[CaliGirl]: Carnage Cowboys was founded in 1997 by you and Fahr. What do you feel makes it seem like you are the big Papa bear of the clan?

[Tapper]: Actually, it was in June of 1996 when Steve (Fahr) and I started talking about putting together a clan to play Weapons Factory with. We were sitting in a little cafe in Richardson Texas called the "Golden Eagle", and we both wanted to try our hands at playing the game competitively. One thing led to another, and we started talking with folks we thought were good players that we liked, and soon had enough members to start practicing together. One of the things we decided very early on, was that it wasn't enough just to build a Clan that won matches. We also wanted something more enduring, and something that stood for fair play as well. So we started off early being picky about who we recruited, and that sense of purpose and camaraderie has stayed with us all these years. The Clan is big now, and old. One of the great things, is that CC members who don't really game anymore still come by IRC just to shoot the bull and catch up with their clanmates. So we have that continuity thing going on. To join CC is to inherit a lot of history, and a lot of genuine friends.

As to me being "Papa Bear", I have no clue! Maybe it's because I've been around so long, they're afraid I'd croak if they moved me. Regardless, all my clanmates are great people, and good friends. It's a great honor to be their leader. I'm proud of them all, and all the things the Clan has accomplished over the years.

[CaliGirl]: Even though you live in Texas, where did the name Carnage Cowboys come from?

[Tapper]: Well, we tossed around names for a while, and this one just seemed right. The clan has its' roots in Texas (even though we have members all over the US and Canada now), and I guess Cowboys just seemed a good fit.

[CaliGirl]: You seem to be another Battlefield 1942 fan. What is so different  about this game compared to other popular action games out there?

[Tapper]: Over the years I've tried a lot of games, and had to develop playing rules for a ton of them, so the gameplay is always the standout thing for me. BF1942 is just a fun game to play. The mix of vehicles gives players a lot of options to contribute to their team, but even though you have tanks playing against riflemen, the game still seems pretty well balanced. Nothing really dominates everything else. Its a difficult game to organize competitions for, since the teams need to be large. But as a pub game, it's one of the best I've come across for outright time-wasting fun. I suppose I'll always be a die-hard Quaker though, and the FPS is still the game that keeps me coming back for more.

[CaliGirl]: How long have you had female gamers in your clan? Among the five girls we interview today, were there any other female gamers that you'd like mention who used to be in the clan at one time?

[Tapper]:  I think Jet joined CC shortly after we formed up. I don't even remember if I knew she was female or not at the time. It didn't matter. We invite people to join that we have gotten acquainted with and like as people, and we've been fortunate enough to meet some really nice ladies over the years. Not many people that join CC ever actually leave the Clan, so I can't think of any females offhand that aren't around anymore. One of the cool things we're starting to see these days, is a lot more ladies gaming, and a lot more skill in those gals too. PeeDee and Jenny are both excellent players, and Mysh just got DSL and is going through a huge increase in her playing skills too. Jet has always been good.

I can remember when we made such a big deal out of women gamers, because they were fairly rare. But these days, we're seeing more and more of them around, and many of them are pretty damn good too. It's gotten to the point, that you don't see people even taking note about it in servers anymore - its just accepted. That's a good thing I think. I think the ladies have more fun playing without all the testosterone fest that it used to be.

You can see this at Quakecon every year too. Each year that passes, we see more and more women attending the event. Last year, there were a bunch of them.

[CaliGirl]: Lets say Quake 4 is the last Quake related game that will be  released in the next 5 to 10 years. If this actually happened, do you feel you should change the name of Quakecon to something else?

[Tapper]: Well, I'd just be one voice in the volunteer staff on that issue, but I'd be against changing the name. I think Quake has some historical significance at this point, and Quakecon is a celebration of the subculture that sprung up around the original Quake game. So even though we might all be playing Doom in the next couple of years, we'll still be the Quake subculture and I think leaving the name alone would be a fitting recognition of who we are. It also recognizes the traditional aspects of the event as well. Quakecon isn't just a LAN, its a gathering of people who come a long way once a year to be with their kind, and celebrate. Certainly there are a lot of folks who come for the tournaments, but the "pilgrimage" aspects of the event are very real. I think id Software recognizes that as well, and loves the event for what it is. Most companies have a product, but how many have their own culture?