Real life first name: Shawn
Forum handle: Ethyre
Main Character name: Prestoh Changeoh
Server: Originally on Xev, which merged into Druzzil Ro
Guild: I spent a long time in a terrific family guild called Lions of The Heart. This was a big guild, built heavily upon the principals of fair play and courtesy to others. I was an officer in this guild and at our peak there were 996 members (including alts). A lot of folks moved on to raiding guilds around the time elemental raiding was in vogue. Eventually, the numbers decreased quite a bit so I finally left for a family-style raiding guild. That guild, In Via Damnum is my current guild. Its a great group of folks who are really devoted to each other and the guild as a whole. There is no mandatory raiding so its very friendly and low pressure. We've had great attendance and have about ten raids a month. We been farming PoTime for the past couple months and are beginning KT.
Where in the real life world do you live? I live in Buffalo, NY. Buffalo gets a lot of kidding for being a snow-laden rust belt town but it's really a terrific place. At the turn of the century Buffalo was one of the busiest port cities in America as well as the first city in the world with electricity, the attraction of Niagara Falls and an international border. Because of that there was a lot of wealth 100 years ago that built a gorgeous city with museums, philharmonic orchestra, parks, universities and amazing architecture. A lot of this is still here so if you can get a nice job here, you can have a great lifestyle.
How long have you played EQ? I've been playing since August 2001, so four and a half years.
What other MMOs have you played? I've played a lot of games and some online games but EQ is my only MMO
What type of work do you do? I spent most of my time as an Engineering Manager. Right now I'm running the engineering software business for my company.
How long is your typical gaming session when playing EQ? I usually play about 3-4 hours, starting in the late evenings after work and once things settle down around home.
What does a typical EQ day consist of for you? I enjoy a regularly scheduled group three times a week so on those days, we have a mission or hunt all planned. We log in at our chosen time, meet at the tree in PoK and port out and get started quickly. Its nice to have a fixed group so there is no LFG time on those days. A couple other days a week, I'll join up for a guild raid. My other times, I usually log in and form up a group to hunt or work on a quest. If I am after something in particular, or can't get a group going, I will two-box and go camp some named mobs. A lot of times, when I have no set plans, I'll log in my two accounts and port around to a half-dozen of my favorite spots to check for named mobs. I'll farm these nameds if they're up and grab some loot for tribute or an alt.
What was the race and class of your very first character? My first character was a wood-elf druid, named Fazool. I still two-box him, and I log him in every day.
What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most? I've been playing computer games for a very long time. My first programming assignment was to write a simple game program a quarter of a century ago. Probably my fondest old memory of gaming was a four-player dungeon game called Tunnels of Doom on the Ti/994A home computer. That was the first multi user game I played. Then in college I played a large (100) user text-based dungeon game which was the first time I played with a large group of people I didn't know.
What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other then playing EverQuest? Well EQ has consumed all my hobby time for the past few years but I enjoy skiing and have spent a lot of time diving and hot rodding cars, etc.
What is your highest level in EQ? My three "mains" are 70, with about 700 AA's between them.
What race and class is your main character? I started EQ with a Woodelf Druid (Fazool) and played him as my main for about 2 years. Then I really became enamored with my High Elf Enchanter (Ethyre) and played him as my main for about 2 years. For the past half year, I've been playing my Gnome Mage (Prestoh) as my main so I would call him my current main.
What do you like the most about the class you have chosen for your main character? I really enjoy suprising a group – off tanking, crowd control, pulling with a Mage. I really enjoy how versatile he feels. Oh, …and kicking shins.
Does your main character worship a deity? No – he is too short and couldn't see up onto the Altar, so he remains skeptical.
How did you choose your main character's name? I actually put a lot of thought into my characters names. I like something that conveys what they are and is still fun. My favorite name is my Guktan Paladin's lastname – Pallywog.
Which classes in EQ have you NOT played? I've never played a Berzerker, Warrior or Ranger. I rolled a Necro once but never really played him either.
What is your favorite expansion? This is such a hard question. I really loved the pirate theme of LoY. I really think Kunark was terrific in its time. Right now, I think OoW – I don't care for the mob models or the geography much but I love how this expansion gave the game BACK to the single group players.
What is your favorite zone? The Revamped Plane of Hate is so immersive and convincing and detailed I absolutely love this place. A very close second place is the Plane of Mischief (even now) because I absolutely love the visual design, mob models, layout etc. I also really like getting lost in Kedge Keep. Visually, I guess these zones have nice crisp lines, squarish layouts. I like these man-made zones (buildings and cities) more than the natural looking zones.
What is your favorite npc? I love the spectres in Oasis – they truly were scary (back in their prime). For non-combat NPC's, I love the Frostone – I just love the idea of this remote little community cutoff from the world above, making a town and surviving down there.
Which expansion do you like the least? Again, this is a hard question. There are certain features of an expansion I love and some I hate. I really dislike GoD – I don't like the mutant mob designs. As much as I liked a lot of PoP, I hated how it made the game into a raid-only activity. And I am disappointed with DoN – Other than the beauty of Stillmoon Temple and a some DoN missions, it seems like there isn't much there to spend time on.
Which zone do you like the least? One of the BB LdoN zones is a completely featureless cave network. I feel like a tapeworm when running through there. I absolutely hate the design. As for content, I never found anything but aggravation in PoFear. Several GoD zones I really dislike, as well.
Which npc do you like the least? Fright in PoFear is the most awful MOB design I've ever come across. To basically force someone to die without any chance of doing anything isn't a game, its just stupidity. For non-combat NPC's, I really dislike all the Qeynos guards – you never seem to know where you stand with that traitorous bunch.
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? I spent 100K on a Stone of Perfidious Wanting when they first came out. It was before I was Time flagged and I really wanted Innoruuk's Sarcasm. I am saving now for a chain bridle for my mage which will run me about the same amount.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? I have so many of these. I really enjoyed questing and tried to do every quest I could so I have so many quested rewards in the bank.
If so what is it and why do you keep it? Probably the best single answer is the most worthless item I still hold on to: Essence of a Graveyard Knight: It's a worthless trash item but it was No Drop so I held on to it for so long, hoping a quest would be discovered to use it. Now I just keep it because it was from my first GM event.
What do you like best about EverQuest? I really enjoy pursuing a goal – whether its working on a quest or a mission or hunting down a rare named mob. I love the anxiousness of working toward that goal.
What do you get out of playing EverQuest? I really get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction, working with friends toward a common goal. Succeeding in something gives me a sense of accomplishment in EQ that really makes my time enjoyable.
Describe your best experience from playing EverQuest? There are so many, and most involve reaching some new pinnacle in the game or working with others in achieving something challenging. The most poignant time for me however, and something I will always remember is back in the days of discovery. When I was still learning about EQ. The day I traveled all the way from Kelethin to Butcherblock and got on a boat. The boat set sail and that pan flute music started playing. The absolute awe I felt at the sheer size of this world. That is an experience I will always have.
Do you run or work for an EverQuest Fan Site?(if so provide the web address too!) No.
