Have a Burning question for Bonnie 'Mesanna' Armstrong?

[Rupert Avery]

The Deadliest Producer to work on our much loved Ultima Online has agreed to do an interview!

So if you have a questions head over to UOForums Submit your Questions forum
and submit your questions before August 12th and make 1 thread per question.

I want to say thank you to Mesanna for agreeing and I expect there to be some very cool questions

 

[SlobberKnocker]

when is the +5 scroll coming?

who designed the cure quest, and how much does she think the sleeves will sell for on luna vendors?

how to bring an infusion of new players to the game.

will my uo ever be back up and running

4 right off the top

 

[Coldren]

Question:

What is your opinion/policy on event continuation? That is to say, with all the events UO has (Meer/Juka Rep, City Rep, etc.), do you feel that the dev team has done a good job allowing players who were not part of the activities at the time of their occurrence to gain the same benefits later? Will things like City Rep, which is now done by turn-ins (Thankfully!), arresting citizens, and killing monsters, be a permanent part of UO going forward for all to take part in?

 

[Tazar]

Will the "cure" sleeves be available in game another way in the future like the commendation scroll?

 

[Rupert Avery]

All good questions I need to take note and move them to UOforums So we can look at everyones at the same time. If any of you have a UOForums account or don't mind getting one can you please submit them via Questions for interview - Mesanna - Ultima Online Forums

thank you again for the questions

 

[MalagAste]

Question:

1) With Inside UO broken and not working how are folk expected to design and build a Banner??? Or is the Banner system finished now?

2) When is Sudiva going to be put on the Beach in Illsh and when will we be given a way to access it?

3) What is the time frame on adding more co-owners to the house sign... Not happy about only being allowed 10.

4) Are we still on schedule with the Anniversary to be getting our Anniversary items and rewards on time?

5) We see we have a new art lead how about more growth in the DEV team? Any chance we are going to get a few more on-board?

6) Thought we were going to improve communication... Can you tell us how you are working on that?

Edit:

7) Can we remove the house placement timer? Since you now have a wait time after a house falls and all, is there any logical reasoning behind it anymore? With dozens and dozens of open spots on almost all servers is it still necessary?

 

[Flagg]

* Future of UO. Please speak of it in some informative and broad fashion.

 

[hen]

Are you going to fix the runic hammer damage increase bug?

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

When will books be fixed (i.e. made useable) in the EC?

When will we be able to make broken stairs in the EC?

 

[Rupert Avery]

This is just to remind me where I am down to interms of keeping track of questions keep them coming!

 

[Woodsman]

* Future of UO. Please speak of it in some informative and broad fashion.

Yeah. I don't care about pixel crack. I don't care about what Mesanna does in her spare time or what video games she likes or the other non-UO questions you all asked Jeff Skalski and TheGrimmOmen.

 

[Woodsman]

If I could pick 3 questions: I'd ask about the future of UO, the high resolution graphics. One more question. Let's see.

For my third question I would ask her about this quote from Jeff Skalski in September of last year.

I hear everyone from Stratics and the other UO forums that the communication level has been poor. It's one of several items I'll be discussing with our Community team as we work on ways we can improve that for everyone.

Does she feel that the level of communication has improved over the past year?

 

[Tina Small]

In May 17, 2007, our old community representative, Jeremy Dahlberg, made an announcement about the cancellation of the old EM program ( UO Herald archive! - Ultima Online Stratics ▶ TGN.TV - Get more views! ). The 2007 notice said the old moderator-run events had limitations because they were manpower-intensive and small in scale and large numbers of people never even knew they happened.

I'd like to ask Mesanna if we will ever again see large-scale live events for all UO players to participate in that are crafted by developers/designers located in the Fairfax, Virginia office who have been professionally trained to do such work?

While I appreciate and applaud the hard work and dedication of the EM team, the fact is that they are part-time, independent contractors scattered around the world whom I'm sure all have lots of ideas they'd like to see implemented. Individually and in small groups, I have no doubt that they can come up with some interesting small-scale events. However, I really question whether they have the tools and expertise to develop large-scale live events to serve the majority of UO players. There's an old saying that too many cooks spoil the broth. I have wondered many times during this latest story arc if we, as customers, are being short-changed on live-event content because there are too many people trying to pull everything together while being spread out around the world and with varying access to and knowledge to use developer/designer-quality tools and while also being subject to a requirement that they not work more than a certain number of hours per month because they are part-time independent contractors.

We were recently told: "...we are currently moving previously external lead positions into our office in Fairfax to create an even stronger team and lead Ultima Online through its 15th anniversary into the future. " I would respectfully like to ask Mesanna if this trend towards centralizing the team will also apply to the individual(s) who are responsible for developing large-scale live events for UO players?

 

[Flutter]

I'd like to ask Mesanna if we will ever again see large-scale live events for all UO players to participate in that are crafted by developers/designers located in the Fairfax, Virginia office who have been professionally trained to do such work?

I wish.

 

[Goodmann]

1. What happened to Ultima Online will once again become the WILD WILD WEST AGAIN, LINE FROM THE DEVELOPER/PRODUCER SAID ABOUT A YEAR AGO?

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

I'd like to ask Mesanna if we will ever again see large-scale live events for all UO players to participate in that are crafted by developers/designers located in the Fairfax, Virginia office who have been professionally trained to do such work?

Might want to define what you mean by "large-scale live events."

Since, in the past, 'live events' has typically meant static quest things like the Bane Chosen and Shadowlord events (Banishing Virtuebane. Bane city invasion, Bane vs Ophidians, Ricardo, Vanguard invasions, etc.). Aside from the terrible short notice, Exodus' "death" was a live event run by the EMs in the same vein as the Shadowlord's demise. Hell, even the abortions that are the static events for The Awakening arc are "live events," just god-awfully designed ones.

 

[Rupert Avery]

hey everyone!

I just want to comment on this line

Yeah. I don't care about pixel crack. I don't care about what Mesanna does in her spare time or what video games she likes or the other non-UO questions you all asked Jeff Skalski and TheGrimmOmen.

I understand not everyone likes all the questions that were asked in the previous 2 interviews, how ever the interviews we do are both about the team member and some questions from the players.
We can't promise we will include everyone's questions. but we will do our best to include as many as we can.
The aim in our interviews is to give an element that everyone will like.

 

[Woodsman]

I understand not everyone likes all the questions that were asked in the previous 2 interviews, how ever the interviews we do are both about the team member and some questions from the players.
We can't promise we will include everyone's questions. but we will do our best to include as many as we can.
The aim in our interviews is to give an element that everyone will like.

I understand you want to know her as a person. That's fine, but let me save you some of the personal questions about her, so that you free up those questions for more important UO-related questions.

So let's start off with how she got to where she's at, what she is most proudest of, and what her hobbies are.

UO Stratics *New* | QA5 with Mesanna

1- For those of us who don’t know, what has your “career track” been with the gaming industry?

I started in 1999 working for Origin as an External Test Lead when we were allowed to have volunteers with approx 20 testing volunteers. Origin then built a structured team with 10 testers and myself. I worked as a Contracted External Lead over the external testing program for years, then I was hired full time in QA after UO was moved to San Francisco. When UO moved to Virginia, I was offered a different position as associate producer so I packed my bags and left San Diego and moved to Virginia with the team.

2- What project that you were involved in are you the proudest of?

I actually have two projects, the success of the first External Testing Team and the current Event Moderator Program. We have a great creative team that works really hard to come up with ideas that are played out in a unique style to each EM.

3- I think most of us understand and respect Dev’s having to remain tight lipped about upcoming content etc. However, when it comes to past content only, what was the hardest thing for you to personally remain tight lipped about?

It’s really hard to know we were putting the shard named Ale on the pirate boats and not tell you guys, Or to ask you guys for reward ideas and know something is already going in. Or not tell you about changes we are making that hopefully will help make your gaming time better. To be really excited about what we are doing and not be able to share is really hard for me.

4- When it comes to the current team, who is the practical joker of the bunch and have they gotten you? OR What was your best retaliatory strike against “the joker”?

Well we do have a joker but I won’t rat him out, besides I just watch him do it so he leaves me alone.

5- When you are not chained to the desk working, what do you enjoy doing?

Playing computer games, scuba diving, shooting archery, hunting, cooking, playing with my puppies, and being with my best friend which is also my husband

There, she has a lot of really cool hobbies, she loves dogs, she loves her husband, and she started working for Origin in 1999 and moved up the ranks from External Test LEad, to Q&A, to Associate Producer, to Producer. She's probably a very cool person in real life to hang out with.

So let's get with the questions about UO itself.

 

[O'Brien]

Might want to define what you mean by "large-scale live events."

^ This.

By "large-scale live events" do you mean those events that the clients can't handle, and lag to death or just crash no matter what modern-day system it's being run on?

 

[O'Brien]

Future of UO? Not interested in what Mesanna or anyone else has to say about it, because they have no credibility anyway.

My question would be...

Now that some of your viciously-kept "secrets" have been revealed, such as Exodus and town banners, can you explain why being secretive about those things in any way enhanced the player experience?

 

[Petra Fyde]

Future of UO? Not interested in what Mesanna or anyone else has to say about it, because they have no credibility anyway.

Maybe that's why they don't tell you? Why bother if you're not going to be believed?

I don't think they see them as 'viciously-kept secrets' just as surprises. Much of the impact of Exodus's arrival would have been lost if we'd all seen him beforehand.

 

[Tina Small]

I don't need to define "large-scale" and "small-scale" for EA. They know what it means. Just read Jeremy's announcement from 2007.

 

[cazador]

1.) Odds of an order/chaos reboot? (non generic answer pls )
2.) Any new tame able mounts? That aren't ridiculously Overpowered coming? - and not just different hued
3.) how are these bug fixes coming along
4.) is my UO ever coming back? Timeline?
And last but certainly not least
5.) Do you plan on updating us anymore then you currently do via The Herald or stratics?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rupert Avery]

I understand you want to know her as a person. That's fine, but let me save you some of the personal questions about her, so that you free up those questions for more important UO-related questions.

So let's start off with how she got to where she's at, what she is most proudest of, and what her hobbies are.

UO Stratics *New* | QA5 with Mesanna

There, she has a lot of really cool hobbies, she loves dogs, she loves her husband, and she started working for Origin in 1999 and moved up the ranks from External Test LEad, to Q&A, to Associate Producer, to Producer. She's probably a very cool person in real life to hang out with.

So let's get with the questions about UO itself.

For us at UOforums we do a mixture of both. Taking a selection of questions from the public submissions and a bunch of questions that the Staff of UOforums discuss internally. The questions we include form other users get credited to those questions.

 

[Petra Fyde]

I believe the questions are supposed to be submitted via the supplied link on a special forum?

 

[Mapper]

For us at UOforums we do a mixture of both. Taking a selection of questions from the public submissions and a bunch of questions that the Staff of UOforums discuss internally. The questions we include form other users get credited to those questions.

Well I just hope you don't focus too much on the questions we already know, Or the interview will be a bit floppy.

 

[Rupert Avery]

Well I just hope you don't focus too much on the questions we already know, Or the interview will be a bit floppy.

Obviously
Don't worry they will be unique

 

[UODeckard]

4.) is my UO ever coming back? Timeline?

Ultima Online Development Tracker might help answer that. Jeff said last march it would be after UO.com.

MYUO is a much tougher beast to slay. Security issues is why we had to pull it down. Once we have the new uo.com together I'll be pushing to get some more resources to see what we can due about rolling out MYUO 2.0.

 

[O'Brien]

Maybe that's why they don't tell you? Why bother if you're not going to be believed?

I don't think they see them as 'viciously-kept secrets' just as surprises. Much of the impact of Exodus's arrival would have been lost if we'd all seen him beforehand.

That's pretty good Now if that would only be said by Mesanna, it would be gold
Sig-line material!

 

[FrejaSP]

I believe it is very important to get MyUO back very soon as I'm sure it is one of the reason UO is losing players. Before, you could look at MyUO Guilds and see the top 10 largest guilds and you could look up a char or a guild and see how many in his guild.
Now the game look emty as we have so much land and it's very hard for new players to find a guild to join.

 

[Cogniac]

What does UO's database schema look like?

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

What does UO's database schema look like?

Wanna bet it's flat file?

 

[Rupert Avery]

Hey everyone Just 5 days left to submit your questions!
Head to Questions for interview - Mesanna - Ultima Online Forums and get your questions in!

 

[Rupert Avery]

Right folks I hear there have been some unhappy people with the approval of some threads?

To clear up I am not the only one that approves threads, there is no bias in the selection only that they are not rude/trollish and stay appropriate... I was told about a on stratics that was rather rude about my self and my morals from what I heard.

A bunch of threads for approved today if for any reason you feel you have not had a fair treatment then please PM me here or on UOforums and I will get to the bottom of it.

I am sorry for any feeling of unfairness but I am not the only Admin/mod on UOforums and we all have a say on the questions that are appropriate and sometimes that takes a day to discuss.. maybe a little more if it is a subject that is controversial.

I also want to point out that there is a large number of questions and not all will be used in this interview!
It is great Mesanna has agreed to do this please lets not spoil it with silly allegations!

Thanks

 

[startle]

Right folks I hear there have been some unhappy people with the approval of some threads?

To clear up I am not the only one that approves threads, there is no bias in the selection only that they are not rude/trollish and stay appropriate... I was told about a on stratics that was rather rude about my self and my morals from what I heard.

A bunch of threads for approved today if for any reason you feel you have not had a fair treatment then please PM me here or on UOforums and I will get to the bottom of it.

I am sorry for any feeling of unfairness but I am not the only Admin/mod on UOforums and we all have a say on the questions that are appropriate and sometimes that takes a day to discuss.. maybe a little more if it is a subject that is controversial.

I also want to point out that there is a large number of questions and not all will be used in this interview!
It is great Mesanna has agreed to do this please lets not spoil it with silly allegations!

Thanks

Can you tell us the reason why asking Mesanna whether EA/Mythic has considered implementing an in-game vendor search system would be a question that a moderator on UOForums would consider not "fit" for posting to her on the thread?

 

[Petra Fyde]

There are no such reasons, just a delay in approving the most recent questions.

 

[Rupert Avery]

Can you tell us the reason why asking Mesanna whether EA/Mythic has considered implementing an in-game vendor search system would be a question that a moderator on UOForums would consider not "fit" for posting to her on the thread?

At no such stage was any one informed of any thread that was "UnFit" threads are manually approved that thread is now approved... and the author of that thread was told via PM and I also said sorry for the delay....

 

[startle]

Just got the PM that said the question had been included. Thank you....

 

[Andrasta]

When are the Banners for Historical 10 Year houses & Shard Community Portals going to be finished?

 

[kelmo]

Why are there upset folks complaining here about a UOForums thing?

 

[Woodsman]

I also want to point out that there is a large number of questions and not all will be used in this interview!

Wonderful, she gets to avoid the serious questions and answer the questions that everybody already knows the answer to.

Why are there upset folks complaining here about a UOForums thing?

Apparently this is the only way we can communicate with the UO team these days.

 

[Rupert Avery]

last day for questions
Questions for interview - Mesanna - Ultima Online Forums

 

[startle]

The Deadliest Producer to work on our much loved Ultima Online has agreed to do an interview!

When/where is the interview to take place?

 

[Rupert Avery]

When/where is the interview to take place?

Submissions are closed so in the next week or so The UOForums Staff will go through the huge amount of questions we have an select some for adding to the interview. adding with some of the Staff's list that we have discussed.

We will then send them to Mesanna and await her answers

 

[Woodsman]

Submissions are closed so in the next week or so The UOForums Staff will go through the huge amount of questions we have an select some for adding to the interview. adding with some of the Staff's list that we have discussed.

We will then send them to Mesanna and await her answers

Please don't ask her stuff that has nothing to do with UO or that she has already answered, we're just 6 weeks away from the 15th anniversary and it would be really sad if you all let the community down or repeated questions Stratics already asked. Remember what I posted earlier in the thread, Mesanna has already answered many questions about herself:

UO Stratics *New* | QA5 with Mesanna

1- For those of us who don’t know, what has your “career track” been with the gaming industry?

I started in 1999 working for Origin as an External Test Lead when we were allowed to have volunteers with approx 20 testing volunteers. Origin then built a structured team with 10 testers and myself. I worked as a Contracted External Lead over the external testing program for years, then I was hired full time in QA after UO was moved to San Francisco. When UO moved to Virginia, I was offered a different position as associate producer so I packed my bags and left San Diego and moved to Virginia with the team.

2- What project that you were involved in are you the proudest of?

I actually have two projects, the success of the first External Testing Team and the current Event Moderator Program. We have a great creative team that works really hard to come up with ideas that are played out in a unique style to each EM.

3- I think most of us understand and respect Dev’s having to remain tight lipped about upcoming content etc. However, when it comes to past content only, what was the hardest thing for you to personally remain tight lipped about?

It’s really hard to know we were putting the shard named Ale on the pirate boats and not tell you guys, Or to ask you guys for reward ideas and know something is already going in. Or not tell you about changes we are making that hopefully will help make your gaming time better. To be really excited about what we are doing and not be able to share is really hard for me.

4- When it comes to the current team, who is the practical joker of the bunch and have they gotten you? OR What was your best retaliatory strike against “the joker”?

Well we do have a joker but I won’t rat him out, besides I just watch him do it so he leaves me alone.

5- When you are not chained to the desk working, what do you enjoy doing?

Playing computer games, scuba diving, shooting archery, hunting, cooking, playing with my puppies, and being with my best friend which is also my husband

There, she has a lot of really cool hobbies, she loves dogs, she loves her husband, and she started working for Origin in 1999 and moved up the ranks from External Test LEad, to Q&A, to Associate Producer, to Producer. She's probably a very cool person in real life to hang out with.

So let's get with the questions about UO itself.