Hero's Journey: Developer Journal

Stradden · June 2006

Today, MMORPG.com presents you with a Developer Journal from the Simutronics MMORPG, Hero's Journey. The Dev in question this time is Gamemaster Erik "Sev" Roggeveen, and he discusses the job of a Gamemaster, Simutronics, Hero's Journey and more:

For myself, every day of the week I pop out of bed at daybreak, shriek away my dream demons in ablution to the pagan gods of fire and pain (wake up neighbors!), slap myself into coherence to get the blood shuffling along the tubes, and then sit down to a few hours of intensive designing before lunch. This is a good time of day for me to get my own writing and building done, because the on-site staff is available for any major issues I might have, and most of the other offsite people are still at their day jobs. Later in the evening I tend to keep an open door for any issues other offsite GameMasters may have, and my mat is fairly worn through.

What amuses me is how much amazement we can still evince from the masses, due mostly to our relatively small size as a company. Simutronics is nothing if not a braintrust from the preeminent days of gaming, with a constant flow of brilliant minds passing through our virtual halls, that often later go on to infiltrate every level of the industry in their own careers. So to someone familiar with the inside workings of Simutronics, it seems almost bizarre that people are surprised by what we come up with. Were totally obsessed I tell yas!<?P>

Nobody wants highly-detailed and interesting content more than us, so we are even hungrier than the audience for something fantastic!

You can read the article, here.

EliasThorne · June 2006

Okay.. he's mad!!

HJ-Sisca · June 2006

Originally posted by EliasThorne
Okay.. he's mad!!

Ha! You don't have to work with him. That was obviously written while he was on his meds...didn't kill a single Suwari or anything.

Distortion0 · June 2006

Kill ten Shaddowbosses in order to ifnd info about this game?

HJ-Sev · June 2006

Remember Sisca, you GET to work with me

Plus I'm a staunch supporter of the feline persuation, and not particularly keen on Big-Pharm.

Geez, you should read my article, get to know me!

katriell · June 2006

Hehe. That article was fun to read. ^_^ And I like the sound of those "Wyr"...

*peers a bit more intently at Hero's Journey*

Terranah · June 2006

Bla bla bla.

I like more meat with my potatoes.

Still looks like a great game though and can't wait to play it.

HJ-Zee · June 2006

Finally, Sev gets a small amount of the spotlight that he deserves!

Soon enough you will all get to see his work! Until then... this'll do just fine!

Go Sev! Go Sev! GO GO GO SEV! Shake your booty! Its your birthday!

Archaos · June 2006

I wish HJ reps spent a little less time trying to be so "funny" and a little more time giving some actual information about the game. I don't even remember the last time I learned something new from one of these. I am curious if this forced humor is actually part of some plan by the higher-ups to sell the game. I sincerely hope not as I can already get plenty of this brand of hilarity by browsing livejournal.com.

Antioche · June 2006

Sounds interesting. Most mmorpg's don't seem to have gm's that actually create interesting content. Personally I look forward to seeing more games where gamemasters interact with players on a daily basis. While player to player interaction can be fun, or painful, interaction with a gm designed event is much more interesting and rewarding in the long run. I hope you're all hard at work brainstorming fun and inventive ways you'll be making our character's live more distressing, amusing, and maybe hazardous.

Antioche · June 2006

Also, since I accidentally double posted, please continue to take your medication Sev. It's obviously working.

simu-steph · June 2006

I wish HJ reps spent a little less time trying to be so "funny" and a little more time giving some actual information about the game.

I guess it all depends on what kind of "information" you're looking for. You just learned a great deal about the personality of one of our established GMs who's also helping to develop the world. I'd say that's worth something.

I don't even remember the last time I learned something new from one of these.

The Class articles were pre-E3, and the Player Services article was a fairly significant bit of information about a game design that Mike Paddock is working on.

We'll be focusing on Wyr more strongly next time. We release information as we feel confident that it will be in the final game. Otherwise, you'll be disappointed in a different way. We'd rather you find us "too funny" than "total freakin' liars".

simu-steph · June 2006

Accidental double-post. So sorry.

simu-steph · June 2006

Most mmorpg's don't seem to have gm's that actually create interesting content

Our definition of GameMaster is a little different. In most games, GameMasters are essentially customer care associates. We have those, too, but we also have GameMasters who do nothing but build areas and design the world.

We're aware that people are going to look at our use of the word "GameMaster" and be confused, but this is what we've been calling these people for fifteen years, and we figure while we're putting the "RP" back in "MMORPG", we might as well put the "Game" back in "GameMaster"...or...something like that.

Our GameMasters are astonishingly talented and creative individuals. They're given a lot of power and a great deal of freedom to build awesome stuff. They never cease to amaze me.

WoodenDummy · June 2006

Originally posted by simu-steph

...we figure while we're putting the "RP" back in "MMORPG", we might as well put the "Game" back in "GameMaster"...or...something like that.

To be as frank as I can, this is why you'll have my money from the very start.

raccoon · June 2006

Originally posted by HJ-Sev

For those of you who've read articles by our lovely and talented
manager Steph and been convinced game designers are a good bit
loopy...I'm the last person to make you believe otherwise. In fact,
there could be an implied conspiracy here that she sent me over to make
her look completely normal by comparison. If that's the case, I shall
have to employ secret defensive plan number 553 to make myself appear
completely normal! Now where did I put my eyelid clamps....

Hmm, regretfully, your plan didn't work. Steph's still crazier in my opinion.

_Shadowmage · June 2006

So I gleaned the fact that wyr has something to do with the history of the world - or possibly that significant events create wyr.

And that Simutronics GM's require stronger medication

uaprsf · June 2006

You know, I am really looking forward to this game. I click on links like Dev Journals to get info on the game. I can understand how a company might want to keep a tight wrap on stuff as planned things change or comments about current development tracks may run into speed bumps and the best of intentions in includeing the community here can lead to firestorms when technical hurdles incountered post info-post derail those articulated goals or dev paths. Completely Understood.

But is it me or are the lastest greatest batch of outreach posts here merely FLUFF? No usefull info but more of an exercise in creative writting skills by the posters. Notwithstanding the talented folks surrounding the development of the game I for one dont come here to get these "Human" stories, they seem more like obligitory postings to keep a game name in circulation rather than an actual sharing of game status. While they may serve to keep the game name front and center the content is rather devoid of the context of the title they are posted under. This kind of stuff tends, at least for me, to shade the company in a rather less than desirable light

FYI

HJ-Cinnamon · June 2006

See you must learn to multitask Erik! I've told you this before. I can email, play Animal Crossing, demand that my avatar in HJ have special earrings AND build all at the same time. <nods> And from home too. And stop killing my Ukar! They like me! They call me their queen. Queen Cinnamon they chant!

HJ-Cinnamon · June 2006

Originally posted by uaprsf
You know, I am really looking forward to this game. I click on links like Dev Journals to get info on the game. I can understand how a company might want to keep a tight wrap on stuff as planned things change or comments about current development tracks may run into speed bumps and the best of intentions in includeing the community here can lead to firestorms when technical hurdles incountered post info-post derail those articulated goals or dev paths. Completely Understood.

But is it me or are the lastest greatest batch of outreach posts here merely FLUFF? No usefull info but more of an exercise in creative writting skills by the posters. Notwithstanding the talented folks surrounding the development of the game I for one dont come here to get these "Human" stories, they seem more like obligitory postings to keep a game name in circulation rather than an actual sharing of game status. While they may serve to keep the game name front and center the content is rather devoid of the context of the title they are posted under. This kind of stuff tends, at least for me, to shade the company in a rather less than desirable light

FYI

Now if I may pop in and respond to this.

The greatest thing to me when looking at a game I'm interested in, is the mystery. I don't WANT to know what's in the game. I like these "FLUFF" posts as you call them because this shows just how creative the staff at Simu is. Rest assured if you were entertained by any of our rantings...um I mean journals, then you WILL love HJ.

I have yet to meet a Simu game I didn't love, and this was even BEFORE I worked for the company. Patience my young Padawans. In time all things revealed will be.

Add Cinnamon and stir.....

HJ-Cinnamon

Pietoro · June 2006

Dunno, as cute as it all was, would be nice to have had SOME real information.

raccoon · June 2006

It's only a matter of time before we're swimming in information, lore, backstory, and so on. Simu's always been real big on that.

I prefer them holding information back for now until they know for sure that what they're telling us is accurate. If they do tell us something wrong, or have to scrap an idea because it's unfeasible, then they'll get flamed because they "lied". Then those of us that are all loyal to Simu after bunches of years of wonderful gaming will be forced to flame right back and... yeah, better off this way.

_Shadowmage · June 2006

[quote]Originally posted by HJ-CinnamonPatience my young Padawans. In time all things revealed will be.

Add Cinnamon and stir.....
HJ-Cinnamon[/b][/quote]

Umm - so there are Jedi making this game. And based on the creatures Cinnamon is putting in it sounds like she bats for the dark side

marleena · June 2006

Maybe it's just me, but reading these little "fluff" articles make me crave the game even MORE. Just reading how creative the GMs are leads me to believe that any storyline or quest will really get your attention and make you feel immersed in the game.

WoodenDummy · June 2006

Originally posted by marleena
Maybe it's just me, but reading these little "fluff" articles make me crave the game even MORE. Just reading how creative the GMs are leads me to believe that any storyline or quest will really get your attention and make you feel immersed in the game.

It makes a change doesn't it...

**spelling edit

Renessa · June 2006

Maybe they just want to weed out players with no humour or no patience...

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