The Complete Interview - Ikester

Here is the complete interview (as seen in the Planets Newsletter), this month we talked to Ikester - Enjoy!

PN: Tell us a little about yourself.

I: I’ve been working in Information Technology for 27 years now.  I have a wife and one son who has autism.

PN: When did you first start playing?

I: I started playing VGA Planets in 1995 with a bunch of office mates.  After a hiatus, I’m back playing again.

PN: What's your favorite race and why?

I: If I had to pick, it would be the Privateers because I like the ability to move twice as far in one turn and I like stealing ships (Virgos and Rushes are my favorite to steal).

PN: What do you build on first three turns with them (or your general opening strategy)?

I: Depends on the race, but I do try to get at least one LDSF built and one scout ship (Meteor, B200 Probe, etc).

PN: How many games do you play at the same time?

I: Too many!  I was up to 8, but I’m cutting back since I’m trying to play races I don’t have much experience at.

PN: What types of games do you like playing most?

I: I still like Classic games, although an occasional Campaign is good.

PN: What's your most memorable game, and what made it so interesting? (link or id number)

I: http://play.planets.nu/#/sector/53052 - I was Borg allied with Crystals against Privateers allied with Robots.  It was a knockdown, bloodied-knuckle fight to the end! 

PN: Name a memorable friend and/or a memorable foe, and what made them stand out.

PN: Give an example of excellent tactics you've used or seen (w/ details so readers can view it, if possible).

I: At tactic I had to use against Colonials who were towing low-tech engine Virgos with Cobols.  I would use a cloaked intercept with a Meteor that had at least Mk4 torps and Disruptors.  Most of the time, I’d take out the Cobol and wind up with a Virgo to steal.

PN: What do you think is the most important skill for a Planets player to succeed?

I: Diplomacy is very important, but a good skill (if you call it that) is the willingness to veer from habit to keep the opponents off guard.

PN: Describe the process you use to make a turn.

I: After cursing at the stupid moves I made the last turn, I cycle through my ships to give them commands and then my planets.  When I have a lot of ships and/or planets, I sometimes go to the starmap and work from North to South  instead, so I’m thinking from a map perspective instead of a ship perspective.

PN: What is your favorite thing about Panets Nu?

I: The ease of working up a turn.  The program is pretty tight and I don’t experience many bugs.

PN: Is there anything else you would like to add?

I: While I understand wanting to be competitive, in the big picture, it’s still just a game.  It’s to be enjoyed, not a source of conflict in life.

Thank you to Ikester! 

You can view Ikester's profile here.