NMA interview in PCZone

[Brother None]

Odin, the veritable owner and webmaster of this site, was interviewed for the August edition of PCZone. Here's the interview transcript, thanks to Josh:<blockquote>
Name: Atle Wilson (Odin)
Job Title: IT consultant / web master of the Fallout fan site No Mutants Allowed.
Working on: nma-fallout.com
Age: 31
Experience: NMA is Odin's first fan site.

PCZ: How did you get started?

Odin: "I was browsing on the net looking for news regarding Fallout 2 and found No Mutants Allowed. I would check the Interplay forums regularly and ended up scooping the Fallout fansites, so I decided to offer my services to NMA."

PCZ: What's the pay like?

Odin: "I don't make a penny from the fansite, it's all done by choice, and the hosting is paid for by our ads. The DNS, however is paid out of my own pocket, so you could say I pay for the project."

PCZ: What does your job involve?

Odin: "We spend most of our time browsing forums for news about Fallout 3, which is currently in progress at Bethesda. As we've been around for some time, we've got to know most of the developers, and as such we get tips which we then post about."

PCZ: How rewarding is your job?

Odin: "The work in itself cqn be very rewarding as you bring a service to people who're looking for that product. But what's really rewarding is the fact that you get to meet alot of interesting people - developers or fans from Fallout."

PCZ: What's the most annoying part of your job?

Odin: "People expect you to know everything about the Fallout world. Plus, we get alot of people on our forum asking the same questions over and over again."</blockquote>Mainstream recognition fun!

 

[Per]

I'm happy to say I don't spend any time browsing forums for news about Fallout 3.

Plus, we get alot of people on our forum asking the same questions over and over again.

How I mine for FISH?

 

[SuAside]

Atle ? ATLE ?

what kind of name is that !?!

that's it, i'm unregistering!

NOT

seriously though, really really strange interview. no depth at all & little relevence except mentioning the NMA name, which will probably cause another influx of Bethsoft fanboys. they're always welcome of course. either for re-education or deathclaw fodder.

 

[monsharen]

thanks odin for paying for my pleasure. it's great to know there's someone covering our asses.

 

[frissy]

Crappy interview. I bet she was a gorgeous blonde who's an intern and really really .... really wanted it....er....THAT story.


But it being crappy isn't yout fault, you were just enjoying....the ride.
________
DESIGN HOST

 

[Ratty Sr.]

Scan, plz.

By the way, it won't be long before Odin is chosen Man of the Year by TIME magazine.

 

[Odin]

heh, talk about cutting down what I wrote to him...


Here's the real deal:

Name: Atle Wilson, best known as Odin from No Mutants Allowed

Job title: Well I am an IT consultant in real life, but I'm also webmaster of the Fallout fansite called No Mutants Allowed.

Working on: Currently working on the Fallout fansite called No Mutants Allowed http://www.nma-fallout.com, which was started around 1998 I belive it was. The site was originally owned and run by Miroslav Panic from Yugoslavia, I joined up around 1999/2000. The site is currently run by my friends Kharn, Silencer, Montez, Per, Welsh and lots of others which I probably forgot to mention.

Age: 31

Experience: Before joining Miro on NMA, I had hardly done any web coding just some small html coding. I started as a news gatherer for No Mutants Allowed and ended up running the place, doing both MySql and PHP coding. Thankfully I had help along the way, from the infamous Roshambo, Kharn the dutch and the portugiese god Briosafreak.

How did you get started: Well its a long story really, but I've always loved to play computer games. I still remember sitting up all night playing Civilization on my C64, those where the days. Somehow I ended up liking the RPG and strategy sections of computer games, from the early text adventure games from Infocom and the likes to the full out multiplayer online game such as World Of Warcraft. When I read about Fallout in some computer magazine around 96/97, I found that this game would be to my liking but I ended up loving the atmosphere and story of the game.

As most Fallout fans I browsed the net looking for news regarding the followup (Fallout 2) and found the No Mutants Allowed website, after I found myself to keep coming back to that site as I found all the info I needed (about Fallout) on that site. So around 1999/2000 I had internet access at work and home, so I was browsing the Interplay forums more regularly and ended up scooping the Fallout fansites so I decided to offer my services to Miro on NMA.

What is the pay like: Someone actually get payed for this? Hehe, well I actually dont make a penny of the fansite, it is all done by own choice and the hosting is payed for by our ads. The DNS however is payed out of my own pocket, so you can say I pay for this "project".

What does your job involve? Basicly what we do at No Mutants Allowed is post newsbits about Fallout, Falloutish projects and such. I also do PHP/MySQL coding, upgrading softwares and such. We spend most of our time on the new browsing forums for news about Fallout 3, which is currently in progress at Bethesda. As we have been around the community for quite some time now, we have gotten to know most of the developers around this genere and as such we get tips and such which we then post about (if possible).

How rewarding is your job? Well there isnt much rewarding in running a fansite except a certain "famous" status amongs the "cult" following Fallout, of course the work in itself can be rewarding as you bring a service to people who are looking for that product but there is no pay in it. But whats really rewarding is the fact that you get to meet alot of interesting people sorrounding this "phenomenon", be it developers or fans. I for one have gotten alot of good friends in the Fallout community and will treasure those for the rest of my life, sadly lately I havent had a chance to do that as I've been swamped in real life issues (work, family etc) and I've also one of the people who's come under the Wow spell (world of warcraft).

Most annoying part of your job? Most annoying part must be that people expect you to know absolutely everything about the Fallout world, and one cannot forget all those people who come to our forum asking the same questions over and over again (without reading the stickies ).

And what would you suggest to people wanting to do the same? Well I'm sure if you feel you have the interest and drive to run a fansite, you would do it. There is actually nothing stopping you and as you see there are fansites poping up all over the net, some successful some not so much. Keep it simple with nice design, simple layout and lots of content about the game. Be active in the community sorrounding the game you like, which will bring you a long way to more insight and perhaps some good sources

 

[God is Dog backwards]

Pretty cool. BTW Odin I've been meaning to ask, how long have you been playing WoW for? I played for over a year then just realised that I wasn't particularly enjoying it any more (the levelling process is fantastic with the great quests, atmosphere and exploration, at 60 it goes to shit). So I sold my account months ago and despite sometimes feeling desire to go back, I haven't touched it since (nor any other game really though am looking forward to the Wii).

 

[OG Loc]

There must have been hard times for many years, trying to find some news worth posting. Not even knowing if there´s ever going to be F3.

And even now the news about the next Fallout are hard to come by...

Keep it real, homie.

 

[Briosafreak]

We should make an article of the unedited version for historical reasons, would show the noobs a bit of the history of the place.

I´m too mortal to be a god though...


Still having the interview on the mag is ultracool 8)

 

[Odin]

BTW Odin I've been meaning to ask, how long have you been playing WoW for?

Uhm about a year and some months, made a rogue as my main. Been to every instance there is ingame atm, recently moved my character to a new realm to start fresh with some real life friends.

 

[Melanthius]

thanks odin for paying for my pleasure.

Ditto that, you're like a fucking saint or something. I Hope it doesn't set you back too much.

 

[Roshambo]

At least Odin plays Horde, which I approve of. They get the short end in terms of quests and zones, and tend to be a bit hardier because of that.

At least he doesn't have a flipping faerie, although I'll put money that his girlfriend does.

 

[Odin]

At least Odin plays Horde, which I approve of. They get the short end in terms of quests and zones, and tend to be a bit hardier because of that.

Not to mention short end of the stick on PVE progress, bah..oh well.. Blizzard in their enormous wisdom decided to balance it...Horde gets paladin..bah...and Alliance gets shaman.

At least he doesn't have a flipping faerie, although I'll put money that his girlfriend does.

Heh, no she actually plays a undead mage/priest

 

[Roshambo]

Not to mention short end of the stick on PVE progress, bah..oh well.. Blizzard in their enormous wisdom decided to balance it...Horde gets paladin..bah...and Alliance gets shaman.

As much as I loathe the game...I do have the ear of a programmer, and some of my ideas do get in. As much as I loathe it, the concept is pretty sound, but failing in many ways, and might be one of the few good titles you can find until Warhammer Online. Unless EA fucks that one up, it promises to give a LOT of fun gameplay, as Mythic decided to address many of the issues revolving around PvE and PvP and RvR, and the interaction between all of them on a grand scale. From their earlier work on DAoC, unless they Disneyfy it, then it doesn't seem like as much of a pipe dream.

The programmer I know in Blizzard is quite irate at how they decided to take the lazy way out and just gave each realm class to both sides. There were plans for other classes, some pretty brilliant, but it seems they aren't willing on doing anything good compared to Asheron's Call. Or Dark Age of Camelot. Warcraft is supposed to be heavy Humans vs. Orcs. It's become more like World of Farmcraft.

Heh, no she actually plays a undead mage/priest

My sister plays trolls, mostly. Pathological hatred of elves and small squishy pink things, which includes everything from human to gnome.

Since your other half is a priest, have her MC any paladins that attack Undercity and lead them to an elevator death. That is always QUITE popular, and very effective. Pally plate repair bills!

 

[Odin]

Since your other half is a priest, have her MC any paladins that attack Undercity and lead them to an elevator death. That is always QUITE popular, and very effective. Pally plate repair bills!

Well BRM (Blackrock Mountain) is filled with MCed allies in the lava For those that dont know, BRM is a place where you have 2 of the higher instances/Dungeons you can raid/visit in the game (Blackwing Lair (tier 2) and Molten Core (tier 1)).

But World of Farmcraft is such a true statement, I used to be in one of the leading guilds in Europe on pve progress but in the end it became a job and not worth it. Its still fun to be able to have tried every instance in the game tho, eventho most arent as "special" as you would have thought

 

[SuAside]

At least Odin plays Horde, which I approve of. They get the short end in terms of quests and zones, and tend to be a bit hardier because of that.

HATE THE BARRENS! (oh well, at least they put up some extra flightpoints up now)

but Horde does have the better side of the story really. Alliance is crumbling all over (internal struggle, subterfuge, intrigue) while Horde is clearly blossoming.

might be one of the few good titles you can find until Warhammer Online. Unless EA fucks that one up, it promises to give a LOT of fun gameplay, as Mythic decided to address many of the issues revolving around PvE and PvP and RvR, and the interaction between all of them on a grand scale.

i'm guessing Mythic will release a solid game, but that EA will totally screw up the followup (added content, player support, events,...)

It's become more like World of Farmcraft.

it pretty much always was.

My sister plays trolls, mostly. Pathological hatred of elves and small squishy pink things, which includes everything from human to gnome.

i think dw0rfs are the worse of all. specially female ones...

i was a male troll, shaman. (contrary to popular belief, male trolls can have decent looks. i dont understand why all dumbfucks i see make it a sport of making their male troll shamans look like utter crap)

Well BRM (Blackrock Mountain) is filled with MCed allies in the lava For those that dont know, BRM is a place where you have 2 of the higher instances/Dungeons you can raid/visit in the game (Blackwing Lair (tier 2) and Molten Core (tier 1)).

and UBRS, LBRS and BRD prior to that.

But World of Farmcraft is such a true statement, I used to be in one of the leading guilds in Europe on pve progress but in the end it became a job and not worth it. Its still fun to be able to have tried every instance in the game tho, eventho most arent as "special" as you would have thought

really? which guild was that? i was shaman officer (and secondary guildleader) in a top11 guild worldwide before i called it quits.

and yeah, not only is it farmcraft, it's also world of MakeBlizzardEasyMoneyCraft (releasing buggy & unfinished instances, bad support,...). i was (amongst other things) responsible for all the communication with gamemasters when stuff went wrong... the biggest majority of those guys are morons.

my main motivation was exploring & learning/beating endgame content without outside help (well, there really wasn't any since we were always amongst the first in europe to beat stuff & amongst the top11 worldwide). but there was nothing to really explore & the endgame was mostly a repetition of old stuff (i quit just after opening the gates of AQ). it became clear to me that the only reason i continued playing, was for the friends i had made along the way. and quite frankly, i could have fun with them on IRC & in non-paying games (or have a beer with em if they were irl mates), so what was the use of paying my monthly subscription?

 

[Odin]

and UBRS, LBRS and BRD prior to that.

Yes, those are in Blackrock mountain (BWL, UBRS, LBRS, BRD and MC...) Tho hardly reconed "high" instances. Only Molten Core, Blackwing Lair, AQ and Naxxramas is regarded as that, oh and lets not forget dear old Onyxia.

I was in a guild called Path of Wreckage, atm they have 8-10 bosses in Naxx on farm. But they are being beated my Lootftw as usual (allie guild).

 

[SuAside]

I was in a guild called Path of Wreckage, atm they have 8-10 bosses in Naxx on farm. But they are being beated my Lootftw as usual (allie guild).

my guild was Massive (top11 worldwide, both sides included). they split & reformed when i & a few others called it quits. they're now called The Legacy (top 5 horde EU, top 21 H/A EU, dunno worldwide. nerf alliance raiding btw.). Legacy & PoW seem pretty much equal.

 

[quietfanatic]

Nice! The interview summary isn't too bad.