Legend Spotlight - SourScar

A year ago this month, SourScar launched his monthly charity event, Cutlass Crusades. As a celebration spanning the whole community, it brings together all sorts of pirates – from content creators to community members – to pit their wits and skills against each other, aiming to not only come out on top but to raise money for good causes.

So now seemed like a great time to catch up with adaptive gamer and all-round Legend SourScar to chat all things charity, Sea of Thieves and what makes him a pirate more than worthy of the Spotlight!

[Q]: Can you tell us a little about what got you into gaming?

[A]: My uncles introduced me to video games when I was very young. They would allow me to help make decisions when playing text-based adventure games. I vaguely remember one of them being a pirate adventure game, actually.

It didn’t take much for get me to get hooked – I loved adventure, puzzles and challenges, still do. Eventually I think I bugged my parents enough into getting our first console, the NES. Gaming has been a part of my life ever since and I have no intention of stopping any time soon.

[Q]: Were you a Rare fan before Sea of Thieves? Do you have any favourite Rare games?

[A]: Yes! Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country and GoldenEye 007 were among some of my favourite games growing up. Battletoads was probably the most unique and challenging beat-'em-up game I had played at the time. Donkey Kong Country was a solid platform game and an all-round blast. GoldenEye 007 was one of my first multiplayer FPS games and some of the most fun I had playing with my brothers and friends. We played it A LOT.

[Q]: What other games are you currently playing? Any favourites?

[A]: What is “other games”? Haha. It’s been difficult to pull myself away from Sea of Thieves, but I still play other games when I can. I really enjoyed Borderlands 2 and recently started Borderlands 3 with my brothers, we’ve been having a lot of fun with it. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been stuck on an indie game called Vampire Survivors, it’s a time survival roguelite game with very simple gameplay and it is crazy addictive… I want to play it right now.

There’s been one game though that I’ve come back to almost every year for the past 10 years: Minecraft, specifically modded Minecraft. There are endless ways to play with mods, and every time I come back there are new mods and updates to play around with.

[Q]: When did you first set sail on the Sea of Thieves, and what was it that attracted you to the pirate life?

[A]: In April 2019, one of my brothers came to visit me on my birthday for a weekend of hanging out and gaming. He set up his PC in my room and the first thing we did was look for a new game we could try out together. I had been following Sea of Thieves since its release and really enjoyed the idea of having my own ship and crew to go on pirate adventures with... and being able to shoot myself out of a cannon.

So I asked him to take a look and let me know if he was interested. He was, the gameplay trailers were too good and he couldn’t say no. A short time after, my other brother joined in on the piratical fun and the three of us were playing together weekly.

[Q]: How did you go about becoming a Pirate Legend? What were the main challenges and highlights of your journey?

[A]: I simply played the game, explored the world, did World Events and Voyages, took on Skeleton Ships, Megalodons and other players, and immersed myself into the game as much as I could.

Outside of the game I checked out the official Sea of Thieves website, Forums and Discord. I also turned to YouTube and Twitch content to see how others played, all in an effort to learn more about the game and its community.

One of the main challenges I faced early on was getting frustrated with being attacked and sunk by other players. It took a moment for me to step back and realise that losing treasure and your ship was just part of the game. Once I accepted that, I was able to enjoy more of what the game had to offer and appreciate the time I got to spend with family and friends. And here I am three years later still getting sunk! Just a lot less often now and I’m okay with that.

[Q]: Can you remember the moment when you became a Pirate Legend and how you celebrated?

[A]: I remember being pretty excited that I could finally go to the Hideout everyone was talking about. I was not disappointed, it’s one of my favourite places in the game. In celebration of becoming a Pirate Legend, after exploring the Hideout, I immediately got back on the seas in search of more gold and glory. I haven’t left. It’s been my second home.

[Q]: What sort of content would you like to see added in future for Pirate Legends?

[A]: I’d still like to see more done with Athena’s Fortune Hideout. The first time I saw it, I immediately thought, The Goonies! It’s so cool and I would love more reasons to hang out down there. More Legendary cosmetics and Voyages of course, and maybe some sort of prestige system or something for those of us who practically live on the seas.

[Q]: Do you have any advice for other players currently on the path to Pirate Legend?

[A]: There is so much Sea of Thieves has to offer. Take time to learn the game, experience the scenery, the lore and the characters. Have fun, don’t be afraid to try new things, it’s a sandbox game. Early on, many of us get caught up with not wanting to lose the treasure we’ve acquired, and that easily turns into frustration when it happens. There is an infinite amount of treasure to be had by all, so there’s no reason to get overly attached to any of it. Whether you lose it to the depths or other players, weigh anchor and get back out there, pirate! You’ll be a Legend before you know it!

[Q]: What would you say are your favourite recent additions to Sea of Thieves?

[A]: The Pirates of the Caribbean content is definitely a favourite, it’s so well done and an awesome experience to be had with others. The Sunken Kingdom was a really fun update. I loved getting to explore a new part of the world, solving the puzzles and learning about the new enemies on the sea.

Some of the more simple or smaller additions have been great too, like being able to take a seat at the end of a dock, shooting a cannon from a Rowboat and being awed by in-game fireworks. Also, I’ve always been a huge fan of quality of life updates in any game. Being able to transfer supplies from one storage place to another with the press of a button is Chef Kiss Emote.

[Q]: Your Cutlass Crusades are now a year old! These charity streams with Partners and community members raise money for various causes, but what inspired you to begin hosting them?

[A]: So many things. Since I started streaming on Twitch back in April 2020, the Sea of Thieves community has been so incredibly welcoming and supportive, and because of this I felt the need to give back in some way for my one-year streaming anniversary. I wanted to show appreciation and do something that everyone could be part of and enjoy. In addition to that, I was more than happy to continue showcasing and supporting the game and its developers. They've made an amazing place for the world to experience and it deserves all the positive attention it gets.

I’ve also always enjoyed giving and helping others where I can, which led me to doing the event for charity. Ultimately, I was aiming for something where all parts of the community could come together as a team, do some good in the world and have a great time. I never planned on doing it monthly, but was encouraged to do so by some friends. The community really seemed to get behind it as well, I’m often being asked when the next one is or how to get involved. All reason enough for me to keep it going and continue for as long as I can.

[Q]: Legend status aside, what are your greatest achievements in a game, Sea of Thieves or otherwise?

[A]: Though not any particular game, I’d have to say my greatest achievement in gaming as a whole was not giving up after being injured near the end of my military service. I suffered a spinal cord injury that left me paralyzed from the chest down with partial paralysis in both arms and no finger movement. I had lost so much and had no idea where to begin with anything, but if there was one thing I learned from the Marine Corps, it was to adapt and overcome.

I remember coming home and thinking how nice it would be to kick back, escape reality for a bit and play some console games. I quickly came to the realisation that playing video games would never be the same. It hurt but I knew I had to at least try, I didn’t want to give up on that part of my life if I could help it, so I purchased a gaming laptop. That’s when I started researching and playing casual games that didn’t take a lot of dexterity, mostly games that were point-and-click or turn-based.

Over the years I experimented with all kinds of equipment, many that I found online, some that I tried to have custom-made, and some that I designed and 3D-printed myself. My mother has been a huge part of all of it and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support. She’s pretty awesome, always there to be my hands when needed. She even built me a couple of desktop PCs after I taught myself how, she was the hands and I was the brains. It’s been a rollercoaster of fun and frustration but I wouldn’t take any of it back. Gaming has helped me stay positive and connected with family and friends.

On a lighter note… successfully creating and hosting a monthly community charity event is easily my greatest achievement in any game I've played. And even though I didn't do any of it for a hat, being nominated for #BeMorePirate and receiving the Hat of Unfeasibly Glorious Fame felt pretty amazing.

Oh! And that one time I got to sail with Jon McFarlane and Joe Neate for a Sea of Thieves Weekly Stream was pretty cool too.

[Q]: What other hobbies do you enjoy outside of gaming?

[A]: During my leisure time I watch movies and shows, listen to music, research and learn new things, help others, chill with family and friends, nap, sit outside when the weather is nice and order pizza every Friday. I play around with 3D printing, either creating and printing things for fun gifts or designing adaptive things for me to use in gaming and daily living. Recently I rescued a cat – Nia has been taking up a good portion of that time too but no complaints, she's adorable and it’s nice to have that companionship.

[Q]: Share a fun fact about yourself. Anything is fair game!

[A]: A few years ago I went skydiving. Not something I ever thought I’d be able to do with a spinal cord injury, but I decided to look into it anyway. It was something I always wanted to experience, and at the time I had a great reason to: my brother's bachelor party. I was able to locate a place that made a custom jumpsuit specifically for those with limited physical ability. The loud, chaotic freefall into a smooth, quiet glide was one of the best feelings I’ve had since my injury. 10/10, would do it again!

And so ends another Legend Spotlight. Thanks from us to SourScar for taking the time to chat to us and spread the word of Cutlass Crusades, and the very best of luck to him with the anniversary event – we have no doubt that many a good pirate will be throwing their gold his way to support a great cause.

We’ll be back with more Spotlights soon, but until then you can check out dozens of Community and Creator Spotlights and our previous Legend Spotlight, and stay up to date with everything else going on in Sea of Thieves by keeping an eye on our social channels!