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Who are you and where are you from?
I am Ghandaiah. My real name is Sam Shapiro. I am Sam. Like the movie. Hmm. I come from Wisconsin - the cheese state - Though it's not really the cheese state anymore...
You are the creator of the Planet Deus Ex article "Got Ghand?". What to you attribute to the success of the article? What is the inspiration behind "Got Ghand?"?
No, I am not. You have the wrong person... Okay, I don't know what I can attribute the "success" of the article to. One day I just opened Word and went insane and it kind of stuck. Gwog accepted it (what an idiot) and then Despot was stuck with it. Stuck. Stuck. Stuck. I've said it four times now.
I was largely inspired by "Space Ghost: Coast to Coast" at one point, and I think that it really shows. I was also inspired by the men in my vision... and those damn blurry patches with the fuzz... with the colors... they inspired me... with their keyboards.
You appear to have a talent for creative writing. Do you see yourself making a career of it? What are your plans for the future?
I definitely want to write as a profession. I'm big into cinema, so I'd really like to do some screenwriting - although screenwriters get about zero respect. I'm presently in the process of writing a novel and it's turning out quite nicely. Either way I'd really like to write, I mean, really... seriously.
You were project leader of the one time Deus Ex mod named "Counterfeit". What was it that made you decide to close the project? Will you ever get involved in a newer project when Deus Ex 2 is released?
Counterfeit was closed because of time constraints. I was trying to do too much all at once. I will definitely get involved in a new mod for Deus Ex 2 and I'd like to start as early as possible. I Don't want to end up starting as late as I did with Counterfeit.
Strangely enough, people are still playing it. I Got some feedback mail the other day, complaints of course - telling me how much it stank.
You've been in the Deus Ex community for a long time, but what about before Deus Ex? Were you in any other game communities? Did you work on any other projects?
I was in many: Duke Nukem 3d, Blood, Quake, Quake II, Half-Life, Unreal Tournament, Rune. These are the other communities I wrung blood from. Those were the glory days, son. I had many previos projects for Quake and Half-Life - all failed. I was just a punk kid.
What advise would you give people looking to start a project?
Don't be an idiot. Don't over-estimate yourself. Start simple and work your way up. Have a clear picture of what you want to do. Have practical goals and then stick to it. Do not overbake the muffins!
The burning question: Will Ghand ever escape his underwater prison?
I am not at liberty to give that information.
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