Well here we go, off to another interview with someone whom I’ve never met. We have been conversing for some time via e-mail and MSM about this interview and have finally come up with a date and time. We are just boarding the company Beechcraft King Air 350 for a flight across country with one stop at Chicago to refuel and drop off another reporter. This flight will take about 12 hours with the one stop, so I will have ample time to rest and get the questions ready. It’s a crisp November morning as we lift off from Baltimore into the crystal clear sky. A little buffeting around until we reach cruising altitude, then it’s time to work on those questions. The individual I’m to interview is a RCT celebrity in his own right and I really want the questions to be just right. Oh well, time to catch a few zzz’s before landing at O’Hare. We have just refueled and left the runway for the second leg of our journey. I have traded places with the co-pilot Ray so I can get a bird’s eye view of the spectacular landscape unfolding before me. We have just crossed the Rockies and are continuing our trek to the great Northwest. In another hour we are contacting the control tower at the Rogue Valley International Airport for landing instructions. Man what a beautiful area this is. Snow-capped mountains, pristine streams and beautiful farming country. A brief fly-over the town and its touchdown.
After picking up the rental car, I start off for the address I had been given. A short trip through this quaint bustling town and I’m there. OK, here comes the moment of truth, will he greet me with open arms or is this just another wild goose chase. A knock on the door and there stands before me the Prince of Prose himself. I am humbled by the sight of such an impressive figure and am greeted with firm powerful handshake. The wife and kids aren’t home so we make our way to the basement office of this remarkable man. A few more pleasantries and it’s on to work with the interview with the man known as “Boomer”.
| Scoop |
Boomer I had no idea about how pleasant and relaxing it is in your corner of the world. How about telling us a little bit about your life and interests other than RCT. |
| Boomer |
"I’m 51 years old and I've had a long life and that could warrant a very long answer, but I will try to keep it short. I love deep-sea fishing on the
open ocean; that is a passion with me. For me there is nothing like losing
sight of land and feeling the sting of salt water in your face and a brisk
sea drenched wind blowing through your hair. Then comes the long fight with
a fish that may or may not be as big as you are! Other then that I like to
write. I have written two full books and many articles. Outside of those
interests my main concern is my family. I robbed the cradle and started late
in life, my wife is relatively young and I have three daughters, all
beautiful (unfortunately) ages 12, 15 and 18. My wife and I raise our
family in southern Oregon, the "Green" state
". |
| Scoop |
Lost in the moment I can envision an Ernest Hemingway figure running ahead of the wind in a tall masted ship. Oops, reality check. I know I've seen an explanation of how you got the tag Boomer, but for our new viewers could you explain it again. |
| Boomer |
"I would be glad to. Here again the name refers back to my love for the
ocean. Out on the deep blue expanses of the open seas, A strange phenomena
can sometimes be observed. It can be a bright peaceful day with the water
as smooth as glass when all of a sudden, from out of nowhere, a huge rouge
wave will rise up and come booming down on your boat, with little concern
and no warning. Some call these loner waves “Boomer” waves, because of the
booming sound they make as they crash down relentlessly over the boat. This
is sometimes the last sound a seafarer will ever hear! I don't really know
why that name struck me so much but it reminds me of the vast sea and also
the frailty of life. “Boomer” just kind of stuck and even if most people
don't know or care what it means, I do and I like it
"! |
| Scoop |
Yup the name suits you fine. How about passing some more of that great smoked salmon you made and top off my drink please. Your fame in the RCT Community seems to come from your unique writing style and intuitive questions. Where do you find the inspiration for the E-Views and rE-views that you are so noted for? |
| Boomer |
"Now there is a good question! I don't really know. I make a connection with someone and ask him or her for an interview. Then I set down at the computer and try to imagine just what it is that most people, not
necessarily me, want to know from this person, and then I just ask them
those questions. Then when I get the answers back I go to work and craft
the E-View. I use reality plus a pinch of fantasy as my formula and the
finished product, at least so far, seems to come out all right. They don't
always though, on my first E-View with KaiBueno Coasters I was going through
some really bad family health problems and that whole E-View was so bad I
had to trash it, apologize to Kai and start all over again
". |
| Scoop |
Yea I know what you mean as I have written some real bombs myself. Have you ever considered writing as a full-time occupation? |
| Boomer |
"I have considered it, but so far I haven't had too much luck getting my name out there. I've played the writing game but I hate the mind boggling games
you have to play with known publishing houses and therefore don't submit
much to them anymore, so it's not like the offers are pouring in, (Boomer
laughs) do you know anyone who wants to hire an old writer
"? |
| Scoop |
I don’t know of anything right now but I’ll ask around for you. I know that you have been trying to get an E-view with Chris Sawyer for sometime, have you been able to put a chink in his armor yet? |
| Boomer |
"“(Laughing) Ha, now there's a good one. Out of the many E-mails I have sent to the many different national and international Infogrames offices I have
received only one reply from the France office saying they would consider my
request, that was about 4 months ago, nothing since then. Perhaps my praise
and backing of the RCT trainer and utilities makers has soured ole Chris on
the Boomster or perhaps, and most likely, he just hasn't ever even heard of
me. I am still trying to land an E-View with him and will continue to do
so, but we shall see. Unfortunately I don't have the inside PC gamers
connections that someone like Red Phoenix does, who one time did interview
Chris Sawyer
". |
| Scoop |
Just a thought, maybe you could interview someone at Infogrames first to see how they react to your style. Do you have any new and exciting things coming that you can tell us about? |
| Boomer |
"Yes actually I have several new projects coming up. Up next on the
Webmaster series is an E-View with Jacko from RCT Inc. Also I have just
completed a minE-View with Doctor J and its scheduled to be posted as we
speak. Right on the heels of Dr. J I have a full in-depth rE-View with
Henry Winkelstein, the popular creator of TRG2 and other trainer and
utilities for RCT. This rE-View is almost done and will be up and posted
shortly. I have a couple more BIG surprises that I am currently preparing
but you will have to stay tuned to find out what they are. You can find all
my RCT celebrity E-Views at www.rct2.com in the E-View section
". |
| Scoop |
With all of this prolific writing I don’t know where you find the time but, I know I've seen your footprints at several sites in the Community. What
are a few that you frequent on a regular basis?
|
| Boomer |
"How could you miss my footprint, I wear size 13 shoes! Seriously though, I like to surf through most all the RCT sites looking for news and information but due to time constraints I can't always do that. To me, the two best sites in the RCT community right now are RCT Station and RCT2.com. I say
that because of the content and active forums on those 2 sites. As far as
new, just started sites, I liked rct:2, but it has suffered a perhaps fatal
blow by the network it was on. Another good "brand new" RCT site is RCT
Gazette, it's new so it’s naturally short on content but not bad for just
starting out
". |
| Scoop |
Thanks for the unsolicited accolade; Now that RCT2 has been out for a short time, does it meet your expectations as to playability and features? |
| Boomer |
"I, like a lot of others, was a little disappointed by the lack of much of anything really new. I also am a little concerned by all the bugs it has
that weren't weeded out in Beta testing. Also the very slow loading time
and long switchover from game to editor are almost unbelievable in this day
and age of fast paced PC games and technology. BUT, it is a lot of fun to
play, I must admit and I am for the most part very glad that it is out
". |
| Scoop |
I have to agree with you on that one Boomer. What are your thoughts on the scenarios that came with RCT2? |
| Boomer |
"I like them! I especially like the Ghost Town one in advanced play. What I really like is the built in ability to edit and create your own scenarios. What I don't like is the complicated way you have to convert those scenarios over for building rides in them". |
| Scoop |
I know, the scenarios seem much harder this time around. Will we ever see a park created by the infamous Boomer? |
| Boomer |
"Infamous? I thought I was just plain famous! Oh well, legends live longer if they are infamous don't they? I am, of course, just kidding. You can go to Mantis' site and look for The Emerald Forest and that pathetic,
un-finished mega-park is (unfortunately) mine. That is the only one that I
have ever submitted to anyone and I sent him the WRONG one. Mantis reviewed
it and was nice to me but the park really does suck. I have made many more
since then but never submitted any more due to the embarrassment I suffered
from that first mess up
". |
| Scoop |
Yea a lot like me, you can talk the talk but have difficulty walking the walk. Do you play any other PC or console games? |
| Boomer |
"Not too much because of all the demands on my time. I don't really like the shoot em up and kill em all games, but I do like a couple strategy games where you have to use your brain instead of your reflexes (I'm old, reflexes gone!) Such as the Mist trilogy and a seldom talked about game called The Starship Titanic where you can have actual typed in conversations with the
starships robots
". |
| Scoop |
If we keep drinking this stuff you pulled out of your desk drawer it won’t be much longer until all of my reflexes will be gone too. In conclusion, are there any great words of wisdom that you would like to impart upon our viewing audience? |
| Boomer |
"Oh no, here comes the pressure. Well my mama used to say, “Be careful how you treat those you meet on the way up because you will have to meet them
again, on the way down”! I will just say this in my own words, I am no
better then any of you and you are no better then me. We are ALL part of
this human condition and none of us will get off of this ride alive! So
respect each person along the way, the way YOU want to be respected and then
just sit back and enjoy the ride
"! |
That’s what I like, a man that is humble enough and noble enough to admit he is no better than his fellow man. Well Boomer my old friend, I have another flight to make. This time it’s to review a park being built outside of Vegas.
As we are sitting at the end of the runway the roar of the engines is drowned out by the crescendo of booming waves, but the vision of the man “Boomer” will never fade.