Casual Spotlight 9 - Blaine 'Pyro' Biehle
All time favorite video game: Chrono Trigger on the SNES. This game set the bar for RPGs and will always be a game that defines the genre. The stories, characters, art, and music all mean a great deal to me. No matter how many times I've played through I always want to come back and laugh, get mad, and cry at the story over again. Anyone reading this who has not experienced Chrono Trigger, fix that asap.
What are you passionate about?: Gaming culture and doing what I can to enrich other gamer's experiences at events and in my Twitch channel. I do a lot around the gaming world like for-charity LAN Parties with LANFest, staffing events like PAX as an Enforcer or exhibitor, Twitch community meetups, and local retro gaming events with No Continues Media. I love being part of an event and putting smiles on the faces of the people joining us to enjoy what we're doing. I also really love a good pun, dad joke, or innuendo.
If money was no object, and you had unlimited resources and freedom, what would you be doing?: I'd get games and books for all the kids who grew up like me: Barely able to afford a Gameboy, Pokemon cards, and a paperback book. We didn't have much growing up and the few books and games I did get my hands on were the most cherished life-enriching things of my childhood. I'd make sure other kids had those things too. And then do the big picture stuff like curing cancer, ending world hunger, ending homelessness, improving education, etc. Oh, and Filthy Casual shirts for everyone... IN THE WORLD.
Do you create anything? If so what?: Right now its just my Twitch channel part time. I did just get an extra camera set up so I can do art on the Creative section of Twitch. I used to do a lot of sketching with pen and pencil on paper and I miss that. I'll be starting with traditional art and expanding from there on Creative streams. My dream for my channel is to one day have the space and equipment to start blacksmithing and metal art on Twitch Creative.
What accomplishment or achievements have you had recently that you're proud of?: In 2015, I was able to attend almost every major gaming convention in the US. E3, TwitchCon, PAX South, PAX East, and PAX Prime. This was all possible because the developers of Gigantic, Motiga, valued my skills and experience in events management, community, and technical production. I also won a contest with Wargaming for streaming World of Warships, the prize was the TwitchCon trip. I was also at PAX South 2016 with LANFest to help run the PC room by working with sponsors and seek additional sponsors on the show floor. All of this was possible with the hard work I have put into working as an MC and staff at events like PAX since 2008, and the last two years of Twitch Streaming. I'm extremely grateful and humbled by the experience of it all, and I can't wait to make the rest 2016 even more awesome.
Who inspires you?: My dad. He's the hardest working guy I know. His sense of respect and worth ethic have largely shaped who I am today. The older I get the more like him I notice I've become, and that's pretty cool because my dad rocks.
What is Filthy Casual to you? Why do you wear our stuff?: People see Filthy Casual written across my chest and ask, 'But being a filthy casual is a bad thing right?' or 'Okay what's this Filthy Casual thing I keep seeing all about?" I get to explain to the questioners that games are for fun, so it doesn't matter how you play... Just that you're having fun. Filthy Casual is about being yourself and enjoying life. We fly in the face of negativity, elitism, and toxicity. It's about friendship and good times... so join us won't you?
Any words you'd like to say to anyone who happens to read this?: A quote that's been a big inspiration for me, from Adventure Time's Jake the Dog: "Sucking at something is the first step at being sorta good at something." There's a hell of a lot of truth in that simple sentence. Anytime I feel bad about my own progress or lack of skill at something, I think about that quote. Go out there and do you, person who's reading this. You can do the thing. You're awesome. Stay Filthy Casual.