Graveyard Greg: Who are you people?

First Unknown Stranger: That one’s yours, babe.

Second Unknown Stranger: I’m Sean Jaffe. I’m a freelance writer….We’re a bunch of writers, gamers, musician, and artists who needed work.

First Unknown Stranger: I suppose that’s one way of putting it…

Second Unknown Stranger: We decided to team up and create a crew here in the tri-state area to inject some style into a hurtin’ industry, and maybe wake a few people up in the process..

First Unknown Stranger: One could also say we’re the followers of a madman with a vision. I’m Hala Winter, writer and assistant creative director.

Third Unknown Stranger: Joshua Brain Jaffe.

Graveyard Greg: Gaming credits please–past and present!

Sean: I’ve worked for Inquest, Pyramid, White Wolf…Aetherco/Dreamcatcher,and the Apophis Consortium.

Josh: My creds in the “industry” are that page on the alpha release of Messiah.

Hala: As for me, my experience in the gaming industry is mainly collaboration with Sean.

GG: How did you guys get into the crazy Gaming Industry?

Sean: Well, the way I see it, this is the last great undiscovered art form. So I majored in it at a liberal-arts college. Of course, I got screwed, because no one understood what I was talking about. So, upon leaving I had to put my money where my mouth was. I knew close friend at Inquest. he got me some work…

Josh: I’ve been gaming 14 years now, reaching 15. It seems that through every family tragedy Me and Sean endured,it became apparent we needed to do something. Well, we started forming this concept for a game. I’ve always been the mac nut, so of course, I ended up designing it. And lots of drawing symbols in the edges of my psych notes turned into the symbols you saw on the webpage (www.lastexodus.com). That page in general was a 12 hour epiphany

Sean: Yeah- stay tuned- those sigils do something really cool in the game.

Hala: Well, I’ve been gaming for thirteen years…Roleplaying games have always appealed to me as an actress and writer. Although I never really thought I would go into the gaming “industry”. But one of things we’re trying to do with Sean is bring gaming back to the “Entertainment” industry, which it’s going to have to find a niche in if it’s going to survive.

GG: Some would say that’s already happened, Hala–thanks to MAGIC: The Gathering

Josh: uuuh…..

Sean: Nah, that’s not the same.

Hala: Magic…and CCgs…are something separate to what I think we’re talking about here.

Sean: We’re talking RPG’s - Interactive story arc. This is about BEING. Magic’s well done, but it’s a different animal.

GG: What is this “Messiah: The Last Exodus” all about?

Sean: Who wants this one? Should I take it?

Hala: Well, I believe Sean used the term “Epic Blasphemy”…Sean, take this.

Josh: Sean starts, me next

Hala: I’ll finish.

GG: Ball’s in your court, Sean…

Sean: Alright. The basic premise, without giving away too much, is that the second coming of Christ is hundreds, maybe thousands of people. The players.

Hala: Don’t forget the antichrist…

Sean: Well, yes, there are an equal number of Antichrists.

Josh: Basically, everybody wants to save the world. Question is, who should do it, and who do you save? Sometimes sh!t happens, and who ya gonna call?

Hala: Each of the individuals deatiled on the site represent a different group with a different ideology on how to save the world.

Josh: Which path do YOU choose to save humanity? Which path do you block?

GG: This just in–Nate from Oaklahoma asks: “How serious are you about the religion in the game? I mean - how are you going to make the game appear to non-Christian players - or is the game going to be more All Faith?”

Josh: Every and all faiths

Sean: We blaspheme everybody.

Josh: Hell, I’m Ba’hai, I beleive in all religions.

Sean: No one gets out of here safe.

Josh: religion =/= christianity

Sean: We’re pretty much all deists, no- It utlizes Christ, but he’s not entirley focal.

Hala: I think Messiah is all about breaking that mold…The capital-R Religions in Messiah are all new.

Sean: It’s really a game about creating religion. Faith is a major theme.

Josh: Your Religion will affect your status, power, politics, sexlife and more.

Sean: We’re not afraid to offend people, rest assured. We’re respectful, but not reverent. We don’t just diss religion for the sake of it.

Hala: Sean and I both have studied a number of religions, both for Messiah and our own interests.

Sean: Josh is also heavy into sprituality.

GG: Here’s an easy question: Favorite Snack at midnight?

Josh: MCDONALDS. WE GOT A 24 HOUR MCDONALDS

Sean: Mc’D!

Hala: I’d have to say…Sean.

Sean: Nootch!

Josh: *doh*

Hala: Okay, so he’s a little more than a snack…

Josh: *my eyes are MELTING!!*

GG: So are mine! Next question! We hear the phrase too many times in game books - “This chapter details combat, though combat should not be the main percent of the game.” or blah blah.. then the chapter turns out to be 100 pages long and the book is only 186 pages or something… so are you guys going to like downplay combat - up-play it? Try to write more options than combat for the resolution of every adventure?

Sean: Combat is a focal point for most games because it’s a focal point for conflict- like in movies.

Hala: Can I answer that question? Please? From a chick-gamer perspective? Combat can help up the intensity of a roleplaying experience…but it can’t BE the roleplaying experience.

Sean: Hala pretty much nailed it.

Josh: I want combat to be quick and easy. So it can be as important or not, as a director wishes.

GG: What are your influences for this Messiah…let’s call it PROJECT, not a game, shall we?

Josh: My influences are certainly White Wolf before they got lazy and still had to fight for something, the modern techno-hiphop culture look, the family tragedies mentioned earlier, and the Wu-Tang Clan.

Sean: I took influence from the Old Testament, Star Wars, Busta Rhymes, Dream Theater, the Thrill Kill Kult, PREACHER, Hustler, Caligula, Hype Williams, Scot MAcCloud’s Zot (BIG ONE). and Savatages’ Dead Winter Dead

Hala: Hmmm…Neil Gaiman, definitely. William Gibson, Demonology, Hunter Thompson, and World of Darkness. My ideas for what makes good conflict in RPGs tend to be drawn more from The Iliad than from Starship troopers (although i LOVED that movie).

GG: OK, now it’s time for a surprise GAMER’S QUIZ! This will test your knowledge of gaming. Hala, pick your category!

Hala: Changeling!

GG: The question then: They are your teacher, banker, grocer, accountant: anyone who brings dullness and tedium to the world. Their very existence eats away Glamour. Who are they?

Hala: That would be the Autumn People for a thousand, Alex. Everyone knows that one, but thanks for the easy one.

GG: Yer welcome!

Josh: I’m gonna get banged up on this I know it.

GG: Then I’m saving you for last, Josh. Sean, pick your game!

Hala: Pick Werewolf, Sean. Star Wars is too easy for you.

Sean: Gimme Star Wars, I guess… Second Edition.

GG: Werewolf it is, then! Let’s see…Which of the following tribes went through a name change–Bone Gnawers, Red Talons, White Howlers, Silent Striders, or Glass Walkers?

Sean: The white howlers became Black Spiral Dancers and the Glass walkers were Iron Riders, and warders before that.

GG: Very Good! Josh, it is your turn!

Josh: TMNT!

GG: Teenage Mutant Turtles it is! Name the TMNT supplement that might be the foundation for RIFTS?

Josh: After the Bomb.

GG: Good! Next question!

On the website, it mentions “Deiforms”–What is a Deiform? I assume it deals with gods and stuff.

Sean: Um… It’s a soul. We really can’t reveal much else…Yet. Keep checking the website, tho..

GG: That’s what is called a “teaser”, folks!

Tell us about the other individuals involved with MESSIAH.

Sean: Well, Lets’ see. First, there’s Hala’s tentatively titled “Winter Arcane Press”

Hala: That’s the name for my company, a small press comic book company that may be branching out into other print media. We’re doing the Messiah: The Last exodus comic, among other things.

Sean: Peter Johnson (who is aware of the phallic nature of his name) is in his second year at SVA. Pat Helme is another artist, he does our computer stuff. Corinne, Hala’s artist, hopefully will be working with us, as well as some bigger names like Dave Fooden.

Josh: Charlie is a lab-pit-akita vampire lesbian dog with a donut attached to her rear. Bootsy (the cat) is our security force.

GG: Nice. Next question!

Favorite game of all time? Besides Messiah, that is…

Josh: Strip Poker

Hala: “Big Eyes, Small Mouth” and the Sailor Moon RPG or Cyberpunk, definitely.

Josh: Mage

Sean: I’d say Star wars or The Collective WoD…

Josh: Strip Mage–”Hahaha, you gain 2 more points of paradox, so take off that bra!”

GG: Hmmmmm…the World of Stripping? And now it’s time for CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH!

Sean, MARK*REIN HAGEN of the World of Darkness versus Gareth-Michael Skarka of HONG KONG THEATRE! The winner will get to face Round 2! Who would win, and how??

Sean: Damn, dude. I’ve seen Gareth. I’ve hung out with Gareth. I’ve kissed Gareth. He’d beat the piss out of hulk hogan.

Josh: Hala, you see the stiff competition you got?

Hala: Sean’s not ditching his redhaired queen anytime soon, I’m not worried.

Sean: Well, okay. Round one. Mark comes out and says “A gaming celebrity I am, lest a gaming celebrity I become.” Then Gareth comes out, and he’s got this flask of austrian vodka. He’s lookin for a fight–he lets out a mighty celtic bellow, and the fight is on. He beats Mark to death with a copy of 5th edition ars magica, then complains about distributors for a while. End of match.

GG: Ouch!

Josh, Gaerth has defeated Mark*Rein Hagen, but he now must contend with KEVIN SIEMBIEDA of Palladium fame! Who wins, and how?

Josh: Gareth, still blind from the drunken rage, is taken TOTALLY by surprise by Kevin and ALL four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Splinter. They get all ninja and leave Gareth a puddle of goo–but the ref disqualifies it because the TMNT weren’t really in the game.

GG: Hmmmm…seeing as how Gareth can’t move, I still will declare Kevin the victor by a technicality!

Any final words for the gaming fans out there?

Sean: I have some, yes. Prepare to be challenged. The teen white male stereotype will fall…We’re blacks, we’re hispanics, we’re women, we’re gays, and we’re coming to the industry. Make room..

Hala: The “diversity” things seems a good note to end it on, but I suppose I’d like to add that Messiah is bringing gaming out of the basement and into the world, into clubs, into music. Gaming needs to come out of hiding.

Josh: It’s time RPG’s put down the dice and donuts, got laid and let us run the show for a while. We are all gamers, yet we get laid, listen to music recorded since 1988, and can dance. It’s time that the gaming industry broadened it’s audience, and we intend to do that.

Sean: Naga noooootch!

GG: I think “Naga noooootch!” sums it up. Thanks!