Ain’t no party like a Showcase party ’cause a Showcase party don’t stop!  Gear up for another Unscripted 360 Showcase.

Tell us a bit about the guy sitting behind the Xbox 360.

Well I am 17 years old and I live in Puyallup, Washington.  I run cross country, I’m the commander of my JROTC, I am applying to West Point, and (like everyone and their brother) I love my Xbox 360.

You have a new blog and are also a writer for a website.  Tell the viewers about both.

I recently signed on as a writer for 360insider.net.  I’ve been working hard trying to keep the website updated with juicy information.  It’s been a very enjoyable experience, and it might even get me the ability to test Gears of War before release (I know, lucky huh?).

I write a personal blog on all things Xbox Live called Live x360.  I always checked the calendar on Xbox.com but I figured, hey, nobody is ever really updated on what this stuff actually is, or even when it is.  I thought that writing this blog would be a great way to bring the 360 community together.  I really enjoy writing it, even when nobody comments, :(.  You can check it out here: http://livex360.blogspot.com/index.html

You showed a lot of PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) information after attending the expo.  How was that experience?

Penny Arcade Expo is viewed as a 2-bit gaming expo by many.  However, it was one of the coolest experiences of my life.  I grabbed over $300 in free swag!  I got to play Splinter Cell:  Double Agent, some unreleased arcade games, and even make out with every Frag Doll present (not really, but we can always dream right?)

Walk us through how your Gamertag came to be.

Since I was about 10 I have always wanted to join the Army, and become a Ranger.  I live near Ft. Lewis where the 2nd Ranger Batallion is stationed, and they really kick some serious butt.  I mean, who doesn’t want to jump out of airplans behind enemy lines with a 60 pound ruck in the dead of night?  The numbers came from me being awesome because the gamertag “Ranger” was already taken.

Has the Xbox 360 experience been a good or bad one for you?

The 360 experience has been, by far, the best gaming experience ever.  I had to send in my original launch console for repairs, but my new one works fine, and I didn’t ave any problems with the shipping or anything like that.  Now, where’s that HDTV mommy promised me?

Describe your gaming set up?

My gaming setup is pretty unique, I like to think.  I took the doors off of my closet and I have my TV and 360 in there.  While I don’t have a top of the line TV, I’ve got 5.1 surround sound and a mini-fridge at my disposal.  The walls in the closet are actually covered in video game magazine pages.  You can check out some pics here:

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h295/ranger755/Setup/

What are you playing the most currently on your 360?

I can’t seem to put down Texas Hold ‘Em.  I am pretty close to getting the $1,000,000 achievement!  I’ve also been playing a lot of Lord of the Rings:  Battle for Middle Earth II.  Dwarven rushes rule!

Which title would you say has been the biggest surprise on the 360 so far?

*Scratches head really hard*  The 360 surprises me every day.  If I had to choose, I would say COD2.  The graphics and the gameplay make this game an awesome one, even as a launch title.

There’s always a game that you wish you hadn’t wasted money on.  Which is that game for you?

To tell you the truth, I have been satisfied with every single on of my 360 games.  Albeit, I research any game heavily before I buy it.  My brother bought Bejeweled 2 with my marketplace points, so I’ll have to go with that gut-buster.

Fast forward. It’s the release of your most anticipated title. What game would it be?

I’m really excited for Viva Piñata™ and Gears of War.  I know, total opposite ends of the spectrum right?  I think that Viva Piñata™ will be a fun game to kick back and relax.  Hopefully, it will take great advantage of all of the 360’s features, especially the marketplace.

Gears of War will be awesome in every aspect.  I definitely plan on camping out for this one and throwing a launch party at my house the next weekend.  I can’t wait for this title.

That’s the first Piñata mention.  What has been your most ‘next-gen’ moment with the 360?

Honestly, the first time that I turned on the console had me amazed.  The spinning 360 made my nipples explode with delight.  I really had the shivers.

But one time I got to borrow a projector from my school ( I got connections) and I played some COD2 on that.  A massive projector screen combined with 5.1 surround sound almost made me poop my pants.

How do you feel about what the Marketplace has delivered so far?

I love the marketplace.  The free content rocks, and the themes and gamerpics are cool sometimes as well.  I am really enjoying the “Out of Mind” series from Red vs Blue.  I hope that game developers really take advatage of the marketplace, but that they keep free content in mind.

Do you plan on purchasing the Xbox Live Vision Camera or any other of the new peripherals for the 360 soon?

Yes, I do plan on purchasing the Xbox Live Vision Camera and posibbly the wireless headset.  I don’t have an HDTV at the time, so I’ll have to hold off in the HD-DVD department.

What feature would you say is the best reason to get an Xbox 360?

Xbox Live, without a doubt.  No other console can deliver the same raw awesomeness to you.  Xbox Live is such a great commuity of people.  And if they aren’t great, you only have to play with them for one game!  I love playing with my buddy who lives 200 miles away that I’ve known since kindergarten.

The Fall update is coming soon.  What would you like to see added?

I’m really content with the 360 interface right now.  But an alarm would be nice!  I hate waking up to commericals or talk radio in the morning, I would rather wake up to the Halo 3 trailer!

One game. One shot. You against Bill Gates. Who wins and what game are you playing?

Well I have a feeling that I would completely and utterly destroy Mr. Gates, and then take all of his money and run.  I think it would be fun to play with Bill Gates rather than against him.  Maybe some GRAW co-op?  That would definitely be fun.  And when he isn’t looking I’ll probably throw a grenade at him, but he doesn’t need to know it was me.

Any parting words?

Thanks for having me in the showcase Deacon!  If any of you want to send me a friend request please do, and make sure to check out my blog!

See you all online!