Greetings friends, patrons, and fans everywhere!
Wasn't that video update fantastic? This team we have built is composed of some awesome and very hard working people. Please give a big round of applause to all the team members who have poured out their time, their energy and sacrificed a fair amount of sleep to make this happen. They are doing such a great job and giving so much of themselves to bring this game together and we are ever thankful for the time they have contributed to this project.
We have had a lot of new additions to the team, so many that we have now closed applications to the Lore team nor we are seeking any more music composers presently. We are only accepting applications for exceptionally talented (ie: extensive experience with) Unity 3D programmers, worldbuilders, and 3D artists. If you or someone you know qualifies in one of these categories please send us a PM here on the website or send us an email and we will proceed from there. Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest. We are so thankful to each one of you for your passion and dedication to helping us create Pantheon.
As happens on any volunteer team, indeed even on paid teams, not everyone who volunteers at the start is able to stay through to the end. Sometimes life happens and people have to leave. And everyone leaves for different reasons. We are thankful to the contributions of those who have been on the team in the past also, and wish them well in their future endeavors. I would like to take this moment to thank each of the people who have gone before. As I'm sure you understand, I am unable to divulge details of their private lives, but each of these people have held a role on the Volunteer team and have now moved on to other endeavors. We are thankful to them for their role in getting the game to the point where it is now and hope that their lives will be blessed from here on out.
Corey Fleming (KoRMaK) - Programmer
John Diasparra (Montresseur) - World Builder, Musician
Mark Hamilton (Burdock) - Lore team
Gerri Bligh-Shuck (CanadinaXegony) - Moderator
We have many more new additions to the team as well. We have new members on the Lore team, new concept artists, a new Composer, new programmers, and new worldbuilders. The team continues to grow, is strong, healthy, and we have a lot of fun together working on Pantheon. We burn the midnight oil together, and we share in each other's joys, trials, tribulations and triumphs. The online environment of a virtual team is different from that of a team located in physical offices, but those of us who are able to be connected all the time have a very rich interactive experience that in some ways is more personal than physical offices can provide. We are more than co-workers, we are becoming friends.
We have created an "About Us" page where some of the team members have short Bios available. It has been closed to public view while we have been working on updating it. As of today we are unveiling it for others to see again. You will notice that some familiar names have new positions on the team. These are people who have stepped up above and beyond their minimum job requirements to fill needs wherever and whenever we have needed extra help.
There is a tremendous amount of work required to make a MMORPG and every team member is important. Recruiting for a game development team is more like casting for a play than perhaps other areas of business. Every role is important, there are no unimportant roles, and all the players must have a certain quality that allows them to work well with others and have a sort of "connection" or "vibe" with the rest of the team. There can be many qualified applicants, but not all will be a good fit for the cohesiveness of the team, so when we review applicants we are looking for this sort of thespian quality along with technical ability. We know it can be hard to be an "extras" who just walks on stage holding a pitcher of water and becomes part of the dinner scene so that the lead actor has someone to interact with, but that supporting cast is so very important! Without them, without the other actors on stage, it would just be one long boring monologue and no one would want to come to the play. So it is with casting for a game development team as well, and we are so very thankful for every contributor on the team, putting their neck on the line, working hard to learn new things, stretching beyond their comfort zones, and making this happen.
Good work team! Thank you for your help!
Brad McQuaid (Aradune) - Chief Creative Officer & Programmer
Tom Sampson (Wryshu) - COO & CIO
Laurene Wells (Sparkling) – Producer & Lore Master
Branden Snowberger (Radash) – Lead Programmer, World Builder, Forum Moderator, Lore
Ron Wells (Tandarin) – Operations & IT Manager
Jeanna Ruschell (BlueEyedGator) - Assistant Producer, World Builder, Forum Moderator, Lore
Matt Davis (Kyndread) - Assistant Producer, World Builder, Lead Moderator, Web Server Administrator
Dave Jezewski (GnikSitsirhc) - DBA & Programmer
Curt Arbtin (Angbathos) - Programmer
Michael Wilson (Mearyk) - Programmer
Eric Brady (Arrick) - Programmer
Chris Rabideau (MadMojo) - Programmer
Lani Amaro (Malanuara) - Programmer, Videographer
Troy Parker (Libertas) - Programmer
Will Whittaker (Khorelis) - World Builder
Rivan Wells (Liaku) – Associate Artist, Programmer, World Builder, Lore
Maxine Howard (Max63) - World Builder, Forum Moderator
Kiule Moana - Concept Artist, Lore
Toni Wright (Istariel) - Associate Designer, Lore
Chris Perkins (Joppa) - Composer, Sound Designer, Lore
Justin Gerhart (Istuulamae) - Lore
Josh Endries (FzZzT) – Web Server Administrator
Dave Weinberg (Multisync) – Lead Moderator, Associate Designer, Lore
Collin Jezewski (RebornWolf) - Lore Apprentice
Dayna Gilbert (Nirrtix) - Forum Moderator
J.P. Targete – Contract Artist
...and more to come!
Written by: Laurene "Sparkling" Wells
Producer, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
