Today's interview for the Peerage of Siege Perilous doesn't really exist. But the tenacious attention of [SPHS] (and a giant pile of Detect Hidden pinks) finally resulted in gathering answers from the hard to reveal SpyderBite, resident thief of Vesper.
Depiction taken from a 2003 Wanted poster:
Current paperdoll:
[SPHS]: What was your first experience with the Ultima games? Had you played any of them prior to Ultima Online? What was your first experience with Ultima Online?
[SB]: I had been playing all of the single player UO games since 1988 so as soon as I saw an advertisement for open beta for UO in the back of a PC Computing magazine in 1996 or early 1997 I immediately jumped on the opportunity. As soon as I received it I installed it and the rest is history.
[SPHS]: What brought you to Siege? How long have you played here, and how frequently do you play now?
[SB]: I came to Siege in 2001. Just a little less than a year after the server was lauched. I had been a Stratics Reporter for Sonoma prior to 2001 and Siege was really hopping. So I was recruited to give Sloan a hand on Siege.
[SB]: Frequency is off and on. Even though I'm sort of retired these days in RL I still seem to get really busy, sometimes for months at a time. But when I have the time to play UO I exclusively play on Siege. Don't set foot on a prodo server unless it's to attend a friend's event or something.
[SPHS]: Who are your in-game characters if you have more than one account?
[SB]: Currently there is SpyderBite (Thief), Mandolin (Tamer), Sihvebi (Mule) & Charisma (Nox/Dexxer/PvP).
[SPHS]: What was the most valuable theft you ever completed on Siege?
[SB]: 120 Magery scroll. I didn't look at what it was until I was a safe distance from the guard zone. When I realized what it was, I strolled back to where I had acquired it and gave it back. Sometimes it's profit.. other times it's just being mean.
[SPHS]: You have played an active thief in the past. To what extent is thieving a part of your current play style?
[SB]: 100%. However, I enjoy practicing my trade in dungeons doing chests and stealing rares as much as I do hanging out at the bank or high end vendors plucking low hanging fruit.
[SPHS]: My first experience with the concept of Siege Perilous was Chad Sexington's misadventures (found here if our reader's have never had the pleasure UO Thief | The Mis-adventures of Chad Sexington ). To what extent did you ever work together with other thieves on Siege similar to what Chad describes?
[SB]: Rico (la!) and I have always been tight. Beyond that any cooperative endeavors were limited to working spawns and stealing scrolls.
[SPHS]: What could could almost EVERY Siege member be doing better to avoid 'donating' an item to a hidden thief?
[SB]: Well, if I were to give that away, I'd have to go train me a dragon to make a living!
[SPHS]: Are there any misconceptions about thievery on Siege that you've heard and would like to correct, both for potential new to Siege players and existing players?
[SB]: The biggest misconception is that there are thieves on Siege Perilous. *grins*
[SPHS]: To what extent do you participate in VvV? Is that as a combatant, or as a thief? What could be improved with that system, and why?
[SB]: Recently I've needed to withdraw from VvV in order to complete daily tasks without interruption. But when I do participate, I find, steal & turn sigils as well as toss the annoying bola around.
[SPHS]: In the last month, what did you spend the majority of your game time doing?
[SB]: I've been restocking my vendor at the Pawn Shop in Luna. I'm training lockpicking ... again ... for the third time in over 20 years. One of these days I'll learn my lesson and just stone it. And practicing my trade. You know ... helping people get around quicker by lightening their load substantially.
[SPHS]: If you could pick one player who is no longer on the shard that you could return, who would it be and why?
[SB]: That is a really tough call. So many really great people have come and gone over the years. Aeric Horn is an obvious choice but sadly not somebody who will ever return. WyRm, Idico & Krystal from VmP. My best UO friend ever, Katherine. Severina, Yasou. Spree ... the list is endless.
[SPHS]: If you could permanently REMOVE one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
[SB]: Professionally, I'm obligated to answer: Blessed Items
[SPHS]: If you could permanently ADD one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
[SB]: I would really like to see player run duel tournaments again. Back in the day we had two or three really good ones every week. There were several well run dueling arenas. And tournaments drew in dozens of spectators and participants.
[SPHS]: Who is your nemesis, and why is it Malloc?
[SB]: Don't have a nemesis these days. Just the pesky town guards I suppose. But when cornered ... I'll always answer Kelmo. Always Kelmo.
[SPHS]: You are dropped into a shard event and have time to steal one item from a player. What item would you wish to grab above anything else?
[SB]: If there is any kind of unique drop; sashes for example; that's the primary target during an EM event.
[SPHS]: What do you use your Siege bless on the most?
[SB]: Burglar's Bandana
[SPHS]: You once said your best day on Siege was being knighted by Py, and then quitting soon after. Do you still consider that to have been your best day on Siege?
[SB]: I was reminded recently of the Scavenger Hunt that CyberNickel organized for Siege. It was a lot of work but the whole server participated and everybody had a great time. The teamwork it took (Myself, Cybernickel, Katherine & Yasou) was amazing. So since my previous statement was more of a private experience.. the scavenger hunt was a much more exciting one for all involved.
[SPHS]: Which players do you interact with the most?
[SB]: Mostly my guildies. But, I'll say hello and chat with just about anybody these days. That used to be the best strategy for getting a rez if you were mowed down. I guess it just stuck after all these years.
[SPHS]: Are you in a guild currently, and if so, how many other players are in it? What guilds were you in before this one?
[SB]: I'm in GIL, House Silverwood. Lots of active players in GIL as everybody knows.
[SB]: Past guilds ... I^A (Iantown) was the first guild I joined when I came to Siege. Great player run town with a strong RP community. VmP (Vampiric Embrace) was a really well organized PvP guild that integrated a lot of RP into our activities. Finally, I had my own guild for bit that really was just made up of myself, Katherine, & Natalia.
[SPHS]: You once expressed strong opinions about the state of UO and the possibility of F2P in the future, saying:
"The game is antiquated and already been dumbed down for nearly 2 decades with subscription hostaging.
One day it will hopefully it will go f2p and you can vote with your wallet again but it will be whether to keep your house standing or insuring your uber suit for $10.
A true UO thief can only dream."
[SPHS]: With Endless Journey almost here, how has your opinion changed?
[SB]: Not a whole lot. EJ seems like a very half baked idea so far. I can spend $13/month/account or I can spend a few hundred dollars on in-game purchases each month. Either way I'm within my means and get everything I want. UO wants my cake and eats it too.
[SPHS]: What items do you get from the UO Store? What would you love to see offered there?
[SB]: Bonding pots, soulstones, house deco, etc. Anything useful. There needs to be A LOT more choices in cosmetic items. New cothing, housing (skins/plans) for those who hate designing homes, pet skins, hairstyles only available in the store. The possibilities are infinite. Right now it's just one of those tiny gift shops in an airport terminal.
[SPHS]: Last year Vesper's long-serving Governor, Victim, stepped down due to decreased game time. A much discussed election between yourself and VICE's Max Blackoak ensued, with you ultimately winning. In the term that followed you were criticized for abandoning the post. What prompted you to run for Vesper's governorship, and what prevented you from completing the term?
[SB]: RL circumstances. I opened a third restaurant about half-way through my term. Thought I could leave it in the hands of the management to run. I was wrong. Needless to say my attention was needed elsewhere. Had there been no distraction, I'd have completed my term and most likely run again.
[SPHS]: What kind of restaurant do you have in RL? Is it in a guard zone (asking for a friend
)
[SB]: Two of the places are Western style steak houses based on the 1800's West. Many John Wayne movies were shot here in town & one of the restaurants was previously a saloon where he and a bunch of other actors have drank and gathered over the decades while shooting films. The third, which I had to shut down, was farm to table dining serving choices made with locally grown produce.
[SPHS]: If you could give one piece of advice to new or returning players to Siege, what would it be?
[SB]: New players, be open minded about everybody you meet. Some of the most vicious killers on Siege have turned out to be really great people and in many cases close friends. Say hello to everybody. Even after they kill you.
[SB]: Returning players, it's not 2002 anymore and it never will be again. Adapt quickly and don't dwell on the past. Just think fondly about it.
Edit: Forgot to add Chad's UO Thief link, corrected. Added bolds, corrected.
Depiction taken from a 2003 Wanted poster:
Current paperdoll:
[SPHS]: What was your first experience with the Ultima games? Had you played any of them prior to Ultima Online? What was your first experience with Ultima Online?
[SB]: I had been playing all of the single player UO games since 1988 so as soon as I saw an advertisement for open beta for UO in the back of a PC Computing magazine in 1996 or early 1997 I immediately jumped on the opportunity. As soon as I received it I installed it and the rest is history.
[SPHS]: What brought you to Siege? How long have you played here, and how frequently do you play now?
[SB]: I came to Siege in 2001. Just a little less than a year after the server was lauched. I had been a Stratics Reporter for Sonoma prior to 2001 and Siege was really hopping. So I was recruited to give Sloan a hand on Siege.
[SB]: Frequency is off and on. Even though I'm sort of retired these days in RL I still seem to get really busy, sometimes for months at a time. But when I have the time to play UO I exclusively play on Siege. Don't set foot on a prodo server unless it's to attend a friend's event or something.
[SPHS]: Who are your in-game characters if you have more than one account?
[SB]: Currently there is SpyderBite (Thief), Mandolin (Tamer), Sihvebi (Mule) & Charisma (Nox/Dexxer/PvP).
[SPHS]: What was the most valuable theft you ever completed on Siege?
[SB]: 120 Magery scroll. I didn't look at what it was until I was a safe distance from the guard zone. When I realized what it was, I strolled back to where I had acquired it and gave it back. Sometimes it's profit.. other times it's just being mean.
[SPHS]: You have played an active thief in the past. To what extent is thieving a part of your current play style?
[SB]: 100%. However, I enjoy practicing my trade in dungeons doing chests and stealing rares as much as I do hanging out at the bank or high end vendors plucking low hanging fruit.
[SPHS]: My first experience with the concept of Siege Perilous was Chad Sexington's misadventures (found here if our reader's have never had the pleasure UO Thief | The Mis-adventures of Chad Sexington ). To what extent did you ever work together with other thieves on Siege similar to what Chad describes?
[SB]: Rico (la!) and I have always been tight. Beyond that any cooperative endeavors were limited to working spawns and stealing scrolls.
[SPHS]: What could could almost EVERY Siege member be doing better to avoid 'donating' an item to a hidden thief?
[SB]: Well, if I were to give that away, I'd have to go train me a dragon to make a living!
[SPHS]: Are there any misconceptions about thievery on Siege that you've heard and would like to correct, both for potential new to Siege players and existing players?
[SB]: The biggest misconception is that there are thieves on Siege Perilous. *grins*
[SPHS]: To what extent do you participate in VvV? Is that as a combatant, or as a thief? What could be improved with that system, and why?
[SB]: Recently I've needed to withdraw from VvV in order to complete daily tasks without interruption. But when I do participate, I find, steal & turn sigils as well as toss the annoying bola around.
[SPHS]: In the last month, what did you spend the majority of your game time doing?
[SB]: I've been restocking my vendor at the Pawn Shop in Luna. I'm training lockpicking ... again ... for the third time in over 20 years. One of these days I'll learn my lesson and just stone it. And practicing my trade. You know ... helping people get around quicker by lightening their load substantially.
[SPHS]: If you could pick one player who is no longer on the shard that you could return, who would it be and why?
[SB]: That is a really tough call. So many really great people have come and gone over the years. Aeric Horn is an obvious choice but sadly not somebody who will ever return. WyRm, Idico & Krystal from VmP. My best UO friend ever, Katherine. Severina, Yasou. Spree ... the list is endless.
[SPHS]: If you could permanently REMOVE one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
[SB]: Professionally, I'm obligated to answer: Blessed Items
[SPHS]: If you could permanently ADD one anything (activity / item / player / encounter / mechanic) from the shard, what would it be and why?
[SB]: I would really like to see player run duel tournaments again. Back in the day we had two or three really good ones every week. There were several well run dueling arenas. And tournaments drew in dozens of spectators and participants.
[SPHS]: Who is your nemesis, and why is it Malloc?
[SB]: Don't have a nemesis these days. Just the pesky town guards I suppose. But when cornered ... I'll always answer Kelmo. Always Kelmo.
[SPHS]: You are dropped into a shard event and have time to steal one item from a player. What item would you wish to grab above anything else?
[SB]: If there is any kind of unique drop; sashes for example; that's the primary target during an EM event.
[SPHS]: What do you use your Siege bless on the most?
[SB]: Burglar's Bandana
[SPHS]: You once said your best day on Siege was being knighted by Py, and then quitting soon after. Do you still consider that to have been your best day on Siege?
[SB]: I was reminded recently of the Scavenger Hunt that CyberNickel organized for Siege. It was a lot of work but the whole server participated and everybody had a great time. The teamwork it took (Myself, Cybernickel, Katherine & Yasou) was amazing. So since my previous statement was more of a private experience.. the scavenger hunt was a much more exciting one for all involved.
[SPHS]: Which players do you interact with the most?
[SB]: Mostly my guildies. But, I'll say hello and chat with just about anybody these days. That used to be the best strategy for getting a rez if you were mowed down. I guess it just stuck after all these years.
[SPHS]: Are you in a guild currently, and if so, how many other players are in it? What guilds were you in before this one?
[SB]: I'm in GIL, House Silverwood. Lots of active players in GIL as everybody knows.
[SB]: Past guilds ... I^A (Iantown) was the first guild I joined when I came to Siege. Great player run town with a strong RP community. VmP (Vampiric Embrace) was a really well organized PvP guild that integrated a lot of RP into our activities. Finally, I had my own guild for bit that really was just made up of myself, Katherine, & Natalia.
[SPHS]: You once expressed strong opinions about the state of UO and the possibility of F2P in the future, saying:
"The game is antiquated and already been dumbed down for nearly 2 decades with subscription hostaging.
One day it will hopefully it will go f2p and you can vote with your wallet again but it will be whether to keep your house standing or insuring your uber suit for $10.
A true UO thief can only dream."
[SPHS]: With Endless Journey almost here, how has your opinion changed?
[SB]: Not a whole lot. EJ seems like a very half baked idea so far. I can spend $13/month/account or I can spend a few hundred dollars on in-game purchases each month. Either way I'm within my means and get everything I want. UO wants my cake and eats it too.
[SPHS]: What items do you get from the UO Store? What would you love to see offered there?
[SB]: Bonding pots, soulstones, house deco, etc. Anything useful. There needs to be A LOT more choices in cosmetic items. New cothing, housing (skins/plans) for those who hate designing homes, pet skins, hairstyles only available in the store. The possibilities are infinite. Right now it's just one of those tiny gift shops in an airport terminal.
[SPHS]: Last year Vesper's long-serving Governor, Victim, stepped down due to decreased game time. A much discussed election between yourself and VICE's Max Blackoak ensued, with you ultimately winning. In the term that followed you were criticized for abandoning the post. What prompted you to run for Vesper's governorship, and what prevented you from completing the term?
[SB]: RL circumstances. I opened a third restaurant about half-way through my term. Thought I could leave it in the hands of the management to run. I was wrong. Needless to say my attention was needed elsewhere. Had there been no distraction, I'd have completed my term and most likely run again.
[SPHS]: What kind of restaurant do you have in RL? Is it in a guard zone (asking for a friend
)[SB]: Two of the places are Western style steak houses based on the 1800's West. Many John Wayne movies were shot here in town & one of the restaurants was previously a saloon where he and a bunch of other actors have drank and gathered over the decades while shooting films. The third, which I had to shut down, was farm to table dining serving choices made with locally grown produce.
[SPHS]: If you could give one piece of advice to new or returning players to Siege, what would it be?
[SB]: New players, be open minded about everybody you meet. Some of the most vicious killers on Siege have turned out to be really great people and in many cases close friends. Say hello to everybody. Even after they kill you.
[SB]: Returning players, it's not 2002 anymore and it never will be again. Adapt quickly and don't dwell on the past. Just think fondly about it.
Edit: Forgot to add Chad's UO Thief link, corrected. Added bolds, corrected.
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