"All the World is a Stage..."

To resume our "Chats with the GMs", I thought I would follow my stroll with Vladmiir (it did take me a while to find my way back, silly rogue!) by catching an early-rising GM-Tage, aka Todd Thomas, and getting him to do what he likes best.....talk!

It did prove even more interesting than I hoped! How could it not, actually, when this person lives in a world of fantasy and dreams in color??!! (Ok, so I'm guessing! I forgot to ask.) But enough small talk. Enjoy your coffee and read on!

*pops open a Pepsi and settles in*

Q: Tage, how long have you been in gaming Customer Service?

I started only a few years ago, but I’ve got a lot of CS background in other lines of business and I’ve been gaming since … well, a really long time ago.

Q: What is it that you like about your job, in particular?

The interviews? Actually, I’m always excited by the potential of what’s yet to come. I see so much room for evolution in MMOs, how they appeal to players and how they are presented and how I could fit into and even push that evolution that every day is exciting. It also helps that Sigil seems to be looking forward to the same things I am.

Day to day, I really enjoy working on what we’re calling “dynamic events”, which are the standard “GM event” from other MMOs, but hopefully improved and evolved to a “3rd gen” level. I’d like to think that I can learn from my background and even from what I’ve heard about from others to make each “dynamic” progress beyond the last. I want to see Vanguard dynamic events blow people away and break the barriers of what people think is possible with GM-run and –acted events.

Q: You resided in Norrath for some time. Is there a big difference in what you did there as what you will be doing in Telon?

While I look back fondly on my time on Legends, there are things that were inherent with that system that were restrictive. I don’t see any of those restrictions with Vanguard. Even the CS department is arranged differently to account for different duties and types of GMs. I am looking forward to devoting all of my time to dynamics. I like dealing with players, but I’d rather be doing it in the setting of a dynamic than in a petition, and I think that’s where my abilities lie. We have very talented GMs that are much more capable of providing support than I and so that’s what they will do. I’ll be staying out of their way and terrorizing, agitating and hopefully entertaining the players as an event writer or GM-actor instead of in response to petitions.

The other difference that I find pretty intimidating is working with more than one server. We want to present a high level of dynamic content equally to all servers and all time zones. This is going to be a challenge for any size team, but it’s the challenge that make something interesting.

Q: What is your favorite event that you ever helped with or ran as a GM? Or what type event?

Each of the major dynamic events I’ve so far run in beta have gone over very well. But of course, I can’t talk about that, right? NDA and all.

If I really had to pick a favorite from before Sigil, I’d say it was the Troll Bowl. One day driving to work I had this idea that it would be fun to try to play a game of rough and tumble football in game. That developed into the trolls vs. the frogs in an all-out, PvP run from one goal line to the other. It was hampered by some game mechanics and tactics and rules developed slowly, but I think everyone involved really had fun, especially once I and my troll team started cheating, as trolls will do.

I would say the elements of an event that most appeal to me are strong, usually quirky, characters, a touch of humor and a challenge to the brain for the players involved. I want to entertain in as many different ways as I can imagine, but more than that, I want players to come away feeling like they’ve achieved something, not merely participated. Passive entertainment is fine and worthwhile – I really enjoyed simply telling a story to a chat channel recently – but there’s opportunity to present so much more.

Q: Do you really enjoying RolePlay a lot, since you came from that background, it seems!?

Actually, I’m less of a roleplayer than a storyteller, I think. Sure, I like my bizarre persistent characters I’ll use for dynamic events and story arcs, but more than that I want to make sure the entertainment gets through.

I expect to run at least a few dynamics by direction only rather than acting – writing, setting it up, prepping the GM actors on their roles and directing the action behind the scenes. While it’s not as intimate, this kind of thing should allow me a level of control I haven’t had much before. With that control, I think I can direct action and events to really hit everyone’s fun soft-spot.

I’ve really paid attention to the results of events – ones I’ve run and ones I haven’t – and the reactions of the players involved. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what, in general, people like and don’t like about GM events. I’m going to use that to present things they didn’t even imagine were possible, but still will find fun for the same reasons.

Q: What dimension to you hope to bring the world of Telon?

The fourth? I think by now it’s pretty obvious, but I don’t mind going over it again. I want to see dynamic events in Vanguard that are above and beyond anything you’ve seen or imagined in an MMO so far. I want to open up possibilities. I want to tell stories. I want to present truly intelligent, challenging and interactive entertainment. And I want a pet monkey. The world of Telon will truly benefit from my having a pet monkey.

Q: Is there any warning you'd give to someone thinking they want to grow up to be a GM?

Don’t grow up! Other than that, don’t limit yourself. Bring something new and beyond everyone else’s limits to the industry. We’ll all benefit from it. Grow a thick skin. Develop lots of empathy and compassion, even for the noobs, especially for the pwrgamerz (I’m still working on that last one). Learn spelling, punctuation, grammar, and articulation in at least two languages.

Q: Thanks, Tage! Any last comments?

If you’ve played MMOs before and loved GM events, expect, even demand, better. If you hate them, try ours – they’ll be better. If you’ve never played an MMO or never experienced player vs. GM-character action, then find out what you’re missing! Come to Telon! And once you’re there, don’t think for a moment you can hide from me. I’m going to make sure you have fun, even if it kills your character… several times if necessary.

*thinks about that one and then stands up...slowly...and backs towards the door*

Thanks, Tage. Very...informative...I assure you! I think I better go call my insurance company....