Ask-a-staffer-mania IIDX 17th Style - Mint

[Letty Whiterock]

[Letty] Hey there, everybody! It's your old pal/archenemy/symbol-of-all-things-terrible Letty Whiterock, and it's time for my very own Ask-A-Staffer thread! I'm sure many of you have lots of questions, both ridiculous and personal, and I'm willing to answer just about anything truthfully and honestly. Maybe this will be a good way to restore our relationship as great friends! Or maybe you'll just hate me more. I thrive on the power that stems from either emotion. Also, I promised myself I wouldn't do anything gimmicky for this, but I threw all of that to the wind and now say "Let's just have fun, I guess!"

[Letty] So let's enjoy ourselves for the next week, okay?

[Kilgamayan]

The Comic Sans is a nice touch.

So where are you these days, anyway?

[Kips McKipzerson]

So, What makes you so Minty? Why is your title different from the rest what makes you so cool WHY SO BLUE TEXT :V

In all seriousness though, What is your favorite hobby? Favorite game, And what brought you to this forum? Also, What made you into a mod? Clearly being an ice-cream flavour cant just give you the rights to modship the second you log in, correct?

[Jes_Isaive]

Why does the userbase hate you? :<

I'll ask the question I meant to ask everyone else but didn't. How did you find out about Touhou?

[N-Forza]

What does it feel like being named after the worst Galaxy Angel?

[Shadoweh]

Obligatory how did you find MotK?
Obligatory how did you become a staff member?
Obligatory what DO you do here as staff? What's a Gensokyo Cop? What's your official type staffly duties?
My questions sound much better then some Mima faker.

Why do you consider a General Forum to be more important then TARC considering MotK is a Touhou forum?
Why Letty?

[Furienify]

Why are you so universally reviled? It's as though you hold the least likable opinion on every subject anyone ever cares about.

[Letty Whiterock]

So where are you these days, anyway?

[Letty] I've been trying to survive. It may be foolish of me, but I live in an apartment with two (formerly three) unemployed people in which I cover most of the expenses via the income from my dead-end, minimum wage job. They're my friends, so I want to do my best to help them. I mean, they do help out when they can. At the same time, however, I can't seem to save money for myself and the things I personally need. It's a frustrating situation, but I soldier on.

Why is your title different from the rest what makes you so cool WHY SO BLUE TEXT :V

In all seriousness though, What is your favorite hobby? Favorite game, And what brought you to this forum? Also, What made you into a mod? Clearly being an ice-cream flavour cant just give you the rights to modship the second you log in, correct?

[Letty] I guess I'll answer these in order! Being Minty isn't easy, but if you're wondering how I got there in the first place, it all started when an old forum I went to got temporarily shut down and was replaced with a small refuge forum. I registered the name "Trick Master Mint," named after my favorite Galaxy Angel character and her spaceship, and ran with it. After that, it just stuck. So I'm not actually named after an ice cream flavor but after a character who is named after an ice cream flavor!

[Letty] As for the rest of these things! I have a different title because I needed access to the staff forum without being given any other positions of power. Did you know that "aqua" is not one of the listed font colors but still works? Quite well, in fact! My favorite hobby? Any sort of rhythm gaming. Music is my passion. I want to become an electronic artist, but I need to save up for the equipment. Also, I like writing! I don't remember how I found this forum or how I became a mod, but I can attribute the latter to wanting to see this place thrive and not wanting the rest of the world to see it as a joke. Sadly, some still do.

Why does the userbase hate you? :<

I'll ask the question I meant to ask everyone else but didn't. How did you find out about Touhou?

[Letty] It's not my fault they don't know any better. I discovered Touhou in my search for free vertical shmups on the internet. They are among my favorite games ever, starting with the games Axelay and S.T.G. Strike Gunner for the SNES. Eventually, I just found mirrors of various doujin shmup demos, Touhou included. Some time later, I was attending a LAN party and discovered someone playing IaMP. We became friends, and from there, I was introduced to the world of Touhou. In short, I liked it before I even knew what it was.

What does it feel like being named after the worst Galaxy Angel?

[Letty] I'm sorry, but my name isn't Ranpha.

Obligatory how did you find MotK?
Obligatory how did you become a staff member?
Obligatory what DO you do here as staff? What's a Gensokyo Cop? What's your official type staffly duties?
My questions sound much better then some Mima faker.

Why do you consider a General Forum to be more important then TARC considering MotK is a Touhou forum?
Why Letty?

[Letty] My given duties here are debatable, but I began as a global moderator. I lost this position when I went Maverick and banned someone who attacked me without actually discussing it with the rest of the staff first. Since then, however, TSO and crew consider my input something worthwhile, so they keep me around. Now, I moderate the CPMC off-shoot "Letty Explains It All" AKA "This is where the Rage Thread is now." My "Gensokyo Cop" title is defunct; it was put in place just so I could still maintain access to the staff forum.

[Letty] It's not so much that I think a general discussion board is more important than a Touhou-centric board on a Touhou forum. It's that TARC runs fine as it is. It serves its purpose without gimmicks and provides a place for Touhou discussion. Our GD board, however, has been all over the place for the past months. We've been changing which board falls into the category, getting rid of other boards entirely, setting up mechanisms, and all sorts of stuff I find crazy. I've been forum-going for nearly half my life, and I find that a normal GD board is important. Many of the problems with our general discussion is that CPMC became GD due to our cliquey userbase, and rather than nip it in the bud, we didn't want to rock the boat and let it go. It just went out of control. In short, TARC doesn't need my focus, because there's nothing wrong with TARC as a board. GD, however, needs work.

[Letty] "Why Letty?" is a good question with a humorous story behind it. In the early days of #shrinemaiden, there was a quiz system in place. It would ask a question, Maullar would type it before anyone else, and points were awarded (to him, because he's a jerk with a desk job). Eventually, I picked a random character, which happened to be Letty, and would copy/paste her name as the answer, no matter what the question. The one time I did not do this, "Letty Whiterock" was the answer, and I was awarded a point out of pity. I then just changed my name to Letty Whiterock to continue the joke. I eventually just adopted it and discovered that Letty really is one of the best characters in the series. Can't argue that!

Why are you so universally reviled? It's as though you hold the least likable opinion on every subject anyone ever cares about.

[Letty] No doubt my vitriol has a lot to do with that. I have/had rage issues. I include "had," because I've taken a lot of friendly advice to heart and tried to better myself as a person. This, of course, includes not being the ball of hatred and spite many of you have come to know. Interestingly enough, I'm really only that way online (for the most part). Outside of the internet, I only get that way I feel like a lot of unnecessary pressure is being put on me. This happens a lot at work when I'm constantly having to pick up the slack for other people's laziness. It frustrates me very easily. The other thing that has a lot to do with it is my argumentative nature. I tend to play Devil's Advocate more than I should. I really need to learn how to choose my battles.

[Letty] Let's be frank here. For one, people take things way too seriously sometimes. dustyjo, I'm calling you out here. Calm down. It'll be okay. Same for you, HakureiSM. I know we don't get along, but it's not a big deal. Two, I often feel that many decisions made here at MotK, on both the user and staff levels, are foolish ones. I'm very opinionated, but at the same time, I'm also well-informed (and willing to admit I'm wrong) on the subject of running an internet forum. I'm not perfect, but I know what I'm doing. Sometimes, I don't feel the same way about my colleagues. They can be quite stubborn at times, and more often than not, there are people here I don't think should be on staff and users that I don't think we should keep around. In addition, unlike many of them, I'm not afraid to speak my feelings and argue my points into the core of the planet, even though I know it usually won't amount to anything.

[Letty] This is the biggest reason people aren't fans of me. I'm brutally honest and can be damn harsh at times. There are times, though, when you have to be. People test your patience, and the only way they'll hear you is if you yell at them. Combine this, my argumentative nature, and my frustration with people and life as a whole, and you make enemies. I'm getting better, I think. I just wish people would listen to me more often. I don't want to seem arrogant, but more than once, I called the failings of CPMC's direction before it actually occurred. It hurt to be ignored, but it hurt more to watch my friends and colleagues scramble and play damage control. I really do care about this place and the people in it, even if they frustrate, sicken, or disturb me. In the end, you're people too, and my tyranny is all for the benefit of everyone.

[Letty] Also, Snowball Challenges need to come back. Sorry, but when someone screws up bad enough to warrant one, they need to made examples of and work for their salvation. Some of the best content comes from when they succeed, and afterward, you say "Ha ha, you're alright" and have strengthened a bond within the community.

[Rin Kagamine]

Why do you make the worst songs ever?  Why are they such garbage?  Why do you insist on continuing to make such awful music?

[Letty Whiterock]

Why do you make the worst songs ever?  Why are they such garbage?  Why do you insist on continuing to make such awful music?

[Letty] Most of them are your fault. I do, however, take full responsibility for this, because it's awesome and you know it.

[Rin Kagamine]

Just because they're my (brilliant) ideas doesn't mean you have to make them.  In fact, I'm fairly certain that I've never given you a serious suggestion.  Except, of course, for The Least 100 Sakuras

[Kilgamayan]

I still have paapercut somewhere.

[Rin Kagamine]

I've got most of them strewn around on various CDs in my car to torture passengers with, though they're mostly there for my own enjoyment.

[Kips McKipzerson]

What exactly are snowball challenges? I've never really heard of them until you mentioned them now, But I can only guess they're a much more extreme 'Idiot' Challenge?
Do you have any aspirations, anything to accomplish, etc etc?
Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. Can I take your order?

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

I don't really claim to know your mind, but is part of your opinion on CPMC/general discussion "the members need to get out of their gated community and actually socialize with the rest of the site"? If that's the case, I can agree with you.

[Letty Whiterock]

I've got most of them strewn around on various CDs in my car to torture passengers with, though they're mostly there for my own enjoyment.

[Letty] Only you would enjoy those atrocities.

What exactly are snowball challenges? I've never really heard of them until you mentioned them now, But I can only guess they're a much more extreme 'Idiot' Challenge?
Do you have any aspirations, anything to accomplish, etc etc?

[Letty] Snowball Challenges are basically the Letty version of a SomethingAwful moderator challenge. Simply put, "moderator challenges are handed out to [posters] who break rules, usually threads with low content. Rule breakers are given the chance of avoiding a ban/probation and redeeming a otherwise bad thread by completing 1 of 3 (or all of 3) challenges relating in some way to the thread topic. If none of the challenges are met the OP is banned." Some amazing content has spawned from these, even here. However, they've been viewed as a form of "public humiliation" and were disallowed. It's sad, too, because this was hilarious to everyone.

[Letty] As far as aspirations go, I'm still trying to figure what my cutie mark is. Once I can actually get some capital behind me, I'd like to get back in school and look into the field of journalism. I enjoy writing and reporting about events, so I figure it'd be something I'd enjoy. Beyond that, I want to learn how to sew, I want to start making electronic music, I want to write a book, and I want to settle down in a happy, healthy relationship that I won't screw up. Dreams are good to have, yes?

I don't really claim to know your mind, but is part of your opinion on CPMC/general discussion "the members need to get out of their gated community and actually socialize with the rest of the site"? If that's the case, I can agree with you.

[Letty] Something like that. That, and "use your heads." One of our biggest shortcomings (this applies to me as well) is that we don't think before we act. If we'd just use our minds to take a step at a time, we could do anything that we wanted to do, and it would prevent a ton of the problems we face today. Follow the rules, use common sense, and keep your cool. These three things make the forum a better place. My original CPMC rule thread was supposed to act as a preventative measure that would cause the userbase to branch out into other boards and not confine everything to CPMC and the clique. When these weren't followed, we as a staff failed to address it immediately. We all dropped the ball, and now we're here, dealing with an issue that wasn't originally difficult and simply became so.

[Chaore]

...Where'd you get those full sets of Letty Reactions? :wat:

Oh, also, why aren't you around as often as before, it sounds like you're still active- Just not talking as much, any particular reason for that?

[GMOFucker: Makin' GMOs To Fuck 'Em]

If I were to ever stop being a pretentious derp and attempt to get into some rhythm games that aren't from the Rhythm Tengoku series, where would be a good place to start?

I really have no idea if you're the best person to ask about this, but welp.

[Suikama]

I thrive on the power that stems from either emotion

Are you an incubator?

[Grand Octopus]

RKS battle royale. Who's left standing at the end?

Actually, why do you like RKS so much?

[Mimachiro]

So how about that Cirno?

What's the greatest challenge you've overcome in life?

Is winter your favorite season of the year?

[Widermelonz]

How often do you visit arcades?

What was the greatest birthday gift you've ever received?

There's a spider the size of your hand on the ceiling. What do you do?

[E-Nazrin]

Why is Purvis your favorite?

Was there a defining moment where you started getting particularly concerned about the CPMC issue?

[Letty Whiterock]

...Where'd you get those full sets of Letty Reactions? :wat:

Oh, also, why aren't you around as often as before, it sounds like you're still active- Just not talking as much, any particular reason for that?

[Letty] Well, aside from some drama that made me avoid this place like the plague, if you looked at my old forum statistics, I was literally here at all hours of the day, all the time. I really needed to get a life outside of the internet. I was also letting this place get to me emotionally, mostly out of frustration, so I just had to spend less time here. Since that decision, I've made a lot of new friends and have some very interesting weekends.

[Letty] As for my plethora of expressions, you have to know where to look!

If I were to ever stop being a pretentious derp and attempt to get into some rhythm games that aren't from the Rhythm Tengoku series, where would be a good place to start?

[Letty] It really depends on what you're looking for! I'm a huge Bemani fan, so obviously I'd suggest anything from Konami's library, but truth be told, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Bemani music game to get into that won't kill your wallet through imports, aside from DDR, and I'm not sure that's what you're looking for. Honestly, this day and age, if you're looking for a non-arcade experience (dance games), play Rock Band. It's super fun and a perfectly fine rhythm game. If you want to go the Bemani route, I would suggest pop'n music. IIDX is way too difficult to start on, but pop'n is fun, colorful, and really easy to get into. Oh, and since you clearly play the DS, you owe it to yourself to play Elite Beat Agents and the Ouendan series. They're excellent rhythm games. I'm also a huge Hatsune Miku Project DIVA fan, so I can't suggest Project DIVA 2 on PSP hard enough. There are lots of choices. Find out what works best for you!

Are you an incubator?

[???] ...

RKS battle royale. Who's left standing at the end?

Actually, why do you like RKS so much?

[Letty] Grolla wins everything. I love her so.

[Letty] Really, though, I've always loved Mega Man games, so finding RKS was a dream come true. It's nostalgic while still being its own thing, and everything is just fun. The thing that really brought me in overall was Grolla's storyline. I'm a huge fan of characters like her, such as Agrias Oaks from Final Fantasy Tactics and Signum from Nanoha A's. To be in control of an absolute badass girl who plays like one of my favorite platforming characters ever (Zero) essentially sold me on it. I think I may be the only person in the US that owns an original physical copy of that game. I don't know why I latched so hard to it, but it's my favorite game ever, and I probably won't let it go for a long time.

So how about that Cirno?

What's the greatest challenge you've overcome in life?

Is winter your favorite season of the year?

[Letty] Cirno's a jerk. It's canon that I feel this way. Look it up.

[Letty] My two biggest obstacles that I've overcome are both, not surprisingly, very emotional. First was the failure of my first serious relationship, which I've come a long way from since, and the second was my parents' divorce. It's something else when you have to yell at your parents to keep them from shooting each other in the kitchen. I essentially had to learn how to move on and cope with life's hardships. And yeah, winter is the best time of year. I love the cold, and snow is too fun to pass up.

How often do you visit arcades?

What was the greatest birthday gift you've ever received?

There's a spider the size of your hand on the ceiling. What do you do?

[Letty] I don't visit arcades as often as I like. Every so often, I can hit up one that's an hour away, but I end up having to pay more money that I'd like, and I just can't afford it. Greatest birthday present? Hmm... I honestly couldn't tell you. I've gotten many gifts from many wonderful friends and family members, so it's hard to put just one at the top.

[Letty] Sp-sp-sp-spider!?

Why is Purvis your favorite?

Was there a defining moment where you started getting particularly concerned about the CPMC issue?

[Letty] Purvis isn't my favorite, silly! But you have to guess who is.

[Letty] CPMC hit maximum awful when the clique turned #touhou-meido into the official unofficial MotK IRC channel, completely ignoring #shrinemaiden and, essentially, anything outside of CPMC. This is really when things became troublesome, because aside from the little groups in TARC and the art boards (and RPG/UGW, of course), CPMC was the only truly active board on the site. Everything Else died. The Outside World died. No one wanted to leave CPMC, despite the clearly-stated rule that you probably should, and because this was not enforced and nothing was really done to handle the root of the problem, we still struggle with it to this day. But yes, that really marks the moment when CPMC went from "fun little Idiot Central" to "a problem full of actual idiots." CPMC is what made me start disliking the userbase, and sadly, I'm not alone in this.

[Rin Kagamine]

If I were to ever stop being a pretentious derp and attempt to get into some rhythm games that aren't from the Rhythm Tengoku series, where would be a good place to start?

I really have no idea if you're the best person to ask about this, but welp.

Hi, I missed this post.

Since you have a DS I'll second Elite Beat Agents (which is OOP but luckily it's not expensive, places on Amazon still have it in spades) and the Ouendan (Osu Tatake Ouendan) series.  They've released two games and while the first one is OOP the good news is that it sucks compared to the second! 

If you want to play on your computer right now I guess you could play OSU! or Stepmania or one of a multitude of various Bemani clones out there (o2jam for example).  I don't play any of these though.

If you want to actually have some real fun at home most Bemani games are available for PS2, the downside is that you'd need to invest some coin in the peripherals.  IIDX will have the cheapest controller to purchase and 14 games (3rd - 16th style) are available for PS2 right now.  IIDX is also helped by having incredible music.  Pop'n is fun, but requires an obscenely large (and loud) controller that routinely runs well over $300 assuming you can still buy one.  Drummania is fun if you have a MIDI drumset compatible with the game, the official controller is not getting and Rock Band is far more accessible anyway.  Currently Reflec Beat and Jubeat are arcade only and will probably stay that way, but if you have an iPad you could get for that!

[Mimachiro]

What's the best thing you've made out of snow?

Your love life as bad as mine?

What's your preferred method of relieving stress?

[Kips McKipzerson]

Are you one of them there catgirls?

How big a con-goer are you, How 'tricked out' is your computer, and why am i your favouritewhat is your favourite thing to do on the internet?

[Letty Whiterock]

What's the best thing you've made out of snow?

Your love life as bad as mine?

What's your preferred method of relieving stress?

[Letty] A friend and I once made a snow Marisa, complete with spell card and "scorch marks" in the snow from a Master Spark.

[Letty] I can't answer that second one unless you post about your love life in my part of the forum! It'll help us get to know each other.

[Letty] As for stress relief, StepMania.

Are you one of them there catgirls?

How big a con-goer are you, How 'tricked out' is your computer, and why am i your favouritewhat is your favourite thing to do on the internet?

[Letty] I'm not a catgirl, but I'm friends with at least one. She has a maid fetish. I'm not making this up.

[Letty] I don't go to very many cons. I hit up Anime Weekend Atlanta every year, but outside of the occasional one, that's it. I want to go to Otakon and the like, but MONEY. My computer is alright. I need a solid-state drive and some various upgrades. It can record 720p ITG videos, so that works for me! As for my favorite internet pastime, I love reading, be it threads, news articles, or wikis. I love absorbing useless knowledge.

[N-Forza]

Letty does not think Cirno is a jerk. That was merely a bad translation. She was talking about how their POWERS shouldn't be compared. Cirno just kind of fools around with ice, but Letty is pretty much the master of winter. And I know you like Advent Cirno at least, because I sold you the comics.

Why would you seriously suggest Project Diva as a decent rhythm game? Rock Band is fine, but come on. If you want something for the PSP, get DJ Max Fever or Portable 3. It's like IIDX but more forgiving so it's a bit easier to get a handle on.

Who would win in a fight between Goku and Superman?

[Rin Kagamine]

The best part about DJ Max is that you don't have to push the right buttons!  As long as you push the proper number of buttons it'll count and that's a design feature, not a flaw!