IN THE ROOM with ???Justin Towe???

Good day, Sentinel readers. Today, I’d like to share a very unusual experience I recently had. I was walking down a flight of stairs and heard a loud squeak as I lost my footing. As I fell, I noticed I had been tripped by an errant rubber duck left on one of the steps. I tumbled head over heels to the next landing and seemingly lost consciousness for a moment. When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing on an immense keyboard with a black screen with a flashing cursor hovering before me, as if waiting for me to type a message. Although I couldn’t see or hear anything else around me, I felt as if I was not alone. Another presence was there, waiting to converse with me. I leapt from key to key, typing in a simple message.

Chaz: Hi?

JT: Hello Chaz. I am Justin Towe. I’ve read some of your past interviews and would like to have you help introduce me to the Heroes Rising world.

Chaz: Heroes Rising? What is that?

JT: The world you exist in has existed in many forms. Some you have heard of. Some you may not have. Krystal can explain it all to you, if you want specifics. I’ve been around watching over the HR universe, but recently the stars have aligned in a new way for the denizens of this realm. My influence has grown, and I am now, well, kinda in charge of it all.

Chaz: So, does that make you the big G now? Do we need to start sacrificing virgins to you or some other type of tribute?

JT: Let’s not get into that right now. How about we simply say I worked as part of a team under an individual we will call The Chef.

Chaz: That sounds familiar somehow. I think I’ve heard of that group. I believe your previous superhero name was Mr. Fix-it or more precisely, Mr. Fix-It-Right-NOW. Is that correct?

JT: Hah! Well, I do ascribe to that belief of “fix it right now”, but it was never my superhero name!

Chaz: And now you have recently garnered a new position in the HR-universe. Do you have a preferred title?

JT: Oh boy, I dunno. Architect? King? It all seems so ostentatious, just Justin is fine.

Chaz: OK, Justin. I assume from what you’ve said that you’ve been paying attention to the heroes of our world for a while now. I know that there is at least one of them who has spoken highly of what you do while calling on you frequently for aid. What is the most messages you have received in one day from Hanzo about a problem? You can round it off to the closest hundred if needed.

JT: The most? I don’t know if I can’t count that high, I usually make computers do that for me… But If I can round it to the closest hundred, I’ll say a hundred.

Chaz: Onto something a bit more serious. Why did you decide to take on the new position?

JT: I love the work, I love the community, and there was/is lots that needed/needs to be done. I was afraid of what the future may hold for both myself and for the HR-universe if things didn’t start changing, and I felt that only by unleashing my full potential could I make any meaningful change quickly.

Chaz: What is your favorite thing about Heroes Rising?

JT: The community. I love the passion and dedication so many players have – the drive to play the game, the desire to help others play the game to their full potential, the camaraderie and the rivalries that have been created over the years. I think one of the most awesome aspects is the close ties the players have with the developer(s) in order to create something together to try and make the best experience for everyone to enjoy. I love adding that personal touch to the game, and giving the players life inside the Universe, where their story has an impact in some way and the tasks they take on daily are just a little more super. How many games out there have entirely new modes created because a player made a post on Facebook?

Chaz: What are you most excited about changing?

JT: Honestly, there are so many small-to-large sized things I want to change and add, it is hard to choose something specifically. Overall, I am just excited to give players more and varied fun things to do, which is ultimately what all of my changes bring about. I am pretty excited about Player Summonable Raids though, I’ve wanted them myself for a long time.

Chaz: Yes, I think many people have. Speaking of Player Summonable Raids, could you hear Mayor CJ cry out like a little girl when you first slipped in the Raid Token for summonable raids?

JT: I was washing the dishes when it happened: a loud, high-pitched squeal, echoed in my heart, and burst through my ear drums... and caused me to drop the plate I was cleaning.

Chaz: What do the players bring to the game that you enjoy the most?

JT: Oh, I guess I kind of answered this a few questions ago, but to go on further about how great ya’ll are: it’s the ideas that everyone brings to the table that I love the most. Just so many good ideas for ways to improve the game or fix things or add things, and generally make it more fun. It makes my job much easier, cause I pretty much just read what ya’ll have to say, maybe add a few of my own ingredients, and bake away (baking being a metaphor for coding).

Chaz: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

JT: Spacetime manipulation, like Hiro Nakamura from the TV show Heroes (who was also a computer programmer).

Chaz: That’s a cool power. Will that be offered anytime soon for heroes here to have?

JT: I wouldn’t want to think about trying to code that into HR. Poison damage is giving me enough headaches right now.

Chaz: You have communicated a lot since your inheritance of Heroes Rising. Are there any secrets you haven't shared with us yet, and if there are, what are they?

JT: Oh yes, of course there are – I love secrets and putting foreshadowing for things in what I write. For example, I hinted at the Under Mountain in my Facebook post about the KOTM changes. I am working with Dan to ensure that there are hints about future story elements and game modes within the lore that is being released. Some of it might be subtle, but an astute reader may pick up on some secrets of things to come. So, I won’t just come outright and give away my secrets. Did I drop a secret or two in my responses to you though? Maybe. I’ll never tell.

Chaz: Being that it is nearly Halloween, how about some seasonal questions. What is your favorite candy?

JT: Swedish Fish or Charleston Chew

Chaz: What will you be dressing up as for Trick-or-Treating?

JT: Computer Programmer

Chaz: Will we ever see more of Legion in HR, or does your taking over mark a new beginning for the heroes?

JT: You might see a bit more of them, but that is more of a question for Dan Peyton.

Chaz: Who? That private eye in Neo Utopia?

JT: I’ve said to much. The only way to find out what will happen next is to stick around. I don’t want to give away any spoilers.

Chaz: Finally, one last question. The game is called Heroes Rising, but often some players seem to prefer being villains, or at least, villainous. Will we ever see a Villains vs Heroes Tug of War event?

JT: <jots down some notes> Uhm, yeah, probably…

With that, the vision of the large screen and keyboard faded away and I found myself faceplanted in an artificial hasta on the bottom landing. Was it all a dream, or did I actually communicate with one of the elusive developers of the world we live in?

Take the content of this interview as you will. Did it happen? Was it all a result of my hitting my head? I can’t say for sure, but stranger things have happened. Happy Halloween, Sentinel Readers, and best of luck, Justin Towe, if you really do exist…