Gamer Spotlight:
Where Are They Now?
Published November 9, 2007
The Gamer Spotlight feature goes back to January 2003, when Xbox LIVE® was in its infancy and hadn't even launched in Europe yet. TriXie caught up with some of the standout spotlights from the good ol' days.
Esinrada was the first female gamer to be in the Spotlight. Now she goes by FirstLadyofXBL and is a member of GamerchiX.
Castor Troy was TriXie's second Spotlight ever.
Nytedagger was in Junior High the last time we talked to him in September 2003.
Hockeystud29 was the winner of the very first Xbox LIVE tournament, the Gridiron Showdown featuring NFL Fever 2003, and we inducted him into the Hall of Fame .
USMC BEANS was the winner of TriXie's 50th Gamer Spotlight contest. He still loves GWAR.
TriXie:Do you still get Friend Requests from your Gamer Spotlight?
FirstLadyofXBL:I was originally interviewed about four years ago, so I think that has long since faded from people's memories. I haven't received a friend request based on the interview in years. My fame was certainly fleeting.
Castor Troy: I get the occasional friend request out of the blue, which could be related to my gamer spotlight, but usually when someone sends a friend request, it's someone asking, "Hey, is this (insert name here)?" It makes me wonder how many Castor Troy's are on Xbox LIVE. I have actually "faced off" against a gamer with a similar name, in Halo® 3. I'll let you guess as to who was victorious.
Nytedagger:No.
Hockeystud29: Yes, I still get 'em. But I mostly get text or voice messages. Some people like to trash talk and challenge me, while others will just say it's cool and ask about what it was like to meet the celebrities.
USMC BEANS: I don't think so. I do occasionally get a random friend request, but I think that mostly comes from recently played games. Or my wife is making friends on XBLA. She needs her own Gamertag.
Hockeystud29 won the first Xbox LIVE tournament, in NFL Fever 2003.
TriXie:What's the biggest change in your life since your Spotlight?
FirstLadyofXBL:A lot has happened for me since then but the biggest has to be the birth of Xbox 360®. LOL. I'm serious. Life is good. Friends and family are safe and healthy. So that means I have plenty of time to game.
Castor Troy: Last year was very important to me. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration. I have a passion for electronics and technology, and I hope to someday work in the electronic entertainment industry.
Nytedagger:I am a senior in high school so I am getting ready to go to college soon.
Hockeystud29:The biggest change in my life since then is no doubt the loss of my little brother Zachariah Barrick. He was in a tragic accident at work and passed away in January at the age of 22. It's hit my family and me pretty hard and has changed a lot of things in my life. I also graduated college in 2005 with a B.A. in business management, and got a job with the PA insurance commission. The real world isn't so bad … Except I don't have as much time for videogames.
USMC BEANS: A few big ones, actually. Finished my bachelor degrees, moved from NY to Seattle to work for Boeing and got married.
Halo 3 got most votes for best game, but Operation Flashpoint got a callout.
TriXie:What do you think is the best Xbox LIVE game of the past five years?
FirstLadyofXBL:I have to rate a sports game because that's my passion, so it would be NBA 2K7. Everything else? Toss up between Halo 3, Gears of War® and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas.
Castor Troy: Without question, the best Xbox LIVE game to date is Halo 2. That game's online functionality was revolutionary when it launched. The party system allowed players to get into a game with the push of a button. You didn't have to sift through lists looking for an open game with a good ping. Everything was automated. The ranking system helped to deter quitters from leaving the game early, which in turn could ruin the experience. I once joined a game in another Xbox LIVE title and the host was sleeping! Halo's matchmaking system makes it pretty hard for someone to fall asleep before a match starts, as it usually only takes about twenty seconds to start a game. In fact, I have lost many hours of sleep because of Halo.
Nytedagger:Halo 3.
Hockeystud29: Halo 3 is downright nasty. It actually got me back on the Xbox after taking a long break. Guitar Hero II™ is also very addicting. I play that when I'm with some friends or having a party. I was surprised how much fun it was because I was actually making fun of a friend who got it because it's a little toy guitar and he's 23. I sat down and tried it and have been hooked ever since. To actually answer your question though: Halo 3, hands down.
USMC BEANS: I know many will disagree, but I love Operation Flashpoint. It is as close as a game is going to come to actual combat, trust me. Please bug someone to make it backwards compatible! Oh, and MechAssault® as well!
Spectator Mode in PGR3 was a groundbreaking feature.
TriXie:What new LIVE feature were you the most excited about?
FirstLadyofXBL:To finally get a chance to see the spectator mode done well. It was beautifully executed in PGR3 and in the most innovative way for Dead or Alive. But I'm still waiting for this to be a standard feature in games. I want to be able to watch the number 1 and 2 player in my NBA 2K8 league battle it out for the top spot.
Castor Troy: I think that the dashboard for the 360 is an amazing concept. The original Xbox dashboard was functional, but it didn't do anything special. You could manage your data and that was about it. The new dashboard for the 360 really took things to the next level. I absolutely love being able to download game demos, movies and other media. LIVE Arcade is my favorite Xbox LIVE feature. I really enjoy music games and am currently hooked on Lumines™ Live!. Games don't have to be graphically intense or complicated to be enjoyable. I think it's great that the Xbox has created an easy way to distribute smaller titles.
Nytedagger:When I did my first Gamer Spotlight, the Xbox 360 wasn't out yet, and neither was the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. I was the most excited about the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, because of the demos, themes, and gamer pics.
Hockeystud29:Well, there are a lot of nice ones but I'd have to say the voice messaging. It just saves time and makes it easier to communicate when someone's busy or not online.
USMC BEANS: I really like the video chat. It lets me keep in touch with my best friend back home. I just wish you could have more than two people in there at a time.
TriXie:And finally, what are you playing these days?
FirstLadyofXBL:NBA 2K8 gets most of my time but I also love playing NCAA® Football 08, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords™ and Halo 3.
Castor Troy: Like everyone else, I've been playing a lot of Halo 3. Other than that, my friend and I have been playing through the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock campaign which has been awesome. Playing guitar is fun but I really want to play the drums. Rock Band™ can't come soon enough. I like the game that's on the Arcade, that Super Puzzle Fighter™ II Turbo HD Remix. It's a great game to play with a friend. I am also really enjoying The Orange Box. The Half-Life series is my favorite and Episode Two does not disappoint. Team Fortress 2 and Portal are amazing. Thanks for the follow up, TriXie … and remember … the cake is a lie!
Nytedagger:Halo 3. Soon I will be playing The Orange Box and FIFA 08.
Hockeystud29: Halo 3, it's way too addicting. I love it because you can always get better … sort of like golf. I'm at 45 right now and I know there are a few thousand players that are better than me so it keeps me being competitive. My girlfriend hates it, so I'm constantly sucking up or buying her things so I can get a few hours in.
USMC BEANS: Halo 3, of course! Also Call of Duty® 4, Rainbow Six Vegas, Chromehounds™, and Beautiful Katamari™. Yeah, I play Katamari to make myself seem eclectic. ;)
TriXie:Thanks, everyone! Here's to another update in 2013!
