GW2 Community Creators Spotlight - Mute_Herald

Q: What do you do in the Guild Wars community and where can everyone find you?

A: I’ve been obsessing over GW2 since its playable demo at Pax Prime in 2012. I’ve been enjoying the game and the community over the past 3 years and have just recently begun streaming over on my Twitch channel: http://www.twitch.tv/mute_herald. I’ve created GW2 fan art in the past, and have been offering my design skills to other GW2 content creators as of late! Oh! And I have a bizarre blog experiment going on here: http://mute-herald.tumblr.com/

Q: Did you hear of/play GW1 and what was your experiences/ you're impressions? What is your earliest memory if so?

A: I recall first taking notice of Guild Wars on stores shelves. I was in college at the time and the box art really grabbed my attention. I was totally absorbed with Everquest 2 at the time, so I didn’t get far into Guild Wars other than experimenting with character creation. However, the game art impressed me so much that I used it as the subject of a rebranding project in my design studies.

Q: Did you/are you playing other MMO's? What attracted you to them?

A: Guild Wars 2 has my whole heart! MMOs are such large, richly diverse games, that in order for me to fully enjoy the experience I limit myself to one MMO at a time. Guild Wars 2 has been my favorite MMO of all time by a large margin.

Q: When did you start playing GW2 and what got you involved in the game itself?

A: Playing the demo at PAX in 2012 instantly sold me on the game. If I recall correctly though, the Mac client wasn’t announced until a few days after launch, so I missed on out the pre-purchase goodies. Otherwise, I have been playing since launch!

Q: What have you enjoyed about GW2 and what has kept you playing?

A: I love that GW2 has set itself apart from the sea of MMOs by embracing active combat mechanics. I also enjoy Anet’s game design philosophies; their willingness to welcome new players, and encouraging the community to exercise creativity and experimentation in their playstyles.

I keep playing because it’s still fun! And I can’t walk away from the sheer beauty encountered within Tyria. The art in this game is unrivaled. Even the user interface has been touched by the hands of a clever and delicate artist. I am so grateful to see that GW2 continues to provide a richer and richer visual and mechanical experience.

Q: What has been your favourite memory of GW2?

A: My favorite memory is from the second oldest character on my account. I created a Ranger and played until level 15 or so before realizing there was a whole world full of pets for me to charm. So I ran like a madman through all the zones of Tyria as a level 15 Ranger to collect every last pet I could find. It was thrilling! I died a ton, I got lost, but it was my first real immersion into the gorgeous environs of Tyria and I will never forget it. And did get those illusive critters ;)

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming expansion HoT?

A: Duh! I’m so excited for it! New mechanics! New lands to explore! Expanded game modes! Druid! Dragonhunter! Treefrog villages!? The excitingly dangerous Mordremoth?! *deep breath*

Q: What class do you main/ What is your least liked class and why?

A: I main a Sylvari Ranger. I’ve always loved nature and animals, so the Ranger is an obvious choice for me. I also love the pet mechanics even though they could use a little tweaking. Engineer is a close second for my favorite profession because I love elixirs so damn much! I find the Thief the least enjoyable to play simply because I’m not interested in bursting or being bursted.

Q: What is your preferred game mode/Have you been drawn to any other modes?

A: I enjoy PvE the most overall because of the environments, and exploration is my favorite activity. Though recently I have become a PvP addict! It took me a while to get over the anxiety of being in direct competition with other players, but now I really enjoy the challenge whether I win or lose.

Q: Why did you choose to make content from this game mode?

A: I love streaming while in PvP because the queue times give me fun opportunities to interact with chat. PvP is also faster paced than most PvE content and I think that makes for a more exciting viewing experience.

Q: What is your opinion on the lore of the game?

A: I really love learning more and more about the lore of Tyria! That being said, I don’t really enjoy the personal story to its fullest because I have to make choices that I don’t think my characters would actually make. So I prefer to simply learn about the world as a whole; finding unique NPCs, hints about Tyria’s past, and speculating on the future relations between the different races. The library in the Vigil keep is such a great time waster!

Q: Is there a place, theme or person you would want new content to include?

A: Yes! Malyk! More Sylvari and Pale Trees! Oh and the poor Avatar of the Tree! I really want her to survive and unleash some sort of unholy assault on Mordremoth.

Q: What do you speculate as the next possible race?

A: The only race that seems feasible would be the Tengu. They already have a distinct culture, variety of appearances, space for a home region, and intelligence that rivals the 5 playable races. Also they’re birds! So fun!

Q: What do you think of the current Meta, do you think this will change?

A: Hmm, the power Meta in PvE is just so boring. I already have a natural aversion to the typical, but this “kill it as fast as possible” mentality is stunningly uninteresting. The game presents a variety of different playstyles, and it’s a shame that many people do not explore those options.

Q: What do you  enjoy so much about the profession you play as most and why?

A: Ranger is so fun in PvP! I’ve got sustain, condi damage, distraction and damage with my pet, and tons of mobility. I equally enjoy playing Engineer. They are so versatile, but I’m obsessed with playing with elixirs and the elixir gun!

Q: What build do you run for that class?

A: I don’t run any Meta builds but I have tried to make my Ranger as competitive as possible. I run shortbow and sword/torch condi, and survival. I’m traited in Nature Magic, Wilderness Survival, and Beastmastery. And I love my Cave Spider and Hawk pets!

Q: What is your favourite/least favourite PvP map and why?

A: I am smitten with Skyhammer! I don’t even particularly care about the actual Skyhammer, but I love the architecture and the overall layout of the map. It lends itself to some really fun kiting opportunities and I feel like I always have a route to escape through. My least favorite might be Spiritwatch? I love the map, but the orb can really drag the team down if you aren’t well coordinated or playing with people you know.

Q: How do you feel about the new PvP mode to be introduced in HoT?

A: Stronghold is really fun! I see the need for more balancing, but at least its a very nice addition to the normal PvP rotation. I find it to be a nice break between Conquest matches!

Q:How did you get started with the community, what inspired you to get involved?

A: Well, I’ve been a lurker in the community for years, but it took finding Aurora Peachy on Youtube to really push me into having an active role. The internet can be such a toxic place, yet Peachy has managed to carve out a pristine fortress for polite and kind people to gather. The passion and kindness these people display has really pulled me out of my shell. I am no longer a mute herald ;)

Q: Why do you think GW2 has such a great community around it?

A: I think the artistic bent to GW2 has attracted a unique type of gamer. It caters to gamers of all kinds, but it presents itself in a way that appeals to those that shy away from more hardcore, elitist game communities. I also think that ArenaNet’s open and honest, community-focused staff have played a huge role in bringing all of these nice people together.

Q: Why did you choose your particular format  [Youtube/Twitch/blogs ect] ?

A: I really enjoy broadcasting on Twitch because it feels so organic. I can just play a game, be myself, and have good conversation and company. There is some pressure involved in being live, but in a way its more freeing because I don’t have to worry about my sessions being saved for internet immortality, or spends hours editing down playthroughs.

As for art and design? That simply comes naturally to me. I am always making things, and when a game really resonates with me, it seeps into my creative space and “demands” to be expressed!

Q: What content do you create? Anything of note coming up soon?

A: I’ve been working closely with a number of GW2 streamers and Youtubers to create branding and help them develop the visual aspects of their online identity. I really hope to continue this work and spread happy, well designed imagery all across the web!

Q: How much does the audience and community influence your production/creations?

A: I’ve started streaming my design work on Twitch while it’s in-process. I’ve found this to be engaging, encouraging, and surprisingly popular. I never expected to have dozens of people watching me poke at letters on the computer! This has also given me a unique opportunity to get an active critique from the target audience while the designs are still in development. I hope that by streaming this process, viewers can feel like they had a part in designing with me!

Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to follow in your footsteps?

A: I’m terrible with advice! All I can say is that if you wish to share parts of yourself for the world to see, be careful. And be yourself! Its exhausting to pretend you’re something that you aren’t, and you only form real connections with people if you are honest and genuine.

Q: Do you play anything else which you make content for? If so what type of content? Anything of note coming up soon?

A: I have been making stuff for games for so long! Most notably I’ve created art and decals for Pokemon, Minecraft, and Katamari Damacy. I’ve also created a few Youtube tutorials for Animal Crossing!

Q: What type of games do you play for your own enjoyment?

A: Like mentioned above; Pokemon, Minecraft, anything by Level-5, Age of Empires, Mount&Blade, Splatoon, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Super Smash Bros., Magic the Gathering, my own version of a D20 based role playing game, lots of boardgames, blah blah blah!

Q: Who else would you recommend in the GW2 community?

A: Aurora Peachy, Bog Otter, MMOInks, and The RPG Shack are all such honest, intelligent, and kind content creators, but you already knew that!

Q: Who is your favourite YouTuber/streamer [non GW2]?

VMy good friend and PvP streaming guest Radiant_S0L has a huge collection of YouTube videos and streams featuring console games! He’s super chill, funny, and dedicated to documenting every minute of some great games! I also enjoy watching Heroless00 on Twitch. He streams Bloodborne, Dragon Age, and Destiny. He is extremely knowledgeable about game lore and mechanics, and puts on quite a hilarious show when things aren’t going well in game!

GW2 Community Creators Spotlight - Deroir

Q: What do you do in the Guild Wars community and where can everyone find you?

A: I mainly do videos on my youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/DeroirGaming, with a thematic focus on hype for and critique about Guild Wars 2. I also do living world guides and entertaining videos, for the fun of it. Also I occasionally stream on my twitch channel http://www.twitch.tv/deroir, though in reality, to me, twitch is mostly reserved for special events or happenings. Lastly I’m on twitter @DeroirGaming.

Q: Did you hear of/play GW1 and what was your experiences/ you're impressions? What is your earliest memory if so?

A: In fact I did play the original Guild Wars, I believe I started about 6 months prior to the first expansion was released - at the time I really wasn’t that old. Well, long story short, I played that game extensively, it was the first game that I had ever sunk soooo many thousand hours into. I don’t exactly remember my earliest memory in concrete details, though I do have fragmental memories of pre-searing Ascalon. My most prominent memory though, has to be the many weeks of me playing my trapper ranger in the Realm of Torment, farming, to get to the 8th tier of the Lightbringer title. Arh good times.

Q: Did you/are you playing other MMO's? What attracted you to them?

A: Actually I’ve never played any other MMO for more than about an hour or so. There always seemed to be some horrible thing about each of them, compared to Gw1 - Sub fee, bad graphics, and so on goes the excuses. Some might call me an early fan boy of Gw1, and at times I would have to agree. I quickly fell in love with the entire structure of the game, the mechanics, the world, and especially the lore, and so I stuck with it for quite a while.

Q: When did you start playing GW2 and what got you involved in the game itself?

A: I started during the head start. When I initially quit playing Gw1, I was aware that a Gw2 was in the works, and so I told myself I’d simply lay off on extensive game hours till Gw2 came around, to see if it was worth getting back into or if I should just go full casual gamer for the rest of my days. And so I started as soon as I had a chance to buy it. It was like a nostalgia flood in my mind that day, just the world, the scenery, the story, everything really.

Q: What have you enjoyed about GW2 and what has kept you playing?

A: Generally, the feeling that drives me to play any game, can only be described as “a call to adventure” I guess. Which in itself, also basically is how I fare on a daily basis; There’s nothing better than the feeling of going on an adventure, through travel or new experiences in general - stuff like that. To me Gw2 provides that feeling of pseudo-adventurism. Every day I come home and sit at my computer, I can choose what sort of adventure I want to experience. Now the thing is, at a certain point, (like many other players experienced) that sense of adventure sort of ebbed out. Introducing the living story! In essence, this living concept of the game, is what keeps my sense of adventure alive. Sure in the end, it’s the more challenging aspect of the game that I mostly strive towards, but just knowing that any part of the game can and will evolve over time, is just priceless to me.

Q: What has been your favourite memory of GW2?

A: My favorite memory probably has to be the first time I encountered the Shatterer world boss. I remember taking extensive amounts of screenshots and sending them to a couple of friends like: “Wauw check this sh*t out man!”. Haha. I still have those screenshots laying around somewhere, so I sometimes get reminded of that day.

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming expansion HoT?

A: I am very very excited, it’s been long time now since I started reaaally wanting something huge to happen to the game. Something in the game so huge that it would just leave me baffled and immersed, wondering about the scenery and story. I have faith that we’ll come to see a really cool expansion. Still, I do have some major concerns about it, one of which especially lies in the details about challenging content. That aspect of the game is a huge passion of mine, and I thoroughly hope that Anet has some serious plans for it.

Q: What class do you main/ What is your least liked class and why?.

A: I mainly play guard, theif and mesmer - Though I pride myself on understanding all classes to a certain degree. So throughout my many thousand hours I have willed myself to dig deeper into the the rest of the classes. I know I’m not equally skilled at the rest of those classes, but I still know how to use them in most situations. Knowledge is power.

Q: What is your preferred game mode/Have you been drawn to any other modes, and what has drawn you to your game mode of choice?

A: I guess you could simply categorize my preferred game mode as PvE. Mainly, on a daily basis I do Fractals of the Mists, which in itself could be categorized as “dungeons”, though it’s been a looong time since I completely burned out on the rest of the dungeons in the game. Basically I strive for challenges, and especially challenges with proper reward (though the RNG aspect of the Fotm rewards can be discussed in length, in regards to whether or not they’re proper/fair). Still, I really enjoy doing fractals, it’s not necessarily the same thing every day, and so I still manage to keep my eye on the price: The illusive Fractal Sword.

Apart from fractals I do have a deep love for the instanced living story content - especially some of the bosses. The mechanics and gameplay in some of those instances are very different from what we encounter elsewhere in Tyria, and can really offer up some interesting fights. The sole problem with those, is simply the lack of incentive for replayability - which is one of the confirmed things that I’m super excited for to change with Heart of Thorns!

Q: Has it changed since you started playing? If so, how?

A: My game mode preferences have changed numerous times. One might say I tend to go through phases. Mid-early game I got really hooked on WvW, and played that extensively. Though now a days, I only return for the WvW seasons (Which we don’t often get to see). Same goes for PvP, I had the Shark rank when the rank changes were introduced and was immediately promoted to Dragon, which really left me with little to no incentive to play PvP for some time. Though, currently on the sideline, I’m working towards my last set of Glorious armor before the launch of Heart of Thorns!

Q: What do you think of the current Meta, do you think this will change?

A: I sure hope so! Zerker meta is great fun, but sinister gear could become even more versatile and engaging to play with! (could). Either way I don’t want Anet to push for something completely far out of the very niche trinity of damage/support/control that I enjoy so much in the combat system of Guild Wars.

Q: What is your opinion on the lore of the game?

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been a huge fan of the lore behind the universe of Guild Wars. One of the reasons why the game world feel so living to me, is the fact that so much stuff has happened in this world. Hundreds, if not thousands of years of history, that we may or may not ever get a glimpse at, but that we know has taken place. An ancient battlefield, a crumbling wall, a “radioactive” reactor - all these things and more is what keeps me interested in the story, and how it will unfold.

Q: Is there a place, theme or person you would want new content to include?

A: I have a thing for caves, mountains and dark forests. Spotting a cave entrance in the ground, seeing the darkness that lurks inside really sparks that adventurous spirit in me: “Uhh what could be down there? Treasure? Monsters?”. Guild Wars 2 don’t really have many cave systems, endlessly high mountains, or deep dark forests. Though I really hope we may soon come to see some dark caves, and jungle areas in the Maguuma Jungle. The mountain part, might have to wait till we go further north into the shiverpeaks. One can hope.

Q: How did you get started with the community, what inspired you to get involved?

A: I started quite early on, on the official forums. Just hanging around, searching for builds and stuff, and quite often I came across lore discussions, which I got hugely engaged in quite fast. I remember back during the Queen’s Jubilee I had all these crackpot theories as to what could actually happen. That was a fun time. Some people found my comments interesting, and so I guess I sort of wanted to expand on that, because I really enjoy talking and discussing passionate subjects with people who have a similar passion.

Q: Why did you choose your particular format  [youtube/twitch/blogs ect]?

A: I started YouTube because it was a format that I was already somewhat comfortable with at the time. Previously I had started a more personal channel (that I’m not sharing, haha), with a buddy of mine, which didn’t at all revolve around gaming. I love making videos in general, I have had loads of different video project going on ever since I was in 6th grade I believe. And so for me to use YouTube for my current Gw2 addiction, seemed like a very natural step.

Q: What content do you create? Anything of note coming up soon?

A: At the moment I’m mostly focused on my weekly video series called “Hype Time!” which is all about my thoughts about the current state and/or changes to Guild Wars 2; as well as a newer bi weekly series called “Tyrian Characterology”, where I investigate the background stories of some of the characters around the world of Tyria - at the moment I’m halfway through the B-iconic group. Apart from those I have a whole bunch of upcoming smaller videos, which take up way larger production time. One of which is already in late pre-production and will see the light of day very! That video is an extension of a video I did earlier, that I know a lot of people wanted more of.

Q: How much does the audience and community influence your production/creations?

A: I do my best to read and listen to every little comment I get - I want to show, tell, talk, and discuss about the most interesting things at that specific time, not simply clutter up peoples subscription box with stuff that a lot of them may consider to be meaningless. I think it’s really important to be able to take in constructive criticism and sense the mood of an audience. In essence I really do love the interaction I have with my subscribers as well as the community, they keep me on the right tracks.

Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to follow in your footsteps?

A: I once read a quote by John Irving, famous author, who said that “If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.” It’s something I regularly tell myself whenever I’m in doubt. If it seems worth it to you: Jump.

Q: What type of games do you play for your own enjoyment?

A: Honestly, Guild Wars 2 is the only game I actually play - or at least the only game I set aside time to play. There are loads of games that I’m excited for, that I’ll most likely just end up watching the cinematics or playthroughs for on youtube, while I play Gw2 on my other monitor. Hahah.

Q: Who else would you recommend in the GW2 community?

A: I think the Guild Wars 2 community has soooo many great personalities that cover so many aspects of the game and the ambiance of the community itself. But if I were to select one out of the bunch of talented creators, writers, streamers, etc. I may have to go with a guy who, to me, seemed like he came out of the blue with one of the most innovative ways of portraying the world of Tyria: through science! Here I’m of course referring to MightyTeapot.

Q: Who is your favourite youtuber/streamer [non gw2]?

A: I’ll probably have to say Rhett and Link, they cheer me up every day with their show “Good Mythical Morning”. Hilarious guys really!

GW2 Community Creators Spotlight - Brazil

Q: Let's start off with a shameless plug. What do you do in the Guild Wars community and where can everyone find you?
A: Ayy lmao, I’m Brazil. I am located in my YouTube Ogre swamp (http://www.youtube.com/t3llularman), and I can also be found on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/BrazilDnT). I mostly make content relevant to the meta in Guild Wars 2 and PvE, but I also upload vlogs where I talk about news and things that go on in life.

Q: Did you hear of/play GW1 and what was your experiences/ you're impressions? What is your earliest memory if so?
A: I bought Guild Wars 1 about a year ago, and I spent a little while playing it with a very good friend of mine (who also bought me a few of the expansions). I spent some time trying to get Legendary Defender of Ascalon, mainly because I hate Charr and I liked killing them, but I realized that Guild Wars 1 titles actually meant something and I was just too casual for it ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Q: Did you/are you playing other MMO's? What attracted you to them?
A: I played World of Warcraft for about 15 minutes, as I was duped into buying it by a former guild leader from Guild Wars 2 that no longer plays. Guild Wars 2 was really the first and only MMO that I’ve ever played.

Q: When did you start playing GW2 and what got you involved in the game itself?
A: I started playing about a month or two after launch because a highschool friend I hadn’t spoken to in a long time recommended it to me and said he played. He quit shortly after I installed the game and began playing, so I just ran around on my own for a while and really got to enjoy exploring.

Q: What have you enjoyed about GW2 and what has kept you playing?
A: I’ve taken a few month long breaks from the game in order to keep myself from completely losing interest, but I really enjoy the people that I play with. There hasn’t been much new content, as I’m sure we are all aware, and the people in my guild as well as friends I’ve met on YouTube keep me tied to the game.

Q: What has been your favourite memory of GW2?
A: Mystic Forging the Greatsaw Greatsword Skin I bought during the first Halloween ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Q: What class do you main/ What is your least liked class and why?
A: Currently I guess you could say I main Warrior, but I play several classes and I’ve never really considered myself to have a main. I do enjoy some classes more than others, and I’ve
also completely lost interest in classes I used to really love, like Guardian. I played my Guardian for over 2,000 hours and I just got bored of it. I’ve spent a lot of time on Ranger, Engineer, Necromancer, Mesmer, and Thief, but I usually always return to Warrior. Warrior just feels sort of natural to me, and I really love how freely it is able to move around.

Q: What is your preferred game mode/Have you been drawn to any other modes?
A: Well, obviously GvG is my favorite game mode ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) I mostly play PvE, but I play PvP from time to time until I either get too mad to continue or get too bored of running in circles.

Q: What is your opinion on the lore of the game?
A: I don’t really know much about it and it’s not something I really bother to read into a lot. The only thing that really interests me is Giganticus Lupicus, but that is mainly because we are really good friends. I still don’t know much about him, though. He’s more of the strong, silent type.

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming expansion HoT?
A: I’m as excited about it as the next person. It’s no Fallout 4, but I’ll still probably get a collector’s edition. I just hope there are raids.

Q: Is there a place, theme or person you would want new content to include?
A: I would really like to see Jon Snow come back as a corrupted minion of Mordremoth (spoiler alert)

Q: What do you speculate as the next possible race?
A: I really want to see Largos, but if I had to guess, it’s going to be a race we probably haven’t ever seen before; something completely new that is explored entirely in the next expansion.

Q: How did you get started with the community, what inspired you to get involved?
A: Well, it was really kind of by accident. I joined DNT back when Strife still played, I guess around 2 and half years ago, and I eventually got pretty decent at the game and helped him make videos, as well as coming up with new speedrunning strategies. After he quit the game, I sort of just took over with content creation. Eventually, I was joined by Nike, Obal, and Dekeyz, and I started making other types of videos other than just build guides.

Q: Why do you think GW2 has such a great community around it?
A: Who says I think it has a great community? There are too many filthy exploiting elitists around ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Q: Could Arenanet do more to curate and develop its community?
A: I really think they need to focus on more than just PvP, and I hope that if there are raids in Heart of Thorns, there will also be official support for leaderboards or tournaments involving them.

Q: What changes (if at all) have you seen in the community since you started playing GW2?
A: I’ve seen people gradually adopt strategies that myself or people I’ve known came up with, strategies used in record run videos, whether it be as simple as blasting stealth or using efficient routes through dungeons. I would really like to see people move away from jumping on rocks or terrain and bugging bosses, but I really don’t think that is ever going to happen.

Q: Why did you choose that particular format [Youtube/Twitch/blogs ect] ?
A: Getting into YouTube wasn’t something I really ever planned to do, it just sort of came about. I think I would still chose it if I had to start over from the beginning, though. I just like uploading content and interacting with people in the comments. I also like Twitch, but my current computer doesn’t like streaming.

Q: How much does the audience and community influence your production/creations?
A: I try to make content that I know people will enjoy, whether it be something I know will get loads of views and will help people out, or something like a vlog about a problem I’ve dealt with that only a few people will watch. My goal is just to share my knowledge and experience with other people, regardless of whether or not it is a large or small audience. If people request a particular type of video, I try to take it into consideration and create it if I am able. If people tell me that I’m a jackass, I try to understand why they think that and make appropriate changes if need be.

Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to follow in your footsteps?
A: Study people that make the kind of content you want to create. Pay attention to your analytics, because they are almost like a living entity. If you are afraid or nervous, be aware that other people have felt the same, and I promise you that everyone makes some terrible videos when they are first starting out. Just look at mine, if you can find them ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Q: Do you play anything else which you make content for?
A: I’ll most certainly be making Fallout 4 content when it comes out. I occasionally make Yu-Gi-Oh deck profiles and videos, but not terribly often.

Q:What type of games do you play for your own enjoyment?
A: I play the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG, mainly because I loved it as a kid and having some form of a social life with real people is a healthy thing, even though I am a pretty big introvert and deal with anxiety. On a side note, if you like card games, please play something that is real with real people instead of shitty mobile games. Table top games and real card games are so much more enjoyable and have much greater benefits.

Q: Apart from the immediate cast group, who else would you recommend?
A: Nike (https://www.youtube.com/user/TurboDzan), Obal (https://www.youtube.com/user/obal100), Dekeyz (https://www.youtube.com/user/DEKeyz2Chaos), and Card (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySBtdfVwzNT37AkA8pphdw). They are all guild mates of mine, and they make some pretty solid content. Card and Nike upload the most frequently, Obal and Dekeyz usually upload guides when there is a new shift in the meta after a new patch. There is also Nemesis (https://www.youtube.com/user/Iamoneandiamlegion), who I’ve recently become pretty good friends with.

Q: Who is your favourite Youtuber/streamer [non GW2]?
A: ShoddyCast (https://www.youtube.com/user/ShoddyCast), no question about it. They make the best Fallout and Elder Scrolls lore videos on the internet.

Q: If you could ask Teapot/Inks/Boots/ a question what would it be?
A: I’d ask Teapot why he isn’t a God-Fearing American ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

GW2 Community Creators Spotlight - MightyTeapot

Q: Let's start off with a shameless plug. What do you do in the Guild Wars community and where can everyone find you?

A: I invent unusual theories about phenomena in the Guild Wars world, spout opinions on news/balance and host a podcast with my friends! You can find me at youtube.com/mightyteapot, twitch.tv/mightyteapot and if you enjoy twitter – twitter.com/mightyteapot

Q: Did you hear of/play GW1 and what was your experiences/ you're impressions? What is your earliest memory if so?

A: I've played GW1 since approximately 1 year after it's release, I was amazed by the visuals – at the time an online game looking as good as GW1 was unheard of I maintain to this day that it is one of the best looking MMOs around. The complexity and depth of the skill system – namely secondary professions fascinated me! My earliest memory of GW1 is kind of a trivial one: killing the rampaging bull in lakeside country with mesmer skills!

Q: Did you/are you playing other MMO's? What attracted you to them?

A: The first MMO I ever played was the horrific grindfest that was/is Runescape permanent long term progression is what interested me and also the multiplayer aspect. The MMOs I play now are GW2, GW1 (Gotta get that GWAMM!) and World of Warcraft now that I can play for free using in game gold!

Q: When did you start playing GW2 and what got you involved in the game itself?

A: I started playing GW2 from the very beginning – the beta weekends! At the time I considered (and sort of still do – nostalgia overload) GW1 to be the best MMO so the HYYYPE for GW2 was very very real!

Q: What have you enjoyed about GW2 and what has kept you playing?

A: Not only is GW2 the most aesthetically appealing MMO in my opinion it also sports some of the most enjoyable combat mechanics, this combined with the ability to invest very short amounts of time and be rewarded in a semi meaningful way is what keeps me playing!

Q: What has been your favourite memory of GW2?

A: My favourite part of GW2 and therefore favourite memory in broad terms is exploring the game world, discovering the detail hidden within every new location is intensely satisfying for me! This is why I really wanted a huge amount of new maps with HoT which sadly is not happening :(

Q: What class do you main/ What is your least liked class and why?

A: I main elementalist, let's get real here we have fire and lightning what more do you need? My least liked profession is probably warrior, I don't find playing one to be that much fun, the other professions all have a better, more intricate mechanic to them. Except rampage that is very entertaining to use!

Q: What is your preferred game mode/Have you been drawn to any other modes?

A: The only mode I don't play is WvW, I've tried and failed miserably to get into it!

Q: What is your opinion on the lore of the game?

A: The personal story is one of the best and most underrated features of GW2, the choices while illusory feel meaningful and the fully voice acted dialogue throughout makes for a highly immersive experience! I also love the way GW2 ties in with GW1 - the way it corresponds to the original game is a triumph.

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming expansion HoT?

A: My hype train is somewhat derailed, the amount of actual content we are getting is not that high and the things that I'm looking forward to are getting implemented into the game regardless of the expansion (specialisations and stronghold). I would prefer to see how epic the story is and the scale of new maps before passing judgement.

Q: Is there a place, theme or person you would want new content to include?

A: The far shiverpeaks, and mursaat!

Q: What do you speculate as the next possible race?

A: One day, I will play a Hylek and it will be great.

Q: How did you get started with the community, what inspired you to get involved?

A: I made a video called 'GW2 In The Near Future' detailing what was happening in the first feature pack, it found it's way onto Reddit (shout out to /u/Rengaru) and the positive response and awesome comments I received inspired me to make more videos about GW2!

Q: Why do you think GW2 has such a great community around it?

A: The casual nature of GW2 really helps here, and also the fact that there are very few situations where you can compromise other's enjoyment if you are playing suboptimally, the only examples of this are high level fractals and triple trouble wurm and those are typically only run by organised teams anyway.

Q: Could Arenanet do more to curate and develop its community?

A: Yes, they need to treat veterans and hardcore players better. Many considered the new player experience as an insult which it sort of was; the inability to disable it didn't go down well with people who make a lot of alts but already know what they are doing. ArenaNet also need to come up with something to truly satisfy the hardcore community dungeons certainly aren't filling that role and fractals are a good start but the lack of additional content lets them down.

Q: What changes (if at all) have you seen in the community since you started playing GW2?

A: The community slowly fluctuates between massive hostility towards ArenaNet because of a perceived lack of transparency and undying love when they deliver on something they want. It's pretty much been like that from the start.

Q: Why did you choose that particular format  [Youtube/Twitch/blogs ect] ?

A: I chose YouTube because it facilitates for the type of content I like to create; concise informational/amusing (hopefully) videos with something to look at on screen!

Twitch is awesome to have more in depth discussions and interact with people live and I really enjoy all the live shows I do!

Q: How much does the audience and community influence your production/creations?

A: Massively, I try to take everything on board that viewers mention, if I see a suggestion I'll always try to make it work in one form of another. I still have a record of ideas people have given me that I haven't got to yet, eventually I will use them all!

Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to follow in your footsteps?

A: Justify your existence – do something different. If you do the same as someone else even if you

do it a lot better you'll still have a hard time.

Q: Do you play anything else which you make content for?

A: Currently not but I'm planning on streaming a few other games and seeing if people would like to see content based on them.

Q: What type of games do you play for your own enjoyment?

A: MMOs and RTS games!

Q: Apart from the immediate cast group, who else would you recommend?

A: Deany Kong, his memes are some of the dankest I've ever seen!

Q: Who is your favourite Youtuber/streamer [non GW2]?

A: The World Championship Series for Starcraft 2 (the ultimate esport) is my favourite non-GW2 thing to watch so I guess Blizzard is my favourite non GW2 streamer?! This is a fairly feeble answer but I really don't watch much non GW2 YouTube stuff so I don't have a great answer, especially in regard to a favourite YouTuber.

Q: If you could ask Inks/Boots/Brazil a question what would it be?

A: Inks: Are you plural (i.e. many colours of Ink) or do you Ink people? (i.e. you are the one who Inks)

Boots: What's the story behind the second 't' and 'r' in Boottspurr?

Brazil: Is your lower body the same as the lower body of a sugar glider?