Community Spotlight - Nomezilla

We all know the entertainment value that a good moment in the Sea of Thieves community can bring. Whether it’s from a new feature, a collaboration or a shared fondness of strawberries, pirates around the world have a way of bringing these moments to life in new and hilarious ways every time.

One inventive pirate, famed for creations including her ‘Infernal Galop’ music video and Community Day beard concept, has always been one of the first to jump on the trend, so we took some time out to chat to Nomezilla about all things meme-worthy!

[Q]: Can you tell us a little about what got you into gaming?

[A]: My dad has a career in computers so my brother and I grew up with a PC then eventually consoles like Sega, N64, etc. I remember playing older kid games on PC. The Disney Storybook games, How IT Works, and other educational stuff to start. Then there were games that my dad played like Command & Conquer: Red Alert, so my introduction into gaming was a combination of the times and family members introducing me to different games.

[Q]: Were you a Rare fan before Sea of Thieves? Do you have any favourite Rare games?

[A]: I always loved GoldenEye on the N64! I was absolutely horrible at it though. I would play against my brother but not be able to aim and shoot so I’d just spin in circles, firing, until I hit something. It never really worked. He also played as Oddjob so I could never see him. I’d be walking through the tunnels or hiding in the bathrooms, and next thing I knew, I was dead.

[Q]: What other games are you currently playing? Any favourites?

[A]: Sea of Thieves takes up most of my gaming time. I love a good story though. Recently playing through the remastered Mass Effect trilogy when I can. I absolutely LOVE Mass Effect so it will never gets old. I enjoy any game that I can play with friends for a good laugh.

[Q]: What brought you over to Sea of Thieves and its community?

[A]: It’s kind of a path actually. When I started streaming I did variety but mostly played Overwatch. An OW streamer I was following was playing a lot of Raft and it looked fun. When I told my partner about how I wanted to play that, he mentioned this new pirate game that was in Beta that I should try. Of course I shrugged him off, but once SoT was released I decided to check it out on Twitch. Beardageddon was the first SoT streamer I watched and anyone who’s watched Beard knows how fun he makes it. After that I was hooked.

[Q]: What was the very first piece of SoT art you created, physical, digital or otherwise, and what inspired you to do it?

[A]: I don’t even know if I can remember what the first thing was. I’m sure there’s art I’ve done before, but the Reaper Runner meme was the first thing I made that blew up. I still find it circulating even today, over a year later. As for what inspired it, I think it’s pretty straightforward! Dem Reapers do be runnin’!

[Q]: We’ve seen some weird and wonderful creations from you – Strawberrybeard, Murloc pet/meat and more – do you create these on impulse or plan ahead?

[A]: A lot of things are on impulse. Something happens in the game/community and it spurs an idea that I try to act on as fast as possible while it’s still relevant. There are some bigger projects that require more planning (like ‘Infernal Galop’) but for the most part everything is last-minute and quick.

[Q]: Your ‘Infernal Galop’ music video went down a storm with the community and in the studio – how much work was it to bring it all together?

[A]: ‘Infernal Galop’ was a blast to create. When the shanty was released I always had it stuck in my head. When I heard it, I kept envisioning different things in-game to the timing and beat of the song. Growing up I was obsessed with things like Fantasia so it makes sense!

I had it as an idea for a while before acting on it. Thankfully, my mod AttacaAlpaca really pushed me see it through. We got a bunch of great people together including Dav0r to film/record, and just had the most fun with it. The hardest part with any content creation in SoT is avoiding the PvE. So many great shots ruined by skellies and Ocean Crawlers!

[Q]: Is ‘Infernal Galop’ now just on a forever loop in your head, like a forever theme tune?

[A]: Basically. I get so triggered when I hear it in-game now! IT NEVER STOPS!

[Q]: Thinking back, are there any standout moments for you in Sea of Thieves since you started playing?

[A]: There have been SO many amazing moments since the start. The biggest moment has to be becoming a part of the Golden Hour Gang spearheaded by YooKay. GHG has been a huge influence and support on a streaming, gaming and personal level. I’m extremely thankful and appreciative for the friends I’ve made throughout the years from Sea of Thieves.

[Q]: What are your favourite additions to Sea of Thieves over the past year?

[A]: That’s a tough question. There has been so much over the past year! I do have to say how surprised I was with the new Sea Forts. I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially since it’s such a short adventure, but I quite enjoy them. I love the design of each one, and don’t even get me started on the music. Once that trumpet kicks in you just want to kill ghosts and kick butt.

[Q]: What are your greatest achievements in a game, Sea of Thieves or otherwise?

[A]: I know it’s cheesy as hell, but I consider the friends I’ve made my greatest achievements. I have a Shrouded Ghost kill, the #BeMorePirate hat, multiple #SoTShot wins, a few viral posts etc. but it’s all pixels and cosmetics in the end. The people I’ve met are real, genuine and some of the greatest people I could ever have the pleasure of knowing. That will always stand out the most to me.

[Q]: If you had to choose a pirate and ship name, what would they be?

[A]: I often think about what I would be like if I was a real pirate in Sea of Thieves. I like to think I’d be the adventurous kind, but realistically I’d be a lowly civilian who dies from a snake bite on day one.

My first name choice will always be Nomezilla but I’d be okay with a title based on exploring like an archaeologist. I think pirate names are supposed to be given to you by other people though, right? I’d be interested to see what name the community would give me.

For ship name, I’d have to go with The Orca. They’re my favourite animal and it’s the ship from Jaws. I know we have Merrick’s ship set, the Killer Whale, but it would be cool to have an Orca-themed set of black and white.

[Q]: What kind of other hobbies do you enjoy outside of gaming?

[A]: I have way too many hobbies. I love spending time with the pets, they’re my children! I have chickens, a cat and three dogs. I love taking the pups on walks and hikes. I spend a lot of time with my family as well. I try to do art as much as possible when I’m not in a slump. My partner and I participate in a concert band at the local university that’s open to community members. I play the French horn there as well as a slew of other instruments at home. I have a lot of hobbies but never really mastered one.

[Q]: Share a fun fact about yourself. Anything is fair game!

[A]: I’ve been riding motorcycles for the past 10 years now. I have a Ducati Monster named Bruce Wayne and used to ride a small BMW GS450 for long distances. It’s something I don’t talk about that often on stream so not many people know about it. A while ago my dad asked my brother and I if we wanted to get our license. I never considered it before that but I’m glad I went through with it. It’s something my dad and I do often together. There have been a few times we’ve ridden up Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It’s quite the experience. When you get over halfway up there aren’t any guardrails or anything to keep you from the edge of the road, so you must be careful not to go over.

And on that note we wrap up another Community Spotlight. Huge thanks to Nomezilla for taking the time to speak to us, and we’ll be keeping a close eye to see what next sparks her creativity and gets the meme treatment!

In the meantime, you can read more of our previous Community, Creator and Legend Spotlights and check out the Community Hub to find out what else the Sea of Thieves community has been up to. Make sure you keep up with all the latest from Sea of Thieves by following us on our many social channels, and we’ll see you next time!