Member Interviews: ViperLance

[Charizarzar]

Hey PSNP! Welcome back to another member interview. Our current interviewee is @ViperLance34!

 

ViperLance34

 

Standard Questions

How did you come up with your PSN name?
I used to be called "lancea34" back when Yahoo messenger was still a thing. The name comes from the misspelled name of my father's old car, the Lancia 3. I thought it was spelled "lancea"... I added the "4" because "lancea3" was already taken. With that name everybody used to call me "Lance" when playing online, so I stuck with that. I added "Viper" in front because I thought it sounded cool.  

 

What games convinced you to get your PlayStation 3, Playstation Vita, PlayStation 4, and Playstation 5?

There was never a particular game that convinced me to buy a Playstation console. I bought my PS3 back in 2012 and from there I remained loyal to the PlayStation ecosystem. What convinced me to get the PS3 were all the great Sony exclusives. I thought to myself that if Sony were to keep this up, then getting all their future consoles would be a no-brainer. Shame they didn't support the PS Vita enough though.

 

What are your top 5 game series and why?

I was a kid when I first played the first one on PS1. I was amazed by the story, the soundtrack, the dialogue, the graphics, everything! Took my a while to get used to the gameplay. Stealth was such a weird concept to me back then. But once I got comfortable enough I would sometimes spend hours just trolling the guards. Played every Kojima-made game in the saga since. Was really disappointed by MGSV's story, but the gameplay made up for it.

I wasn't particularly impressed by the first Uncharted game, but the second one blew me away. What Naugthy Dog was able to accomplish on 2005 tech is just astounding. The graphics, the setpieces and the smooth gameplay were unheard of for a game released in 2009. Played every game in the series and was never left disappointed.

 

Been a fan of the series since I was about 5 or 6 years old. Was able to finally finish the first one when I was 13 years old due to the disc being too scratched for the PS1 to read, so I had to emulate it on PC. Until then I would just play it as much as I could, and before that, as much as I could handle before getting too scared. From there I slowly began to play them all, repeatedly 'till I knew the first 4 games by heart. I can draw you the Spencer Mansion and RPD by heart. Love all PS2 spin-offs and remakes, though the original trilogy on PS1 has a special place in my heart.

 

First impression when I played it back in 2009 on my PC was: "It's basically RE4 but actually scary!". It's really astounding what Visceral was able to accomplish. The gameplay and graphic were great, but the sound design and soundtrack really deserve a praise of its own. To this day I still feel uneasy when playing it, probably even more so than the remake.

 

 

Yup, another Naughty Dog series. The games that started my completionist addiction. That damned percentage... I loved the original trilogy to death, it's just so much simple fun! So much that seeing that percentage in the options menu under 100% meant that there was more to see and do. More Crash is good right? The remakes were really good but I would have prefered an option to play with the original graphics like a lot of remakes/remasters do nowadays just for that nostalgic feeling.

 

What are your top 5 games and why?

 

 

Yes, it's another Naughty Dog game. This is my favorite game of all time. Never has a game filled me with so much emotion and make me care so much about its characters. The acting is top notch and its gameplay was everything a 3rd person action horror shooter could offer in 2013. The multiplayer was insanely fun, you had to be smart and tactical. Running and gunning would only get you killed fast. The game also looked ridiculously good on the PS3. (And before you ask, no, I didn't like Part II. Ellie and Joel felt like two totally different characters. The rest of the cast didn't feel fleshed out enough for me to care about them and one of the more interesting characters (Lev) got stuck with Abby, which I totally despise as a character.)

 

 

I've played every plastic-guitar game there is, but none have captured quite the magic and feel of Guitar Hero III. While GH Metallica, Beatles Rock Band and Rock Band 3 are superior games in every way, it still seems like there is something missing. It could probably be due to the fact that GHIII was my first rhythm guitar game. I remember playing it non stop for two months when I got it. Played all the way from easy to expert and even managed to beat Through the Fire and Flames on expert. That one alone took close to a week of practice to nail the tapping section in the intro. To this day it is still the only tapping section I can do as I never bothered to learn the rest. I just wanted to prove to myself that I can beat it on expert. In the end I'm kinda glad the whole genre went dead. It was just full of cash-grabs by the end.

 

 

You just can't beat the first one (even though Snake Eater got very close). One thing that I really love about this game are the bosses. Not their battles, but their cutscenes. You would get to know them and their backstory, you would learn about their motivations to joining Liquid and it just adds another layer of depth to the story that the other games in the series are just lacking. Some may say the best one is Sons of Liberty for its social commentary (which I can agree on to some extent), but the first one was just so revolutionary for its use of cinematic camera angles, quality voice acting, super soundtrack and fun gameplay. You really can't deny the impact this game had on gaming as a whole.

 

 

My first Final Fantasy game and first RPG and JRPG. Took me many years to get around the Junction system and learn how to use it properly. Before then I would just make it through the game until the Adel-Rinoa fight on disc 4 and just start all over again. Once I finally learned how to junction magic, unlock GF abilities and farm Ability Points I was so overpowered it was ridiculous... and it felt great! Having replayed this game so many times, I basically know it by heart. I grew very much attached to the characters growing up and feel like they were an important part of my childhood. The soundtrack always brings a tear to my eyes.

 

 

This to me was the game that perfected the Crash Bandicoot platforming formula. The extra abilities you would unlock in Warped weren't as significant to me as the gameplay shift from 1 to 2. Crash felt responsive and fluid and the level design is the best in the series. Just typing all this makes me want to play it all over again ahaha... I can already hear the warp room music in my head.

 

Which unreleased game(s) are you looking forward to the most and why?

Currently I'm only waiting on Spider-Man 2, since I loved the first one. I hope the story and gameplay are good enough to not feel too much like one big deja-vu like Miles Morales. This generation also is pretty barren when it comes to real current gen games. I've only bought 3 PS5 games since I got my PS5 earlier this year and loads of PS4 games. Why buy the PS5 version when the PS4 version has it included for free? Plus, if it has a PS4 version, it's not a real current gen game.

 

Do you have any other hobbies outside of gaming?

As stated in my bio, I make electronic music. I make metal/rock infused drum 'n' bass music. I'll leave you guys the link to my youtube channel:

 

 

Apart from that, I also collect and read western comic books. I'm huge fan of DC Vertigo comics and have collected quite a few of them. I'm a big fan of Fables (c'mon Telltale, hurry up and give us The Wolf Among Us 2), Y: The Last Man and Preacher. I also have a few Marvel and DC comics but only like their best collected stories (like Injustice or Civil War). Before you ask, I don't like manga. I'd rather just watch the anime adaptations.

 

Top 5 TV shows, movies, and/or anime, why, and would you recommend them to people?

 

 

Never has a sitcom made me laugh so much. Having worked in an office myself, I can relate more to the situations and cringe of everyday office life. It's all filmed like a documentary and it lacks a laughing track, so when you laugh, you really laugh hard. The characters will grow on you and if you don't shed a tear by the end, you have no heart.

 

 

Used to hate this anime whenever I happened to catch it on TV, but my girlfriend convinced me to give it a shot. Skipped all the fillers obviously and what I got was possibly the best anime I have ever watched. Loved the characters, the villains their archs and the whole journey from start to finish. The flashback were atrocious at times though, wish they would have cut back a bit on them.

 

I'm tempted to watch Boruto, but everyone says it's not worth it...

 

 

I know this show gets memed a lot, and people have probably grown tired of always seeing it pop up on best TV series of all time lists, but you can't deny how good of a show this is. The series is one giant character transformation. In 62 episodes, most of which will keep you on the edge of your seats, you will see the gradual moral and character shift of Walter White. From high school chemistry teacher to druglord kingpin. There's nothing really bad I can say about this show... too much yellow maybe?

 

 

The prequel to Breaking Bad is probably even better. Though the first few seasons were really slow at times (at least until more familiar faces got introduced), once it picks up the pace it never stops. Similarly to Breaking Bad, we see the protagonist Jimmy McGill's transformation from conman, to honest lawyer, to Saul Goodman. There were times where I really felt for him. He ain't no saint, but he isn't nearly as bad as the villains shown here, and there are many of them (both familiar and new).

 

 

Computer and security nerds are gonna love this one. The hacking techniques and software shown are all real. The show itself is basically Fight Club but instead of Tyler Durden we got Elliot Alderson. It starts out "normal" and then becomes one hell of a psychological trip into the protagonist's psyche. Sometimes you won't be sure what you're seeing. It will make you question things, about the government, society, the internet, social media, politics and even the story of the show itself. Thankfully the latter will get answered by the end. The other questions though will keep lingering in your mind long after you've turned off your TV.

 

 

Top 5 favorite music bands/group/artists/composers/OST?

Oh boy... I could rant for hours but thankfully I only have to limit myself to 5. Ok, here we go.

 

Zardonic

The king of bringing metal to the dancefloor. He's the producer that I spend the most time analyzing his tracks. The way he mixes heavy bass music with heavy metal guitars is out of this world. It shouldn't sound this good, but it does. He's been my main inspiration for the past two years but his music will always be cooler than mine.

 

Celldweller

 

The one that made me fall in love with electronic rock. First encountered on the NFS Most Wanted (2005) soundtrack, I didn't think much of his music. I then heard him again on the Dead Rising 2 soundtrack and was hooked. I started listening to all of his albums and was surprised by how well they're produced and how inventive he is at mixing modern EDM elements into rock music in a way that sounds completely natural. He might as well be his own genre.

 

Pendulum

 

The band that got me into drum 'n' bass. There's just something to the genre that I just can't put my finger on. I can relax to it, I can chill to it, I can headbang to it. It's so dynamic it can be anyhting I want it to be. I tend to be more on the energy-filled side of it, and Pendulum are exactly that. They're first album brought the genre to the masses with its clean sound design, catchy melodies and rock inspired elements.

 

The Quemists

 

Am I supposed to dance, or am I supposed to headbang? BOTH! You've probably heard them before, many of their tracks ended up on racing game soundtracks back in the day (Motorstorm, Blur, SSX, Onrush) with the track Stompbox being their most famous track. Their latest album (Warrior Sound) is the perfect mix of rock/metal and drum 'n' bass. 

 

Depeche Mode

 

The kings of electronic music. Need I say more? Ethereal electronic sounds mixed with a profound vocalist singing profound lyrics. They're one of the only bands where I pay close attention to the lyrics, something I usually don't do. Can't wait to see them live again next year.

 

These 5 bands are also my main inspirations when making or remixing music.

 

Your favorite platinum and why?

 

 

Celeste. I'm a stubborn guy and I like to be challenged from time to time. I decided I would plat Celeste without using the assisted mode and after about 5 weeks I managed to finally grab. I had so much fun playing this game, it's such a shame many would just use the assisted mode to even just normally finish the game. The level design is just perfect and getting through the later levels gave me one hell of a rush.

Didn't bother with the DLC though because I was really burned out by the end. But I did watch a playthrough of it because I got really invested in the story.

 

Your least favorite platinum and why?

Least favorite platinum... hmm... there aren't actually that many. But the one I hated the most was probably Jak II. The lack of checkpoints made the game very frustrating. Having to continuously repeat sections of the same level due to poor shooting mechanics was not fun at all. Once I got the plat, I was glad to never have to play the game ever again.

 

Have you ever been tempted to switch over to the Xbox/Nintendo/PC gaming ecosystems?

Nope. Once you're so deep into an ecosystem it's hard to switch over. Especially when you have so many digital games that carry over to the next generation of consoles. Switching over would mean my 300+ gaming backlog was all just a waste of money.

 

If you could have one game from any gaming generation be remade or re-released, which one would it be and why?

Please Capcom remake Resident Evil Outbreak File #1 and #2. We've been begging you for years so Y U NO LISTEN? It would become your best online RE title ever! Also remake Code Veronica pretty please!

 

How far are you willing to go for a platinum?

About 7 years ago I hosted a boosting match on Batman Arkham Origins with a sprained ankle. Coming back home from work my right foot slipped on the sidewalk and I felt an excruciating pain in my ankle. By the time I got home my foot had become swollen and purple, but there was no time to waste... I had a boosting session in 30 minutes. So I hop online, assure that everybody's there and ready and explain to everybody what they had to do (using the PS3 group chat). A few hours later, everybody got their online trophies and I rushed myself to the hospital. Got a quick checkup of my ankle and had it bandaged. Had to about walk 2 weeks with crutches but it was worth it.

 

If you could give Sony direct feedback on business decisions in the last year, and the latest console generation, what would you tell them?

Dear dudes at Sony. While I can understand your decision to invest into live service games due to how expensive single player games development has become, don't forget that everybody buys your console for your exclusives. We're already 3 years in and most of the PS5 games you've released also have a PS4 version. Where's the real next-gen stuff? Also, what happened to smaller games? You used to publish so many unique indie-like games during the PSP-PS3-PSVita era that were simple and a lot of fun to play. And finally, why keep the PSVR2 locked to PS5? It's an excellent VR headset, you could be making a lot of money by opening it to the PC market. You could also release some of your VR games on PC and get some extra cash too. It would give it a longer lifespan.

 

What is your favorite thing about PSNP?

The stats screen, the community, the guides and its visual design. Sometimes I would just stare at my profile and take all of my accomplishments in. I also love how simple it is to keep track of everything.

 

What is your least favorite thing about PSNP?

I don't like the fact you can't use fan-made closed source servers for old PS3 games to get the online trophies without getting said trophies flagged. Only open source servers are permitted (and only after a thorough inspection by the CRT). There are a quite a few old PS3 games that I would have liked to plat that are locked out forever due to their servers' closure. I guess we'll just have to wait till some of these projects (PSONE, Warehouse, etc.) become open sourced.

 

Is there anyone in the PSNP Community you would like to give a shout-out to and if so, why?

I don't actually know many members on this site. A few of them I remember from randomly meeting them while boosting some PS3 games a few years back. Having said that, I would like to give a shoutout to you @Charizarzar for helping me and my friends boost Uncharted 3's MP trophies back when the server closure was announced. I would also like to give a shoutout to @HusKy for creating PSNP+ as it's made my trophy collecting life so much easier.

 

Community Questions

Do you have/had any pets?

Not yet. Planning on getting a cat sometime in the future. I love cats! 

Are you disappointed by the lack of Rockband and Guitar Hero?

No. Like I said, I'm glad the genre is dead. Thankfully I can always resort to Clone Hero for a quick fix.

If yes, has there been any game that's filled the void? Outside of your actual music production.

Yes, I play Clone Hero on PC from time to time. Gotta keep them fingers trained if I ever wanna plat Lego Rock Band and GH Van Halen. 
 

What's your opinion on fish fingers?

I don't like cooked fish. I only like fish raw like in sushi, but fish fingers are pretty ok. 

What would you do if you had the ability to teleport short distances? Like 20 metres instantly.

If there's no limit or cooldown between teleportations, I guess I would just continuously spam it to get wherever I want! 

Do you have any plans to Platinum the other Crash Bandicoot games you haven't finished yet in the future?

Yes, I do plan on platting Crash 4 and CTR sometime in the future. Just not right now.

What are your thoughts on the modern PlayStation classics on PS4 and PS5? How are you liking the experience of trophy hunting in these PS1 and PSP titles?

Loving it. The platinums are easy and they let you relive the memories of playing those old but timeless games. One of the best things Sony has done this generation. Now if they would only update their PS2 emulator and start releasing some new games for it, that would be great. Only downside is that only Sony seems interested in bringing their back catalog to the program. We only had a handful of third party games at launch and that's it... 

If you could add a Platinum trophy to any one of the non-Platinum games you've played, what game would you add a Platinum to, and why?

Assassin's Creed. Even though I haven't played an AC since Unity, the fact I will never be able to get a platinum for the first one still irks me. I love when I look at a game series on PSNP and see that I've collected everything. Then I look at the one for AC and see that it starts at ACII.

What's your worst gaming experience, one you regret?

I literally can't think of a gaming experience that was so bad I regret it. Does bricking your console count as a gaming experience? I remember being a teenager when I bricked my softmodded Wii while messing around with the system updates. It was my only gaming console at the time, so yeah I regret that one very much.

Have you ever almost given up gaming? if yes, why? (if it's personal, just say personal)

No, but I've had periods of time, whole months even, where I just didn't feel like gaming. It's my favorite hobby and I'm never gonna give it up, never gonna let it down, never gonna run around and desert it.

If you could only have 1 game to play for the rest of your life what would it be?

That's a tough question. Probably Minecraft for the near endless gameplay possibilities (especially on PC).

Who're your favorite Drum & Bass producers/DJs who've inspired your music?

I've already listed a few of them in my top 5 artists so I'm just gonna list them again and add some more:

 

• Pendulum
• Zardonic
• The Qemists
• Raizer
• Wilkinson
• Noisia
• The Upbeats
• Muzzy
• Venjent
• Voicians
• Kromea
• Black Sun Empire
• Delta Heavy
• Spor

First, I'd be interested in the link to your YT channel so I could hear your music!

Here you go. Enjoy!

Which game were you excited about but found you just didn't like it?

The Last of Us Part II. In a narrative driven game, you can get away with outdated gameplay if your story is actually good, but part II's story isn't. The gameplay felt outdated and boring and story sucked. With nothing good to motivate me to finish the game, completing the campaign just felt tedious. 

It sounds like you have your dream job!  Are there any other areas in IT you'd like to explore or possibly move into?

I don't think any other IT branch can match the job possibilities of IT security. There's always something new to learn so you never get bored and the salary is one of the highest. To answer your question, I don't see myself moving into any other area anytime soon.

You have quite a few trophies that are really an accomplishment.  One is your plat for Terraria, which I've always wanted to play.  Did you enjoy this game casually or get in the mood to play hours at a time?

I was still in highschool when I started Terraria. I actually stayed home one friday just to play Terraria all weekend. Fun times! 

How much wood would a Viper chuck if a Viper could chuck wood??!

Seventeen. (High five if you get that reference)
 

Okay now for a serious question... If Crash Bandicoot and Mario had a baby... Who would be the father?!

Mario since he's sporting the perfect Italian dad-stache.

Since you like computers and work as a cyber security analyst, have you seen Ghost in the Shell (1995)? If yes, what do you make of it?

Sadly I haven't seen it yet. It's on my watch list though so I guess one day I'll get to it.

Your life seems pretty dope! Congratulations on such achievements, and really hope you can keep up! Your ID remembers me a lot of Pokémon; first for Seviper and the Elite Four Trainer Lance (a Pokémon master on Dragon type). Which is your favorite Pokémon to date?

This one may come as a surprise, but I don't like Pokèmon, nor the Pokèmon games. I tried playing a few of them, but I don't find the gameplay loop to be fun. Probably because I've never grown up on Pokèmon games as a kid like most people my age.

What's your favorite Pokémon generation so far?

Ugh... the one with Pikachu?

Are you planning on marriage?

I'm not too keen on marriage and I don't plan on ever having kids. Don't really see a point in marriage, but you can never know.

Did you study musical theory or did you just learn everything by simple practice and looking here and there and then joining everything together?

Just simple practice and YouTube videos. Eventually things start to click.

As you work in IT, and you're passionate about video games, have you ever thought of working for any VG development house?

That was actually my dream job as a kid. Once I got older and saw what a shitshow the industry is I quickly changed my mind. I do still want to give it a shot though. Was thinking of trying to give it a shot by learning everything myself with a free engine like Godot. I have this idea for an old school Resident Evil clone that I want to develop one day.

What's "34" stand for? My "91" has its meaning, not just random, LOL.

Like I said earlier in the interview, my name originally comes from the Italian car "Lancia 3". When "lancea3" was taken, a friend of mine suggested adding a 4. From there, "lancea34" was born. It would then become ViperLance34 in 2012 when I signed up on PSN.

I'd like to visit Italy, I might do so in the next years. What's the best food in the country, and where can I find it?

Literally anywhere. Every region in Italy has its own culinary traditions so you won't be disappointed. My personal suggestion though would be to go south. You really should try the food in Naples and Sicily at least once in your life.

What's your favorite meal in your country?

Spaghetti Carbonara, the original italian recipe. I just can't get enough of it. No cream, no milk and no onion. Just pasta, eggs, pig cheek meat, sheep cheese and pepper. The secret to italian cuisine is its simplicity. In other words, less is more. Just the right ingredients cooked in just the right way.

Have you traveled around Europe or the world?

I've traveled around Europe and also went to Egypt once as a kid. I've been to Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and the UK. Still have a lot of countries and places to see. 

Which is your dream country?

Probably Finland or Norway. Now if I could only find the time and money to actually visit them and see if they actually live up to my definition of dream country.

How did your current job has affected your trophy hunting or gaming in general? I know that's a bunch of questions, but I'm really curious about you, bro. You basically are a real life cool spy ninja James Bond, a man you always must aspire to be!

Wow, thanks! Never thought I could leave such an impression on somebody! My current job actually benefitted my gaming and trophy hunting hobbies. Since I work from home I don't have to commute so I have extra time that I can play. Sometimes I even manage to squeeze a few hours during work time on slow days.

 

____________________________________________________________________

Thank you to all who participated in asking questions in this interview! See you soon for the next one.

Spoiler

@Breakingthegreen @blue_blur_98 @Infected Elite @Helyx @GT__Jedi @Joe Dubz @zizimonster @Xenoblast91

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Charizarzar