TriXie Interviews aka Scratch

Published December 10, 2008

He's a Navy veteran and phone guy in Pennsylvania whose Xbox LIVE® nemesis is actually named … Nemesis! Say hello to aka Scratch.

trixie360: What's the story behind your Gamertag?

aka Scratch: Well I was Scratch Face for quite a while as a joke between my brother and I. Everyone I knew called me Scratch, so I changed it to aka Scratch. Now Pogre and StealthyShadows call me "Face" and those who don't know me call me aka. *shrugs*

aka Scratch.

trixie360: Where do you live? 

aka Scratch: I live in Mansfield, PA. It's where I grew up and after much traveling decided it's where I want my daughter to grow up.

trixie360: What do you do for a living? 

aka Scratch: I'm a telecommunications technician, but I prefer to go by "the phone guy." It sounds more like what I do.

trixie360: What's the worst or weirdest job you've ever had?

aka Scratch: In the Navy, I was made to chip paint off of perfectly painted surfaces and then repaint them. I do not wish that on anyone.

trixie360: How long have you been on Xbox LIVE?

aka Scratch: I think July 2003. As soon as I got back home and could have my own Internet, I joined. A friend of mine got it at launch and I played on his tag and was hooked. I threw my PS2 online adapter away and never looked back.

trixie360: Do you have an archenemy on Xbox LIVE?

aka Scratch: Evil Nemesis NL. Not really an enemy, more like an arch friend. We trash talk and joke. He's the only person I've ever played competitively against. He owns at Gears.

Evil Nemesis NL is the nemesis of aka Scratch, especially in Gears of War.

trixie360: What's your Xbox setup like?

aka Scratch: Xbox 360® Elite using the HDMI on a 42-inch Samsung Plasma. Surround sound to come in the future, probably distant future, but it's on the list.

trixie360: What's the best feature of Xbox LIVE?

aka Scratch: The accessibility to your friends and the gaming world is awesome. Xbox makes people far away seem so much closer.

trixie360: What is your favorite Xbox LIVE game?

aka Scratch: Halo® 3 is probably a safe bet. It changes often but that's one I go back to a lot. I like Bungie's innovations.

trixie360: What is your favorite offline Xbox game?

aka Scratch: Tie between BioShock and The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™. However, I think that may change with Fallout® 3.

Scratch 's new fave is Fallout 3.

trixie360: What do you think is the best game of all time?

aka Scratch: Mega Man 2 on the NES. When I was a kid I played that game over and over. I liked Pitfall too but when I found out games had endings, I put it down.

trixie360: What do you think is the best film of all time?

aka Scratch: Saving Private Ryan. My Grandmother told me a story about WWII brothers with essentially the same plot. It really made an impression on me.

trixie360: Yeah I call that "The best movie I never want to see again." What do you think is the best album of all time?

aka Scratch: Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix. God if I could only make an electric guitar do the things he made it do.

trixie360: What's the funniest thing you've ever heard on Xbox LIVE?

aka Scratch: My brother while playing MechAssault answered the question, "Where is everyone at?" by responding "I'm right here." He was dead serious.

aka Scratch loved Mega Man 2, does he like Mega Man 9?

trixie360: What is your greatest Xbox LIVE moment?

aka Scratch: I could name any time I finish a game online in co-op mode. It's awesome to share that experience. Developers take note of that.

trixie360: What's your favorite TV show?

aka Scratch: Family Guy because the parody segments remind me of things I had forgotten about. They do those so well and right down to every detail. It makes me laugh.

trixie360: Who is your inner rock star?

aka Scratch: Ozzy Osbourne. I hope I can still kick as much –Blam!- as him when I get older.

trixie360: If they made a movie about your life, who should play you?

aka Scratch: Leonardo DiCaprio, not for looks but his acting.

trixie360: What's your karaoke song?

aka Scratch: Easy. "Fanfare for the Common Man" by Aaron Copland =]

trixie360: Cute. What cartoon character do you think is most like you?

aka Scratch: Probably Bugs Bunny, he can talk himself out of anything.

Superman is mysterious in a super kind of way, according to aka Scratch.

trixie360: What superpower would you like to have?

aka Scratch: I'll steal a great idea from South Park. The power to have any power I want.

trixie360: If you could trade places with anyone for one day, who would it be?

aka Scratch: Donald Trump, then I'd fire him and laugh all the way to the bank.

trixie360: What celebrity would be the worst roommate?

aka Scratch: Gary Busey, could you even imagine it?

trixie360: Who's your favorite superhero?

aka Scratch: Superman, he's an ordinary man, or is he? I dig the mystery behind his identity.

trixie360: Hot celeb you'd like to be stranded on a desert island with?

aka Scratch: Amanda Beard, without a boat, she's my only hope.

trixie360: If you could be any video game character, who would it be?

aka Scratch: The player controlled protagonist from Portal. I want to try out that portal gun and get a shot at the cake.

He'd like to be in a real-life Portal.

trixie360: What's the worst food you've ever eaten?

aka Scratch: I'm pretty picky but I'll try anything once. I ate something gross at a Thai restaurant in Hawaii. I didn't ask what it was, just tasted it. Big mistake.

trixie360: What's the last book you read?

aka Scratch: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. It's a very interesting take on mass media and its influences.

trixie360: If you could go on tour with any band, which would it be?

aka Scratch: I'd probably go with "any" band. Even if the music sucked, being "with the band" would be awesome. They'd have to be big enough to warrant a World Tour though.

Hardest achievement? The Dig achievement in Dig Dug.

trixie360: What do you predict will be the "next big thing" in gaming?

aka Scratch: You'll be able to send MS points to your friends over Xbox LIVE! *wink wink*

trixie360: What do you think is the best thing about Xbox 360?

aka Scratch: If I didn't say the networking, friendships and all of the community, I'd be lying. You guys are awesome, all of you.

trixie360: What is the Xbox 360 Achievement that was hardest to get?

aka Scratch: The Dig Achievement in Dig Dug. I spent FOREVER trying to do this. Even harder than the Mile High Club. I don't care what anyone else says.

trixie360: What would you like to be doing in ten years?

aka Scratch: Looking back on this interview and thinking "What a tool."

Interview by TriXie