The largest harman community in the game is also one of it’s most disparate and diverse, the Department of Emergency Management. Stationed throughout the city, DEM makes up for its lack of concentration with its pervasiveness and its use of what some call dubious alt policies and a certain scouting program. Controversy aside, I recently had the chance to sit down with Malton Fire Department head and lovely Brainstock admin Kristi of the Dead for an interview, here’s what she had to say?
MH&S: I have recently asked several people the next question in a series of increasingly meta questions about who the Queen of Alternative Rock is: Kim Gordon or Kim Deal. Why do you think that is?
KOTD: I think it’s clearly because you’re out to steal Donita Sparks’ thunder, that’s why.
MH&S: You’re the only person who I brought this up to that didn’t mention someone who plays bass. Do you think guys have something for girls who play bass? Also, where would you put the members of Sleater-Kinney in the pantheon?
KOTD: I do. There’s no other explaination for white zombie. Sleater-Kinney is just below just below Heavens to Betsy but just above Dance hall Crashers.
MH&S: Your name is Kristi of the Dead, even though you’re pretty clearly alive. I can see you sitting in front of me right now, breathing. Shouldn’t you truly live up to your name, throw yourself out the nearest window and start shambling around Malton?
KOTD: Actually currently (when I’m not being interviewed) I am dead somewhere in Malton and I am cracking cades and squaredancing. But you just wait till I get combat revived cause then you’ll be in for it. But as far as the name goes all I can say is Kristi of the Trenchcoat was taken already when I signed up.
MH&S: That’s a shame. Was she a member of FedCom?
KOTD: Shhh! Don’t mention FedCom. They’re out to take over the world you know.
MH&S: Oh, don’t worry. The RRF will make sure to eat them when that day comes. Anyway, Malton’s become increasingly dangerous in the past few weeks as hordes like the Big Bash, RRF and MOB have been doing their thing with the recent game change and a certain nameless megahorde have been thrown in on top of that. What’s humble firefighter to do in such situations?
KOTD: Bob and weave man, bob and weave. Actually what I’ve been doing is tightening up with local survivors and focusing on coordinating with every survivor I can find. It’s my hope that the survivor population can come together a bit more reliably in the light of so much danger in the city these days.
**MH&S:**I also think that’d be a good thing. From the zombie perspective, there’s always been the small handful of truly coordinated survivor groups that either put up a serious stand (ala the Dribbling Beavers) or manage to regroup and rebuild everything the second you leave (ala The Randoms). However, they seem to be few and far between. Mostly it’s hopeless groups that sit there and get run over and then take weeks to rebuild.
KOTD: I know what you mean. For a long time now I’ve been speaking about river tactics about how perhaps it isn’t just “running away” but nobody ever really wanted to listen to me. Save a few special groups. In any event that’s really one of the things that makes me happy about this new zombie turn of events. Survivors are now, as if by magic, much more willing to look at tactics and cooperation in a new light these days. That’s awesome!
MH&S: The reason that many old-school zombie players started playing that side is that during the days of the old headshot, the game was clearly balanced against zombies and these players wanted to play the underdog. With all of the recent changes (except the Fort buff) either benefitting the zombies or being neutral on gameplay, do you think that the game is now balanced against survivors? Are survivors the true underdogs now?
KOTD: While I tend to think Survivors will be the next ones to get a buff from Kevan, I don’t really think survivors are the underdogs over all. I think the stats regarding the living and the dead at the moment are a bit misleading. Lots of folks are waiting to get revived standing around as zombies and not really breaking down doors like a zombie of your stature would. Zombies still need more varied ways to gain experience in this city for them to truly attract large amounts of new players. Or perhaps to convince pro survivor players to play as a zombie for a bit once they’re killed. I will say it’s exciting and it reminds me of some of the first big zombie movements in the early days of the Mall tour and bash and all that. It’s fun to have a challenge and the zombie hordes these days are certainly that. Though to be honest I don’t believe much has changed in actuality in this city. Hordes of zombies have always been tough…it’s just that there seems to be more of them these days.
MH&S: So it’s the typical ebb and flow. You believe that as zombie players (particularly the ones in a certain megahorde) get bored and leave or overextend themselves, the survivors will swing the balance back into their favor?
KOTD: I think it will happen without fail. It will happen quicker once the big namless horde moves on. But to be honest I think it will happen no matter what. There’s just not enough zombies to blanket the whole city like you would a suburb or two with a normal sized horde. So there’s always gonna be someplace to regroup. though I have been wrong in the past so eh shrug.
MH&S: If I may get serious for a second… is it true that your middle name is Hussein?
KOTD: Well, that is a common misconception. My middle name is actually Saromu.
MH&S: My God…
KOTD: Shouldn’t that be Pluto?
MH&S: My mistake, I’m pondering if I should end this interview, because I’ve already interviewed Sonny. But I’ll press on anyway. There are rumors circulating that DEM is possessed by a Demon. Should I call a Catholic priest for you guys?
KOTD: Demons, imps, Labines and a whole lot of paper work and special titles for everyone. It’s crazy here man crazy!
MH&S: I’ve heard of this Labine program that automatically responds to every post made on Brainstock, but what about the IMP tool / program?
KOTD: Well IMP is the actual Add on for Firefox that does the infamous scouting and what not for DEM member groups and their partner groups.
MH&S: Huh, I always thought that was DEMON. Does the Malton Fire Department have a theme song? If so, what is it?
KOTD: Yes we do. It used to be YMCA by the village people until we realized the only DEM member group not represented in the village people were the firemen. So we changed it to THIS.
MH&S: Did you just try to rickroll me?
KOTD: That would have been sweet. Man I need to hang out with you more often so I can get more devious. It was just a talking heads video…I swear!
MH&S: I’ll have to get some kind of outside verification of that first. Anyway, final question… The RRF: Great group or greatest group?
KOTD: Petro + zombie elephants + cool open forums in the early days = greatest group.
MH&S: I’ll just mark you down as saying… wait a second… you actually said greatest!
KOTD: Yep. I like the RRF alot. They helped shape alot of what I consider to be fair play in the UD game. When Petro was active he came to brainstock and hung out with us in a friendly way. He helped me understand that we’re all just players playing a zombie game and trying to have fun. And that it was ok to like to person who plays your enemy in game. I liked that about him. I remember reading your old forums over on desense and thinking what a cool group you guys were and how it would be cool to lead a group that did battle with you.
MH&S: Well, thanks for the praise and thank you for your time.
KOTD: No problem… any idea were a gal can get a combat revive?
