My dear Wizards,
It’s about time again to chat about what’s new in the Spiral. I can’t believe that the first month of 2011 is already under our belt, and our first update of the year has hit the Test Server!
First and foremost, we’re adding one of the most requested features since Celestia launched: Celestian housing! I think these houses are some of our finest architecture to date! The Island Getaway is a tropical paradise. Every time I run around in it, I’m transported away from the middle of winter to a deserted island somewhere warm and sunny. There is also a pretty nifty secret feature to the Island Getaway. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it’s inspired by one of our Lead Artist’s favorite movies! The Island Getaway can be purchased in the Crown Shop, so you can log into the Test Server right now and check it out. The larger, craftable Celestian Observatory is very otherworldly, and features a multitude of levels topped with a panoramic view of the nighttime sky. You may even notice the Crab Nebula up there!
Quite a few other things went into this update…
- We’ve added other benefits for Members, much-requested features such as faster recharges for Energy; faster crafting times; larger Friends lists; and larger backpacks.
- For those of you just starting out playing Wizard101, we’ve made some changes to streamline early adventuring and to make things flow more smoothly.
- New gear items are available in the Crown Shop aimed at players of all levels (a popular request), and there will be other surprises coming out later. Additionally, we will be introducing functionality that lets you sort henchmen by level and display the gear that is more useful to you.
- We have introduced copious gardening updates and fixes.
- Finally, we've performed many other "housekeeping" style updates throughout the world.
You can check the details out here:
February Update Notes
We have also spent a lot of behind-the-scenes time supporting our localization partners as they launch Wizard101 overseas! Our first launch is in the United Kingdom, but soon we will be available in several other territories and languages. It’s been a lot of work, but incredibly rewarding knowing that we will be able to introduce the wonders of the Spiral to players in other countries, in their native tongues!
Some players have indicated that they are interested in a peek behind the curtains here at KingsIsle and Wizard City, so Professor Greyrose collected some questions about what it’s like to be a Producer, and asked that I dedicate some time to doing a little Q&A. There were actually quite a few questions, so we’ll call this Part 1, and we’ll do Part 2 in the future.
What role does a producer play when it comes to an online game like Wizard101?
We do anything and everything needed to keep our game going, just like a coach makes sure the team is fit, healthy, inspired, and ready to win the game! Some days, I spend a good majority of time on the forums and other websites collecting and analyzing what’s being said about the game, gathering ideas and seeing if they jibe with what we’re also thinking of, and sometimes interacting and giving out information. Some days it’s meetings, conference calls, and interviews. Some days it’s working with the team to plan upcoming milestones and features. Occasionally it’s saying funny things into a microphone. Really, whatever the need is in the project, we either a) do it, or b) find someone that can do it.
What is a typical day for a producer?There is no typical day, that’s one of my favorite things about the job. Some days I come in, catch up on emails, read the forums, work on scheduling and planning, or even get a chance to log into Wizard101 and play. Most days, I’ll come in and there are about a million random things going on that need my attention and I’ll blink and it’s lunchtime. I find my day is composed of a lot of emails and visits to my office discussing decisions that need to be made or problems to be solved, meetings with team leads and management to keep everyone on track and moving forward, and directing a lot of communication making sure that everyone from the Headmaster to newest artist on the team knows what’s at stake here! We have fun to make!
What is the most difficult part of your job?Honestly, the most difficult part is telling myself I’m done for the day. Being a producer means there are an infinite amount of things that can be done. I’m never done. Even when the schedule is set, there’s always the next update to think about. Whenever I think I’ve got things handled in the office, there are always forums to check and posts and producer letters to write. If that’s all done, I need to stay up on playing the game! It’s a never ending cycle of (awesome and fun) to dos, but I rarely can leave for the day without thinking I could have done more.
Why is being a video game producer fun for you?I get to motivate and encourage a team to make a super awesome game! There is just about nothing better in the world! Sure, sometimes the day to day can get hectic or frustrating, but at the end of the day, we make games (and a really great one at that)! How cool is that? The experience and effort is all worth being able to see a Wizard101 commercial and go, “Look! Together we made that!”
See you in the Spiral!
Leah “Professor Falmea” Ruben
Producer,
Wizard101
