Larísa

MMO community connection:

The Pink Pigtail Inn

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

Larísa

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I run a WoW blog since february 2008: The Pink Pigtail Inn.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog is about.

It’s about World of Warcraft the way I see it. Quite a lot of personal rantings, sharing thoughts and opinions. Not so much of guides, news and useful information, actually non of it.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I’m from Sweden, where I also live.

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

Turning 42 this year.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a trained journalist, but been working in PR/Information quite a few years now.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

Nah… I’m not the kind of person who walks around in life regretting things.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• That I run a blog of my own.
• How I WoW, what the gaming is like.
• That I was a punk rocker when I was young.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I’m married since 23 years and got two teenage daughters. Noone else in my family is a gamer, which is a problem, especially since this passion of mine turned up so late in life.

Chapter 2 : Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

Not much of gaming at all. What is a bit related though is that I’ve been reading science fiction and fantasy since I was a child and that I’ve been active in the so called science fiction fandom, giving out stencilized fanzines, which could be seen as a sort of equivalence to blogging.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

Rock music and reading. I’ve never been much of a social or sporty person. More or less a typical geek I guess.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

Not very much to be honest. But know quite a few role players. I could very well have ended up as one, I think I would have enjoyed it.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

Yeah… I’ve lost count how many times I’ve read Tolkien for instance. I still re-read it every three years or so. Asimov, Simak, Bradbury and Clarke were heroes of my childhood.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

Definitely. I come from the literature fantasy and sf movement and I feel very much at home in gaming now because of this. I find the same mentality among many players.

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I had very little experience of video gaming before I started to play WoW in 2007.

I was introduced to it by my younger sister, who told me I should try it since she thought I’d love it. “I don’t have time for such a thing”, I told her. “There’s ALWAYS time for WoW”, she replied. So I bought the game in the Christmas 2006 and installed it a month later. That was a pain – it was basically my first computer game ever if you don’t count a few sessions of Lemmings and a little bit of Civilization. I was very proud when I finally entered the world.

I the beginning the idea was to have it as a project together with my teenage daughter. But she soon lost interest in it, while I got more and more caught. My sister who made me start in the first place stopped playing long ago.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

nope

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

Civilization. Pretty early I had a gaming session when I completely lost track of time and that scared me a bit tbh. I didn’t touch it after that.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

none

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

In the beginning of the 1970s my father worked at a laboratory where they had a huge computer, big as a room, with a brain smaller than a counting machine today. I was just 5 or 6 years old, but he made a small program to keep me occupied when he was at work during a weekend. It contained some kind of lottery and a few other things. Everything was printed out on a paper. And I remember how thrilled I was. It was a magic gaming experience, in all its simplicity.

Chapter 3 : Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs? If so, when was this and what was the experience like?

nope

What was your first MMO experience? Again, when was this (a year please) and what was this like?

World of warcraft in the beginning of 2007. But to tell me about the experience… that’s a bit overwhelming. I’ve been doing that on my blog for about 350 post by now… I was the noobiest of the noobish when I started, didn’t know how to move my character at all, felt slightly sea sick, didn’t know about things as repairs, questing, what the game was about. The learning curve ever since has been huge and is still going on.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

Easy question for me! I play World of Warcraft, where my main is a lvl 80 mage. I’ve also got a lvl 80 rogue and an upcoming little druid.

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

WoW

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

WoW

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

WoW

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

Oh, I guess I’d been happy if WoW could remain for some while longer… J That’s where I have my character and my guild and everything I’ve invested in the game. I actually doubt that I’d bother to start another one.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

Being an old Star Trek fan, I can’t help being a bit curious about what it will be like..

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

Read my blog!

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

Don’t want to think too much about that question… Too much time I would say. Maybe something like 20 hours a week or a little bit more?

When during the week are your regular play times?

Two out of three nights of tue-thur-sund 7.30 pm-00. Two or three extra nights from 10 pm and a few hours onwards. Sometimes a couple of hours daytime during the weekends, very irregular, depending on what’s up in rl.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

I’m social. If it wasn’t for guild life, raiding etc, I would probably not be playing WoW anymore. The game in itself isn’t that interesting.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Don’t know yet! I have some friends in game, but if that will last when we’ve all moved on? I don’t know.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

I think I mostly have a pretty clear idea about what to do. Much of my playing, the raiding, is planned. And apart from that I’ve always got some projects I’m working on, such as achievements, levelling an alt etc.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

Never played anything but WoW.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

Nope.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Nope.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

If I’m questing or grinding on my own I sometimes listen to a WoW related podcast. But apart from that I need to keep my focus on the game, I’m not skilled enough to do a lot of other things at the same time.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

No, since they don’t like my WoW playing I avoid to bring it up much.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

Well, if you ask my family I play too much. I try to negociate, compromize and make real life work as well as possible side by side with my gaming. But it is a challenge.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

No.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging? Please take us up to present with all of your projects.

February 2008.

Why do you blog?

I answered that when I once did an interview with myself.  I’ll cut in a reply from there:

Blogging has given me back the fun of writing. I’ve been writing professionally so long that it had lost some of its lustre. But this is done out of pleasure, without any pressure. It’s free and it’s fun and I can combine writing with my favourite hobby – WoW. But I also appreciate the social side of blogging, as well as I like the social side of the game. I didn’t have any knowledge about the Blogosphere when I started. Now I’ve grown into it and it feels like an extra guild to me. I love how we comment on each others blogs. It’s a wonderful network.

And of course I love my guests. The comments you give me, the support, the link love… It gives me daily inspiration to keep going. Lately I’ve got a few letters from people who say that I’ve inspired them to start blogs of their own. I can’t understand in what way, perhaps it’s that I’m an example of that you can blog even if you’re quite an ordinary player and not an expert in any sense. Anyway, it’s amazing to hear and makes me very happy.

Another great bonus of blogging is that it improves my English. I’m aware of that my readers have to put up with a lot of errors, but I feel that I’m developing. When I began I sort of translated my thoughts from Swedish. Now I switch over to thinking in English while writing right from the beginning. That’s a huge step forward.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

Not really. But I try to have at least 3-4 posts a week.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

No grinding. I’ve always said to myself and the readers that this is a day-to-day project. I’m not trying to make a living from it. I write for my pleasure and if I find one day that I’ve got nothing more to say I’ll stop.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

I enjoy the freedom and I enjoy expressing myself. Doing it in English is a challenge, but it’s still fun. And I love the networking dimension of it.

How many people offline know you blog?

Hardly any at all. My sister knows about it, but that’s about it I think. My family doesn’t know.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

Be patient. Don’t’ expect that you’ll get any feedback or many readers for long. It will probably take months before someone will find you. Write from your own pleasure and don’t worry about subscribers and such. Comment a lot on other blogs and be sure to take good care about the ones that come to your blog, writing replies to their comments. In this way you’ll slowly build an audience.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

I wish I had started blogging in English, using one of the platforms right from the beginning. As it was now I started in Swedish using a bad, non-standard tool, and it took me a ton of work, actually grind, to translate the posts from the first months to English and move it to Blogger. I could have been without that.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

Oh yes. When I stop playing I definitely will. Maybe before, it depends on for how long it remains fun.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

Hm… not entirely sure about that, pass.

SmakenDahed

MMO community connection:

Random Ogre Thoughts

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

SmakenDahed

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I’m just a gamer who blogs about random things that I feel like writing/venting/ranting about.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

It cannot be categorized. I talk about games, politics, hockey, odd events, games, and what ever else pops in my head. I’m not in it thinking I’m a journalist or part of the media and I’m not out to save the world, I’m just trying to stay sane and blogging is a good release.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Montreal, Quebec (Canada) and spent the first 18 years of my life all over (and off) that island.

Where do you live now?

I am currently living in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada).

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

31-40

What do you do for a living?

I do software testing. My official title is Senior Software Verification Specialist, Lead. My job entails manual testing, automate testing, performance testing, load testing, security testing and probably some other types of testing I can’t think of at the moment.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

I wouldn’t change my job, but I would gladly change the content I test to something more… fun.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I’m proficient in three different styles of martial arts
• I have taken courses on writing
• I have a wicked temper
• I am surprisingly patient (which is good, given my temper)
• And … I think my memory is already starting to fail me.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I have a wife, two boys here. I’ve got a mother-in-law (who is driving me crazy), sister-in-law (…) and brother-in-law from my wife’s side. On my side I’ve got two uncles, one aunt, three cousins, my sister and her husband in the area. Rants about the mother-in-law and her antics almost have legendary status on my team at work.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

I played a lot of games with my older brother and his friends, but also spent an equal time alone playing with various toys. I got into RPGs at a really young age (eight) and haven’t really looked back. When I didn’t have my nose in a book I was usually out getting into trouble with friends.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I got into martial arts around the same time I got into RPGs, the main reason was that my mother was going back to school to become a microbiologist and some of the evening courses where in seedy downtown neighborhoods. My dad tends to be an all or nothing type of guy so he signed the whole family up. I was a first degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate at about 12 or so. Other styles I picked up were Shirynjiru Kenkokan Karatedo and Jiujitsu.

I spent a lot of time outside playing, exploring and getting into places I probably shouldn’t have been.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I was eight years old and it was a lot of fun. It was pretty simple, monty haul/hack and slash, but good fun. I’ve played a fair number of RPGs over the years, though my favorite has to be Shadowrun. I’m currently playing a P&P session with a group of guys every Wednesday night (I think it’s almost been 10 years if not close to 11 now).

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I read comic books and novels. I was reading Tolkien at eight but was also reading a lot of Piers Anthony’s Xanth series. I usually read what ever my parents had around at the time. For comic books my favorites were X-Men, Spider-man, Ghost Rider and Rom the Spaceknight.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

Definitely. I always loved using my imagination and thought it would be great to be able to play these types of games on computers so I could play them when ever I wanted (as in, not needing to gather friends together and organize actual sessions). Eventually, I got into thinking of how great it would be to play these games online and quite some time ago I got talking with my brother-in-law about how cool it would be to have a massive, online virtual world to play in with all sorts of people from all over the world. It was funny, we started planning how it could be designed and he found Ultima Online was just released. It was a lot of what we thought would be cool (from reading the instructions) but we never bother playing it.

How were you first introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

Atari, I think. My uncle had Pong, but I don’t really remember it. I can remember playing Space Invaders, Night Driver and Combat at my uncle’s place. I think I was 5 or 6 years old – I don’t really remember.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

Definitely. There were tons of arcades where I was growing up, we had one place that was about five minutes walking around the corner from where we lived. I played all sorts of games there, half of them I can’t remember the name of. I also spent a lot of time just watching others play as well.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

Wizardry I on the Apple 2 (actually, a clone called Golden 2). It used 5.25″ floppies and you had to swap disks for saving and stuff (my dad was a hero when he bought as second floppy drive!), but it was in 3d! Heh. I was about seven or eight and the damn ’small humanoids’ picture scared me. Pretty silly thinking back to it.

I learned about farming there (thanks Dad!). We would farm the Murphy’s Ghost statue room for +1 magic weapons and stuff. He also showed me some minor exploits like creating a back up disk for characters, loading characters, giving all their gear to one other party member, renaming them, then transferring over the back up so you ended up with an infinite amount of gear to sell off. He also taught me about mapping and things like that.

I still remember a good number of spells. ‘di’ was the rez, ‘dios’ type words were for healing, ’tiltowait’ was the big nuke. It amazes me what I remember about older games. Oh, I still have coordinates memorized for the garrison room in the Castle in Bard’s Tale – the room with four groups of 99 Berserkers? I used to teleport up there with some hefty tanks in the first ranks, two sorcerers and fill the last slot with a character I wanted to level. I’d then just Mind Blade the four groups with the two sorcerers and by the end of the fight the 6th slot character would get a ton of levels. (From the entrance coords were 2 up, 5 north and 12 east – that’d put you at the door).

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Atari, Sega Genesis, Nintendo, Playstation, PS2, Wii, and PS3.

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

I remember playing D&D with my parents, it was only one session but I remember it like it was yesterday. The module was Palace of the Silver Princess and I was playing a Halfling (basic D&D the demihuman races were classes heh). We came across a long hall where there was a storeroom and a kitchen. My father listened at the door of the kitchen and heard what sounded like goblins making a bunch of noises. He made us all go back to the storeroom and roll some kegs of ale to the kitchen door, then knocked and hid back in the storeroom. After a couple of hours we checked on the room and could hear the goblins singing drunkenly in the kitchen. We open the door and attacked, taking advantage of their drunken state. It was a lot of fun.

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

I heard of them from the brother of a girl I was dating. He was pretty into them though his sister was telling me he was getting too into them at the expense of his school work. I thought it was sort of weird that people could get so into something like that when it was just text. Marriages? Politics? Weirdos…

What was your first MMO experience?

EverQuest. It was the year it came out, though several months later. I couldn’t tell you the year. I was previously playing online Quake 2 in a clan organized by someone who became a really good online gaming friend (over 11 years now). We were a little frustrated by a mishap during a tourney and felt the clan we competed against took advantage of their position as organizers to turn what should have been a win into a loss. Some other folks had been talking to my friend about EQ and we decided to give it a shot.

Man, the subscription fee was a big hurdle for me to over come. I wasn’t used to buying a game then having to continue to pay monthly to play.

We started Erudites, he insisted on playing an Erudite because it was the best caster race and he wanted to play a Wizard. I was easy going so I made an Erudite Paladin (ouch). We played for several hours and go hooked pretty quickly after figuring out how to do stuff. Toxx Forest was a load of fun especially given the darkness and lack of nightvision. We had all sorts of fun doing some quests, exploring, dying, trying to find our corpses.

I’ve been hooked ever since.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

• EverQuest
• Asheron’s Call
• Anarchy Online
• Dark Age of Camelot
• Planetside
• City of Heroes (Villains)
• Star Wars: Galaxies
• Asheron’s Call 2
• Guild Wars
• EverQuest 2
• World of Warcraft
• Dungeons and Dragons Online
• Vanguard
• Tabula Rasa
• Age of Conan
• Warhammer
• Lord of the Rings Online

I think I’m forgetting one or two.

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

I am currently playing World of Warcraft where I have a level 80 Ret/Prot Paladin in mostly T7 (or T7.5) gear. I’ve started an alt to play along side my five year old son (refer-a-friend).

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

Everquest. It’s hard to say how long, but probably a couple of years in total.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

I don’t look at hitting level caps as all that big a deal because I know it’s a matter of time, however, I have hit the level cap in EverQuest, EverQuest 2, World of Warcraft and I was really close in VG before I threw in the towel.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

At the moment, I’d have to say World of Warcraft simply because I’m playing it with my son and I’m having a lot of fun watching what he does and has fun doing. I’ve recently bounced around trying out some of the older MMOs I left behind and they were fun for a bit, but not something my son is interested in; while WoW has him hooked (at least as hooked as we allow him to be).

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

I’m curious about Champions Online and DC Universe, but those will probably just be a distraction. One in development would be Copernicus (38 Studios). I enjoy a lot of what the people involved in its development enjoyed or created so I’m hopeful about that one. Star Wars: The Old Republic is another one I’m interested in but I don’t think I’ll be swept up by it.

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

I mentioned a long time gaming buddy, we started in Quake2 but moved into EQ. We bounced around from game to game for a bit until we heard SOE was releasing a brand new server that did not allow transfers – enter Stromm. He convinced me to give it another go – a real go at it this time because it was going to be the last time we ever played that game.

With that in mind, I created an Erudite Cleric named Fabinusar (the same name that was randomly generated for my very first character; an Erudite Paladin). I figured it’d be the first name I used in EQ and the last. He created an Ogre Shadowknight named Conflict. We duoed a lot of the content, adding the odd person into the group here and there. It was the first time I played a Cleric, usually I played the tank role, so it was a lot of fun. I was excited for every spell and every time I got a new one I had to try it out to see what I could do with it which meant rearranging my spell bar every time.

That added a little chaos to our sessions.

Before he was able to Feign Death, I used to use Lull/Pacify type spells to single out a target which he’d pull. It worked so well we’d hit dungeons with just the two of us.

We were in Upper Guk working our way into the Jail area. We were setting up to Lull and pull each one of the five or six mobs in the center of the Jail room. Now I just had access to Stun so I put it on my spell bar wondering what sort of use I could get out it.

Guess which spell I cast instead of Lull?

A lovely train ensued. The corpse recovery run was pretty fun too (I never carried a second set of gear).

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

30-40 hours then, about 15-20 now – if I’m lucky and willing to sacrifice sleep (which I am).

When during the week are your regular play times?

I tend to be a weekend warrior; I play Friday night and usually weekend mornings. I do hop on after 9pm for a couple of hours when I feel up for it. That’s usually when I do my farming or tradeskilling. The guild I am in raids from about 8pm to 11pm Tuesday, Thursday and Friday so I try to make those when I can.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

All of the above. If I’m tired, I tend to just fall into what ever I’m doing and run about solo. When I’m more awake I’ll group up or build groups to hit what ever or I’ll pop into some PVP, BGs or otherwise. When I’m in a guild, I do try to be social, though I tend to miss a lot of chat if I’m into a dungeon or raid.

(My gaming friend would say I miss tells too, and it’s true. I’ve had to use ChatAlert type mods to put certain chat channels right in my face – the little pings in games like EQ2 doesn’t always work)

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Hell ya. One I’ve already babbled about (Frank: Airstrike, Damogoth, Kaldonar); met in Quake2 LMCTF when I was organizing my clan’s side and he was on the other team. We were in email contact setting up a time and date. I was a little nervous contacting people outside the clan because I was expecting to get some corpse-humping asshat but the guy was completely polite, understanding and pretty easy going.

The match came about and my side was horribly overmatched (being more in to RA2 and not really being organized for CTF). The end result of a 30 minute match was a 3-0 loss to my clan. It would have been worse but I held their flag through most of the match. They capped twice when they finally got me and a third time when another clanmate was carrying the flag. I got hold of it again and kept it for the remaining time (I think I had it for about 28 minutes).

They were good sports and good winners.

In the following weeks I’d occasionally end up on a LMCTF server (I didn’t play RA2) where he was playing sometimes on the same team and sometimes not. When we were on the same team we’d dominate with me on D and him nabbing their flag. When we were on opposing teams we sort of canceled each other out.

End result was we had a lot of fun and played really well together be it defense or offense. He ended up asking me if I wanted to join his clan and after some thought I did. Eventually we formed our own then went into EQ together.

In EQ I met up with another guy I’m still playing games with today (Chris: various names starting with Cel). Frank had actually met him and we all got along eventually tried other games together.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

I usually have some sort of plan. Farm, tradeskill, explore, PVP or do some instances. I’ve often planned what we’ll do for a session ahead of time and invited people by sign up.

When you have less time to play, you want to spend more time playing and less time waiting or trying to build a group so I like to get that sort of thing out of the way before hand.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

Yes and no. I usually don’t subscribe to more than one MMO unless I’m starting to get bored of the one I’m playing in which case I’ll sub to another and play it at off times. I’d rather get somewhere in one game than halfway in a bunch of other games – that’s just me though, I don’t force my expectations on others.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

Again, when I’m getting bored I’ll binge on some other PC game or console game. I play D&D with a group of friends (almost) every week for about 10 years now so my MMO gaming is on top of that.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Only when I’m first starting a game and when I first started playing a MMO. I’ll experiment with all sorts of classes to see what I enjoy. At the moment, I tend to focus on a character until it hits the cap then I might create an alt to play with. I currently have about five alts in WoW but I also have a max level Paladin (Ret/Prot) who raids.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

I sometimes listen to a podcast or music but no, I usually focus on the game when I’m playing (spouse and children permitting). I might have online radio streaming a hockey game to me or I might have the TV on with hockey going in the background, but I’m not watching it (it’d hurt my neck to see the screen from where the computer is).

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

Not so much anymore. I talk about it with my son, in my blog but not so much with my friends.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

Yup, I have felt that way but I don’t feel it ever goes on long enough to impact work or my social life (generally, I play a lot when I’m on vacation). I don’t? It’s a hobby I enjoy. It gets pushed aside if I need to do work or if I need to go to family events or if I need something more important than entertainment.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

Yes, I’ve taken a few breaks here and there. The most notable was before the EQ Stromm server was released. I didn’t touch a MMO for several months until my bud got me thinking about it. I’ve taken a few other breaks but never really for any particular reason.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging?

The blog started in October of 2006 with my first post being about boredom with currently available games. Surprisingly enough, I’ve lasted another three years and survived my boredom.

Why do you blog?

It’s an outlet. I vent about various things, talk about some interests or topics of interest or share things that just seem a little screwed up. I don’t guarantee quality, I don’t guarantee researched posts, but I do promise you’ll get my thoughts on things (often my thought process). My blog is my own, I don’t do it for anyone else but I do like arguing with commenters even if I agree with them.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

Nope. I just blog when I get a moment and have something to unload or a thought on something.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

If it took effort then I wouldn’t be doing it.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

Just getting things out of my head and out there, whether people read it or not. I do get a kick out of how people react to it.

How many people offline know you blog or podcast?

Very few actually. There are three guys that also blog from my D&D group that read my blog from time to time and another one that doesn’t. There is an online friend (Chris) that reads it from time to time (I even posted a review of his for NWN2: Storm of Zehir which actually gets a bucketload of hits). Aside from that? No, I like to keep somewhat anonymous so I can rant and vent and be a jackass.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

Focus on the goal of the blog or podcast but don’t be shocked if you never see any comments – any idiot with a computer and internet connection can blog (I’m living proof!). Do it for you, not for others.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

I can’t really think of anything. I guess that means I know it all?

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

Blogging is so easy (and free therapy), I can’t imagine stopping. I could picture changing the content of my blog but I couldn’t imagine stopping.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

Say Hello 2 Heaven, Temple of the Dog. I love that song.

Crookshankz

MMO community connection:

The Gaming Goob

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

Crookshankz

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I started blogging about MMO’s by accident really. One of the SOE dev’s (Grimwell) posted on his blog a “hard core challenge” asking people to only allow your toon to die 7 times and then delete him. And, you had to blog about your adventures. I took up the challenge and lost interest in it, in roughly a month or so but, I kept the blogging. I found it a good way to kill time at work. I started at crookshankz.blogspot.com and ended up changing over to http://thegaminggoob.wordpress.com where you can find me now.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

My only real theme is MMO’s. Mostly it is a diary of what I did the night before or what I plan to do in the future in an MMO world. Sometimes I will gripe about aspects of games that annoy me but, I’m not opinionated enough to do that regularly.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

Up until the 4th grade, I lived in Glenn, Michigan (close to Saugatuk). Then my family moved to Davenport, Florida and I lived there until my 20’s.

Where do you live now?

Deltona, Florida.

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

31-40

What do you do for a living?

My fancy title is a Network Operations Center Technician. Mostly I just answer the phone here and there, and kill time in a small, dark room with no windows.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

I’m currently trying to reroll, to become a teacher.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I once tipped over my high chair as a baby and cracked my skull.
• When I was 8 I wrote a full length Batman Comic Book
• Spending most of my day on a phone makes me not enjoy built in voice chat in games.
• I am horrible about cycling through hobbies.
• I enjoy drawing, painting, play the guitar and ukulele and write. All very poorly.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

Once upon a time I was married to the Wicked Witch of the West. I got tired of waiting for a house to fall on her, so we divorced. Afterwards, I met my current, wonderful wife and have an awesome stepson (age 11). I feel I am truly blessed with the best family I could ask for.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

Pre 4th grade I was all about some baseball. I either played with my cousin who was quite a bit older or my dad. We had to use “ghost men” to stay on the bases for us. 4th-7th was 4 square at school and High School I could be found every day at the local basketball courts.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

As a child? hmmm. I played video games back then quite a bit. I was an avid comic book reader, collected baseball, basketball cards. I’d also wrote and drew quite a bit.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I tried quite a few times to play D&D. Back in my High School though I had a hard time finding people to play with. So trying to play usually consisted of me and 1 other person and we spent the time just rolling random characters.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?)

As a child I read quite a bit. Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown and A Wrinkle In Time. I was also an avid comic book reader. (I was taught to read by Spiderman).

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

I guess in an off way. Reading when I was younger taught me an appreciation of the Fantasy Genre. I read a lot now and they are pretty much all either Fantasy or Sci Fi. On the same note, all the games I play are either Fantasy or Sci Fi.

How were you first introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

When I was very young, my uncle had the original Pong. He would let me play it when I would go over and visit. I must have been maybe 4 or 5ish and still vaguely remember it. I also remember being a bit upset when I was 6 because my Dad was willing to pay $275 for an Atari 2600 but wouldn’t buy me a $7 toy (my priorities were confused back then).

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

I use to play coin-op games like crazy. My dad use to work late night at a resort at Disney World. When I hit 15 or 16 he would get me into Disney and I would run around there until it closed. Then I would go over to his hotel and he would give me a roll of quarters. I’d play until he got off work. I did that once a week for a few months. Even when I was 20, and working at the local mall. I knew a guy who worked in the mall’s arcade and he would give me free games. So I’d go in there and play Street Fighter II during my lunch breaks.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

If I can still remember playing Pong at pre-5, I would think that counts.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Atari 2600, Commodore 64 (if that counts), NES64, Game Cube and the Wii.

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

I when we first got our Commodore 64. We would go and buy Compute! Magazine (I think that was the name of it). And in these magazines you’d get pages of code for games to type in. You’d type it by hand, then go through and recheck it, save it too cassette tape and then execute the program. That was how we first started gaming on it. The process took days.

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

My MUD experience is really limited to null. Early days I did play almost all the InfoCom text adventures. Zork, Planet Fall, ect, if those come close to counting.

What was your first MMO experience?

My wife worked on me quite a bit to give EQ a try. At the time, I played FPS’s and was afraid I’d get sucked into MMO’s. Wouldn’t you know it, I finally gave in to my wife (was there any doubt) and got sucked into MMO’s. If my /played is accurate that was early 05.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

• Everquest ~ 53 Monk, 53 Druid
• Guild Wars ~ many 20 builds
• Everquest 2 ~ 80 Shadow Knight, 80 Conj, 80 Troub
• Wizard 101
• Runes of Magic

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

Right now, I am MMO of choiceless. I’m just randomly playing various MMO’s waiting for something I’m actually intrested in.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

I’ve spent a good chunk of my MMO time playing EQ2.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

Guild Wars, and Everquest 2

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

Uhhh….Star Wars: The Old Republic? Right now, I’m not that into any one particular MMO so that mean ole Loki can take all his MMO’s and just leave me a pile of money

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

The Old Republic has my geek DNA pulsing like crazy! Also, I really think it’s about time that 38 Studios starts giving up some info on the game they are making. 38 Studios has such an all star cast, and if they can’t make a kick butt MMO I will have to consider not gaming ever again (no pressure guys).

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

I think this posting was the closest thing to an anecdote I ever wrote. It’s fairly lengthy for this format but, if you get a chance, it will explain the goober in me.

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

I shudder to think at my peak time. Maybe 5-6 hours per day on my weekdays and 10-15 per day on my weekends at my peak. I try to justify that much time as both my wife and son game as well so, we were all playing together. No one was being neglected. Now, maybe 10-15 per week.

When during the week are your regular play times?

Friday – Monday’s usually 9:30ish pm – 11:00ish pm and Tues – Thursday on my days off when I can find the time or the interest.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

Me being a shy person, I play alot with just my wife and I. Every now and then, I will join a guild that I click with most of the people in it.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Yes. That’s why you find me going back into EQ2 for instance. I love the people in my guild there and we resub for a month just so I can say hi to them. I have quite a few of them on my facebook and I’ll keep in touch that way or via emails here and there.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

Just depends on how into the game I am. When I was hardcore EQ2, I usually had my time spent out. Now I’ll log in with a generic goal but not really a game plan.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

Right now I’m doing a Smorgasbord approach. I’m in between mmo’s just killing time until a game shows up that I’m actually interested in.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

Here and there I will. The family gets into some Guitar Hero and Sims 3.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Huge, Huge, Huge. I never understand how people always play just one class without ever trying anything else. When I start playing an MMO, I’ll fill up my character slots with everything I may be interested in playing. And then just through playing them all I will start gravitating to what I actually like playing the most. I’m also big into matching Race, Class and name. If one of these things are off, I’ll have to remake the toon. (I’m just weird like that).

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

Not really. Sometimes I may listen to a podcast if I’m crafting. Usually though, I just game.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

All the time. I’m surprised none of them have just told me to “Shut up, you’re rambling about non-sense”

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

I’m fairly no-nonsense. When I feel I’m gaming too much, I just game less.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

I have tried but, usually I just go back to MMO’s in a matter of days.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging?

As I stated I started crookshankz.blogspot.com when Grimwell posted his hard core challenge. Later I switched from blogger to wordpress and changed the name to thegaminggoob.wordpress.com. On hind site, the name kind of makes me feel like a goob but I’m think I’m pretty much gonna stick with it.

Why do you blog?

Because I simply don’t have enought time sinks.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

Not really. When I game, I just write about it. When I don’t game, I don’t.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

Nah. My blog is fairly laid back. When it feels like a grind I simply don’t blog.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

I blog so I’ll talk about gaming less.

How many people offline know you blog or podcast?

The handful I actually talk to.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

Figure out why you want to blog and what type of blog you want to write. Use that as your guide lines.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

Your wife will pick on your misspelled words and poor grammer.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

That time is definately coming soon.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

Rainbow Connection?

Copra

MMO community connection:

Bullcopra

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

Copra Jor-El, which is a combination my pen and paper players put together years ago. Copra from Skyrealms of Jorune (wise, teacher) and Jor-El (father of Kal-El) after our firstborn was born.

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I play, comment and blog about WoW. That’s about it. http://bullcopra.blogspot.com/

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

“ABOUT WORLD OF WARCRAFT AS SEEN BY A SOCIAL, CASUAL GAMER DAD”, that’s what it says at the blog.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Tampere, Finland, but moved to Helsinki very soon after that. I’ve lived most of my life in Helsinki, only the last few years about 130km north from there in a small rural town.

Where do you live now?

See the earlier answer…

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89

31-40

What do you do for a living?

Purchasing in a chemical distribution company

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

Most probably veterinarian, teacher or scientist

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I can sing, contrary to my looks
• I’m very serious, contrary to the goofing I’m showing outside
• While I enjoy company, I prefer solitude: sometimes even the family is too much.
• I can cook, too, and have a diploma to prove it.
• If I’m not a master of something right away, I lose my interest in doing it. However, at this age I’ve taken it to challenge myself with this trait. Thus I’m still blogging, even though I didn’t break Tobold’s visitor count in the first month.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I’m married with four kids and four Irish Wolfhounds. The life is as quiet and peacefull as you can imagine, no great big surprises there. I’m also from a big family myself, and I’m playing WoW nowadays with my two brothers, who have their own families.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

When I was a child we had a month long summer holiday at a summer cottage of my grandfather’s which was out there in the middle of nowhere, by the sea. The cottage didn’t have any electricity, so the pass time in the evening was playing games. Cards, board games, word games, you name it. As amazing as it seems, this trait lived well beyond the summer vacation time and we played quite often at home, too. At later age I was introduced to computers and only after that I found pen and paper roleplaying, which is still my main reference point in my gaming.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I have been an avid reader the whole of my life, so reading and sports don’t mix too well: I have always been lousy at sports. However, I sang in a couple of choirs up till 16 years of age, at which time some other aspects of life started to play bigger part in my free time…

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

Like I mentioned earlier, I have been quite active in pen and paper RPG’s. In fact, I worked in a local game shop (the first one in Finland) for about 6 months, at which time I devoured a huge amount of lore and background from several games. The first game I ever played was Metagaming’s old and devoid “Into the Tunnels” (I think), but soon after that experience I bought D&D (the red box) and started to GM games to my younger brother and his friends. The group changed and evoved over the years, as well as the games chaged. But the love to this form of story telling hasn’t changed.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I read quite a lot: in fact, my parents remember me reading always as a kid. I didn’t have any favourite authors at that time, I just consumed literature. I read everything from historical stories to scifi, from agent stories to crime and mystery. Later, when I switched to English language literature (at the same time I dug deeper into the RPG material and learned to trust my language skills at around 15), I found the author who has since remained my favourite: Gene Wolfe. And of course H.P.Lovecraft, whose works cast a sizeable shadow over the RPG campaigns I devised…

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

Definitely so: my computer gaming has always been a search of the story and puzzles. Not to say that I would hate FPS’, but I just don’t see the point in them. Heretic II was one of the few FPS kind of games I’ve liked, but that comes from the strong story line.

The same goes now with WoW: the lore is deep and the quest lines –when applied to the game- picture the stories and the world very neatly. I think the stories and their presentation is a huge part of my enjoyment in the games.

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I think I saw this one coming… I was introduced to videogames by a friend of mine when he got some of the first Atari consoles home back in late 70’s: I must have been less than 10 years then. My first computer was Commodore VIC-20 and it was quite something, at least for the time being and for as long as it WAS the homecomputer. Then came C-64 and Atari ST. I got VIC-20 when I was 14, and it’s been constant downhill ever since…

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

Of course: the first coin-op’s I played were the good old Space Invaders and sorts. And they completely blew my mind away: I must be somehow addictive and self-competitive personality, as I had to always improve my score. I didn’t care about the high score list, my own score was the only one I was comparing to.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

For the fore mentioned reason it was a game called Radar Rat Race for VIC-20: totally addictive maze run in which I always had to beat my own score. The tune still haunts me…

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Not so much gaming consoles nor computers, since RPG’s took my time pretty completely during their time. We’ve had PS1, PS2 and that’s about it.

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

My addiction to the VIC-20 was such that I took the darn machine with us to all our travels and trips, even to holidays abroad for the next year or so. My biggest challenge with it was to find how to hook it up with the hotel tv and whether I needed an adapter for the electricity. And that done: I was at ease.

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

I tried MUD or two when I was studying, but didn’t find them attractive enough. Sure I had lived through the text based computer games like Zork, Planetfall and such, but for some reason or another the MUD’s themselves didn’t catch me.

What was your first MMO experience?

My first MMO experience was WoW. The year was 2006, and I joined a gaming community I had joined a year and a half earlier for a browser based game. I first joined for the trial, which was just then introduced to the game, and because the guild I joined with was based on US servers I had to purchase the game online.

What it was like?

It was like all my pen and paper RPG dreams had just materialized and been given life to. I connected with the world immediately.

Due to being a miser and the fact that it was next to impossible to play with the guild due to time difference, I quit the game after a few months. Only to play on a private server over at EU side. From where I transferred to official server on which a friend from the same community I mentioned earlier was also playing.

And –like they say- the rest is history.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

• WoW: several toons both in US and EU servers.
• EQ2: Some toons on Antonia Bayle
• TCoS: two test toons.

That’s about it.

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

WoW. I loved the time I played EQ2, but the lack of population and social contacts makes me shun from it.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

This is getting boring: WoW definitely. On EU server I have about 57 days /played, on the US I think something like 20.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

None so far: I have started so late and I’m so interested in the stories that my playing has been less about levelling. So I have taken my time to do quests, finding the continuing quest lines and digging the content.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

I would most probably wish that he would take them all away, because I don’t know the field so well to make such a decision. I can only ponder over WoW and EQ2, and for because I like the originality of EQ2 I would choose it. Most probably I’m not playing it because my brothers play WoW and it’s one of the few social tools we have in common.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

Earthrise for it’s background and approach. SWOTR definitely. And naturally the Blizzard’s secret project, especially if it’s connected with the recent Cataclysm-registration… that would sound promising.

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

It’s kind of sad, but sometime ago we had a discussion with the kids that everyone is good at something. To this my son, 7 years then, said loud and clear –like kids to with truths-: “Daddy, you are the best in playing WoW. Better than any of my friends fathers.”

Knowing the fathers of his friends, I doubt anyone has ever even heard about WoW (before the Ozzie commercial, that is)…

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

20 at peak, when I tried to level up to the 60 raid content. 10 currently on average.

When during the week are your regular play times?

One weeknight and weekend nights. Sometimes more, especially if the weather is horrible.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

My Bartle reads as ESAK, with high emphasis on the exploration. But social aspect is extremely important: I hate solo questing and I generally keep the LFG tool on always when I know I have few hours to play and commit to the group. However, the more WoW is designed to be soloed with fast forward, the less the people are taking time to group: it slows the progress down. And the End Game is out there at level cap. Sorry, the content.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Not through MMO, but through gaming, yes. In WoW I haven’t been in a coherent guild before joining the current one, and I’ve been in this one so short time that I haven’t really made any connections yet.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

Both and. I usually have a plan whether I try to actively group for instances or if I quest on. If I have some interesting –or not so interesting- quest line open, I will try to finish it before continuing to grouping. But then again, when I’m out of quest lines and not willing to group, I can easily goof around and just explore the areas, find new places or work for achievements.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

I commit to one. I have pretty little time to play, so I cannot spread that time across a large amount of activities. Besides it brings a sort of feeling of continuity, like a serial rather than miniseries’.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

No.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Yes. Currently I have two main played characters, but I have other characters over three or four servers to suit my tastes.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

Not as such. I may be talking on the phone or discussing with people at home, but I don’t see that differing from chatting with people online.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

Not much, but some: as I’m playing pretty keenly with my brothers, our discussions at family reunions and such tend to turn into WoW from time to time. And all the others are either bored or crossed for some reason…

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

Yes I do. But then again, I have other hobbies to which I commit to with similar intensity: the direction changes from time to time and I rather play MMO’s than watch TV. This way I at least get the illusion that I’m doing something instead just consume something in braindead state.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

A couple of times actually. Both times it has been a bit hard to use all the spare time I have already acquired, but then again the return has been as difficult.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging?

September 11, 2008. Good grief. That is the first post date on Bullcopra, and it marks the beginning of my blogging. After that I have launched another blog, Fast Enough to Catch the Lure about my other love, Irish Wolfhound Lure Coursing, which I wanted to separate from the gaming blog.

Why do you blog?

I blog because that is the way I can vent my thoughts about my gaming and WoW. I have also been writing earlier, so this blogging helps me with the urge to put words one after another in a meaningful way. It seems that from time to time I strike a chord in the WoW blogosphere, too, so my thoughts are not necessarily just rants or rephrasing of earlier posts.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

I should have a schedule, but I don’t. Then again, I write when I feel like, and because I don’t do any theorycrafting –at least yet- there is no need to be on the vein of things going on in PTR or the raiding scene.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

The grind is when you have a blank page and blank mind. What to write about, or just should I just leave it for today. Because I have no schedule, I can easily pass.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

Commenting and commenting comments. The discussion which my posts can create from time to time, whether it is a note on another blog or comment in my own: the interaction with the readers, that is what is the reward for me (in addition to the eased feeling in my mind after I push the publish-button).

How many people offline know you blog?

To be honest, none. But then again, I haven’t been asking from my friends, neighbours nor relatives. But as far as I know, it’s not that popular here in cold North.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

Write. If you have a topic, write on the topic. Split posts into several smaller ones if you notice that there are several issues in one post. And re-read your post at least twice before posting: Mr. Typo is always there. And he’s not your friend.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

I should have made a tighter overall topic to my blog: the description I have now has come to be through evolution, and it has saved me a lot of time and headache since. I should have defined my blog’s purpose better. And tighter.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

Yes I can: it will mean that I will become irritated and bad tempered for a while, until I start writing again into my desk drawer.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

Funeral March of a Marionette by Charles Gounod. Just to remind the people left behind that life as we know it shouldn’t be so hard and death shouldn’t be considered so sad.

Shawn Schuster

MMO community connection:

Massively | Massively Speaking | OMG-RL!1!| Through the Aftermath

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

I just go by Shawn. I’ve never been much for alter egos and all that good stuff.

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I currently do 3 podcasts. Although in total, I’ve been the host of 6 podcasts and an audio book. I’m also the Managing Editor for Massively.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

Let’s go chronologically, shall we?

- Weisenheimer Radio: This was my very first shot at a podcast where I basically played indie comedy music I found around the net. It lasted about 3 months before I was overwhelmed with the popularity of my second podcast. Even though this podcast totally sucked, it was my first adventure with a podcast interview and I received my first free swag from a wonderful band called Orange Monkey, who I still love.

- GuildCast: This was a podcast all about Guild Wars. Still my most popular podcast to date, even after almost 4 years doing this.

- TabulaCast: I played Tabula Rasa in the beta and loved it, so I decided to make a podcast about it. Had lots of fun with the show and the game, but just couldn’t stay with either.

- Oh My God Real Life: This was started as my show where I could just let loose and say whatever I wanted. It soon evolved (thanks to the addition of my co-host Jenna) into a humorous advice podcast for gamers. It’s really a lot of fun to record and I enjoy the interaction with the gaming community and acting like I have some good advice for them.

- Eve of Adam: This is my first attempt at an audiobook where I presented it more as an ‘in-character’ play than an actual audiobook.

- Massively Speaking: This is the official podcast of Massively.com, started by Michael Zenke and myself a little over a year ago. We cover the top MMO news stories each week, with special guests consisting of developers, community leaders and the rest of the Massively staff.

- Through the Aftermath: My newest podcast that I started up with Jonathan from The Online Gamer’s Anthology. We cover everything post-apocalyptic in media — from games, movies, books, comics and more.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Northwest Indiana, right smack dab in the middle between Gary, IN and south Chicago. Needless to say, I didn’t go outside much, lest I get shot. This is probably the main reason I got so deeply involved in activities that kept me inside.

I moved around quite a bit after college, do the most growing-up in Phoenix, AZ and New Orleans, LA.

Where do you live now?

Tennessee

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

33

What do you do for a living?

Managing Editor for Massively.com

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

I absolutely love my job, and it took me a long time to get here, so I wouldn’t think of rerolling right now.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I do all the housework at home, except cooking. I can’t cook, but I can wash a mean dish and vacuum the hell out of a carpet.
• I am saving up to buy a farm.
• I own 2 cats: Max and Hemi
• I get anxious when my phone rings because I hate talking on it. I hate texting even more and will usually not answer you if you text me.
• I consider myself an environmentalist, but my one vice is old cars. I love rebuilding them, watching drag races and going to car shows. Other environmentalists would probably kill me if they knew that.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I have a daughter and a step-daughter. I’m divorced, but living with my girlfriend for about a year now.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

Risk, Sorry, Monopoly, Life, Dark Tower. Those are the ones I remember playing with my parents the most. Risk was kind of a right of passage for my family during birthday parties. Once I was allowed to play with the adults, I felt I had become a man.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I always hated sports. My dad tried getting me into baseball and wrestling, since he was good at both when he was younger. But I just wasn’t competitive enough to care about winning. I was that kid standing in left field picking grass and looking at bugs.

I started playing drums on my mom’s tupperware when I was about 11, which evolved into drum lessons and an old kit I got at a garage sale when I was 14. Eventually I got into a metal band in high school and we had a nice little following for a while there: studio-produced album, t-shirts, paid concerts… the whole nine yards. Some of the greatest times of my life!

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I played AD&D with my best friend and a few others when I was in 9th and 10th grade, but I was always afraid my friends in the metal band would find out and make fun of me, so I stopped. I was totally in nerd denial.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I could read my first book at 3, and my parents loved to bring this up to as many people as they could, as many times as they could. I was fanatic about my GI Joe comics in the mid 80s. I still have them all, too. I never had the attention span to sit down read too many novels though, but my best friend was an avid reader and turned me on to some great stuff like R.A. Salvatore and all the Forgotten Realms books.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

Definitely. My best friend’s appreciation of the whole fantasy genre is what got me into it and we immersed ourselves into it with the music we listened to, the drawings we created, the movies we watched and most everything we did.

How were you first introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

When I turned 10, my (rich) aunt and uncle bought me an Atari 2600. Back then, that was a huge deal because they were expensive, and there’s no way my parents or I could have ever bought that. I would sit and play games like River Raid, Space Jockey, Outlaw, Grand Prix, Vanguard and others religiously.

Not long after, my best friend’s dad got a Commodore 64 and he would let us watch him play Telengard. I was fascinated by it and I’d want to watch him play more than my friend actually would. I saved my allowance for a few months and got a used C64 from the newspaper. This was the fuel that fired my future obsession with RPGs, thanks to SSI’s Gold Box series when I was about 13.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

There was one arcade near my house, and whenever my parents would drive me and my friend there, we’d spend hours and more quarters than I’d care to remember. Ironically, he met his current wife there, although back then she was just an icky girl and we were more concerned with getting the top score in Golden Axe.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

Pool of Radiance. It was so amazing to me that I could make a party of adventurers to control against real AI monsters. I went full-force into the RPG genre from here, playing games like Wasteland, Knights of Legend, Bard’s Tale and a few others at every spare second I had.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

I was never much into consoles. I guess the Atari 2600 could be considered my first, then I had a Sega CD, an Xbox and now a Wii. That’s it.

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

In junior high, I would set my alarm for an hour early every morning so I could play games on my Commodore 64. For anyone who never owned a C64, most of that time was spent booting the darn thing up, but it was totally worth it.

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

MUDs played a big part of my life from 1996 until about 2002 or so. I met my ex wife on a MUD, and my current gf on a MUD. This is an unfortunate coincidence, not a creepy dating MUD or anything.

What was your first MMO experience?

I wasn’t really ‘allowed’ much gaming while I was married, so I missed out on things like EverQuest, UO, etc. I remember looking at the boxes on the Best Buy shelves for EQ and even an oldie that got shut down called Motor City Online. I remember reading the back of the boxes thinking “How on earth can they expect people to pay for a game AND a monthly fee?! That’s absolutely insane!”

When Guild Wars came along in 2005, that was my ticket in.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

• Guild Wars – Level 20 Necromancer
• Tabula Rasa - Level 37 Spy
• Lord of the Rings Online - Level 60 Hunter
• Runes of Magic – Level 25 Mage/Warrior

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

It’s been LotRO for about a year and a half now, and I have yet to find a game that will bring me away from that for longer than a month or 2.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

I used to know Guild Wars like the back of my hand, and played it religiously for almost 3 years. I still play it occasionally now, but not nearly as much.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

Guild Wars and LotRO. If combining the levels of alts counted, I would have reached the cap in Tabula Rasa about 4 times, not counting clones.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

LotRO. I want to live in The Shire and grow vegetables all day.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

Actually, several…

Fallen Earth. The game mechanics of that game are everything I’ve ever wanted in a game since I started (only because I missed the pre-NGE Star Wars Galaxies). I worry about the game though, because it’s being developed by an indie studio which might not be able to handle the inevitably negative comments from the majority of forum trolls who will hate it because it’s not simple and/or World of Warcraft. I hope I’m wrong though, because I like what I see so far.

Global Agenda. I’ve played this game a few times and have had so much fun every time. PvP is not usually my thing, but they make it so fun. That might all change once the teabagging Xbox Live demographic enters the picture, but we’ll see.

Aion. This is NCsoft’s last chance at regaining a positive public opinion. I hope they can pull it off, so that development will follow through on their next big title…

Guild Wars 2. I will buy this game even if every game reviewer out there said it was the worst game they’ve ever played. I love ArenaNet and I love what they’re capable of making. I have high hopes that GW2 will be huge.

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

I have loads of these stories, mostly because I never pay attention when I’m playing. I fall off cliffs, aggro unwanted monsters and get left behind many times. One day I’ll learn to turn off my IM client and concentrate on playing. One day.

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

At my peak, I would play Guild Wars 6-7 hours after work every night. Now, it’s down to about 2 hours a day across many games

When during the week are your regular play times?

I dabble throughout the day when I get the itch, but the only times I play for more than 30 mins at a time are usually after 10pm EST. I don’t really play on weekends at all, because that’s family time.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

I’m usually a lone wolf, but I’ve been blessed with a wonderful kinship in LotRO, so I play with them whenever I can. I like to at least be a part of a guild in every game I play, even if I don’t always play with them. In fact, I really enjoy the prcess of starting new with brand new people in a guild who don’t know me at all. That’s so interesting and exciting to me.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Definitely. I’ve even met several guildmates. I see my LotRO kinship members about once a year and we go out for dinner, etc.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

I usually log in with a plan, but that changes if someone needs help with something. I’m open to doing whatever, and don’t get upset or frustrated if my original plans get forgotten. But this usually means I level slower than everyone else, because I’m not determined to advance as quickly as possible.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

I used to be all about one game, and wouldn’t think of trying another game. Now (mostly because of my job), I try to have a working knowledge of as many MMOs as I can. That’s becoming increasingly more difficult.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

I would go insane if I didn’t. My favorites include Fallout 3, Rockband 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, Mount & Blade, Half Life 2 and Wii Sports. I also love to play board games with my kids. I created a simple tabletop RPG for them using only animals as characters and Uno cards for a basic combat system. We have lots of fun with that.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Yep, and I’m not afraid to admit it. I need to try out every class, and every race, and every combo, and… and. Well, let’s just say it takes me awhile to find my perfect character. Even then, I like to go back to other alts and try new stuff.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

I HAVE to multitask when gaming. I’m either reading email, searching my RSS feed for potential news stories and always listening to podcasts or music. When I edit podcasts, I’m usually gathering nodes in LotRO.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

Only with my gf, who also plays Guild Wars and LotRO. None of my family and most of my friends don’t even know what an MMO is.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

If it didn’t pay my bills, then yes. I still get guilt trips if I play for too long, and usually make up for that by doing more housework or something else productive.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

Not since I started playing MMOs, but I think that’s because I started so late (in 2005). I took a break from gaming for a few years while I was in college and married, though.

Chapter 5: Blogging/Podcasting

When did you first start blogging/podcasting?

I started podcasting in July of 2005. I started blogging in about 2000 on Livejournal, but that doesn’t count.

I started Weisenheimer Radio first, in July of 2005, then GuildCast on November 19th, 2005. From there, I started OMGRL on July 31st, 2007 and TabulaCast on October 15th, 2007. Eve of Adam started in January of 2008, Massively Speaking in April of 2008 and finally, Through the Aftermath started on January 30th, 2009. Apparently I like to start podcasts in July and January.

Why do you podcast?

Originally, I started podcasting because I loved the whole (new) concept of podcasts at the time. I loved sitting at work with my headphones on, listening to other people talk about gaming. My first gaming podcasts were World of Warcast (even though I never played WoW at the time) and Gaming Steve. I enjoyed them so much, and I enjoyed playing Guild Wars, that I thought marrying the two would be a good choice. It was.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when podcasting?

Definitely. I think you need to. Out of the three podcasts I do now, TTA and MS are on regular schedules. OMGRL is the only one that comes out whenever I have a chance. Possibly not coincidentally, OMGRL also has the fewest listeners.

Is there some grind involved in podcasting? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

Editing is almost a grind, but I enjoy it. It’s very soothing, and I could probably do it in my sleep now. I actually cope with it by farming in LotRO or doing something menial in another MMO. I have to make sure it’s something I can stop immediately when I hear a mistake that needs to be cut out of the podcast. So grouping is out of the question during this time.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about podcasting?

The finished product. Knowing that I created something that could potentially educate or entertain someone.

How many people offline know you podcast?

Very few, actually. I once told a co-worker and he asked me if I LARP and cosplay, too. Then he proceeded to tell me all about his weird sister-in-law who goes to Ren Faires and plays a lute and how crazy she is (to him). Lesson learned, on my part.

My parents know, but don’t even begin to understand. I tell them I make internet radio shows, and they kinda understand that. They just don’t understand how it could be about video games. I usually don’t tell too many people though, to avoid explanations.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging or podcasting?

• Be consistent
• Be yourself
• Don’t worry about spending hundreds of dollars on recording equipment. I use a $30 headset and free mixing software.
• Don’t conform to negative feedback. Constructive criticism is one thing, but for every person telling you they hate your show, there are dozens more who like it and don’t say anything.
• Don’t respond to idiots. Afterall, they’re idiots.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

Nothing. I think the fact that I was so naive helped me learn the way I did. I seem to learn best from my mistakes because they really stick with me.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your microphone and no longer podcast?

I’ve never really thought about it too much, but I coped just fine before podcasting and blogging. Of course, right now it’s how I earn my money, but I hope to stay in this as long as I possibly can.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

“Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli. That’s the song I played on the final GuildCast and OMG IT’S SO SAD.

Genda

MMO community connection:

`

The Grouchy Gamer

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

Everyone knows me by Genda, although my first name is Paul. I picked it up when i started playing EQ. I hit the random name generator, it suggested Gendan. It was taken, so I dropped the “n” and Genda was born. It was my first RPG and I really had no idea how to come up with a name.

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I started out online when Sigil was choosing fansites for Vanguard. They were going to do an official “Affiliate” program, and I decided that it was something I could do. I thought I’d pick up some help along the way, which I did, but it was mostly me running the site. That site is VanguardCrafters.com. I was going to do a lot more with the site, but as it was coming out of my pocket and the game wasn’t developing into what most of us hoped for, I decided to keep it as it is, which is pretty much in its pre-release form. During that time, I started blogging because I wanted a place where I could post opinion pieces outside of the “official” fan site. That blog has been going since late 2005 as thegrouchygamer.com. Because, well, I am. Still have both of those sites up and running. I also operate casualtiesguild.com because no one else in the guild is stupid enough to volunteer to do it.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

When the blog first started, it was mostly about Vanguard stuff and general MMO commentary. It became a LOT about Vanguard when the fit hit the shan over at Sigil in May of the following year. I was afraid the blog was going to become a “Bash-Sigil and McQuaid” site, so I consciously moved it into a different direction. My time doing the official site had given me access to more and more people in the industry, so I tried to incorporate their perspective with mine, sometimes agreeing but mostly not.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Southern California. I don’t really miss it. Well I do miss going to Angels and Lakers games.

Where do you live now?

Austin, Texas. It’s a long story.

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

51-60 Working on leveling this character though.

What do you do for a living?

I sell computer bits, large and small.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

Actually, still in the computer business, but on the IT manager/director/CIO path.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I’m not a bad dart player. Pretty good at Foosball too.
• I met my wife playing an MMO.
• I’m a big Baseball fan.
• I’ve traveled extensively in a previous position. All over North America, to Hawaii, and to a few places in Europe.
• I’m taller than you.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

Gotta keep something private. I have 3 kids, all still in school. I think that’s all I want to say.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

My gaming was mostly relegated to board gaming and puzzle gaming before the electronic bug struck. I was a FIEND for Mouse Trap, not because the game was good (it wasn’t) but because of the Rube Goldberg device that was part of the mechanism. A couple decades later I found myself just as enthralled with The Incredible Machine on the PC. I tended to play games with mostly family when I was a kid.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I played a lot of sports (mostly baseball and basketball. Played some football later. All team sports), did model rockets, and loved table tennis. I was very competitive so no one would play with me but my dad, and he tired when I started beating him consistently.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I never was. I know. I was deprived.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I read voraciously as a child, but mostly non-fiction. By the time I was in 4th grade I had read the World Book Encyclopedia cover-to-cover (all 20-some volumes.) To this day, my head is full of useless information. I later got into some select fantasy. Like many, it started with Tolkein.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

No, I think my MMO involvement came mostly from my playing games in general, and some RPG’s in particular.

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I first played video games on an old console, and I honestly don’t remember which one it was. This is a sure sign that I’m getting really old.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

Oh, yeah. Many a quarter dropped from my fingers into obscurity in the name of standing at the box and gaming. I played a lot of these games the same way I played everything else. By the time I got a little older, I had learned to tone down the outward signs of my competitiveness so I could find some people to play with me. Played a LOT of pinball and quite a bit of Asteroids, Missile Command, and Mortal Kombat.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

When I got my first computer in the mid-80’s it was a Mac. I got a game, Wizardry, I think it was, that totally captured my imagination. I made maps on graph paper, played WAY too late at night, and really learned to love the genre. Before that, there were tons of console games I loved, but never anything like that.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Coleco Vision, Atari 2600, TurboGrafx 16, NES, N64, Genesis, SuperNintendo, Intellivision, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Game Cube, Wii, XBox, Xbox360, and some others I’m sure I forgot.

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

I remember doing some of what I would consider gaming with a friend at school.  He had a playroom that was huge at his house and we set up a slot car track. We spent hours tweaking our cars trying to make them go faster or stick to the track better, then would race each other for hours on end. I loved the competition and the little cars flying around the track. Still think about those days to this day.

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

I wasn’t. Like Pen and Paper, I somehow missed that era.

What was your first MMO experience?

Like a lot of you, Everquest was my first. I started in early 2000, introduced by some friends that I played foosball with. Once I started, I was hooked. I couldn’t believe how rich the content was and how many things there were to do. I also really liked how what you did had consequences. If you died, you had to go find your body or you lost your stuff. That was cool back then.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

EQ 61 Druid, Lineage II 33 Archer, SWG Master Architect, World of Warcraft 66 Shaman, City of Heroes 30 Controller, City of Villains, Everquest II 36 can’t remember what the SK is called, Vanguard (don’t get me started, trust me,) LotRO, Tabula Rasa, EVE, Age of Conan, WarHammer 30 Squig Herder, and World of Warcraft again. Also leveled a Lock, Mage, and Priest in WoW.

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

Playing World of Warcraft – Horde on a PVP server.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

It’s close between EQ and WoW. I may have more total time in WoW because I have Altitis so bad. I’ve leveled a LOT of different characters there. On my main in EQ, he was retired pretty much right after the level cap was raised for PoP with around 100 days played. My current WoW main is right at 56 days played. About 35 of those days were played when he was capped at 60.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

See above. EQ and WoW when the level caps were 60 on each.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

That’s hard. I could play the “what could have been” game and say SWG for it’s potential, but the game just didn’t support that. EQ was so important for it’s time, but that has passed. I’d have to say WoW, because then I’d be sure to have plenty of people to play with.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

The Copernicus project at 38 Studios is really the only one holding my attention at all at the moment. I am a little disillusioned with the state of game development at the present time, and I am really hoping these guys can do something different.I like what I hear from Shwayder and Moorgard, but I’ve fallen for smooth talking and cheap wine before. I’m also a little piqued by what Blizzard might be working on.

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

Where is Burned Woods this week? This isn’t my work, but trust me, and if you are an MMO fan, this is a MUST read. Some EQ acronyms are worth finding out about to understand the story. I wish I could take credit for this one.

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

About 40 hours. That was during my EQ raiding days, and that was around a full-time job as well. Still today, I do about 30 hours a week. That’s probably peak for me these days.

When during the week are your regular play times?

Every night after work for a few hours, and most of the day on the weekends around events we have. Right now, we are fully engaged in gaming so it’s pretty regular. It’s not always like that.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

I tend to be more social, but I definitely have my lone wolf side as well. Most of the time, it’s me and Tarkheena duoing. We love playing (especially dungeon crawling) with others though. Right now, we just started back on our WoW Horde characters (who have been retired since BC came out) so we are leveling, trying to get to 80 so we can run with the rest of our guild. We’re not being crazy about it but that’s where most of our effort goes.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Absolutely. Besides meeting my wife playing EQ, there are all kinds of people that we still keep in touch with and have for years.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

Usually we have something planned. There’s always a big goal hanging out there in front of us (right now, that is running 25-man Naxx.) To get there we have to level, so we know right now when we log in that we’ll be questing. There are times when we log in and ask “What do you want to do? But that is less often any more.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

I usually have more than one game going, which drives Tark nuts. Mostly I concentrate on one, unless there is a big new release out that I want to try out. Rarely any more do I do more than two though. Most of them are so demanding that there is no way to play that many effectively and have a job. Now if I could get a sponsor…

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

If I’m really into the game I’m playing, no. I tend to have laser focus on the game or task at hand. If it’s losing my interest, I’ll go to other computer games, then to the XBox or the PS3.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Yes. I have a main and usually a couple of alts that get a decent amount of attention. Currently I have a Shaman main (73), and a Mage (54) and Lock (46). Hmmm, guess I lean toward casters. My Mage doesn’t get much play time now that my wife has her mage to 75. Let her lose interest though and I’ll trot him right back out.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

Always. There is a flat panel mounted on the wall where we play above the desk that is usually on, and I have another computer (I used to 2-monitor my box, but didn’t like the small performance hit, so I unretired a box for browsing and 2-boxing.) that is right next to my main gaming machine.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

Any time I get the chance. Most of the people where I work now are not gamers (that I know of) so that doesn’t happen at work. Most of my guild lives locally, so there is an opportunity to get together every once in a while and we do.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

I’m sure I game too much. I don’t smoke or drink or chase women though, so I feel like of the possible vices in my life I’ve chosen one that is relatively less objectionable. Plus, it’s something my wife and I do together which continues to be a bonding experience for us.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

Yes, from time to time I’ve stepped away. Most of the time it’s in the wake of a disappointing new game and me having the feeling that I wasn’t ready to go back to whatever I was playing right away. During those times, I tend to immerse myself in the meta-game. In most cases, the meta game is at least as interesting as the actual games themselves. That’s how anyone ever came to know who I was, otherwise I’m just another player like everyone else.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging?

I started in the gaming community with a fansite. Talk about jumping in with both feet. That was vanguardcrafters.com, obviously a site for crafters in Vanguard. I opened that in March of 2005. As that progressed I wanted more of an outlet for my personal opinions that a fansite wasn’t appropriate for. So in November of that year I started my blog. I didn’t post much at first. Seems like that is repeating itself now. I’m currently working on a new site for an upcoming game. Evidently I AM a glutton for punishment. I’m also going to get my blog going again. No, really. For sure this time.

Why do you blog?

I never really thought about it. I started to get some things out of my system. That resonated with a certain audience, so I was encouraged to continue. It kind of made it’s own momentum from there. I still like thinking and talking about gaming. So that’s gotta be the main reason.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

I used to. Sometimes that just isn’t possible to keep up though. When I’m going well I’m trying to write four or five times a week.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

Absolutely there is. Once something is scheduled it becomes a commitment. Commitments carry responsibility and responsibility can be a grind. I also am prone to writer’s block. Once that sets in, it can be a self-fulfilling prophesy. I can’t write well when I’m under deadline and uninspired. So I try harder, which leads to a block. Then I feel bad about missing a post… you get the picture.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

I like all the interaction with people who have like interests. I even like the debates with people who think my ideas are total crap and fabrications. I’ve had a few of those, especially during the emotionally-charged Sigil-splat era. I really enjoy all of it except trying to do it when I can’t.

How many people offline know you blog?

A handful. Some of the guys I used to work with, a couple of my wife’s co-workers. The people in my current guild don’t know, and I kind of like that.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

If you are going to commit to your audience, make sure you have something to say and a real charter to fulfill. I have a particular way of looking at things, and that is what sets my blog apart from some others. Don’t be controversial for the sake of controversy, but don’t shrink from it either. Let your angst show. Try to be transparent and never lie. Be yourself, amplified.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

I wish I would have known about some of the cool software tools. I’m still learing about that and trying to update my blog. I also would have tried to set more realistic goals for myself.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

Yes. I’ll probably always have a web presence though. If I’m not blogging I’ll have a fansite or something. I’m not planning on stepping away but I think I could if I were ready to do so.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) – do the math, if you are a fan of obscure internet culture.

Tesh

MMO community connection:

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Tish Tosh Tesh

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

I blog as Tesh, a portmanteau of my legal names, and my most common gaming name is usually a variant of Ransom, Silveransom being the most common.

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I maintain the blog Tish Tosh Tesh as well as make the rounds to comment sections of sympathetic or interesting bloggers, as noted in a recent article I wrote here.

I seem to have been accepted for the most part, despite having somewhat atypical views on a lot of things related to the game industry or game design in general. I get a lot of good discussion, which continues to surprise me, inasmuch as anyone bothers to read my writing, and that comments are helpful and insightful the vast majority of the time. (Yes, I’ve been spoiled by forums where the most intelligent comments are those that bother to spell out “your mom”.) I still can’t help but feel a bit like a hippo blundering through a herd of gazelle sometimes, though… and it’s nice when I don’t get shouted down for being a bit different.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

I blather at length about game design, with side trips into art, game theory, politics and economics… or whatever else I feel like at the moment. Most articles connect to games or gaming in some way, since that’s my profession at the moment, and what I’m working on in my spare time.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I started in Spokane, Washington, then meandered through a few towns in Utah with a stint in Alabama between high school and college.

Where do you live now?

Orem, Utah

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

31-40, though I feel that’s more of an average of where I actually am, where I wish I were, and where I *feel* like I am.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a technical artist working for a great little game studio. I’m trained to be a Pixar-style CG artist, but with interests in gaming, science and literature, as well as fine arts, I’m more of a jack of all trades, which fits nicely into game development. Plus, I won’t move to California. Bleh.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

A university professor, likely dual classing in Physics and Art. I’d still like to do that, actually, time and budget willing.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I actually *do* have ten toes. (Really, who checks?)
• My lineage is artistic and musical, but my musical taste is fairly
  unique in my family, and I can’t produce decent music on my own.
• My grandmother is 29, going on 29. Has been for a while.
• My daughter’s middle name is based on a Kingdom Hearts character.
• I am not John Tesh (don’t tell Jason!)… but I like his music.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

My wonderful wife and two young’uns make life worth living.

Chapter 2: Origin

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

Before video gaming? I’ve always played board games and card games, as well as played with puzzles of all sorts, but I started playing video games when I was 4, so it’s really just been part of the stable of pastimes. I tend to play video games largely solo, but my family does have a long standing tradition of playing board and card games at family gatherings, so I wind up doing both.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I read. A lot. And then I read some more. I also drew and painted, wrote and thought. As an asthmatic, allergic to nearly everything, the mental world has always offered me more opportunities than the rough-and-tumble reality offered to the prototypical male of the species.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I played a couple of Palladium games, Robotech and TMNT, and read a little about GURPS. Those were great experiences, and expanded my gaming vocabulary well past the Mario Brothers and Monopoly palette.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I read a ton of books, for most of my free time. More often than not, I read fiction, but nonfiction was something that I grew to appreciate around my early teens and beyond. A short list culled from a much longer list of favorites would include Tolkien, Lewis, Stackpole, McKinley, Dickson, Hawking and Moroni.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

I see games as a natural sort of Renaissance medium. Storytelling is a natural outlet for human creativity, with many cultural facets that have been important to history. Games are one of the more interesting storytelling mediums, since they are deeply interactive. They have great potential and great power, and are really only scratching a bare minimum of that potential as they exist at present. (And they are almost wholly ignoring the Spiderman lesson, dodging responsibility, for the most part.) Nearly everything I’ve read and played has something to offer the genre, and my own life experience. The notion of “what if?” plays a deep role in human learning, and I’ve been lucky to experience a wide variety of such questions, with well crafted answers.

MMOs in particular have unique potential among games, with greater social implications and deeper design challenges. That they have largely abdicated that potential, choosing to embrace mindless DIKU design and banal bloodthirst, is a recurring theme that I revisit in my articles.

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I first played video games at my grandparents’ neighbors’ house. I was 4, and found the ability to control what was on the TV to be utterly enthralling. The Atari controller is very rudimentary compared to what we see today, but then, it was magic. I did play Pong, albeit a few years after its introduction, and I’ve been interested in video games ever since.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

I played in arcades a lot as a teenager, though I had played Pac-Man in Pizza Huts since I was 6 or so. Street Fighter 2 and its spawn were the mainstream of why my friends and I would play, but on my own, I’d just as often tinker with a Pac-Man, ExciteBike, Strider, Rampart or 720. I still don’t like the cheap “gotcha” kills/crashes and stringent time limits that made the machines quarter munchers, but those arcade games were still a lot of fun, and I still enjoy a trip to the local Nicklecade on occasion.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

The first one I remember was Atari Bowling. Controlling the ball after I “released” it was silly even to my 4-year old mind, but it was so much fun to play that I didn’t care. A bit later, Atari’s E.T. was baffling, but sort of fun, and it started a collector/explorer mindset that I’ve carried through the years. Even later, Final Fantasy 6 forever warped my expectation of what a “video game” could offer when it came to storytelling, and may well be the biggest single influence on my thoughts regarding the medium’s potential. (Though Kingdom Hearts, Myst and Final Fantasy Tactics have also been pivotal for similar reasons.)

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

NES, Sega 8-bit, SNES, PS, N64, PS2, GameCube, GBA, DS, Wii (honorable mention: Macintosh and PC, several models)

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

Dark Castle (on the Mac) was one of the first games that I designed levels for, actively trying to extend the gaming experience. Of course, there was no level editor, so my levels were ultimately just drawings on paper, but trying to figure out what would make for a good level, or even just a fun experience, was great mental exercise, and a lot of fun. To this day, I enjoy *making* a good game as much, if not more, than *playing* a good game.

Brian

MMO community connection:

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Blue Kae

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

Online I go by Blue Kae. It has no meaning, beyond I like blue and it matches my initials. I made it up when I wanted to get online with my Xbox 360 and needed to find a gamertag. Since then I’ve been able to stay pretty consistent using it for Steam, Xfire, GAX, Twitter, etc. That is also the name of my primary Eve Online character. In other games I like to stick to the lore so I try to come up with whatever is consistent with Tolkien, Warhammer, etc.

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

My only online presence is at http://www.bluekae.com, I haven’t hosted or guested on any podcasts, at least not yet.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

My blog is primarily gaming related since that’s what I do with my free time at the moment, but I don’t intend on limiting it so I may talk about woodworking, home brewing, or anything else I get into and develop strong opinions on.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Heidelburg Germany (Dad was stationed there in the army), but I grew up in a small town called Aurora in south-eastern Indiana (think Cincinnati).

Where do you live now?

I live near Indianapolis, Indiana.

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

31-40

What do you do for a living?

Software developer.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

Fiction writer.

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• I’m left handed.
• I brew my own beer, stouts of course.
• I had dual-citizen ship between US and Germany until I was 18.
• I have two Parker Latitude stainless steel pens that I love to write with. I keep one at home in my office and I carry the other in my laptop bag.
• All of my MMO characters are male. I’ve tried to play female toons, but I’ve never been able to spend more than an hour on any of them.

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I’m married and we just had our first child back in October. Being a parent is simultaneously the most fun, frightening, and frustrating thing I’ve ever done.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

I grew up out in the country so we rode dirt bikes, played army in the woods, and swam in my above ground pool.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I had/have very little hand-eye coordination so my hobbies were music and reading.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

My very first experience with pen and paper RPG’s was in the boy scouts. A group of older boys were running an AD&D campaign and I remember sitting for hours and watching. It was neat because it was like getting inside a Tolkien story. I don’t remember how long after that, but I got the D&D Red Box game as soon as I could.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I read quite a bit. My mom used to pay me to read books because she’d read/heard that it helped with intelligence. My reading was all books, no comics (that didn’t happen until college). I used to read anything fiction I could get my hands on. I read the entire Hardy Boys series from my elementary school library. My most memorable experience with books was reading Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings during the course of a summer when I was 10. That summer marked the point when I primarily read fantasy and science fiction. My favorite authors as a kid were: Tolkien, Alan Dean Foster, and David Eddings.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

Completely. My experience with Tolkien drew me to D&D which drew me to MMO’s. Computer gaming and later MMO’s were a way to get into role playing games without having to find other local people to play with or coordinate schedules.

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I started with a Texas Instruments 99 and besides some educational games, I used to type in game programs from magazines and save/load them from audio tape.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

There was no arcade near where I grew up, but I did get some time briefly in college before they all disappeared.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

The Bard’s Tale on the Apple IIe, I spent hours and days playing that and creating characters complete with background stories.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Nintendo Entertainment System, PS2, Xbox, and Xbox360. I have a big console gap between Nintendo and PS2 where I solely played PC games.

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

I had some exposure to MUDs in college although I can’t remember the names of any of them. I ran across some references to different games on various Usenet groups and tried a few out. I liked the concept, but I don’t remember getting very deep into them. I found that I preferred single-player RPG’s with some graphical element to them.

What was your first MMO experience?

My first MMO was EverQuest which I started a few months after launch in fall of 1999. I developed an immediate and intense addiction to the game that lasted for about three months. When I would get home from work I would boot my PC and while that was going change out of my work clothes and throw a pizza in the oven. Once I was set for the night, I would login and play for eight hours. So my days were work for eight hours, play EQ for eight hours, and sleep/commute the rest. This lasted for about three months until I burned myself out. It’s nice when your ADD can cancel out your OCD. I played for another six months after that in a more sane fashion before quiting.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

• EverQuest - Wizard
• Dark Age of Camelot – Shaman
• Anarchy Online – Adventurer
• Star Wars Galaxies – Marksman/Scout
• EverQuest 2 – Wizard 41
• World of Warcraft – Hunter 45
• City of Heroes – Blaster 28
• Guild Wars – Elementalist/Mesmer 13
• Lord of the Rings Online – Hunter 60
• Eve Online – Missions/Mining/Indutry 14 million Skill Points
• Warhammer – Dwarf Engineer 24

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

I am currently playing Lord of the Rings Online and Eve Online.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

I played City of Heroes the longest at 3 years, although LoTRO is fast becoming the current all time leader. Of course having a lifetime subscription kind of makes that the default.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

I’ve ony reached the level cap in LoTRO, first to 50 about two weeks before Moria was released and again to 60 once the cap was raised. I tend to obsess and then burn out pretty quickly on most MMO’s, so hitting the level cap in LoTRO was a pretty big deal to me.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

That’s difficult, but I would have to say LoTRO. I am a huge Tolkien nerd, plus Turbine has had an excellent track record of supporting the game.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

I’m most looking forward to Star Wars: The Old Republic. I would be excited regardless because of the IP, but I’m interested to see Bioware’s story-driven approach to MMO’s.

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

My peak was probably 60 hours a week when I was a bachelor and could get away with it. Now that I’m married and a father, I’m usually in the 20 hours range with most of that on the weekends.

When during the week are your regular play times?

I play a little at night after my wife and son go to bed, but my consistent playtime is weekends from evening until whenever I drag myself to bed.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

I’m a lone wolf probably 90% of the time. I group occasionally when I need to, but I’m very picky about joining guilds and I usually don’t put much effort into tracking one down that would be a good fit.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

Nope. Mostly being a solo player with the occasional pickup group doesn’t lend itself to developing friendships online. There have been two groups of players, one in DAoC and one in CoH, that I got pretty involved with, but the friendships didn’t last past my time in the game.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

Depends on the game. When I log into EVE I usually always have plans, but I’ve found that’s necessary for a sandbox game. With LoTRO, I often have no specific plan and just get on to play.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

I used to limit myself to one active subscription at a time. As the genre expanded that became more difficult to do. My rule now is two at a time, but I’ve bent that rule a little by getting a lifetime subscription to LoTRO. I’m currently paying for EVE and CoH, which is my one serious and one nostalgia/experiment subscription. I’ll drop CoH sometime soon and pickup EQ2 or something else, I had resubscribed to WoW for a month before CoH.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

I play PC and console games as well. My PC tastes are mostly RTS games like Warhammer 40k Dawn of War and Sins of a Solar Empire. I play a lot of Xbox 360 games as well like Fable 2, CivRev, and RockBand 2.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Depends on the game. In EverQuest 2, I only every played my Gnome Wizard Mallon, but I LoTRO I have 6 of the 7 characters slots filled. In the original EverQuest I used to create a character, play to level 5 or 6, then create a different character and start over. In DAoC I only played my Troll Shaman Nallas. Usually I just identify too strongly with my initial character and never develop any interest in playing through the starting content again. LoTRO especially has been different because I enjoy pretty much all of the classes.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

I’ll often listen to podcasts while playing, although not if I’m grouping. TV, phone, and IM are too distracting, and music isn’t distracting enough.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

No, most of my family and friends don’t play games at all let alone MMO’s.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

I like this quote from Russell Bertrand: “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” http://quotationsbook.com/quote/39255/

I often hear people talk about feeling bad about time they waste playing games, but the question I always like to ask is, “What would you be doing instead?” There’s not much difference between playing a game, reading a book, or watching TV for an hour. Of the three, watching TV is probably the least healthy for you. The level of social acceptance of TV versus video games is something that has always bugged me, but fortunately is changing as more gamers become parents.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

Absolutely. I took a break after DAoC, but that’s because there was nothing new I was interested in. Since then, I haven’t taken a long break from the genre, but I will occasionally take a few weeks or few months off. Usually in that time I’ll be focused more on console or single-player PC games, or on another hobby like woodworking or home brewing.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging?

I started blogging in September 2008 with Blue Kae. It’s my soap box for anything gaming related either PC or console. I may expand into comics, movies, etc. but so far gaming issues have been the only things that I felt a need to write about. I’ve recently started writing for QuillDragon, which is a new fantasy literature blog launched May 2009 by Regis from the Wizards & Wenches Warhammer blog.

Why do you blog?

I’d had been reading blogs (mostly gaming blogs) for quite a while, and then I discovered podcasts. I rarely commented on blogs, I was usually content to read the post and sometimes the comments, but almost never moved enough to comment myself. I finally started my own gaming blog because I had some rants related to DRM that I needed to get on “paper”.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

I don’t have a regular schedule. I generally try to have at least one post a week, but if I don’t have something worth saying I’m fine with not posting. Sometimes a news story or a gaming experience will cause a flurry of activity and I might post two or three times in a day.

I do most of my reading from Google Reader and I have about 70 gaming blog subscriptions, more with comment subscriptions. I do my reading from work during spare moments and in the evenings after my wife and baby are asleep. Sometimes during my reading I’ll get an idea for a post and I’ll stop and put together a draft, although I may just comment on author’s post instead. Which one I do depends on how much I have to say about it, I don’t like to do link outs in comments but I will link to the original post that prompted mine.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

Not for me. I felt a little pressure early on to try and make sure there was always something up on the site, but I got over that pretty quick. I’m passionate enough about gaming that I usually have something I need to post about in any given month. If I do start to feel a grind, I’ll probably step back for a bit.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

I love the writing. It’s an opportunity to organize and clarify my thoughts. Sometimes I’ll start a post and delete it because I realized I didn’t have enough to say on a subject, and sometimes I’ll intend to put up a quick note and write a screen-full. I also like the conversational element, I’m still excited anytime I see comments on a post and so far I’ve always been able to respond.

How many people offline know you blog?

Only a few. I don’t generally bring it up and it doesn’t come up much in conversation. I talk about it occasionally to my wife and to a friend of mine whose an MMO gamer. Most of my friends and family are not gamers or geeks for the most part and very few of them listen to podcasts or read blogs.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

Writing is deeply personal, so my only advice would be to do it because you need to, not because you feel like you should or are trying for money or popularity. Don’t try to imitate anyone else. Pay attention to grammar and spelling. Find other blogs about the same subject matter and make constructive comments, but don’t include you’re site link in the comment, if people are interested they’ll click on you’re name and find your blog.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

I had been reading other blogs for so long before I started my own, that I had a pretty good handle on what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. The only thing I wish I had done differently was started sooner.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

Nope. Anything is possible, but I can’t imagine coming to a point when I don’t want to write/blog. I may take a break at some point if it becomes a grind, but I’m sure I would always come back.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

The Overture from the Barber of Seville, it’s an excellent piece of classical music and the sound track from my favorite Looney Tunes episode.

Wiqd

MMO community connection:

`

iMMOvation

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

Wiqd

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I run a blog called iMMOvation.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

iMMOvation is where I discuss my ideas about game design and try to constructively build upon and redesign the ideas that are already out there. It focuses on currently existing ideas as well as hypotheticals.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

Born in Ipswich, England and grew up in Elgin, Scotland. Move to the US and have lived in a number of states.

Where do you live now?

I currently live in Las Vegas, NV.

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

21-30

What do you do for a living?

I am currently an IT Engineer and have been one for a good 15 years now.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

Game Designer, definitely

List five random things most people don’t know about you.

• Went to school in a farmhouse that Prince Charles attended.
• I love sleeping with stuffed animals
• I’ve had more than a few supernatural experiences
• I’ve been married and have a son
• I’ve only changed my online handle once in my life (used to be Rest In Peace)

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I was married once upon a time and had somewhat of a miracle baby during that time. My previous wife was told by doctors that she would never be able to bear children, but lo and behold she did become pregnant and the baby was delivered without issue. He’s a very smart little boy who currently live in Germany with his mother. I am currently (after 9 years of self searching) engaged again to a wonderful gamer girl named Dana. I couldn’t ask for a better woman by my side.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

I always loved board games and imagination (toys) games as I grew up.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I played sports in elementary school for a little league football team. I’ve always been artistic and creative, so writing and drawing have existed in my repertoire for a long time. I tried playing the trumpet for a bit, but music never caught on for me as a hobby.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I was exposed to it in my early teens and have been playing it ever since. I started with AD&D 2nd edition and have played a number of games. I won’t touch vampire P&P games though

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

Love(d) reading. My first set of books were the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. I haven’t yet read Wheel of Time, but I’ve read a few of R.A. Salvatore’s books and some Anne Mcaffrey stuff as well.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

I think the introduction to the fantasy world helped, but seeing as how I’m attracted to futuristic MMOs as well, that can’t be ALL the reason. I don’t really compare MMO worlds I frequent to any books I’ve read, I just see how their take on “fantasy” compares with others out there. I do it for the sanctity of the book really. I don’t want to ruin a book’s world by going “it would be better if it had…”

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I don’t remember the exact age, probably around 7 or 8, but my first system was the Nintendo Entertainment System. I had seen other systems for sale, but that was my first owned system.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

I played coin-op games any chance I could. I remember flocking to them in pizza joints, movie theaters and the actual arcade places setup just for gamers. I miss those days and I miss coin-oping. I was quite sad when I first saw console games that outdid the arcade counterpart.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

I think that would be Sonic. I was old enough to be able to form impressions on my own and I played every Sonic game from beginning to end.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Genesis, SegaCD, 32X, Nintendo64, playstation, Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox, Xbox360, Wii, Gamecube, Gameboy, GameGear, PSP and some others (NeoGeo, etc).

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

I remember when Rampage first came out for consoles and I was SO happy. I took it over to my friend’s house to play it and we ended up staying up ALL night to do so. I think we stopped when we realized there was no end, but that was at like 4am. Then we played Contra

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

I only played a few MUDs, but none that I clearly remember. My gaming back then was almost strictly console based, with the PC games being single player. For the games I did play, I really don’t think they affected me as much as others.

What was your first MMO experience?

My first MMO was Everquest back in 1999. I loved and still love the experience of EQ. The world seemed massive and many of the mechanics and ideas used are things I’d like to see redone in current MMOs. I feel EQ was an appropriate difficulty despite its shortcomings and the recent move to easier, more dumbed-down styles of play really hurt the industry.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

Everquest (expansions up til OoW), Asheron’s Call, Asheron’s Call 2, Anarchy Online, Star Wars Galaxy, Dark Age of Camelot, Everquest 2 (all current expansions), World of Warcraft(all current expansions), Lineage II, RF Online, Eve Online, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Tabula Rasa, Lord of the Rings Online, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online.

There are others, but these are the ones I’ve spent the most time with.

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

I recently resigned to having just 1 MMO on my plate while I wait for something actually good to come along. That choice is Everquest 2.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

I played EQ for about 5 years and have played World of Warcraft and Everquest 2 for about the same amount of time now.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

I’ve hit the level cap in about every MMO I’ve ever played, if only to quit just after I like seeing everything in a game before I toss it.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

Honestly, whatever MMO I come up with to finally make If I had to choose just 1 from the current picks, it would be Everquest 2.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

I’m interested in any and every MMO that’s in development at any given time. I do my research and try to alpha / beta as much as I can, avoiding open betas at all costs. Mostly it’s to see what, if anything, these companies are doing different with their game, but I can honestly say I’ve been pretty disappointed in the last few years.

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

Well, despite my aversion to WoW, it’s where I met my current fiancee, so it wasn’t all bad She was actually my guild leader, introduced to me by someone else in WoW who thought we would fit perfectly. She was right

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming? How about now?

At one time gaming was all I did from the time I got home from school til I went to bed and all day on weekends. So anywhere from 40-80 hours in a week.

When during the week are your regular play times?

Now it’s a bit after work, then a good portion of the day on my weekends when I don’t have anything important to do.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

I’m a mix. I love the idea of guilds and camaraderie, but there are times I’d like to be left alone, just like in real life.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

I’ve made many friends, many enemies and met my fiancee through MMOs. I’ve even connected recently with people I used to play with and recognize, but never knew I’d see again.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

It depends on how much fore-knowledge I have on the game. If I’ve been in beta, I know what to do and where to go, but if I skip the beta I usually just meander around and experiment. In beta, my focus is on bugs, so I just meander around looking for them

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

I used to play as many as I could to get a good sampling at any one time. I’ve recently resigned to playing 1 MMO at a time though, to get more out of it. The constant switching when I would get irritated wasn’t conducive to a good gaming experience.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

All of the above. I have one of almost every console ever made (and I still play the older ones from time to time), I have a couple games for the PC (the ones I’d like to get more out of graphics wise than I could from their console counterparts) and my friends and I meet weekly to play tabletop RPGs.

Are you something of an altoholic?

Before WoW I hated alts. I never saw the point in them because there was so much to do with just 1 character. WoW came along and made leveling easy, limited crafting to 2 options per character (1 gathering, 1 actual profession) and thus the need for alts due to lack of entertainment after having all the gear I wanted on 1 character, grew.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

Depends on what I’m doing. If it’s not involved I’ll watch TV or talk, but if we’re running an instance or grouping to do other stuff, I pay attention. I do listen to outside music over in-game music a lot though, regardless of what I’m doing and I use Skype to talk to my friends while we play.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

With friends, yes. Family not so much. All of my friends game, so our conversations naturally go that way. It gets quite funny when we’re out in public and people have no idea what we’re talking about.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

Absolutely. And to fix it, I simply take time off. There’s no use in playing a game or multiple games if it detracts from your lifestyle or the health of it.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

From the genre? No. From certain games? Yes. The MMO genre has always fascinated me so even with I have no AAA titles to play, I’ll go find some smaller scale game from an indie developer or a korean F2P that looks interesting. I’m always playing some form of MMO though as I have plenty of research to do

David

MMO community connection:

Timesink

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is your name (your online persona/alter-ego, what have you)?

David “No Nickname” Bailey

What is your connection to the gaming/blogging/podcasting community (your chance to plug yourself here)?

I maintain a blog at http://www.timesink.ca which I really didn’t think too many people knew about.

Please take a minute and describe what your blog/podcast is about.

My blog mostly reflects the games I’m playing at the moment and my experiences in them.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. My dad was in the military so I was fortunate enough to grow up in many different cities across the country, however most of my time has been spent in Ottawa, Edmonton, and Winnipeg.

Where do you live now?

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Your level (age) is somewhere in the range of (pick one): 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90

33 years old according to my birth certificate. 8 years old according to my wife.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a Network Administrator and second level support for a large organization. My duties include many things that would probably sound very boring.

If you could reroll your career, what would you be?

Growing up I always wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a pilot for the military. I think that’s something I’d really enjoy. Of course, If I’m allowed to dream here, I’d be playing for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL.

List five random things most people don?t know about you.

• I love to sing, and do so constantly when home alone.
• When I was a kid I drew a comic book featuring a character named Scabman. He was a regular guy who had been decapitated and the ensuing fountain of blood dried up and formed a new head made entirely out of scab. I still have it buried in my closet somewhere.
• I like to tell my friends that I write fiction.
• In my younger days I once gave myself a horrible looking black eye when I went to dive on to my bed, over shot it, and face-planted into the wall.
• After watching the movie “Heat” I wanted to become a professional criminal

Feel free to discuss any family you have here.

I’ve been married to my wonderful, beautiful wife for seven years and we have an adorably cute two year old daughter.

Chapter 2: Origins

What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?

Growing up I used to play board games quite often with my two sisters. We played the typical games, Monopoly, LIFE, Sorry, etc. Aside from board games, most of my time was spent outside with the neighbourhood kids playing ball tag, hide and go seek, and just about any other game we could think of.

What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?

I’ve played hockey my whole life, and soccer until I was fifteen or so. I was forced to take piano lessons for one year which I didn’t enjoy.

Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?

I wasn’t heavily exposed to pen and paper RPGs, but I always wanted to play them. I had the basic set (Red Box) released in 1983 but only played it a little bit with a few friends off and on, certainly not enough to leave a lasting impression. Only recently, with the release of fourth edition have I started to play more, although due to various commitments and other excuses, we don’t get together as much as I’d like. I love the idea of playing, making it happen is where the difficulty lies.

Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.

I wasn’t a heavy reader. Any reading I did was either comic books (X-Factor, Batman), or Choose Your Own Adventure-style books. My favourites were the Fighting Fantasy books done by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, of which I had quite a few.

Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.

There’s no doubt the books I read had an influence on my video gaming habits, especially the Fighting Fantasy books which are essentially basic computer role-playing games, minus the computer. I once converted one of the books, I think it was “Island of the Lizard King”, into a simple game using BASIC on my Commodore 64. I literally re-typed the book into the program and connected all the pages using a series of GOTO statements based on whatever page the player wanted to go to next. I had a lot of free time back then.

As far as I can remember I’ve enjoyed exploring alternate worlds and the books I read, and later, the games I played complemented that.

How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?

I don’t remember having a huge interest in video games as a kid. Back then the only time I saw them were in the malls on display (I have no idea what systems, probably Colecovision) or arcade machines in restaurants. A friend of mine eventually got an Atari system and even then I don’t really remember playing with it much; we were always outside.

Things started to change when my dad brought home a Commodore 64 one day (if I were to hazard a guess, I’d say it was 1983-84ish). That thing rocked my world, it was so cool. Miner 2049er was the first game I played on it and I was hooked. As such, I consider the C64 my introduction to video games.

Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?

When I was little, the arcades were strictly off-limits. It was where all the “bad kids” went. As a result, aside from the odd machine in a restaurant here and there I didn’t play the coin-ops until later.

When I was about 13 or 14 there was a local arcade that would let you book your birthday party there. This became the big thing for my circle of friends to do. The birthday boy would get an unlimited supply of quarters while everyone else got a set amount, and we’d just go crazy for an hour or two. Those birthday parties were amazing.

The corner store by my place had a Double Dragon machine which was the greatest thing ever for that particular summer. I remember feeling pretty awesome the time I finished that game on one quarter. The crappy thing about it was when playing co-op, I could never seem to beat my friend at the very end after fighting the machine gun dude, and I’d always lose the girl.

Later on, during my last year or two of high-school, there was a place that had eight Daytona USA cabinets connected together. A bunch of us would go and race each other on weekends, which was crazy fun.

What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.

There have been a lot of games that I’ve played that have made an impression on me, but there are a few that were just different in some way and really stood out. Perhaps the first one would be Times of Lore on my Commodore 64. Wikipedia tells me it released in 1988 yet I can still remember it quite well. It was the first game that really drew me in to its world, which was absolutely huge for its time. It doesn’t surprise me in the least to see it was developed by Origin Systems, they made awesome games.

What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?

Commodore 64, Turbo Grafx-16, Super Nintendo, Gameboy Advance, Xbox, Game Cube, Xbox 360.

Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.

Answering these questions has certainly sparked some fond memories. The next time I’m over at my dad’s place I’m going to have to search through the boxes in the basement to see if my old Fighting Fantasy books are buried away there.

I don’t really have a specific story pertaining to my gaming experience as a child, but what I remember most fondly is getting together with friends and taking turns playing whatever game it was we had rented for the weekend. I wonder if kids still do that, or do they just stay in their respective homes and play over the internet?

Chapter 3: Online

Were you ever exposed to MUDs?

I’ve never been exposed to MUDs, nor have I exposed myself to them.

What was your first MMO experience?

EverQuest II. My first character was created April 10, 2005. I really wasn’t interested in getting into MMOs but my friend kept bugging me to try it out. One day he sent me a link to the Trial of the Isle seven day demo and I figured I’d give it a shot.

Despite the island being relatively small and restricted to level seven, I was hooked. Shortly after I bought the full game and I played for three more years until finally leaving Norrath.

If possible, list all the MMOs you’ve played extensively.

• EverQuest II from April 2005, to March 2008. My main character was a level 74 Berserker. I also had a 74 Mystic which likely would have become my main had I continued playing.

• World of Warcraft from March 2008 to present. My main character is a level 80 Shaman (enhancement spec). I’ve got a few lower leveled alts that are slowly getting more of my attention.

I also had a two month stint in Vanguard in between EQII and WoW.

What is your current MMO of choice, or perhaps, what are your current MMOs of choice?

World of Warcraft.

Which MMO have you spent the most time playing? How long would you say that has been?

EverQuest II for three years.

Have you reached level cap in any MMO? If so, which ones?

Currently at the cap in WoW. I was at the cap twice in EQII but didn’t have the steam to push myself to its current cap of 80.

Loki taps you on the shoulder one day to inform you that you have fallen victim to one of his elaborate pranks. The world you’ve been inhabiting of countless MMOs to choose from and play has merely been a dream. In reality only one MMO exists. After laughing at you for a bit he decides to take pity on you and allows you to choose which MMO will remain. Which one would you choose and why?

This is a tough question for me. Ultimately I’ll choose World of Warcraft but that’s not saying it’s the best MMO, rather it’s the best MMO for me. My family commitments keep me from playing a great deal these days and WoW fits into that very well. It’s easy to pop in for an hour or two here or there and still get something accomplished. I don’t raid, nor do I group much and take on instances, but I still feel like there’s something fun for me to do.

If I had more time to commit to playing, my answer may very well be EverQuest II. In my opinion it doesn’t offer the solo experience that WoW does, but its instances and raids were awesome fun. Unfortunately, I’m not able to devote the time to it that it would need.

Are there any MMOs currently in development that you are particularly interested in? Please explain.

Not really actually. If anything I’d say Star Wars: The Old Republic, but to be honest I haven’t seen or heard anything about it that’s making me tremble in anticipation.

Copernicus, or whatever it is that 38 Studios is working on could have potential based on some of the names attached to the project, but I have a feeling it won?t amount to much. Hopefully I’m wrong on that one.

I’m curious to know what Blizzard’s secret MMO currently in development is, and I would be absolutely thrilled to hear that EverQuest 3 is being planned.

Feel free to share an interesting or amusing anecdote related to your MMO gaming experience.

I swore I’d never play a game that charged a monthly fee. “What a waste of money,” I thought. Since then I’ve played three years of hardcore EverQuest II and another year of World of Warcraft. Not only that, I started a blog to talk about all this stuff. I never would have believed it four and a half years ago.

Chapter 4: Preferences

At your peak, how much time per week would you say you spent gaming?

I’d guess 30-40 hours per week. Thinking about that now just blows my mind.

How about now?

Maybe 10 hours.

When during the week are your regular play times?

Nowadays I wait until my daughter is in bed and asleep which is usually between 8:30 and 9:00. I’ll get an hour or two of gaming done after that if nothing else is going on.

Generally speaking, are you more of a social creature in MMOs (grouping to quest, joining guilds, etc.) or something of a lone wolf?

I’m definitely a lone wolf. I’ll play now and then with friends, but only if we can schedule it ahead of time. My window of free time has narrowed significantly over the past couple of years so it’s much easier to just log in and do my own thing instead of waiting around to find a group.

Have you made any lasting friendships through your MMO experience? Please explain.

No, I’ve gone into each game with the friends I’ve already had.

Before logging into a game, do you already have a course of action planned out in your head, or do you just sort of do whatever you feel like once in game?

I typically have a plan in mind when logging in, but it’s not so rigid that I won’t ditch it if something else comes up.

When playing MMOs do you tend to just play one at a time or do you take more of the smorgasbord approach?

I barely have the time for one. I’ve tried two at once (EQII and WoW, WoW and Vanguard) but I just couldn’t do it. I would find myself more interested in one over the other and play it more to the point where it just wasn’t worth the cost of keeping the other around.

Do you tend to supplement your MMO gaming with other PC, console or tabletop games?

I try. I’ve got an Xbox 360 which I play off and on. I tried tabletop games (Warhammer 40k) but got too burned out painting my darn army to bother playing the game (there’s a billion dollars I’ll never get back; that stuff’s expensive).

I jump into other PC games now and then but like so many others have said before; whenever I play something else it always feels like it’s causing me to “fall behind” in my MMO. It’s absolutely ridiculous, but the stacks of games I’ve bought and never played confirm that it’s real.

Are you something of an altoholic?

No. I had a couple of alts back in my peak MMO days, and one of them eventually caught up to my main in levels, but I’m mostly a one character guy. Typically I’ll start an alt just to get a feel for a different class, or to see some zones I wouldn’t have seen with my main, but they’re usually forgotten about eventually.

Do you find yourself multitasking while gaming (perhaps watching TV, talking on the phone, out of game instant messaging, playing another game, or even listening to a podcast)?

I’ll sometimes have the TV on in the background (typically a hockey game), or I’ll check out a web page or two on the side.

Do you find yourself having much MMO discussion off-line, perhaps with friends or family?

Constantly with friends; it’s all we talk about.

Have you ever felt that you game too much? If so, how did you cope with that?

I definitely have felt that I game too much, usually as a result of a certain look my wife gives me. My heavy duty playing days are in the past however, and my play time is much more reasonable now. My family always comes first and I have quite a few other obligations and hobbies that keep my gaming in check.

Since you started playing MMOs, have you ever taken a break from the genre? If so, please explain.

Yes I have. Towards the end of my EverQuest II days I was completely burned out and took a few months off from MMOs. I played a bunch of other single player games, even finishing a few of them, and loved it. Eventually I started to feel the itch for MMOs again and ultimately ended up in World of Warcraft.

Chapter 5: Blogging

When did you first start blogging?

My first post on Timesink is dated Wednesday, March 21, 2007. Previous to that I had a personal blog, mostly just for family and close friends to read which I still post to today, albeit infrequently.

Why do you blog?

I like to write, and I like discussing games. Mainly it?s just another hobby for me, and I collect hobbies like they?re going out of style.

Do you have a schedule or some sort of routine you try and follow when blogging?

I blog whenever the mood strikes me and when I feel like I’ve got something to say. Sometimes that means several posts in one week (rare), but for the most part I’ve sort of settled on one or two a week these days.

Is there some grind involved in blogging? If so, what is it and how do you cope with it?

I simply don’t let it become a grind for me. If I don’t feel like posting, I don’t.

By contrast, what do you find pleasurable about blogging?

I just enjoy sharing my gaming experiences and opinions. Also, the realization that complete strangers have read something I wrote is pretty darn cool. I was on cloud nine after receiving the first comment that wasn?t from someone I knew.

How many people offline know you blog?

My core group of friends, which is about six or seven people.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to try their hand at blogging?

I’d point them towards one of the free blogging sites and tell them to go give it a shot. They’ll find out fairly quickly if It’s something they enjoy doing or not.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first started?

I can’t think of anything actually. Part of the fun in starting the blog for me was taking the leap without really thinking about it. If anything I wish I knew back then how much fun I was going to have doing it, because I would have started blogging about games even sooner.

Can you picture a future where you will hang up your keyboard and no longer blog?

Absolutely, although that time hasn’t come yet. I imagine I’ll just get bored of it one day.

At your funeral, what song(s) would you have played as your corpse is set alight and cast out to sea on a funeral barge?

Amazing Grace, played by a hundred bagpipers as a thousand F-18s streak overhead through the worlds largest fireworks display. You know, something simple and modest.