User:TerraGamerX

TerraGamerX is a name I adopted many years ago (perhaps in 1999). I spend most free time online, playing games, chatting to friends, and researching on Wikipedia. I consider myself a gamer, an artist, and a martial artist. I also am a bit of a philosopher. I enjoy analyzing things for added knowledge beyond the obvious.

Behind the name
The earliest handle I used that was a name beyond just a 'favorite something' had been UltimateGamer. I had used that in a few places for about five months. Eventually I was encountering sites where other people already had taken that name, so it was no longer the universal name I was going for. I wanted to stick to something in that range. I tried replacing Ultimate with other prefixes, such as Mega and Omega. They as well wouldn't work out.

Recalling other sources for prefixes, Chrono Trigger was the light of inspiration. A certain series of enemies had prefixes added on to the original so I used that knowledge (without knowing what they meant at the time). The name I was going to go with was GigaGamer, but I found whatever Tera is is above that, and went with that. Except when I was recalling this knowledge, I was mistaken and swapped it, resulting in TerraGamer. Then I slapped on an X to make it all the more unique.

I discovered two years too late the difference between Terra and Tera. Since I already had "TerraGamerX" in several locations (including my present e-mail address), I've just stuck to that mistaken name and used it in even more places. Only one location has my correctly intended name, and that is GameFAQs. That is simply because I had an expired account already there under TerraGamerX, and I needed to make a usable one.

Hobby details
Most activities that I am involved in usually have more reason beyond simply "I like them." A simple detail that summarizes up why I like most things that I enjoy: I always analyze and often over-analyze any detailed matters that come my way. Analyzing things for deeper meaning or better understanding is just a habit that is deeply a part of me. Things that leave much room for analyzing bring me joy; things that slowly reveal more detail both through analyzing and directly given is even more preferred. Art is where I find this often, particularly in the forms that are made for entertainment.

Art
Art is a very flexible term when used by me, applicable to almost anything that is created. It is the most relaxing and stress-relieving hobby for me, both in creating it and viewing it. I keep a pocket-sketchbook with me very often, in case and inspiration comes to me to create something. I most commonly sketch in it, but the art produced from inspiration can take other forms such as random lines or text. Very often, I'll seek websites that have collections of user-submitted art such as AnimeGalleries.netand MiniTokyo.

Art philosophy
Art by my definition is "anything that is created with intentions of others percieving it as they wish or is created as a result of much inspiration". I apply the word art to most everything, including things such as video games, habit patterns, food, and nature.

For years, I greatly understood how artistic inspiration could allow a person to produce many works of art in various qualities based on the depth of inspiration felt. Though in recent years, I've come to a deeper understanding of the nature of inspiration thanks to a certain work of art of mine. A great deal of inspiration was poured into it, permitting me to create some great art for days. But this art, when I would look upon it gave me even more inspiration, allowing me to create several consecutive works. I then came to realize that art works two ways in regards to inspiration: inspiration that goes into art determines the art that is produced, and the art that is produced outputs an equivalent amount of inspiration. So it can remain as a pretty consistent cycle if looked upon with eyes seeking inspiration.

Personal artwork
Most of the art I do remains in my pocket-sized sketchbook. There are some that are done in my slightly larger sketch book and others are simply done on nearby materials. Often, if I'd like to share my art (or if I just wish to back it up with a colored version) I'll scan it to my computer and edit it. I use an advance editing program that I often compare to Adobe Photoshop, but it certainly ranks below since it is a program I attained in the purchase of a printer. I have a variety of techniques I'll dedicate a piece of art to for its creation. My former primary technique was to use a complex system of masks limiting how and what I edit, resulting in very precise edges and coloring. Now I leave the original sketch marks there and just use a basic brush in its various coloring modes.

The "certain work of mine" mentioned earlier was a work that was done in the masking method. It was initially a sketch in my primary sketchbook (the pocket-sized). I created the colored version over a matter of six days, each day spent focusing on one portion of the image. This unnamed image is one that I refuse to show to anyone except those closest to me. I take such pride in the image, that I have intentions to make future use of it. So I will show it to no one until I get a patent on it. Additionally, it is not truly nameless, but that too I wish to get all rights on. One particularly interesting aspect of the nature of the image, after analyzing it for over a week, I came to the realization that I've made previous similar images in a pattern: one image of the sort once every other year. The most recent being the pinnacle of all my art.

I have a gallery on Photobucket, initially started for "sigs" but in recent times I've been adding more variety of content. I have also recently started a page on Wikimedia Commons which I hope to utilize where I can.

General Internet Activity
Generally the first thing I do when I turn on my computer is start up AIM so as to recieve any communications other people may have for me during the day. It is otherwise idling, since I don't seek chatting. I spend about a total of an hour on Wikipedia each day, either gathering needed info, or finding very random information. The rest of the time I spend on the internet is much more variable, from browsing art sites to viewing video game info sites.

Community Sites
Most properly known as Social network services, I generally dislike sites that exist for the sake of creating a community. It is most likely connected with my generally antisocial behavior, but more than that I cannot see much of a point in them. I can understand it being used for those who lack people to regularly converse with, much like how a dating site is there to bring together people in need of love. I never came close to getting interested in the MySpace wave, but I find myself surprised by the number of people that do it seemingly for the sake of doing it.

Art Sites
Since I love and desire art so much, I spend a good amount of my time browsing various art websites. I generally don't seek any specific content when viewing these sites, as long as it is non-professional and done with proper intent. Professional art is generally not as flexible in appearance, so user submitted art can bring much variety in inspiration. deviantART is one site that I've been visiting more and more lately. I used to dislike it since it seems to be poorly organized, which I still think, but working around that it is perhaps the greatest source of art on the internet. Minitokyo is another site I visit often, which focuses on anime fanart and original art.

Gaia Online
I've recently gotten involved in Gaia Online, partly due to a friend pointing it out. When I first checked it out I thought it was yet another free-to-play MMORPG, which I had grown tired of encountering. After giving it a chance and studying it, I realized it appeared to be more of a community site with an anime-avatar theme. But my conclusion now is that it is of an entirely different breed. Maybe it should be called a "MMOC" since it is a community with a multiplayer feel. Presently I don't expect I'll be with it for long since it has many common traits with a community site, but due to its MMORPG-esque elements, I see much favorable potential which I hope to see develop. I'm playing as the character Kurai Kagechi, which I hope to develop in the general direction I try to take most of my role-playing characters.

Martial arts
Hoshuteki na Ki is the placeholder name of the style I practice. It is a style I've invented, self-taught over many years. Some techniques are derived from other styles, but adapted to a slower fashion. Since I am a generally slow and inflexible person, much of the style reflects that. It is perhaps most comparable to Jujutsu and Judo, in that it is mostly about using the opponent's strengths against them using defense as offense. Recently I've started studying Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu, since it already bears great resemblence to what founded the style. It is also somewhat comparable to Kung Fu and Ninjutsu in that it is adaptable to many different uses. Staff, katana, dual katanas, three section staff, and shuriken and primary weapons usable in the style. My personal preference is a nodachi katana, dual katanas, or a staff; the first two are naturally slower movements and thus work well with the offensive tactics, and a staff works well for defense and keeping the opponent's offensive ability low. There are many stances in the style, including a few specialized for offense, defense, speed, and balance of the many aspects.