An Interview With Cyberdevil
Maltos - Lets start in 1/17/04 when you first joined NG how did you find it and what keeps you here 35.3K posts later?
Cyberdevil - I actually joined a little earlier, as said post history might reveal if you go back far enough. ;)
Though at this point I'm not sure how or why. I was exploring the Internet - a brave new world I hadn't been particularly privy to before, and somehow stumbled upon this great place amidst a bundle of other practitioning pioneers in this rad realm of creative abandon.
The stats and submissions beckoned more than the community back then, but it's probably the latter that kept me here.
NG's such a wholesome place, so diverse. Nobody's an outcast when everybody is. I feel like it's managed to both stay relatively true to its roots and to keep expanding in a special kind of way, like a living historical heritage; hidden little utopia of collaboration and reward that I hope lives on forever! And doesn't ever get so mainstream that the recognition somehow destroys it.
It's also pretty addicting.
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Maltos - You've submitted a lot of art work on NG throughout the years, what inspires your work?
Cyberdevil - My life, I think, as well as any other artistic shizzle I happen to peruse here or elsewhere.
There's probably at least one particular inspiration behind any one thing I make, wether that be a real event or just something I've seen that I somehow wanted to change or make my own somehow.
I feel like inspiration goes both ways too. If you stop trying to find it you lose the ability to. Best stay curious and aware of the world, and that way maybe your well of vision never wanes.
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Maltos - You have 295 audio submissions, I've listened to Beast
you provided vocals for this track, did you write the lyrcis and do you have other songs we can look forward to hearing?
Cyberdevil - I did indeed write the lyrics for Beast, and have for (I think - can't think of any exception right now - I take pride in writing my own stuff) all other audio tracks you might've heard my vocals on.
That particular one was initially my Day 16 submission for last years Inktober challenge, for which I've been writing/recording a verse each day instead of doing a more visual doodle, sometimes collabing with other musicians for an instrumental, sometimes going acapella. You can listen to the original upload of that one here: https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/972283
@Quarl took a stab at revamping it and adding some much appreciated production quality to it! I'm not too good with that bit of it, as you can probably hear if you compare the two versions.
You can look forward to at least another thirty-one similar things this year too hopefully! Though hopefully not too similar. All new. All the way through October when all's cool.
And maybe some other stuff if I actually manage to start plowing through other waiting projects; eternal backlogs.
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Maltos - You recently lent your voice for Money Man https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/804012
You've worked as a voice actor on several movies too such as
https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/784601 a(Friday Night Funk ) and https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/809509 Reduce 2: Pass of time part 1.
Tell us about those experiences and what do you enjoy most as a voice actor?
Cyberdevil - Money Man was a blast to work on (thanks for the opportunity @8BitAnt!), and a relatively simple gig compared to some of the others. Voice-wise.
Friday Night Funkin' Backstage in particular was a challenge since @recme knew exactly how we wanted my character to sound, and it wasn't a voice I'd done before, so it took some back and forth to get it right.
Which was great, and turned out great! No better way to develop than to really get out of your comfort zone.
As for Reduce I think it was the first series I might've been given the opportunity to voice anything in, and it's been ongoing for a few years now. The crew working on it is close-knit, and mainly Polish, so there is a certain language barrier that possibly affects the perceived authenticity of the script a bit, but if you've been around NG a while you'd probably enjoy it! It's classic stickfigure animation with a twist, and hardware hungry detail levels.
I've been jumping on VA roles occasionally lately since it feels like a fun and not too complicated way to get involved and contribute to things, while also helping me hone my vocals. I'd like to dabble more with music so anything that deals with sound seems like the right thing to get into too.
If anyone needs a VA for anything feel free to reach out! Dark and demonic's maybe my specialty... so far.
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Maltos - You have a vast interest in poetry and haikus, here are a few
Tell us about your creative process and what inspires you.
So little is known
Of the thrones that we sit on.
With the brittlest bone.
Break through the breakthrough!
Revolutionize! Make due!
Don't forget: break too.
Ancient rust peels off
Leaves me with a dusty cough
Here we go again
Cyberdevil - As with music the main inspiration behind my poetry's probably just life. Trials and tribulations and tidbits of everyday woe and all. The worse everything occasionally seems to be the better a source for material for me. It's the customized creative vent and verbal therapy I've come to rely on, which is why most of my poetry has a more existential; philosophical; potentially psychologically detrimental tone, when everything just sucks and... I get inspired.
Writing it out at such times makes everything suck less, and the more it sucked the better material I seem to end up with, which occasionally inspires me further and brings forth some more optimistic themes and further fuels said aspirations with creations.
TLDR: Experiences and observations. Anything's potential inspiration.
My writing process is very simple. I just write. Either I sit down with the intention of writing something, in which case it might take a while before I get an idea - occasionally I brainstorm a little to warm up. Or inspiration just strikes and I have to write things down quick before the thought or feeling fades.
When inspiration rides in there's no hiding! Just let the pen flow then so as to not go mental and when you've spent all that's senseless and detrimental you can then slow and... correct typos and such. But not too much.
I probably should take more time to polish my prose sometimes, but if I start trying to perfect things too much it often feels like the essence gets lost in the process.
Maltos - Here are your stats how do you feel when you see them?
Level:
60
Exp Points:
51,888 / 100,000
Exp Rank:
89
Vote Power:
10.02 votes
Rank:
Sup. Commander
Global Rank:
10
Blams:
25,854
Saves:
145,331
B/P Bonus:
60%
Cyberdevil - Proud. :)
My current EXP rank coincidentally coincides with my birth year, my global rank's a nice and even ten, there's a couple of lucky sixes there, I'm still working on the full 100K EXP but that'll take a while...
Honestly I'm a bit conflicted when I see my stats.
On the one hand I feel like they're a testament to my tenacity and discipline in this one regard. And that if I can stay as committed to this one thing as I have, then I can with anything. It feels like a proof of concept, or accomplishment. That dreams are in reach, and I can do whatever I set my mind to.
On the other hand it might all be just a massive waste of time. But I hope that feeling never takes over.
It's probably only a risk if I don't live a good life otherwise. Outside NG, too.
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Maltos - Tell us about your user name and why you chose it.
Cyberdevil - I love DOOM, and when I signed up here Cyberdemon (one of the most vicious beasts portrayed therein - and probably my favorite) was taken, as was my real name (Bob), as were some of the other options I'd used on a limited number of communities before this, so I twisted things up a bit and this was that twist!
I've been using it everywhere else since, to the point it feels synonymous with me now. You can read into it whatever you like, but just know that Cyberspace = the Internet. The Devil = better than a demon/someone who's good at something.
And that I am in fact not a Satanist.
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Maltos - What Effect has NG had on you?
Cyberdevil - Massive! Mass Effect. A profound one.
I might have been irrevocably scarred for life growing up on early NG content like the infamous celebrity torture games and Happy Tree Friends - with cute little animals for example accidentally gouging their eyes out with electric kitchen whisks, but on the brighter side it also introduced me to art in a way I just hadn't been before. As a way of life. And expression. And taught me how central and contagious a part of everything it can so easily become if you have the mind for it.
I discovered Flash. I found out anyone could make things with it. I learned how to animate. I learned how to make interfaces. I bought an unreasonably expensive hosting account I planned to launch a full-fledged NG clone with, and started learning to code as well. I drew, I made music, I tried my hand at all forms of creative crafts I stumbled upon, started submitting stuff, started feeling acknowledged, started connected to people...'
This was social media before the term existed, and a game, and as far as I know also the best education system I could have ever stumbled upon at the time.
In school I took a webdesign course, but didn't need to attend classes since it was clear I already knew everything they were teaching. I was self-taught thanks to NG, and presented my self-hosted site for the final assignment. Top grades there.
That probably wasn't the best use of school time looking back, but NG introduced me to so much so early on. Mainly visual arts and multimedia, which paved the way for what I work with today.
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Maltos - Who are you when you're away from NG?
Cyberdevil - I'm the same person as I am when I'm on it, though usually not by a computer, more so in the wild and free where I like to be and where I can breath.
My conflicting and interchanging hybrid high-tech/no-tech lifestyle usually culminates in a month long (used to be longer - alas, work) summer vacation each year where we farm crops for the winter, pick berries, swim, chop wood, and just basically get back to nature as much as possible. Also a major source of inspiration btw.
Otherwise I'd say I'm a searcher; looking for a place and purpose in life, chasing the skies when adjacent to night, trying new trails as life blazes me by, afraid I won't live before it's fabled we die. But just keep on going! And say with a smile: it's alright.
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Maltos - As an active BBS user are there any users you like or dislike?
Cyberdevil - I can't think of anyone I really dislike right now.
I like anyone I can really talk to. About anything. Who entertains new ideas. Who makes conversation feel effortless. Or gives me a new perspective entirely. Or anyone who's witty or well-worded or hardworking or wise or a master of the arts or mysterious; disguised. But I like all y'all guys!!!
This place is just full on awesomeness.
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Maltos - What do you think about the forum MODs?
Cyberdevil - I think it's great we have 'em, and I respect that they take the time they do to try to keep the community together.
I particularly and spectacularly appreciate Seven, of the many names, who helps so much despite going through so much concurrent personal struggle.
I do feel like sometimes some mods seem to get a thorn in their side towards some specific user, and treat them unfairly, or let others treat said user unfairly without repercussion, but as I don't have the inside scoop always maybe there's more to it when such is the case sometimes.
For the most part they're great.
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Maltos - If you could say anything to @Tomfulp what would it be?
Cyberdevil - Hope you're well and keep up the good work!
If you have time for spontaneous site feedback reading: I'd love to see the user post history pages - among others - made a bit more readable. Feels like some of the text-heavy pages that were transitioned to the new layout with just a single column are a bit too wide to give you a good overview for reading, or page elements aren't spaced up ideally. Some of these pages just seem a bit cluttered and/or compact. The post history one's maybe the best example.
On a positive note I love that we finally have two-pass authentication and account backup features! Lotsa great updates lately.
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Maltos - What can we expect from you in the future?
Cyberdevil - More audio, more posts; more everything. :)
I'll be back from vacation soon and October's just around the corner so...
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Maltos - Who would you like to see interviewed next?
Cyberdevil - I'd also like to learn more about @ngman7 if he's available. Feels like he'd have a lot to say here.
If not maybe @S3C @VortexSupernova or @Ant0on - three awesome artists with various strains of creative mastery.
This has been an interview with Cyberdevil
until next time
