Questions by Cody “Micajah” Bye, Managing Editor
Answers by Tony “RadarX” Jones, Ten Ton
Hammer’s Tabula Rasa Community Manager
On December 20, 2007, two of the Ten Ton Hammer staff members were
immortalized in the world of massively multiplayer gaming. As long time
members of the global EverQuest
II community, the caricatures of Tony
“RadarX” Jones and Dan “Coyote
Sharptongue” Irving were introduced into the latest expansion
of Legends of Norrath
as playable cards in the online trading card game. Although Tony now
works as Ten Ton Hammer's Tabula
Rasa Community Manager, he was previously employed as the
network's EverQuest
II CM, and Dan "Coyote" Irving continues to serve as the
outlet for all of the networks adult-slanted humor in his daily blog "
href="http://coyote.blogs.tentonhammer.com/">Not
Funny....Ever" (not safe for work).
As part of the
Forsworn set of cards, RadarX and Coyote were some of the first
volunteers to be selected by the SOE development team to receive this
“thank you” gift in return for their years of hard
work and diligence. Their facsimiles now adorn to actual in-game cards
that can be pulled from any pack of the Forsworn set. To commemorate
this exceptional occasion, the Ten Ton Hammer editorial
staff took some time to interview Tony “RadarX”
Jones and learn how an online leader for an MMOG community becomes a
trading card. We've displayed all of the cards below, so make sure you
check 'em out!
Ten Ton Hammer: First,
how were you selected to be made into a card for Legends of Norrath?
What set you apart from every other blogger on the 'net?
Tony
“RadarX” Jones: SOE has a program that
brings together influential people within their game community who
correspond at times to provide feedback. Coyote and I just
happened to be two of those people who were willing to act a little
silly to help out.
border="1">
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/16116"
title="LoN Community Cards">
src="/image/view/16116/preview"
width="200">
style="font-style: italic;">The
style="font-style: italic;">Legends of Norrath
community cards.
Ten Ton Hammer: What sort
of things have they asked you to provide feedback on in the past? How
did you originally become a part of this group?
Tony:
Community influencers are usually brought to summits where the topics
cover how we perceive their marketing, what else they can provide the
community, and how SOE can better understand its customers.
It's a varied mixture of network media (such as myself), bloggers,
podcasters, and generally outspoken players.
Ten Ton Hammer: Why were
their only eight individuals selected? What about the other community
leaders?
Tony: The
eight were just a few of the volunteers for the first round.
They were only able to produce so many special cards like this in one
expansion. SOE intends to include other influencers in future
expansions.
Ten Ton Hammer: After you
were selected, what did SOE need from you? A picture?
Tony: We
took some pictures in various poses using a basic idea of what the card
should look like. SOE Denver took those and made what you see
in the game. We even used props in some of them
Ten Ton Hammer: Hah! So
what was your initial reaction to the idea?
Tony: I
thought the idea was extremely awesome It's a simple thank you to
people who invest their time and thoughts into making the community a
better place
Ten Ton Hammer: Did you
jump up and down and holler like a monkey? That's what I would've
done…
Tony:
*laughs* No, there was no hollering but I was very excited and humbled
by the opportunity. I mean we are IN the trading card
game. And these are GOOD cards too.
Ten Ton Hammer: Are you a
rare? Or an uncommon? Or – *pauses for effect* – a
common?
Tony: I
don't think these are rare cards but just looking at the abilities and
stats on them I have a feeling they are most certainly uncommon
border="1">
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/16114"
title="Tony RadarX Jones">
src="/image/view/78292"
width="150">
style="font-style: italic;">Tony "RadarX" Jones
Ten Ton Hammer: *laughs*
You are not unique. You are merely uncommon.
Tony:
*laughs* Nah, I doubt they would've put us on a common card…
Ten Ton Hammer: Do you
own a copy of the card yet?
Tony: I
haven't found it yet...I've only got 4 booster packs but I'll get it.
*crosses fingers*
Ten Ton Hammer: Do you
typically buy your Legends
of Norrath boosters? Or do you get them off drops?
Tony: I'd
say it's probably 50/50. Sometimes I'll see them drop or see
a good price for them on the broker and scoop ‘em
up. At this point they are kind of pricey so I'm buying them
out of my pocket.
Ten Ton Hammer: Do you
think many people are actually playing the game while using the EQLive
or EQ2 client? Or do they typically use the out of game browser?
Tony: I
think most people are honestly using the stand alone client.
Even on a high resolution it still takes up most of your screen so it's
impossible to do more than play LoN.
Ten Ton Hammer: Do you
think the cross-genre promotion is working? It does seem to be the only
true genre-blending TCG of its kind.
Tony: I
think the promotion of it works because there are in game
motivators. They have some very cool loot you can pick up
from cards and it gets people interested. Without those in-game
motivators I think it would have a significantly lower impact on the
average player.
Ten Ton Hammer: Like the
loot cards?
Tony:
Exactly. Loot cards brought them a whole group of players who would've
never touched a TCG. They have mounts, cloaks, potions, and the
Forsworn expansion even has cool house items
Ten Ton Hammer: And vice
versa? Are there TCG players play EQLive or EQ2 that would've never
touched an MMO?
Tony: I'm
not so sure a TCG player might pick up EQ2 or EQLive because some of
the rewards are usable in game. Most TCG players I know are
after the cool cards that make the game easier or items that give them
an advantage. I've seen them trading off decent loot cards
for better TCG cards.
Ten Ton Hammer: So how
would you recommend current EQLive or EQ2 players go about getting
their faces on trading cards?
Tony: Get
involved. Voice your concerns (in constructive way), help
people on the forums and in game, write some helpful guides.
If you are doing a lot, the community managers know who you are.
border="1">
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/16115"
title="Coyote Sharptongue">
src="/image/view/78292"
width="150">
style="font-style: italic;"> Dan "Coyote
Sharptongue" Irving
Ten Ton Hammer: Is there
anything else you'd like to tell the Ten Ton Hammer readers and/or the
developers at SOE?
Tony: I do
have a quote from Coyote if you want it about how he got choosen...
her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft The LoN card
from the bosom of the water signifying that I, Coyote, was to be one of
the chosen.
“I think I was
chosen because I am a ‘figure of interest’ in the
community, which I believe is polite-ese for ‘Never shuts
up.’ I was flattered to find out that the SOE staff is
familiar with my ‘work’ and my humor.”
- Coyote Sharptongue
Ten Ton Hammer: And for
yourself?
Tony: What
would I like to tell readers and the Devs. I want to thank
the SOE Community Team for being one of the best teams I've seen in the
industry. Their dedication to their players is an example of
what it really means to build a community. We all know that
SOE has been in some controversial situations over the years, but on a
personal level they do care, and absorb feedback from even....a Coyote.
and Coyote’s rise to stardom? Who should be next in line?
Should they make a “Micajah” card? href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?p=192800#post192800">Let
us know in
the forums!
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