Well, I suppose if I actually have a blog, I should write in it. =) One of the topics that has recently caught my attention in the MMO world is that of the ‘community’. If we take a trip back ten years, to the world of the text-MUD and when Meridian 59 was first coming about, there’s a major difference that could be noted in the overall style of multi-user games. This, of course, is how the dynamics of the ‘community’ aspect has been altered as games get larger and more impersonal.

One of the major factors that drew me to Meridian 59 back in my golden years, aside from being the first of its kind that I’d played, was the other people. After joining with a couple friends it didn’t take me too long to branch off and make new acquaintances, people who I looked forward to seeing on a daily basis. These same people, when they left caused a feeling of disappointment. This was odd, primarily, because I had no idea who these people were. It was a certain creepy magic that I loved.
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I’ve finally evolved from the glorious world of written press and done my first podcast.  After what I can only describe as a week of trepidation, I got the call from Kwip over at NeenerNeener.Net and had a (surprisingly) really fun time doing the interview.  I’ll have to attribute this to his l33t interviewing skills, but he’s assured me that all he did was ‘turn on the “awesome” filter’. =)

This week’s interview is with Mike Emmons, the QA manager for Near Death Studios, the folks behind the classic MMORPG, Meridian 59.

If you’re not familiar with M59, you should give it a try. It’s the oldest graphical MOG out there, and a lot of fun. The game is perhaps one of the best-balanced games out there, and it’s a skill-based leveling system instead of class-based, something I’ve always liked.

Mike’s a super nice guy, and has a long history around M59. I enjoyed talking with him and picking his brain (especially the parts where he reveals his REAL title is “Company Bitch”). Listen for yourself and enjoy!

I’ve always enjoyed working with Kwip, and this time was no exception. =)

Recently I’ve had the privelage of working with a couple sites, conducting interviews about Meridian 59. I’m loathe to say it was 100% fun, as I’m still new to the whole interview process. I made it through in one peice though, and they didn’t come out half bad.

In Honor of M59’s achievements and to celebrate this landmark vision which has cleared the way for a massive industry boom, we contacted Near Death Studios’ QA Manager, Mike Emmons, to pick his brains about the project, the industry, the games and the minds of those dedicated to heart of what we here at GamerGod consider to be one of the greatest games to ever see the light of day.

See the GamerGod article here.

A short while later, I was contacted by MMORPG.com and talked to their Garrett Fuller, who had some more challenging questions, and some more ego-boosting for me.

Meridian 59 under the brand name Resurrection came back to life a few years ago and has run a small, but moderately successful operation ever since. We talked to QA Manager Mike Emmons of Near Death Studios, who currently manages the day-to-day operations ofthe title, about the game and its future.

Check out the MMORPG.com article here.

I, of course, was a bit anxious about the whole interview process, but after milling my way through, I’m beginning to enjoy it… as well as being able to google myself. That’s always a shot in the arm. =) I wasn’t expecting to be working with other people when I signed up to develop games, but now that I’ve been thrown in and learned to swim, I think it’s actually a valuable skill to learn. By no means am I saying I’m the next … erm… ‘Dear Abby’, but I think I’m getting better as I go along.

Hello to those who know me, and hello to those who don’t. My name is Mike Emmons, and I’m the QA Manager for Near Death Studios, Inc. Of course, like most titles, QA Manager is more honorary than anything. I’m what Brian calls ‘the company bitch’. We’re really usefull if you don’t already have one. =)

I’ve been working for NDS for a bit over two years, and generally run the day to day operations. So, with a little coaxing from Brian, I’ve finally decided to set up a blog where i can talk about all things, wether they be part of the Game Designing world, or just to complain about my boss. =) Hopefully, I’ll be able to write up something that will make people think, but don’t hold your breath for too long.  If I break out my full potential, there’s a chance I might suck up all of Brian’s bandwidth. =)