As many of you know, I was hired to be the community manager for EverQuest II back in August of 2003. It was a great time to come onto the team, as the foundation of a great game was already established. For the next year or so I got to watch as the pieces came together and formed the core of what EverQuest II is today. The role of community manager is not one that is clearly defined in this industry. At some companies, the community manager is a part of the PR department, charged with helping to market the game. At others, it is seen as a means to insulate the developers from player reaction. Fortunately for me, my first boss, John Blakely, had a very different opinion of what my role should be. From the very beginning, he made sure I was thrown directly into the mix, participating in the development of the game and advocating the players' perspective. Once I had proven to people on the team that I wasn't completely crazy (though I would never deny at least partial insanity), they got used to hearing my opinions and feedback on a regular basis, and came to realize that I wanted the same thing they did: to make the game better. I consider myself very fortunate to have developed this relationship with my fellow team members, and that wouldn't have been possible without the patience and support of every name listed in the credits of EQ2. My personal opinion is that the most important function of a community manager is to act as an advocate for the players. This doesn't just mean passing along their opinions and suggestions; it means proactively looking out for their interests in relation to what's best for the game. As designers and coders and artists make changes and add new features, it's important for the community manager to be involved and represent the interests of those who will be experiencing those changes in game. It has been my privilege to have that role for nearly two years now, and I consider myself very fortunate to have been given the opportunity. Another great benefit has been the people I've met as a result of this job. I've gotten to know some terrific fansite people, folks just as dedicated to building a strong community as I am. But maybe the best part has been interacting with the players themselves, both on the message boards and in person at events like FanFaire. In my opinion EQ2 has the greatest players of any game out there, and I'll never be able to thank you all enough for the support you have shown to the game, both before and since launch. I've had the honor of representing EQ2 all around the country and in places like France and China. This is simply a great job anyone would be lucky to have. Over the course of my time here, I've also become more and more involved in the design aspects of the game. In many ways this came about as a natural extension of the fact that I'm constantly interacting with designers and pestering them to explain how the game works and how we can make it better. This interaction gradually made me realize that I wanted to take a more direct hand in the ongoing development of EverQuest II. So I guess this is my long-winded way of letting you know that I am moving out of the community manager role and becoming a full-time game designer. It was not a decision I made lightly, but I look forward to facing new challenges and contributing to the game from a different perspective. I wouldn't be making this transition if I wasn't confident that I could leave the community in good hands. Ryan Shwayder, a.k.a. Blackguard, has been a huge asset to the community team since he moved over from our quality assurance department last year. He shares the same dedication to improving the game that I do, and will act as a strong advocate on behalf of all the players. With the aid of Faarwolf and the support of Scott Hartsman and Alan Crosby, he's going to do a fantastic job as the new EverQuest II community manager. Please join me in congratulating Ryan as he takes on this new responsibility. But I don't want all of you to think you're getting rid of me so easily. Like Hartsman, I'm far too entrenched in the online community to simply fade into the background. I'll continue to post as I always have about game issues, and I'll continue being an advocate for the interests of all our players. Plus I'll still be attending events like E3 and FanFaire, where I'll continue participating in panels and discussions. And I'll still do my occasional "it's not a blog" column to hopefully keep you entertained. In other words, I'm not going anywhere. Thanks again for all the fun over the last two years. It's been an incredible ride, and I look forward to seeing where the future takes us.
Thanks, Moorgard. You've done a great job representing both the community and development team, and I hope to do well following in your footsteps. I've had the amazing opportunity to be a part of this community since its inception, first while running EQII.com, and now as EverQuest II Community Manager. I fell in love with the game the first time I saw it at E3 in 2002, and decided then and there that I wanted to be part of the team. It wasn't until Las Vegas FanFaire 2004 that I made the fateful decision to move out to San Diego from Colorado to be part of the Quality Assurance team. After beta started, I worked as a moderator on the beta forums, transitioning to the Community Relations team shortly before release. Watching this community and game grow has been like a dream come true for me. I've been playing video games my entire life and massively multiplayer games since The Realm Online in '97. I love the genre and couldn't be happier than I am now as I take on a new role at Sony Online Entertainment on my favorite MMORPG, EverQuest II. This community is an absolute blast to be part of. I look forward to interacting with and meeting more of you at events like FanFaire and E3, and will do my best to represent you as your Community Manager. Thank you all for being such a great community.
Yeah what he said. Gonna miss ya posts if you dont continue..its on the web, so gonna hold you to that ! And now that your passing down your position I hope your passing down your +10 vs flames shield too :smileysurprised:
Good luck in your new adventure Moorgard! Your posts have been well written and as a part of this community I thank you for your time and support of the players and the EQ community. Look out Blackguard! This community can be rough. :smileytongue: Welcome Blackguard... I look forward to seeing you in action!
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to both of of you. I enjoy reading your thoughts and comments about EQ2 on a daily basis and look forward to more of it in the future. As a leader in another MMORPG (UO Stratics' Managing Editor), I have to say that the professionalism that both Moorgard and Blackguard have shown to the EQ2 community has been an amazing thing to watch and be a part of over the last year that I've personally been involved in the game, and I'm glad to see both of you remaining so dedicated to the game's success *CHEERS*
Ditto infinitum. Although with this community, I'm not sure if congratulations or condolensces are in order for Ryan.
Congratulations!!!!! Somehow I seem kinda happy someone who communicates so well is going to the dev team :smileyvery-happy: This just means we get a new guy to pester right
Congrats and thanks to both of you. I know it's a tough crowd and you have done, and will continue to do, your best to make the game as fun as possible. While I've had my share of gripes about EQ2's quality, SOE's decisions, and Lithium's service, you two (and Faar) have always been stand up folks as far as I've seen. Good job. - RP
Moorgard, your passion and style will be missed, even though you will still be close by. You were a pleasure to work with and I know you will be successful with your new duties, just as you were with your old. Blackguard, you have some big shoes to try and fill, but I am confident you will carve out your own path. You will be every bit the community advocate that Moorgard was and hopefully have some fun along the way. Congratulations! Now let the torture begin. Message Edited by Brenlo on 07-06-2005 03:31 PM
Awesome and congrats to the both of you guys, Moorgard cant wait to see your ideas come out!:smileyhappy:
Congratulations from one Minnesotan to another, Steve. ...and to Ryan, another Minnesotan tradition: UFF DA!
Sorry to see you moving on Moorgard, though I have had my suspicions with Blackguard posting more and you trailing off a bit. I hope you do find time now and then to poke your head in the forums as your posts are often very informative and helpful. I hope you enjoy your new position! :smileyhappy:
Grats Moorgard. That's quite an achievement to become a full fledge game designer. And Blackguard, how long did you play The Realm for? It was such a small community I might recognize your name if you played long enough until EQ 1 came out.
