Question Time With The Emperor

Welcome to another Monday blog installment. Thanks for sticking with me in this transitional period of me not having any idea about what I want to write. So I have been ridiculously busy working in real life both at my day job as a VoIP engineer and my side job as a gamer aficionado to the world at large. For about a year now I have been trying to set plans in motion to embark on a journey to bring eSports to Jamaica on a corporate level. Months later and here we are with the world ambassador and advocate of competitive gaming Isaiah 'Triforce' Johnson as Digicel Jamaica becomes the first corporation to embrace the world of competitive gaming. I sat down for a quick Q & A with the man himself so others can get an understanding of who he is and what he brings to the table.

1. What is your full name and how did you get the name Triforce?
My full name is Isaiah TriForce Johnson. I added TriForce to my first name because a lot of my friends know me for being a huge Zelda fan. At first my friends just wanted to call me Zelda but I told them that is the Princess of the game and they did not agree with calling me Link. I’m not a bag guy so Ganon didn’t fit. Originally they did not like calling me GameMaster because in the arcades I use to put up TGM. It was my friend Robert Billings who then suggested TriForce and I agreed with it and the name stuck. I was able to still use TGM in arcades and if it allowed 4 letters I would put TFGM. It wasn’t until around 2002 I started putting EMP as my tag instead but that is because I wanted to pay tribute to my gaming team that I formed. 

2. Has your family always been supportive of your gaming and vision for the future?

Not my Mother so much but my Father does support and encourage me a lot to pursue my passions in gaming. In fact it was my very own Father that started it up for me as a gamer. He himself use to play Pac-man in the cab station that he use to take me to when he was working and getting ready to take me home from school.


3. Why do so many people feel the need to judge you as a bad person in the FGC?
I’m not from the Fighting Game Community and my outlook on a lot of things gaming never meshed with their sub-culture. I could go into a long drawn out story about it but to be honest, I’m at a point where it doesn’t even matter anymore. I have supporters and non-supportive people in the FGC and I’m fine with that. 50/50 is not bad and you can’t please everyone so that as good as it will get for me. What matters is that my fellow Nintendo gamers support my love for Nintendo and we share that common goal and bond. N4L

4. List 5 of your favorite or most respected non-EMP FGC members (Players/Organisers)?
Jason Cole - @AfroCole
Seth Killian - @sethkillian
LI Joe - @thisislijoe
Mr. Qurate - @MrQuaRate
Mike Ross -  @ThatMikeRossGuy

5. Why?
They all keep it real and hustle their passions hard.

6. Why did you decide to call your organization Empire Arcadia?
Arcades is where it really started for me. Yeah I played some game & watch, some table tops etc. however the whole culture behind it hit me at 4 for the arcade. All I saw was just people putting quarters in arcade machines and playing. I had to stand on crates to watch and I was memorized. As I got older I considered people who hung out at the arcades, “Arcadians”. Like American’s are to America. When I decided to give an official legal name to my community now turned organization, my goal was to create an Empire from born from the era of the Arcades. “Empire Arcadia”.


7. What exactly is Empire Arcadia and its function?
Empire Arcadia is a development organization that utilizes the talents, passions and innovations of its gamers to help further develop new and old elements in gaming such as, Fashion, Art, Music, Media, Education, Health, Competition, Technology, Entertainment etc. in Gaming. We just so happen to use our gaming team as the marketing team since winning draws attention.

8. What job would you have liked to pursue and why if you had not started Empire Arcadia?
Regardless that I created Empire Arcadia, I’m still going after that Community Manager and or Ambassador position for Nintendo. No if and or buts about it.

9. How has your overall experience in Jamaica been?
It’s spiritually invigorating to be home.

10. Any final words to the various gamers in Jamaica but also the world as per the future of competitive gaming and what it holds for the masses?
Everyone on the planet plays games and it is my obligatory duty to open as many gaming platforms, in as many countries in as many cities, in as many communities as I can in the world. Bless up Jamaica.

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eSports Is Here!!! Are You Not Entertained?

Time for another random Monday blog with your friendly neighborhood gamer Zalgo Cometh. Today we will be looking at the ever growing topic of eSports and its somewhat sudden meteoric rise to popularity. So lets drop some knowledge for the masses. Oh before I forget I know a few people have been messaging me asking why I haven't been doing more general topics for the random Monday blog post that more relate to the average person but fear not. I will get back into those in due time just felt a bit burnt out and the mental juices haven't really been flowing but feel free to send me topics you might feel are interesting that I can speak on. Anywhore...

Electronic sports (or eSports) is a term for organized video game competitions, especially between professionals. The most common video game genres associated with electronic sports are real-time strategy, fighting, first-person shooter, and multiplayer online battle arena. Tournaments such as the World Cyber Games, the Evolution Championship Series, and the Intel Extreme Masters provide both live broadcasts of the competition, and cash prizes to competitors.

Although eSports have long been a part of video game culture, competitions have seen a large surge in popularity in recent years. Professional gaming isn't exactly new. Gamers have been making a living off their skills since the late '90s. While competitions before around the year 2000 were largely between amateurs, the proliferation of professional competitions and growing viewership now supports a significant number of professional players and teams, and many video game developers now build features into their games designed to facilitate such competition.

Not only are large organizations like MLG (Major League Gaming) and EVO (Evolution Championship Series) putting on these events in America, but the developers of these eSports titles have begun hosting their own massive tournaments and leagues in the states as well. Riot Games, developer of the massively popular free-to-play MOBA League of Legends, also hosts their own tournament league, LCS (League Championship Series). Riot Games recently made huge strides for eSports as a whole in the U.S., going through a lengthy process to prove that League of Legends is a legitimate sport to the U.S. government. Thanks to the developer, the United States government now recognizes pro LoL players as professional athletes, and will award them visas to work in the U.S. under that title.

Jamaica has an opportunity to enter into this "new" emerging market and get in on the ground floor for a very lucrative and influential market. The potential for growth, mass market appeal and reach is an untapped resource that more companies need to take notice of and utilize. Companies such as LIME and Digicel are potentially the first major companies to start taking notice of the realm of eSports. They have begun to look through the door of opportunity that is before them so now all that is left is for them to boldly step through and invest well to solidify their impact and relevance in the industry as its pioneers. Due to the potential reach and impact of the eSports industry advertising and reaching multiple markets had never been easier especially if one appeals to a specific region such as the Caribbean. The first organization to step up to the plate is a group of long time gamers spearheading a group called the Fighters Allegiance Of Jamaica led by a man called Andrew Johnson. If they can plan, organize and make this a reality just imagine what they could do with corporate backing? Last year was quite the sight to behold and a big success so they have decided to do it again so this year be sure to do your part and support the eSports scene in Jamaica so it can grow and offer a wider range of events and exposure for yet another Jamaican talent pool to rise and showcase the island of wood and water.

So much promise for tourism and exposure is at our fingertips we have but to reach out and grab it. Granted it may be a rough and risky road but we have something to circumvent a lot of the start up issues ventures like this usually face. Whats this you may ask? That would be the support and vested interest of the worlds number one most winning competitive gaming organization the Empire Arcadia. Why you may ask well national pride is a wonderful thing because just as fate would have it the founder and CEO is of Jamaican lineage and would like to establish an eSports foothold here in the Caribbean with Jamaica as the center of it all. Lets build an empire...

Do your part and help support, promote, and endorse the future of eSports in Jamaica. I myself will go and try to get what practice I can so I don't embarrass myself at the tournament; hope to see you there. Mash Di Button 2014 on May 31st at Shop 21 Springs Plaza Half Way Tree. Bring your hype, bring your pride, and bring your support!!!

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Movie Club Night: White House Down

Here we go with the second installment of Monday Night Movie Club here on In The Mind Of My Mind for the month of July. Last week we watched Olympus Has Fallen in preparation for this weeks movie White House Down as many people claim both movies are very similar but somehow White House Down was the better of the two. So tonight we will watch White House Down and hopefully get some feedback from you our fans on both movies and which you prefer. Going forward after this weeks Monday Night Movie Club I will give my rating of the movie watched the previous week. Anywhore today's movie will be available for download as usual and i'm really crossing my fingers hoping there are no technical difficulties and everyone can access it fine and no trouble comes from this. Ideally we will do a mix of new recent movies as well as old movies here and there to review and offer opinions on. Feel free to also try Netflix as they are a premiere service for accessing movies on a whole. Also on a side note EVO was this past weekend in Las Vegas and I usually do a wrap up blog but Kotaku actually did a pretty decent post on it this time around so I will just link it here.

Capitol Policeman John Cale has just been denied his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James Sawyer. Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news, he takes her on a tour of the White House, when the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, with the nation's government falling into chaos and time running out, it's up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country. The movie as of writing this currently holds a 6.3/10 score on IMDb so lets see if that is a correct grading for the movie. Click the following link to download a copy of the movie at your leisure and check it out. Be sure to come back here and drop a few words in the comment section below with your thoughts on the movie and how much you would score it based on the acting quality, storyline, cinematics and actors.

DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW!!!!

http://hugefiles.net/vps6qrlud2zt 

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The Final Countdown

Welcome one and all to another random Monday blog here on "In the Mind of My Mind". From the blog title and the music which should be playing by now you may be asking what exactly am I counting down for. Well that's what we are about to get into; a couple weeks back I did an interview with a small organization referred to as the Fighter's Allegiance Of Jamaica or FAJ for short. For the in-depth run through for those of you that missed it you can go check it out before I go any further by visiting this link: http://zalgocometh.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-answer-lies-in-heart-of-battle.html

Well its almost here and i'm pumped, amped up and super excited. Jamaica's first major video game tournament of this nature, with prizes totaling over $100,000; what more could any gamers ask for? A chance at money, a chance at looking cool in-front of honeys and most importantly whooping some serious ass and showing your dominance over all who step up to the challenge. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you.....MASH DI BUTTON!!!!

With all that being said I can't afford for this event to miss me. It will truly be a once in a lifetime experience to be apart of a first time even like this in Jamaica. This is history in the making people and unless you are a SDA (Seventh Day Adventist) you really shouldn't miss this; no wait scratch that even if you are SDA you should still try to come and support such an epic event. Hell just in case you were hype enough as is we another video to get the hype juices flowing for all your gamers out there...

Obviously seeing as how i'm a mind reader I know a couple of you out there are wondering what else is there to appeal to the masses of people who aren't gamers. Well no worries we got you covered too as the event will beheld at "The Spot" sports bar and grill on the University of the West Indies campus in lovely Kingston Jamaica; so there will be much food and libations and entertainment for one and all to enjoy. This event is supported and endorsed wholeheartedly by VXG, The Spot Sports Bar and Grill -UWI, Enhanced Realizm, Str8 Games and Yardie 876 Gamers. What more incentive do you really need to come out and enjoy a Saturday afternoon? Hell obviously i'm going to be there so you got to come out and show some support even just for me....pweese pwetty pweese. On the reals though I need to hit up the lab real hard this week so I don't get my ass brutally kicked in the first round of this tournament so I doubt there will be a video game review this week but we will see what I can do for y'all. You know I love y'all; so wish me luck, come out and support and ope to see you on Saturday  For more information feel free to check out the Fighter's Allegiance Facebook event page for MASH DI BUTTON!!!

Also be sure to subscribe to the FAJ's youtube channel for highlights of the past present and future tournaments that will be held. You can just click this link to go to their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQQ1df3sLTWPY4Qx1NX7eYg?feature=

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The Answer Lies In The Heart Of Battle

Welcome to another random Monday blog here on In The Mind Of My Mind. Your friendly neighborhood gamer Zalgo_Cometh here with some interesting news for one and all. The FGC (Fighting Game Community) of Jamaica is holding the islands biggest gathering of epic proportions. Anyone can be a member of the FGC from the young to the old so its no surprise to see both young and old at events like these. Our little island of Jamaica has been home to some pretty epic events so it seemed only natural to add an event of this caliber to our roster. So I sat down with the Fighters Allegiance Of Jamaica for an interview to help educate the masses on who they are and what they are trying to accomplish. So without further ado...

Tournament Play, though it has been around for a while, has only recently reached the mainstream spotlight. For some titles, such as Starcraft, the rise to prominence is truly remarkable. The rise of Major League Gaming has made strides to legitimize video games as a sport, and it's not uncommon to see game tournaments awarding cash prizes in the upwards of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, this rise in popularity has not gone evenly across the board. Completely distinct from MLG or "E-Sports" is the Fighting Game Community—a niche which is slowly but surely becoming more "mainstream", changing the video game community quite a bit. It is now time for Jamaica to stand up and be counted with the world in yet another battle of skill and prestige. As a famous man once said "The answer lies, in the heart of battle..."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fightersallegianceja/

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE VxG

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