Charles Bryant – Celrak – Associate Game Designer
When did you start playing EQ? I started playing EQ right around when Kunark was released.
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? I always ran EQ on my desktop. I remember the old days of two-boxing with my now ancient 450 mhz celeron running a TNT1.
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? Right now, cable. Dial up for the majority of my EQ play time, though.
What was your very first character, both race and class? An Iksar Monk!
Was EQ your first online game? First online game? Not by about eight years, but it was my first 'online' RPG.
What other MMO's have you played? I've played most other main-stream MMO's to date, but none have held my interest nearly as long as EQ has and I don't think any of them will come close.
Do you prefer to solo or group? I prefer to raid :) Second to that, the most fun I have is almost always with a group.
Is your main character in a guild? Not anymore. /LFGuild on
How many characters do you have on your main server? I have eight characters across two accounts, but only about five are above level 50.
Does your main character worship a deity? Cazic-Thule, this weeks Iksar god of choice (and possibly next weeks, as well)
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? Keep in mind that this was before I started working at SoE (no, we do not get free unlimited amounts of platinum!), but I think it cost about 2.1 million. You can try to guess what it was, but I can't promise I'll tell you :]
What is your favorite zone? There are so many classics its really hard to pick just one. Some of my all-time favorites were Temple of Veeshan, Chardok, Cazic Thule, and Sebilis.
What is your favorite npc? People tell me I look a lot like Celrak Blightblood, but I just don't see it. Mort & Gage are great too -- I can't leave out the super banking duo.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? If you're trying to get me to give up my shroud of longevity you'll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers!
What is A day in the life of a dev/ career in game development with SOE and EQ REALLY LIKE? All I can tell you is that it's quite a ride. The rest is G-14 classified!
Ian Noble – Keridon – Associate Game Designer
When did you start playing EQ? April, 1999
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? Both
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? Cable
What was your very first character, both race and class? Barbarian warrior
Was EQ your first online game? Yes
What other MMO's have you played? EQ2, SWG, WoW, City of Heroes, Asheron’s Call, Dark Age of Camelot.
Do you prefer to solo or group? Group
Is your main character in a guild? No
How many characters do you have on your main server? 8
Does your main character worship a deity? Yes, Brell
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? 3k
What is your favorite zone? Unrest
What is your favorite npc? Mistmoore
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? I still have several keys that are no longer used, such as the Tooth of the Great Divide. After spending the time to get them I just haven’t wanted to destroy them.
What is A day in the life of a dev/ career in game development with SOE and EQ REALLY LIKE? It’s usually a lot of fun. Being able to come up with and implement quests, events, and NPCs that I would enjoy running into while playing is one of the best parts of the job. Coming up with ideas and working on those quests etc. make up a large part of my time. I’ll usually spend the rest of my time fixing bugs and reading message boards looking for issues or just interesting threads.
Carly Towle – Xenaida – Associate Game Designer
When did you start playing EQ? Aug. 1999
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? Desktop
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? cable
What was your very first character, both race and class? My very first character was a half elf rogue.
Was EQ your first online game? Yes
What other MMO's have you played? DAoC, Shadowbane, WoW, City of Heroes, The Realm
Do you prefer to solo or group? Group, though I enjoy the peace of soloing once in awhile
Is your main character in a guild? Not at the moment
How many characters do you have on your main server? 7 with gear, though maybe 15 total
Does your main character worship a deity? No
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? 100k horsey
What is your favorite zone? Lower Guk or Crystal Caverns
What is your favorite npc? Mare X`Lottle in Neriak, who is always happy to call you sweetie and offer up a dance after a long day of adventuring.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? Happy Love Bracers. I mean, c’mon! Those are awesome!
What is A day in the life of a dev/ career in game development with SOE and EQ REALLY LIKE? There's always something to do. From the second you get into the office you are coming up with ideas, talking to players, fixing or adjusting things, trying new things out, writing stories. It never ends! We are constantly keeping up the live game and adding new stuff, so there's never really much time to spare. It all pays off when you see people really enjoying the changes you've made.
Kevin Carter – Oshran – Associate Game Designer
When did you start playing EQ? I started in the Fall of 2002, right after LDoN came out.
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? Both. I usually dual-box with a healer on the laptop and a tank on the desktop.
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? DSL
What was your very first character, both race and class? I originally rolled a dark elf warrior named Barrenzin. Barrenzin's career was short lived. After getting killed a few dozen times, mostly by his own guild master, Barrenzin retired. A few months ago, I named the mission giver for the new evil lvl 10 - 20 armor missions 'Barrenzin' in honor of confused newbies everywhere.
Was EQ your first online game? Yes. Before EverQuest came around, I was a pen-and-paper RPG fanatic. I still play a lot of pen-and-paper RPGs (D&D, Rifts, Rune Quest, Aberrant and Star Wars), but EverQuest was the first game that really opened my eyes to the advantages of online gaming.
What other MMO's have you played? City of Heroes, Star Wars Galaxies, World of Warcraft, and EverQuest 2
Do you prefer to solo or group? I prefer group play, hands down (that's the point of an MMO after all) but I also think some of the newer MMOs on the market have highlighted the benefits of solo options for those in-between times when you are waiting/looking for other group members. I'm fine with solo content, as long as it's not the focus of the MMO.
Is your main character in a guild? Yes. They don't know I'm a Dev yet, but I think they're getting suspicious. I know too much for a "casual gamer."
How many characters do you have on your main server? Three.
Does your main character worship a deity? Yeah, Cazic Thule.
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? Not that much. I usually get hooked up by guild mates =)
What is your favorite zone? Paludal Caverns (and not just because of the crazy XP). I really like the layout and scope of the zone as a whole. It feels like the kind of cave you'd imagine in a Tolkein novel.
What is your favorite npc? Karsor the Mad, the NPC that trades Muramite Runes for spells in Omens of War. He was originally conceited as a merchant of some kind, but I didn't write his dialogues until very late in the Omens expansion cycle. I was still an apprentice at the time and working the craziest hours of my life, so I was feeling a little loopy when I sat down to write out the lines that the players would read when speaking with Karsor. Karsor's current ramblings just flew out of my head (originally typed in all caps) in about a half hour.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? Sporali Defender's Blade. I wandered into Runnyeye when I was a newbie and that was the first item I found that was way better than what I currently had. I was so pumped up that I called up my buddy who introduced me to the game. He laughed pretty hard when I read him the stats.
What is A day in the life of a dev/ career in game development with SOE and EQ REALLY LIKE? It's a lot of fun. You get to be creative and see/hear players responding to and figuring out your content; that's the part I enjoy the most. Otherwise it's a lot like any other office job with paperwork, databases, documentation and emails. Occasionally, I'll find a conspiracy theory on the boards and get a good laugh; I wish we had the time and resources to pull off all the plots we've been accused of orchestrating!
Brian Motisko – Gordish – Associate Game Designer
When did you start playing EQ? I started playing EQ on May 14th, 1999. I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing that I know the exact date.
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? I use a Desktop.
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? People still play on dial-up? I’ve been on cable since before I started playing EQ. I once tried to patch EQ at my parent’s house on a dial-up and had a download time of like 200 hours. It was scary.
What was your very first character, both race and class? My very first character was a human rogue that I leveled to 4.
Was EQ your first online game? It was my first MMO but I used to do some sim racing over the internet. It was great; we had all kinds of racing leagues.
What other MMO's have you played? EverQuest, EverQuest2, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Dark Ages of Camelot, Anarchy Online, Asheron’s Call, World of Warcraft, Matrix Online, Guild Wars, Lineage 2.
Do you prefer to solo or group? I like to group.
Is your main character in a guild? Yes, I’ve been an officer/guild leader since May of 2000.
How many characters do you have on your main server? My main is level 70 and I have 4 other level 70 characters that were once my mains or that I leveled up so that I could multi box.
Does your main character worship a deity? Unfortunately he is agnostic. If I could re-roll I would have made him Solusek Ro.
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? Hmm I’m not sure probably around 100,000K.
What is your favorite zone? I think Plane of Fear is my favorite zone. It was an awesome zone to learn how agro and social agro works in EverQuest. I used to pull Plane of Fear on my Shaman all the time for my guild.
What is your favorite npc? This will probably be Lady Vox for old school. There is something about charging a dragon in her lair that always made fighting her fun. My other favorite was the Avatar of War back when he was hard to do. When we first started trying him he was a straight up beater. Now with more levels and AA’s he has become fairly easy.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? I have a full set of rubicite in the bank that I bring out on occasion. With armor dye’s though it kind of ruined the effect of showing up where all red armor. I also have a full set of shaman planar gear from the plane of hate. I have a sword of truth from Seru. I might have a few server first items too in the bank that I never got rid of.
What is A day in the life of a dev/ career in game development with SOE and EQ REALLY LIKE? It’s great to work here at Sony Online Entertainment. I have been treated well compared to other companies that I have worked for. Working on EQ is fun for the most part. I love the game and I love making it better. EQ has been a big part of my life for the last 6 going on 7 years shortly. It’s great when you create content or make changes that people like. The frustrating part is when you work so many hours on something and then players don’t like it for one reason or another. Working in the game industry is tough when you’re away from your family because you work long hours. Working on EQ is like a 24/7 job because when I leave the office for the day it doesn’t end. I’m usually checking the boards, playing, or working on stuff from home. It’s hard to separate your home life from work and you really need to try and leave your work at work. It’s a very difficult thing to do when you care about a game that is being played 24/7.
Joel Sasaki – Rajinn – Community Halfling…err…Half-Elf
When did you start playing EQ? I started playing in 2002 around the time that Planes of Power came out.
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? The all-mighty desktop
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? Cable
What was your very first character, both race and class? Barbarian Warrior
Was EQ your first online game? Nope, I played Subspace way back when 14.4 modems were the norm.
What other MMO's have you played? What ones haven’t I played?
Do you prefer to solo or group? Grouping is fun, it’s always better to play an MMO with friends.
Is your main character in a guild? Yes, the last time I checked.
How many characters do you have on your main server? 3
Does your main character worship a deity? Agnostic, does that count?
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? 40 plat, I’m a cheapskate.
What is your favorite zone? I’ve always liked the way that the Plane of Tranquility looked.
What is your favorite npc? Brenlo (LOL)
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? I keep all the in game goodies from the expansions, just because.
Aimee Rekoske – Ashlanne – Community Halfling
When did you start playing EQ? I began playing EverQuest in September 99. My husband drew me in, this caused us to buy a second computer.
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? I play on both, lately it's just been my lap top though.
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? DSL /shudders at the thought of dial-up.
What was your very first character, both race and class? She was a Half-Elf Warrior. Now I play a wood elf druid, I didn't discover my love for the Halfling race until after I became an employee at SOE and at that point it was too late to re-roll.
Was EQ your first online game? Yes, EQ was my first PC game ever.
What other MMO's have you played? DAOC, EQII, SWG, and WoW
Do you prefer to solo or group? I like an equal mix of both.
Is your main character in a guild? Not anymore, they broke up and I haven't found one right for my character yet.
How many characters do you have on your main server? Just 2, I only play the one though.
Does your main character worship a deity? Tunare I believe
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? Hmmm I can't remember so it must not have been that much.
What is your favorite zone? I love the Crystal Caverns. That place is so much fun!
What is your favorite npc? Hmm perhaps the Othmir, they are really cute and they have the best hats!!
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? I probably do in my bank somewhere but I can't recall what it is at the moment.
Christina Delzer – Kytherea – Community Halfling
When did you start playing EQ? March 28th, 1999
Do you play EQ on a laptop or desktop computer? Both, but mostly on the laptop these days. I love my laptop!
Do you play on dial-up, cable, or DSL? Cable
What was your very first character, both race and class? My first character was a Dark Elf enchantress. After about a month I switched to a Wood Elf druid. The druid was my main for a couple years then I switched to a High Elf cleric who is currently my main character.
Was EQ your first online game? No, my online gaming started back when AOL was running Neverwinter Nights.
What other MMO's have you played? DAoC, City of Heros, WoW, Shadowbane, Horizons, EQII, SWG, EQOA & Toon Town. I tried PlanetSide and Asheron's Call but neither game really interested me much, I prefer fantasy type games more.
Do you prefer to solo or group? I prefer to group. I like to solo but I get lonely pretty quickly and soloing is too much work!
Is your main character in a guild? No
How many characters do you have on your main server? 10 over 2 different accounts.
Does your main character worship a deity? Yes, Tunare
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters? 12k on an Emerald Dragonscale Tunic then about 2 weeks later I bought my husband’s character one for 9k!
What is your favorite zone? Unrest
What is your favorite npc? The frogs in Plane of Storms. Anyone who has seen my desk knows I have a thing for frogs!
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it? Testament of Vanear. It took me many, many days to get the page from Dyllin Starshine. I bound near where he spawned and every night before I would log out I'd gate back there to camp out. I even spent a few nights setting my alarm to try and be the first one to his spawning point after an update or after someone else would kill him. It is the one an only quested piece of equipment I have ever camped to complete.