Friday, December 30, 2011

10 Questions - Jonathan "Johan" Bernard

Jonathan "Johan" Bernard
Photo by Erin Martin
How long have you been playing?
13 years (December 1998)

How has the game changed since you've been playing?
The game used to be much less of a sport then it's become today. I miss having bardics that were period to the renaissance age and a general deeper sense of culture present in the game.

Who have you learned the most from?
One of the biggest influences in my career was Kevin Betie (Cinnabar). I learned a great deal about commanding on a battlefield from him. I attribute my general level of comfort in most battle scenarios from watching and learning from him.

What was your best moment IC?
At the Tournaments of Creathorne in 2000, I helped to give field commands to a battle line that stretched across a field to prevent the Myth Drannor elves from breaching into the area where part of our force was performing a ritual. It was the first time that I felt totally immersed in the environment and forgot that I was playing a game.

What was your best moment as a NPC/EH/Player?
At the Tournaments of Creathorne in 1999, I was Warmark for a fledgling group called Dragonsbreath. At that event, I helped to lead my nation to take third place in the war tournament. We were bumped out of second place by the Borderlands army which was more than double our size but we held out for a good amount of time against them. I learned that I was comfortable commanding on the battlefield and that I worked well under pressure. This actually helped to boost my self confidence out of character. I attribute at least part of my success in managing people at my work to what I've learned from my leadership roles in the Realms.
Photo by Robyn C Nielsen
  


































What would you like to see changed or developed more in game?
The game could benefit by having more of an active monetary system. Currently there isn't a regular use for IC currency in the game and I think that adding a mercantile aspect to the game could give players something tangible to do with currency.

What advice would you give new players?
Don't be afraid to get involved and throw your ideas into the mix during events. Don't restrict your interactions to your own group of friends because you only restrict yourself from learning more about the game on a whole. Also, be sure to get involved in practices outside of events because it's the best way to meet other people in the game.

What do you love most about the game?
The game offers unrestricted possibilities of what you can be. I like that over the years we've seen a mixture of races with well developed backrounds.

Who would you like to see the next interview be with?
Jason Grey
 

Anything else you'd like to take the opportunity to put into print?
Not at this time