In The Scope: Kazumi

The man in charge of PS 2's Oceanic ops? Kazumi. After years in TAW and climbing the ladder through every conceivable position, he has taken charge in PS and is building his empire one kill at a time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First off tell us a little about yourself.

I've been with TAW for about 4 years now. I'm currently serving in the US army in Japan right now. Been a gamer for years, and just really settled into TAW, it's the only community that I found I enjoyed.

What are the challenges with being the CO of one of the fastest growing
games in TAW?

Adapting to a new style of gameplay, and recruitment. Unlike your traditional games with Match making, or private servers with running recruitment scripts. You don't have that in Planetside 2. You've got a massive world with roughly 2,000 players running around from 3 factions. I had to adapt our normal recruitment into a method that suited planetside 2 massive player base, and active platoons. I took the TS3 public channels and formed that as our backbone of recruitment. And it's paid off greatly!

What do you think Planet Side 2 brings to TAW that other games are do not
have?

A much more diverse community, a community with a very loyal and creative background. Players are motivated to work together, and accomplish the mission more so than any game I've ever played. I feel they will bring a new level of strategic gameplay experience to TAW, as well as providing insight into the new recruitment methods we have employed to gain so many great members, as quickly as we did.

What other divisions and positions have you held in TAW?

My first position was as a DI for Bad Company 2, I quickly moved up to HDI and held that position for a fair amount of time. I've also been a Regional Officer, a XO, SO, and of course a CO these days.

What are the circumstances on getting your Silver Star?

Oh man, the silver star? In all honesty I've forgotten ha. I don't look at my awards to often. I'm the type who looks to the future, no matter what is offered. Every day that I help a member of TAW, assist a training, or complete a bootcamp is just a day I enjoy. Everything I do, is for the community.

But thinking, back, I believe it was for a tournament for Bad Company
2. Sorry I cannot be much help!

What can you tell us about your military  service?

I've been serving in the US army for 5 1/2 years now. It's been a great experience. At times it can be hard, and rough. However, the great people you meet, the different cultures you can interact with, and just the experience has really shaped me into the person I am today, and I'm thankful for that.

How about you personally, what are some things others might be surprised to
know about you?

Things that could surprise some folks? I own and actively ride a few different motorcycles. I've always been a gamer at heart, but something about racing around a track on a 160hp engine with wheels is exciting! It's been a activity I've enjoyed now for 6 years.

What are some of your favorite real life hobbies outside of gaming?

I enjoy wrenching on my own motorcycles, building Custom PC's for my friends who do not have the experience, and I'm working on my degree in computer science. That's pretty much my activities in a nut shell!

 Any closing remarks for the rest of TAW?

Adept to the modern generation of gaming. Every game coming out will
have their own set of challenges, it's our job as the CO's and leaders
to find the best solutions and adapt them quickly. Every game can
succeed like Planetside, it's all a matter of finding that perfect
balance of recruitment and enjoyment and using that as your wedge to
succeed.

Thanks for the interview, hope this helps!

Kazumi
Planetside 2
AU/OC Battalion
Commanding Officer