Trading Card Spotlight - Patrick Wyrick
Our next Trading Card Spotlight features Patrick Wyrick who currently is displayed on card number 2219, from the Superstars of 2015 Collection. Patrick “Indigo Ferret”, has been competing in Esports for years. He has a long resume of tournaments and 1st place finishes throughout his career with the capstone being drafted to a professional gaming team, Dallas Venom, in 2007 which was a part of the Championship Gaming Series. Some of his 1st place finishes include Hydro Thunder Championship in Las Vegas, World Cyber Games in California, and NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway in Dallas. Most recently took 1st in 2015 at the Game on Expo in Mesa, AZ. Patrick will never stop gaming as he still competes at gaming events that he is interested in. He has traveled the states and has played more tournaments than most gamers, a true Esports competitor.
Do you remember your first video game / arcade you played and what do you remember about it?
I remember going to Noah’s Arcade at the La Mirada Mall in Southern California when I was under ten. It was mostly pinball games then with a few arcade machines like Space Invaders and Fire Truck. I also have early memories of playing Combat and Football on the Atari 2600 with my older brother at a friend’s house. The first console I owned was an Atari 2600 that I won from a Burger King promotion in the early 1980s.
What are your opinions about today’s generation of video games? How do you compare them to older, classic games?
It is interesting having grown up with the video game industry and been an avid player since the beginning. It amazes me to think about some of the simplistic gameplay and graphics that entertained back then just as much as the highly produced games of this generation do now. The massive multiplayer games that dominate today are so different from the solo experiences from my youth. Some games in the current generation have so much depth to them that they can be difficult to master like the games from the 1980s.
Did you ever think when you were younger you would be on a video game trading card?
I collected baseball, football and basketball trading cards as a kid, but never in a million years would I have thought that there would be video game trading cards, let alone that I would be featured on one.
When did you first meet Walter Day and where was it at?
I first met Walter Day at the Classic Gaming Expo in Las Vegas in 1999. Twin Galaxies was there hosting various gaming competitions. I won the Hydro Thunder arcade competition. It was this accomplishment that initially earned my first trading card when Walter was producing the Twin Galaxies History Cards.
If you could describe Walter Day in one word, what would that word be and why?
Devoted – He has dedicated his life to the gaming community.
What is your favorite portable gaming device and why?
My favorite portable gaming device would be my phone. Nearly all of my mobile gaming now is done on an iPhone. Before gaming on phones, my favorite dedicated mobile gaming device was the Nintendo DS. Elite Beat Agents was my all-time favorite game, which drove me to buy Japanese imports of similar music games. Also, the Nintendo DS was the first handheld I used to introduce my then young daughter to video games with Nintendogs.
Do you prefer PC or console gaming and why?
From a competitive gaming perspective, I prefer console gaming because, with everyone on very similar hardware, there is parity created between players keeping skilled players from being at a disadvantage to someone with more powerful or faster hardware.
What games today do you play and what are your favorite genres of games?
It is hard to find the time to play the games I really love with family responsibilities, so most of my gaming today is on the go on my phone in bite-size chunks. One game I am playing now is Hill Climb Racing 2. I also admin a team of 50 players for this game helping to keep the team active and motivated.
If you could own one arcade game or pinball game, what would it be and why?
Because it is so easy to replicate the gaming experience from an arcade machine on another platform, I think I would prefer to own a pinball machine. I recent creation by Jersey Jack Pinball, Wizard of Oz, is very entertaining.
Which console company is your favorite and why? Nintendo, Sony, Sega, or Microsoft?
Microsoft is my favorite console company because I fell in love with the concept of achievements that Microsoft introduced with the Xbox 360. Nintendo would be a close second based upon their early consoles that started my competitive gaming career.
What does it take to be a video game journalist?
I would think that to be a successful video game journalist, first you need to have a strong love for the industry. Being very adept at gaming would allow you to experience games on a different level and to be properly critical in their review. Finally, I think you would need to be able to elucidate your gaming experience and thoughts about these games in ways that other would enjoy reading or watching.
Are video games aimed mainly at children, adolescents or adults?
While there are certain types of games that are targeted to specific age groups, I think that developers try to appeal to the widest audience possible, and most games can be enjoyed by all ages.
Do you believe some Video Games are too violent and lead to violence in America today?
I think that violent people are drawn to video games with violence, but I think those violent people would still be prone to violence in absence of violent video games. I don’t think that violent video games cause people to become violent in real life.
Do you prefer playing video games alone, against friends or online against the world and why?
I am very competitive and enjoy playing video games against everyone everywhere. However, I also enjoy escaping the chaos of multiplayer games into a solo experience.
Do you learn anything from playing video games?
Different types of video games can help to develop skills such as critical thinking, time management, and resource management.
Are video games good for relieving stress?
For myself, music rhythm games can relieve stress.
Do you like it when Hollywood makes a movie from the video game?
If I enjoy the underlying intellectual property, I can be somewhat forgiving if Hollywood does a decent job at creating an entertaining story, but I think most of the time Hollywood fails miserably <cough> <cough> Sonic <cough>.
What springs to mind when you hear the term ‘video games’?
I just think of the long history I have had with video games, both competitively and personally, and I am happy.
Of these five elements video games, which is the most important to you and why? Gameplay, Atmosphere, Music, Story, Art style
Gameplay is the most important to me, because if I don’t enjoy the gameplay, I won’t play the game long enough to appreciate any of the other elements.
Do you find boss battles to be the best part of a video game?
Boss battles can be the best part of a video game if they are designed well and not easily beaten. You need to feel a sense of accomplishment when beating a boss rather than feel like you just checked another box in playing through a game.
What is your favorite single player game and favorite multiplayer game?
Crackdown is still one of my favorite single player games. I really enjoyed the process of becoming stronger and being able to jump higher allowing you to slowly explore all the areas of the map.
Mario Party is my favorite multiplayer game. I really enjoy playing the bite-size mini-games against other competitive people.
If you can design your own game, what would it be about and who would be the main character?
How about a driving music rhythm game? A cross between Rock Band and Stuntman. Each road represents a different song and how well you perform certain driving tasks on that road determines how well the song is played. It is an open-world environment so you can freely move around from road to road (song to song). Got to have boss battles, right, so certain roads involve you stopping the alien invasion, or taking down the cartel, or finding the lost Carburetor of Justice.
Are you still involved with gaming today, and what role do you play?
I will probably be buried with a controller in my hands. I have enjoyed gaming my whole life and don’t see that ever changing. I still actively compete in gaming as I find events that fit my skills and life stage.
Where do you see video gaming in the next 20 years?
I think augmented reality gaming with heads-up displays will become more popular as the technology matures and they start to develop games across many different genres.