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Where in the real life world do you live?
Until recently, I lived in the Los Angeles area for nearly 25 years. In November, I left Santa Monica and moved to a small town in SW Florida, in order to take care of my mom who is not well. It has been a very large change and I'm still adjusting.
What type of work do you do?
My work history is rather eclectic. I'm a registered nurse. I have also been a photographer and photo editor for Associated Press, and I spent quite a few years working for two international public relations firms.
What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most?
I first started playing computer games when Myst came out. A friend introduced me to that game, and while he soon lost interest in computer games, I went on to play all the games in the Myst series. I continue to be very intrigued by logic puzzles of the Myst variety.
Later, when Tomb Raider was introduced, I became thoroughly enthralled with that game. I liked the fact that, in addition to puzzles and pretty scenery, there was an action element to the game. I've played every one of the Tomb Raider games multiple times.
I've played Splinter Cell, Half Life, all the adventure games like Longest Journey and Syberia, Omikron, Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, Riddle of the Sphinx, Thief. I got very involved with Thief, even trying my hand at making a few levels, which was very engaging and challenging.
However, I had never played an MMO until 2005, when I picked up a discounted copy of EQ2. I was curious about how this kind of game worked, and figured I would just play for a month or two so I could check it out. Well, of course I was hooked almost immediately! It was the best, most engaging game I had ever played. I could tell it was a game I could play and stay interested in for years, and so far that has proven to be true.
What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other then playing EQII?
I enjoy photography, and like to work with images in Photoshop. I've designed and built websites for fun. Here is a link to one of my websites, which is dedicated to my very; first character, Klouh, a monk and tailor who lives in Maj'Dul.
KlouhI also have a small parrot, a green cheek conure named Gizmo, who demands and gets a lot of attention. Gizmo loves to sit on my shoulder when I play EQ2. Gizmo's favorite zone, hands down, is Oakmyst Forest. He loves the sounds in that zone, and when we are there he chirps and sings.
What other MMOs have you played?
None
How long have you played EQII?
I started playing in the summer of 2005.
How long is your typical gaming session when playing EQII?
For me, EQ2 is an ongoing virtual world that I inhabit in some capacity all day long. I spend most of my time at home, and I play off and on all day, so I might sign a character in when I get up and leave one or more characters signed in pretty much all day long. That way, I can do a quick price-check at the broker, craft an item or two when I get the chance, or maybe complete a step or two of a quest, without having to take all the time to sign in.
What does a typical EQII day consist of for you?
I have two accounts, and usually my EQ2 day starts with logging in all of my characters who have items for sale on the broker. I check what's for sale, check what I sold, etc.
Next, I might do a bit of crafting, or I might send a character out to harvest and look for sparklies and other exciting items. I have several crafters, including Galldora, a level 76 wood elf carpenter who is my forum namesake; Cherryann, a level 70 alchemist; Apheetia, a level 70 provisioner, Klouh, a level 71 tailor, and several other crafters in the 20 to 50 range.
Then I might take Klouh out to explore, harvest and collect shinies. I spend quite a bit of time harvesting, which is necessary to support so many crafters!
I might also do a bit of decorating. I love the housing element of the game and have houses in both Qeynos and Maj'Dul. While doing this, I will probably be checking the forums to see what is going on with the Tradeskills forum and the Norrathian Homeshow. If I have anything interesting to show, I might post a screenie or two. Here are two of the design elements in the home I am currently putting together; an aquarium and a garden.
AquariumGarden
I also get involved in projects like documenting the inside of the magic bottle. Here's a website I put together for the magic bottle. (I'm still working on this site, because I'm turning it into a slide show, rather than a site you have to scroll through. I'm just learning about designing websites.)
Magic BottleAt some point during the day, I may actually sign on a couple of my characters and do some adventuring. I'm almost exclusively a solo player, and recently I've been getting into two-boxing. I find this has opened up all kinds of content that I was unable to do with just one character. Solo play works best for me, though, because obligations at home tend to take me AFK unexpectedly. When grouping, I feel a certain pressure about this, so I prefer to solo. This is one of the reasons I love to play my monk. With Klouh, if anything comes up I can feign death and walk away, no problem!
What was the race and class of your very first character?
Klouh, my Barbarian monk, was my very first character. Now I am a bit surprised that I created that big, tough male character. Most of my other characters, with the exception of a Ratonga and one Half Elf, are all female.
What is your highest level in EQII?
My highest level character is Klouh, who is a 71 monk/72 Tailor. Actually, I just had to go look that up on EQ2 Players, because I wasn't sure of Klouh's levels. I never focus too much on leveling; I just play the game and let the levels happen.
What race and class is your main character?
You know, I feel funny singling out any one character as my "main" character, because I tend to role play with a "family" of characters. There is Galldora, the Wood Elf wizard/carpenter. There is Apheetia, the Halfling fury/provisioner, etc. THerBut Klouh was the first character I made and my highest level character, so if I have to choose a main character I guess it would be him.
What do you like the most about the class you have chosen for your main character?
Klouh is a great character for someone who likes to solo. I didn't know this, of course, when I made a monk as my first character, but it has turned out to be very handy. As I mentioned above, I use feign death as necessary when things come up in real life, and it gives me great flexibility I would not otherwise have.
I like the fighing style of the monk, also, and like to fight with fistwraps a lot of the time. I like the monk's armor, like the Ghostly Wraps of Torment, which is one of Klouh's favorite outfits. (Yes, my Barbarian Monk has "outfits." I love the "appearance" tab!)
Does your main character worship a deity?
I am just learning about this aspect of the game, which is a fascinating bunch of lore all on its own. Klouh has taken to worshipping Mithaniel Marr, and we're just learning what that means. (I'm so new at this deity worship thing, I actually gave my character Apheetia, who worships Tunare, the wrong title. She's pretty mad at me about that!)
How did you choose your main character's name?
I don't clearly remember how I came up with the name, "Klouh." It was a hasty choice, I believe, since, as I've already noted, I was only going to try the game out for a month. I imagine, though, the tough, guttural sound of the name probably sounded appropriately "Barbarian" to me.
Which classes in EQII have you NOT played?
As far as I can remember, I've never played a character who wears plate armor. I've not played most of the evil classes, although I do have an assassin.
What is your favorite expansion?
I really love "Desert of Flames." I'm attracted to the whole desert/beach/palm tree feel of the place. I love the colorful house items and the feel of the Maj'Dul housing. Klouh maintains a residence in Maj'Dul, just so he can go there sometime. Here is a link to a website about Klouh and his house, if you want to check it out.
What is your favorite zone?
Oh, this is getting tougher, with more and more zones all the time. I would have to say my favorite zone is Nektropos Castle, which has some of the richest story lines I've encountered in the game.
What is your favorite npc?
I like most of the npcs who speak out loud, even though sometimes the repetition can become rather annoying. Still, they add a lot to the game and I'm willing to put up with a certain amount of repetition. If I have to single one out as my favorite, I'll say it's Kualdin Swoonsong, because every time he speaks I'm reminded of a beloved character from Star Trek.
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters?
I don't remember any one particular purchase, but the most I ever spent undoubtedly went for some silly house item. I frequently spend a few plat, and occasionally up to 20 or 25, for items to place in my virtual home. I recently spent around 10 plat, I guess, for the "Sathirian Carpet" collection pieces. Compared to what I've heard of people spending for a single weapon or piece of armor, though, I don't spend anything.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it?
One of my characters, Cherryann, keeps the last set of armor that Phildog made her, even though she no longer wears it. She always got her stuff from Phildog and was sad when he left the game. Why do I keep it? Gee, that's a good question. I guess because it reminds me of many a good forum discussion involving Phildog, and because so far I've had plenty of bank space.
What do you like best about EQII?
What I like best is that it's so many different games, so I never get bored. My characters can go off on exciting quests, they can craft, they can decorate, they can play the broker, they can make friends with other player characters.
In addition, I play on The Bazaar, and have occasionally sold plat through Station Exchange. I find that this adds a real world element to my thinking about the game, which makes the game even richer for me. For instance, I'm usually aware of what the exchange rate is between Norrathian and US currency, and I find it interesting to contemplate this when making purchases. "Should I buy Galldora that blue and pink baby dragon for 35 plat, or should I spend 60 real dollars on something for me?"
I've never played another game with so many things to offer.
What do you get out of playing EQII?
I get a tremendous amount of entertainment and enjoyment out of this game. I find it is a great value, as entertainment goes. For 15 dollars a month, I'm involved on a daily basis in a virtual reality that is rich in lore and vast in size and scope. Particularly considering that I am currently living in a situation where I spend most of my time at home caring for someone who is no longer able to carry on a normal conversation, the world of Norrath is really important to me.
Describe your best experience from playing EQII?
My best experience has to be going to Fan Faire last year, and getting to meet the people who make the game happen and so many other fellow players. I think that, as a 55-year-old female, I am probably somewhat on the fringes of your player demographic. Nevertheless, I had a wonderful time and met so many great people. I hope I can go again (although, considering my current situation, I doubt that it will be possible this coming year.)
Do you run or work for an EQII Fan Site?
No, unfortunately I don't, but maybe that's coming in the future. I certainly have enjoyed playing around with my website projects, and I'm learning more about the process of building websites all the time!
