10 Probing Questions

1. What is your current main character’s name (or names, if you play multiple games)? Explain how you chose the name.

I'm currently dividing my time between two mains:
R40 Squig Herder - Nimboo Paani
R40 Shaman - Urp Stinkbref

Nimboo's name was chosen to go along with my retired Zealot's name, following in Indian food theme. Her name was Vinda Loo, a spicy Indian main course, and his name, Nimboo Paani, is a delicious lime drink with rock salt in it.

Urp was named in the traditional Greenskin manner, however, his name is also in keeping with my Indian food theme in that it's what you do (and have) after a heavily curried Indian meal. ;)

2. What was the name of your very first character in an MMO? Explain how you chose that name.

My first toon's name in an MMO was Aliana al'Aqbar, and she was a melee swordfighter character in Asheron's Call. I chose her name because she belonged to a race called the Gharun'dim, who were a Middle Eastern desert-dwelling people, and I thought the name fit her ethnicity.

3. Have you kept a specific name through various games, or do you tend to change your naming habits based on the individual game?

I change my names based on who my character is and where he or she comes from... so I guess it depends on the game, since each game has it's own races and nationalities. I try to steer clear of "mundane" names, since I don't play an imaginary race in a fantasy game only to name my character something that I'd likely find in a phone book.

4. Do you ever reserve names, planning to use them for characters that you might play later? If so, what are they and why do you hold on to them?

I have, in WoW, after my toon was hacked and her name changed... just so I could get it back if I wanted to. I reserved my Choppa's name before they came out just in case someone else thought of it, so it wouldn't get swiped (I just thought Choplivva was a little to clever to let slip through my fingers).

5. Of the three common archetypes in MMOs — tank, healer, DPS — which is your current main character?

One is a healer, and one is RDPS.

6. What archetype was your very first character in an MMO? Why did you choose it?

Aliana was a melee swords(wo)man. I chose it because I decided after playing a caster class for a short time that I'd rather hack at things with something sharp.

7. Are you usually attracted to one archetype over another, or do you play them equally? Why?

It's dependant completely on the game I'm playing and how the mechanics work. In AC, I enjoyed MDPS. In DAoC, MDPS. In WoW I was a caster at first and then played a tank, and in WAR I prefer RDPS and healers. WAR is the first game I'd ever had any interest in healing.

8. What is your favorite feature from an MMO you no longer play?

I miss the penalties imposed on players for dying in PvP in AC. You had to have some kind of skill and know how to either defeaet your enemy or escape them with your life unless you wanted to lose half your money and your most valuable items.

9. Is there an MMO that you would play if it was free? Which and why?

Eh, WoW maybe, but it'd really just be another chat program for me. I don't have any interest in playing the game, just in keeping contact with people I used to play with.

10. How do you measure the success of a character in an MMO (total kills, titles accumulated, wealth, rare items collected, level reached, etc.)?

Depends on the game. In WAR I guess Rank first, then Renown Rank second. Gear kinda falls in with the Rank/Renown Rank thing, so I guess it's an indicator, but not of skill-- more of time spent. I guess time spent can equal experience witht he game, and therefore be somewhat of an indicator of skill, but I've seen plenty of folks in DP or Invader that were god-fricking-awful, so either way it's a bit of a craps shoot.