1. When did you first get the idea to try and do a NES version of "The Mole?"
It was really one of those things that came out of the blue. I had been kicking around ideas for a new feature to my site when I started.

2. How long did it take you to get everything ready for it?
Aside from creating those silhouette graphics, it really didn't take me very long to come up with all the challenges. I already had a good idea of some concepts for "traps" that would come into play during some of the tests.

3. Were you dissapointed that you couldn't get more people to participate in it? Why do you think not enough people signed up?
No, I'm not disappointed at all that only 9 people signed up. (The actual show began with 10 players, so that was my goal). I let people know immediately that this was going to take quite a while (7 cycles x 9 days each = 63 days) to complete, and I think some may not have wanted to commit that much of their time to the game. I'd rather have 5 people who are really interested in playing than 10 people who'll get bored and stop participating halfway through.

4. How did you choose who the mole was going to be? Was it a random thing, or did you look at the players and select one?
When I sent the invitation for the game, I randomly rolled a number from 1 through 10. The person who signed up in that position got the part. Also, a note about the Goomba. He's got to work just as hard as the others, since I don't feed him any more information about the games than anyone else. He has to figure out how to perform that best suits his task (preventing the team from winning) while not giving himself away.

5. Where do you come up with the tricky stipulations you tack onto the tests sometimes? Do you ever think some of them are too hard?
I try to play each game myself to gauge how well the team should be able to fare. If my original rules seem too stringent, I change them. This cycle, I had to change the required height in the Skate or Die test to 5'6" as opposed to 6'0", and increase the time limit for Shadowgate from 60 to 90 seconds. Also, near the tail end of the game the tests are worth much more, so they can make up for lost time.

6. How do you feel when people involved in the Goomba don't participate in the tests or submit answers for the Goomba quiz?
It doesn't bother me. When they sit out, they may be doing it just to raise others' suspicions about them. Remember, nobody gets "voted off the island" in this game, so if you get someone to think you're the Goomba when you're not, you stand a better chance of surviving. As for the Goomba Quiz, it's once again a matter of the players controlling their own destiny. They hurt nobody but themselves when they flake the quiz, so you have to think they understand the consequences of what their doing.

7. How long does it take you to select the games used for the tests? How long does it take you to create a way to grade people in the games (such as entering as many rooms as possible in Shadowgate)?
That was all planned out at the start. Granted, having one fewer player than expected made things a little more complicated, but all in all I knew which games I wanted to use at the outset. The hard part is writing the Goomba Quiz. You have to write the questions so that a right answer can still incriminate more than one person.

8. Do you like the way The Goomba is going so far?
Can't complain. It's a learning experience, so that if and when I ever do this again, I'll know what works and what doesn't. For instance, at the beginning I drummed into everyone how they were supposed to keep their alias secret from the others, and then I forget to give the players Blank Carbon Copies of each message. Oops. :)

9. On a side note, The Price Is Right has won your Game Show Tourny almost every year. Do you think it'll win it again this year?
It's got a chance, although the fandom has been fairly steamed about the firings of two of their models, which may work against them. Personally, I pick either Password or Pyramid to win it all this year.

10. Are you planning on doing the NES Tourny again this year? Last year it seemed like a real burden for you to do with all the controversy.
Well, if I do it again this summer, I'll have to come in with the mindset that a game's overall popularity doesn't equate popularity with the judges. Also, no Priority Votes. :)

Special thanks to Loogaroo for doing the interview!

1. Is the tournement still slated to start on March 1st, or has it already begun?
No, The first round started Wed. Feb. 14 and ended Sun the 18th

2. What inspired you to begin this project?
Well a friend and i just got done watching th wizard and we said to ourselves why don't we have our own tourney. We couldn't just invite people here because who wants to come to Iowa so I decide to do it over the internet.

3. Did you have any doubts about being able to pull it off?
Yes and I still do of the 20 people who signed up i only got around 12 videos. Next tourney i am going have less then 20 people in the tourney.

4. How long did it take you to draft up a set of rules?
About 10 minutes and as u probably can see that's how long it took me to make the site. I hope to make the site alot better in the future. But for right now its working alright.

5. How do you select the ROMs used in play? Which type of game do you favor using in the tourny?
I just pick the game randomly. I try to pick games that are easy to play with a keyboard because most people don't have controllers and stuff.

6. How do you feel about having to watch each player's NESticle video? That must be a time consuming process.
I have friends watch most of them for me and then they tell me the final score.

7. Do you think using NESticle netplay will work out in the tourny? It's awfully slow. Hopefully NESter will get faster netplay and help us NES fans out.
I'm not sure there seems to be no intrest in netplay so i might just drop that whole idea.

8. How do you predict the NES tourny is going to shape up?
The first one might not work out to well but i hope people will become more intrested and come join future tourney's.

9. Do you think you'll do this again sometime if it's a success?
Yes, I am already planning the next tourney. The nest tourney will have a sports theme to it and will probably only have 15 or less people in it.