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Firefall brings on Frag Dolls founder as head of e-sports division
Firefall has made no bones about its desire to fill the niche of a competitive e-sports game, but the team's most recent update certifies its sincerity on the matter. Red 5 Studios announced in a press release today that Morgan "Rhoulette" Romine, founder of the all-female gaming clan the Frag Dolls, has joined the team to head up Firefall's e-sports division. Red 5 CEO Mark Kern said of the decision, "We're thrilled to have Morgan join the Red 5 'Tribe' and know that with her caliber of experience and deep community roots, Firefall is poised to take the world of e-sports to the next level." Morgan herself has high hopes for the game's e-sport potential, claiming, "I believe this game has awesome e-sports potential because Red 5 is committed to creating a competitive experience that is as fun to watch as it is to play." So if you're the competitive type, keep your eye on Firefall as it gears up for launch. [Source: Red 5 Studios press release]
The Guild Counsel: PAX East panel explores online communities
There were two things that really stood out for me at PAX East: the ridiculously long lines and the throngs of fans who happily sat down together to play games face to face. On the surface, PAX East might seem to be about who has the best card deck or who has the quickest twitch reflexes, but it's actually much more than that. We've looked at the growing importance of online communities and the relationships that have been created by them, so it's little surprise that PAX was full of players who were there to meet and play with friends they met through gaming. And among the many panels this weekend, there was one that explored this very issue. The speakers were all experienced managers of online communities, and they shared their stories of how they got started and why these communities are so important. Read on to hear their stories.
PAX East 2010: Community manager panel
Community managers are the very definition of a paradox. They're some of the most public faces of the game, yet their role is often least understood. They serve many masters -- developers, players, marketing, press -- and are beholden to all of them at once. They're often on the blunt end of unrestrained love and unfathomable anger. No matter what they are, one thing is for sure: their job rocks. At least, according to a CM panel at PAX East entitled "Community Managers: More than Forum Monkeys." In it, five CMs from various studios shared just what goes on with their job, what limits they deal with, and what are the highs and lows of working in the public limelight 24/7. Meghan Rodberg (Turbine), Aaron Trites (Harmonix), Morgan Romine (Frag Dolls), Jess Folsom (Bioware Austin) and Linda Carlson (Sony Online Entertainment) spent a candid hour with an audience pulling back some of the mystique and misconceptions of their positions as supposed monkey tamers. Hit the jump to read about the inner workings of these fabulous five community managers.
