"I try to be candid in interviews...but I've learned that whenever you try and make a point about anything, you always end up sounding like a douchebag." - Owen Pallett

nevermore has been around a lot longer than most people but you'd hardly know it from talking with him. It's hard to imagine that such a laid back guy could have made as frantic a map as Tattletale. He's a moderator on the forums and a half-op on the IRC. I once read on the forums that his favourites were a good representation of NUMA without the crap. His thoughts on maps and the like are VERY LARGE! Oonce.

Tanner: Linus, you are counted among the original ranks of the Legacy Team. How were you approached to join this most prestigious of organisations?
Linus: It was all very understated, really. Back when maximo was more of a presence on NUMA and the forums, he caught me on IRC. "You're cool," he told me. He explained the project. I was confused. "Do you want me in, or do you just want me to watch?" I asked. I was insecure because of emotional scarring. ;_.

Tanner: What's it like working with in a group with maximo, LittleViking001, tktktk, sweep and Kablizzy.
Linus: It's very touchy-feely. We say "man" a lot after sentences. It's cool, though. We feel good about ourselves. Most of the guys are totally cool dudes, man. And awesome map makers, I learn a lot from them. Pretty mature for the most part as well. Interesting group, really. Everyone has their own little touches that they add to the group. We're all pretty eccentric, as well. Most people don't understand us. We're tortured souls, actually.

Tanner: You spend a lot of time on NUMA. What's your philosophy when it comes to rating maps?
Linus: I don't like modern maps, for the most part. They're so boring. Very hip, following little style affectations that don't do it for me at all. But give me a stepself map, an LV map, and I go wild. So really, in general I ignore looks. I'm much more drawn to simpler looks, though, so that might affect which maps I play in the first place. I rate almost entirely on how much fun I have playing a map. I guess it varies depending on mood, but that's not my problem. ^.^

Tanner: Do you think the functionality of NUMA has improved since maestro and sweep took control of it?
Linus: Sure, it improved. Bitesized NUMA is brilliant. They're great at weeding out multi-accounters. And for at least a brief period of time, people were really critiquing and rating maps the way they should be. Then again, there was something innocent about NUMA in the early Arachnid years. I was recently going through a thread in which people rated metanet maps, and the ratings were horrible. Which I didn't really understand - how can our standards for maps be so different from the creators of the game? I came to the conclusion that we're silly to look for anything but what is fun. But short answer, in some ways yes, in some ways no. We're always going to have foolish people, and that's fine. I hate to be one of those complainers about NUMA. Sweep and maestro did a great job.

Tanner: How does playing every NUMA map affect how you make your own maps?
Linus: Aha, funny question. I don't do that anymore. But I used to, at least until my computer stopped working with NUMA maps. In any case, having that experience gives me a nice perspective, I think. I try so hard not to latch onto little stylistic constructs and affectations that make maps old and unoriginal. I may not be so successful at shaving off all of that, but at least I have that awareness. Being aware of something is good. I like to be self-aware, especially about my emotional scarring. ;_.

Tanner: Enlighten is such an interesting and unique map. What was the thought process behind it?
Linus: In retrospect, it was TOTALLY PRETENTIOUS. But it was fun to make it. I liked mocking existentialism. Looking at the world through a peephole, was the idea behind the map. I guess subconsciously I wanted to go on an experimental flight of fancy with the style in the map, and not have to suffer gameplay repercussions. Stupid, I know. Same with the second map like that, Isaac. I was just tired of worrying about so many things while making levels. So I just had fun with design. I still like the way Enlighten looks, and it actually doesn't play too badly. Too bad I probably can't resubmit it. How unhip of me that would be! And everyone knows I like to be a hip cat.

Tanner: What is a map to you? Is it art, a level in a ninja game, or something in between?
Linus: I guess somewhere in between. Originality is important to me, just like it is in art, but as I've said earlier gameplay is the be all end all. The WORST thing for me is seeing people copying astheoceansblue and Unconditional and the sort. They have a cool style, but it's interesting because it's their own. The design of a level is nothing more than a mode of reaching a certain level of fun to me. It's like if you were in a playground and instead of slides there were long paintings. And you slid down them. Except it would be fun, and it wouldn't be bumpy. That's just like N. The design is simply for fun, but one can put as much as they'd like artistically into it. I try not to take myself too seriously, though. That's pretty bad, too. When people attempt to be hip, end up with a pretty stupid map, and then act totally pretentious about it. I guess I'm just describing myself while making Enlighten. But... Well, damn. I am. That's a new life goal of mine, though. To never take myself too seriously.

Tanner: Which is your favourite art-form? Music, visual or dramatic?
Linus: Eh, that's tough. Musical experiences seem to be more spiritual than visual art. Making music with other people is an experience of harmony and working together, and I love that. But visual art is more interesting of a form of expression for me. It's more reliant on someone's perception of the world. People can absorb everything they experience, process it, and put their own entirely unique spin on things. That's a great thing, to be able to exaggerate and warp things in the world according to perception. I also love films - great movies can really transplant into you a certain feeling. It's almost like the overall product of movies represent the art of emotions. They can take you on real roller coaster rides of emotion in a way that nothing else really can. I suppose music can come close, but not as dramatically so for me. They all have their upsides, I guess. I'm into a whirlwind of the three, a whimsical, flight of fancy world of art in which people follow whatever they'd like to do that day. These days, though, I'm focusing on creating more visual art than anything else.

Tanner: Do you have a particular artist or group of artists who inspire you the most?
Linus: Not exactly. I like Cubism's approach to things, and the artists' idea that nothing is static. That interests me, as well as the idea that the perspective we see may not be universal. How much of perspective is defined by knowledge of the world around us? I also like Matthew Barney's Cremaster series. Interesting stuff, I think. I love Kate Winslet, I think she's beautiful. But really, I'm just naming people and things off the top of my head. I don't have any particular favorite.

Tanner: Awesome. Thanks for your time, Linus.

Linus: Most definitely.