1) Who are you?
The nickname I use online is Herok. I work as the volunteer site manager for the Crossroads of Atriana subsite, and as an employee for Crossroads Network, LLC.
2) How long have you followed the development of Atriarch?
In early March (2000) I found Atriarch through a post on an Anarchy Online board. As I was looking for a new "home" I found out everything I could about the game and then took over the dormant Crossroads of Atriana from the school-bound Willburn.
3) What game(s) did you play before finding out about Atriarch?
Strategy: Heroes of Might and Magic II, Warcraft franchise (though I didn't like Starcraft), Command & Conquer/ Red Alert franchises, Age of Empires, Earth2025
Online RP: Gloomveil (PBMB), Legends of Excalibur (SMAUG MUD)
Gaming Aspects
1) What gaming design aspect are you glad is included in the game?
The strategy-rpg hybrid is what attracted me most, but the alien non-AD&D rule design was what made me stay.
2) What would you like included in/removed from the game?
Included:
I am hoping that Atriarch maps the intangible (non-numerical based) elements of roleplaying. For example, the ability for players to have self-defined (scripted?) Social events: Marriage/Divorce, Funeral/Burial, Galas/Plays, etc.
Removed:
Global communication not handled through in-game buildings/management.
Design created species prejudice/xenophobia. While it is true that players are free to be who/what they want, the character writeups (especially the descriptive words) tend to be fairly negative toward "outsiders". This use of impositional "Us vs. Them" is rarely enforceable, and, for me, rarely interesting.
3) How much/what innovation do you think Atriarch brings to the industry?
This is a "wait and see" question in terms of content. For technology, based on the results of ARCs comments at GDC 2001, it will be innovative to have a persistent world that doesn't get sucked down by its own latency/bandwidth issues.
Atriarch will still have a spherical world philosophy, even though it won't circle the Earth in terms of connection. Hopefully the multiple incarnations will remain seperate entities in terms of story-deterimination. If Atriarch is able to stay as a one-world game then it will break through the shard-mentality that other games require.
If Atriarch is able to deliver on In-Game (Actors, etc) and Real-World Customer Service Support, then it will surpass the previous incarnations. If Atriarch creates a world that supports RolePlaying more than the other player personality types, then it will hold my attention longer. If Atriarch can establish a purchase-incentive plan or a non-US-based payment philosophy (ie. pay in your home currency), that would be amazing.
Atriarch Community
1) What factors build/destroy the Atriarch community?
Destroy: The Atriarch community can only remain hyped as long as its members are feeling satisfied/heard. There are often long information-droughts compounded with a lack of developer interaction. Anything that inhibits new players from engaging in the community will help destroy the same said community.
Build: New community members supported by existing members build the community. Developer interaction needs to be shared throughout the community and not just a few boards or in one irc channel. Community features/content should be consistent and constant.
2) How can the schism between longtime and new followers of the game be breached?
Do (positively) unto others as you would have done unto you. The schism will never be breached, but the community can bring the edges closer together.
3) Should visibility in the community curry special favour in the (pre-)game?
Should it curry favour? No. Will it? Probably. In the pre-game (alpha,beta) it doesn't matter as much if it occurs or not. It would be disappointing if Atriarch turned into a social club for World Fusion's friends and hell for anyone else. Nepotism is prevelant in every aspect of society--we tend toward what we know and like, therefore it is unlikely that it will be stamped out completely. However, I don't believe World Fusion will let the nepotism run rampant enough to hurt the game design.
note: If you're looking to get on the "inside" (whatever or whereever that may be), remember that someone lurking will have little "chance" against someone who offers interesting ideas or promotes the creation of interesting ideas in others.
Discussions
1) Where can people find your threads?
I focus most of my forum-energy at Crossroads of Atriana, but I drop into the ATV and ATS forums from time to time.
2) What thread was your favourite to start or see thrive (site/url)?
Almost any thread where Phinehas and I can violently agree on the topic. :)
3) What do you think should be discussed more amongst the communities?
It is difficult not to repeat questions and concerns that have been raised in the earlier inceptions of the community, so I would rather see a focus on fiction and concept idea generation, such as is being done at the APDT.
Other aspects you think would interest folks?
It will be interesting to see whether non-Faction-oriented people will have the opportunity to build empires, whether non-group oriented people will have the opportunity to grow, and whether the noble of heart will have the opportunity to survive.
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