Todays guest is non other than the esteemed Joshua Rowan. Not only is this man busy with his regular duties he has been talking to the press. Earlier today he gave an interview with UO Forum. As my readers know Lady Lava's Questionnaire goes beyond the regular interview style and gets a peek into the person behind the desk or the avatar.~


Your title is UO Stratics Managing Editor and DDO Stratics Asst. Editor. Briefly describe what these titles entail.
As the Managing Editor of UO Stratics, I am the final decision maker in regard to all aspects of the site � News, Forums, and Content. With a site as big as UO Stratics though, what it really comes down to is having a lot of terrific people helping to manage the various areas (Forum Administrators, News Managers, Content Editors, etc) and then providing guidance and feedback to those folks to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Beyond that, I also work directly with Electronic Arts quite a bit to resolve issues, I am in charge of our new UOStraticsCast Podcast Shows, and I am the main point of contact in regard to the integration and communication of UO Stratics with the rest of the Stratics Network. In other words, being the ME of UO Stratics means that I get the opportunity to wear several different hats on a daily basis � there is definitely never a dull moment around here because of that.

As the Assistant Editor for DDO Stratics, my duties are much more hands-on. In addition to helping with the daily News about the game itself, I also get the opportunity to provide content for the site � From writing �First Impressions� articles, to gathering information about the classes, to putting together unique sections such as Player Wallpapers and Book Reviews, I am definitely kept busy. In the end though, as the 2nd In Command to Banhammer (the ME of DDO Stratics), I am essentially the Ryker to his Picard � I provide my feedback and assistance for the site, but it is ultimately Banhammer that steers the DDO Stratics ship and makes the final decisions on everything.

The UOStraticsCast Show is highly entertaining not to mention informative. Who was the brains behind the birth of this show?
Stratics Central has actually been doing the �Radio Talk Show� podcasts for quite awhile now - Beans and Gabe have been the ones running those shows. However, the general StraticsCast shows are really meant to be short (usually 10-12 minute) shows that summarize the entire MMO industry as a whole, to provide highlights of Stratics� top news. However, as an avid listener of genre-specific podcasts myself � from shows about LOST to NFL Football � I wanted something exclusively about Ultima Online that would provide detailed information only about our game � an hour or so of entertainment that included news, stories, tips, and editorial discussions. Having discovered that no such show seemed to exist for UO yet, I decided that it was up to UO Stratics to create one for the players - And thus the first UOStraticsCast was born. And thanks to the players that have supported the show and to folks on the Stratics Team (especially ElofLA, who helps produce the shows!), this is a project that continues to grow and gain popularity.

Myself and several other Ladies were talking about how you sound on the broadcast, your voice that is. We all have different ideas of what we think you look like by your voice. Please give us an honest description of your physical characteristics.
Probably the best way to describe my appearance is that I�m average across the board � 5�11�, 186 lbs, short-cut black hair (with some gray) that is unfortunately thinning quite a bit in my old age, and short-cut beard (usually cut in a Goatee or Van Dyke style). I also started doing long-distance biking on a regular basis a couple years ago, so I would say that I�m �fit�.

Why has Lady Lava never been mentioned on UOStraticsCast Show? I flirt, I work hard, I am one of the most active reporters for UO, I have pretty long red hair, but not even a footnote I tell you! lol.
*laughs* I�ll have to make sure that you get mentioned in the next show! Of course, if you wrote a Quest Guide or a Content Guide for the show, you would definitely be getting much more than just a footnote - And that goes for anyone else who may also interested in helping us out.

When and how did you first hear of UO?
I�ve been playing Ultima games religiously since the 1980�s, starting with Ultima 3. So when Ultima Online was first announced way back in 1996, I started following the project immediately. I believe that I first heard about the game from an article in one of those computer game magazines (I don�t remember exactly which one), which back then was one of the only ways to really learn much about new and upcoming games.

If you could personally create a monster/creature in UO what would it look like and what powers would it have?
GREMLIN � The special power would be that it could steal items out of your backpack while you are fighting it (including reagents, weapons, and bandages!), with the only way to retrieve your items being that you have to kill it.

What animal would you come back as if it was possible after death in real life and why?
GRIZZLY BEAR � Because they are the king of the forest, no other creatures could mess with them, and I would get to hibernate during the winter!

What do you admire most in a woman?
Compassion.

What do you admire most in a man?
Loyalty.

What is your favorite color?
Green.

What location in the realm do you think is the most beautiful? The region surrounding The Justice Shrine in Britannia

What location in real life do you think is the most beautiful? A tie between Central Oregon and Maui (Hawaii)

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?
I�m a big fan of the Reluctant Hero � someone who becomes the hero not by choice, but by necessity. Because of that, I would have to say that my favorite heroes in fiction would include Samwise Gamgee (Tolkien�s Lord of the Rings), Rand al�Thor (Robert Jordan�s Wheel of Time), and Renie Sulaweyo (Tad William�s Otherland).

Who is your hero in real life?
As corny as it sounds, my Mom. Or if family members don�t count, then it would be my 6th Grade Teacher, Mr. Stevens.

What was the last book that you read?
�The Dragon Reborn� (Book 3 of The Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan � I�m rereading the entire series for the second time.

What was the last movie you saw?
�Cars� by Pixar/Disney

What is your motto?
�May The Virtues Be With You�

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to talk with me and to give the players of Great Lakes and Stratics an glimpse into your life.

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