What is it you do on a daily basis?
Ultimately, I'm responsible for every aspect of support that our customers receive. I work with our CS management staff to ensure we are providing top-notch, quality support to our customers, both here in the US, and in other areas of the world where our customers are playing Warhammer.
What is your background? Where did you go to college and what did you study? Has it helped you with this job?
My background is actually in the hospitality industry. I started my career off as a Chef after attending the Academy of Culinary Arts in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which is near where I grew up. After spending a few years cooking in some really great restaurants, I went back to college at Johnson & Wales University, in Providence, Rhode Island, where I earned a degree in Business Management. From there I worked in hotels, then call centers, and for the last 7 ½ years, here at Mythic.
What other titles have you worked on in the past? In what capacity?
I'm Director of Customer Support for all of Mythic's titles, including Dark Age of Camelot and Ultima Online.
What was your "welcome to the game industry" moment when it hit you that you were really making games for a living?
I actually have this moment every time we hire a new employee. Customer Service is a great way for anyone to get their foot in the door in the gaming industry and we recruit only people with a strong passion for gaming and the desire to become one of the key players who make games for a living. With each new hire, I get to experience the excitement and hope that comes along with being a part of Mythic.
What excites you about the Warhammer property? What makes it perfect for an MMO?
The Warhammer MMO is a perfect example where tabletop and virtual gaming blend seamlessly. Fans of the tabletop have never been more excited to see all of their favorite miniatures move in real-time, attacking the enemy and defending their Realm-mates. I am excited to see such enthusiasm from our fans and am proud that what we set out to accomplish is now a reality.
Now that WAR has launched, what aspect of the whole experience are you most proud of?
I am extremely proud of the team as a whole. Years of everyone's hard work on development of the game has paid off and hit with great success. Having to work with various departments, and establishing a well renowned CS department continues to be a vital key to our success.
Do you collect Warhammer figures? What army do you play?
I don't collect figures but I love to watch friends around the office paint them and play. If I had the time, I'd paint armies for friends just for the fun of it.
What are your hopes/goals for the game?
I look forward to continued success with the game and that we continue to set the bar with new gameplay mechanics, such as our PQ system for example. Mythic has always been a leader in unique systems and I want to see that continue for a long time to come.
What is the biggest problem with current MMOs you hope to fix with WAR?
The biggest problem I currently see is that there are a great variety of MMOs out there today but it takes a special company and MMO to truly stand out. WAR has already set the bar with its RvR system, Tome of Knowledge, and Public Quests, and we continue to look at ways to appeal to our audiences in new and exciting ways.
What are your favorite video/computer games of all time? What games are you playing right now? What game should the reader be playing if he's not?
Definitely Lemonade Stand (sorry, inside joke). While I don't have as much time for gaming as I used to, I love to play Warhammer Online. Games I've loved in the past have included Fable, Knights of the Old Republic, and the Lego games like Lego Star Wars and Lego Indiana Jones. I'll try Fable 2 as soon as I have the time.
What music are you listening to right now?
I like or can appreciate just about any music. I like a lot of older stuff; I'm a huge fan of The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd, and also like bands like Dave Matthews, and listen to a lot of 80's metal.
Is there a recent movie you've seen or book/comic you read that you'd recommend to others?
I see a lot of movies. The latest ones I've seen are the new Bond movie (eh, just ok), Secret Life of Bees (as good as the book), and I also just rented the horror movie The Strangers with Liv Tyler. I thought it was a great scary movie (those are really few and far between in my opinion).
