[NEWS] QA5 - Mesanna

[Kylie Kinslayer]

Five Questions and Answers to give an insight to:


Mesanna

Associate Producer, Ultima Online


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

 

[Storm]

Great stuff always nice to know a little more about someone who means so much to us uo fans

 

[AirmidCecht]

Thank you Mesanna for stepping first in line during the busiest time for you yet with Publish 73!

The woman truly is magical with her multi-tasking

 

[Slickjack]

Mesanna-

Thank you for letting us know some background, it's nice to know you have some hobbies besides killing us plebeian UO players

And a BIG THANK YOU for taking the time, off hours, this week to address a problem that I brought to your attention.

 

[Woodsman]

Is there an agreement that you all are not allowed to ask about the game directly or about future plans for the game or what is currently being worked on?

No offense, but I hope this is not the weekly communication.

I'm not trying to be snarky either - I think these are interesting questions to learn about the team, I just thought there would an increase in communication about the game itself.

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

The QA5 to me personally is something that was started to build on the sense of community. It's a way to get to know those that work on the game we love/like in some small personal way. Not just knowing them as a "persona". After Mesanna's answer about the practical joker on the staff, it does have me hanging to find out who it is, and what they pull. I mean, if you get Mesanna tight lipped because she wants to stay under their radar ... THAT speaks volumes


Having read Jeff's intro letter, and knowing what all was involved in getting QA5 up and running, I take him at his word that better communication is something we can all look forward to in the future.

 

[Shamus Turlough]

Is there an agreement that you all are not allowed to ask about the game directly or about future plans for the game or what is currently being worked on?

No offense, but I hope this is not the weekly communication.

I'm not trying to be snarky either - I think these are interesting questions to learn about the team, I just thought there would an increase in communication about the game itself.

Patience friend, this is not a part of the promised 'extra communication' from the dev team. Consider this a bonus

 

[Lady Tia]

The QA5 to me personally is something that was started to build on the sense of community. It's a way to get to know those that work on the game we love/like in some small personal way. Not just knowing them as a "persona". After Mesanna's answer about the practical joker on the staff, it does have me hanging to find out who it is, and what they pull. I mean, if you get Mesanna tight lipped because she wants to stay under their radar ... THAT speaks volumes


Having read Jeff's intro letter, and knowing what all was involved in getting QA5 up and running, I take him at his word that better communication is something we can all look forward to in the future.

EXCELLENT job Kylie!

And there will be more to come folks! Just stay tuned!

 

[Tina Small]

Is there an agreement that you all are not allowed to ask about the game directly or about future plans for the game or what is currently being worked on?

No offense, but I hope this is not the weekly communication.

I'm not trying to be snarky either - I think these are interesting questions to learn about the team, I just thought there would an increase in communication about the game itself.

Patience friend, this is not a part of the promised 'extra communication' from the dev team. Consider this a bonus

Thanks for the clarification, Shamus. While these Q&A articles interviewing the UO team will be interesting to read, I too was disappointed at the thought that they were going to constitute the weekly Q&A that Jeff mentioned.

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Why couldn't Messana tell us that herself ?

It took all this time, and a thousand times this question has been asked.

"I must remain with a tight upper lip..."

It was something simple to say, to prevent hundreds of people from asking questions and losing their time.

That being said ; I'm glad two UO players are at the head of UO... and will refrain from saying my opinion.

 

[AirmidCecht]

Just to clarify a bit, this is an opportunity to keep a bridge going and as QA5 develops over the coming weeks it gives us a chance to personalize things a bit. We know the UO Team is working hard and responding to issues quicker. We know there are many, many questions that can be asked about specific areas.

That can happen too, and more often than not it will but filtering questions over to the team this way allows for one on one focus. Ask your questions here designed around their area and encourage interaction.

Be respectful, this past week especially has been rewarding to see players actually thanking the team in diffferent threads. Not pandering to them but acknowledging the good stuff too. It balances things out between what needs to be addressed and what should to be appreciated. I hope we see more of it. That is what we envision QA5 can do for the community and for the team.

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Yup... alot of good stuff, hope you all have a nice weekend !

 

[Flutter]

Whaddayaknow... 5 on friday renamed.

 

[AirmidCecht]

Whaddayaknow... 5 on friday renamed.

5 questions on a Friday...nah

 

[Frarc]

Always interesting to know the people on the other side of the game.

 

[Kayne]

Well done to those involved in getting this set up. Will be a great way to get to know the countless people involved in UO. I also hope that this brings some of the more quiet devs out of hiding. Be nice that this is also going to include the EM's

 

[vexyvixen]

Way to go, Mesanna! We love you!

 

[Tina Small]

Just to clarify a bit, this is an opportunity to keep a bridge going and as QA5 develops over the coming weeks it gives us a chance to personalize things a bit. We know the UO Team is working hard and responding to issues quicker. We know there are many, many questions that can be asked about specific areas.

That can happen too, and more often than not it will but filtering questions over to the team this way allows for one on one focus. Ask your questions here designed around their area and encourage interaction.

Airmid, I'm utterly confused now about how things will be set up to ask the developers specific questions. Because you said "filtering questions over to the team this way," I am getting a strong impression that someone on the Stratics staff is going to pick and choose which questions to submit to the devs in hopes they will answer them. Is that the plan? And if we're lucky, maybe we'll see a very occasional response from Jeff, Mesanna, or someone else on the team in a thread?

I'm not trying to be rude here, but I really don't like the idea that someone at Stratics is going to decide which questions the UO team is presented "on behalf of all UO players." What happens to the Ask the Devs forum? Is it just going to be abandoned and we have to rely on you guys to "filter"/"censor" everything that gets asked?

Edited to add: Also, if the QA5 questions are just going to be interview questions for the people on the UO team, including folks like EMs and GMs, it will be over a year before you switch to asking anything else. Unless some names were missed, there are 56 names that were reported being found on Halloween masks.

 

[Lady Tia]

Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.

 

[Cirno]

To my understanding, this QA5 thing is simply questions to the team, as people.

A community is always stronger if those that influence it are more identifiable as people, rather than just a barely recognised force.

 

[AirmidCecht]

Airmid, I'm utterly confused now about how things will be set up to ask the developers specific questions....

Hi Tina,

We have reporters that have coordinated some questions designed to get to know the team a bit more. These are not Ask the Dev questions that you see in the forums section. While it's true we've known many on the UO Team for years, they evolve over time as much as UO itself does. I for one love knowing that Mesanna actually does have down time to enjoy life. I would never have figured that by how often she is in game with players.

This also offers a chance to interact more as we share each interview. The same goes for the Event Moderator interviews and why they enjoy hosting events.

This isn't meant to replace anything, rather enhance it. We hope as the weeks move along we can prove that.

 

[Tina Small]

Airmid, thanks for the reply but I really feel like everyone is ducking my questions about the future of the Ask the Devs forum. I've asked at least twice now about that forum in the last few days and both times my question just goes unaddressed. So I'll ask one more time: Should any of us bother to submit questions in the Ask the Devs forum anymore? Will any of the questions we submitted in the past in that forum ever get answered?

There's a whole heck of a lot more I'd like to say about all this but I figure if I say what I want to say I'll be permanently banned from Stratics.

 

[AirmidCecht]

Sorry Tina, didn't mean to dodge anything

Yes submit to Ask the Devs. That is separate from QA5. We hope to see that get a kick in the tuckus too in the near future.

 

[Tina Small]

Sorry Tina, didn't mean to dodge anything

Yes submit to Ask the Devs. That is separate from QA5. We hope to see that get a kick in the tuckus too in the near future.

Thanks, Airmid! That is exactly what I hoped to hear but was beginning to doubt.

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

Haven't you noticed
Suddenly I'm bright and breezy?
Because of all the beautiful and new
Things I'm learning about you
Day .. by ... day.

- - love that smilie!


- - still hunting for Mesanna Evil Clown Mask ..

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

You mean you are still hunting for *cough*

PARAGON

*cough*

*thumps his chest*

...

 

[G.v.P]

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

Hm. I wonder if she can't legally say the names of the computer games. Also, should be "who is also my husband," not "which," hehe. Unless husband is an object ;P.

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

hey don't forget the paragon chests in that rap *cough loudly*