Alton - Good evening and welcome to Ultima Online Celebrity Chat. UOCC is a forum wherein we bring to you celebrity guests from the UO community, ranging from website administrators, OSI personnel, counselors, seers, and even roleplayers and PKs from your own shard! They drop by to answer your questions about UO, their experiences in it, and about their own contribution to the community.
Alton - Our system is similar to the UOHOC chats. All you have to do is /msg a designated question taker with your question or comment. However, when it is your turn, rather then a moderator pasting your question in the chat, instead we set +voice to you and allow you to talk with the celebrity guest yourself!
Alton - Our question takers tonight will be.... CJ, SRC_Tigger and ASRC_Sassy.
Alton - tonight our Guest's are, Twilight, Gm_Llano and Gm_Gabriel.
Alton - Welcome why don't you each tell us a bit about yourselfs.

Gm_Gabriel - Okay, I suppose I will go first. I am not sure as to what you would like to know
Gm_Gabriel - I have been working here at origin for almost 2 years
Gm_Gabriel - when I am not at work, I like to listen to music (techno) and hang out with friends at small gatherings
Gm_Gabriel - I enjoy going to 6th street, a local bar street downtown, that has many different people to talk to and chum with
Gm_Gabriel - I try to find anyone of interest to speak to. Many people travel through the town. Last night I was hanging out with a rugby player fron new zealand
Gm_Gabriel - Playing air hockey and exchaging stories. so, in offtime, I like to hang out and talk with people, and listn to music.
* Gm_Gabriel passes the mike to GM LLano *
GM_Llano - Ah thank you :)
GM_Llano - Hi all
GM_Llano - Im GM Llano and I have been at Origin for just under two years
GM_Llano - In that time I have run the gamut of things to work on in UO, but am currently GMing and helping with a couple others in reworking our mail support programs
GM_Llano - Usually GMing constitiues of helping players with issues in the game, be it that they are stuck within the game, having some problems with the game's functionality, or helping solve disputes
GM_Llano - Theres always something going on in the game and therefore always something for us to watch over - its been a very unique and pleasurable experience to work on this game
* Twilight picks up the mike from the floor where Llano left it *
Twilight - Hello, I've been with UO since it shipped
Twilight - Seems like either weeks or centuries ago depending on the day asked
Twilight - Unlike Llano and Gabriel, I have the distinct pleasure of working with Seers and Elders
Twilight - as they prepare events and plots for UO

Alton - On a side note. I would like to infom that The Gms will Answer questions towards the Gm program.
Alton - Let the questions Begin.

Magicia - Hello all
GM_Llano - Hey Magicia
Magicia - What is the best thing you like about being a GM? And is it true you have to live in Austin to be a GM
GM_Llano - The best thing that I have enjoyed while working on UO is being around and inside an environment of people from all over the world
Magicia - ahh that must be fun.
GM_Llano - Its easy to forget sometimes but we will work with people from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Asia to Americas to Europe
GM_Llano - The dynamics of different people coming together in one place so that they can all play a game is simply unbelievable still
GM_Llano - As I said it has been an incredible pleasure to be a part of it
Magicia - Is it true you have to live in Austin to become a gamemaster?
GM_Llano - As for being a GM, all GMs are fulltime employees in Austin at Origin Systems
Magicia - oops
GM_Llano - Yes
GM_Llano - :)
Magicia - Ahhh
Magicia - Thank you for your time.
GM_Llano - Thank you :)

Gm_Gabriel - The reason I like being a gm is because I have been playing since beta 97. I love this game and care as much for it as many of you all. I get to help solve problems that come up in the game, and to help make the game a more enjoyable experience for those in the game..
Gm_Gabriel - It is fun to work this close to the game and to know what is coming in the future. to see it grow and continue
Gm_Gabriel - When asking the questions, please keep in mind what we do here at origin
Gm_Gabriel - I am one of the Lead Gms here at origin.
Gm_Gabriel - Gm LLano, is one of our veteran GMs
Gm_Gabriel - sorry for the choppy speech, I am juggling questions from the GMs here in the office
Gm_Gabriel - GM Twighlight is in charge of the interest seer/elders
Gm_Gabriel - GM lead, whenever a GM has a question on policy, or how to come to a solution with a problem, they come to a lead
Gm_Gabriel - These problems can come from a difficult email question, a hacked account, dispute over a vendor....many different things
Gm_Gabriel - I am also in charge of reviewing GM logs, training new GMs, setting up email and sitting in meetings with Dev team for player/gm concerns with upcoming/recent patches

Jaelo - hi
GM_Llano - Hi Jaelo
Jaelo - Sometimes it takes a long time
Jaelo - I mean a REALLY long time
Jaelo - for one of ya guys to answer us
Jaelo - when we page you
Jaelo - this is especially frustrating when we are seeing an exploit
Jaelo - like, oh lets say, someone breaking into your house
Jaelo - if your dont show up until after the exploit is done...and you cant do anything unless you witness the exploit...it makes the entire process of paging you worthless
Jaelo - is there anything being worked on to address issues such as these?
GM_Llano - That is very understandable and we ae doing some things to combat this so that we can get to those type calls
Jaelo - hmmm...what about the long wait times in general?
GM_Llano - The first and most apparent objective is that we have increased our GM as well as volunteer staff in terms of numbers
GM_Llano - By increasing our numbers in both sides we can get to those kind of calls
Jaelo - does this mean you will soon be making gm support 24/7?
Gm_Gabriel - Jaelo, we are trying to staff our numbers so we can cover the shards for the full time the shards are up. We currently cover Great Lakes and Lake Superior full time
GM_Llano - 24 hour GM and counselor support is now available on the central and east coast shards and we are working to upgrade other shards to that round-the-clock status
Jaelo - ah good
Gm_Gabriel - We also have counselors on during off Gm times
Jaelo - I see
Jaelo - well, thanks =)
GM_Llano - That is a priority for us as a support department, and will be a major step in combatting the very problems that you speak of

HeXeR_likes_techno_too - How many GM calls do you get per day? Is there always something wrong in the game that's worth spending time on?
GM_Llano - I think that Gabriel will agree that there is always something for us to work on :)
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - But where is the line between issues
Gm_Gabriel - We cannot give out the exact numbers of calls we take per day per shard
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - that need GM attention
Gm_Gabriel - I can say that a gm always has calls to answer, and emails to answer
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - and the ones that the players can deal by themselves
GM_Llano - The ones that players can deal with but still send to us are often sent by us to counselors
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - ahh I see, I found it useful to always call councelor first back in the old days
GM_Llano - Our counselor staff has been superbly reorganized and trained by GMs Kal and Durga, and they are most vital to helping us in those lower prioirity calls
GM_Llano - The higher prioirty calls we take outselves
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - But being volunteers, don't they tend to get, well you know, bored, and stop participating at times?
GM_Llano - At the top of that list are harassment, exploitation, and stuck player calls
GM_Llano - Actaully here is someone that can answer that about the volunteers
GM_Llano - He has been with us longer than most GMs and has done a good job in helping set up volunteer stuff
SLC_Teserax - I assume you mean me?
GM_Llano - Hm well I tried to think of mean stuff but couldnt so yes :)
SLC_Teserax - Well as in any volunteer position there is the cause for burn out and the counselors becoming bored
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - How often does that happen?
SLC_Teserax - it really depends on the person, most of us love helping people
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - I see
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - well thanks
SLC_Teserax - Myself I have been in the counselor program since day 1 and still not sick of it
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - wow
SLC_Teserax - Some of the counselors will take breaks or leave of abscense to rethink their position
SLC_Teserax - and status
SLC_Teserax - the counselor position is not one for glory or power, it is for helping other UO players
SLC_Teserax - If you like helping out, then apply today :)
SLC_Teserax - if your 21 or older ;)
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - thought it was 24 or so
SLC_Teserax - if you are looking just for the cool robes...then I would suggest you decide not to apply
SLC_Teserax - it was lowered to 21 about 2 weeks ago.
SLC_Teserax - maybe 3.
SLC_Teserax - Did that answer your questions?
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - yes
HeXeR_likes_techno_too - thanks
SLC_Teserax - welcome :)

BritneySpears - =-)
GM_Llano - Good evening
BritneySpears - do ya'll ever play as regular players? Like when ya done working or some such?
GM_Llano - Actually some of us do play a little despite after working on the game for 12 hours
GM_Llano - Youd think it crazy to go back to that but its far different playing than working
BritneySpears - I know I can't ask for names, but what type of characters do ya'll play?
BritneySpears - I mean, do you pk? roleplay?
BritneySpears - tailor fancy dresses?
GM_Llano - However I must say that my warrior cant fight, my tailor stinks, and my smith cant craft a katana
BritneySpears - tell me the honest answer...did you use uoassist before it was "legal"? =)
GM_Llano - No now if I killed a player I think I would honestly feel like I had sold my soul to Satan :)
GM_Llano - haha no actually I never did use that :)
BritneySpears - not even now?!
GM_Llano - Well no I am too cheap to pay for it :)
BritneySpears - heh, so a uoe user =P
BritneySpears - well thanks =)
GM_Llano - However I think it is important that we get into the game and keep the "feel" that the game has
GM_Llano - haha
GM_Llano - no one that one too :)
GM_Llano - Ill run around every once in a while until I die by the proverbial mongbat
* GM_Llano sighs *

Yazoo_GL - hi there
Twilight - Greetings
Yazoo_GL - My question is for you, Twilight, since you work closer with the seers and elders...
* Twilight nods *
Yazoo_GL - Are there any special events planned for Seige Perilous regarding the Holy War?
Yazoo_GL - The hero/evil system, with the added powers, has a lot of potential.
Yazoo_GL - I would hate to see it diminish to mindless townfighting, outside of town.
Yazoo_GL - Anything planeed we can fight over?
Twilight - Not yet
Yazoo_GL - :(
Twilight - Seige was intended to take a course of its own for a while
Twilight - but
Twilight - the future will hold many things
Twilight - and Seige will not be forgotten
Yazoo_GL - It seems that many players have FINALLY gotten ther skills up..
Yazoo_GL - and we really need something to happen..
* Twilight nods *
Yazoo_GL - just don't forget about us.
Yazoo_GL - :)
Twilight - We are working on having things happen on all shards
Yazoo_GL - ok..
Yazoo_GL - thanks

TL_Tarragon_GL - Hi
GM_Llano - Hey Tarragon
Gm_Gabriel - Hello tarragon
TL_Tarragon_GL - what shard do the gm's like the most.. which one do they like the least (like do you sigh when you come in and are tossed on such and such a shard?)
TL_Tarragon_GL - :)
Gm_Gabriel - I like to play on Siege Perilous more than any other shard
GM_Llano - As far as work goes we as GMs try to work the same shards that we have worked on previously
TL_Tarragon_GL - so not much variation for you?
GM_Llano - I myself work on Great Lakes and Lake Superior - this allows me to get a good feel of the community on the shard, the volunteers that are most helpful for me, as well as get to know the players on that shard too
* TL_Tarragon_GL nods *
TL_Tarragon_GL - Gabriel being a Lead do you get hands on much?
GM_Llano - In turn the players know who works on the shard (both OSI and volunteer) and they know who they can go to
TL_Tarragon_GL - true
Gm_Gabriel - lately, I haven't had time to GM a shard all by my self. I do GM when another GM has a time consuming call
Gm_Gabriel - I will then hop around helping players on boats, stuck calls, and helping counselors
TL_Tarragon_GL - :)
Gm_Gabriel - I seem to get in more to help counselors with players after hours who need help, or are becoming abusive
TL_Tarragon_GL - sounds like fun :)
Gm_Gabriel - I usually have to get in the game when someone is being abusive, or needs extra care
TL_Tarragon_GL - oh so you are the.. if a GM can't handle I'll jump in and calm things down, hopefully
Gm_Gabriel - hehe, yes, I am the negotiator
TL_Tarragon_GL - hehe
TL_Tarragon_GL - ok all I was wanting to ask thanks for your time :)
Gm_Gabriel - your most welcome
GM_Llano - thank you tarragon
* TL_Tarragon_GL waves *
GM_Llano - If any of you ever would like to contact a particular GM, remember that we do have addresses that we can be reached at
GM_Llano - All you have to do is send a mail to the gm's name @uo.com (i.e. [email protected])