Category: Community

Nominated by several fellow players, this month’s Player Spotlight focuses on Tansiraine. A big thank you to everyone who sent in nominations, and to Tansiraine for her contributions to the Illyriad community. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. 

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

I have been playing for a little over a year and a half. I was one of the people that joined through Facebook ad.

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

I have played other online games. In each game I ended up in a welcome party for new players or in a teaching role of the basics

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

Hidden talents…if I tell you they are not Hidden anymore. My interest outside of gaming right now are school to get my degree and my grand daughter who was just born May 28th

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

The people keep me playing Illy. The whole community here is so different then other games I played like this. Even when there is a war it is a friendly and warm place to be.

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

I love that you can have multiple focus. My cities are heavy military focus but I can still do gathering and crafting,

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

Joining H? I remember when I started to play Illy and was in awe of the Vets. They have such a vast knowledge of the game casue they are soooo Old.( sorry KP and Kumo) That is when I decided I wanted to be part of H? it took me awhile to get here but the things I learned from them are amazing and they also put up with me!

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

I am looking forward to Broken Lands. I think it will be interesting to see how people act when there is not threat of Vet or bigger player stepping in on picking on little guys. There are so many ways to build a city and to see how many people will take the time to be aggressive.

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

The biggest thing I think are the petitions. The turn around rate is terrible. Some are open for over a year.

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

There is no need to jump into an alliance. Take your time speak up in Global Chat. There are always Vets and knowledgeable people lurking.

By popular demand, this month’s Player Spotlight focuses on Sa’Belle. We would like to extend a thank you to one of our positive and influential community members. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. 

GM Luna

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

It’s a pretty boring story, really. Work sent me to the middle of nowhere during a rotten and rainy winter to open a new office and I needed something to occupy me during the quiet times and while it bucketed down in the evenings, and Illy was being advertised in the chrome store. I’m a big fan of the “Why not?” method, so I gave it a shot. That was 2 years ago in August.

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

Ah, not really. I have previously moderated a forum focused on political, religious and current events discussions, and way back in the day, I wandered in and out of a few roleplay communities, but this is the first game and community that I’ve committed to properly, and now I don’t want to try anything else!

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

I can’t go giving away my hidden talents! That would make them much less hidden!

As for hobbies, when I can drag myself away from Illy, I spend a fair bit of time crafting (usually crocheting) and baking, and I am a big reader. Not particularly exciting perhaps, but it keeps me occupied. Oh, I suppose I could call working an interesting hobby 😉

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

Everyone says the people and the community, and that is definitely part of it. But I also love the challenge of trying to build up my towns to their best potential (with an awful lot of emphasis on trying!), and exploring all the things I can do with them. I also enjoy participating in the tournaments, and I’d love to see a return of the animal hunting one. I wasn’t around for it, and it sounds like fun.

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

I spend a lot of time on trading and crafting, and I quite enjoy fiddling with all of that, but I don’t think it will surprise many people that my favourite thing to do is help and explain things to new players. I enjoy being able to share my knowledge with them (as many shared theirs with me when I started) and being around them as they have those moments where it all falls into place and starts to make sense.

That said, after the tourney I’m going to dive into the military side a lot more, and I’m very excited about that. I have no doubts that my 20 trueshots will be the terror of all Illyriad!

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

Oh, this is going to be soppy, but really, it’s eCrow. There are fantastic people all around Illy, of course, but I remain convinced that the highest concentration is found in my alliance. Watching it grow over the past year from 10 players that barely knew each other to the 50-odd permanent members today has been a constant delight and I truly can’t imagine being anywhere else (even if some of them spend half their time yelling at me to go to bed!).

Assisting the crowfed to pull together into a more cohesive group over the past 18 months or so has also been a fun and challenging experience. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve compared (and seen others compare) herding crows to herding cats!

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

I am far too excited about the upcoming quest arcs and faction implementation, both there and in Broken Lands. Factions have been talked about since before I joined, and whacking their NPC camps on the map was a favourite pasttime of mine as a newb. The chance to do that, and have them fight back, has me wriggling with excitement.

I also look forward to the day GM Stormcrow doesn’t laugh at me, and creates an alt for eCrow. No one has ever accused me of not dreaming big. (It’s okay, SC, we won’t tell anyone it’s you!).

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

One thing I was told when I was young(er) and stupid(er) was that Illy should be played as it is now, not how you hope it will be in the future, so I don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on the things that need improving or I want to change, to be honest.

That said – and I say this only because I was stupid enough to try and claim sovereignty for 5 towns at the same time earlier today – I wish there was an easier way to bulk claim sov, perhaps in the same vein as the update to sending harvesters (a special unit just for claiming sov perhaps).

And I guess it would also be nice to not have to go to an external site to chat with my confeds easier, but I have no idea how I’d fit a 3rd chat window on the screen!

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

Relax, have fun, and don’t give your alliance leader a heart attack by attacking saurians with your first army.

I’d also suggest keeping in mind that Illy will take as much time as you give it and not everything has to be completed right now. There is always tomorrow.

This month’s Player Spotlight focuses on alliance leader of Shade and long time Illy player, The Duke . The dev team and fellow community would like to extend a thank you to one of our community leaders. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. 

GM Luna

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

I had a real life friend who started playing about a month before me. He more or less convinced me to give the game a try. It just so happened that around the same time i started playing I lost my job and with the excess free time I spent it here getting to know the community. The community was what really kept me intrigued and kept me logging in. I honestly can’t count the times I’ve logged in and just talked to people in Alliance Chat and not even touched my cities.

I’ve been playing since May 12, 2011.

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

I played Evony for a couple of weeks but nothing ever came of it. I played stronghold and age of empires periodically against people but nothings ever kept my interest for long. One of the major reasons I feel Illyriad has kept me playing and others haven’t is the interactions with the GM’s and the game is constantly evolving, changing, and growing.

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

My major hobbies are sports. Growing up I was a basketball junkie. I can remember nights at 2-3 am playing at the local courts with the older kids. We moved around a lot, so as a kid I used athletics to make friends.

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

I think I covered this pretty well already but the interactions the players get to have with the GM’s. I don’t visit GC as much as I used to but I have a lot of people I can call my friends in my alliance Shade- and the community that we have built and are building there is great. The GM’s don’t get complacent like in other games. There’s always something coming up and being worked on- whether it’s a tourney/factions/ the broken lands…ect ect.

If I was to quit and re-visit in a year the game would be different from it is now.

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

Tournies. As soon as one is over I’m looking forward to the next one. Most the veteran players can tell you killing NPC’s is fun and all – but it’s not the same as going against another player(s) armies. You don’t have to worry about a NPC coming back for revenge.

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

I’ve had a lot of personal goals I’ve been able to accomplish like reaching the top 10 alliances, reaching 100k population(190k now lol ), making the stats pages for capture attempts and more. My proudest achievement however is simply tenured time here in illyriad. A lot has changed since I started and I like talking about old times with people who were around back then and didn’t just read something in the forums.

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

Factions.

I think this will add a whole new aspect to everything. Trading, sov, and armies. I think factions are going to e the most complex addition we have had.

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

Communication.

I know a lot of players may think a lot of different things here- but as an alliance leader I can honestly tell you the way the mail is done is terrible. Alliance Forums not being able to delete old threads.

Theres no private chat channels for leaders. We can of course make do with things out of game via skype ect… but this is my biggest grievance in the game so far.

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

The game is complex. There’s not a whole lot you can do to kill yourself in the beginning so stick around for a while. Make some friends in GC. Message the people your city was spawned beside. If your anything like me- you can get to know the people- and the fact that your building a city is just a bonus factor.

This month’s Player Spotlight focuses on a familiar presence in GC, on the forums and one of the leaders of the snuggly-est alliance in game, Garthen. Nominated by his fellow players, and appreciated by the dev team, we would like to thank Garthen for all that he brings to Illyriad. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. 

GM Luna

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

I found Illy through a Facebook ad. Best thing Facebook has ever done for me! I’ve been playing since June, 2011.

 

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

I’ve tried a few other free-to-play MMO’s, and if I even got past the first few minutes, I never lasted more than a few weeks. They were either boring or just left a bad taste in my mouth. I certainly have never participated in a game community the way I have with Illy.

 

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

I’m a professional musician, actor and singer… writer, singer/songwriter, composer, etc. I also like to exercise, play basketball and read, sci-fi/fantasy and spirituality being my favorite genres. As I get older, I’ve gotten more interested in Geopolitics, Economics and History. Is a pipe, turtleneck sweater and abundant ear hair the next stage?…

 

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

I love the balance and depth of the game, that every choice has a counterbalance to it, and I can choose how much to interact with any aspect of the game without necessarily “falling behind” overall. There is very little that is “required” in the game, which allows players of all persuasions to find enjoyment. The light-hearted approach the devs have infused alongside their passion adds little moments of surprise and delight, even an occasional lol. With this sort of tone set, I enjoy what we have and look forward to what’s coming.

 

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

My favorite aspect is that I don’t have a favorite aspect! Seriously, though, there are two parts to my answer, one of which leads to the other.

Firstly, I’m most drawn to works that have an integrity to them, and Illy is the first game of its type I’ve found where such an integrity permeates all aspects, from the original graphics/artwork, to the fleshed-out descriptions and histories, to the intricate battle mechanics. And naturally, I look forward to seeing all of this expanded upon. This integrity is also reflected in the approach to such things as Prestige, which has been set up so there is no way to gain a significant advantage in game solely by spending money. If only the real world worked like that…

Secondly, Illy seems to attract a certain kind of player; no matter what their area of passion is in game –trade, military, diplomacy, hugging…– the majority of players I’ve met are a little brighter, a little kinder, a little more aware. There is a great variety of experiences, interests and passions amongst the Illy community, and chatting in GC can go from uber-silly to educational to entertainingly combative in a wink. Without this great community, I wouldn’t spend nearly as much time in Illy.

 

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

Being a part of my alliance, HugCr. I was the second person that Fluffy invited to the alliance (after Ryelle), and I’m still there nearly 18 months later! HugCr is the epitome of “community” to me, and has been a source of kindness, endless laughs, and support whenever it’s been needed. I’m humbled to admit how many of my alliance mates, past and present, I consider real friends, though I may never meet them face to face.

 

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

Hmm, can I say “everything”? Or maybe “anything”? I’d love to see Factions go fully live, preferably along with the implementation of Faction quests; new magic schools would be sweet, preferably along with the implementation of Spell Components, so trade really takes off and I can start selling some of these slowly-rotting rare herbs..

Oh, and the next Tourney can never come soon enough!

 

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

I feel the game (and the community, in particular) would benefit from the incorporation of a “third-party” instigator for conflict and competition between players. Sure, we have tourneys, but those are few and far between, and are “grand” events. I’m talking about something casual, optional and always available. This would give a constant supply of the fun-and-competition-without-hard-feelings that we all appreciate so much during tourneys. GM Stormcrow mentioned to me at one point that this concept might be introduced with Faction Quests. I. Would. Love. This.

As an add-on, I’d be interested to see the active part of the battle system fleshed out a bit, and the ability to modify or add to field orders would be a great development. At this point, it’s all pretty much “send and wait”, with the one possible post-sending option (besides sending reinforcements, etc.) being the use of a Messenger to recall the units.

 

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

Don’t be shy! We don’t bite 🙂 Well, the orcs bite, they’re actually quite fond of elf ears…

Whether you are shy or not, please come say hi in Global Chat for a round welcome and probably more than a couple welcome caravans! Much of the community (besides a few meddlesome rogues :p ) has a tendency to help new players, both with resources and advice. You can also find a certain amount of security in GC, as we don’t take kindly to people picking on newbies!

As an addendum, there’s no need to rush into an alliance; you can consider GC your alliance in your first few days, so take your time and get the lay of the land a bit before making a commitment to a group. There are many great alliances that cater to various playing styles.

Beyond that, I think it’s important to pace yourself and absorb Illy in stages, or layers. The game has been developed to be enjoyable at any pace you desire, so don’t feel forced to learn or explore aspects to which you don’t feel drawn. Learning step by step is the best way to become accustomed to the vast array of options and possibilities in the game. Illy is a game; have some fun!!

This month’s Player Spotlight focuses on Durc, familiar orc-ish voice in global chat and leader of the new alliance The Cave. We all appreciate the perspective and positive attitude that Durc brings to the Illy global chat and game as a whole. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. 

GM Luna

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

I was playing a game called Luvina and a couple of the players told me about Illyriad. To be honest, I went to the website and thought that it looked like just another city building game so I did not give it a try then. About a year later I was making a rare visit to Facebook and came across Illyriad again. I decided, what the heck … I will give it a try. That was about 7 months ago and I have been having a blast ever since.

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

I have played MANY online games and been very active in online communities. I have even been a MOD before. My online history goes back to the days of the 300 baud modems and bulletins boards up to present day. So that spans over 30 years.

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

I have 3 wonderful, hilarious dogs. I also enjoy reading, archery, cooking, music, the arts, photography, gardening, oh and gaming. I hope to return to college next year to complete my degree in Crime Scene Investigation Technologies.

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

First of all, the community is wonderful. Global Chat here is actually tolerable. While some people may feel a bit constrained by the monitoring, I find it to be refreshing. We all should remember that people of all ages and backgrounds play here. This is the first game in well over 7 years that I actually keep global chat open on.

Outside of the community, the option to have a choice of paths in the game is what keeps me here. I admit I was getting a little bored but then the new crafting was released. I thoroughly enjoy making all kinds of things.

I also love roleplaying my Orc character. I sprinkle in a little of the Black Speech in GC from time to time and of course I don’t have to follow proper grammatical rules. I am an Orc after all 😉

Additionally I like that this is not a “coiners” game. The playing ground is pretty level between those that spend and those that cannot. This is rare thing in online games today.

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

I would have to say the complexity of the game. This is NOT a cookie cutter empire building game. And at my age, I MUST have choices. There is something for everyone. I enjoy discussing or watching discussions of all the aspects of the game. I think the DEVS have created an environment that can be tailored by each player as he or she wishes and this feeds into the wonderful community that Illyriad has.

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

Well having not been in game very long, establishing The Cave alliance is what I am most proud of. Also, I almost have my first Legendary City.

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

I am looking forward to the new magic whatever form that my take. I have all these pieces and parts of animals, odd herbs and minerals all of which have very enticing descriptions.

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

I would like to see a recall function for the harvesters like we have for troops and diplomats. I have, more often than I care to admit, sent cotters to a square realizing I was in the wrong town. All I could do was sigh heavily as I watched them embark on a 3 day journey.

Having some more choices in the markets would be nice. Things such as alliance trade only would be great. What would go hand in hand with that nicely would be more trade options based on your alliance’s diplomatic relationships.

I would also like to see more chat options, such as private chat or a private group chat. I think this would be a great way to have discussions that might be a bit out of band for GC in general.

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

First and foremost, relax and have fun!!!! Illyriad is a game that requires patience. Ask questions in Global Chat. You will find the player community here to be the most helpful of any to be found.

This month’s Player Spotlight focuses on Tallica, helpful global chatter, creator of new player guides and fiction writer in our Traveler’s Tale forum.  Tallica’s fellow players as well as the GMs appreciate his contribution to the Illyriad community. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. 

GM Luna

 

I am Tallica, that is my online name and yes it’s short from Metallica and yes I created it when I was in high school. I live in Seattle, WA with my wonderful wife (she’d probably kill me if she knew I was putting her picture here too!) and my odd dog Pearl. I like to think of myself as a down-to-earth, logically thinking type of person and I hope that shows through whenever and wherever you encounter me. I am a very helpful person, but I also like to joke around (sometimes too much :P). Now on with the interview:

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

I came to Illyriad from a game ad banner posted….somewhere (I think on Kongregate Games, but I could be wrong), back in April 2011, so I’ve been playing for a year and a half (though half of it I was on vacation).

 

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

My first experience with online gaming was playing Diablo 2, my first actual online game was Nodiatis (an interesting game that is now broken, don’t get me started). I play here and there and everywhere, but Illy has been my longest online game.

 

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

Outside of gaming? Well, I have a quite large (yeah, I’m being modest) collection of movies, I play tennis irregularly with my wife, have a quirky dog, and really love the city I live in (Seattle).

 

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

So many things, the community, the dev team, the game, the tourneys, the updates… I love how deep and involved Illy is and I’m hungry for more!

 

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

That’s a really hard question. There is so much that really sets Illy apart from games of it’s type (are there REALLY any other games of this type?). If Illy had turned out to be another newbie farming game, I wouldn’t have stayed. The community and the game mechanics really make it so that isn’t possible, and makes Illy so great.

 

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

My Spider Slayer Award 😛 (see my profile), that was me getting revenge for GM TC. Aside from that, making so many friends in the game.

 

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

Probably the day that the devs implement one of my suggestions! Group mailing? Sequential research queues? Specialized chat rooms? GM Tallica? need I go on?

 

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

Currently, I would say that having pathfinding will be a major improvement, it’s kind of silly that troops can freely cross oceans and such. Also, the factions have been around forever and have very little to do with anything. I know, I know, it’s coming soon.

 

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

Have you read my newbie guides?

This month’s Player Spotlight focuses on Eaque, active Illy player and add-on developer. Nominated by his fellow players, the GMs agree that we all appreciate Eaque’s contribution to the game and community. Learn more about the Player Spotlight program at our website and nominate players by sending an email to community@illyriad.co.uk. Now on with the interview!

GM Luna

What brought you to Illyriad and how long have you been playing?

I discovered Illyriad through the Chrome Web Store, about a year ago and have been playing since. I’m not quite sure what made me sign up as I usually don’t play games, but I’m very happy I did. It was actually my first Illyversary 20 days ago (thanks Vibs for thinking of it).

 

Have you played many other online games or been active in other online communities?

Being a web developer, computers and Internet are a big part of my life, but oddly enough I’ve never been much of a gamer. Illyriad is the first online game I’ve ever played but I’m part of a few online communities regarding technology and programming.

 

Any hidden talents or interesting hobbies outside of gaming?

I play tennis in competition, and regularly other sports: beach volley, squash, surf, cycling etc. I love fantasy litterature… Abercrombie, Rothfuss, Feist, Tolkien are among my favourite authors.

I also play a game every thursday with friends, called “Werewolves and Villagers” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(party_game)). I definitely sound like a nerd when I mention it, but it’s a great social game, you should give it a go. Gather a group of friends and start playing, you won’t regret it (rules here: https://www.brenbarn.net/werewolf/rules.html). Even the big shots in the Silicon Valley play it (https://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2010/03/features/werewolf?page=all)

 

What keeps you playing Illyriad?

I keep playing Illyriad because if offers me a great deal of fun and a playground to use my programming skills, all at the same time.

I especially like:

– the depth of the game. I’m quite amazed at the level of complexity existing in Illyriad. It’s also quite well balanced in terms of rules, like the bonus/penalty brought by a new building etc… Kudos to you GMs, must be hell to keep it balanced!

– the dynamic of the community. People are really nice, encouraging, happy to be here and eager to share. I made good friends here and I’m really glad for that.

– the third party tool policy. I just love your position on user-developed tools. You are encouraging developers within the community to create their own addons around Illyriad. This is quite rare and deserves to be praised.

 

What’s your favorite aspect of the game?

Tough question… Probably the evolving nature of the game, and the fact that you can’t buy your way in.

 

What’s your proudest achievement in game so far?

What I’m most proud of is my add-on Illytools (https://www.illytools.net/site/page?view=about). I’m always so happy when I receive ingame mails from players telling me how Illytools is useful to them. And SweetSpot probably saved half the players from blindness when looking for a place to settle a new town 🙂

 

What are you most looking forward to for the future of Illyriad?

I would love to see new continents interconnecting with Elgea. I’m also looking forward to the Faction AI going live, I think it will shake things a bit. (And if possible, more tech blog posts from GMTC explaining the inner workings of Illyriad.)

 

What area of the game do you think needs the most improvement?

Magic could be improved and expanded to be worth specializing in. Terraforming would be really cool, as all the natural good spots are now taken in Elgea.

 

What advice would you give a new player in Illyriad?

I’d say “Be patient, Illyriad unfolds as you grow, don’t expect to have everything right away”. And also “Highly addictive game, there’s a good chance you start waking up at night to send vans out”. 🙂

 

And a big thanks to the community for choosing me for this month’s player spotlight!