Saavedra! A Creator at Heart!

by: Tony "RadarX" Jones

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RadarX: Thanks for taking the time to do this. We should start out by asking how did you get into designing games? More importantly how did you transition from making games for Midway to working on MMOs?

Saavedra: When I first got started in the industry as a QA Analyst, I spent quite a bit of time pestering the programmers on all of the projects we had in the works to try the games early and give my opinion. Eventually one of those guys felt that I had a decent grasp on what good gameplay is and asked me to design the track layouts for his racing game.

*off topic, the second part of the question could mean any number of things, so I'm going to go with the transition from working on console/arcade games to MMOs*

Almost every aspect of transitioning from working on console and arcade games to an MMO like EverQuest 2 is intimidating. There was an entire world of content that I had to get familiar with very quickly, and knowing that I had an audience of hundreds of thousands of players looking at my work really put the pressure on.

RadarX: It does sound like a lot of pressure, and we know just how "passionate" some fans can be. Speaking of that, you are by far one of the most passionate expressive developers I've actually met at SOE. What do you attribute that to?

Saavedra: *Blush* Aww.... I am a big fan of gaming. I have been in love with video gaming since the days of the Atari 2600, so I guess I just feel grateful and fortunate to be working on a game like EverQuest 2. It's a dream come true for me.

RadarX: I can remember you telling me the story, and it's a great one. What artist (whether they're visual artists, authors, or game designers) would you say have you inspired you most in your work?

Saavedra: This may sound really corny but I'm really influenced by my co-workers. Sure, I'm inspired by the movies I watch, the books I read, and the music I listen too, but I am really motivated when I experience the content that my co-workers create. All it takes is one idea to spark a flood of creativity, and I'm really happy that I work in an environment that fosters that.

RadarX: Awwww group hug! I'm inspired by my Ten Ton Hammer coworkers as well. What zone are you most proud of that you've worked on in EverQuest 2? Is there one that stands out?

Saavedra: I am very proud of my work on the Mistmoore Catacombs in Echoes of Faydwer. I suppose I am proud of every zone I work on, but this one is my newest baby. The Mistmoore Catacombs is a cave system attached to the basement of Mistmoore Castle via two very large, hollowed out stalagmites. The servants of Mayong Mistmoore used these passages to dump failed experiments into the Catacombs, but eventually he had the passages sealed off to prevent any unwanted guests coming back up. Over time these passages have been found again, and are being used as a staging area for adventurers brave enough to enter Mayong's castle.

RadarX: Mistmoore Catacombs is a lot of fun. I think Coyote is annoyed there are see invis mobs in there but we used them to get into Mistmoore just last night. What do you do for SOE when you aren't creating zones?

Saavedra: I won't go on and take credit for the creation of zones! I am just one of the people that fill the zones with things to do. Our zones have many owners, from the designer that creates the zone layout, to our concept artists and zone modelers who make the idea spring to life. All of our designers wear different hats at different times when it comes to the work we do. We are responsible for the quests, the items, the population, the scripted events and even the general concepts that go into our expansions and Adventure Packs. It just depends on where we are needed at the moment.

RadarX: Well your work is definitely noticed by those of us who understand a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes. I know you play the game, so what is your favorite EQ2 class and why?

Saavedra: I must say that I am partial to the Warden. As a Warden I can pretty much do whatever I want whenever I want. I make a great companion for a duo, or group situation, but can still solo quite nicely. With the addition of my new teleport spells that I gained in Echoes of Faydwer I feel even more useful than I did before!

RadarX: I will admit I feel much more useful as a healer now than Pre-EoF. I'm not sure if it'll change after everyone grabs better gear, but I'm content for now. We'll continue to give you guys feedback I'm sure. Speaking of that, how do you feel about player feedback? Does it help you? Frustrate you? Make you want to beat me personally for complaining?

Saavedra: I believe that all player feedback is useful. Whether the feedback is positive or negative, it is still a way to gauge if we are providing players with the kind of game they want to play. Some players are better at articulating their ideas than others, but they are all writing feedback for the same reason. They want EverQuest 2 to be the best game it can be.

RadarX:I suppose I should remember that when I'm bashing them over the head with logic (my apologies to the guy who was peeing his pants over Hellgate). Please walk us through a typical day of what you do (leaving out the odd things we know Glendral does).

Saavedra: I generally get into work around 9:30 am but barely remember the drive due to being half asleep the whole way. Once I get to work, I have to update all of my software daily and get all of the latest files from everyone that works on EQ2. Sometimes this takes 5 minutes, sometimes this can take 45 minutes, depending on how much has changed since yesterday. This is usually a good time to get coffee, check my email and read the latest gaming news. Once that is done, I work like the best worker you ever heard of *wink* until I go to the gym for lunch and repeat my awesome work ethic until I go home. In between that, I might bug Owlchick, pester Dymus, cajole Glendral, harass Zliten, annoy Earlocust, harangue Lyndro, and high-five Arathym, but not necessarily in that order.

Saavedra thanks again for sharing some insight into the life of a developer. We enjoy your work and look foward to seeing what else you are doing with EverQuest 2. There you have it folks, the heart of a developer. So get to Mistmoore Caverns and use the /feedback command! *smiles mischievously*