Interview with artty77

[SprayGround 2,851]

Presenting: artty77!

Hello, In this interview you can read all about my old clan mate and former creativity league member @artty77. Enjoy!

 

@I3est: Hello artty, welcome to my interview!

@artty77: Hi, and thanks for inviting me Martin!

@I3est: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

@artty77: Well, I'm 38 years old, not your typical age for a tanki player, but nothing unheard of. Living in Sofia, Bulgaria. My actual name is George. Being playing the game since early March 2012, more or less, with few short pauses during that time. Was brought to the game by my great friend @W-h-o who's probably far more famous and well known around the community. Before my current line of work, which is basically what you can call, spedition and logistics business, I've spend few good years in the army. In fact was almost tempted to turn it into a long term and life time career. And even thought Tanki is not exactly a war game simulator, I believe all this still plays a role in my long lasting  love and interest toward the game.

@I3est: The army :o Sounds interesting, can you tell something more about your time there?

@artty77: My initial idea and desire was to join the air force, since I had huge interest and admiration for the military pilots, but unfortunetely, my mathematical skills proved to be far from sufficient, and at the time, our country air force were strugling and going into major reforms. All this combined have literally grounded me to stay within the army, but it was no doubt a life time experience. The one single thing I enjoyed the most, was the ability to work as a whole, in groups, well coordinated, knowing your role and and fulfilling your duties and what is it expected from you. Needless to say, you can find this to be very important in Tanki's team games, where the most crucial quality is the good communication between us players and staying focused on your particular role on the "battle" field.

@I3est: Sounds like you had great time there, lets talk some more about game now, what are your best memories in tanki?

@artty77: No doubt the best memories I got are coming from all these times, when you can sense some strong team spirit and all the victories we had, playing with my friends, You included. Maybe one very vivid and still clear moment, was a Düsseldorf CTF match, that lasted for over 13 hours. At the end, we have finished in a tie end result, but despite the exhaustion, it was such a pleasure, having your friends coming one by one, playing along side with you, not giving up for all those long hours, determined to win and help you. I have to admit, I tend to prefer absurd, ungreatful games over quicker formats. Simply put, when you feel an acomplishment for your long lasting efforts. Like each time a clan I used to support or be part of like with The Tank Breakers, even though not as an active, in game player for them, and see them win a tournament.
Another thing I clearly enjoyed was each time I was able to buy something new for my garage of course lol Don't think I would surprise anyone, we all have been there, and even thought I am not innocent when it comes to buying, I have to say, nothing compares to the pleasure of the smallest items you purchase, with hard earned crystals from the game itself. I would really advice every new player to restrain himself from taking the easier path and try to earn as much as they can, because only then you can really appreciate your garage items, and of course, nothing compares to the long hours you spend in the game, when it comes to training and getting experience in the game.

@I3est: I don't think I remember that game but it sounds like it was a crazy match, the good old days. Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on all the recent updates?

@artty77: With the risk to sound like typical older player of any game or fan of any franchise, the old times were offering me much better experience. Understandable that like everything else, especially business orientated, Tanki as well need to go under some changes every now and then to adopt new things. But I have a lot of reserves when it comes to most of the updates. For example continuously changing item specs, a long tradition in the game. Knowing how long it takes for a new player to advance and build up his garage, I find it really discouraging, when you plan few months in advance, working on a certain hull and turret combo, to only find out, little after you have finally purchised them, how they will be completely overhauled.

Also, and here many will dissagree, considering its vastly popularformat, but I don't find it particularly good, when the game developers started to focus and promote certain formats like XP/BP ones. To a point, it became the norm and combination of any official tournament. Nowadays you can barely find battles which used to be a common thing in every server. Even the most popular ones like CTF Silence games or Kungur and Iran maps are a tiny minority. I have mentioned my affection to absurdly long battles with huge teams and maps like Dusseldorf, but it bacame an exotic rare specie. Personally I also enjoy playing with any type of rail combo's but I still don't understand why almost deliberately neglect all other type of players and maps that used to be popular for years 
But if I have to be really harsh when it comes to criticism, it will be the fact that we constantly see changes and updates for various things, while there is often an eternal pattern of technical issues. To this day, almost anyone I know and have played with for years, experience technical issues, like the infamous lags, most notably. Needless to say, that is a thing that must be addressed in the first place, and for as long as it persist, before any other major updates or changes.

@I3est: We all hope that Tanki will improve. Now lets jump to creativity, we've all seen the amazing art you're capable of making, what made you start using editing software? And do you use your editing skills outside of Tanki too?

@artty77: I got myself involved in graphics editing and design, long ago, when first stumbled into some of the first software tools avaliable, in the ancient days of the good old MS DOS era. When you know how weak the personal computers were back in those days, compared even to the smartphones of today, I don't have to tell you these programs and what they were offering you from todays perspective can bring a smile on everyones face.  Back then I caught myself been often much more interested into making funny pictures, basically trolling my friends, by screen-capturing some of the games we were playing back then, and manipulating the images in order to come with all sorts of non existing game levels, enemy final stage bosses and so on. Naturally after a while they got used to it, so the joke wore out, but I was already hooked into the idea what can you do with such kind of software.  It is amazing what can you achieve with current versions of these programs, with a single click, compared to all the steps you had to make back then just to creatre the same effect and result. It all payed off, in a way that anyone who have gone through this era, have learned the basics to the last detail. It basically turned me personally into how I often call myself "graphical editing technician", more than an actual "artist".  When it comes to art and creativity in Tanki, when you look at the Tanki Creative League for example, you can find really amazingly gifted people in there. I can honestly say, most of them in reality put me to inner shame and noble jealousy when it comes to art expression and skills. And if there are still people, like new players, who are unaware of the TLT and similar creative clubs I really want to encourage them to check on them, and some of their authors youtube channels or other social media sources where they display their creations.  So besides doing it in Tanki, like I used to create all sorts of clan, or personal duelist pages, and just goof materials, I continue to do that on the side of my main line of work, for various clients, sport teams or small organizations.

@I3est: Great, any advice for people who want to learn graphic editing?

@artty77: A lot of friends have asked for help or advices about graphic editing and just using programs like Photoshop. I don't know if I was able to be of good service and help to all, but that is exactly what I have always tried to advice them all - just spend time over these programs, no matter how good you are right now and no matter  what you're prefering and using. Get familiar with all the options in there. Just open a new blank project, and start doing random things, familiarizing yourself with the interface. Like that, with the time, you will arm yourself with all different options and solutions when you need to achieve an effect. Very often, identical results can actually be achieved using fairly different approaches. Most things don't have some concrete editing pattern, written down on a stone that you have to fallow throughout. It is all about personal preferences, just experiment and results are starting to come much faster than most people think when they first see these often scary looking program interfaces with a thousand and more "buttons".

@I3est: Anyway we’ve come to the end of the interview, thanks for your advice and the inteview, Im  glad I had you here. I hope to see you in some battle sometime too!
 

@artty77: My pleasure Martin! Again thanks for having me and for the interest, because like I told you "behind the scenes" lol.. with my withdraw from the active Tanki scene, I'm sure plenty of people would wonder "Who is this guy anyway" Well, hopefuly I will find more time soon enough and will get back to the game, and they will come out with ways to regain the interest of most of us, the old players. Have a great day everyone!

 

~End~
 

 

 

[N.o.6.o.d.y 575]

NICE

[I.Devastation 2,053]

this is beautiful... just like me

das

gj stone mah og noob :))

 

#Birth4Admin2k16

Edited August 16, 2016 by I.Devastation

[the_big_killer 12]

1st.. Nice interview #I3est4admin2k16

[SpHryfBoss 573]

My eyes hurt. Thanks, birth!

[Sr.I3oSS 2,546]

I'll read this when school starts.

[Mafia 339]

#Birthfornewspaperadmin2k17

OK nice article

[Remveij 10]

STONE FOR PRESIDENT OF THIS GAME

[I3loodShot 3,119]

Best article in the entire section. More like I3est article in the entire section. Hahahahahahahhahaha

[SprayGround 2,851]

Thanks all!!! ^_^

[Jwimmer 2,835]

Nice questions and very good answers. Good to see an interview that is more of a conversation- this is probably one of the best interviews in the AWC right now.

 

Well done!

[ToHoYoNTaDa 1,147]

Nice interview  ^_^

[SpaceCowboy18 1,562]

So Stone speaks  :o.. Jokes aside it is a good Interview  :wub: (she won't be proud of you ok)

[Guest]

Best article in the entire section.

+

[Thug 3,435]

Birth!!! damn bro

[SprayGround 2,851]

So Stone speaks  :o.. Jokes aside it is a good Interview  :wub: (she won't be proud of you ok)

Yes I do, thanks and she is, ok :rolleyes:

 

Birth!!! damn bro

:P

[Magenta 5,165]

Text walls. Where we are going, we don't need text walls. #Rejected.

[SprayGround 2,851]

Text walls. Where we are going, we don't need text walls. #Rejected.

How can you reject text wall, it's a wall after all!

 

Nice, does he still play?

Nope, he quit long ago, I made him do interview anyway. :D

Actually @W-h-o made him do it. :ph34r: