20 Questions: Players In The Spotlight

[Badstench]

In the manner of a hard hitting, no nonsense, indepth publication of facts and information, The Forum is proud to bring you interviews with your fellow Players.

We don't pull the punches. This is an honest, no-holds-barred approach to ferreting out the information we really want to know without being restrained by political correctness.

We're not afraid to ask the hard questions. Are our subjects able to answer?

Welcome to "20 Questions: Players In The Spotlight".

We know you'll be informed. You'll also be entertained. Just don't become complacent, because our interviewer might come knocking on your door very soon.

[Badstench]

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen.

Welcome to our first sacrifice.... er, I mean, guest; An interview with smv1973 (aka Thordon).

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1) How long have you been playing Sryth?
I’ve been playing the game for a little over a year now. I started playing the game on 6/21/08

2) How did you find out about Sryth?
I saw an ad banner for Sryth on an online collectibles shop. I clicked on the banner and went to the game’s home page. I read the "About" section on the home page and liked the sound of the game. I signed up and started playing.

3) Do you play any other Role-Playing styled games, either console, computer or pen and paper?
Yes. On my computer and on my Xbox 360.

4) Do you consider yourself to be a computer gaming nerd?
No not really. I only play a few games. I actually know very little about computer gaming.

5) What’s better: playing Sryth on a rainy Sunday afternoon, or a poke in the ear with a sharp object?
I would have to go with playing Sryth on a rainy day.

6) Okay then... what about this: If Megan Fox (the chick in Transformers) asked you out on a date, would you blow her off for a stint of Sryth gaming?
Are you crazy? I would go on the date!

7) What prompted you to become an AG member?
I became AG because I wanted to have full access to all of the Sryth content.

8) How many characters do you play?
I have a total of 7 characters, but I’ve used Thordon about 99% of the time over the past 7 or 8 months.

9) Thordon is known as the No.2 most highly ranked player in the game behind Magical. Do you ever wish he’d get dumped on by a giant marshmallow and dissolve away?
Absolutely not. Magical is kind of an icon in the game.

10)Would you repeat that while hooked up to a lie detector?
Yes I would.

11)As far as power-plays go, is the No.1 spot part of your motivation, or would that just be coincidental?
I strive to make Thordon the best character I can. If Thordon was to ever have the #1 ranking it would be coincidental... though not without hard work.

12) What has been your most satisfying Sryth moment?
Getting my first skill to legendary status.

13) What has been your least satisfying Sryth moment?
Getting a killing blow vs. Talderus Redborn with only one round fought in the battle.

14) If you could change one thing about Thordon’s gaming history, what would it be?
As a Player, I wish I’d used the Wiki and the forum during my first 2 or 3 months of playing. For Thordon, I would change the order that I did the adventures iso I could take better advantage of the QS bonus.

15) If you could change one thing about the Sryth game mechanics, what would it be?
The MP battles. The cap on the amount of exp you get should be changed. Also the system with killing blows should be changed.

16) Do you answer for your Sryth habit to anyone else in your house?
No. Unless pets count.

17) If the world-wide-web went belly-up tomorrow and you couldn’t play Sryth any more, would you suffer withdrawals?
I think I may just a little. Lets hope that never happens.

18) If you were absolutely forced to admit an opinion on the following statement, would it be positive or negative? Players who donate wads of cash to obtain the best items from Tallys’ have got more money than brains.
Well, because I’m a player who does donate, I would have to say that is not true.

19) Have you ever blurted anything peculiar to Sryth out loud somewhere other than in front of your computer?
Yes. I called my younger brother's soon to be ex-wife the daughter of Runeskin.

20) On a scale of 1 -10, with 1 being a low score and 10 being high, how do you rate Sryth as a PBBG RPG?
9.5

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Thanks smv1973. Now you can sit down and watch us grill the next victim. :D

[Badstench]

Interview No.2 has us turning the spotlight on Oldschool. Having recently joined the ranks of the moderators, we go for the jugular in finding out the real motivation behind this foray into the halls of power!

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1) Congratulations on becoming a Moderator. Is this the first step of your cunning plan to conquer cyber space and, ultimately, the world?
Muahahaha, how'd you know? Actually its a good fit considering how much I enjoy the forum.

2) If, by some wild stretch of the imagination, you did find yourself ruler of the planet, would you still make time to play Sryth?
Yes. There's some things you should never delegate. Honestly, that would probably be one of those "be-careful-what-you-wish-for" things.

3) But seriously, if you found out that one or more players were using illegal game cheats, would you report them?
That would depend. What is cheating? Reloading till you get a blue orb in Tarn? Un/Re equipping gear to restore SP? Un/Re equipping weapons in the 7 Statues? One definite would be if it was costing the GM money/business. Of course that would go from cheating into theft.

4) If someone offered you $500 to NOT report them for cheating, would you suddenly think game cheats were victimless infractions you could turn a blind eye to?
Absolutely not.

5) $500 could buy you some pretty cool items from Tallys', you know? If you could choose any one item from Tallys’ shop to have for free, what would it be?
Without a lot of comparing, and overlooking the obvious high AT trade-in choices, I've gotta go with the Bracelet of Arcane Might. I like the stat boosts, particularly the NR points.

6) How long have you been playing Sryth to date?
Started September of last year (2008) and went AG in October.

7) If you had to admit it, would you say you play Sryth too much, not enough, or just the right amount for your current situation?
Just the right amount. Lately, not enough, but it's summertime.

8) How many characters do you play?
Primarily one (my main, Hawk), especially lately, though I do have 6 characters I can call on. Voltan is about halfway through his Ice Shield quest.

9) Is Hawk the product of a single set of dice rolls for ability stats or did you take advantage of the re-roll option when creating him?
Definitely the product of re-rolls as are all of mine.

10) Do you honestly believe that having access to limitless re-rolls is a fair and equitable method for creating a player character?
Yes... with this disclaimer. From posts on the old forum, it seems that high scores were much much rarer for the "ole timers".

11) In your opinion, who’s meaner - Xarak or Ildraria?
Xarakk and that's from a definite personal, "you've-been-slain" viewpoint.

12) Is there any monster in the game that currently causes you more angst than any other monster and why?
Gotta be Wurmwrit's pumpkin beast. Again from a "you've-been-slain" view and the fact that it's a pumpkin for criminy sakes!

13) What is your most satisfying Sryth moment?
Breaking into the top fifty.

14) What is your least satisfying Sryth moment?
Can't really think of anything real significant, except for those "you've-been-slain" moments. Especially when they result in reset waits and or reward loss like the time I forgot to save after an all s/p killing blow reward.

15) If you could change any one thing about Hawk, what would it be?
Can't think of anything. Fortunately he has been the receipient of good forum/wiki advice and information. In the past I've said (and even doled it out as advice a few times) that it might be better to run another character other than your main first, because of the "Sryth learning curve". Looking back now, I don't believe that. Personally it was all the first time experience that made Hawk (my first character) my "main".

16) If you could change any one thing about the game mechanics, what would it be?
Mutliplayer rewards. I'd uncap/raise the xp awards especially for top damage and do away with the scaling of rewards based upon number of participants. Okay, calling that multiplayer awards and trying to qualify it as "one thing" may be getting two for the price of one but you can't blame a guy for trying.

17) Do you listen to music while you play Sryth?
Yes, usually and often.

18) If you could, what signature music would you choose for Hawk?
So many choices, so many moods. Tough one indeed. Would have to go with "Last of the Mohicans" soundtrack - especially "Promontory".

19) Have you ever blurted anything peculiar to Sryth out loud somewhere other than in front of your computer?
Not yet. Although I was in a store once and Blue Oyster Cult's "I'm Burning For You" was playing and I thought of Ezerok.

20) On a scale of 1 – 10, with 1 being negative and 10 being positive, how would you rate Sryth as a PBBG RPG?
Easiest for last, eh? Definitely a 10+++.[/QUOTE]

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Thanks to Oldschool for braving the spotlight. Coming soon, we're going to turn our attention to a forum member who is proving quite vociferous... thingirl!

[Badstench]

Tonight, folks, you're going to be entertained by thingirl. We viewed her as an interesting demographic, which is to say she is quite possibly the youngest player of the game, and certainly one of the most vocal contributors in the forum. We have previously referred to her as being "vociferous", which may seem a bit ungracious... But it was meant in the nicest possible way :)

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1) Do you know what ‘”vociferous” means?
(Dictionary to the rescue) it means I like to talk a lot and don't write long posts.
Close enough

2) As a young woman, what attracted you to playing Sryth?
I saw dad (thinman) playing and thought that it looked like fun. And plus, it's kind of addicting.

3) You’ve said elsewhere that you play on the back of your dad’s AG membership. Do you have access to your own computers or do you timeshare on a single computer?
I have my own computer, it's just I'm in 8th grade and I don't have a Paypal account so I can't pay for an AG account.

4) Times can be difficult during this worldwide recession. Are you more likely to agree or disagree with the following statement: The price of subscription for AG membership is worthwhile even in these tough economic times?
Yes. It's only $20 for a year.

5) So, by the last answer, we take it that if thinman runs three characters and you run one character on the same AG membership, you pay 25% of the subscription fee?
No, but now that I think about it, I'll give him $5.
You owe us for that one, thinman

6) By running one character, do you feel advantaged or disadvantaged over members who run multiple characters?
A bit of both. I can devote more time to Alanne since I don't have other characters, but I would like to have a guinea pig to test out PG scenarios.

7) Do you balance the amount of time you spend playing the game with other responsibilities, or do you try to get away with playing as often and for as long as you can?
It's summer... no comment! (OK fine. I try to balance my time)

8) Where did the name, Alanne, come from?
I made it up. It sounded good.

9) Do you feel a sense of rivalry with thinman’s characters; ie, do you strive for Alanne to be more powerful?
YES! Of the 4 of us, I have the highest adv. ranking, but Tharvald's s&p are higher than mine (plus, he won a prize in ToT and Alanne didn't.)

10) What are your short and mid term goals for Alanne?
Umm, I hadn't really thought about that. Let's see, short term: get past level 32 in Ogredom. Mid term: get all skills above 70 and all powers above 80.

11) If Rokmokkara asked Alanne out on a date, would she most likely: a) accept, b) decline, or c) vomit?
b) decline by slapping him with Demonscourge, then after he leaves c) vomit.

12) What has been your most satisfying Sryth moment?
Killing Ghor-Tiln! I died once, but I killed her in the end (Elementalism anyone?)

13) What has been your least satisfying Sryth moment?
Today with my non-AG character, I got Borim twice, but died both times.

14) Are there any player characters in the game that you particularly admire and/or envy?
Well, all raffle winners (even Tharvald). And Magical and Thordon and many others. (And soon the winners in SHC).

15) Are there any non-player characters or monsters in the game that you particularly despise?
The Witches of Kardsen, Owl was cool. Oh, and who could forget Unleri's "pet", I think all of us hated that a little.

16) Have you acquired a property from Faradmyn, and if so, where is it?
Stormedge Place in SE Tysa.

17) If you had $100, which of the following would you do with it? Would you donate to the game and score 200 adventure tokens for Alanne, or would you donate it to the SPCA and make the life of a cute little puppy a bit happier?
I'd spend $90 and give $10. (if I had to chose just one, I'd donate).

18) If Alanne could visit Arkrol, the Familiar Keeper, and choose any type of creature to have as a familiar, what would it be?
I honestly don't know. Maybe a dragon. OK maybe not. How 'bout a cat?

19) Have you ever found yourself thinking about Sryth (for whatever reason) during moments in your real life when you were nowhere near a computer?
Today when I was at the park, I found a giant feather on the ground, and I thought (and almost said) "That must have come from a Takkabak."

20) From 1 – 10, with 1 being bad and 10 being good, how do you rate Sryth as a PBBG RPG?
9.5. I mean, the game's good and all, but there's always room for improvement. Like, there must be 100 loose ends.

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Witrhout knowing it, thingirl's last comment was a real goodie that will act as a central question in future interviews.

Thanks, thingirl, for sharing your thoughts with us.

[Badstench]

Hello again, viewers.

Following hard on the heels of our youngest player, we go to the other end of the age spectrum to interrogate a well respected contributor to the forum.

Ladies and gentlemen, please give a hearty welcomer to Scout1idf.

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1) How long have you been playing Sryth?
Since April 2008

2) How did you discover the game?
I saw an ad on the anglefire web site.

3) If the worldwide web went belly-up tomorrow, would you miss playing the game to the point of distraction?
Yes, very much.

4) What does the “1idf” signify at the end of your user-name?
When I was in the active Army back in 1986-1988, I was a Cav Scout in the 1st Infantry Division Foreward stationed in West Germany (yes I'm old).

5) How many characters do you play?
Four: Scout about 98% of the time; Ulric (his brother); Allura (his girl friend); and Arabel (Ulric's girl friend)

6) Your characters played a part in the fiction stories, “Behind the Green Door”, to varying degrees. As already noted in the previous answer, a family dynamic developed. Was this intentional, or did it come about as a direct result of the stories?
I think it was more from the developments of the story.

7) At one point during the stone hurling contest, Scout held the position for strongest throw while, at the same time, Allura held the position for weakest. Is this a reflection of your point of view regarding the sexes in real life?
No. Unfortunately Allura carries an 18 in might and that handicapped her.

8) Regarding the previous question: Would the answer be the same if your wife/ partner was looking over your shoulder while you typed it?
Yes

9) Considering cost, time and other social commitments, do you think Sryth is worth the amount of time you spend playing?
Most definitely!

10) What is your most satisfying Sryth moment?
There is no specific “moment” that was more satisfying then when I found Sryth. I had been looking for something like this for a while, and was very happy when I found it.

11) What is your least satisfying Sryth moment?
After joining the forum, finding out that I messed up and lost out on some stuff for Scout.

12) Our previous guest made mention of the loose ends infesting the game. Of all the loose ends you can think of, which would you like to see resolved first?
I would like to see the Spirit of the Iron Dragon (Ildraria's father) finished. Unless there is a major quest planned, it seems that this would be quick to end.

13) What is your overall impression of the forum as a community?
Very helpful and friendly. (Family)

14) What do you think of the new forum in comparison to the old?
In the beginning, I liked the old forum better than the new. I think that was a comfort issue. Now that I've had time to see how things work I like some of the features of the new forum that we didn't have on the old.

15) Do you use the forum for hints and suggestions regarding new adventures, or do you like to be spontaneous with your play?
A little of both. It depends on how much time I have.

16) If you could change one thing about the gaming history of your main character, Scout, what would it be?
Join the forum and wiki the same day I started playing not 2 months later.

17) If you could change one thing about the game mechanics, what would it be?
Cut all reset timers at least by half.

18) Do you think Thane Pyrond really is dead?
I don't know. I doubt it.

19) Since acquiring your new residence from Faradmyn, do you still visit the cottage in Durnsig or the room in Thane Pyrond’s keep?
Rarely. I moved everything to Seeker Castle.

20) On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being negative and 10 being positive, how would you rate Sryth as a PBBG PRG?
10

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And there we have it: words of wisdom, albeit concisely said. Thankyou Scout1idf.

Stay tuned for another interview. We are currently trying to entice Elrond/ Elendil out from his summer sojourn to answer questions about gaming, elves and schizophrenia.

[Badstench]

We've managed to track down a very special guest for this interview; none other than He-Of-Many-Names, the most recent of which is Elrond.

A big round of applause, please.

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1) Elrond is the latest manifestation of Elendil, Theodril and Tallys’ Apprentice. All of these names are synonymous with wisdom and leadership. Does it surprise you to know that other players view you this way too?
I would have to differ with linking the names to "wisdom and leadership." I would make a terrible leader for other players, and there are others more deserving of leadership than I. This is said due to my greatly reduced playing time and forum contributions over the past few months. I still love Sryth as much as ever; but real-life commitments have relegated my in-game status to (almost) lurker.

2) Elrond and Elendil (and possibly Theodril?) are names taken from J.R.R Tolkien’s, Lord of The Rings. How many times have you read the books/ seen the movies?
I've read the books a few times, especially the hobbit, which I just reread a couple of weeks ago. As for the movies, I've missed them due to "geographical" considerations. Nonetheless, I remain a "balanced die-hard" Tolkien fan.

3) Can you speak elvish?
Lol .... Nope!

4) What would you think about the inclusion of player-character races into the Sryth game mechanics?
It would be great to have diversity in the game, but that would require significant work from the GM. I would love to be an elf with a bonus to lore, arcana and some magic disciplines, along with penalties to a few skills and powers. It would fit my roleplaying perfectly.

5) Do you play any other RPG styled games?
Not at the moment. Sryth is the only game love in my life.

6) How long have you been playing Sryth?
I started playing in March 2007 (I think), just before the GM announced that the game would become a full-time endeavor for him. I haven't regretted a single day of it.

7) How did you find out about the game?
I was searching Google's games directory after getting fed up with another game.

8) Have you ever run more than one character?
In the first year of Sryth I went through two main characters and a third that was secondary. I finally decided to keep only one when grinding was introduced. I could never grind enough for more than one character; and any time I have would be better spent grinding for my main. Sryth is very tough when you want to reach lvl 100 in a skill or power, let alone a few of each.

9) Elendil was recently known to be the most powerful (MR-wise) character in the game. Considering that this would necessitate a serious financial commitment, would you be somewhat annoyed if the gm announced he could no longer produce the game and it was taken off the net?
I would be saddened if the GM decided that the game is not worth it anymore. But whatever sum I've contributed, I've been repaid ten-fold through enjoyment. I wouldn't feel cheated or short-changed at all.

10) Of all the items you have obtained from Tallys’ shop, what, if any, do you have a special regard for?
I love the Cloak of the Archmage for its awesome stats and rarity in the game. But I'm also fond of the Grand Helm of the Guardian, which embodies my perception of Elendil as a "Tank."

11) There are very few ways left for Elendil to increase his MR further short of changes to game content. What other goals do you have for Elendil?
No record is safe as I'm now 2nd in MR; but if I wanted to concentrate on MR-boosting items from Tallys, I think I can attain an MR of 240+. But my goal is to be top in MR and SP; I want to be a "Tank", because SP is just as important as MR to survive in the game.

My other goals are lvl 100 Elementalism (my magic speciality); lvl 80+ in all other powers; and enjoying the game as much as I can.

12) Considering that player characters are human and have 8 fingers (and 2 thumbs), what would you think of the idea of allowing the number of rings worn to be increased?
I don't have any preference one way or another with regards to rings. As it is, I have the best ring collection in the game:

- Legendary Mariner's Ring (+8 MR, +10 SP)
- Banderyp's Ring of Whispers (+8 MR, +5 SP)
- Dragongem Ring (+7, +7)
- Ring of Bone (+6, +6)

Zyglar's (sp) ring of valor is not a favorite because it is 1-dimensional.

13) What is your most satisfying Sryth moment?
My most satisfying Sryth moments came early on. The very first was beating the cave goblin war party in the Westwold adventure. The second was finisihing the Giants' Adventure Series. And I cannot forget busting Rokmokkara's ego (twice).

Achievements back then were really precious and tedious to attain. Now I can QC an Ogre god (Skargokk) without worrying much about him.

14) What is your least satisfying Sryth moment?
The least (and probably only) dissatisfying moment in my Sryth time was reading the experience reward at the end of my very first Tarn run. It was thrilling to go through Tarn the first time; it took me 2 hours. But seeing the 128-16 reward quenched my fire much the same way Long Lake consumed Smaug's!

15) Of all the loose ends infesting the game, which, if any, would you like to see resolved first?
Dude, I've come to terms with loose ends! In fact, I'm starting to forget many of them. It seems that the GM thrives on them, but that doesn't detract from the greatness of his work.

Few of the loose ends that come to mind are the elixir shop in Mirgspil, the damn mirror in my castle, and my chronic stoneskin fever!

16) If you could change one thing about the gaming history of Elendil, what would it be?
Nothing... except my initial stats roll. I have a few stats below 18.

17) If you could change one thing about the game mechanics, what would it be?
The minimum SP threshold when using restoration in and out of combat. I just hate it when I see my lvl 80 restoration only heal 8 SP!

18) Have you ever blurted anything Sryth related out loud when you weren’t anywhere near a computer?
Lol ... Not yet! Sryth hasn't altered my sanity or insanity levels yet.

19) On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being negative and 10 being positive, how would you rate Sryth as a PBBG PRG?
100 (not a typo).

20) C’mon, you can tell us… do you secretly wish you were an elf?
Lol ... No! My real life is as near perfection as possible. I have a wonderful and loving wife. I have 2 wonderful boys. I have a steady and good job. I have perfect parents. And I haven't lacked anything in my life, although I'm not rich by any standards

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And with that, Elrond departed to his abode, the big tree in the forest. (You know? The one with all the faerie lights!)

Thankyou for sharing those answers with us, Elrond.

Now... the big announcement is that we are currently in negotiation with The Big Guy, Havoc, to grace us with his presence. We can hopefully bring you that interview in the very near future.

[Badstench]

It seems that Havoc has gone missing on the streets of London. We hope to catch up with his responses to our interogation... I mean, interview... soon.

Happily, we were blessed with the timely acquiescence from a player of equal stature to the spotlight. Ladies and gentleman, a very warm welcome to Shadowblack.

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1) The name, “Shadowblack” has become so familiar to Sryth players and forum members that it would seem strange not to see it. Exactly how long have you been involved with Sryth?
I don’t really know. More than two years for sure (probably more than three).

2) Are you also involved with other online games, whether text oriented or otherwise?
I've played quite a few. Other than Sryth, there are a couple I play occassionaly. There are also others I plan to try some day.

3) Along with Havoc, you have (perhaps) been playing Sryth the longest of any other subscribed member. What was your impression of the game when you first discovered it?
Not very good because of my starting stats. The Westwold adventure was almost impossible and nearly made me give up. Back then, starting the game was a lot more challenging than it is now.

4) We only ever see your one character, “Shadowblack”. Have you ever run other characters?
My other characters are used only for entering raffles (two of them actually won raffle items). I don’t plan on using them until I am finished with my main, and that isn’t going to happen any time soon.

5) In a role-playing sense, how do you see Shadowblack, the character: more as a warrior, more as a spell-caster, or capable of doing both equally well?
I initially imagined him as a spellcaster, but now I see him as equally good in both and willing to do (almost) whatever it takes for a little extra experience. Just ask the Giants of Gallowtop… oh, wait, you can’t – they are dead. Never mind then.

6) When characters are first created, they can benefit with xp bonuses if individual skill rolls are high. Did you take advantage of the re-roll option to maximize Shadowblack’s base stat scores?
Not as much as I should have, but I trusted the docs when they stated we could increase our stats after we started. Also, I didn’t realise just how important the experience bonuses are. I wish I had known.

7) Regardless of xp bonuses, you have previously reported that your character is sitting on a hoard of experience points. Would you care to share with us how many exactly?
At this precise moment: 5,490,568.

8) Given that Shadowblack already has impressive levels in most skills, will the rainy day ever arrive when you’ll be tempted to use some of those xp points toward existing skills?
It most likely will, but for advancing powers, not skills.

9) Would you be tempted to spend xp points if they were interchangeable for Adventure Tokens?
Of course! ATs are limited while experience is endless.

10) Considering the previous question, the fact that Shadowblack and a few other characters have hoarded mega amounts of xp, do you think the xp-for-AT’s idea would be fair and practical when other players have already donated real money to obtain their AT’s?
The ATs for XP idea will never happen for the reason I mentioned in my previous answer: XP is endless. So exchanging XP for ATs means endless ATs.
Ah. Good point, that.

11) Players have often mentioned how the continued allocation of xp points to skills that have already reached legendary levels is wasteful. Would you support the idea that these xp points could be re-directed to the general pool, or should the system be left as it is?
It would be nice to be able to use some of the useless exp – preferably after we earn the right through an adventure or two (or more).

12) What has been your most satisfying Sryth moment?
Surviving that one fight in PG IV against an 11+ enemy after I had lost most of my Stamina trying to use Destruction against an enemy that kept resisting it. Then I switched to Aggressive and… I won! I won a seemingly lost battle!

There have been other seemingly insignificant moments that were most satisfying at the time.

13) What has been your least satisfying Sryth moment?
No idea. Probably getting killed multiple times in Westwold due to low starting stats.

14) If you could, is there anything you’d change about the gaming history of Shadowblack.
Yes, I would start with proper (high) stats. The experience bonus would save me millions of actual points (not to mention a lot of grinding!).

15) Is there any adventure/ scenario that you remember as being outstandingly enjoyable?
Proving Grounds V: The Silver Crest (Specifically, Part 2). Excellent story and quite challenging.

16) Of the many loose ends infesting the history of the game, is there any particular one you’d like to see resolved first?
Well, the Vault of the Iron Dragon looks like it won’t take too much effort to tie it up, so…

17) Is there anything about the game that you don’t particularly like?
Currently – the randomness is the thing I dislike the most.
Overall – that items are way more important and valuable than skills and powers.

18) Do you think playing Sryth is worth the amount of time you spend on it?
So far it is. I hope it stays that way.

19) And would you say that the time you spend on it is way too much, just right for your situation, or should there be more hours in a day because you currently don’t get to play enough?
I think it’s fine the way things are now.

20) On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being negative and 10 being positive, how would you rate Sryth as a PBBG RPG?
Depending on various things (such as randomness) it varies between 8 and 9.

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Some excellent responses from Shadowblack. Our thanks goes to him for agreeing to appear tonight.

We are still waiting to hear from Havoc, so this interviewer will have to don his other hat... that of the roving researcher... you may hear a knock on your door soon.

[Badstench]

A funny thing happened when we were about to go in search of some more victims to interview: who should we bump into but Havoc, and after muttering some apology about setting up broadband connections at his new abode in London, we sat down to the serious business of asking questions and getting answers.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we know you'll greet Havoc with a thunderous round of applause.

************************************************** *******

1) Is there a reason you chose “Havoc” as your username?
When I first got on the interwebs, I was a young teenager and wanted a 'cool' nickname to use on ICQ. I liked the sound of 'Havoc' and it stuck around.

2) Your character, Magical, has long been viewed as the pinnacle of achievement that all other players strive to emulate. How does it feel to know that you’re the target everyone else is aiming for?
Rather overwhelming. In the word of the Red Queen, "It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place."

3) Magical’s position on the character throne has been under threat from Thordon recently (and may have been usurped already). Would you be gratified if Irilden Southrunner was to help “remove” this little problem?
I'm sure that if Irilden Southrunner were to try, it would be he who was 'removed'. Not a bad outcome overall.

4) There is no doubt that Magical would be the highest ranking player by skill and power levels alone, but he lacks the MR strength other characters have achieved through the augmentation of items obtained from Tallys’. Have you ever donated to the game?
Yes, once. After receiving my first paycheck during my internship last summer, I donated $100.

5) Consider the following statement and indicate whether your response would be positive or negative: Players who contribute to the financial viability of Sryth only through subscriptions are riding on the coat-tails of those who donate.
In my view all kinds of players help keep the game running.

Normal AG players make up the bulk of the player-base and help the GM have a predictable income stream.

Donators help augment the GM's income from time to time, and ensure that AG fees remain low enough for most players to join up.

Free players also help, by popularising the game if they like it, and by joining up to AG if they like the game enough and are financially able to do so.

6) An unspoken suspicion has existed that one of the reasons you don’t appear to have donated is because the game is, in fact, your creation, and you are actually the gm. Would you care to comment on this?
As said above, I have actually donated $100. Ergo I am not the GM. QED. :D

7) The suspicion of you being the gm has been helped along by the knowledge of your legendary status in so many skills and powers going back to when the only way to achieve this was by having completed all available adventures and by “grinding” through random explorations. This must have required an awful lot of game time on your part. Would you care to comment on this?
As a student in college and university, I spent a lot of time on the computer, and a large fraction of this was spent with Sryth running in half the screen. There was a time when I was quite obsessed with grinding in every spare moment. Thankfully, I am now cured. *fingers crossed*

Unfortunately, now that I have a job and no time to grind, it looks like I'm going to have to see Magical overtaken.

8) Have you been playing the game since it’s conception to the worldwide web and when was that exactly?
I've been playing since 2003. Of course, playing was a lot more intermittent then, as there was very little game content, and updates were once every 6 months. The game had already been around a while, I guess.

9) To your knowledge, are there any other players currently active who were playing Sryth at the conception of the game?
Not that I know of.

10) Regarding game content, can you remember what the toughest adventure was when you started playing?
When I had started, you could find and fight Hawnley-Jakk, but as an 18+ enemy, there was no practical way to even begin to hurt him. I don't even know if the GM had coded in the possibility of defeating him. With no place to grind, I think my highest power was at ~20-30, which as you might expect, barely tickled the giant.

11) Given that you’ve already been playing the game for a long time, are there any loose ends that you’d particularly like to see resolved?
The Sword Of Merzekk.

12) In a similar vein, have there been any game developments that you don’t particularly like?
I haven't been particularly fond of the multiplayer battles, usually because I wasn't able to keep up with other players on my slower connection.

13) Other than Magical, are there now, or have there ever been, other characters on your roster?
There have been quite a few, but Magical is the only one I actually play.

14) What is you most satisfying Sryth moment?
Making it to level 100 Destruction. It was totally unheard of to have a power or a skill at level 100 at that time. Also, this was before enemies had magic resistance, so destruction was actually useful.

15) What is your least satisfying Sryth moment?
Dying in the current PG after turning back to help Owl. I understand that there was a lot of foreshadowing, but is it that unreasonable to expect level 96 Fortification and level 100 Elementalism to allow me to deal with an inferno? Insta-death was a bit too mean, in my opinion. It was my first ever PG defeat.

16) What was behind the decision to create a new forum?
The primary Admin of the old forum had left quite a while ago. In his absence, we were unable to properly maintain the forum, and it was impossible to add new mods/admins. Besides, it was getting a bit stale.

17) As the main administrator of the forum, does this require a lot of time and maintenance on your part?
Not really.

18) Other than Sryth and the forum, do you spend much time in other areas of cyber-space?
Not so much.

19) Can you see yourself playing Sryth two years from now?
Yes, definitely, but only new adventures. No grinding.

20) Last chance to clarify… is Havoc, Matthew H. Yarrows and The GM one and the same person?
No.

************************************************** *******

So, there you have it; words from the mouth of the most talked-about and respected Player of Sryth, and we thank Havoc for taking the time to do this penultimate interview.

Penultimate?

It was originally thought that Havoc's interview would be an apt climax to this series of posts. We were prepared to thank you, the audience, and say our final goodbyes.

Afterall, how could we top an interview with Havoc?

Well, stand by, folks! We are extremely excited and proud to announce that this thread has been extended by one post yet to come.

Today, we received an unexpected visit from a very auspicious person, and the ensuing interview will be presented to you in the near future.

But right now, all I can tell you is that the next guest will be none other than...

The Gamemaster

[Chareos]

Well done mate, stand repped :-) Well done too to the others for answering your questions, can't wait to see what the GM has to say (especially re loose ends lol) :-)

[smv1973]

What about you telling us a little about yourself by doing a self interview.

[thingirl]

Yeah, or even better, post the "standard" Qs and let US fill in the others.

[Lugwy]

Oho, you sly dog, you.

In my humble opinion, though, I prefer the one-on-one interviews as they tend to be more "personalised", in a way. An emotionless, faceless questionnaire doesn't really incite the same response as being face-to-face with your interviewer (in a manner of speaking).

Of course, that may just be me and my funny quirks. :\

[Badstench]

smv1973 suggested:
What about you telling us a little about yourself by doing a self interview.
This almost happened. Because Havoc is so busy setting up what is essentially a new life, I prepared an interview with myself in case a back-up was required.

That didn't need to happen, as it turned out, and that might be a good thing, 'cos you know how I like to ramble... and I am my favourite subject, afterall!

thingirl then suggested:
or even better, post the "standard" Qs and let us fill in the others.
This was also something I considered doing, but in a different format from this series of interviews. I will explain more after the interview with the gm is presented.

And speaking of The Gamemaster, the interview with him will appear over the weekend. In the meantime, Chareos has already suggested that he:
can't wait to see what the GM has to say (especially re loose ends lol) :-)
I don't wish to burst anyone's hopes for indepth information about the game mechanics. There are some juicy comments from the gm that will allow us to throw all sorts of wild conjecture around, but the interview is mostly a one-on-one chat about the history of the game and the person who is the gm... not so much about the game itself.

[Mattman20]

I don't wish to burst anyone's hopes for indepth information about the game mechanics. There are some juicy comments from the gm that will allow us to throw all sorts of wild conjecture around, but the interview is mostly a one-on-one chat about the history of the game and the person who is the gm... not so much about the game itself.

Actually, I'm glad you took this approach; we already have threads for 'monthly questions' anyway, so questions about the game in a (what I presume to be) rare interview with the GM seems a wasted opportunity. Looking forward to it, Bad.

[thingirl]

I agree w/ MM20.

[Havoc]

Actually, I'm glad you took this approach; we already have threads for 'monthly questions' anyway, so questions about the game in a (what I presume to be) rare interview with the GM seems a wasted opportunity. Looking forward to it, Bad.

To be frank, when I first started the 'Questions for the GM' they were meant to be more about background than the actual game content.

[Mattman20]

To be frank, when I first started the 'Questions for the GM' they were meant to be more about background than the actual game content.

Really? Well..that didn't pan out very well..

[Badstench]

Good evening everyone.

We know you've been waiting for this moment, so no mucking around...

...Except to invite everyone to participate in lively discussions after the interview involving any matter you might hear tabled by...

THE GAMEMASTER!

************************************************** ********

1) Can you tell everyone, please; what was the exact date that Sryth went live on the worldwide web?
Sryth went live in a very limited form late in 2002, but was officially live sometime in June of 2003.

2) What content was available to play when the game first went live?
The very first content available in late 2002 was a small adventure that ended up with characters arriving at a small town on the western frontier of Tysa. When the game went officially live in 2003, the first content was the Village of Hawklor and the Caves of Westwold adventure.

3) Did you do any marketing for the game to attract participants within the first six months of it being presented?
I don’t believe there was any marketing done for the game that early. Primarily, it grew by word of mouth. Now that I think of it, though, I’m not sure how people found out about it at the start, unless it was via search engines.

4) What was your expectation for Player numbers after one year, and was this realized?
I wanted to see if the game would attract ten thousand registered players. I didn’t seriously think it would reach that number for a couple of years, but there were more than a thousand registered accounts within the first year, which was surprising to me.

5) Over the years, have you ever thought the endeavour of presenting the game was too much and you might stop doing it?
Before I began working on Sryth as a full time project, it was difficult balancing work, family and the game. I realized how much I enjoyed creating the game, though, and began to think how I could go about it as a full time effort.

6) Did you always plan to make a business out of the game?
I had originally set out to see if I could build an online, text-based role-playing game similar to the types of games I enjoyed playing. I realized fairly early on that, if I didn’t create a business out of Sryth, it would likely never grow beyond a small game.

7) The game has been a full-time endeavour for approximately two years. Was it a scary proposition to quit your previous job and the security of a regular pay check for the uncertainty of Sryth as a viable means to survive financially?
The short answer is, “Yes”. My wife (and No.1 co-conspirator) was fully supportive of it, which made the decision much easier than it might otherwise have been – but it was still a bit scary!

8) If any Players have aspirations of starting their own game with the idea of making “millions”, what is the first piece of advice you would give them?
The only advice I would ever give to anyone creating a game is that it’s always helpful to imagine the types of things you would like to see in a game if you were playing it. If you have fun creating it, and it’s the type of game you’d enjoy playing yourself, then chances are there are others who will also like it – at least, that’s the theory I subscribed to!

9) Various aspects of the game world (history, geography, politics, etc) are very detailed. This suggests that Sryth existed for much longer than when the game first appeared online. How long have you actually been living with Sryth in your head?
Sryth has actually been around in one form or another since about 1988. Yes, I said 1988! It began as a setting for a story I was writing, and later became the setting for a Dungeons & Dragons campaign I ran with friends.

10) Within the game mechanics and rules, there are obvious hints that you’ve been involved with role-playing games in the past. What games were they?
The only table-top RPG I played was Dungeons & Dragons, though I always enjoyed the “choose-your-own-adventure” style role-playing books. I played a few computer games (back in the days of the Commodore Amiga) and enjoyed titles like the “Bard’s Tale” series.

11) The story lines for the adventures in Sryth are very well written. Are you the sole writer of all the content presented?
Thank you! Yes, I am the only writer, although I get lots of great ideas from those I will call my co-conspirators.

12) Without naming names, do you run a character in the main game alongside other player characters?
I do have a character in the game, but he’s used mostly for testing and doesn’t appear on any of the top ranking lists.

13) Part of your job entails answering complaints/ queries/ suggestions/ bug reports, etc from Players. On average, how many times would you receive such correspondence over a week?
I probably receive 200+ emails/ reports per week. It can take quite a long time to go through them, so I usually try to do it in batches. With a large volume, it’s easy for things to get lost, mishandled, overlooked, etc, so if you’ve ever sent something that required a response and didn’t receive one, please send it again.

14) A lot of feedback/ complaints/ queries/ suggestions, etc concerning the game are aired between the Players via the forum. Do you scan the various boards and threads of the forum to learn how your customers are responding to the game?
I don’t visit the forum that often, but I would like to become more involved with it as time permits. I can’t begin to tell you how many Players have told me that the forums and wiki were invaluable to them as they got started playing.

15) Do you envisage the game of Sryth existing, say, five years from now?
Yes! I hope to be able to keep Sryth going for a long while to come. I’m sure the game will continue to evolve going forward. Many of Sryth’s additions and features have been suggested by Players and have really helped to round out the game.

16) Do you ever find it difficult coming up with the material to continually satisfy your customers?
Coming up with content and storylines has never been difficult, though turning them into adventures or series of adventures can be tricky. It always takes longer than I expect to turn an idea into a working, living part of the game.

17) And, without giving too much away, do you have a long-term plan in mind for the development of the game, whether by content, mechanics, presentation, etc?
I would like to simplify/ streamline both the presentation and the mechanics of the game going forward. This will likely entail a series of small changes over time rather than a large number of changes all at once. All of the newer game content uses the newer set of game mechanics, while some of the older adventures use some mechanics that are no longer in use.

18) We know you are creative and possess a great imagination, but did you need to learn anything concerning the business side of the operation before presenting the game online?
That aspect of it has been a “learn-as-you-go” process. I was fairly proficient with the technology side of things, but I’ve learned more than I really wanted to since the whole process began!

19) Hypothetically, if some big corporation knocked on your door and wanted to buy all the rights to the game for a seven figure sum, could we expect to be sending future emails to that corporation instead of you?
No! Emails would still come to the gamemaster, but the address might be different… say, gamemaster@beach.on.hawaii.com :)

20) And lastly, looking at the game as both a business and something you love doing, and weighing everything up against the pressures and responsibilities of everyday real life, would you say that you are satisfied with the way things have gone and are going?
I couldn’t be happier with how Sryth has gone thus far, and I have big plans and high hopes for the future. The greatest part of this for me is being able to create the game for such dedicated and supportive Players. The feedback, suggestions, complaints (there have been a few!) and praise I’ve received have shown me that Players care about their characters and the game. Having such thoughtful and dedicated Players has made it all worthwhile!

************************************************** *******

Gosh! Those last words are enough to bring a tear to your eye.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank, not only The Gamemaster, but all the respondents of these interviews. It's been an interesting and informative show which, from the feedback received, has been avidly appreciated by the audience.

We're going to take a break for a few weeks (Badstench has had to sacrifice game-time to produce the show and needs to play catch-up), but promise to return with a second series for your edification.

Again, thankyou for tuning in.

[smv1973]

All I can say is that was great. That was really great.

[Havoc]

Excellent questions, and great replies.

Have +10 Rep on me.

[racey]

I agree with smv1973. Very well done.

[Mattman20]

Looking forward to it, Bad.

And I was not disappointed! Thank you, it was rather enlightening.

[Oldschool]

Ditto on all counts and especially for helping confirm a suspicion - that Sryth has some roots as a D&D campaign.

[zmflavius]

Ditto on all counts and especially for helping confirm a suspicion - that Sryth has some roots as a D&D campaign.

but didn't the GM mention that in the docs?

[thingirl]

not to sound rude or anything, but who reads those?

[Badstench]

Jeez, thingirl... I should have hired you as consultant.... that would have been another good question:

"When you first started playing, did you actually read the documents and instructions, or did you just jump in, boots and all?"

[scout1idf]

Jeez, thingirl... I should have hired you as consultant.... that would have been another good question:

"When you first started playing, did you actually read the documents and instructions, or did you just jump in, boots and all?"

I pretty much just jumped in and started playing.....

That's why Scout's stats aren't the best, so I tried to make up with the other 3.

[Oldschool]

In the docs ? Maybe, I pretty much jumped in myself and only read certain parts of them later. Particularly the 'playing tips' although I have skimmed over everything I don't recall that but I may have overlooked it.

I certainly hope it isn't there as I just sent the GM a bug report with mention of that particular part of his interview. Oh well, hopefully he doesn't read "instructions" either and if it is mentioned there or elsewhere he'll understand.

If so, give me an A for consistency. :o

[Taleria]

..."When you first started playing, did you actually read the documents and instructions, or did you just jump in, boots and all?"

I read the docs. I vaguely recall a mention of D&D somewhere in there. I always read instructions before starting something new.

[Lugwy]

Docs, schmocks.

I figured the D&D origins through the advertisement I saw of it.

[thingirl]

I jumped in. Heck, I diddn't even discover the wiki untill the 2nd month. And the forum, well, I have 2 posts on the old one.

[MrBlack]

MrBlack jumped in with rusty dagger in one hand and a mad gleam in his eye.;)

[solitu]

lol... I read the document thoroughly...

and chose Conjuration as my starting power.:mad: (I did not read the wiki...)

Darn this thread is hijacked again....... :p

[thingirl]

I know you said you would take a brake, but are there going to be any more interviews? I like reading the tour... er, the interviews.

[Badstench]

20 questions will return in a new thread and in a completely different format.

I'm not sure when... there is quite a lot more work involved with gathering all the data for the next series.

In the meantime, Judge Fury needs my attention.

[thingirl]

Jeez, thingirl... I should have hired you as consultant.... that would have been another good question:

"When you first started playing, did you actually read the documents and instructions, or did you just jump in, boots and all?"

I could help.

[Young Ned]

lol... I read the document thoroughly...

and chose Conjuration as my starting power.:mad: (I did not read the wiki...)

Haha, yes, many parts of the documentation sound as if they were written before the game was coded, because they describe things in a way that doesn't match how those things actually work in the game. Sorry you got bitten by that.

[zmflavius]

lol... I read the document thoroughly...

and chose Conjuration as my starting power.:mad: (I did not read the wiki...)

Darn this thread is hijacked again....... :p

well, it could have been worse. What if you picked necro or elementalism?

[thingirl]

I have the resource called "real time talk with my dad who is a more expericanced player than me". Although, he hasn't been on much...