Who Are You? Why Are You Here? a.k.a: Introductions!

[Sohryu76]

So I started this thread, mainly because I didnt want to clutter up another thread that I started to post it in...
so here it goes... I know alot of you older guys (Red Squadren, Blue Squadren, and even parts of Gold Squadren) all know eachother, and probably know eachother's stories... but how about for the rest of us? the new guys on the block... ok so this is mainly so I can get to know my fellow boardmates... but I'm sure everyone else will find it interesting...

So tell us who you are (real name or whatever name you go by on here) and what brings you this way... what about Star Wars you like... besides maybe lightsabers...
and like Corbin, if your character has a story, share it! I'll have to get back to you guys with my back story for Sohryu (who is one of my Star Wars Galaxies characters, who has transitioned out...)

but here goes:
I'm no where near as huge a Star Wars fan as most people on here seem to be. But I have always loved Jedi and lightsabers...
*prepares to get flamed*
I've always liked the first trilogy, but my favorite parts were the lightsaber scenes and the space/hoth battles...
so when the prequels came out, I was terribly excited, and I must say that I like them even more than the originals. (mostly because Lucas really amped up the lightsaber and space battle time) But I really liked Qui Gon and the young Obi Wan (Eps I, II, & III), I also really like the Clones... reading about them in the novels (Clone Commandos Rock!) has really been interesting. Not to mention the story of the 501st in Battlefront II.
I've also loved many other video games and Star Wars. KOTOR I & II (III where are you?) Jedi Academy I & II, and like i said Battlefront and Star Wars Galaxies... Which is where I became obscessed with Mandalorian Armor... Currently in that game I earned myself a helmet and chest armor... So on top of my lightsaber project I've started here, you guys will also see my custom Mandalorian armor I'm also going to start working on...

Nice to meet everyone!

Sohryu
But since Jedi and lightsabers has always been my favorite things... i think its fitting that I'm here making myself a lightsaber.

[chase]

Well, my name is Chase, I have a "Jedi character", but I'm still working on it constantly. I got into lightsabering from just looking around to find something better than a hasbro but not a FX. I wanted my own custom creation...when I found this place I was in heaven, and still am. I got into Star Wars hardcore just a few years ago but have always dueled with fake lightsabers. The thing I love most about Star Wars is the Expanded Universe. The different characters you don't see in the movies are always the most interesting to me, but I still love the movies (especially Episode I, II, and III). I started reading the books and met some people who costume by going to Dragon Con on a whim last year and that really got me into developing a character/costuming. I've also been working on a comic book/ fan film for the past year. It's pretty rare to find someone who is as into Star Wars as I am where I'm from because I live in a college town where everyone just wants to drink/party.

[ArkaiHalon]

Name is Kevin. I'm just a huge sci fi geek, specifically Star Wars. I've loved sabers since the first moment I saw Luke activate his in Obi Wan's hut.

A small blurb of my charactor story

Arkai Halon
The son of Corellian Jedi Master Aelin Halon, and an unknown Miraluka male.
A descendent of the Halcyon family line, Arkai is blessed with the abilities of Energy Absorb and Alter Mind, able to hold a Lightsaber by its ignited blade, or create very potent illusions in the minds of others. Unfortunately, he also suffers from the limited telekinetic ability attributed to that family, although due to his Miraluka heritage, he does posses stronger skills in this area than any other Halcyon. He also has the gift of Force Sight, but again due to his mixed heritage, not to the same degree as full Miraluka.

[Atomic]

My name is Joel, I live in Chicago and I've been a sci-fi fan for as long as I can remember. I would say that Star Wars (EP4) is my favorite film of all time, but I was extremely disappointed with EP 1-3.

I was in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) for a good few years and did a lot of full contact armored fighting.

As for lightsabers, I had played with the MRs every time I walked into a Sharper Image and consider buying a floor sample Yoda, but they just didn't do anything for me over the initial coolness.

I have a lot of hobbies, but the biggest and favorite is airsoft. (This ties in, really.) I ran two games last year, a Battlefield 2142 scenario and a Zombie night game, both went very well and a few people request more sci-fi, tho current milsim is the majority favorite.

Well, when a Wisconsin field announced that they were having a summer game called: Star Wars, Attack of the Angry Airsofters, I contacted the coordinator, having just bought a Ultra Stunt saber. I got the role of the Sith Lord Now my lightsaber end of the hobby has done a 180.

Now I need to practice and be prepared for unscripted dueling with 2 or 3 Jedi and a pair of Shawdow Jedi that I just might be able to turn to the dark side...

Which brings me to TCSS, where I have until June to make a saber I can literally fight for my life with.

[Sohryu76]

unscripted?
i hope you are all professionals...
I've only done three improve fights in my life (all whopping 27 years) and none of them involved any types of weapons... I've done martial arts for nearly 16 years... but recently retired from competition...
i wish you the best of luck with your unscripted dueling.

[Atomic]

Basically it's a hit from shoulders to hips is a kill. We're all friends, so no one is looking to hurt each other. Combat will be fast, but underpowered. We also each get a pistol which is our "force". I can shoot a common soldier with it and eliminate them before they ever get near me. A touch of my lightsaber to a simple solider (who remember, can't shoot me when it's lit) is dead.

What we are going to do is practice, and focus on keeping the blades in the correct defensive positions and attacking the blades. The Jedi/Sith are really more for show than anything. The soldiers we command will be the ones taking and holding objectives. BUt when we do get into duels, we want them to last, and give one side a chance to escape/run away.

If you don't know airsoft, it's like paintball but with smaller "pellets". Hits are all on the honor system. Almost all guns are full automatic. I am much more worried about getting sprayed in the face by a surprised player (happens, which is why we wear protection) than getting bopped with a lightsaber

[Sohryu76]

ah well if you know the other combatants (duelists) then you are in a much better spot than i thought... you should have an idea what they can/will do... and yeah I'm familiar with airsoft and paintball... but I hope its fun and exciting!

[eastern57]

Hello, my name is Josh, and I'm a 30 year old Star Wars nut (everyone: "Hi Josh").

Most of my enthusiam leans towards the novels and graphic novels/comic books, but I'm still a fan of everything else SW. I've got a [dedicated] room full of SW books, and action figures (sort of gave up on the action figures after 04). My favorite books are "I, Jedi" and "Hard Contact." But "Darth Bane: Path of Destruction" was very good aslo.

I've been into building lightsabers for about 5 months (before that, I was into airsoft, but gave most of my guns away). I've learned tons about electronics, mechanics, lighting - from reading the forums and trial & error... Not to mention, dented my bank account pretty significantly on parts... but, dang, it sure is worth it!

I'm a teacher, so my natural tendency is to get people to answer questions for themselves - so if I'm rather evasive when addressing questions, just tell me to "focus".

The end.

How rude of me...

It's nice to meet you guys too!

[Klaatu]

Hello all,

Im Jesse. I have been into SW for several years now but got in to it very heavily a few months before EP3. I even stood in line for 8 hours to see EP3 it was there I decided I had to get a Jedi costume. A few years of Collecting with by when a opportunity came about(GENCON Indy) to wear a Jedi costume so I obtained one. I built my first hardware saber as part of the costume and went dressed as my Jedi character, Klaatu.
I had a great time and was stopped too many times to count to take pics with random ppl.

My friends and I will be making some SW fan films and some saber fights so we will be needing sabers to spar with which brings me here. I just ordered my first parts from here this week and cant wait to get started on my next saber.

[fawnheart2000]

Stands up and says "My name is Shannon and I'm addicted to building lightsabers."
I'm an RF tech at Kennedy Space Center and have been making lightsabers since I found Jedi-Loreen's post on Theforce.net. I've been a member of this site since darn near the begining when Tim was first trying to get it put together, but I've mostly been a lurker in the shadows, not at the forefront. I first created an EL lightsaber, but now I only deal with LED sabers, except for a HALO plasma sword that once finished will have EL in it. I also have a jedi costume and a Darth Vader costume that I've jerry-rigged alot of electronics in. It was great meeting everyone.