FCG: Hello everyone! Fact Checking Gardevoir here, online with MrSinger186, lead musician of the developers’ team of Pokémon Insurgence!

MS: Hello!

FCG: Can you introduce yourself?

MS: I am MrSinger186, and I am the lead music director for Insurgence. I was brought onto the team right at the end of Zeta-Omicron‘s lifespan (“prequels” to Insurgence) in 2012-2013 and I got right to work making music.

FCG: So! I would like to ask about how it started. When did you get into Pokémon’s fandom and fan content?

MS: I’ve been playing Pokémon since 2001 when I got to borrow my dad’s Game Boy Color and Pokémon Crystal. I’ve been hooked ever since, and I started exploring fan made content in probably 2010-2011 with some of the old classics like Pokémon Quartz, Brown, and Naranja. Zeta-Omicron was my first real foray into fan games as opposed to ROM Hacks, and I was so utterly impressed with what RPG Maker could do to elevate the franchise that I love so much.

FCG: It is funny, I first played Pokémon when Red and Blue arrived. It was the craze back then! But I only discovered the fans’ side of it a few years ago, starting with Insurgence. One of my best fan games experiences so far!

Now, how did you become the musician for this great game?

MS: I alluded to it above, but it was really a case of being in the right place at the right time. I submitted a track to the Zeta-Omicron‘s Subreddit and Suze, the first lead developer, just happened to see it. The team really liked it, and wanted me to start making music for them for their new game, which turned into Insurgence.

FCG: And it is a good thing that they did! I played Omicron too, a great game as well! What is this track you made?

MS: I made the Jirachi/Mew battle theme, it was only added in right at the end of the lifespan of active development, so, not many people heard it in-game. But it’s available along with all of the other Insurgence tracks on my bandcamp.

FCG: Neat! I am especially fond of the theme at the end of the game, when we get to the Oort’s Cloud.  Coupled to that feeling of having reached the end of a great adventure… Its name is Rock Bottom! A moment I will never forget!

Can you introduce the other developers you worked with to make this wonderful fan game?

MS: I don’t remember everyone’s role but I worked closely with Suze, Deukhoofd, EchoTheThird and ZeroBreaker. I know there were some others, but for the life of me, I cannot remember who else. It’s been way too long since active development, lol.

FCG: Suze was the first lead developer, but what were Deukhoofd, EchoTheThird and ZeroBreaker‘s roles in developing Insurgence?

MS: Deuk was the lead programmer if I recall correctly. EchoTheThird was the lead artist, and ZeroBreaker one of the artists.

FCG: Do you have some favourites in the tracks you composed, that you are especially proud of?

MS: It has to be Hell’s Fury, which is the boss track for the Infernal Cult.

It was a track where I was able to figure out how to connect a live guitar to my machine and use it as a MIDI instrument, so the guitar track you hear is me actually shredding. It seems to be one of the most loved tracks from the community, so I’m glad that it translated so well!

FCG: So am I! It gives the track its own signature, I would say! Regarding Insurgence‘s other features, do you have a favourite Delta Pokémon?

MS: Delta Charizard is the fan favorite for a reason – it looks incredible. But outside of that one, I’m a big fan of Delta Aggron, Serperior, and Metagross.

FCG: Same! I called mine Shadowyrm! I also love that, when Mega-evolving, it gets the Noctem Ability, allowing it to use the Phantom Force, Lunar Cannon and Shadow Force moves every turn… A true wrecking ball! I love the others too. They look so cool!

Oh! I have seen there is a new project, Epsilon, in the works! Are you part of it?

MS: Unfortunately, I am not. I had to bow out of active development for awhile, around 2016-2017, due to my university courses ramping up and losing time to give music the care and love it deserved. I could feel myself making less and less stuff that I really felt good about, so for the sake of the game, I had to step back. But we left music in the care of – at least, last I checked – Pulvite, who is so much better of a producer than I could ever dream to be.

FCG: It is a shame… But don’t sell yourself short, your music themes in Insurgence are amazing!

MS: Thank you! I’m hoping that I can get back into music. I’ve found that being in the real world has lowered my free time. I’ve moved onto some other endeavors, but I still make music every now and again.

FCG: I wish you the best of luck to have more free time, soon, to get back in making music for fan games and other things you love!

And that’s it for today, everyone! See you later, for our next interview! Stay tuned! And if you’re interested in taking part in an interview – or being the interviewer – let us know in the comments!

MrSinger186 tracks for Insurgence: https://mrsinger186.bandcamp.com
Header image’s art source: https://p-insurgence.com
Edited by bobandbill and confused_piplup.