Videric: Welcome to the first the Tales of a Traveller (TM) chat *grins* When did you start roleplaying, what games have you played prior and you play now besides to Ultima Online?
Ogodei: To be honest, I never really played pen & paper RPGs
Videric: Nothing at all, any table top games?
Ogodei: I once bought a box of "Das Schwarze Auge", if you've heard of that, when I was about 11 years old. But I didn't find anyone to play with me
My roots in computer gaming are definitely to be found in the Ultima series. My first one was Ultima Underworld, Ultima 5-7 followed, that way I got to Ultima Online and roleplaying in UO...
I didn't start with "serious" roleplaying to be honest. But I did that with my second character I created on Catskills, and that was around half a year after UO's release I think
Oh, I played U8 and 9 as well, but ya know... *coughs* somehow forgot to mention them.
Videric: I am curious, can you tell of your first roleplaying character in UO?
Ogodei: Well, I still play him sometimes, he is still my favourite character. His name is Pandorato, and he is a man of the woods, a ranger
studded armour, bow, the usual stuff ;)
* Videric grins
Ogodei: He got a bald head and a long white beard. I think I got inspired by Iolo when creating him. Although Pan is not much of a good singer...
First, I strolled with him through the woods on my own, and after some time I came upon a group near Yew, who looked like farmers. I started a conversation with them and soon found out that they were the "Peasants of Yew"... and were about to attack the orcs. The good old Shadowclan.
That way I slipped into the Catskills roleplaying scene, and haven't left it since then. I also got a character in the Paladins of Trinsic later at Catskills, but never played an orc or other evil character somehow.
Videric: This was 2 years ago?
Ogodei]: And havent left it since then probably more, more like 3 years.
Videric: A lot of roleplayers on Europa come from Catskills... which leads nicely to the second big question:
ERPA, How did ERPA get formed? I know it actually got formed before Europa server itself existed.
Ogodei: Well, I knew I wanted to move to Europa, and I wanted to roleplay, but not alone. My connection to Catskills was usually not very good, and extremely bad at that time, also the time difference was a problem. So I thought of a way to get a similar roleplaying on Europa, as I had on Cats, as well roleplaying experience I mean.
So I founded the ERPA, together with a guy who planned to create a pirate roleplaying guild. Some might remember him, it was Grim the Grey of the Cursed Skull Clan.
Videric: So you got people together with website and things went on? So all the founding members were from Catskills?
Ogodei: Well, I first made a pretty basic website with two members, who were Oymak Batachikan and The Cursed Skull Clan then advertised a bit, when rumours about a European shard got louder. Soon others joined, like the severed heads orcs who had their roots in Shadowclan on Catskills.
Well, so all of the first members, and also the RoE and basic ideas, originated from Catskills, yes.
Videric: ERPA has been quite a success, Europa is with Catskills known as a roleplaying shard. And I think Europa owns much to ERPA for that. However would there be anything you would do differently, if you were creating ERPA again?
Ogodei: tough one, let me think a bit...
Well, a lot of things have changed since the founding of the ERPA. I am still in a constant learning process. Sometimes the ERPA even feels more like an experiment, it's still far from being perfect.
I would do things different, but still haven't found out how, so to say ;)
The ERPA has been blamed in the past for both, being narrow minded, elitist hardcore roleplayers up to a bunch of kewldewd non-roleplayers. It's hard to please everyone, the question is, should one try to please everyone?
It's just hard to be an open association at the one hand, and on the other hand maintaining a good roleplaying environment, but I think the solution to it is tolerance from both sides.
Videric: Let's go to your guild, Oymak Batachikan. Where did you get your inspiration, and was it hard to create?
Ogodei: First off I planned doing a guild of woodsmen, rangers and druids as I liked my old character, Pandorato a lot. But then I thought of trying something new. I had been to Mongolia on travels a while ago I liked the lifestyle.
Also I had a little book with their language and I definitely wanted to create a guild with their own language.
Videric: So Oymak language is real Mongol language?
Ogodei: yes, most of it, some is invented though. For example we use the word "tolga" for armor, although it is actually the word for "helmet". But it is important to point out that we are NOT playing Mongols, we just are inspired by them.
I think it's important to stick to UO fiction at least in the basics also I wanted to look different use armour nobody uses, use horses hardly anyone used at that time, and also using tents that where still available at that time. Nobody used them to live in them actually, just for vendors usually. And nobody was wearing ringmail those days, except the orcs one problem was of course that we still sometimes get confused with orcs, which is quite annoying actually.
Videric: To speak a bit more of your guild, what kind of players is your guild looking for? And what do you require from them, also what do you give in return?
Ogodei: on the one hand we are a very tolerant guild, but on the other very strict. I expect from the members to understand the idea behind Oymak Batachikan follow the rules not because they are rules and they get punished if they don't but rather to understand that its the rules who make them a nomad, and make Oymak Batachikan what it is.
I don't mind at all if an "experienced" nomad runs around in a pink dress, but if a new member starts walking around in plate, it makes me mad.
We are looking for players who are open minded to play the game the "Oymak style"
Uhm... hope you got that...
Videric: I presume you mean he once wears pink dress , not that he starts using one permanently *grins*
Ogodei: If he is expericanced, he wont wear it permanently. The amazing thing is that newbies have usually a much easier time adopting our playstyle then experienced players.
"What, no recall??"
We basically roleplay with anyone as long as they treat us with respect. I don't care if the other person is roleplaying with me, but I will roleplay with HIM and there is nothing he can do about it ;)
Videric: I think it is time for final question: What is the most remarkable or rememberable moment for you in Ultima Online? Name a few, if one is too hard to isolate.
Ogodei: Hmm... thats another tough one... there are many of those moments.
Ogodei: But I enjoyed the game definately most when I started to discover the possibilities of roleplaying that means my first steps of roleplaying in UO.
I was about to quit on that day when I came upon those farmers, but it showed me that I hadn't seen even half of what UO has to offer.
Also Beta was a lot of fun as well actually. I had the most fun in the game ever I think when we went out of town the first time and fought some slimes in Destard. I found a chest with 3 shields there which made me king of Trinsic.
That was very early in beta though, the time when all that people did where fishing. Hardly anyone had ever seen a monster or could afford weapons and armour
Tell me if I'm babbling too much
Videric: No, not all, This is the TALES of a traveller after all. Tales include a lot of Blah (talk) *grins* About BETA, did you ever make it to DOOM?
Ogodei: I have never been to Doom, no you mean those underground passages?
Videric: I was not at Beta, so I never saw it.
Ogodei: I doubt it actually was Doom, people just started calling tunels that.
Videric: It's urban legend, I suppose.
* Ogodei_[OyB] nods
Ogodei: I've seen Lord British though, a few minutes before he got killed...
Videric: So BETA is the only time you saw him?
Ogodei: yes, didn't see him in Deepwater. Hah! He promised he would return...I just remembered that. I have the feeling he won't though somehow.
Videric: The King will return, just like King Arthur...one day!
Well, I think this concludes the chat, it was a honour to have you as the first guest to interview for the Tales of a Traveller.
Thank you for coming.
Ogodei: My pleasure, Thanks for inviting me.
Interviews
