car is handling from looking at the tires in those photos.

20. Games, how do you like them?

a) Pre-Order, I want them on day one.
b) Sealed at first price drop.
c) Used.

For racing games, pre-order. For everything else, the new, sealed classic release.

21. With the PS4 coming in the holiday season this year, is it the right time to consider moving up to the next generation?

I will buy the PS4 when GT7 is available. Hoping for a USA bundle with GT7 graphics, etc.

22. Manual or automatic?

Manual… in-game and real life.

23. Desert island disks - what 3 albums would you take to a desert island?

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic
Van Halen – Diver Down
Frank Zappa – Joe’s Garage

24. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being likely to go to the nut house, how crazy would you rate yourself?

I think I am about a five. How can that be when I said I wouldn’t mind racing an electric car that could catch fire at any moment? I take calculated risks. I don’t often think, “I wonder if the car will fit in that gap.” I watch and take advantage of opportunities, but I’m pretty on top of where to take chances. I push the limits, but I am not reckless. Yet, there was an occasion at a new track for me this summer where I thought, “I wonder if the Miata could make it through there flat out.” I tried it the next lap and just missed the exit by half a tire width. So maybe I am closer to a six or seven?

25. Who is your favorite race driver and why?

Scott Pruett. He is fast yet respectful. He will give and take, but will not be pushed around or intimidated. He is smart and calculated. He is American. It is sad how little TV coverage road racing gets in the States. I put Scott Pruett at the top of my idols list. You asked for favorite, but I’ll take advantage of the time and also mention a fondness for Boris Said. He is just pure personality. I met him a couple of times and he is just really cool to amateur racers.

26. Where and when was your very first post here and how does it differ from your posting style used today?

My first post was in the tuning forum. I remember that I was treading lightly. I was new to the site, but had all of this experience tuning since GT1. I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers of the established tuning garages. I would make statements like, “what I have found” and “what worked for me.” I didn’t want any fights. Then I got involved with F.I.T.T., the Federation of International Tuners and Testers and their tuning competitions. I started to get more established and my tuning got better and better. Over the past year I have been more willing to put a stake in the ground on certain issues. There have been some epic battles of opinions that I jumped right into. If you want to learn about how the LSD works in GT5, search for the thread where Adrenaline and I had it out over the definition. We both respect each other so it was less fight than passion, but I stood on my position with both feet in cement shoes.
I still think I have more to learn about tuning in GT5. It all depends on your driving style. My tunes are fast for me, but a guy like Praiano puts out fast tune after fast tune that seem to work for a lot of different people. I crack open his settings and think, that will be a few tenths off, yet everything I drive from him is solid. I think it still drives me in GT5 to be better and better and Praiano is my benchmark of late.

27. How many of your controllers have died because of heavy physical abuse whilst playing a PS3 game?

I have mellowed a lot. Most broken controllers came playing hockey. We had an eight controller setup on the PS2 and consumed a bit of beer during those games. I do remember a broken couch and lamp too, when the in-game hockey fight moved to real life between a couple of my friends.

28. Have you ever accessed the website during an unusual time and/or place?

I have posted during our vacations over the last three years; Hawaii, Ireland, Dubai.

29. What's the longest you've gone without logging onto GTPlanet since joining: Years, months, weeks, days, hours?

Days. I have not missed logging in at least weekly since GT5s release.

30. Who (in your own opinion) is the most inspiring person / people here on GTPlanet?

Any of the guys who make it to the GT Academy. I don’t know how they are that fast in this game. Skill, seat time, talent. I have raced with and admire Aderrm, outlaw, R1600Turbo and Wardez for their speed. As mentioned before, I have a lot of respect for Praiano.

31. Have you ever been as far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like? (Yes, that's an actual question. Answer it if you're brave enough. )

“Has any video game company really taken such measure to make a game so realistic?"
Thank you to the copy of the urban dictionary on my desk.

32. Now it's time for the "Daniel Special": If you could cross a hippo with any other animal - what will the animal be, what will it be called, and why? (Bonus points for creativity! And it can't be another hippo because that's incest)

The animal would be a cheetah because my life’s passion is to make all things go faster. Maybe call it a Cheippah. Does that sound Portuguese? The Cheippah would have really fast legs and big hips so that as it passes you, it also could give you a friendly out of my way jack--- bump.

33. What's the funniest thing you can remember from all of your time being a member here?

VTiRoj entered this car (Nissan Stagea 260rs Autech Version ’98 - https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=8280733) into a FITT tuner challenge. I don’t think he was tuning with the win in mind. I think he was trying to kill the test drivers. He was just clowning. You cannot drive that tune without smiling and laughing the whole time.

34. Have you ever participated in any of the racing series' found here?

Yes. R1600Turbo has hosted a few using the Miata. I need to find another good one, but it has to allow tuning. I am open to suggestions. I have been spending less time tuning lately and have been really working on improving my driving.

35. Have you ever considered developing your own racing series, and if you have where can we find it?

I did run a remote controlled car series called the Carpet Racing League. We had 100 racers show up once a month at a different track each month. That was fun, but a lot of work. I just don’t have that kind of time anymore with a busy advertising job, a summer racing schedule and a four year old at home. Time is tight. I pretty much get to play GT5 after 9pm.

36. Anything else you'd like to say?

I am excited about GT6. I am curious to see what physics changes result from PD bringing in additional partners who specialize in suspensions. I plan to re-write my Motor City Tunes tuning guide between December 6th and the end of the year. I am going to approach it from scratch, pretending that I know nothing about tuning.

Bonus Question These two additional inclusions are the brainchild of a staff member and must be answered as if you were a contestant on Jeopardy!, i.e. "What is a Computer?"

B1: This car will forever be known as the "Ferrari Slayer".

What is the RB9?

B2: Dave Mustaine is the lead vocalist for this band.

Who is Megadeth? I am a metalhead.

 

[Monatsende]

A real racer! Great interview.

Congrats to be in the madhouse, Motor City Hami!


------------

I've been meaning to ask...

Why is there a deer's ass on your head?

Because I can...

 

[Dean]

Congratulations MCH!

---
And question #8 and #9 deserves a 👍.

 

[Cano]

Real racing, car pictures, Boss 302, Frank Zappa. Legit 👍

 

[Joey D]

Another Michigan native, automatic awesome.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Congratulations Hami...well done:tup:👍

 

[Nicksfix]

Congrats Hami.

 

[Terronium-12]

The Juniors are taking over everything! What are you laughing for, it's not a joke. Welcome the newest inductee to the Member of the Week madhouse, sparkytooth!

1. First and foremost, you're officially the Member of the Week so what were your thoughts going into this and how does it feel to be recognized amidst the hundreds of thousands of other members here?

I was completely surprised to be selected as member of the week. I've been around for a time but I didn't expect to become member of the week someday.

Thanks to all my fellow GTPers

2. What brought you to GTPlanet and what keeps you coming back?

I was part of the GT5 hype as I was completely amazed when I first saw it back in 2009 but didn't know much about GTP until I first entered this place as a guest when investigating about GTPSP back in late 2011. I made my account back in January 2012 but I had only posted once and completely forgotten about it. Later that year I came back and wanted to get in to this full time because I love GT so I dug out my old sparkytooth account and went on to start making guesser's heads implode. What keeps me coming back is how much I can do here that is related to GT, such as sharing my GT5 pictures with my fellow GTPers, car guessing in the Guess That Car GT5 thread as well as giving other guessers headaches if I win, racing in series like ITCC Andrew's ITCC series, Furinkazen's TOCA and various other racing series that are hosted here.

3. There's a lot to do around the forums so I have to ask: what sub-forums/threads do you frequent most often and why?

I usually frequent the GT6 threads for discussions and a bit of news about the new game, the Guess That Car GT5 edition thread which I'm in charge of, the photomode forums to show off the Pink Phantom to the mortals

I also enjoy reading and telling stories on the Worst you've dealt with online thread.

4. What was it that sparked your interest in Gran Turismo?

I absolutely hated GT3 when I first got it. My dad bought it for me back in 2002 when I was about 5 as part of the first few games for my PS2 after my original Xbox was stolen. I preferred to play NASCAR (I now see the error of my ways ) and GT3 just felt wrong in my young child eyes, I still loved the rally mode and the vast-ish list of cars though. I never made much progress in Simulation mode as I never understood the game until later in my life.

I never bought GT4 until the very end of my PS2's life but I was absolutely enchanted by it's scale. The game felt impossibly large in my eyes as I was used to rather small car lists like in the Need for speed, Midnight Club and Burnout games I would play obsessively during my early years. I wanted to play it bad despite disliking GT3, which was in my library until recently when I gave it away to a younger cousin who has a PS2 and a PS3.

I had a PSP so I decided to get GTPSP as I really liked the idea of a portable Gran Turismo game with 830 collectible cars. My driving skills were honed there thanks to the humongous amount of grinding my lonely self had to do. I learned MT driving, drifting and most of the stuff about cars I know now in those two years. I finished the game in March with all the cars and Gold Driving missions.

GT5 was absolutely amazing when I saw it back in 2009, the first footage I saw of it was gorgeous. I wanted a PS3 really bad so this was the icing on the cake to decide my 7th generation fate. The delays happened and the game was eventually released in 2010, I followed it right up until it's release in November.

5. How did you come up with the name "sparkytooth"?

I don't really have much of an imagination but sparkytooth or sparky as the GTPers call me came from my old PS2 Fat 50001 series (R.I.P). I called it sparky, Twisted Metal was also quite the influence later in my childhood with it's fast paced car murder . My Favorite Ice Cream Truck driver and evil clown SweetTooth also somehow came up in my head at the moment, it stuck perfectly so I decided to use it forever.

6. Controversial question time: Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport or both?

Controversy time!!!

I prefer GT. I started my love of cars more or less there as I was amazed at the machines it had, despite the fact that I was frustrated at not understanding GT3 for a long time, deep down I really wish I could play it again

Forza looks interesting, never played it much but I would get into it given the opportunity. I think it's too late for this gen of Forza as I already have a PS3, next gen is around the corner and my Dad's wallet isn't deep enough. The Xbox one doesn't look very appetizing to me either

7. Because it's finally occurred to me that the question above doesn't allow enough freedom, do you play any other racing games that you perhaps enjoy more than GT or FM?

Midnight Club II was hands down the best racing game I ever experienced, I even rank it above GT. Of course my sister destroyed my copy and I have been raring to play it again ever since

Midnight Club 3 didn't have the same magic to me. The difficulty was much lower as MCII was ungodly hard for me as a child (Never managed to beat it ) but I beat MC3 easily at 100% in about 3 days time at the same age and skill level.

Other games I played alot more than GT3 during my early years with old sparky was lots of Burnout and Need for Speed.

8. Can you pronounce "Rødgrød med fløde"? (Translates to red berry pudding with cream)?

Radgrod med Flade? What language is that? German?

9. Why do you think manhole covers are round?

Ease of escape into the sewers. Trust me, you don't wanna jump into a square or a triangle to make your escape from the cops/aliens/angry rodents, circles are perfect for escaping.

10. If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet what would you want?

Ministry of Hoonage, my first move would be to push for something known as the V10 Lexus plan, everyone will recieve one of these indiscriminately:

Ahrweiler Street_5 by sparkytooth, on Flickr​

11. If you could live in any video game which game would it be and why?

The world of Gran Turismo as my A-spec Andy, I would have magical teleportation abilities as I will be able to travel from Kazunorikhestan to the Nurburgring in seconds, I will have access to the one and only Pink Phantom Lexus LFA and 850+ more cars. Have the ability to buy any car depending on the current deepness of my Racing Suit pockets. I will also be able to race any car regardless of value that is made of Yamauchium, the strongest material in the universe. A wonderful life indeed.

12. If you could create your own motorsport series what would it entail?

Volvo 240 wagons with Corvette V8s drift racing around all sorts of tracks. DRIFT RACING VOLVO WAGONS IS IT NOT COOL ?

13. Tell us something interesting about your hometown.

Quite a strange place that is my birthplace Caracas, took me some time to adapt to the lifestyle of the Venezuelan as I used to live in the Nuthouse State of Florida. Jaywalking everywhere, Bikers who don't care about you, Mosquitoes, no native PSN ().

People are usually tending to their own business but they're generally helpful when you ask them stuff. Political propaganda is everywhere too.

14. Let's say GTPlanet was another persons brainchild—and there's really no way to know this for certain—but could you see the community being as prominent?

Maybe it could, maybe it wouldn't, I'm not sure. I'm no inter-dimensional being of all mighty knowledge

15. Do you have any hobbies we should be made aware of?

I really like cars or machines as I like to call them. I also spend time on Jalopnik (My inexplicable love of wagons comes from there) and Kotaku. I also tag along with my dad on occasion for maintaining and mounting AC units. Also school, not much more interesting about me though.

Also, Pokemon

16. Are you driving anything special at the moment?

I'm 15 I have no machine right now but my dad is going to buy a Renault Logan soon (It's a manual according to him ) so I'll learn there.

17. What's your favourite video game, currently?

GT5.

18. What songs have been on repeat for the past few days?

D.A.N.C.E- Justice
9000 Miles- Pendulum
Some Sonic Music (Resh most likely approves of this )
Electric Feel (Justice Remix)- MGMT
Civilization- Justice
Brain 29 (Demon of the Church)- D-noiser

19. Why did you choose that avatar, and why is it not a monkey? (Don't ask me, I had nothing to do with this. )

Lexus LFAs are clearly superior as avatars.

#Comeatmebro

20. Games, how do you like them?

a) Pre-Order, I want them on day one.
b) Sealed at first price drop.
c) Used.

Dollars aren't easy to get your hands on in Venezuela, I got my GT5 XL brand new at about 20 bucks from the US. I prefer B if I can.

21. With the PS4 coming in the holiday season this year, is it the right time to consider moving up to the next generation?

When GT comes out on the PS4 I'll be all over it.

22. Manual or automatic?

Manual.

23. Desert island disks - what 3 albums would you take to a desert island?

1. A Lexus LFA

2. A Mazda 787B

3. The GT5 soundtrack (For the lounge music, it never gets old).

24. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being likely to go to the nut house, how crazy would you rate yourself?

Maybe a 8 but I might start talking to you about the time I wanted to put a top hat on my head while wearing tweed and insisted on being called Sir Charles Lexingtonham XXIV and you immediately decide that I'm a 10.

25. Who is your favorite race driver and why?

I never really followed racing. I prefer to race myself, not watch it. But I would consider Kimi. That darn Iceman is so brutally honest, he rarely speaks too

26. Where and when was your very first post here and how does it differ from your posting style used today?

My first post was on the what custom soundtracks do you use in GTPSP thread.

I don't quite remember it. I used to post in gray like you do T-12 but my posting style has come a long way.

27. How many of your controllers have died because of heavy physical abuse whilst playing a PS3 game?

Surprisingly none, Never broke a controller no matter how angry I was, and I get angry a lot

28. Have you ever accessed the website during an unusual time and/or place?

Not yet. Only once on a 3DS and once on my very own PS3.

29. What's the longest you've gone without logging onto GTPlanet since joining: Years, months, weeks, days, hours?

2 Weeks!

I was starting to miss you guys

30. Who (in your own opinion) is the most inspiring person / people here on GTPlanet?

Gotta give it to my friends here on GTP such as ITCC Andrew for helping me out a bit with personal problems, The Stig Farmer for being as crazy as I am, Reshiram for being a great friend and Pokepal, GTRacer98 for being a great friend as well as a hard to beat rival, SpeedyishOlly for playing both Uncharted 3 and GT5 with me 👍, Nascarfan1400 for arguing with me and my old rival Buck1 for hating me . Also a thumbs up for all the guys who hang around the Worst you've dealt with online thread for giving me entertaining stories about the GT5 online mode and the GT5 photomode forums for liking the Pink Phantom 👍

31. Is your body ready?

I want to change my unreadiness soon.

32. Now it's time for the "Daniel Special": If you could cross a hippo with any other animal - what will the animal be, what will it be called, and why? (Bonus points for creativity! And it can't be another hippo because that's incest)

I'd cross it with a Northern Moose. Just ask Andrew why Meese are so terrifying , cross it with a Hippo and humanity is screwed

33. What's the funniest thing you can remember from all of your time being a member here?

Reading the Worst You've dealt with online thread

34. Have you ever participated in any of the racing series' found here?

Yes, I started racing soon after I got my PS3. The now dead Renault Clio Cup, the also dead NRS Kart Series (Which I helped organize with nascarfan1400 and rallymorten). Global GT, ITCC, TOCA. I'm currently not racing as school started and I'm too busy.

35. Have you ever considered developing your own racing series, and if you have where can we find it?

I co-developed the now dead NRS Kart Series with nascarfan1400 and rallymorten. Not thinking about developing anything for GT5 now as GT6 is right around the corner.

36. Anything else you'd like to say?

You must all buy an LFA and an RS6 Avant. Your lives will be complete by then

Bonus Question

These two additional inclusions are the brainchild of a staff member and must be answered as if you were a contestant on Jeopardy!, i.e. "What is a Computer?"

B1: This car will forever be known as the "Ferrari Slayer".
B2: Kerry King is the guitarist for this band.

B1: The Ford GT40

B2: Slayer?

 

[GTracer98]

Whoa, great inteview, spark! :tup:

 

[Dean]

Congratulations Spark!

Oh and by the way, "rødgrød med fløde" is Danish.

 

[Danny]

Nice interview. 👍

 

[Com Fox]

Nice one sparky congrats .

 

[The Stig Farmer]

Nice interview Sparkeh. 👍

 

[sparkytooth]

Thanks guise

Happy to join the madhouse

 

[Johnnypenso]

Good job Sparky:tup:👍

 

[Monatsende]

Congrats Sparky!

 

[Terronium-12]

Things have settled down a bit, kind of. The Juniors are still running amok but there's still hope for more Seniors in the madhouse. That... sounds insulting, in any event welcome the newest member to the madhouse, neema_t!

1. First and foremost, you're officially the Member of the Week so what were your thoughts going into this and how does it feel to be recognized amidst the hundreds of thousands of other members here?

Well, it feels like it's been a long time coming, I just want to know what I've won. Joking aside, I don't know what I've done to be recognised specifically but the last time I looked a gift horse in the mouth I ended up in hospital, so thank you.

2. What brought you to GTPlanet and what keeps you coming back?

I'd been a lurker since the days of GT3, but never found a reason to actually discuss anything until I was confused by the calendar thing in GT5 Prologue. After that I just involved myself in a whole load of conversations about everything and nothing (such as the importance of functional reversing lights), and it just went from there.

3. There's a lot to do around the forums so I have to ask: what sub-forums/threads do you frequent most often and why?

I have a few sub-forums that I check probably too often via the app; PC & Console gaming (because I play a wide range of games these days), the Infield (getting my money's worth) and Computers & Technology (being an electronic engineer, it seems relevant). I probably write and delete ten posts for every one that I actually do post so I am actually reading and thinking about a lot more than my post history suggests.

4. What was it that sparked your interest in Gran Turismo?

Wow, that's going back a few years. I would've been ten when Gran Turismo was released, a friend of mine had a (much) older brother who had it and we used to try (and fail) to do the license tests. GT2 was the first one I personally owned and I just loved the uniquely massive scope of it. Also the Vipers. They had stripes.

5. How did you come up with the name "neema_t"?

It's my name, I don't really have an imagination.

6. Controversial question time: Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport or both?

Oh, both for sure. If it moves, we can race it, right? Gran Turismo is and will probably always be the only game to feature all my favourite cars, but Forza is the only game in which I've been able to create an AWD, 3SGTE-engined AW11 MR2, so there's that.

7. Because it's finally occurred to me that the question above doesn't allow enough freedom, do you play any other racing games that you perhaps enjoy more than GT or FM?

Well, following on from my previous answer, I've found something to enjoy in basically any game featuring cars. I think it's possibly because my love for cars is greater than my love for games, so I tend to look right through glaring flaws because of what the game does right. I think Project CARS has required the least ignorance on my part, driving the Lotus 48 around Monza or the BMW M1 Procar at Suzuka... Amazing. That said, on the rare occasion I make the effort to plug my wheel into my PS3, a gentle solo drive in a stock NSX-R or F40 around the 'ring with the HUD turned off is about as close to that experience as you could hope a three year old game running on seven year old hardware to get.

8. Can you blend?

Can I, or do I? Two very different questions. I could blend, but I don't.

9. Mechanical or Membrane keyboard?

I don't own any mechanical ones, but I like the concept. Frankly I have a long list of gadgets and components I want that come before a keyboard, but I do want one of those Filco Ninja keyboards...

10. On a scale from 1 to 10, ten being very manly and 1 being very girly, where do you fall?

Well, I have a beard and I'm an engineer, so I'm completely off the scale. But that's because I'm scared of wasps and spiders, so that'll be off the scale in the below-zero sense. -3?

11. If you could live in any video game which game would it be and why?

Test Drive Unlimited 2. Good weather, great roads and a physics model that disguises the fact that I can't drive for toffee.

12. If you could create your own motorsport series what would it entail?

I'm not sure of the specifics, but it would involve Japanese touring cars from the dawn of time up until now, somehow. Maybe a sort of relay race where drivers do a short stint in cars from the 60's, then 70's, 80's and so on. I'd love to see stuff like KPGC10 Skyline 2000 GT-Rs, N1/N2 Corollas, those crazy R30 Skyline silhouettes and JGTC R32 GT-Rs in action with my own eyes.

13. Tell us something interesting about your hometown.

It literally exploded back in 2005, and in style, too; it was the biggest explosion in post-war Europe (supposedly). See:

14. If you could be any other GTPlanet-user for a day, who would you be?

Possibly Sharky, I'd sell my/his PC for a laugh.

15. Do you have any hobbies we should be made aware of?

I spend a lot of time taking electronics apart, sometimes I put them back together, and sometimes they still work afterwards. A while back I converted a Namco NeGcon controller to work with my PS3, it was a bit cumbersome but it did work...

16. Are you driving anything special at the moment?

Nope! I'm on my third Vauxhall Corsa, and I've only ever owned four cars. The other was a second generation Clio. This trend will probably continue, because I really want an NB MX-5 for my next car but everyone I know is telling me I can't pull it off. I still think I should do it because what do they even know, anyway?

17. What's your favourite video game, currently?

Well, I'm playing GTA: Online a whole lot right now, it seems like the entirely of GTP has fallen for it in a pretty big way, but if I was to try a little harder to pick something less obvious it would be Arma 3. Games in which I get to fly or drive machines are the best games.

18. What songs have been on repeat for the past few days?

I've been listening to Deltron 3030's new album, Event II, but GTA V has introduced me to Joe Goddard and Valentina - Gabriel. Not the Soulwax remix as featured in the game, mind you. It's really not the kind of thing I listen to normally, but I like it.

19. Why did you choose that avatar, and why is it not a monkey? (Don't ask me, I had nothing to do with this. )

Brian Blessed needs no explanation. If anything, you must explain yourself to him.

20. Games, how do you like them?

a) Pre-Order, I want them on day one.
b) Sealed at first price drop.
c) Used.

A mixture of A and B, I guess, I don't buy used games mainly because I can't; 99% of what I buy is digitally distributed through the multitude of PC stores or PSN. Seriously, before I went out to buy GTA V, the last game I bought on disc was GT5. I either preorder or buy on day one and actually PLAY the game (PC gamers will probably understand the emphasis on 'play'!), or if I'm not moved to buy the game at full price, I'll wait for a substantial discount, preferably with DLC included. And then that £2.49 copy of Crysis 2 will sit there, unplayed, while I continue to play Borderlands 2 which I bought for ten times that price but have played over 550 hours of.

21. With the PS4 coming in the holiday season this year, is it the right time to consider moving up to the next generation?

Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure whether you mean me personally or the entire industry, but either way, the current machines are getting on a bit. I am seriously impressed by how well they've aged and what developers can achieve with the hardware, but that just gets me thinking about what could be achieved with the next generation, so yeah, time to upgrade! Personally I'm not making the same mistake as I did with the PS3, which was to buy one before any games I actually wanted were coming out. Like many GTPers I bought my PS3 in anticipation of GT5 early on, and guess what? It died a yellow-lit death on the very evening of GT5's release! I'm waiting for Metal Gear Solid V or GT7, but something tells me the former will be around before the latter. Having said that, I do really want a PS4 and if I could afford it I probably would be ordering one soon because I don't have the self-restraint to wait as I know I should.

22. Manual or automatic?

Neither. CVT. *drops mic* *comes back* Manual for sure.

23. Desert island disks - what 3 albums would you take to a desert island?

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (Live), Kid Koala - 12-Bit Blues and Deltron 3030's self-titled album.

24. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being likely to go to the nut house, how crazy would you rate yourself?

If 5 means I've never thought about it, then 5. I don't really know how you'd define crazy, but I'm generally a laid-back kind of person.

25. Who is your favorite race driver and why?

Back when I used to watch Formula One, I really liked Mark Webber. I'll always remember his "Not bad for a number two driver" radio message, and although I don't watch the sport any more, I follow him (and a few other drivers) on Twitter and his are the only tweets I actually make a point of reading.

26. Where and when was your very first post here and how does it differ from your posting style used today?

Forums / Games / Gran Turismo Series / GT5 Prologue - "Apparently I'm stuck in the 4th of April" on 15/04/2008. My posting style hasn't changed, fortunately the actual content of the posts are generally more considered... I was confused because the game said "April 4" at the top of the calendar, but the 4 was actually referring to the number of the month, not day. Bizarre design choice if you ask me. Go on, ask me.

27. How many of your controllers have died because of heavy physical abuse whilst playing a PS3 game?

I've lost count, it must be over five by now. I gave up playing competitive online shooters on my PS3 because it's harder to throw a wired keyboard and mouse across a room! My current one might be the first I've owned that'll die of old age.

28. Have you ever accessed the website during an unusual time and/or place?

That would be an ecumenical matter.

29. What's the longest you've gone without logging onto GTPlanet since joining: Years, months, weeks, days, hours?

There was a time when I stopped visiting between the releases of GT5P and GT5 because it was becoming far too difficult to distinguish facts from opinions and wishful thinking, so I had to take a break from the information overload. Now I've just learned that there's a lot more to GTP than just the GT forums, to the extent that I don't even visit those parts any more! I find it's much easier to cope with the impending release of a Gran Turismo title if you're not participating in 'what if' discussions that get your expectations impossibly high.

30. Who (in your own opinion) is the most inspiring person / people here on GTPlanet?

There are many, I've learned a lot from other GTPers in my time here, but the most inspiring person to my mind is Shem (or W3HS). I thought he was inspiring - and you can tell many other people do too, from the way they interact with him - even before he went to go and break a world record! Although his updates are infrequent, it sounds like his journey has been beyond arduous.

31. Is your body ready?

I can say with pride and confidence that no, it is not ready.

32. Now it's time for the "Daniel Special": If you could cross a hippo with any other animal - what will the animal be, what will it be called, and why? (Bonus points for creativity! And it can't be another hippo because that's incest)

A guinea pig. Actually, bald guinea pigs already look like hippos so I guess nature beat me to it. I suppose I just want to see a hippo-sized guinea pig, because why not?

33. What's the funniest thing you can remember from all of your time being a member here?

I'm not sure, but most of my interaction with Danny makes me laugh out loud, which, even though the majority of the internet says they're laughing out loud all the time, is actually quite a rare thing. For me, anyway.

34. Have you ever participated in any of the racing series' found here?

I haven't! My combination of an awful internet connection and irregular life (meaning there's not much routine, not that I live in an unusual manner, you understand) mean my organised gaming sessions are still pretty much ad-hoc with a couple of hours' notice. Trying to organise a time to play with more than one person on more than one occasion would be a nightmare. Just staying connected for an entire race even if I did manage to attend would be astonishing in itself, so the odds are pretty much stacked against me at the moment.

35. Have you ever considered developing your own racing series, and if you have where can we find it?

I've always wanted to try mimicking those Best Motoring races, where they'll review a car and then race it with some of its contemporaries around everybody's favourite, Tsukuba. But, as I mentioned previously, I'm not the ideal person to organise and host such a thing.

36. Anything else you'd like to say?

I've already said too much, I think. I've accidentally stayed up all night to write these responses, such is my dedication, but that does mean my dedicated paraphrasing engine is kaput.

Bonus QuestionThese two additional inclusions are the brainchild of a staff member and must be answered as if you were a contestant on Jeopardy!, i.e. "What is a Computer?"

B1: George Clooney played this character in Ocean's Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen.

B2: This horror icon is referred to as "The Shape".

What's 'Jeopardy!'? Is it like how you say 'faucet' when what you're supposed to say is 'tap'?

 

[Danny]

About bloody time. 👍

Congratulations to the greatest surname I've ever known.

 

[Monatsende]

Congrats to neema_t, the guy with the most bearded avatar. 👍
Another great interview. Seems that you`re a TOP20 GTPlanet member.

 

[Dean]

Congratulations neema!

 

[Skython]

That would be an ecumenical matter.

Yes, I. I suppose it would.

Congrats, Neema! 👍

 

[axletramp]

"Gordon's ALIIIIIVE!!!", it's neema! Nice one. 👍

EDIT: Bear boxing? I think my admiration for Mr Blessed might just have gone up!

 

[Monatsende]

RIP, ears...

 

[The Stig Farmer]

Congrats Neema, you have the greatest avatar on GTP 👍