The Team

The Team at koru-cottage, everything you need to know.
Who:Richard, secret identity was captainxmas.Guy, but I also answer to "Browncoat".BarrieGerard but you can find me online as either GamejunkieNZ or piperchap (because I can play the bagpipes. For reals).
How long have you been into games?Since Jimmy Connors won Wimbledon in the 70's and I got my first console.Since the early 80s. Cut my gamer teeth on the Atari 2600 and Sega Master System.Late 70s/early 80s.Since the early 80s, man. My first proper computer was a Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Man, I loved those squishy rubber keys & swapping games with mates was as easy as providing a blank cassette tape.
Favourite game related achievement?Winning 150cc Mario Kart, Rainbow Road with all characters. Long before you could share it to the world.or some reason, finishing Halo: Reach on Solo Legendary is an 'Achievement' I particularly enjoyed.Finding the hidden RPG cache buried on the golf course in Wasteland (C64).Building myself a second gaming PC & everything worked accordingly & was plugged into the motherboard correctly.
Top 3 WoW moments in games?First entering the open world of Oblivion on my xbox 360.

The first time I played Modern Warfare (most of it), but beating Mile High was a mission.

The Giraffe reveal in The Last of Us, chills me every time.		The first level of Metal Gear Solid on PSOne.

First time I played online multiplayer on the Xbox 360, was just so easy. (was Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter from memory)

The very first time putting on a VR Headset and playting a game...mind blowing.		Starting up any new Fallout game and hearing the familiar, haunting music. War. War never changes.

Playing Morrowind for the first time and being in that open world once you step off the ship.

Playing in 4K with HDR the first time. Gaming has never been more beautiful.		Playing Doom on my dad's 486 PC;
Actually interviewing game designer Tim Schaefer in New York;
Attending E3 three times & the Tokyo Game show once - amazing memories.
The game you can talk to death at a party:Championship Manager 97/98 - you had to be there.Mass Effect 1I'd like to say The Fallout series but have go with anything Commodore 64.Anything from LucasArts, especially Grim Fandango, Dark Forces & Full Throttle.
Me, in thirty words:Creative, artistic and a lover of the worlds they build for us. I have less time to play these day and less patience for long cutscenes or derivative story.Sci-Fi fan, player of Video Games and Skier of snow. Fan of all things Firefly and Nathan Fillion, ...except his new show , thats just bad, so so bad (sigh).Ageing gamer with a love for Role Playing Games, cheese, and beer, usually in the same sitting. Ex-military and Fire Service, now enjoying more family time.Mountain bike rider, sci-fan, coffee snob, blogger (www.gamejunkienz.com - apologies for the shameless plug!). If you could combine a video game console with a mountain bike, I'd be an extremely happy camper.
Also rans:Lots of love for XCOM, Mass Effect 2, Halo (most, but mainly Reach), SWOS, Goldeneye, classics like Boulderdash or Lords of Midnight. The list goes on and on...Destiny, Halo, Mass Effects, Mudrunner, Last of Us, Transistor, in fact you name it, I would probably like it........ except for Rouge-likes and games with hard boss fights. Can't be arsed with getting angry at games anymore.Baldurs Gate, The Last Ninja, SSI Gold Box titles, ESO, and darts. Love me a game of darts.My Steam account is a good insight into the games I love: Batman Arkham Knight, Metro Last Light, Sniper Elite V2, Dishonored, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Astroneer, Thimbleweed Park, Hitman Absolution - it's a pretty eclectic mix. Since building my new gaming PC a month ago, though, I'm enjoying being part of the PC Master Race again!
em@il:richard(at)koru-cottage.comguy(at)koru-cottage.combarrie(at)koru-cottage.comgerard(at)koru-cottage.com
Gamer ID:PSN: captainX-NZ
Xbox: captainxmas		PSN: nzbrowncoatXbox: TusockPSN: piperchap
Xbox: GamejunkieNZ
Twitter:@KoruCottage@NZbrowncoat@TusockNZ@GamejunkieNZ