You asked her questions and she answered! Here are the answers to the questions you and your fellow players posted to Game Designer Julie "Ellie" Burness.
Aydindryl: Are there many women on the EQ Team? What's it like being a woman in the gaming industry?
The men do outnumber the women on the EverQuest team, but I'm happy to say that I am not the only female on the team!
Within the gaming industry in general, I think men more than women play a role in systems design. It's not so common to see women designing AA's or combat systems. A lot of the women I have encountered in the industry take on roles in marketing, art, content writing, or tradeskills instead.
At Sony however, I feel we have a lot of extremely capable women, in really strong roles. Just on the EQ franchise alone, I know women are represented in production and programming, as well as marketing and art. It really makes me feel that I can grow within the company, no matter how far my ambitious reach may extend.
Mardy: What changes/upgrades would you like to see for EQ?
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What I would like to see, and what would actually work or could be done, are two very different things!
I would love a new tutorial, designed for players over level 50. I have had a few breaks during my 9 years playing EQ, and anytime I attempted to come back and play my main, I felt like I didn't know what I was doing anymore! It would have been nice to have a tutorial to familiarize myself with the latest changes, one that possibly reward me with relevant gear.
I'd also like to see a revamped UI, and the re-addition of "old style" quests that don't necessarily use the task UI. As silly as it sounds (and as much as I sometimes love having a quest journal!), I feel that without it, there's a bit more mystery to a quest; there's something special about deciphering things on your own.
I love my bandwidth: Do you prefer old or new models? How do you feel about titles, would you like anything for your own character?
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Old models vs. new models is definitely on a case-by-case basis! Overall, I'd say I like the new models more.
I think titles can be a great way to set your character apart from others in the game world, whether the title represents an accomplishment, or serves as an added piece of flair. I feel EverQuest is a bit oversaturated with titles at the moment, but with that being said, we have a lot of players who've been in Norrath for over a decade, and they've clearly earned all those crazy titles they have.
If I created a custom title for myself, it would probably revolve around my constant chattering. Though it really wouldn't be a creative or unique title, since it's a joke that's been made by nearly everyone who's ever met me!
Galidin-Prexus: Who and what surprised you when you joined the EQ live team?
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Petty much everyone and everything! What can I say, I was like a kid in a candy store, poking around at everything; eyes lit up when coming across some well-respected names in the EQ database.
Aside from the mental knockback caused by nostalgia, I think I was most surprised with how well the EverQuest team got along. I've worked with a few great teams in the past, but EQ really feels like a family (complete with daily quick-witted banter between Normando, Elidroth, and Absor!).
Tethrindaen UK: Are you a spurs fan?
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Of course! (Though I don't think I ever had any other choice!) Back in my Vanguard days, Director of Customer Service and resident Brit, Sharon "Moonlite" Morris, introduced me to her "favourite" football team, Tottenham Hotspur.
Before I knew who Harry, Bale, or Crouch were, I was hanging Spurs memorabilia around my cube, courtesy of Sharon.
Since then, I've been to the Lane and seen Spurs vs. Earthquakes in San Jose. Fun times!
Clearlee: What do you think of the portrayal of female characters in EQ?
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I could answer this in two ways, so I will!
From a design perspective, I think we have a broad portrayal of female characters in EverQuest. We have many heroines, and probably as many female villains. Women in our game are represented in a variety of ways, and I think that's fantastic. Could Norrath use a few more female poison and smithing merchants? Maybe, but I think the world is fairly balanced.
From an art perspective, I think our females look great. I'm a big fan of "fantasy" characters, regardless of whether those characters are female or male. In a fantasy world, I want to be ridiculously good-looking and over-the-top, or hideous and grotesquely horrifying; either extreme fits my idea of fantasy, and I play either or depending on my mood.
I'm not too bothered by the fact that Firiona's "armor" barely covers her body. She embodies something magnificent and heroic in my opinion, and that's exactly how I want to feel when I am playing a similar heroine.
Gandalfer DK: Do you have any advice for someone who would love to join the EQ team?
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First and foremost, if it's something you really want to do, then keep at it!
I think it can be pretty tough for someone to get their foot in the door, especially since when trying to hire designers, most companies tend to look for people who've had experience shipping a title.
It's pretty rare for anyone to get hired directly onto a design team. Speaking from experience, I started out as an intern in another department. Many others spend time in QA or CS and do apprenticeships. Others still have had a huge community influence as players, starting their own websites or blogs, and subsequently been hired on to the team.
In my opinion, a passion for gaming, critical thinking, innovation, and determination will get you far in this industry.
Aydindryl: I miss killing dragons, like vox etc when they were first around. It was such a fantasy thing to do..... dragons used to be a real guild challenge! Any chances of some huge dragons to kill again soon please?
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What would EverQuest be without dragon slaying? Some of the most memorable moments in EQ's history have come about from dragon encounters. Funny you should mention Lady Vox, as she was the first dragon I ever helped kill so long ago. It's good that she has not been forgotten, as I can assure you, her presence is still very relevant, as you may soon see in the coming summer months! ;)
Thanks Ellie!
