Eric Heimburg, thank you SO MUCH!

[Kakashi]

I just read that you are leading the development team for project Gorgon. My mouth dropped when I read the name and what games you worked on. I'm not sure if you read these posts or not, but I feel like I owe you such a huge thank you for all you have done in my life.

(brace yourselves for some fangirling.)

I was 11 years old in 2000 and I found out about MMORPGs when a friend showed me a cool new game he had started playing. I asked him what it was and he said, "Asheron's Call." I immediately started asking him so many questions about every little detail about the game. The sounds, the graphics (:D), the spells, weapons, armor, robes, monsters, I fell in love with everything about fantasy from that point on. Me and my older half-brother immediately saved up for a computer and the game. We convinced our super strict parents to allow us to get on our dialup internet to play it. We felt so cool, like we were in some underground club that no one else could get it. We would stay up for countless nights, play all day, whenever we could. So many memories, so many friends, good times, it was a time that was unlike no other and sadly, there will be another time like it, it was in a different day and age. I remember stuff like the White Rabbit orb. I remember the PKing on Darktide, BEFORE the bloods were a big thing. Haha, my friend even killed Blood (the original one who was a mule) in front of me. I remember when the Portal room ( not sure if thats the name of it... portal hall maybe?).

It may sound stupid and insignificant but Asheron's Call had such a huge impact on my life and still to this day, it's made me who I am today. I love MMORPGS now because of it. I wouldn't have the friends I have today or in the past without it. I even wanted to grow up and turn 18 to be a mod in the game for a while haha. I would have loved to do that and I wish I stuck to it. I've been searching for something to fill that void that has been gone from my life for many years. I didn't know you were helping with Project: Gorgon, but I knew it was special like AC when I logged on.

Thank you so much! I will be looking for ways to donate as much money as I can so you guys can hopefully surpass your goal of $5,000!

[Madmatx]

You rebel! Wasn't it against ToS and illegal to play MMOs at age 11 back in 2000?

[Crissa]

It still often is. Businesses cannot make basic contracts - like terms of service - with anyone under 13. Because courts are stupid, that means you can't treat them like any other anonymous user.

Legal stuff is weird.

[Citan]

Thank you for the kind words! But I should clarify that I wasn't on the development team for AC until after it launched. In fact, I had a similar experience to you. I was in my 20s working as a programmer, but not in games. I was playing EverQuest with friends and we would spend all lunch every day complaining about the game. Then we found Asheron's Call, and it instantly changed my career trajectory. I suddenly realized I needed to be involved in making these worlds! So I applied to Turbine and almost immediately flew off to Boston.

So my actual first work on Asheron's Call was with their monthly updates after the game had launched, and with the Dark Majesty expansion in 2001. After that I was taken off to work on AC2, and I could only help out with AC a bit on the weekends.

My wife Sandra (well, she's my wife now... not back then) is probably more deserving of accolades, as she worked on AC1 for a lot longer. She loves the game more than anything -- in fact when she was required to switch over to work on AC2, she quit the company because she wasn't interested in the new game... and then Turbine changed their mind and hired her back to work on AC1 some more. Sandra kept working on the game's updates for years and eventually became the producer for the game. So it's safe to say it was a huge influence on her, too.

We've both thought a lot about what made Asheron's Call special. And while this game is very different from that one, I do hope a bit of that magic can be found in Project: Gorgon.

[drivendawn]

Thank you for the kind words! But I should clarify that I wasn't on the development team for AC until after it launched. In fact, I had a similar experience to you. I was in my 20s working as a programmer, but not in games. I was playing EverQuest with friends and we would spend all lunch every day complaining about the game. Then we found Asheron's Call, and it instantly changed my career trajectory. I suddenly realized I needed to be involved in making these worlds! So I applied to Turbine and almost immediately flew off to Boston.

So my actual first work on Asheron's Call was with their monthly updates after the game had launched, and with the Dark Majesty expansion in 2001. After that I was taken off to work on AC2, and I could only help out with AC a bit on the weekends.

My wife Sandra (well, she's my wife now... not back then) is probably more deserving of accolades, as she worked on AC1 for a lot longer. She loves the game more than anything -- in fact when she was required to switch over to work on AC2, she quit the company because she wasn't interested in the new game... and then Turbine changed their mind and hired her back to work on AC1 some more. Sandra kept working on the game's updates for years and eventually became the producer for the game. So it's safe to say it was a huge influence on her, too.

We've both thought a lot about what made Asheron's Call special. And while this game is very different from that one, I do hope a bit of that magic can be found in Project: Gorgon.

There can. ;)

[takatoka]

that magic is there to be found, if you look and be part of the community

[Aionlasting]

I really liked AC2 Citan... for whats its worth. I remember you on the forums often times very active too. I was thirteen at the time when I started playing that game. I loved it dearly and was there to the end. I even bought the expansion. I followed you here to this game when I found out you were involved in its design hoping to find some of that magic.

[takatoka]

big fan of ac2 as well.. some of the best classes ever, some fascinating dimensional quests, and did i say how awesome reapers were :)

[Sheawanna]

Never played AC1 or 2 but fans of Citan and Sandra :) great game ..

[PezOfDoom]

Never played AC1 or 2 but fans of Citan and Sandra :) great game ..

Ditto! I didn't hit the MMO scene until FFXI. Still the fact that you can feel the care crafted into aspects of the game, the little nuances of texts or random easter eggs in far out areas...that's what makes it it special to me.

[srand]

Thank you for your feedback, Lord_ManHammer. It sounds perhaps like this is not the game for you. That's okay; not everyone likes everything. But let's not derail this thread, please.

Everyone, please remember to keep it civil. And let's get this thread back on track ... such as it is. :)

[lileth]

So it's safe to say it was a huge influence on her, too.

We've both thought a lot about what made Asheron's Call special. And while this game is very different from that one, I do hope a bit of that magic can be found in Project: Gorgon.

To help with the "back on track" part...

Was given AC2 for my birthday release weekend 2002 and said what's an MMORPG???? 16 years later.....

You guys have done a great job. Your love and passion is evident and tg the game is unique and not cookie cutter!

[Surprentis]

I just want to point out that besides Eric I guarantee you theirs other people we should be thanking for this wonderful, immersive, MMO.