Details and images revealed on Nanite Systems Vehicles! This week Matt Higby (PlanetSide 2 Creative Director) talked with Kevin Moyer (Game Designer) and Tramell Isaac (Sr. Art Director) in depth about Nanite Systems Vehicles. They answered questions from Twitter and revealed information about the Sunderer, the Lightening, the Liberator, and the Galaxy. You do not want to miss the debate they had on what to call one of the vehicles; the team needs your help on this one! If you missed the webcast on January 26, 2012, watch it below, or explore our YouTube channel.

 
Keep an eye on Facebook or on Twitch TV for webcast announcements!

The great part about being a Social Media Specialist is that I get to see all the neat things happening on the internet, things which your Community Manager team doesn’t always get to see. As a previous Community Manager outside of SOE, I have been lucky to participate in the yearly Community Manager Appreciation Day.  We have a great Community Team at SOE and they took a few moments out of their day to answer some questions. Since I have put them on the spot, I’ll answer along with them.

1. What is your name/handle and what game(s) are you assigned to?

Tony “RadarX” Jones – DC Universe Online and Planetside 2

Eric “Piestro” Cleaver - EverQuest

Nedda “Shirra” Hosseinpour – I’m responsible for the international aspects of following games: EQII, DC Universe Online, Free Realms, Clone Wars Adventures, & Legends of Norrath.

Tiffany “Amnerys” Spence – EverQuest II

That’s Tiffany on the right in the corner at Comic Con 2010

Ted “Mepps” Stone – PoxNora, Magic: The Gathering – Tactics, DC Universe Online

Lydia “Zatozia”Pope – Free Realms & Clone Wars Adventures

Jennifer “Isulith” Bridges – EverQuest II

Robyn “Naylie” Vallee – I am the Community Manager for the Volunteer Events Guide Program and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Since the Guides are in EverQuest, EverQuest II, and Vanguard, I tend to be a little nosy in those communities as well.

Here’s a picture of Naylie with the Guides at Fan Faire 2011. She is on the left, front row, in the black sweater.

Aimee “Ashlanne” Rekoske - I am not assigned to any particular games.  I am assigned to the SOE Community Council, a group of players who are respected in the gaming community who can best represent the general opinions of players from their specific games of interest, as well as from the gaming community at large.  These folks are nominated by their Community Manager and get to be a part of the program for at least one year.  We are currently in the process of working on the 2012/2013 term.

Linda “Brasse” Carlson – I am known as “Brasse” pretty much everywhere, and I play all SOE games, in Dwarf form wherever that race is offered. I started in EQ on launch day in 1999 and never looked back. We have so many games now that I find it hard to carve out the time, but I can tell you that I never, ever get bored. I am currently the Director of Global Community Relations, which means that I get to watch over the Community Managers for all of our games, and help drive Community services and policies for SOE, together with my team and our internal partners in Dev, PR, CS, Brand, QA and Legal.

Donna “Danicia” Prior – My primary function is to oversee the Social Media channels for SOE and for each game. I assist the Community Managers with their postings and run their promotions. When I see posts or comments from our communities which need attention I facilitate the communication from player to CM.

2. Why do you like being a Community Manager?

RadarX – I love being a part of the videogame industry and interacting with other fellow gamers.  Being a part of bringing exciting news and sharing about our products is the best part of what I do.

Piestro - I love MMOs because they are social games. Aas a matter of fact, I have a problem with staying interested in any single player game anymore! For me the most important part of a game is the community, so naturally I’d want to work with that part of our games. My job is at a certain level talking about video games all day long. What’s better than that?

Shirra - I’m involved in so many aspects of the games, which allows me to have lots of diversity in my work and gives me the opportunity to continue to develop my skills.

Amnerys - I love meeting our players and connecting through our mutual interest of EQII. I was an EQ and EQII player before I was an SOE employee, so I essentially get paid to hang out with thousands of friends. Can you think of a better job?

Mepps - We spend a lot of the day talking to players about games we love. What else could you ask for?

Zatozia – My favorite part about being a Community Manager is getting to share exciting news with the community.  I also love getting to chat with the players and seeing how excited they are about the game.

Isulith - I love helping people and this job lets me do just that! I get to interact with the players and get to know their needs, wants, and concerns. I hang out with them in-game, on the forums, and through social media. They rely on me to give them up-to-date, reliable information on their game so it’s an exciting challenge to meet their demands as well as those presented internally. I have a lot of fun with it though and consider the players and my team an extended family.

Naylie - I like being a Community Manager because I like how dynamic and involved the communities can be. I have been involved with the Guide program for 12 years in one way or another and it definitely has a family feel to it.

Ashlanne - I am not a Community Manager, so I will tell you why I LOVE being the Community Team’s Project Manager.  I have the best job in the whole world. Every day I get to work with the SOE Community Team.  I help them make sure their features go up on time.  I help to make sure we stay on schedule for Webcasts, Podcasts, Promotions, Events, and so many other things.  I get to be a part of the SOE games which aren’t just games; they are a way of life.  People have met their spouses in SOE Games, they have met best friends, and they forged life long relationships.  I get to come to work every day and be a part of that!

Brasse – I enjoy serving as a liaison between gamers and company staff. I am a gamer who loves working for SOE and am very comfortable on both sides of the fence. Every day is a challenge. Every day offers new learning opportunities. In analyzing and communicating the varied needs of players, game devs, and the brand perspective, while never losing sight of the bottom line, we have the most unique (and fun) job within SOE.

Danicia – Since my primary field is Social Media, I’m able to assist those players unable (or who dislike) our game forums. The communities from our Social Media spaces are equally important but sometimes very different. I love being able to promote their ideas and concerns to the proper Community Manager or internal SOE Team Member. I love meeting fans and players at conventions, conferences, and in-game events.

3. What do you love about your game(s) community?

Radar X - I really enjoy their enthusiasm and passion for their game. To some it’s what they can’t wait to do when they get home at night and they let us know about it.  There is nothing that drives me more than watching our players get excited over a new area or expansion coming out.

Piestro - The EverQuest community is probably the most intense and passionate community I’ve ever encountered on the internet. While things might not always run smoothly in the EQ community it’s never because people don’t care about the game (ironically the Dev team is exactly the same way). I think it’s an honor to be involved in a project people care so much about.

Shirra - The best part about being an International Community Manager is that I get to interact with players from all over the world.

Amnerys – My favorite thing about the EQII community is how creative we are. Whether it’s the decorating crowd who do amazing and insane things with homes and guild halls, or the roleplay folks and the incredible events they run, our players are always coming up with new and inventive ways to make their mark on the world we play in.

Mepps - Passion! There’s always something great when you’re around people who are doing what they love, even if virtually.

Zatozia – I love that Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures players are very creative when it comes to player housing. They can take simple objects and turn them into a full architectural work of art on a blank lot.  I also love that on a daily basis, players from both communities share fantastic ideas for what they would like to see added to the game.

Insulith - My game community is extremely passionate and vocal. I have never encountered such a dedicated community before.

Naylie - I love being involved mostly on the technical side. I like the idea that I am empowering 300 people or so to be active in game or on the forums. Besides that I try to help the players be able to have a good gaming experience.

Ashlanne - The SOE Community Council is a great group of folks.  They all have one thing in common, a passion for the game they play.  They all want what is best for the game they play and they bring that to the table every time I chat with them.

Brasse - Every game is different. I love the rollicking good nature of the Free Realms folks, the dedication and commitment of EQ’s player base, the long-term social structure of Vanguard, the progressive nature of EQII, the smack talk of PlanetSide, the fast-paced communication and action in DCUO, and so on. I guess it’s the sheer variety I love the most. My main game is EQII at this time, because the game most closely suits my preferred playstyle. Still, nothing beats blowing stuff up in PS or a challenging round of Republic Defender in Clone Wars Adventures. Not only do I love my many alts, I love my many alt games! I also play games made by other companies, and quite openly. We can all learn a lot from each other, both what we do well, and where we can improve.

Danicia – I am very lucky as I get to interact with fans and players from all our games! I love how dedicated the PoxNora players are, how funny and awesome the Planetside 2 fans are, and how jazzed up the DC Universe Online players get over new items/DLC.

4. Name your favorite epic thread!

Radar X – DC Universe Online has a Costume thread which I believe is well over 250 pages of folks posting screenshots of their characters.  It’s a true testament to the creativity of our players.

Piestro - The story of fansy the famous bard.

Shirra - Do you really want me to quote a German thread? I thought so!

Amnerys – Mistmore Crag estates? – At the time it was active, this thread was deemed the most epic thread ever on EQII forums by the players. There is too much awesome in it to quote, but in a nutshell, players discovered the clicky for the 2010 vet reward (the Mistmoore Crag Estate) before we announced it, wondered what it was, and speculated on the forums. The dev team chimed in quickly and got incredibly silly with their attempts to throw players off the scent, complete with Photoshopped screenshots.

Mepps - The best part of being in Community is watching your community thrive. Nothing exemplifies that more than this thread where players from PoxNora gathered to post and share video commentaries of sometimes legendary matches.

Zatozia – My favorite threads were the ones that had Free Realms players requesting to have the NPC named Bruce returned to the game.  Some players used role-play to make their requests:

Dear Bruce,

Hello, my name is Kelvin. I am a big fan of yours, and I am just wondering, why have you not returned? You’ve been off-tour for such a long time that I’m not even sure if the newcomers to Free Realms knows who you are! Actually, I’m positive that their quite clueless when it comes to a rockstar named Bruce! All of your loyal fans miss you dearly, and wish you to return to the Snowhill or Wugachug stage! Seriously, Bruce, tell your agent that you have to come back on tour! We’re just dying here without you! Without you, how will we know that it really IS our world? So, Bruce, listen to me! Grab your guitar, get OFF of that couch (Or whatever you’re sitting on), grab your agent, and head back on tour! WE WANT YOU BACK!

Naylie – I don’t really have a topic thread, but I will soon. We have added a place on the guide forums to post blogs about their experiences in game. I can’t wait to see what comes from that.

Isulith – When we originally were going free-to-play, many of the players were really concerned. It turned out to be over 70 pages long! By the end of it though, the players came to terms with it and were eventually able to find middle ground with the decision. Now we have an even stronger, growing community and this has been reflected on the forums and social media, which is more active than ever.

Ashlanne - It has to be the Burnt Woods thread from way back…  Maybe Piestro can tell us where that zone is located this week

Brasse – I don’t have one. My favorite threads are the conversations that go on in game. I especially enjoy being on my play server (in any game) and talking directly to players. I don’t usually join in the open chat channels (I just eavesdrop on those), but happily converse in person with anyone who has the time for it.

Danicia – As a player of SWG from beta to the end times, I have lots of amazing stories and threads. My most favorite threads of all were the old rivalry between the Team Hawtpants, aka Tailors & then Entertainers and the Rangers, who formed RATGWNIWNU (Rangers Against That Garment Whose Name I Will Not Utter). There were many flags planted in each others forums those days, full of silliness and ascii flags.

New Dungeon Maker layout revealed! This week Linda “Brasse” Carlson (Director of Global Community Relations) talked with Akil “Lyndro” Hooper (Lead Designer) and Garret “Bronstahd” Fern (Design Engineer) about EverQuest II’s Dungeon Maker. They discussed Extra Dungeon Mark Days, upcoming improvements, gave a preview of the Poets Palace layout, and answered many viewer submitted questions. Later in the show, Brasse gave a live run through of her dungeons. She gave tips on how to make a dungeon that other players won’t be able to resist. If you missed the webcast on January 19, 2012, watch it below, or explore our YouTube channel.

Chat with the Devs

In-Game Walk Through with Brasse

Keep an eye on Facebook or on Twitch TV for webcast announcements!

By Aimee “Ashlanne” Rekoske

It is a brand new year and with it comes brand new SOE Employees to meet. We want you to get to know folks in Finance, Human Resources, Development, Legal, Quality Assurance, Office Operations, Customer Service, Administrative Assistants, and Marketing, just to name a few. We have people from all walks of life here at SOE.

Each month The Community Team will highlight one of SOE’s many diverse employees in a monthly feature titled, “SOE Employee Spotlight.” Each month our spotlighted employee will also appear in some fashion on the Official SOE Podcast. Our first spotlight for 2012 you will meet Andrew Huse, a member of the Audio Visual Department. Take a moment to find out about what a typical day in the office is like for him, what his favorite SOE game is, and other fun tidbits. As a special bonus, we included a screenshot from his favorite SOE game for you to download!

Tell us about yourself! What’s your name and what do you do here at SOE? How long have you been working at SOE?

My name is Andrew Huse. I am an associate audio visual producer here at SOE and I basically help produce, film, and edit the visual media and advertising for our games. I have been working here since August 2011.

How did you get into the industry?

That is such a good question! I have always been interested in photography and film making since high school. I was a student photographer for the Daily Aztec while I attended San Diego State University, and after college I worked for the San Diego Union-Tribune as a photographer and video editor. In July 2011 The Union-Tribune was running a series of stories on Comic Con, and one of those articles would be about CEO John Smedley. I wasn’t originally assigned to that particular story, but when the other photographer wasn’t available to shoot they had me head up to the SOE headquarters and capture video of the interview. After the interview I stayed and chatted with the other AV guys and found out they were hiring. A couple weeks later I was in for an interview and got the job.

Tell us what a typical workday is like for you.

Usually what we do is play a game title and capture footage from the game for use in commercials and media promotion. Every game is different, but knowing the special codes for each game helps us get the shot we want. Sometimes we have to do a particular shot 7 or 8 times until we get it right. We also log in 5 accounts so we can have characters in the game doing an action, or walking down a path all at once – that usually involves having to press multiple keyboards all at once. It can get a little challenging.

Let’s talk favorites… What is your favorite SOE game title? What is your favorite location, favorite thing about that game? Do you have a favorite memory or moment from that particular game?

Since coming to SOE, I have been playing a TON of EverQuest. I can’t believe how large the game is, and one of my favorite things to do is just explore and walk around. I usually end up getting mixed up with some questionable NPCs and dying pretty quickly though.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

I would have to say Gordon Freeman. I’m a shy and quiet person, but it seems Gordon pulls it off.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

This is going to sound bizarre, and I’ve never told this to anyone, but I’ve always dreamed about having the ability to copy and paste any real world object I see. So like if I saw a Lamborghini at a car show I could just copy it there in my head, then paste it into my garage when I got home. The possibilities are endless.

Vampires or Zombies and why?

Vampires are too tricky and deceitful. With zombies all you got to do is bash them over the head and be done with em.

Let’s get real! Hobbies? What’s last book you read? Last movie you saw? What do you do to unwind after a busy day?

I play the piano and violin, and I love music in general. I last read the Steve Job’s biography. I am a huge David Fincher fan, and ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ was awesome. After a busy day I like playing Team Fortress 2, or hitting the gym for a bit.

Enjoy this screenshot from EverQuest, Andrew’s favorite SOE Game!

We hope you enjoyed meeting Andrew and will take a listen to a future Podcast where Andrew will be featured. Return next month for another SOE Employee Spotlight.

Employee Spotlight Archives

By: Mark Tuttle

Hello everyone!

And…here we are.

January 19^th, 2012 marks the one year anniversary of our release of Magic: The Gathering – Tactics.  It’s been an incredibly fun and challenging title for the team and while things didn’t always go exactly as we planned, we think we’re hitting our birthday on a high note!

Why is that?  Glad you asked!

Something big happened this week that you might not have been aware of, so I’m telling you now.  SOE announced a deal with a German media company called ProSieben to distribute our games, including Magic: The Gathering – Tactics, in all of Europe.  ProSieben is an incredible company and has the ability to put Tactics out in front of millions of new gamers.  As you know, Magic: The Gathering is a huge brand in Europe, so this is a very exciting prospect for us.  We don’t have the exact timeline yet but the international release of Tactics through ProSieben will be coming very quickly.

That’s cool!  Is that all the good news?

Of course not.  It gets better.

On Tuesday of next week, Magic: The Gathering – Tactics will join other great free to play games on Steam, one of the largest online gaming portals anywhere.  Much like the ProSieben deal, this will introduce Tactics to a huge group of new gamers.  When you see these players hit the lobbies, please welcome them in and try not to play your Black Lotus on turn #1, ok?

Wait, you mentioned a birthday.  Are there presents?

Of course there are!  You can send them directly to me.

Actually, we have a gift for you.  Starting Thursday, January 19^th at 12am, the first time you log into Magic: The Gathering – Tactics on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you’ll receive one free, non-tradable,  preview copy of the artifact creature Juggernaut!  Log in for the four consecutive days and you’ll get your full four copy playset!   This promotion ends on Sunday night, January 22^nd at 11:59pm PT.  If you don’t snag your Juggernauts by then, you’ll have to wait until Summer’s release of Magic: The Gathering – Tactics Set #3.

Currently, the team is working hard on the second expansion set for Magic: The Gathering – Tactics and some new features and functionality that we’ll be adding in over the next couple of months.  We’d like to thank all of you for your support over the last year and hope you stick with us for what’s to come!

Best,

Mark Tuttle
Executive Producer
Magic: The Gathering – Tactics

Back in October, we had a Halloween Decorating Contest at SOE. The EverQuest II team won the contest and we were all wondering what they would do with their winnings!

On Facebook, we noticed the EverQuest II team members posting photographs of our front lawn, raising a flag. In Community, we are a curious people, so we checked out the photographs to see what they were doing.

First glimpse that the EQII team was up to something.

They decided to get their own flag! For the New Year, they raised it at SOE. Way to go, team EverQuest II!

Everquest II Team with their new flag!

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Meet the voice behind the Free Realms singing moose head! This week Aimee “Ashlanne” Rekoske   (Community Relations Project Manager) talked with Rodney Gates (Audio Director)   and Mark MacBride (Sound Designer) about what goes into making the audio for Free Realms. If you missed the webcast on Thursday, January 5, 2012 watch it below, or explore our YouTube  channel.

Keep an eye on Facebook or on Twitch TV for webcast announcements!

Happy New Year! The Community Team proudly welcomes the January 2012 SOE Gamer of the Month, Andrew Diamondhorn from Free Realms.

In the near future you may also hear answers to questions he submitted for an SOE Podcast!

Where in the real life world do you live (city and state)?

I live in Davison, Michigan. We’re a small, cold town.

What SOE game(s) do you play?

I mostly play Free Realms, it is by far my favorite game of those I’ve played. I have also played a little bit of Clone Wars Adventures and DCUO.

How long have you played the above game(s)?

I’ve been playing Free Realms since the day it launched, way back in late April of 2009. That’s well over two and a half years ago!

What other games do you play?

I play various computer games, Battle for Middle Earth II, Rainbow Six Vegas II, but quite honestly I mostly play Free Realms. I can’t get away!

Why would you like to be the SOE Gamer of the Month?

I would think that it would be an accomplishment for me, seeing how often I’m on the computer, playing video games. I also think that it would help me connect to a larger community rather than just the fellow players over at Free Realms.

What do you do for a living?

I’m currently still in school, though I’m planning on going into the video game development field and become a graphic artist.

How many hours a week do you play video games?

Oh gosh… let’s see (Sunday… Monday…. Tuesday…..) Roughly 65-70 hours a week. Is that a lot?

Tell us about your character(s).

Well I have two main characters that I usually play in Free Realms, Andrew Diamondhorn and Apl Deap. With Andrew I tend to be building a lot on our Housing server, you may also find me in the Wilds changing a lot of clothes making some random outfits. On Apl, I’m commonly seen doing a number of quests, leveling some jobs, and just hanging out with friends across the Realms.

Andrew Diamondhorn

How did you get into gaming?

I got into gaming way back when I was young. I use to be on an after school basketball team for a while, but shortly found out that I had sports asthma. Trying to find something to do indoors, I found out that I seemed to enjoy the games we had on our Super Nintendo. I can’t say for sure how I got into computer gaming. It was as if I evolved from console, to hand-held, to computer.

What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other than playing video games?

I’m involved in a lot of music programs as a brass player, from groups like Brass Band, Pep Band, Marching Band (for some reason this doesn’t provoke my asthma), to more local events like Tuba Christmas. I can currently play Tuba, Baritone, Trombone, and a few other instruments.

What do you like the most about your favorite SOE game?

MY favorite SOE game would probably be Free Realms, and I like how it has a more relaxed feel to the game rather than a game that is focused around fighting. I like games that focus on a much larger range of activities. I also love how active the staff is with the players, both in game, on the forums, and through customer service.

What’s the first thing you do when you log into your game? Do you have a routine?

Usually when I log on the first thing I do is go harvest some crops that I planted over the night, after that each day has a different agenda.

Let’s talk favorites… What is your favorite item? What is your favorite zone? What about your favorite NPC? Do you have a favorite in-game memory?

Item: I love to hold onto my older shade of red hightops. Even though these shoes came from a Pixie starter set, I got them before they were locked, and they were my starter shoes. I will cherish them forever.

Zone: I love the Wilds in the game: quiet, peaceful, and usually has the least lag!

NPC: 100% Bruce, he was removed from the game unfortunately, but he was always on the Wugachug stage rocking out the same song all day and all night.

In-game Memory: Oh, a very tough question! Hmm… It would have to be either when they did a return concert of Bruce for a couple of days, using solid items to climb high into the sky with some friends, trying to fit 30 or so people on top of one of the bixie hives, or getting lost in Blackspore for three days trying to find my way out.

What is the most in-game currency you have ever spent on a single item?

I have probably spent at most 500,000 coins for a virtual reward in the TCG, though I’ve spent millions in housing – my current house probably has 4-5 million coins into it!

If you could have a superpower or a spell/ability from the game you play, what would it be?

Carry endless amounts of items everywhere I go. Items ranging from a bag of CDs to a tent bigger than the flowers in Merry Vale!

If there was one thing you could tell the SOE community about yourself, what would it be?

Despite how I may act or how I may talk, I always listen… err, read. Come on a little bit closer and listen to me, I don’t bite (doesn’t mean my pets won’t lick you to death).

Learn how YOU can be the SOE Gamer of the Month by heading over to this link!

By participating in an SOE Gamer of the Month Challenge, you agree to comply with the SOE Gamer of the Month Official Rules and SOE’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

SOE has 11 selections featured in the art annual Exotique 7.  This international annual celebrates the best of CG character art.  The works are from three SOE games: Legends of Norrath, Magic: The Gathering – Tactics, and Star Wars Galaxies TCG.

These images will soon be added to SOE Art Portal in the ‘recognition’ section of the gallery with all the other art selected in previous competitions!

The chosen entries are (clockwise from top left):

Legends of Norrath: Aspect of the Owl
Mark Evans

Legends of Norrath: Second Crusade
Craig J. Spearing

Legends of Norrath: Bezzatin Grzzat Avatar
Kerem Beyit

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Angelic Procession
Derek Herring

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Way of the Druids
Adam ‘Danger’ Cook

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Fire Mage
Derek Herring

Star Wars Galaxies: Falling Avalanche
Kerem Beyit

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Cudgel Troll
Frederick Rambaud

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Blazeaxe Forgemaster
Ben Wootten

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Divine Seraph
Brandon Chng

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics: Chandra
Michael Komarck

Art Directors for these images were Derek Herring, Roger Chamberlain, and Carter (David M.)

By Aimee “Ashlanne” Rekoske

It’s time to highlight another diverse employee here at SOE! You’ve met the Community Team on the forums and at Fan Faire. But what about our fine folks in Finance, Human Resources, Development, Legal, Quality Assurance, Office Operations, Public Relations, Administrative Assistants, and Marketing, just to name a few. We have people from all walks of life here at SOE.

The Community Team would like to introduce you to those people in a monthly feature titled, “SOE Employee Spotlight.” Each month our spotlighted employee will also appear in some fashion on the Official SOE Podcast. This month you will meet Tim Loftus, a member of the Technical Support Team. Take a moment to find out about what a typical day in the office is like for him, what his favorite SOE game is, and other fun tidbits. As a special bonus, we learned where his favorite location in-game is and included a screenshot for you to download!

Question: Tell us about yourself! What’s your name and what do you do here at SOE? How long have you been working at SOE?

Answer: My name is Tim Loftus I am a Technical Customer Service Representative. That being said, I’m a total SOE n00b – I’ve only been employed for just over a month!

Question: How did you get into the industry?

Answer: I tried very hard. I didn’t let failure stop me from reaching my goal. I was Determined to make my dream a reality. I scoured the Wired Talent website *shameless plug* in search of every compatible position.
That just goes to show that you never know what can happen in this life – if I got hired on to the first position that I applied for, there is a good chance that I would never have had the opportunity to get invited on to the Podcast!

Question: Tell us what a typical workday is like for you.

Answer: Every morning starts out with a hunt for the best shaded parking spot, ha-ha. I like to arrive early at work so I can sip on a cup of tea while I get my work station in order and check my morning emails. When my shift starts, it’s nonstop action until lunch! If I ever get stuck on a particularly difficult call, my co-workers never hesitate to help; we always have each other’s backs!
I get all sorts of interesting calls: my favorite calls are the really oddball tech problems… my least favorite are the prank calls.
After lunch, it’s a nonstop barrage of customer calls and emails. The work is fast paced and the day flies by. It is a fast paced environment and I love it that way.

Question: Let’s talk favorites… What is your favorite SOE game title? What is your favorite location, favorite thing about that game? Do you have a favorite memory or moment from that particular game?

Answer: My absolute favorite SOE game is DC Universe online. I enjoy it so much that I even play it on my lunch break. I love Gotham City. The design team put a lot of detail into this game and I get entrenched in the mystery and mysticism of the place.
I love the game mechanics, and every boss battle is very unique and challenging. My favorite parts of the game, however, are the cut- scenes and other cinematic events. The opening movie had my jaw dropped to the floor. I get a kick out of showing it to people for the first time.

Question: If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

Answer: I wouldn’t want to be him, but I am very intrigued by Darth Vader. Ok, sure, he was known to choke out a general or two… and then there was the incident on Alderaan… but that was only the result of being shunned by the Jedi Council. The “good guys” in the Jedi council did not care about what he was going through, they only noticed that he didn’t fit their perspective of what a “good Jedi” should be. The Emperor simply capitalized on the Jedi council’s inability to understand and guide Anakin in his time of need.

Question: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Answer: Time travel! I would be wealthier than Biff from Back to the Future 2, but I would use my fame and fortune for good! I could prevent major tragedies from happening… help cure diseases before they are even discovered… tell my past self not to waste money collecting all of those Pokémon cards (they are still not worth anything)!

Question: Let’s get real! Hobbies? What’s last book you read? Last movie you saw? What do you do to unwind after a busy day?

Answer: My favorite hobbies (when I’m not playing video games) are traveling and enjoying the outdoors with my wife. We recently returned from a trip to Russia. It was amazing! Traveling not only teaches you a lot about other cultures, but a lot about yourself as well. I’ve met Quantum Physicists, celebrity journalists, business owners, and adventurers – you never know who will be sitting next to you on the airplane!

Last book I read: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. (I read it on a flight from DC to LA… that was a trip.)

Last Movie I saw: The Muppets

After a busy day, nothing can be better than coming home to a warm home cooked meal. My wife and I are pretty adventurous eaters. I never know what to expect when I come home.
Enjoy this screenshot from DC Universe Online in Gotham City, one of Tim’s Favorite Locations!

We hoped you enjoyed meeting Tim and will take a listen to Podcast #122 and 123 where Tim is our new man! Return next year for twelve more SOE Employee Spotlights.

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