ArenaNet Employees In Game

[Deleted]

I think it's just fine they advertise that they are devs with the Anet symbol in game. They don't seem to be giving themselves any unfair advantages. I mean they did make the game let them be proud of their success.

I don't see why they have to do it with a name tag. They aren't more special than any other gamer, you can be sure by using that tag they will receive gold and other stuff from the community.

[Mistral]

I loved all the GMs in Ragnarok Online doing awesome and/or stupid stuff occasionally.
I'm curious if we'll see similar things in GW2. (minus the power abuse)

It actually happens quite often in smaller games btw. In some games GMs organize big events regularly.
Sadly it takes more and more effort the bigger the community becomes.

[Cthulhu 2020]

I've seen a couple of these around, and yes they do have an open and advertised employee guild. They also have incognito accounts I'm sure.

I find it a bit strange that it's so taboo for devs to play their own game. I know it started out and is partially because devs are like celebs within their own game, and people have a tendency to fanboy or ask for things, but I find it a bit saddening that it's become taboo for devs to openly play the game because of this.

[Deleted]

I don't see why they have to do it with a name tag. They aren't more special than any other gamer, you can be sure by using that tag they will receive gold and other stuff from the community.

...what? They're certainly more special than us, because y'know, they created the game. If they wanted, they could have a full bloody marching band following them, and I wouldn't care. They've put so much into making this game, why shouldn't they get a little recognition out of it?

Also, "gold and stuff from the community"? Who'd give a dev gold? If anything, people would be begging them for items.

[DrakeWurrum]

If anything, that tag opens them up to being constantly harassed by angry whispers.

[Erous]

I think it's great, but can't help but think what happens if something goes wrong in the game or a change occurs that the playerbase or some random, immature ass doesn't agree with. I'm assuming they'd get spammed like woah.

[Ruffles]

Well there are normal accounts and GM accounts. He played on his normal account

[Kelimbror]

For all we know, it might be required to play openly to hold them accountable. I'm sure they aren't worried about anything crazy, because they seem to have their act very much together. It's good business to openly display that you have nothing to hide, even inside your own game world.

[Deleted]

...what? They're certainly more special than us, because y'know, they created the game. If they wanted, they could have a full bloody marching band following them, and I wouldn't care. They've put so much into making this game, why shouldn't they get a little recognition out of it?

Also, "gold and stuff from the community"? Who'd give a dev gold? If anything, people would be begging them for items.

They did their job, you are acting like they are gods. They aren't more special than me doing a summer job.

[Swagman]

They did their job, you are acting like they are gods. They aren't more special than me doing a summer job.

Wtf when was the last time you had 1 million people RSVP to come watch you do your summer job or had 400k people enjoying you do your job at any given time of day?

They made a product thousands are enjoying including you so if someone wants to lavish some praise on them then it's understandable.

[Rawmac]

Blizz used to do this, but then they got busy and realised that solving problems was a lot more important to the players than playing the game, it's a real shame, but I'm glad they focus on us. It will be cool if arenanet can keep this up.

[romara]

Not sure if there is already a thread about this or something similar, but I came back to Hoelbrak on Darkhaven to do some crafting last night and seen something I've not seen before. It was a level 20 Norn Guardian named Snowcrash with the Anet red castle next to his name in a guild called ArenaNet. At first I just said, "Oh that's cool, an Anet employee is playing on his Guardian." Gave him a /wave and got a /cheer in return. I then was like I wonder who it was. Quick google search later, its Chris Whiteside, the lead producer of GW2. I just thought it was incredibly cool that he was just hanging out playing on his toon with the rest of us, and that he wasn't like level 80 with super amazing armor. Sent him a whisper in game and he actually replied to me saying thanks.

Not sure if ya'll have met any other employees in game or have even quested with them, but I just think its kinda cool. Especially because I've never personally seen this kind of interaction in other games. I mean let alone taking the time out to reply to a whisper or even be able to whisper him at all. My buddy added him to his friends list lol.

http://imgur.com/9SX9N.jpg

http://imgur.com/7XxCH.jpg

Very cool. He may have been a higher level and was downranked, not sure if the UI shows your actual level when downranking. I read an article right after release that said they were all very tired, but it hadn't stopped them from jumping in game, playing, watching chat, and just checking out people playing the game. If I worked there I doubt I'd be getting much sleep, I'd probably be in game as much as I could after working on something for so long.

[Deleted]

They did their job, you are acting like they are gods. They aren't more special than me doing a summer job.

I'm not acting like they're gods. They're game developers. But they've made a bloody good game and have the right to be proud and get recognition for their work.

[Deleted]

Snowcrash used to play WvW on Whiteside Ridge server in BWE's and stress tests.

[lightgil]

Have you ever seen a GM cheating in an MMORPG? I never have. Not in a way to be insta max lvl and gain awesome gear atleast.

Your view on GM's is wrong I think...they play any game just like any other normal gamer does.

I've seen a lot of GMs in mmos that had powers much greater than players :P

Like grandchase and atlantica I've had experiences with gms doing awesome things like flying and having gear better than players can have and stuff.

[Herecius]

They did their job, you are acting like they are gods. They aren't more special than me doing a summer job.

When you bend space and time itself so you can work a summer job for 6 days a week (maybe even more when crunches come) for half a decade straight to the interest of millions of fans, then you can say it's not any more special.

There's avoiding hero-worshiping the developers, and then there's this kind of... derogatory hyperbole.

Also. Snowcrash? Damn. That's a good name. I really need to reread Snowcrash...

[Lucas Ashrock]

Very cool. He may have been a higher level and was downranked

Inside a city, everyone see your real level. He was 20.

[Swagman]

I'm not acting like they're gods. They're game developers. But they've made a bloody good game and have the right to be proud and get recognition for their work.

I love the liberal use of the word bloody in your responses it sounds so damn British.

And if a character is being down leveled they will have a little arrow pointing down to indicate so, but if the sighting was in hoelbrek then he was actually that level, no down leveling in main cities.

[Deleted]

There are actually quite a few developers who read and use these forums as well, generally speaking though they tend to be anonymous so they don't get 5 billions PMs/whispers moaning / complaining / being abusive / asking for freebies etc. Kudos to the developers if they've brave enough to enter the game and play with their tag showing, they must get a LOT of whispers.

[SirRobin]

Meh... Nice for them to do. Good to see them in-game. But they have to have very thick skins for all the complaining and baiting they may get whispered.