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Slickshot

The Wurm Chronicles...Resurrected?

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What does everyone think?  Do you enjoy player interviews as well?  Also, do you like the free form format of the interviews or would you like me to use the segmented format like what was used in the first three editions?  Feedback! :)

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On 2/1/2016 at 4:51 AM, Malena said:

Got lots of love for Milosanx. Nice interview!

Yes, he did well!

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The 6th edition of the Wurm Chronicles will release this coming Friday, February 12th.  Here's a sneak peek preview:
 

Quote

 

 

Slickshot:  So you’ve played a pretty integral part in the progress of advancement for Wurm Online it would seem.  On a side note, I had no idea you were a Board Moderator!  I missed that on my radar somewhere along the way.  You’ve definitely got your hands full.  

 

Do you work closely with any of the other developers?

 

Warlander:  I am sometimes working with other developers, mostly cooperating with Saroman so far - without him, things like Wurm Online/Unlimited new launcher or sitting wouldn’t be possible. I did few other things with other developers as well, for example deed export wouldn’t be possible without Tich assistance. She helped me a lot when I was implementing bridges in DeedPlanner as well.  Budda helped with new launcher as well.

 

 

Edited by Slickshot
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I was waiting for Warlander interview. Very curious about all his contributions to Wurm. And a countryman from Poland no less!

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Interview with

Server/Client Developer,

Warlander!

 

 

Welcome once again to the Wurm Chronicles!  Today we have one of our volunteer developers joining us which is a first for the Chronicles, so yay us!  Without wasting too much time in the introduction let’s kick this interview off...ladies and gentlemen please welcome Warlander to the round table!

 

 

 

Slickshot:  Warlander let’s start with the basics; how old might you be?

 

Warlander: Hmm… To maintain interviews tradition it will be result of very simple mathematical calculation: ∫5x^3 from 0 to 2.

 

Slickshot:  Traditional mystery it is!  Perhaps you’ll have more detail for me on the next question...Where are you from mate?

 

Warlander: I am from small, calm city very close to large, noisy city of Warsaw, also known as the capital of Poland.

 

Slickshot:  I hear the country out there is beautiful, and maintains some very medieval still-standing castles.  Do you have a professional career or are you still in school?

 

Warlander: In my city sadly we don’t have any castles, but we have XII century temple, as well as beautiful town hall and few parks most other cities can be jealous of. Right now I am still studying, currently at 4th semester of Computer Science, so I still have at least 2 years until start of the professional career (or 3,5 as I want to get Master's degree as well).

 

Slickshot:  Going for your Master's degree is impressive.  It’s nice to see you’re so driven to accomplish your goals.  Given with how busy you are are you married with children, or living the bachelor life?

 

Warlander: I am single right now, still looking for this one special woman. :)

 

Slickshot:  You hear that Wurmettes; he's single!  All in due time, my friend!  Well, with being single you’ve donated a lot of your time and resources to Wurm Online, especially with client development and programming, so you obviously really enjoy computer sciences.  With that being said are there any other sciences or hobbies you’re interested in?

 

Warlander: I have to admit that programming is my passion on which I spend huge part of my free time, but I have some other hobbies as well. Two biggest ones are astronomy and (obviously) gaming, I like delve into specific historical events/periods from time to time as well.  I was interested in programming years before I started learning “real” programming languages without even knowing about that: at first doing simple games and scripts in RPG Maker 2000/2003, later in (no longer existing, but really powerful at its time) PlayCrafter.  After that I was writing some Windows shell scripts to make many common tasks quick as well.

 

Slickshot:  I admire your enthusiasm and natural affinity towards programming, I truly do.  I wish I had spent time learning programming languages when I first started using computers, however most of my time was spent playing video games instead.  How many hours a day would you say you spend working with your computer, and what does most of that work entail?

 

Warlander: Hmm… 4 to 12 hours every day depending on amount of free time, “inspiration/motivation” to do something or previously planned things, with roughly half of this time spent on various development or university related things, both actual programming and various experiments/reading. Sometimes this means up to 6-8 hours of non-stop development, but I have weeks when I am almost not developing at all, especially just before and during exam periods. Most funny thing is, I tend to be most productive between 1 and 4 am.

 

Slickshot:  There is nothing wrong with being a night owl.  A lot of people thrive during the off-hours when it’s nice and quiet, and you’re apparently one of those people!  Are there any specific hobby-projects you’re putting all those hours into?

 

Warlander: Not anything specific, many of my projects (especially in Unity) were never finished or revealed, some of other projects are not really impressive as well (like homemade language with its own compiler). Out of more interesting things, I still have working DeedPlanner prototype written in Unity which I never finished due to Unity GUI lacking many components required for the program and lack of time/money to write/buy better GUI plugin.

 

Slickshot:  Oh, so you’ve kinda hit a brick wall.  Understandable.  Before you became a volunteer client developer for Wurm Online you started out as a player in this game correct?  When did you first step through the portal, and how did you stumble upon this wonderful game to begin with?

 

Warlander: I knew about Wurm since around 8 years already, found it thanks to people who were playing Haven and Hearth together with me during this time, but didn’t managed to enter into it until around 5 years ago.  I decided to buy 2 months of premium, climb portal to HoTS and enter it. Needless to say, it was worth it (even though I left Wild very, very quickly).

 

Slickshot:  Alright, cool so you’ve been with us for a while now.  I never played on Wild myself, as I started on Jenn-Kellon back in the day, but I didn’t start buying premium until about 3 years ago, so cudos to you for going straight for premium right out of the gate.  What was the name of your first character in Wurm, and what was your initial impression of the game after the first couple hours of playtime?

 

Warlander: I don’t really remember my first characters names, like I already mentioned above before actually starting the game I “bounced” out of it several times. My first Wild character which still exists is called Mackordian - I remember that I was welcomed on spawn by few HoTS players who invited me to their village (I don’t remember any nicks or village name sadly). My first impression was good, I literally locked myself into the mine and was mining and forging basic items for hours… Or rather days. :D Later I moved to the only existing PvE server during that time, currently called Independence.

 

Slickshot:  I’m sure there are a few players around who will remember your Mackordian character.  I must say the ‘locking in the mine’ theme seems to be pretty common.  My first real run at Wurm Online had my brother and I holed up in the mine of a small “Bro-village.”  Needless to say they eventually tried to kick us out because we blocked off access to valuable resources (oops).  So you found your way to Independence, which is the best server if I must say so myself, and I’m assuming you’ve been playing there ever since.  How much total playtime have you accumulated in the past 5 years?

 

Warlander: It is most likely very tiny compared to a lot other players, but I will post it anyway:  “You have played 155 days, 23 hours and 36 minutes.”  I have one other character I rarely use (previously mentioned Mackordian) with much smaller playtime:  “You have played 30 days, 10 hours and 56 minutes.”  If we count Wurm Unlimited as well, we can add additional 30 days to that.

 

Slickshot:  Well you’ve got me beat.  I’ve been around for a longer period of time, but I haven’t put as much time in as you have.  As I told Docterchese in a previous interview, anyone who accumulates over 100 days of total playtime conveys a lot of commitment and dedication to Wurm and is a champion in my book.  Bravo, sir.  With all that time spent playing Wurm would you say it’s your favorite game currently?

 

Warlander: I don’t really think it is possible to say that any game is my favourite one - I have a lot of favourite ones, each being the best in its category. Wurm Online is naturally one of them, being the best in “Sandbox MMO” category. Out of other MMO’s, I have very good memories about early Runescape, Runes of Magic and Shores of Hazeron. Any other games I have to mention? Europa Universalis series, first Test Drive Unlimited, the whole The Elder Scrolls series, AI War: Fleet Command.

 

Slickshot:  Yeah I see where you’re going there.  I probably do the same thing with having favorite games in each category that I play.  You mentioned Runescape and Runes of Magic which makes me grin because I put a lot of time into both of those games.  To this day I believe Runes of Magic is still my favorite free-to-play mmo, mostly because it was my first real experience in that realm of gaming.  Unfortunately it suffered massively from a pay-to-win scheme which drove off most of the player-base.  Anyhow, back to Wurm.  Do you have any humble brags, or accomplishments in-game you’re especially proud of?  No shame in achieving goals!

 

Warlander: Not really accomplishments on a global scale, but I managed to unite the whole Polish community of the game several times what - considering our national traits - is very hard thing to do. I am also hosting Wurm Unlimited server called “Gniazdo/The Nest” which unites almost the whole Polish community playing this game right now.

 

Slickshot:  Even at a small scale that’s still formidable and noteworthy.  I’ve done very few things of mention, so just about any accomplishment seems worthy to me. (haha)  You mentioned hosting a server for Wurm Unlimited, and also having a fair amount of playtime for that stand-alone, and I have to ask; what is your impression of Wurm Unlimited as a whole?  

 

Warlander: In my opinion, it changed the game forever, but is also one of best things that happened to Wurm as well - now everyone can choose their own playstyle.

 

Slickshot:  Not to mention it opened to a broader audience due to Steam.  I think most of us are familiar with the program you created known as DeedPlanner.  Was this the first tool you designed for use with Wurm Online and the player-base?

 

Warlander: Not really, everything started with tool called “Wurm Online Toolbox”. Initially I was planning it as very simple script written in Windows shell exclusively for Polish community (before I ever started any actual programming), but quickly realized that this might be not enough for what I want to do, so I learned Visual Basic.NET language and developed this tool until the moment when its code became so terrible that I was unable to expand the program anymore (I still don’t know how was I even able to write something like that). It was most likely first tool in its category ever written for Wurm, eventually replaced with Wurm Assistant. Initially it was only meant to preview Wurm maps without need to look for them on Wurmpedia and quickly launch game, but it grew large with features like calendar, skill tracker, house planner, hub for all important links.

 

Slickshot:  I’ve used DeedPlanner quite a lot, and have even been hired by other players to design deeds for them using that program, but I never knew where it first originated from.  You’ve definitely done a very fine job updating it over time, as we are now on version 2.4.2.  Keep up the good work!  Including DeedPlanner how many tools have you created for Wurm?

 

Warlander: Hmm… Counting just major tools written from scratch: Wurm Online Toolbox, Multistory House Planner, HouseCalc, DeedPlanner.  Counting smaller tools and experiments…I don’t remember all of them, but I think that I’ve written about 20 of them, some of them (like http://wurmtoolbox-warlander.rhcloud.com ) are still available and up to date, but most are outdated and no longer maintained.  I also have new map generator for Wurm Unlimited in development.

 

Slickshot:  Wow you’ve been a very busy man.  I’m sure the community is very thankful for your creative endeavors and programming abilities, as your programs have aided in countless creations and goals.  You’ve left your mark Warlander!  Diving deeper into your programming and development experience I’m interested to know how you became a volunteer client developer; I’d enjoy hearing the history behind that.  Like when did you start that position, and how were you approached to join the team, or did you approach them?

 

Warlander: I had idea to join Wurm team already in early HouseCalc period, but started thinking about it very seriously approximately when Johan joined Wurm PR team. I asked him about possibility to join Wurm team, but topic went silent until I became Board Moderator (still my secondary function, but I mostly use it for moving topics in bugs section and cleaning Wurm Unlimited section nowadays… I am no longer doing usual moderation stuff as it would look overly official :D ). During that time, I started working on polishing my GUI making skills by trying to create alternative Wurm launcher and received offer one simply cannot refuse… :) Launcher is still here, but became official.

 

Slickshot:  So you’ve played a pretty integral part in the progress of advancement for Wurm Online it would seem.  On a side note, I had no idea you were a Board Moderator!  I missed that on my radar somewhere along the way.  You’ve definitely got your hands full.  Do you work closely with any of the other developers?

 

Warlander: I am sometimes working with other developers, mostly cooperating with Saroman so far - without him, things like Wurm Online/Unlimited new launcher or sitting wouldn’t be possible. I did few other things with other developers as well, for example deed export wouldn’t be possible without Tich assistance. She helped me a lot when I was implementing bridges in DeedPlanner as well. Budda helped with new launcher as well.

 

Slickshot:  So basically you work with all of them.  That’s pretty cool that you all work fairly closely together to achieve common goals.  I remember when deed exporting was announced and I remember saying to myself, “yup, that’s Warlander.”    Is there any specific client work that you work on mostly by yourself?

 

Warlander: Mostly small GUI changes, all other changes are discussed with other developers, GM’s or community first. Examples of these small changes include wounds sorting and colored borders around items in paperdoll window. Cooked meat dropping from mobs like hell hounds is my idea as well. :D

 

Slickshot:  Ha!  It’s nice to see your specific touches in the game.  I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for your work, and possibly annoy you with any fantastic ideas I come up with!

 

Warlander: I will watch forums and IRC for sure. :D

 

Slickshot:  You do that. (haha)  With all the tinkering and effort you’ve been able to put in I imagine you take great pride in your work and really enjoy volunteering for this beloved game.  What is your favorite part about the volunteer work you do?

 

Warlander: I can just do what I like and receive community feedback which - even if it is negative from time to time - is very motivating. Without it, DeedPlanner would most likely be still at one of earliest versions, not to mention my part in Wurm development at all.

 

Slickshot:  It’s refreshing to know that you take player feedback seriously.  Browsing through comments on the forums will show that many players are often frustrated with the development team, as they believe they are being ignored on a consistent basis.  Hopefully they’ll feel more encouraged by your interest in their ideas after reading this interview!

 

Warlander: Actually, I think Wurm development team is one of these who listen to player feedback a lot - I know many other MMO’s with serious problem of developers not listening to the player feedback at all.

 

Slickshot:  That’s the truth!  The dev team for Wurm Online has definitely been the most community involved team I’ve ever seen in any of the games I’ve played.  Hats off to you guys.

 

What was your favorite feature implementation of 2015?  There were quite a few fantastic developments, so if you have more than one favorite please don’t feel limited in sharing!

 

Warlander: I think that the most important feature was Wurm Unlimited release - it changed the game forever, opening the game for completely new group of players. It was really surprising for me as well, especially as I didn’t know about it at all until official announcement (I already knew that something huge Steam related is coming before I ever became Wurm developer, but didn’t expect that it will be released in this form at all). There are few other features I enjoyed a lot as well, especially stairs - I completely redesigned my Wurm Online home just due to them, spending over 2 weeks on gathering materials and actually building it.

 

Slickshot:  Wurm Unlimited definitely landed with high velocity, and stirred things up a bit.  Some players are for it and some are against it, naturally, but only time will tell how all the pieces fall into place consistently.  As for stairs I have to admit that I have yet to build any.  I remodeled my Wurm home a while back, and I am not eager to do it again so soon.  Call me lazy I suppose.

 

A recent news update hinted at devs working on the mechanics to allow building in mines and caves.  How do you feel about that, and are there any upcoming changes you’re looking forward to otherwise?

 

Warlander: Hmm… Out of the ones that are announced already in one form or another I am looking forward to mine/cave building and cooking improvements. When it comes to more long-term, ambitious tasks that would be obvious huge step forward… Maybe multilevel caves?

 

Slickshot:  Such an update would certainly be worthy of version 4.0!  Here’s hoping!  Since we’re talking about upcoming features have you pitched any ideas to the other developers for possible updates, and are any of those ideas being utilized?

 

Warlander: Yes, one of them is new launcher - it is cooperative work of me, Saroman and Budda.

 

Slickshot:  Ooooh, are you able to give us any details on that?

 

Warlander: It is available on test server, but still needs some tweaks before it will go live.

 

Slickshot:  Well hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for that launch.  As it is we’re barely into the new year with plenty of time to be excited for upcoming updates and changes, and you’re privileged to be behind the scenes of that, no doubt.  Do you have any personal ideas on changes you’d like to see this year, or any features you’d like to add to the game given the opportunity, other than what you’re currently working on of course?

 

Warlander: I am looking forward to further changes related to RP/atmosphere side of the game, as well as changes related to “underground” part of the game. The biggest thing I would love to implement this year is ability to place one things on another, which would lead to many interesting things: table filled with plates and cutlery? No problem. Board games that actually work as long as you crafted and placed all items required to make it work, depending on items on it acting like chess or checkers? Possible as well. I am looking forward to improving in-game Wurmpedia as well, maybe even by replacing it with actual, fully functional in-game browser.

 

Slickshot:  All of those ideas are exciting in their own right.  First of all, any developments into the RP potential of Wurm would be fantastic.  Although the community for Roleplaying is quite small, this is definitely an area of Wurm worth looking into and expanding.  It feels...untapped, so to speak.  Secondly, I know many players who would jump for joy over stackable item placement - primarily Malena.  Last but not least, an overhaul of the in-game wiki would be a massive undertaking, but is probably long over do.  I personally love the wiki, as do many others, but it can definitely be confusing for new players to navigate.  Hopefully you and the rest of the dev team are up to the task for implementing all of the great features you mentioned.  We’re all waiting patiently.

 

With the positive impact you’ve had so far in Wurm do you plan to stick around for a while as a volunteer and community member, or do you have any other upcoming plans to put your experience towards?

 

Warlander: Right now I am at a crossroad - while I still plan to stick around as a volunteer at least until the end of my education period (with accent on “at least”), time when I will need to choose my future career is already very close - I am enjoying gamedev a lot, but it is very underdeveloped in my country with only very few well known companies like CD-Project Red or People Can Fly, so I will most likely need to take enterprise or freelancer approach.

 

Slickshot:  Aww, that’s kind of a bummer...well for us at least.  Hopefully you’ll be able to stick around for a while longer before the need to pay bills kicks in!  If you do happen to find yourself leaving Wurm in any short amount of time, I certainly wish you well in your endeavors and hope you’ll stick around as a player.  And, as always, I’d appreciate any words of wisdom you may have to add to this interview.  Can you close us out with one of your favorite quotes?

 

Warlander: To all aspiring developers: never give up. Beginnings are hard, but - as long as you go towards your goal - you will eventually reach it. The most important thing is to set yourself reachable goals and follow it, even if you don’t have any skills when starting. When it comes to favourite quote…“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein

Edited by Slickshot
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Another great interview all in all! And being a long time fan of Warlander, especially for his DeedPlanner work, this was really nice to read!

 

Anything that contributes to enhancing the sense of immersion that Wurm offers (which is already quite great) is good in my book! Glad to see the developers appreciate this as well. Something that players may not realize is that most of us have varying degrees of "roleplayer" in us. At one end of the spectrum it may be someone who builds and decorates "to the T" to emulate an authentic medieval setting and who actively roleplays and remains "in character" at all times. Or it could be as subtle as someone simply being able to enjoy the immersion and charm that Wurm offers. How the grass sways in the wind, or the sound of the waves lapping up against the shore - agreeing that modern day skyscrapers and speed boats have no place in this game. (although I'm sure a few of you would like that as well!) So in the case of being able to set a table with plates and cutlery, I believe it would be far more than just "roleplayers" who would enjoy something like that. The table top discussion is merely an extension of everything else in the game that makes it feel more immersive and realistic. By the way, I can certainly not take all the credit for voicing my opinions on the table top thing - the Factional Fight brothers have been talking about that for ages as well. :-)

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1 hour ago, Malena said:

Another great interview all in all! And being a long time fan of Warlander, especially for his DeedPlanner work, this was really nice to read!

 

Anything that contributes to enhancing the sense of immersion that Wurm offers (which is already quite great) is good in my book! Glad to see the developers appreciate this as well. Something that players may not realize is that most of us have varying degrees of "roleplayer" in us. At one end of the spectrum it may be someone who builds and decorates "to the T" to emulate an authentic medieval setting and who actively roleplays and remains "in character" at all times. Or it could be as subtle as someone simply being able to enjoy the immersion and charm that Wurm offers. How the grass sways in the wind, or the sound of the waves lapping up against the shore - agreeing that modern day skyscrapers and speed boats have no place in this game. (although I'm sure a few of you would like that as well!) So in the case of being able to set a table with plates and cutlery, I believe it would be far more than just "roleplayers" who would enjoy something like that. The table top discussion is merely an extension of everything else in the game that makes it feel more immersive and realistic. By the way, I can certainly not take all the credit for voicing my opinions on the table top thing - the Factional Fight brothers have been talking about that for ages as well. :-)

Total name-drop in that post. lol

 

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2 minutes ago, Slickshot said:

Total name-drop in that post. lol

 

Hmmm not quite sure what you mean by that comment Slick, but I don't personally know the Factional Fight brothers. Never met them, never talked to them. I just watch them on YouTube like I guess most of us do? :-)

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25 minutes ago, Malena said:

Hmmm not quite sure what you mean by that comment Slick, but I don't personally know the Factional Fight brothers. Never met them, never talked to them. I just watch them on YouTube like I guess most of us do? :-)

Name-dropping is just when you toss out someone in the middle of a comment or discussion, and it's typically someone that is known or well known, etc.  lol  Think along the lines of "giving props" to someone who isn't part of the conversation. 

Edited by Slickshot

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I forgot to add that MapPlanner is already in advanced stage of development - it took a moment, but its capabilities are already comparable to UE4 Blueprint system, with some additional features to make it better suited for generating maps. First open beta coming in few weeks. :)

 

(seriously, I should start working on my own game project already... I have a design doc which I extend over time ready since many years already and still cannot find time to actually create it :D)

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1 minute ago, Warlander said:

I forgot to add that MapPlanner is already in advanced stage of development - it took a moment, but its capabilities are already comparable to UE4 Blueprint system, with some additional features to make it better suited for generating maps. First open beta coming in few weeks. :)

 

(seriously, I should start working on my own game project already... I have a design doc which I extend over time ready since many years already and still cannot find time to actually create it :D)

You are a fountain of good information Warlander!

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35 minutes ago, Slickshot said:

Name-dropping is just when you toss out someone in the middle of a comment or discussion, and it's typically someone that is known or well known, etc.  lol  Think along the lines of "giving props" to someone who isn't part of the conversation. 

 

Oh right, I thought you meant in traditional sense of the term "to try and impress others with famous people you personally know". At least that's how dictionaries define it :-). 

 

As for giving props - and just like how you mentioned me in the interview - I'm also absolutely happy to give props to the FF brothers as they've discussed it much more and for much longer than I have :). 

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Time to chime in community.  Is there anyone in particular you'd really enjoy as a guest on the Chronicles?  It can be a staff member or a player.  I make no promises as to being able to rope in any named guest or when they'd have a possible interview, but I'll do my best to try.  So leave a comment and let me know who you'd like to see on the Chronicles!

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Edition VII of the Wurm Chronicles will drop next Friday, February 26th.  This interview will be released some time in the evening (early morning if you're European).  Here's a sneak preview to get your curiosity flowing!

 

Quote

Slickshot:  Hey as long as the work is fulfilling and pays the bills.  What do you do in your spare time when you aren’t working?

 

Rixk: Hehe, I think “wurming” isn't what you expect as an answer here. :) But well, at least once per month I go with buddies into the woods and we play some military games. It is fun and relaxing, especially when you have to be in the office all day long. I usually leave even my phone at home and switch myself completely off from civilization.

 

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On 2/18/2016 at 9:53 AM, Slickshot said:

Time to chime in community.  Is there anyone in particular you'd really enjoy as a guest on the Chronicles?  It can be a staff member or a player.  I make no promises as to being able to rope in any named guest or when they'd have a possible interview, but I'll do my best to try.  So leave a comment and let me know who you'd like to see on the Chronicles!

Needs more feedback!!!  Come on peoples!

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Interview with

Wurmian,

Rixk!

 

 

 

Welcome everyone to the 7th edition of the Wurm Chronicles!  As always, I'm your courteous host Slickshot.  You can laugh at me now if you so please!  This time at the round table we have your delightful Wurmian neighbor, Rixk!  Some of you may know Rixk, and some of you may not, but rest assured he's been around for a while and is worth talking to, so sit back and enjoy!

 

 

 

Slickshot:  Welcome to the Wurm Chronicles Rixk.  I’m glad you could make it.

 

Rixk: Hey.. thanks for inviting. I have to admit, I was kinda surprised when I received an invite for the interview. But, here we are.

 

Slickshot:  Well I’d be lying if I said the interview choices were completely random because there is a little bit of background research done after choosing candidates, but nothing really discredits anyone from being interviewed.  Everyone has a unique story worth hearing!

 

Rixk: Yeah, that is good read. I remember on the old Wurm website, there were interviews with players too. I remember Berris’ interview, when he got 100 tracking, were others too, but that's the one I still have in my mind for some reason.

 

Slickshot:  I never had the pleasure of viewing those old interviews.  Alas, here we are, however, picking up the pieces and forging on.  Anyhow, mind telling me how old you are Rixk?

 

Rixk: Hehe, should I continue the traditions and write here a formula which tells my age? :) OK, my math isn’t as great as previous people who you interviewed.. It is 35+2.. yes, my math is that good.

 

Slickshot:  Phenomenal.  Truly.  I’m amazed.  For once I understood the equation.  Bravo sir; you have won the day.  And where are you from?

 

Rixk: I am from Europe, from small country Estonia.. And from even smaller town Pärnu. It’s nice place at the Baltic Sea.

 

Slickshot:  Oh is it a beautiful place?

 

Rixk: Yes it is, lot of green here, beach.. of course the climate is chilly here, so cold winters and all that.

 

Slickshot:  I know a thing or two about odd climates.  I’m from Missouri in the United States, and our climate flip flops every year.  There is a reason why people call it “misery,” but still there are further states up north with colder climates, so I can’t complain too much...Back to you; what do you do for a living?

 

Rixk: I work with computers and people.

 

Slickshot:  Like...making cyborg computer people?

 

Rixk: Haha.. I wish!  For that I would even pay, not get paid for.

 

Slickshot:  No joke.  So more specifically do you work for a retail company or tech services?

 

Rixk: Actually I work for a government institution’s IT department.

 

Slickshot:  Oh, ok, so you do the tech and software side of work?

 

Rixk: Yes, basically everything that has to be done, except development. It is really interesting work. I like it.. meeting many people. Some drive you crazy, some are fun..

 

Slickshot:  Hey as long as the work is fulfilling and pays the bills.  What do you do in your spare time when you aren’t working?

 

Rixk: Hehe, I think “wurming” isn't what you expect as an answer here. :) But well, at least once per month I go with buddies into the woods and we play some military games. It is fun and relaxing, especially when you have to be in the office all day long. I usually leave even my phone at home and switch myself completely off from civilization.

 

Slickshot:  Most people can’t leave their phone in their pockets, let alone at home.  That’s a pretty interesting hobby.  As I’m reading your response I’m thinking to myself, “hmm...he only goes out once a month with his buddies and he plays military games without his phone...he must be married!”  Am I close?

 

Rixk: Nope, divorced :)

 

Slickshot:  Practically the same thing in today’s world.  I’m totally kidding...but kinda not.  My powers of perception are somewhat lacking today.  Okay, so do you have children running about?

 

Rixk: Yes, I have a 13 years old daughter. I actually once tried to lure her to Wurm too, but she didn’t really like it. She built a house and some furniture and was done.. There went my good plan to start brickmaking business; that she will make bricks and I cash in the money.

 

Slickshot:  Children….I don’t have any so good luck with that battle!

 

Rixk: Thanks.  The age is where the battle begins indeed hehe.

 

Slickshot:  That’s what I hear.  Well let’s talk about Wurm a bit.  You are indeed a player of the Wurms, and how long has that been going on?

 

Rixk: Well, I entered Wurm lands first at 2012. It is interesting that I saw the game first at 2011, but after watching some vids about it I decided that it is not for me. So I spent my time playing some other games.  But at some point I remembered Wurm and decided to give it a go. And here I am after 4 years.

 

Slickshot:  Alright, so you fit in with a majority of the players it seems.  A lot of people I talk to tend to say the same thing, that they started in 2012, or that they had first checked it out before then but never really sunk their life into it until 2012.  Did a friend introduce you to the game at first, or did you just happen to stumble upon it?

 

Rixk: I was playing Xsyon at the end of its beta and at the launch. But after they wiped all the progress I asked a refund and moved on from that game. But it had planted a seed so to say. This type of game was interesting and I started doing more research if there are any other game like that out there. I think I tried Haven and Hearth at first, but that was, as I like to say, “70% lag and 30% griefing.”  That didn’t keep me around for long, so I found out about Wurm. That was the time when I was reading all those player interviews on the old website, but videos were horrible. For some reason the gameplay didn’t seem very good. Now I say, it isn’t bad, it is just different. And I am glad I decided to try it out.

 

Slickshot:  I’m glad you tried it out as well.  As a player and a person I can’t say that I know you very well, but I do know this is a small community and everyone counts, so it’s good  to have you along for the ride.  I’m curious as to what server you started on?

 

Rixk: I have pretty much all my Wurm life lived on Independence. Only recently I started a hunting deed on Celebration. When I first came to Independence I met a nice guy named Tridek who invited me to his village. He helped me with basics, and gave me advice when I needed some. Actually whole alliance, in which the village was, was great help. I think that is what makes Wurm great. Like you said, it is small community and everyone is very helpful (mostly hehe).

 

Slickshot:  Yeah we get some stinkers in there as well, but I guess you gotta love them too...even if begrudgingly.  Are any of your old village and alliance mates still in the game today?

 

Rixk: Yes, they are. Even though our paths have separated by now some of them are still playing. Even Tridek, who helped me, is still playing on and off. The old alliance people are more or less still my neighbors, so we occasionally still run into each other.

 

Slickshot:  That’s great to form a small bond with the people around you and still meet up with them years later.  So you mentioned earlier that you set up a hunting deed on Celebration; what is the name of that deed and when did you establish it?

 

Rixk: It is very fresh, I founded it in the beginning of this year. And it is called Artemis Landing. Name which a friend came up with. Artemis is goddess of hunting, so it seemed fitting for a hunting deed.  The deed is meant for everyone in my alliance, which is small, but full of great people. And also as a meeting point for the friends who want to have a stay on Celebration.

 

Slickshot:  Very nice.  And do you still have a deed on Independence or did you disband?

 

Rixk: It is still there. I still consider Independence my home and I don’t think I will move permanently to some other server. Independence chat is full of interesting people. No other server can compete with that.

 

Slickshot:  I too, have lived most of my Wurm life on Independence and view it as home.  I like to travel now and then to other places, but I always come back!  So in the four years you’ve been playing you’ve surely had a couple of fun adventures along the way.  Mind sharing a tale with us?

 

Rixk: Hmm.. I think biggest adventure were first few days, when I came to Wurm and didn’t understand anything which happened. I saw a deer and thought, that I can kill. So I attacked it without knowing how to even wield a sword. I died of course and was looking for my corpse for next two days. Eventually, when I gave up on it, I accidentally found it. Well, I think that is what high skilled players can’t experience.  Right now I ride around, and chop through everything which Wurm throws at me. But the times when I was feeling vulnerable, then the excitement level was higher.
Ah another thing that I remember is when I went hunting with a friend. We were in his cart. But he had tendency to fall asleep behind computer. So as usual he didn't respond. To make things more interesting, server went to restart, but at that time after restart the horses didn’t stay hitched. So I had to somehow keep an eye on the horses until my friend comes back, because I didn’t have any ropes either. Another friend brought some ropes in the end tho.. so everything ended fine.

 

Slickshot:  I share the same sentiment.  When Wurm is easy mode it is less memorable, but when you are challenged is where the fun really begins.  Speaking of challenges, many people often find skill grinding to goals worth the effort and thrilling in its own right.  If I remember correctly you have a very high meditating skill, is that right?

 

Rixk: Yes, that is true. It has happened so to say. I only started meditating to get to level 7 on love path and get refresh. Was my plan to get refresh and offer it as service to others. But when I got enough skill for level 7, meditating had become a part of my wurming routine. I weave my meditating into the wurming sessions.. it is only 2 minutes every now and then, and I can continue whatever I was doing. After I got refresh I was looking forward to recall home. After that 90 skill.. but after that I just keep meditating.  Not as much as before, but I still do it.

 

Slickshot:  That is incredibly impressive if I must say so myself.  Meditating seems to frustrate a lot of people, so having the perseverance to continue grinding through it to the very end takes resolve my friend.  So if you had to estimate the amount of hours you’ve spent meditating to get to that pedestal of skill, how long would you say it has taken?

 

Rixk: Oh.. too long. I have 6 bodhisattva achievements, and every one is 2k meditations done. Average 2 minutes per one attempt, that is several days just watching the timers hehe. But I have to say that most of those attempts I have done now to get the last questions. I don’t consider skilling meditating frustrating at all, that was pure fun. :)  But last questions are becoming a bit frustrating now.

 

Slickshot:  I wish I could say I know what you mean, but I really don’t have any where near the experience to make that claim. haha  So you’ve been meditating regularly for how many months/years?

 

Rixk: Not from day one, but basically from the start. Few breaks here and there when I have taken some time off from Wurm.

 

Slickshot:  Whew.  I’m surprised you didn’t choose the path of insanity, because that is crazy!

 

Rixk: Haha, actually I wanted to switch to knowledge path at some point. But I wasn’t sure I will stay in the game as long as it takes to get to the same level as I was on love path. I was wrong, but now I won’t start all the meditating for questions all over again. So love path it is.

 

Slickshot:  Wise choice mate.  Wise choice.  Are there any other ridiculously impressive skills you’ve mastered?

 

Rixk: Hehe, how high is ridiculously impressive skill? :) But I have a pretty good character.  Can do most of stuff very well. If you ask what is the skill I am most proud of, I couldn’t say. It is whole character, which I am proud of.

 

Slickshot:  Well said.  A well rounded character is a great one indeed.  Moving forward with this Wurm discussion would you say you’ve enjoyed most, if not all, of the major updates that have put us where we are today?

 

Rixk: Yes, in general I think the last few years have been great for how Wurm has evolved. We got many new features.  Visually everything looks better. Of course there are things which I don’t like, but...that’s how life is; can’t get everything you want. So I just try to enjoy the things I like and live with the things I don’t. But I think overall dev team has done good job.

 

Slickshot:  I agree.  I’ve been playing for many years, and have taken breaks here and there, but every time I come back to Wurm there is something different and more impressive about the game than when I left.  With all of the updates last year, and ones coming this year, it’s so hard to pick a favorite, but if you had to pick your top three favorite updates of all-time to Wurm Online what would you choose?

 

Rixk: First definitely bridges. How the player-base has utilized it is amazing. There are many bridges which are meant just as decoration, or parts of buildings. I think when the devs implemented them they didn’t expect many things which players have created.
Second choice is tougher...I think multistory buildings or new permissions. Those both have been good additions. At first I was sceptical about permissions; I felt that it was too complex. But after using it a while, I think it works great.

For third I have to choose plot course. On that I am split a bit. One side of me doesn’t like it that it makes things easier, but from gameplay perspective it is great.  It allows more freedom to move. And I have been using that option a lot too. My deed on Celebration is also partly there because I can now easily move from Independence to Celebration.

 

Slickshot:  Three of your four favorites came from this last year alone.  It just goes to show how much work the development team has underway.  They’ve done a wonderful job.  If you were able to plan and implement an update, whether it be software or in-game feature, what would you create?

 

Rixk: I would add taxidermy. I like hunting and killing all those champ creatures.  I would like to have them around as trophies. Not only for hunters, but fishers too. That big catfish will now just rot away. But if you could just have it on the wall as a reminder...that would be great IMO.

 

Slickshot:  Haha.  A very quick answer.  I like it!  Taxidermy would certainly add even more depth to the decorational options they’ve added to the game thus far.  How about version 4.0, which keep in mind isn’t slated for any specific release, but should be around the corner; what would you like to see in that title update?

 

Rixk:  Rumors are that building in mines is coming soon. Whether it is happening in 4.0 or later, but I think that is one major milestone again. All the dwarves will hide underground then. That gives more options.  One thing makes me sad though about it; that all the creativity people have will be underground. And as most mines are closed off, that is not visible to public. By the time the doors rot away the creation is also more or less gone. But that is what I am waiting for even though I plan to stay above ground.

 

Slickshot:  Whatever comes of 4.0 will certainly impress, no doubt.  And yes, hopefully it’ll be the long awaited mine houses!  Well with all this focus on cool stories and updates and taxidermy, I forgot to ask you how many total hours you’ve put into Wurm.  What does your playtime look like?

 

Rixk: Hehe, do I dare to look? It is over 300 days playtime.

 

Slickshot:  Oh now I have to know the exact amount.

 

Rixk: OK...this is exact amount: [18:58:32] You have played 318 days, 16 hours and 26 minutes.

 

Slickshot:  Can someone make this man a trophy?  Or a medal of some sort?  I feel like there should be a ceremony.

 

Rixk: Haha, as long as you don’t make me a trophy. But I am sure that there are people who have even more impressive playtime. That’s the beauty of Wurm. No matter how good you think you are, it is very likely that there is still someone who is better than you.

 

Slickshot:  I suppose that’s true.  So I guess I shouldn’t go around the forums proclaiming “Slickshot for King, 2016?”

 

Rixk: Haha, you can.  You can be a good ruler even without being best at everything. :)

 

Slickshot:  I’ll take that under advisement.  Well with over 300 days of playtime certainly you’ll stick around for at least another 300?

 

Rixk: Well, I hope so. As with everything which has a beginning, has an end. One day will come too, where I decide to move on. When it comes, I can’t say. But the time I am around, I will give my best to enjoy it, no matter if it is another 300 days or just 3 days.

 

Slickshot:  But you do want to stick around for a while longer, yes?

 

Rixk: Yes.  That wasn’t a hint that I want to end my time in Wurm. It is just that I am kinda unpredictable in that regard. Four years I have spent in Wurm is more than I have spent in any other game. I play and play and suddenly goes a “click” and I just stop. But I definitely try to stay around for as long as possible. :)

 

Slickshot:  Do you think Wurm Online will remain long after you’ve stopped playing?  That is to say do you think Wurm Online still has a good future ahead of it?

 

Rixk: I think it does. As long as Wurm generates more income than average programmer salary in Sweden it is profitable for Rolf to keep it running. Even after that he can keep it running just to earn some extra money. So yes, I think it will be around for long time. How much time is being put into development is another thing. I wonder though if there will be new Wurm coming in future with new engine and such.

 

Slickshot:  I think positive feedback certainly helps and continues to add fuel to the fire, so I’m glad you feel that way.  Wurm Online is a virtual home for many people, and hopefully it remains that way for years to come.  Well we’re just about out of time here.  It’s been a great interview, and I’m very thankful you accepted my invitation.  I’ll keep my eye out for you in Inde the next time I see you around.  Would you be so kind as to leave us with one of your favorite quotes?


Rixk: “Sometimes to get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” - Thomas Jefferson (variation)
And thank you too.  Time has flown here...was a pleasure.

Edited by Slickshot
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Nice interview. The meditation part sounds slightly familiar... ☺

 

Well done!

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1 minute ago, Yaga said:

Nice interview. The meditation part sounds slightly familiar... ☺

 

Well done!

If by familiar you mean painful, then yes. lol

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Quick update everyone.  Due to being incredibly busy IRL as of late, I've decided to push edition 8 of the Chronicles back a week.  Instead of publishing this Friday evening, the 8th edition will be posted next Friday, March 18th.  One more thing to announce while I'm at it:  I will be publishing the next 3 editions of the Chronicles before taking a short break.  Think of it as a "season" if you'd like.  After the 10th edition is completed and published I'll be taking at least 2 months off from the Chronicles to focus on some work IRL.  I fully intend to return to the Chronicles and pick up where I leave off, but I gotta take care of some business first.  Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to tune in next week!

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Interview with

Community Assistant,

Zenity!

 

 

 

Welcome back to the Wurm Chronicles!  Today we have the 8th edition featuring one of the newer CA's--Zenity!  Last week was a bit hectic and as such I've fallen behind just a bit on the interviews.  The time has come; however, for a new interview, so let's get started!

 

 

 

Slickshot:  Welcome to the Chronicles, Zenity.  Thanks for coming.

 

Zenity: Always happy to chat about Wurm :)

 

Slickshot:  Well you certainly came to the right place!  I believe this is the first time I’ve had a CA as a guest on the show.

 

Zenity: Well, I’m always willing and able to answer questions, which is, I suppose, why I’m a CA in the first place. (It’s certainly not for my typing abilities).


Slickshot:  Touché.  Well let’s dive right in.  As per the useless tradition, how old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?

 

Zenity: Don’t mind at all, and in a break with tradition, I’ll just fess up right away, I’m 55 this year. Never was particularly touchy about my age. I tend to think of it as maturity, though there are those who might disagree.

 

Slickshot:  I totally agree that those before you were just afraid to give that information.  Haha jokes, no but really.  Alright so it’s good to know there are rather experienced persons playing Wurm, and that we aren’t all whipper-snappers.

 

Zenity: Been a long time since I was a whipper-snapper; in fact I think my whipper-snapper days were probably pre-computer era, since I’ve been a hopeless technology geek as long as I can remember really.

 

Slickshot:  I’m sure you carried on well in your pre-computer whipper-snapping days, but it is quite unique to see more...aged...individuals that are intrinsically interested in technology.  What do you do for a living?

 

Zenity: I’m actually retired now really, but I’ve had a multitude of jobs:  from my days in farming, to the military, and then my most recent career in electronics assembly as a technician and general handyman and fixer of strange machinery…

 

Slickshot:  I can actually relate to the handyman experience.  I was a handyman for a while and I quite enjoyed that line of work.  Very useful skills indeed.  Which military did you serve for?

 

Zenity: British Army; mostly infantry with signals training (had to get my hands on some of that lovely radio gear they have, after-all). I’m actually still in the military as an Army Cadet Instructor passing on some of my knowledge to the young, as it were.  I enjoy teaching, and that also transfers nicely to being a CA, since I can pass on what I know and continue to learn as well.

 

Slickshot:  Okay, okay--you’re eager to talk about being a CA.  We’ll get to it, no worries. Lol  Do you have any young whipper-snappers of your own, or are they all grown...or none to speak of?

 

Zenity: I have five children; 2 from a previous relationship, and 3 my partner had in her previous relationship--all grown up now, and leading their own lives, and having their own kids. As with all families, we live our lives and just all get along as best we can.  Grandkids are fun of course.  It’s especially great that we can hand them back at the end of a visit too! :)

 

Slickshot:  Ah yes, I was always told that grandkids are spoiled and then sent home, but I wouldn’t know what that’s about.  Have you shown Wurm Online to any of the kiddos?

 

Zenity: Well, they’re all under 10 so not really, plus the older two are into their own stuff anyway, though that does include Minecraft, so there’s hope there yet...

 

Slickshot:  They don’t know what they’re missin!  Alright since we’re on the subject, let’s scratch at some of that Wurm history.  How long have you been playing?

 

Zenity: When I started Wurm it was just Independence and Wild, about a year or more before the first of the ‘new’ servers, 5 or so years ago at least, when we were all green pickles doing circus tricks among the technicolor animals (as I prefer to see it, and remember it).  Zenity was my first character, although I have a couple of old alts (or two mains and an old account).  Shortly after Exodus opened they announced the opening of Epic, and thus Jahpeople became my Epic character; with almost as much playtime as Zenity, albeit not as old a character.

 

Slickshot:  So you’ve got some experience under your belt.  It’s been such a long time, so I get what you mean with how you remember various details and stories.  Do you happen to remember when it was possible to die of starvation in the mines, or swim (walk on water) forever without worrying about drowning?  Those are great memories!

 

Zenity: My very first death was drowning actually.  It was a choice; drown or get eaten by my first encounter with a bearshark.  Never was sure how long I missed the whole inability to drown part, as it’s always been part of my Wurm life really, though I do remember that there was no such thing as the stamina regeneration thing back then.  Once you ran out, death was certain...

 

Slickshot:  Those dastardly bearsharks claimed so many innocent lives...I remember those days well.  Do you remember how you found Wurm Online?

 

Zenity: I do; actually, it all started with a youtube video of a CPU someone had made on Minecraft, so I investigated Minecraft way back in Alpha just before the Beta release.  Reading through the Minecraft website I noticed a few lines by Notch on Wurm, as an inspiration for Minecraft, so naturally I looked it up, and well, many years later, here I am. :)

 

Slickshot:  Ah, of course; naturally you were integrated into the Wurm matrix to live out your days.  I get that, for sure.  So in all the time you’ve been around in Wurm, have you created any interesting stories or experiences worth sharing?

 

Zenity: I’ve got many  Most of them revolve around me getting killed in some fashion, or my narrow escapes on almost every single new server that was opened after I started playing.  It’s one of my most deeply worrying addictions; “New server?  I gotta try it.  Have to tread the new ground.  Need to be able to say I was there, and made at least a mine to huddle in.” :) Apart from Golden Valley, I’ve been on every server presently open in Wurm, and I’ve died on every single one too, sometimes repeatedly! :)

 

Slickshot:  I had a villager in days passed that died all the time when he went out for adventures.  He literally died on almost every adventure.  Love the guy to death, but he was a moron. Lol  Do you have any specific story that comes to mind?

 

Zenity: I have so many, but I’ll relate one of my favourites:

 

Early in the history of Epic, the Home servers were devoid of religion.  We had to get to the central server, Elevation, in order to even become a follower.  As many know, starting on Epic means you start a new character, with new player skills and tools.  Well, a day or so after Serenity opened there was a big push to find out which border to cross.  No one had yet managed to make a rowboat, but we figured out that it was just possible to swim over the border.

 

I wasn’t crazy enough to try that, but I resolved to contribute somehow, so off I went, into the wilderness, and wilderness it was, to try to find gold or silver because we’d need at least one statuette to start converting followers to whatever god was first to have someone return from Elevation.  So I ended up in the far south of Serenity before eventually finding a silver vein, and I finally made a mine and got enough silver for a statuette.  I’ve no idea where I was of course, and only a rough idea of how to get back to the starter deed--Strongbox.  But somehow I made it back, with just enough time to be one of the first to be converted on Serenity.  Of course it’s all tamed now, and I know Serenity pretty well, but those were ‘interesting’ times indeed...

 

Slickshot:  It’s always enthralling to see where someone originates in game, and compare it to where they end up.  We were all fledgling newbs at one point, but somehow we didn’t die enough to scare us away from the game, and here we are, bright and shiny.  Well maybe not bright and shiny as time and RNG have worn us all down like tarnished metal, but we’re seasoned and tempered now for any road ahead….or are we?  Life mysteries for another time.  So breaking away from my babble, what server do you call home these days, and do you have your own deed?

 

Zenity: I’m back on my beloved Independence again.  I have a small deed in the North West where New Brovegas was.  I thought it was time for me to return to the land of my ‘birth’, and see it with more experienced eyes, and look at what had changed, as well as what had stayed the same.  I’m happy to say it’s still as fresh as ever to me.  Despite the huge and impressive works carried out by others, it’s still open and wild in places; I’m loving it once more.

 

Slickshot:  It’s great to see another player’s fondness for Independence.  Inde has always been my home, and most likely always will be.  There is so much history on that server.  One simple word comes to mind:  home.  Alright so we’ve covered some of the basics of how you started out in Wurm and where you’ve ventured, so how about we dig into your experience as a volunteer staff member?

 

Zenity: I’m always very self-effacing about my experience actually.  It took a lot of persuasion by players I know and trust to actually get me to apply.  I suppose many saw my habit of helping in CA as a player as a sign of my experience.  I never felt ready for it for quite a while, and I still insist that I don’t know enough since I’m always learning myself.  Every day I log on and discover something new, and just have the luck of remembering a lot of it.  But there’s still so much I feel I don’t know yet.  Mainly the whole religion thing.  I mean I’ve never had a priest character, so any experience I have is either from Test server, or Unlimited.

 

Slickshot:  Well hey you must have been doing something right to land the position.  I mean, hell, look at me...there are a handful of newblets on the forums that’ll swear up and down that I’ve applied 48097 times to be a staff member, yet I still haven’t been accepted.  Either their math is wrong or I am just that abysmal. Lol  In any case, keep up the good work!  Do you know how long ago it was when you were accepted as a CA?

 

Zenity: I do.  I actually applied in December 2015--the 31st actually--since I’d promised I’d apply ‘by the end of the year’ and was interviewed and accepted a couple of weeks later.  So I’m actually a pretty new CA, but in truth I am just doing what I’ve been doing for years anyway--helping people understand Wurm and trying to explain some of the more esoteric stuff that I have personal experience of, like mining questions and stuff like that, or simply referring to the wiki for things that are easier to show than to explain in text.  I always think it’s a question of attitude.  There are no stupid questions, but there are definitely stupid answers, and I try to avoid those and give as much help and respect as possible.  After-all, I was new as well and learned a lot from just reading CA Help since I was always shy of asking for help of any kind.

 

Slickshot:  Wow I didn’t realize you were so fresh to the team.  Congrats on that!  As for stupid answers--yes, they do exist, and I think the...astonishing questions...exist in some form too.  There have been times in my village where I thought for-sure that I was the Wiki, because the newbies that joined would ask questions day and night as if I were a wellspring of patience and wisdom.  Eventually I put one of the brighter newbs in charge of corralling the other newbs and helping them with their endless questions. Lol  Don’t get me wrong, the new peoples are great and keep this game churning, even if slowly, but it certainly takes patience with them.  I don’t know how you do it...Journeya ;)  Anyhow, do you have any aspirations of climbing further up the ladder in the team and lending a hand wherever needed, or are you perfectly content with being a good CA?

 

Zenity: I don’t have any ambitions to pursue a career in Wurm Staff as it were; however, I’ll always consider helping wherever I can, and however I can in the future.  I don’t see being staff as a move away from being a player; for instance, it was just something I was doing anyway.  I have tried out being a GM on Unlimited, of course, just to see how that works, but that doesn’t mean I want to be a live GM.  I love playing too much to have that responsibility as well.  I mean I can answer questions no matter what I’m doing, but being a GM is almost a full-time job.  I can’t fathom how they manage to be GM’s and players as well in some cases.  Perhaps it’s my play style; I’m a perpetual loner.  Apart from my wife, there’s no one on my deeds except me, so it’s a full-time job anyway to an extent.

 

Slickshot:  The work you’re doing as a CA is already admirable enough, and as you said, being a GM is a whole-other bowl of cookies, so I can’t say I blame you for steering away from that type of work.  Daydream for a minute; however, and imagine if you were a developer.  What would you personally like to work on or create to introduce into the game?

 

Zenity: For me personally, I’d love to see an expansion of the clothing and armour range.  I’ve long joked about having kilts in-game, and of course, there’s the whole glassmaking thing too.  I’d love to see windows and stained glass, along with various new glassblowing tools and items.  It’s something I’ve felt has been lacking to an extent,  especially kilts!

 

Slickshot:  Well I can’t say for certain that any of the developers read these interviews, other than Warlander, but maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll take some of these suggestions to heart. :)  Do you think the [developers] have done a commendable job lately with their updates and ideas?

 

Zenity: Since my first experiences of Wurm I’ve seen so much change--occasionally buggy--but always worth it in the end.  I can look back and feel that Wurm has certainly changed and grown over the years I’ve played.  Perhaps not everyone agrees, but that’s the nature of games like Wurm...not that there are any games like Wurm.  Not everyone will agree that changes are good or necessary, but for wurm to continue or grow, change has to happen.  There has to be fresh new things to make, new uses for old items and resources, and generally new sights and sounds.  It’s what keeps us all playing after-all, or at least me anyway.

 

Slickshot:  Well with that being said do you have any favorite updates that come to mind as being the best since you started playing years ago?

 

Zenity: Multi-story was revolutionary; it literally changed the face of Wurm overnight.   Although there were some terrible incidents, there were also some truly innovative and new buildings being made.  Bridges too--one of the features we all wanted for years and when we got it, well it actually all went pretty well considering.  Given the nature of Wurm itself, it’s an actual triumph of coding as far as I’m concerned.

 

Slickshot:  I couldn’t have picked better choice myself.  The innovation of such a small community, and the impressive work of the even smaller development team are inspirational to say the least.  Wurm Unlimited was another big content release in recent history, and there are some who suggest it’ll be the death of Wurm Online.  I personally don’t believe such doomsaying, but some do.  What do you think Zenity; does Wurm still have a lot of gas in the tank and a good future ahead of it?

 

Zenity: I think that to an extent the decline in player numbers following the release of Wurm Unlimited was inevitable, but that does not mean that Wurm Online is doomed.  Although it certainly is in the long term.  Everything has a natural lifetime.  I just don’t think Wurm Online's is over yet.  Games die when the developer or company dies--in small games at least--or there is a major shift in technology that older games can’t compete with.  I’ll be around to turn off the lights and close the door if I can, though.  For me there’s life in Wurm as long as there are players online, and that’s how I’ll continue to see it.

 

Slickshot:  Very well said.  That’s a good note to end on actually, as we’ve run out of time.  I would be honored if you could leave the Chronicles with one of your favorite quotes, and thanks again for being a wonderful guest Zenity.


Zenity: Favourite quote?  I have so many...perhaps my forum sig says it best: “To the madness I do confess, forever see myself as blessed, immune, obsessed.” (Thanks Sneaker Pimps!).

Edited by Slickshot
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Gosh, how have I not seen this thread before?  Very cool reading, keep it up!

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17 hours ago, Pandalet said:

Gosh, how have I not seen this thread before?  Very cool reading, keep it up!

Well I'm glad you enjoy it!

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I've decided to change the structure of the Chronicles just a bit.  I've been pretty busy IRL these days, and decided I need to cut back just a little on the interviews.  As such I'll be publishing 1 interview per month.  In April I will publish edition IX, and in May edition X.  After that I'm going to take a two month break over the summer, and return with XI in August.  Every month after that will feature 1 interview as well.  Thank you all for keeping up with the Chronicles, and stay tuned in for more to come!

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