Hey guys,
Mike"The Birdman" Dodd here or rather my forum name "BirdmanTWIG"
I recently have been doing alot of thinking with this past week and change since the IMOG and what alot of that thinking has been directed as to what it means to be a G1 and a member of a community that is so welcoming to it's members and the underlying society that has been evolving from the forums and the various personalities such as the AVGN.
I suppose where this starts off is the pride of the Screw-a-tat and what it meant to be around others at the IMOG and how that felt and really made the world of ScrewAttack that much more personal and more relatable thru the various friendships that have formed since then.
Friendship is what alot of being a G1 has become to me and I am sure to alot of others that have been with this site for sometime. A group of people who share ideas and thoughts on a forum is usually just an internet community that goes by with little notice but ScrewAttack did something really different with that...they interacted with us and made us friends and even more so engaged us in a conversations even if we had differing opinions.
One of the best examples of this is Stuttering Craig himself. I have talked with Craig a few times as a journalist and called a few times as a friend but it is when I called out of the blue to see if I could go to the IMOG and he said yes that, the world became a little bit smaller and I became indebted to a guy, I have only spoken across a forum and on a podcast Interview. Craig was willing to take faith in me to put some real money on the line to bring me to the tournament and some 1400 miles across international borders to be apart of a community event like this. Craig really cares about what makes this community come together and with support like this, it's important to look at what it means to be a g1 and part of something that is greater then the individual but rather something that each and everyone of us is apart of that helps it grow, evolve or whatever
Conversations and experiences with people like Destin, Corey, Jose, James and the PBC crew like Brett and Darrin bring the worlds closer together for me and I am sure others like myself who geniunely struck up a chord and conversations. It is accessability and interaction that are the lifeblood of what makes this site and those affilated with it that much better.
Thru some of experiences and conversations at the Iron Man, I came to put names and faces to the forum names such as Gunslinger Fox whom I have had contact with on XBOX live but not so much on the forums. However as time passed at the IMOG, a friendship formed and we had regular conversations that didn't involve bits,bytes and pixels and sprites, it was just a normal conversation and that is kinda of when I realized the true power of the Internet to bring people together.
The g1 community has been remarkably kind to me and my show, THIS WEEK IN GEEK and it was something about that really inspired me to write this blog entry and really express what I feel towards us, the fans, the contributors and just the ordinary Net users out there.
We have been together for a while and we have some ups and downs along the way and even at times lines were drawn in the sand and still, we more or less as a whole were together and are still together and that makes me believe in what I feel ScrewAttack is at it's heart...
The community talk and forum chatter really seem to come alive and you can see some geniune friendships there and it's great to see that. I know we have had some forum members come to the forum for some geniune advice and people really give a heartfelt answers and some us use humor to make the situation a little less dark for that person. On review,it does make me believe there is still some good in this world and that people aren't all jerks or heartless bastards.
Does that sound kinda cheesy but it is, but it is meant for you to take a look back at what you have at your fingertips...
However as a closing statement and I think I said this in my IMOG blog....99% of you make me proud to wear the Screwatat for life on my arm because of what this community means to me.
With that said, I hope to meet all of you one day and to have an event that will make headlines, I'd love nothing more to bring everyone here for a giantic party and gaming blow out.
All of you are always welcome at my home and at the TWIG studios....
The other 1% is for people like the classic console kid from the IMOG, you made kittens cry and that's just epic fail....
Thanks guys :)
As I am often fond of saying
"Live free or die hard"
Wow,
just awesome dude. This is really a great blog, could be turned into a great essay. But you are definitely right, the g1s don't make an IC, they make a great friendship.
Thanks alot. Really means to
Thanks alot.
Really means to have feedback from the community and to see that others feel the same as me.
I would actually like to write an essay on Screwattack for the basis of social networking and what it can do for web 2.0
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
Well said
For as much as people say the community at SA is in the toilet, never have I seen a collection of total strangers came together over the internet for video games and become an actual community of friends.
I only wish more people could have come out and had a chance to see it first hand.
+150 points
We're more then just video
We're more then just video games and that culture, we are living breathing community that comes together when we need to.
This year's IMOG was a chance for us all to come together and interact with each other.
It's an experience I'll always treasure.
It is my intent to bring this love and sense of loyalty to next year's Iron Man but also do what I can to encourage pride amongst the G1's.
Stand together in our pride, and stand together as a community and more then just a website.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
a friend for everybody
i am proud to be a g1 and your friend Birdman
And Proud to be yours as
And Proud to be yours as well.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
100% agree
I too, have recently noticed it. In other forums ive been too, its one argument after another, but here, its like one big family! There may be a quarrel or two, but someones always got your back. Its so awesome to see people across the world, connect and bond. Truly amazing! Oh, and and btw, riveting blog, Birdman!
Great to see comments like
Great to see comments like this come out and thoughts are shared.
I am hoping to see more people come out and share.
Its nice to have a network of friends that are only a few clicks away and knowing that we will always that, it's a nice reassurance
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
Great blog Birdman, just
Great blog Birdman, just awesome. It explains exactly why I came to this site and really stay here I havent been back to others since. You better be at IMoG next year so I can meet you. I wanna meet the man who loves SA enough to wear it proudly on him for life :)
I can tell you that I would
I can tell you that I would look forward to that. I hope to meet many more G1's as time goes on and build new and dynamic friendships.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
This was great and i really
This was great and i really noticed that this community is the best one i have ever been at and you can find some of the most supporting people out their thank you for what you guys say and do to new bloggers and for just having genuine conversations with the ones around you. You are some spectacular people
Thanks again
Andrew
One of the elements that
One of the elements that really makes Screwattack such a welcoming community is just that, support for each other.
I've seen many threads that were written with real emotion and people geniunely poured real thought into.
It's because of real people with real emotions that build the basis of a strong community.
We thank you, the G1's who are willing to come out and share apart of their lives.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
family
we are just one big happy family
In joy, sadness and even
In joy, sadness and even conflict
We are still a family and a family that understands the importance of the support system.
I know I am glad to be apart of this family.
Infact, when I get married...Likely be an open invitation to all g1's
I know I'll be inviting the Screwattack crew to whom can show up.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
wow that was inspiring
Quite a great read, and from what i've seen from this community completly true.
i'll admit i havn't been a G1 for the longest time, but i was glad i found this site when i did its awesome :).
wish i were at the IMOG this year i would have been able to see and know about the 1% example your talking about. (epic fails are good for lesson learning or entertainment depending on the situation... i think i said that right o_O) not only that but there was like dozens of other reasons to go to the iron man, which you pretty much mentioned above.
once again great blog one that i think every G1 who cares about this site/community should read and be inspired :).
It's my sincere hope that
It's my sincere hope that people like Craig,etc
See this and see what they have created and what they have given us.
This is what the power of what has been created and we hold the power to create a future for this site
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
Wow.
Im fairly new to the community though I have been following the happenings of ScrewAttack for some time. And after reading this blog entry, Im more inspired to actually become active and join the wonderful community that you have just described. I bet going to the Iron Man really put things into perspective that these are real people behind the avatars that you have become friends with. Its a great feeling and I hope to experience it at the next Iron Man.
Thats great to hear :) I am
Thats great to hear :)
I am glad that posts like this make people think about the community and inspiring to others to get involved.
We can become a great force be reckoned with because of how we engage each other in conversations but also in creating content.
Great to hear from you and hope you can continue to post and blog
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
Awesome blog
i felt all warm inside while reading this
it feels good to be a part of the best damn community on the web
The best part about all this
The best part about all this is that we have only scratched the surface of what we can accomplish with this community.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
I need to get more into the
I need to get more into the community, but from what I see, your right.
The community is what builds
The community is what builds ScrewAttack into what it is.
Totally get more involved and I know alot of us will look forward to what is produced by us.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
showing some luv from montreal =)
im from montreal.it sucks that i could not come to the iron man of gaming .I am not in a position to travel much either :(.I would have love to see all the g1's and all of the crew .I never felt passion for gaming as intense as Screw Attack delivers with their community.Thats why im proud to be subbed to this awesome site .I hope to see
all of the community ,the crew and of course you BirdmanTWIG .Peace and respect and thank you for that warming blog of yours that explain the fire that burns for all g1's
Awesome to see fellow
Awesome to see fellow canadians post :)
You guys are most welcome :)
I'm just glad to be apart of this family and community and see others expressing themselves is great.
The fire that burns in all G1's is what drives us forward into that future I have talked about and one that we will build,post by post,blog by blog and in Gamma Prime's case, pixel by pixel
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
Hehe, so true.
Yup, that's what it's about around here. Friendship.
*Cue Mortal Kombat announcer* "FRIENDSHIP...friendship?!"
All MK jokes aside, this community is a strong one, and that's because we have events like IMOG to really interact with one another. We're very fortunate internet-goers.
Interactivity is what really
Interactivity is what really makes this Site come alive and with shows like sidescrollers and events like the IMOG bring the "Show" to us.
There aren't alot of sites that are able to drum up support from thier viewers and vistors like ScrewAttack.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
What a beautiful sentiment.
What a beautiful sentiment. It reads more like a grand thank you to a dear friend than a simple blog post.
BTW, whats the story with "classic console kid"?
-- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. .
I'm an old school gamer, but I'm still hip. Wait, when referring to oneself as, "Hip", does it reverse its meaning?
It's a thank you in a sense
It's a thank you in a sense to all of you that have made this place what it is.
read the IMOG thread in the forums
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
After reading this its
After reading this its really hard for me to put into words how it makes me feel, kind of like a happy and proud thing.
Just glad to see you share
Just glad to see you share your feelings with the community.
As within the past few days, we have seen some really good people come out and share some thier experiences and feelings and glad that your one of them.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
Its all well and good...
I love Screwattack but in all honesty, i mostly stay away from the forums and blogs simply because its very cliquey (it is a word).
Its all well and good for a higher echelon G1 such as yourself, but all my attempts to get into the community has just ended with snide comments and common bitchery (also a word) by the more established and senior G1's.
It can be difficult
It can be difficult sometimes to get into a community but I find if you give it another go, you might just get surprised.
Still, I hope you'll get back into the community
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
This is why I joined Screwattack
I dont know if you saw my blog on screwattack but I just joined this site two weeks ago and your apsolutly right, it's a shining example of what the internet should be, people like you and everyone on this site are the reason I decided to get over my fear of the internet community. I'm acually going to try and start writing about video games and the nerd community and blogs like this are the reason there is no other community site I trust. Thanks a bunch man, you f@#$ing rock!!
Well I am glad to be an
Well I am glad to be an example of what this community can do.
If everything works out, I'd like to pull together this community and do something that can really make a difference some how some way.
Still, really hope to read some of your material and I'll take a look at your blog :)
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
WOW
What an amazing passage! Great post, Bird! Very meaningful!
------------------------------------------------
"You sunk my Scrabble-Ship!" - Homer Simpson
It took alot to find the
It took alot to find the right words and even still, I don't think I totally found out everything I wanted to say.
I'd like in time to write a ScrewAttack manifesto kinda in the same way of the Hacker Manifesto from years ago
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
It took alot to find the
It took alot to find the right words and even still, I don't think I totally found out everything I wanted to say.
I'd like in time to write a ScrewAttack manifesto kinda in the same way of the Hacker Manifesto from years ago
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
We truly are game heroes. Oh
We truly are game heroes. Oh wait...
A true g1, spoken from the
A true g1, spoken from the heart. Although we knew you were a g1 when you inked screwattack on your arm, so this just adds to that.
We are all G1's and express
We are all G1's and express our thoughts and emotions different but we are all g1's from the newbie to the vetern and even those who decide to flame....
but thanks alot man :)
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Winner of Niagara College's 2007 GRAFFITI award for Best Specialty Show on 90.1 FM.
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
sweet
dude that was incredible and so true, i dont think any1 couldve said it better even though it was typed
Hello!
Hey Birdman, just finished watching the contest video you took part of against Jose. Even though you stopped, it was pretty good. Also, thanks for the article you wrote. Even though I couldn't be there, just knowing you guys had a blast is cause enough to know that G1s are very, very cool people. Don't let the 1% get you down, the other 99% are kick ass.
Absolutely :) The other 99%
Absolutely :)
The other 99% of people here, I would glady help or do anything simply because I do like to believe in the good within the community itself and as for the other 1%...we'll let thier own actions speak for themselves :)
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
This was a wonderful piece
This was a wonderful piece of writing, Birdman, and you couldn't of been more closer to the truth. Well said!
Great post, very true. We
Great post, very true. We have a great community here. Keep up the great work guys.
THANKS
Thanks so much for posting this, im new here and this is just what i needed
Your more then welcome my
Your more then welcome my friend :)
Always happy to welcome new people into the community and sincerely hope you enjoy your stay here and contribute what you can.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
I whole-heartedly agree
I whole-heartedly agree with your post, Birdman. The G1 community is awesome. I've never felt more welcome by any community... online or otherwise. Craig and the crew are great, and the G1s are the best. Thanks, everyone, for making me feel at home, too.
Moreso then anywhere else
Moreso then anywhere else online, have there been such a young community form into such a strong community and geniunely be able to have that community grow more and more day by day.
People like you, always welcome at my home :)
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net
It's cool when...
Sometimes Some People just describe accurately what you think about something, and that means you're linked with the dude, not only because of what you like but the way you aprehend it... And you just did it for me...
So I guess I gotta thank you, you're kinda like a G1's president...
be sure to check my Videos Birdman, I haven't seen you commenting the G1 submission :D
There are Games you might don't know
but that are still pretty damn Sweet...SWEET !
Wow, that is quite the
Wow, that is quite the compliment :)
Thanks man :)
I like to think I this whole public speaking thing down :)
Still, it's always been my goal to help inspire the community and be like a community leader and rally us together.
Mike Dodd
Host / Executive Producer
This Week in Geek
Website: www.thisweekingeek.net
Personal Blog: www.birdmanofsteel.com
Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.net