Visit the TLW premiere page to see a bigger version of the episode.

The next episode of Season Two is going to hit in just a few days, so be ready for it. We’re kind of kicking ass production-wise right now. In fact, we’re already doing some pre-production on Episode Six.

Basically, we are slapping episodes with our pimp hands and then riding the wave. Ok, that last stuff isn’t true. Anywho, here’s a poll to ponder in the meantime. Log-in first, and then vote:

While Daniel and Nick are working their post-production surgery on Episode Twelve, I’m busy putting together (writing, building in Forge, etc) our next Halo short. Here are some early screenies of the location, from the new map “Blackout”.

What’s behind the mystery door? Lulz, of course.

Also, today’s Daniel’s birthday. He’s old. Not really.

Like I said before, I was pleased with how everyone responded to Ahmad’s Biography last week. Hopefully, this week will be no different. Our next stop on the biography tour is Leeroy.

Name: Leeroy
Age: 21
Team: Counter-Terrorists
Position: Communications Nerd

Some of Leeroy’s earliest memories revolve around being able to hold a Sega Genesis controller in his chubby infant hands. While it was his father’s hobby, Leeroy often watched the colorful sprites zip around the television screen, fascinated by the way the little black plastic system could render the action that he was witnessing. His father, the computer programmer, an anti-social recluse himself, was eager to have something which would provide a bond between him and his offspring. He pushed the controlling apparatus for each gaming system into Leeroy’s hands one after the other, nursing a father-son pastime into something that would one day become an obsession.

The day that changed Leeroy’s life forever was the first day he experienced the joy of operating a keyboard and a mouse to kill computerized minions. With early 90′s titles like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Duke Nukem, Leeroy soon abandoned the consoles for more civilized gaming ventures. With the help of his father, Leeroy assembled his first gargantuan gaming rig at 10 years old in anticipation of the release of Quake II. Soon enough, he was participating in the modding community, much to his father’s delight.

Leeroy’s love for modding and manipulating his favorite PC games easily translated over into other software. He began running multiple OS’s on a number of computers, writing programs, initiating protocols and all kinds of other technical jargon. Once the internet was introduced into his life, the young boy was surfing everywhere, gaining access to whatever he could, seeking more knowledge than he ever thought possible. And more cyber roleplay than he could have ever hoped for.

Beyond playing his first PC game, the second most momentous occasion of young Leeroy’s life occurred in the summer before his freshman year of high school, where he experienced his new love: Dungeons and Dragons. By the time he was 15, Leeroy was his school’s most renowned DM. His superb imagination combined with his love for fantasy made people feel that his stories were coming alive. Plus, he wore costumes.

At 17, Leeroy graduated early from high school after selling a program to several school districts that allowed them to integrate attendance programs with their online gradebooks. Using a backdoor into this process, Leeroy sold other students a chance to look at their grades, and for a small fee, he would change them. The gifted youngster was accepted into MIT after graduation— and that’s where fate took its turn.

When Leeroy was 18, something horrible and wonderful happened. Frigid Entertainment released its momentous MMORPG, World of Battlelore. Combining the two loves of Leeroy’s life, fantasy and gaming, the computer wiz was transformed into a shell of his former self. Using his beloved Wood Elf character, Leeroy rallied guilds and legions of fans, becoming the number 1 wood elf for his entire server. Forum posts were written, internet memes created, all while Leeroy’s grades fell off due to his lack of studies. It was there that he met his girlfriend, 22 year old Glrydmersh (can we buy a vowel please) from the Proddenia server.

Leeroy soon failed out of MIT with a terrible addiction to World of Battlelore and thousands of dollars left to pay in school fees. With nowhere else to turn, Leeroy had to enter the workforce. While working as a cubicle monkey in his first job, Leeroy was caught hacking into a government agency’s network— he was given a job in their counter-terrorism unit one week later. He primarily worked on communications analysis and did the occasional stakeout, managing to stay out of all of the action. Then one day, Leeroy saw an ad for The Leet World come across his desk. Beaten down by the long hours and his tremendous school debt, this new reality show could be the chance of a lifetime— the chance to put everything back together.

I have to say I’m pleased with how well Ahmad’s Bio has been received by you guys. Truthfully, Nick’s been bugging me to write character bios since, um, forever, but Nick is usually wrong about stuff so I didn’t listen. I’m kidding. Nick is mostly always right so I should have listened long ago. We’ll be adding one of those each week.

Keep cracking on those Themetacular Challenge entries. A few of you have been asking for the vocals, which have been added to the official rules page.

And finally, some new screenshots of Episode Twelve, complete with Leeroy’s Lair, now working in Counter-Strike: Source instead of GMod.

More extras coming soon.

[Sarcasm]  It is a heartfelt drama about… well, really, you’ll just have to watch it for yourselves. Leeroy’s a deep thinker, you see, and that kind of stuff just goes over my head.

Other quotes about the movie:

“NeEDS MOAR SeTS!11!”- Player

“A digimal triumph.”- Ellis

“I don’t know what the f— this movie is about.”- Chet

Try to enjoy. You won’t be able to if you’re not artsy enough. At least, that’s what Leeroy told us.[/Sarcasm] Also, expect some more extras by the end of the week.

FYI- This movie is a joke. It’s supposed to be bad.

There are two clips you’ll see. The first is a scene that was removed from near the beginning of the episode, and the second happens once the folks are comfortably answering phones in the office. Both were largely removed due to concerns about the length of the episode. I know that some of you guys wish every episode was about 2 hours long, but sometimes you can perform addition by subtraction- making sure everything flows well, stays tight, and maintains a strong and fluid pace.

Keep in mind that these are unfinished clips. That means the audio hasn’t been finalized, green screens are still present, and there is no music or ambient sound. Listen closely and you can hear Kerry on the verge of laughter as he performs Leeroy’s last couple of lines.

Thanks, and, as always, please donate. Your dollars buy Leeroy more computer peripherals.