sugarvalves [1963573] —
Original article
Z_Junior is one of the longest serving citizens of Torn City, and he may be its sixth strongest too. He was the 18th person to hit Level 100, one of only 25 people to currently hold the rank of 26 Invincible, and at the time of writing, he stands as the city's second-richest man in the city with a networth of over $636billion Torn City Dollars.
But Z_Junior's influence extends far beyond his impressive personal stats, because as the leader of JFK - presently Torn's most dominant faction - he commands far more respect than many other heavyweights in the city. In fact, considering his wealth, personal strength, faction leadership and his position on the player committee, a case could be made for Z_Junior being Torn's most influential player outright.
And this is something his number one fan would certainly agree with.
"Well sugartits the truth is, Z_junior (or 'Junia' to his close friends), is clearly the best player in the game. Junia doesn't need to post about how he can beat The_Legend or how he did a crit hit on every member of an enemy faction on his profile like some type of p***y that needs to constantly remind people that he's still relevant, because everyone already knows that he can beat The_Legend and do crit hits on people whenever he wants and there is no disputing that. " - Champion, President of the Z_Junior Fan Club
We will discuss Champion's lunacy later on, but for now let's focus on the object of his affections, Z_Junior. While Champ's level of devotion may be somewhat sickening, there is no denying that Z_Junior deserves admiration, as this is a man whose presence has been overwhelmingly beneficial to his fellow citizens.
As a major presence on the Torn Committee, someone with Z_Junior's power could have easily swayed things towards the establishment of hegemony. Changes to Torn legislation are made on a monthly basis, and if Z_Junior had managed to push just 10% of these amendments towards his favour, then his personal and faction strength could have been consolidated once and for all.
But Z_Junior is not that kind of person.
"Well, stats have already taken a big toll and they don't mean half as much as they used to in the past. So that was a big sacrifice, one for which I actually voted for. Sure it sucks for us "oldies" but it gives new players a bigger chance to catch up and compete on higher level, while still giving us a bigger chance of winning over them. It's simply no longer a guaranteed win like it used to be."
"For example: As part of the committee I do get to vote on proposed changes, sometimes I'm part of the majority, sometimes I'm not. When the new battle engine was being redone and put to vote, it was clear that stats won't mean as much as they used to. They still play a big part, don't get me wrong, but like I said previously - they don't guarantee you a win, simply offer a higher chance of winning. A selfish person would vote for something that keeps them ahead. To me, it was good for the game to offer a chance to newer players to catch up by changing the battle engine. They might not have it all, but they do have a chance now - the rest is up to them."
There are many high-profile veterans in Torn City, and you'll have read about some of them in this very paper. But what strikes me as interesting is how differently they each seek to maintain their passion. For while some may seek financial gains or statistical rewards in return for their time served, Z_Junior seems to extract more pleasure from helping the city grow.
The authorities have a difficult job to do in balancing the effect of their legislative amendments, as there is a fine line between encouraging new people and disrespecting the power of our valued and trusted elders. However, this job is made far easier when people like Z_Junior act so altruistically in the interests of others, especially when the influence he has could be used in so many dastardly ways.
Z_Junior doesn't seem like the kind of person who would relish the attention such actions would bring. Other people - and I'm sure I don't have to name them - take great pride in the gaining of infamy through destructive behaviour or clandestine skulduggery. But Z_Junior prefers to operate on a different level, preferring diplomacy over bullying and intimidation.
"I pretty much keep to myself and to my faction. To other players and factions, I am always respectful, regardless of their "status". They can be the lowliest of noobs or highest statter in the game but if they are respectful to me, they will get my respect back. And with it, I will always offer help, advice, or anything else I can do at a given time."
This humble attitude helped Z_Junior reach his milestone 4000th Torn City day on Saturday 4th February 2017. Many others would have loved to have experienced such longevity, but few possess the necessary strength, the patience or the ability to close their mouths. So having arrived in the city over eleven years ago on a quiet February Friday back in 2006, I wondered if any particular memories stood out for Z_Junior during his time here.
"Honestly, there's been too many moments to single out just one. From the moment I signed up, made my first million selling plushies, won my first dog fight (yes, I'm that old), took over as leader in my first faction Rotton Souls, merged with Pand0ra's faction to make Vae Victis, merger with old JFK to make JFK into what it is today, beating HT to become the #1 faction in Torn, etc. etc."
Ah yes, JFK. Torn's number one faction has had a busy old time of it of late, and this Tornography comes hot on the heels of their spectacular victory over Subversive Alliance in a recent territorial war. But if history had panned out differently we could have seen Z_Junior facing off against JFK, if it wasn't for the arrival of a single human infant.
JFK formed when the leaders of two rival factions, HatEreD of Rotton Souls and Nota of Outkasts, decided to join forces to make their mark on Torn's warring culture. When they left their respective factions, they took many of the strongest players with them. But while Outkasts disintegrated, Rotton Souls found itself a new leader.
"I took over as a leader of Rotton Souls, later merging the faction with Pand0ra's Chaptastic to make a brand new faction, Vae Victis, which didn't have stat beasts JFK had but had hyperactive close group of people which entered the faction HOF on its own merit."
"Old JFK in the meantime was meant to be a small faction filled only with very high stat people that nobody or not many people could hit at all. That way they didn't stand to lose much respect in wars and with small, compact yet very strong line-up they could put pressure on any faction they chose."
"At one point, I really don't remember how long ago it was, maybe 7-8 years ago, Nota got a baby and decided to take a break from Torn and as the system changed back then (it became the era of 24/7 chaining not random chains throughout the day), we realized we can make a massive impact if we were to merge our factions."
"So old JFK (8 players), combined with Vae Victis (50-55 players) and we became JFK that we are today. Didn't take long to knock off pretty much all opposition that stood in our way and claim #1 spot in Torn, where we've been ever since."
The impact of a new born baby aside, it seems that one of the major reasons for the rise of JFK and subsequently Z_Junior was a change to Torn City's rules imposed upon its people by the authorities. JFK as we know it may not exist were it not for the alterations made seven or eight years ago, and if the changes had been vetoed, it might have been in the interests of Old JFK and Vae Victis to remain separate entities.
Is this why Z_Junior has such a respect for the Committee today? Perhaps Z_Junior knowingly votes to hinder himself because he realises how Torn's power dynamic can so swiftly change with minor tweaks to the system. Many people have complained of late that the power of JFK and Subversive Alliance seems static, and some have even called for their forced dismantling in order to return equality to Torn City.
But is this really the answer? Or should we allow the course of ever-changing war to take its natural toll upon the power structures of old?
"It's been a long conflict with SA for years, but not really bloody. Simply put the war system is setup that way that doesn't allow for much... with the new system(s) coming out, now that will be interesting. And we didn't beat them easily. It may have looked that way, but it's never easy against them."
The recent changes to the way war is conducted in Torn City have led many to conclude that an all-out conflict between SA and JFK is imminent, and this is something both the JFK Co-leader DrGonzo and SA Leader Midknight have alluded to in their own respective Tornographies (found here and here). However, while Z_Junior agrees that war is a possibility, he doesn't share the sense of certainty held by his rival or deputy.
"Right now, the scene is laid out for a mega war which might or might not ever happen. JFK pretty much always stood by itself; we never officially allied with any faction. On other hand, you have SA that has been trying to take down JFK for years, and they've recruited, merged, allied, pretty much did anything and everything in the book to try and knock us off that top spot."
"Obviously, as times change we have to respond to that, so we adapt as well. We have made some moves to ensure the JFK family will have a very strong, solid sub faction, and also affiliated with several factions outside our family as a counterweight to SA's block. Will all that fall apart once the update (territories) is officially released, will there be a 3rd block that appears and shifts the balance completely... we shall see."
Having now interviewed three of the men in charge of Torn City's strongest two factions, the one thing I've noticed is that they each share a mutual respect for their opponents. While their wars may be bitter, their rivalry ingrained and their lower-ranked members occasionally uncouth toward one another, their leaders seem almost friendly towards those who would seek to destroy them.
"To me, I have nothing but respect for SA. They're also an old faction filled with vets, people I've known for years, some I regularly talk to, some I have never spoken with, but when you've been in the game for as long as we all have, that rivalry kinda loses its edge when we all know each other."
"It's more like a game of poker between friends I guess, earns you bragging rights and some petty money, but it's not gonna be the illusion of winning WSOP title at the end. Yes, there are some sour moments, they always happen, both in my faction and in theirs, but those are momentary things. Both factions have become institutions at this game, and it would be hard to imagine Torn without either of them."
I was immediately intrigued by Z_Junior's reference to "sour moments" within his faction. Was JFK suffering from an internal schism of some sort? There have been rumours coming out of Subversive Alliance that some of their members are also unhappy, so what kind of events might cause conflict within the ranks of our two most powerful factions?
"Sour moments mean that things turn to bad blood. Mostly caused by shit talking of random members on the forums. Like I said, both sides do it, but without that game wouldn't be as interesting... so it's part of the game and we accept it."
"JFK doesn't have problems really, maybe the biggest part is keeping the players motivated to keep playing and trying after all these years and after all that we have done and stayed on top for such a long time. But it's our connection that we have made all these years that keeps us together and keeps us going."
"It's not really hard to lead it, JFK is a well-oiled machine full of veteran players - everyone knows their role, everyone knows what to do, sometimes we get rusty but small issues get ironed out quickly."
Whether or not these "sour moments" lead to the breakdown of SA and JFK we cannot yet know. But such rumours will almost certainly provide impetus to those who have designs on taking their positions as the two strongest factions in Torn. Others may conclude that such a feat is impossible, however, with many newcomers accusing the two groups of achieving their dominance through underhand means.
Z_Junior flatly denies such accusations, and he even went so far as to defend the honour of his rivals too.
"There's nothing underhand in what either of our factions have done. We have been here for almost a dozen years. Some things take time and time will pay off all the effort you put in. Sadly with millennials - as most players nowadays are - they expect instant gratification and instant reward and Torn simply doesn't work that way. Things take time - the sooner they get used to it, the better they will do."
Do these newcomers have the stomach for a long, drawn-out fight? We shall see. But Z_Junior clearly isn't going anywhere anytime soon, with every part of his Torn City life having seemingly fallen neatly into place. His marriage to CindyFury recently passed 1000 days, his leadership of JFK seems completely without challenge, and his eight-star, $400million a week Oil Rig will celebrate its 3000th day of operation on the 21st of July 2017.
His criminal successes were achieved through no small effort either, with Z_Junior having collected medals to honour the completion of 10,000 Arsons, Drug Deals and Computer crimes, in addition to his 6,000 busts, 8,000 murders and the performance of 20,000 individual acts of theft. It seems pertinent to ask such gilded individuals about their motivations for continuing, and I wondered whether the prospect of another mass war was what kept Z_Junior's fire burning.
"No, we have been in and out of wars for over 10 years. JFK is an old faction, and we're all veteran players. So conflict is hardly a motivating factor. It's our friendship and camaraderie that keeps us together and keeps us going."
"Honestly not much is left, and it has been a struggle to get motivated to keep playing as all veterans would agree on. I have never had any personal goals, and I am nowhere near being the wealthiest player nor the highest statted player - those things were never on my radar. I always took care of my faction, the people in it and as long as they are happy and prosperous, my heart is full."
Z_Junior may have never wished to Torn's strongest or richest, but few would pass up the chance to swap places with one of the game's highest ever achievers. In every field he has excelled, be it diplomacy, business or crime, and yet he told me that it was the warmth of the community which had kept him here in Torn for so long.
Z_Junior initially took some persuasion to move to Torn, with his friends having to badger him for over a year before he finally relented. But once he was here, he quickly fell in love with the place, and he describes its most valuable quality as being the closeness you have to your faction and friends, alongside the ability to help those people in times of need.
This generous spirit is something he extends to people outside his circle too, as we've already seen through his consistently selfless committee voting record. But Z_Junior believes that people in his position should be doing even more, as in his eyes veterans are perfectly placed to help Torn grow through virtue of their experience.
"Vets have higher responsibility because they've been through it all. New people join the game every day, and it's up to us to make their experiences fairly pleasurable or at least decent. It wouldn't be hard to imagine a block of vet factions starting to chain the new people and the new factions, hitting them all day, every day. It wouldn't be a pleasant experience to say the least."
"It's up to us to help them, teach them, guide them, of course when we can find the time, but yes, being a player of this game for 10+ years means you're not a casual player but you have invested yourself, your time and energy into it and you want to see it prosper, you want to see it succeed."
"The above paragraph kind of explains why vets have more responsibility than newer players do. We are held to a higher standard and are expected to uphold it. When a new player does something stupid or breaks the rules, they can sort of be excused because they don't know better. But being here all these years, seeing all the things and experiencing them, we should know better. And that's why there's less excuses for mistakes we make and our punishment is usually much harsher than those of ordinary players."
This sentiment is interesting, considering how many veterans have been caught up in scandals over the past 12 months. It may be somewhat unfair to single these players out, though, since high-profile citizens will always make the news when they trip up. But is Z_Junior correct in his assertion that experience requires a certain level of behaviour? Are mistakes really that much worse when they are committed by veterans, or is it a sad fact of life that some people can remain impenetrably stupid for eternity?
"I don't believe all vets share my view of being held to a higher standard. Some see it as a ticket to do things they shouldn't do, some are bored and want to push the limits and see how far they can go before they get smacked. I wouldn't set it in stone, that's for sure."
"I would however try to promote some sort of system that would reward vets for their service to the game all these years, give them more say, give them ability to have custom titles of some sort, just basically something to reward you for being here and playing the game all this time."
It is hard to argue with Z_Junior's assertion that our veterans deserve recognition for their service to the city, and over the years various options regarding this have been discussed. But the idea that veterans should have more say over the direction of Torn City is the one thing this reporter firmly disagrees with. Because not all veterans are sane and rational people. Not all veterans are able to separate their own interests from those of the wider community. Not all veterans are like Z_Junior.
Because if they were, perhaps he wouldn't have an obsessive stalker who follows his every move.
(Pictured: the begining of a love story better than Twilight)
It would be remiss of me to end this Tornography without commenting on the bizarre nature of Champion's worship for Z_Junior, as barely a day goes by without the deranged lunatic mentioning his idol on the forums. I asked Champion what it was about Z_Junior that he admired so much, and he sent me a lengthy response which I've edited for brevity and your sanity.
"Junia, the best player to ever set foot in Torn, is well known for his generousity - I first saw some of this generousity on a previous account...sent me 150m to help me out...his wife, CindyFury and side-b***h, boo made me send the 150m back but junia's intentions to help me out were clear nevertheless."
"The reason I share the fact of him being the best in-game (probably the best IRL too, lets be honest) is because I don't believe such a cool guy should be an unsung hero, I believe he should be praised for things such as beating P***yBagger with a pillow and being the first to get to level 100."
Z_Junior's response to this was rather more concise.
"Just a troll I'd say."
Not that Champion was in any way discouraged by this.
"Yeah he told me about it in irc like 15 mins ago, said he finally got one over on me and that i'm gonna be "publicly embarassed" if you publish it - I won't paste you the exact full message he sent cos he gave me shit about pasting logs from him before but it was pretty funny."
"Classic Z really."
Out of respect to Z_Junior, I sent a copy of this article for his perusal before publication. Unfortunately, he seemed rather perturbed by the mere mention of his most ardent supporter, and he sent me the following response.
"Good article about Champion, but I don't see it having much to do with me. Sorry, but just the way you made it, from start to finish you open with him, close with him... it really isn't about me. Anyway, do as you wish, thank you for showing it to me, just please don't use my name in the title. It doesn't belong there."
For the record, my references to Champion comprise 5% of this article's word count. This article, whatever you think of it, is most certainly about Z_Junior.
Perhaps Z_Junior's patience is merely wearing thin due to Champion's incessant trolling. Or perhaps I was wrong to open and close it with a mention of someone else, even if I did so merely to illustrate Z_Junior's impact on Torn. Either way, many of Champion's comments are undoubtedly true. Z_Junior has wielded his great power with responsibility, and all of Torn should be pleased to know that he has no plans to depart this city anytime soon, as he intimated when I asked him where he saw Torn in five years' time.
"Hopefully, still rocking and kicking ass like it has been so far. And maybe I'll still be here and we can do another interview and see what all has changed in the meantime."
Maybe he will, unless Champion pulls a Chapman and offs his idol John Lennon style.
Damn, there's that name again.
But Z_Junior's influence extends far beyond his impressive personal stats, because as the leader of JFK - presently Torn's most dominant faction - he commands far more respect than many other heavyweights in the city. In fact, considering his wealth, personal strength, faction leadership and his position on the player committee, a case could be made for Z_Junior being Torn's most influential player outright.
And this is something his number one fan would certainly agree with.
"Well sugartits the truth is, Z_junior (or 'Junia' to his close friends), is clearly the best player in the game. Junia doesn't need to post about how he can beat The_Legend or how he did a crit hit on every member of an enemy faction on his profile like some type of p***y that needs to constantly remind people that he's still relevant, because everyone already knows that he can beat The_Legend and do crit hits on people whenever he wants and there is no disputing that. " - Champion, President of the Z_Junior Fan Club
We will discuss Champion's lunacy later on, but for now let's focus on the object of his affections, Z_Junior. While Champ's level of devotion may be somewhat sickening, there is no denying that Z_Junior deserves admiration, as this is a man whose presence has been overwhelmingly beneficial to his fellow citizens.
As a major presence on the Torn Committee, someone with Z_Junior's power could have easily swayed things towards the establishment of hegemony. Changes to Torn legislation are made on a monthly basis, and if Z_Junior had managed to push just 10% of these amendments towards his favour, then his personal and faction strength could have been consolidated once and for all.
But Z_Junior is not that kind of person.
"Well, stats have already taken a big toll and they don't mean half as much as they used to in the past. So that was a big sacrifice, one for which I actually voted for. Sure it sucks for us "oldies" but it gives new players a bigger chance to catch up and compete on higher level, while still giving us a bigger chance of winning over them. It's simply no longer a guaranteed win like it used to be."
"For example: As part of the committee I do get to vote on proposed changes, sometimes I'm part of the majority, sometimes I'm not. When the new battle engine was being redone and put to vote, it was clear that stats won't mean as much as they used to. They still play a big part, don't get me wrong, but like I said previously - they don't guarantee you a win, simply offer a higher chance of winning. A selfish person would vote for something that keeps them ahead. To me, it was good for the game to offer a chance to newer players to catch up by changing the battle engine. They might not have it all, but they do have a chance now - the rest is up to them."
There are many high-profile veterans in Torn City, and you'll have read about some of them in this very paper. But what strikes me as interesting is how differently they each seek to maintain their passion. For while some may seek financial gains or statistical rewards in return for their time served, Z_Junior seems to extract more pleasure from helping the city grow.
The authorities have a difficult job to do in balancing the effect of their legislative amendments, as there is a fine line between encouraging new people and disrespecting the power of our valued and trusted elders. However, this job is made far easier when people like Z_Junior act so altruistically in the interests of others, especially when the influence he has could be used in so many dastardly ways.
Z_Junior doesn't seem like the kind of person who would relish the attention such actions would bring. Other people - and I'm sure I don't have to name them - take great pride in the gaining of infamy through destructive behaviour or clandestine skulduggery. But Z_Junior prefers to operate on a different level, preferring diplomacy over bullying and intimidation.
"I pretty much keep to myself and to my faction. To other players and factions, I am always respectful, regardless of their "status". They can be the lowliest of noobs or highest statter in the game but if they are respectful to me, they will get my respect back. And with it, I will always offer help, advice, or anything else I can do at a given time."
This humble attitude helped Z_Junior reach his milestone 4000th Torn City day on Saturday 4th February 2017. Many others would have loved to have experienced such longevity, but few possess the necessary strength, the patience or the ability to close their mouths. So having arrived in the city over eleven years ago on a quiet February Friday back in 2006, I wondered if any particular memories stood out for Z_Junior during his time here.
"Honestly, there's been too many moments to single out just one. From the moment I signed up, made my first million selling plushies, won my first dog fight (yes, I'm that old), took over as leader in my first faction Rotton Souls, merged with Pand0ra's faction to make Vae Victis, merger with old JFK to make JFK into what it is today, beating HT to become the #1 faction in Torn, etc. etc."
Ah yes, JFK. Torn's number one faction has had a busy old time of it of late, and this Tornography comes hot on the heels of their spectacular victory over Subversive Alliance in a recent territorial war. But if history had panned out differently we could have seen Z_Junior facing off against JFK, if it wasn't for the arrival of a single human infant.
JFK formed when the leaders of two rival factions, HatEreD of Rotton Souls and Nota of Outkasts, decided to join forces to make their mark on Torn's warring culture. When they left their respective factions, they took many of the strongest players with them. But while Outkasts disintegrated, Rotton Souls found itself a new leader.
"I took over as a leader of Rotton Souls, later merging the faction with Pand0ra's Chaptastic to make a brand new faction, Vae Victis, which didn't have stat beasts JFK had but had hyperactive close group of people which entered the faction HOF on its own merit."
"Old JFK in the meantime was meant to be a small faction filled only with very high stat people that nobody or not many people could hit at all. That way they didn't stand to lose much respect in wars and with small, compact yet very strong line-up they could put pressure on any faction they chose."
"At one point, I really don't remember how long ago it was, maybe 7-8 years ago, Nota got a baby and decided to take a break from Torn and as the system changed back then (it became the era of 24/7 chaining not random chains throughout the day), we realized we can make a massive impact if we were to merge our factions."
"So old JFK (8 players), combined with Vae Victis (50-55 players) and we became JFK that we are today. Didn't take long to knock off pretty much all opposition that stood in our way and claim #1 spot in Torn, where we've been ever since."
The impact of a new born baby aside, it seems that one of the major reasons for the rise of JFK and subsequently Z_Junior was a change to Torn City's rules imposed upon its people by the authorities. JFK as we know it may not exist were it not for the alterations made seven or eight years ago, and if the changes had been vetoed, it might have been in the interests of Old JFK and Vae Victis to remain separate entities.
Is this why Z_Junior has such a respect for the Committee today? Perhaps Z_Junior knowingly votes to hinder himself because he realises how Torn's power dynamic can so swiftly change with minor tweaks to the system. Many people have complained of late that the power of JFK and Subversive Alliance seems static, and some have even called for their forced dismantling in order to return equality to Torn City.
But is this really the answer? Or should we allow the course of ever-changing war to take its natural toll upon the power structures of old?
"It's been a long conflict with SA for years, but not really bloody. Simply put the war system is setup that way that doesn't allow for much... with the new system(s) coming out, now that will be interesting. And we didn't beat them easily. It may have looked that way, but it's never easy against them."
The recent changes to the way war is conducted in Torn City have led many to conclude that an all-out conflict between SA and JFK is imminent, and this is something both the JFK Co-leader DrGonzo and SA Leader Midknight have alluded to in their own respective Tornographies (found here and here). However, while Z_Junior agrees that war is a possibility, he doesn't share the sense of certainty held by his rival or deputy.
"Right now, the scene is laid out for a mega war which might or might not ever happen. JFK pretty much always stood by itself; we never officially allied with any faction. On other hand, you have SA that has been trying to take down JFK for years, and they've recruited, merged, allied, pretty much did anything and everything in the book to try and knock us off that top spot."
"Obviously, as times change we have to respond to that, so we adapt as well. We have made some moves to ensure the JFK family will have a very strong, solid sub faction, and also affiliated with several factions outside our family as a counterweight to SA's block. Will all that fall apart once the update (territories) is officially released, will there be a 3rd block that appears and shifts the balance completely... we shall see."
Having now interviewed three of the men in charge of Torn City's strongest two factions, the one thing I've noticed is that they each share a mutual respect for their opponents. While their wars may be bitter, their rivalry ingrained and their lower-ranked members occasionally uncouth toward one another, their leaders seem almost friendly towards those who would seek to destroy them.
"To me, I have nothing but respect for SA. They're also an old faction filled with vets, people I've known for years, some I regularly talk to, some I have never spoken with, but when you've been in the game for as long as we all have, that rivalry kinda loses its edge when we all know each other."
"It's more like a game of poker between friends I guess, earns you bragging rights and some petty money, but it's not gonna be the illusion of winning WSOP title at the end. Yes, there are some sour moments, they always happen, both in my faction and in theirs, but those are momentary things. Both factions have become institutions at this game, and it would be hard to imagine Torn without either of them."
I was immediately intrigued by Z_Junior's reference to "sour moments" within his faction. Was JFK suffering from an internal schism of some sort? There have been rumours coming out of Subversive Alliance that some of their members are also unhappy, so what kind of events might cause conflict within the ranks of our two most powerful factions?
"Sour moments mean that things turn to bad blood. Mostly caused by shit talking of random members on the forums. Like I said, both sides do it, but without that game wouldn't be as interesting... so it's part of the game and we accept it."
"JFK doesn't have problems really, maybe the biggest part is keeping the players motivated to keep playing and trying after all these years and after all that we have done and stayed on top for such a long time. But it's our connection that we have made all these years that keeps us together and keeps us going."
"It's not really hard to lead it, JFK is a well-oiled machine full of veteran players - everyone knows their role, everyone knows what to do, sometimes we get rusty but small issues get ironed out quickly."
Whether or not these "sour moments" lead to the breakdown of SA and JFK we cannot yet know. But such rumours will almost certainly provide impetus to those who have designs on taking their positions as the two strongest factions in Torn. Others may conclude that such a feat is impossible, however, with many newcomers accusing the two groups of achieving their dominance through underhand means.
Z_Junior flatly denies such accusations, and he even went so far as to defend the honour of his rivals too.
"There's nothing underhand in what either of our factions have done. We have been here for almost a dozen years. Some things take time and time will pay off all the effort you put in. Sadly with millennials - as most players nowadays are - they expect instant gratification and instant reward and Torn simply doesn't work that way. Things take time - the sooner they get used to it, the better they will do."
Do these newcomers have the stomach for a long, drawn-out fight? We shall see. But Z_Junior clearly isn't going anywhere anytime soon, with every part of his Torn City life having seemingly fallen neatly into place. His marriage to CindyFury recently passed 1000 days, his leadership of JFK seems completely without challenge, and his eight-star, $400million a week Oil Rig will celebrate its 3000th day of operation on the 21st of July 2017.
His criminal successes were achieved through no small effort either, with Z_Junior having collected medals to honour the completion of 10,000 Arsons, Drug Deals and Computer crimes, in addition to his 6,000 busts, 8,000 murders and the performance of 20,000 individual acts of theft. It seems pertinent to ask such gilded individuals about their motivations for continuing, and I wondered whether the prospect of another mass war was what kept Z_Junior's fire burning.
"No, we have been in and out of wars for over 10 years. JFK is an old faction, and we're all veteran players. So conflict is hardly a motivating factor. It's our friendship and camaraderie that keeps us together and keeps us going."
"Honestly not much is left, and it has been a struggle to get motivated to keep playing as all veterans would agree on. I have never had any personal goals, and I am nowhere near being the wealthiest player nor the highest statted player - those things were never on my radar. I always took care of my faction, the people in it and as long as they are happy and prosperous, my heart is full."
Z_Junior may have never wished to Torn's strongest or richest, but few would pass up the chance to swap places with one of the game's highest ever achievers. In every field he has excelled, be it diplomacy, business or crime, and yet he told me that it was the warmth of the community which had kept him here in Torn for so long.
Z_Junior initially took some persuasion to move to Torn, with his friends having to badger him for over a year before he finally relented. But once he was here, he quickly fell in love with the place, and he describes its most valuable quality as being the closeness you have to your faction and friends, alongside the ability to help those people in times of need.
This generous spirit is something he extends to people outside his circle too, as we've already seen through his consistently selfless committee voting record. But Z_Junior believes that people in his position should be doing even more, as in his eyes veterans are perfectly placed to help Torn grow through virtue of their experience.
"Vets have higher responsibility because they've been through it all. New people join the game every day, and it's up to us to make their experiences fairly pleasurable or at least decent. It wouldn't be hard to imagine a block of vet factions starting to chain the new people and the new factions, hitting them all day, every day. It wouldn't be a pleasant experience to say the least."
"It's up to us to help them, teach them, guide them, of course when we can find the time, but yes, being a player of this game for 10+ years means you're not a casual player but you have invested yourself, your time and energy into it and you want to see it prosper, you want to see it succeed."
"The above paragraph kind of explains why vets have more responsibility than newer players do. We are held to a higher standard and are expected to uphold it. When a new player does something stupid or breaks the rules, they can sort of be excused because they don't know better. But being here all these years, seeing all the things and experiencing them, we should know better. And that's why there's less excuses for mistakes we make and our punishment is usually much harsher than those of ordinary players."
This sentiment is interesting, considering how many veterans have been caught up in scandals over the past 12 months. It may be somewhat unfair to single these players out, though, since high-profile citizens will always make the news when they trip up. But is Z_Junior correct in his assertion that experience requires a certain level of behaviour? Are mistakes really that much worse when they are committed by veterans, or is it a sad fact of life that some people can remain impenetrably stupid for eternity?
"I don't believe all vets share my view of being held to a higher standard. Some see it as a ticket to do things they shouldn't do, some are bored and want to push the limits and see how far they can go before they get smacked. I wouldn't set it in stone, that's for sure."
"I would however try to promote some sort of system that would reward vets for their service to the game all these years, give them more say, give them ability to have custom titles of some sort, just basically something to reward you for being here and playing the game all this time."
It is hard to argue with Z_Junior's assertion that our veterans deserve recognition for their service to the city, and over the years various options regarding this have been discussed. But the idea that veterans should have more say over the direction of Torn City is the one thing this reporter firmly disagrees with. Because not all veterans are sane and rational people. Not all veterans are able to separate their own interests from those of the wider community. Not all veterans are like Z_Junior.
Because if they were, perhaps he wouldn't have an obsessive stalker who follows his every move.
(Pictured: the begining of a love story better than Twilight)
It would be remiss of me to end this Tornography without commenting on the bizarre nature of Champion's worship for Z_Junior, as barely a day goes by without the deranged lunatic mentioning his idol on the forums. I asked Champion what it was about Z_Junior that he admired so much, and he sent me a lengthy response which I've edited for brevity and your sanity.
"Junia, the best player to ever set foot in Torn, is well known for his generousity - I first saw some of this generousity on a previous account...sent me 150m to help me out...his wife, CindyFury and side-b***h, boo made me send the 150m back but junia's intentions to help me out were clear nevertheless."
"The reason I share the fact of him being the best in-game (probably the best IRL too, lets be honest) is because I don't believe such a cool guy should be an unsung hero, I believe he should be praised for things such as beating P***yBagger with a pillow and being the first to get to level 100."
Z_Junior's response to this was rather more concise.
"Just a troll I'd say."
Not that Champion was in any way discouraged by this.
"Yeah he told me about it in irc like 15 mins ago, said he finally got one over on me and that i'm gonna be "publicly embarassed" if you publish it - I won't paste you the exact full message he sent cos he gave me shit about pasting logs from him before but it was pretty funny."
"Classic Z really."
Out of respect to Z_Junior, I sent a copy of this article for his perusal before publication. Unfortunately, he seemed rather perturbed by the mere mention of his most ardent supporter, and he sent me the following response.
"Good article about Champion, but I don't see it having much to do with me. Sorry, but just the way you made it, from start to finish you open with him, close with him... it really isn't about me. Anyway, do as you wish, thank you for showing it to me, just please don't use my name in the title. It doesn't belong there."
For the record, my references to Champion comprise 5% of this article's word count. This article, whatever you think of it, is most certainly about Z_Junior.
Perhaps Z_Junior's patience is merely wearing thin due to Champion's incessant trolling. Or perhaps I was wrong to open and close it with a mention of someone else, even if I did so merely to illustrate Z_Junior's impact on Torn. Either way, many of Champion's comments are undoubtedly true. Z_Junior has wielded his great power with responsibility, and all of Torn should be pleased to know that he has no plans to depart this city anytime soon, as he intimated when I asked him where he saw Torn in five years' time.
"Hopefully, still rocking and kicking ass like it has been so far. And maybe I'll still be here and we can do another interview and see what all has changed in the meantime."
Maybe he will, unless Champion pulls a Chapman and offs his idol John Lennon style.
Damn, there's that name again.
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