Interview - Salmoneus

Interviews

Entry posted by The Newspaper September 6, 2009

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Salmoneus Interview by Youhei

We all know the friendly salmon guy, the guy who started it all. And today, I will be presenting to you an interview with...FRIENDLY SALMON MAN AKA SALMONEUS, EXCLUSIVELY FOR SAL'S NEWSPAPER ONLY!!!!

Hey Sal! How're you today?

Hey Paddington, I’m doing pretty well today… definitely can’t complain. With my final exams (and consequently the semester) being finished as of 9:33am on Tuesday morning, I’m happy knowing that I’ll have more time to do things that I want to do (and the things that I’ve had to put off since the semester began).

How did you find out about Sals...oh crap. Why did you create Sals?

I found Sal’s while looking for a ques… doh, you got me!

Around the time I created the site, RuneScape itself seemed like it was surrounded in mystery. The information on the official RuneScape site was very basic – just enough to give you a taste – and it left the game’s community feeling unsure of “what to do next.” For example, when I started playing in 2001, there were all sorts of different foods you could make, but the official site lacked info on them. The average RuneScape diet consisted of cabbage and rat meat, since those things were readily available and didn’t require any special instructions to make (unlike things like pizzas or cakes). Quests were another thing – a few quests always seemed to stump people, and they would spend all sorts of cash to get other people to help them out (thus defeating the purpose)! The main idea behind the site was to kind of balance out the inadequacies of the existing game documentation.

In short, I just wanted to help create a friendly, helpful, organized and accurate center of information for people to use.

How long did you take to finally get Sals started?

That depends on what you mean by “get started.” In 2001, I started a website on Geocities just to document the things that I had learned while playing – essentially just how to make certain foodstuffs, locations of NPCs and other basic info. It never took off (more or less because it was more or less a notepad called “Salmoneus’ Realm of RuneScape”) and I closed it down after awhile. In 2002 I re-started the project using Freewebs, and while it was pretty slow traffic-wise, I ended up getting the basis for the main site complete. I’d say that the site initially started picking up around the end of 2003 after its initial redesign, and really began to “get started” around February 2004, after buying the salmoneus.net domain and moving away from Freewebs.

I’d like to think that the Realm was “born” in February 2004, because that’s really when we started getting a larger userbase, and the site began to expand to include more than just skill guides.

How did people get to Sals, and make Sals not just those normal small fansites but one of THE biggest fansites?

That’s a really good question, and to be honest I don’t really have a good answer for you! My best guess is that our users passed our site link on to their friends and other RuneScapers who needed help, and it was essentially advertised by word of mouth at the beginning. It just goes to show how effective this method can be at getting the word out about something!

Now let’s talk about Runescape! How did you get introduced to RuneScape?

I owe it to my friend James for introducing me to RuneScape. We were both in the same Computer class in Jr. High School and for our final projects had to present something computer-related. He did his presentation on RuneScape, and I thought it looked really interesting. It didn’t have super-graphics or music, but the fact that it was an (MMO)RPG, it was free, and could actually play on my PC was enough for me to try it out. I was addicted the first time I played (even though I ended up lost behind Lumbridge Castle for over an hour).

From where did you get the name Salmoneus, and want to use it?

At the time I found RuneScape, I was addicted to the Hercules/Xena TV shows. I really wanted to use a medieval-sounding name, and both “Hercules” and “Autolycus” (the thief) were taken. So I thought of “Salmoneus” – the funny, kind guy who’s always trying to make a quick buck and never able to – and here we are!

How old were you when you started Runescape? (hurray for off-topic!)

I was 13 (a couple months before turning 14) when I started playing.

Was anybody an inspiration to you in Runescape?

Piranha. I always wanted to mine head to head with him and see who could outmine the other.

Give me one paragraph about your addiction to Mining.

Mining is one of those simple pleasures that many people seem to take for granted. Mining takes skill, determination, dedication and patience, but if you put in 100%, you’ll get something back from RuneScape. I think that John Locke from Lost sums it up perfectly “What I know is that this island might just give you what you're looking for, but you have to give the island something.” What you’re looking for could be a lump of Coal or a pile of Runite, but you may just end up finding a shiny Sapphire or a valuable diamond – you just never know. It’s all about anticipation. If you look at it like that – not just a job, but an opportunity – nothing can stop you from reaching your dreams and aspiring to become one of the greatest miners in the [RuneScape] world.

Now let’s talk about Real Life! Do you love Salmon in real life?

Well, it’s alright. It’s not my favorite dish, as I’d prefer something from AppleBees or Outback, but I like salmon too.

Are you a teacher's pet, a naughty student or just a normal student in school?

It depends on the class. During interesting classes, I’m more likely to ask questions, comment on what the professor has said, and generally get involved in the class. Otherwise, I’m either sitting in the back trying not to fall asleep, or browsing the net on my laptop. I probably fit the profile of the average college student.

When are you going to graduate and get 99 mining? (I know I said real life, but w/e)

That’s on the top of my list of things to do when I start playing again, which might happen this summer. We’ll see. If I ever intend to get 99 Mining, I’m definitely hosting a public “Push 99 Mining” party!

Do you like fast food?

Every now and then it’s great, and I admit that it’s saved my life a few times during those long days of classes, but it’s not good for you at all! Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing better than an extra cheese pizza or a couple of cheeseburgers while studying, but it’s a bad idea to eat it all the time.

Do you think you're sexy?

Oh yes. It’s all about attitude and confidence – if you have those two things, you’re sexy.

Thank you for your time for this interview, friendly salmon man! Do you have anything else you want to say?

You’re welcome - it was my pleasure! I’d just like to say two things:

1. Stay in school.

2. Don’t do drugs.

Thanks for listening!