Community Spotlight - Corjay
By Trent McCrow

The IDC is very proud to have a great community of players who support what we do and what WOTC did before us. The whole reason for the IDC is to keep producing sets for its fans (and the ones we have are great). I plan to talk to some of the more familiar people within our community and get to know them a little better. It was my privilege to get a hold of C.J. Williams (Corjay) and get to know a little more about what he has done for the SWTCG community.

You have been a member of the SWTCG community for a long time. What is your background in card gaming and how did you first become aware of the SWTCG?
"I experienced my first trading card game with the original Next Generation Star Trek TCG. I liked the Star Trek TCG so much that I tried to find another game that also worked well and found a space battle TCG that I've long forgotten the name of. It had dorky pictures, but it was great strategy and very fun."

A great warrior, Corjay has battled for the Star Wars Trading Card game for a few years now.

"I had to stop playing those games when I moved out of my brother's place in Seattle and into my own place. I went about 7 years without playing another one until one day, when I was trying to pull myself out of a long-term depression, I stopped into a local hobby shop to get some social interaction by starting up a game. While there, I saw lots of people playing TCG's/CCG's, and that's when I saw some players playing the Star Wars TCG and watched them play, to make sure it had decent strategy and wasn't childish (Yugioh, MtG, and Pokémon were the other games being played, and each play similarly, not that the strategy itself is childish, just not my cup). I saw that the strategy was very unique and of all the things...it used dice."

"Needless to say, I was intrigued and came back the next game day, and the rest is history. That was a month before the ESB release."

You're currently a reporter over at Rebelbasers.com, and have produced some fine work. When writing, what inspires you?
"The Star Wars movies themselves inspire me. I also try to be energetic in my writing. The use of word imagery is very important to capturing the minds of the readers. If you can't grab their interest (through either sparking their imagination or sparking their thought processes) in the first two lines, you might as well not write the article."

You also spent some time in the Public Affairs Sub-Committee. What was it like working for the IDC?
"Informative in many ways. Though I wrote many articles for the IDC web site, and edited a slew of others during my 2-3 month stent in PA, I did much more work in the Rules sub-committee."

"While there I learned a lot about the importance of procedure and even more about how to write a rule book. One might think rules are pure drudgery, but for me every day was hugely exciting."

"I had a great privilege in working with such outstanding talents as Len Fowler (RedneckJedi; Rules Chair), Brian Weeks (Skywlkr; PA Chair), Cody Barnett (Grand Moff Nicodemus Fett) and F. May (Mixmaster). This was a crack powerhouse team. I also helped with the editing and quite a bit of legalese in the Charter. Mixmaster was the one who worked most of the document out, though. All of it has been useful for me in other endeavors as well, though. It will be benefiting me for the rest of my life."

What did it feel like to be at the inception of the IDC and being one of those few members working towards the next stage of the SWTCG?
"Well, there was quite a bit of friction in the beginning, particularly in forming the Charter. I didn't get a chance to participate too much in the writing of the original Charter, but I was able to rectify that by assisting in its rewrite. The rewrite was necessary because, when the committee was first formed, we had very little idea of what to expect. In fact, I was off the project for about 3 months when I was approached to join the Rules sub-committee. The beginning were growing pains, but they eventually subsided as everyone got used to their respective roles and new ways of dealing were developing among us which we based the second Charter on."

"I can say with satisfaction that I was very pleased with my time on the IDC with its ups and downs. We really came through it looking rosey."

You left the IDC a while back now and haven't been involved in the production of the Battle of Endor expansion. With your background in the IDC and your knowledge of how it all works, what are you expecting from the BOE set?
"On the average?: quality. I've already seen the best card I could ever expect in Hold-out Blaster. I was floored. It was far beyond my expectations. I'm glad to have pushed so hard for the cost reduction initiative for this set. Nicodemus Fett has also proven to be an effective Card Development Chair in carrying the flag for me on that issue. I'm sure his crew was ready for the initiative, but if he had any resistance, I'm grateful for his sticking with it. I think because of his direction this set will be that much better than his first excellent effort in SAV. ..Though he also has an excellent staff."

This question is for me. You were onto our little April fool's joke early on. What do you really think about it?
"I cracked up as soon as I saw it. I thought it was great. I understood, too, why they did it early. Not everyone would have gotten the chance to see it on April 1st. I think it was in very good taste and an amazing effort on everyone's part. The outlandish power of the cards was also very amusing."

C.J. Williams, a true champion who worked his guts out for the IDC and made extremely valuable contributions. We miss him dearly.

And just to finish off the IDC 10 questions in a minute segment:
1. What is your favorite Expansion?
2. What is your Favorite card?
3. Who is the best person to play with?
4. What do you miss most about the IDC?
5. If you could be any Star Wars character who would it be and why?
6. You're trapped in a room with only a roll of toilet paper and a toothbrush. What do you?
7. What is your favorite deck to play?
8. What would be your ideal set for the IDC to create?
9. How many Jar Jar Binks units is too many?
10. Who is hotter, Padme or Leia?

1. BOE already. I was floored by Hold-Out Blaster
2. Hold-Out Blaster
3. So many. But Nicodemus Fett is the best because he's both fun and vocal, a great player and a great sportsman
4. Working on the Rulebook
5. Luke Skywalker; he has seen the dark side within himself and conquered it.
6. Scratch my butt and wipe my nose...but I save the toilet paper and toothbrush until I really need them.
7. Force Denial (Any Side)
8. They've already made it and it's coming out next month.
9. The fact that you even mentioned is too many.
10. Leia. I like the sass.

Well thanks for taking the time to chat with me. I've enjoyed having your insight into the BOE set and I'm sure we won't disappoint you!
"Thanks! It's been fun."

You've made a tremendous contribution to the SWTCG and I hope you can continue to do so! Good luck in all your future exploits!
"I'll do what I can. Who knows, maybe I'm already doing something that everyone will benefit from. :P"

Oh really, care to leak some information?
"Sorry. You're just going to have to wait."

How can anyone get a hold of you for a game of SWTCG on Lackey?
"I'll leave a message on the rebelbasers.com boards when I have the time."

Oh you're no fun! Where is your sense of Loyalty? Well thank you once again and all the best in the future! The BOE set is being made for fans of this great game just like you!

"PLAY, LOVE, LIVE the SWTCG!"

Thoughts or comments? Visit the message board thread for this article here.