Exclusive interview with Yasmin (Beelzebabb), official community manager

Q1: What did you do before joining the Albion team and how did you end up working with them?

I was studying at university in London before I moved to Berlin. When I got here, I was just looking for some work in the games industry, found Sandbox Interactive online, had an interview and the rest is history!

Q2: What has inspired the team to make Albion Online, how did it start?

As I haven’t been with the team from the very beginning (Sandbox Interactive was established in early 2013) I’m not sure of exactly how the company was founded, though I do know that main inspirations for the game include Eve Online, Haven & Heart, Darkfall and of course Ultima Online.

Q3: Could you tell us more about the development team and the days at the office?

Days start with a meeting with all the team members at about 11am during which each team member updates everyone else on what they’re working on and what they managed to finish the day before. Then everyone splits up with the community management and marketing team going into one room, artists in another and finally the developers and game designers. That’s how the office is laid out, and of course we usually go for lunch together at midday! J

Q4: What are the main objectives for Albion Online and the team?

Our vision for Albion Online is to bring a truly challenging title to a genre which we find increasingly simplified. We also want to bring the first true cross-platform MMO to Android and iOS tablets!

Q5: What has been the most challenging aspect of making Albion Online so far?

Trying to stick to test deadlines!

Q6: What was the most rewarding moment while working on Albion Online so far?

Seeing the reactions of the community to all the new additions with each test, and getting them involved with the growth of the game and the team.

Q7: What’s your favorite aspect about the game at the moment?

The castle fights! I think they’re a great new system and I think the Castle Lord is a cool NPC character!

Q8: What’s the one thing you wish gamers knew about game development?
How erratic it is. How we can never be sure of a test start date or release date, and will have to disappoint some people sometimes. For the most part, our community is really understanding of disappointing changes, and we really appreciate that.

Q9: Personally I love the concept of the game but the “hardcore” PvP and full loot might scare away casual players. Is there anything you want to say to reinsure these players?

Albion Online is most certainly a game geared towards more experienced MMO players and guilds, but we do also want to cater to casual and solo players. This means adding more content to PvE, an extensive mercenary system so that solo players can feasibly make their way in Albion, and changing the world to include more safe regions to support players who are not into hardcore PvP. We have to balance this, of course, with giving other players the PvP action they love! But we think we’re getting it right J

Q10: If you could change something about the community, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change a thing! We have some great personalities and the community on the whole is very appreciative and friendly.

Q11: Last but not least, if you could be any game of thrones character, who would you be? (I just assume everyone watches it haha)

I don’t watch it, but I think the character of Tyrion Lannister is cool.