What is your role?
I’m the Lead Software Engineer on Ultima Online.
What does a day generally look like for you?
My day usually starts with coffee and breakfast, then I get my little one ready for school and walk them to the bus. Once I’m at my desk, I review my notes from the previous day and pick up where I left off. We usually have our team stand-up next, where we catch up on everyone’s work and discuss anything that might need my attention. From there, I prioritize my goals for the day and check for any live issues needing immediate attention.
How long have you played UO?
I actually started playing Ultima Online after joining the team in 2008. Working on the game introduced me to UO as a player, so my experience has always been a mix of seeing it from both sides: as a player and as a developer.
How long have you been working on UO?
I started working on Ultima Online in the spring of 2008, so I’ve been fortunate to be part of the game’s journey and watch it evolve since Publish 52.
What is your favorite UO moment?
Some of my favorite moments happen with every release. You spend so much time building something, iterating on it, and trying to think through every player use case. Then publish day arrives, and you finally get to watch players experience it for themselves. Seeing players get excited and interact with something you helped create is always rewarding. If I had to choose one particular moment, it would be the release of High Seas. Watching players get out on the water and engage with the new ships, especially the pirate ships, was incredible.
What has been your favorite project to work on?
That’s a difficult one because I’ve been fortunate to contribute to many major systems and publishes throughout UO’s history. Two that really stand out are the Time of Legends expansion and the New Legacy ruleset. Both involved building large systems, working on interesting features(Masteries, Encounters, Objective System), and solving some unique challenges. That variety is one of the things I’ve enjoyed most about working on UO, along with being part of a great team. Every release brings something different: new problems to solve, new lessons to learn, and memorable moments when we finally see everything come together.