Get to Know Your Dev: Allen Bond

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Accendo, Feb 28, 2023.

  1. Accendo Guest

    [IMG]A look into the life and history of EverQuest’s Senior Artist.

    How did you come to work on EverQuest?

    I started playing EverQuest about 6 months after launch, and I knew I wanted to work on it. I was just finishing up art school and still working for Terminix at the time. Then I started networking with GMs on test server and got to know the names of some of the developers. Turns out my wife worked at Boll Weevil Restaurant, where Jeff Butler and some of the devs would lunch at. So, I put together an EverQuest restaurant menu for my wife to give to Jeff the next time he was there; it had all my contact info on the back of the menu. Then I applied and got interviewed a few times and when I talked to Michelle Butler and mentioned the menu thing, she said, “Oh!? That was you?” So, I think it helped me stand out a bit, and I got hired as a Game Master. I was GM on Xegony for a year, and during that time, I volunteered to make any artwork I could. I ended up doing a lot of the artwork for the Fan Faire, badges, pins, etc. Then I apprenticed for EverQuest for a few months and became an environment artist.

    How long have you been working on EQ?

    On and off for the last 22 years (I did a few years on EverQuest Next and about one year on H1Z1).

    What was the first creation you worked on for EQ?

    My first creations were a lot of the objects for the Plane of War. The first zone I worked on was Veksar.

    What is your favorite design that you’ve worked on for EQ?

    I really like the way Brell’s Rest and Temple turned out.

    How did you break into the game industry?

    I guess I answered that in the first question, oops.

    What advice do you have for someone who wants to break into the game industry?

    A lot of it is networking. I would also do some game jams for experience working with others or enter art competitions for feedback.

    Who is your favorite NPC in EQ?

    Scruffy the rat.

    What was the most challenging creation / design you’ve worked on?

    Since I’m not a character artist, being on the team that first implemented the Hero's Forge armor was pretty challenging. Now I actually enjoy making the armor.

    What do you know now that you wish you knew when you got started?

    I wished I had learned to use more programs; when I started, I only knew Lightwave for 3D modeling.

    What’s the first thing that got you interested in working in the gaming industry?

    I always liked arcade/video games, but I think what really got me thinking about working in the industry was when I modded the graphics for an Amiga game named Legends of Valour.

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  2. Fanra https://everquest.fanra.info

    Iven, Yinla, Skuz and 3 others like this.
  3. Nennius Curmudgeon

    Do you still have a copy of the menu?
    Fanra likes this.
  4. Karafawyne New Member

    rock n roll
  5. PathToEternity pathtoeternity.pro


    Networking and building connections really cannot be overemphasized in tech.
    minimind likes this.
  6. Nennius Curmudgeon

    And just about every other field.
    Stymie and PathToEternity like this.
  7. Andarriel Everquest player since 2000

    Did you work on the Scalemail Hero ornaments? I love those my ranger's are using the erudite scalemail there very cool looking. My main is using the male version while my other two are using female.
  8. Yukaan the Bear Journeyman

    Love it! The menu should be a rare drop off Scruffy the rat.

    Great job on hero's forge. Stuff looks great
    CrazyLarth and Nennius like this.
  9. Xanbar Augur

    Perhaps so I don't know from experience. However I would expect if your skill set and experience is with the low-level code on the back-end that it would be more about what do you know and what have you done. As in "I wander if we can find someone that can actually comprehend this code and can change it without breaking all kinds of stuff". But maybe I'm completely wrong on that ...
  10. Loup Garou De loop de loop

    Are you the evil person who made Beryl and then made it the rarest HF armor in the game? Been trying to get one piece (chain legs) for the last 5 years and yes, I know all the tricks. Shoot when we just had that charity boost in game I got 4 wither and decay drops - that was like a landslide of goodies!!

    Do you have any influence on drop rate? Like maybe make it real heavy so it falls off the mobs?;)
  11. Iven Antonius Bayle

  12. Iven Antonius Bayle

    Dear Allan, is it technically possible to let armor dyes (Vial of Prismatic Dye) work for Hero's Forge armor ornamentations and could that be implemented ?

    It would be a win win situation if that could be added because players could further customize the PCs and Daybreak would sell more Hero's Forge armor ornamentations. Without an armor dye option most Hero's Forge armor is to unattractive for being bought by the players. As example, nearly no amor set does fit to the rogue class because of the light colors.

    Many players would also like to reproduce their custom armor dye styles that they used during LoY and the following years. The heritage crates do offer many revamped versions of the popular Velious armor textures and those got often dyed in the past.