A Pirate Sails Alone
I let the EverQuest II community know today that I’m headed back to Denver, Colorado. I wrote a goodbye message that applies mostly to EQII players, but I’ll include the text from that letter here for anyone who is interested. I’ll keep blogging up a storm here on Nerfbat, but it won’t technically be from an “insider’s” point of view, at least for a little while.
Though what I’m about to say will likely cause some concern, please don’t jump to any conclusions until you’ve heard me out. The short version: I’m moving back to my home in Denver, Colorado, which means I will no longer be the EQII Community Relations Manager.
Some might assume that this move was motivated by a desire to leave Sony Online Entertainment or EverQuest II. It wasn’t. In fact, the hardest part about making this decision was having to leave EQII, SOE, and the amazing community we have.
My choice comes down to a personal decision. I’ve decided that if I’m going to make a leap of faith of any kind in my life, I better do it while I’m still young. While leaving SOE certainly isn’t something I’ve ever planned on doing, I need to take a chance on something in my personal life to see if it works out. Please wish me luck in that regard.
Back to my original point: I’m not leaving because of anything related to EQII or SOE. EverQuest II is going very well. The dedication of the team here has been far more than impressive. This team is more agile and hard-working than any I have ever seen. They are capable of creating fun new content and features at a remarkable pace without skipping a beat, and they love the game.
Not only is the live game healthier than ever, but Echoes of Faydwer is simply amazing. It is everything I could ever hope for in an MMO expansion. It looks great, the content is second to none, and the features are spot on. I think as soon as you get your hands on this expansion, you’re going to fall in love with Norrath all over again.
And I better mention the community team that I hold so dear. The forward-thinking Community Relations team at SOE is the best in the business. I’m very proud to have helped lay the foundations for what it means to be a Community Relations Manager in this industry. Those guys and gals have set the bar for every other company to aspire to.
There are many more people at SOE who have been instrumental in making EverQuest II a wonderful game, but I don’t have the space to mention every one of them here. They know who they are. It’s very hard for me to leave my many friends at SOE behind, but it might be even tougher leaving the game’s community behind. The EverQuest II community is, simply put, the best MMO community I’ve ever been a part of. And, believe me, I’ve been part of quite a few.
The degree of dedication I see from our fansites and the passion I can feel from the rest of the community is heartwarming. When someone starts playing EQII, they become part of a family. I’m the type of player that rolls a lot of newbie characters, and it never fails to amaze me how often other people in the world have come up to me to lend a hand. That’s something you don’t always see in a lot of other MMOs. That sense of community is absolutely priceless.
I can’t help but reflect upon all of my time with the EverQuest II community. From the old days on EQII.com–where I ran the first fansite and forums for the game–on through Beta, Launch, Adventure Packs, Expansions, Fan Faires, Summits, and on. It’s been an incredible journey, and I thank you for sharing it with me.
Thank you all for not only making my stay here at SOE remarkable, but for truly helping me become me a better person. I look forward to seeing you all again in the future. Maybe that bald, pirate-looking charmer in your group will be one of my characters. Hopefully you’ll see me in another part the game industry again one day. Until then, my best wishes go out to you.
Please keep in touch. You can still reach me at rshwayder@nerfbat.com. Follow my now non-industry blog at Nerfbat.com if you want to keep updated on my random opinions. Enjoy EverQuest II and Echoes of Faydwer, and be gentle with my successor!
Sincerely
Ryan “Blackguard” Shwayder
The third expansion of EverQuest II, enters the Beta phase of testing. Blackguard has the scoop at the EQII forums.Ironically, that is likely to be the last scoop, that Blackguard has for a while. Ryan “Blackguard” Shwayder says farewell to Sony and Everquest II.The Serpents Spine, the next expansion in the venerable EverQuest dynasty is now live. A truer game title was never coined…VGTact has a Vanguard Beta key contest for September. Do you have what it takes?
Good luck to you Sir. May there be plenty a booty for ye landlockd in Denvah. /salute
Best o’ luck Cap’n! Brings a tear to ‘n old scallywag’s eye it does. Anyhow, may yer rum drinks be tall and your coffers full of booty! Yo ho! =)
Congratulations!
A leap o? faith c’n feel much like walkin? the plank. It takes courage…. (or rum… lotsa rum…. but I digress…. ) Yer gut knots up; yer knees threaten to buckle, and all through that fallin? feelin? ya? fear what lies ahead.
You’ve taken th? toughest step. Now have faith in the sea… and yerself. When yer heart ?s yer compass, you?ll always find port, hold brimmin wi’ all ya treasure. Stay true to that bearing, and thar are no regrets.
Didn’t expect the pirate dialectizer… funny how two “The sharks will eat well tonight!” can change the entire outlook of the message, eh?
Well, good luck an’ a bottle of rum to ye mate!
Ye been a fine person on this boat o’ EQ2, and yessir, ye’ll be missed.
Best wishes!
The sound of your peg leg tapping across the top deck at odd intervals at 3:00 am in the morning as you stumble back to your bunk after a night of hearty drinking on the SS SOE will be sorely missed.
I hate to see you go BG, but I am sure you are on to bigger and better things which is always exciting. Good Luck.
I don’t think I’m alone in this… You better not leave the game industry for good! I have always viewed you as being one of the good guys. One of the game devs that really plays games and knows what people want. I will be watching to see where you go next, and you can count me in for being in that community! Good luck with whatever it is you are doing, and we hope to see you soon doing something bigger and better.
Good luck to you Blackguard on you on your “leap of faith”. she better be worth ir, lol j/k. Dont worry about your replacement, i am sure were will only brow-beat him/her relentlessly for a few short years, nothing excessive though.
You should make an apperance on all the servers before you leave, so we can all give you a proper goodbye, please post times if you already intended to do so.
oh yeah, speak like a pirate time.
………h i j k l m n o p q AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR s t u…………
-bophus-
Among many praises for Sony Online Entertainment, the Community Relations team, and the EverQuest II community, Ryan cited personal reasons for his decision to return home. We wish him well and hope that he finds his way back to San Diego someday! Read Ryan Shwayder’s farewell »
Best wishes in your future endevors Blackguard!
You’re leaving SOE? Why I ought to… to… to take you off my blogroll! Or something. I didn’t want to have to resort to such drastic measures.
But just between you, me, and everyone else, did SOE fire you? I think you got fired. You argued with John Smedley against the ranger nerfs and he canned you! I just know it. You’re my hero!
j/k of course. I’m sorry to hear it, and the EQ2 forums will never be the same. I’ll bet the next CM is a ninja, whom we (you guys are with me, right?) will have to brutally annoy to assert pirate superiority once and for all.
Best o? luck Cap?n!
We?re sorry to hear that you leave SOE and EQII.
So here are the best wishes for your future from Germany.
Because I have no original thoughts with this little coffee in me (yet):
“First ponder, then dare.” – von Moltke.
Good luck to you!
Please say this isn’t because of a woman. No one will love you like SOE did.
Good luck man, and welcome back to the outside looking in.
Good luck
I am in the middle of my “leap of faith” in real life and I am glad I am still young so I can keep up with all these teenagers at college.
I look forward to many fine rants on Nerfbat, and excessive posting at the Round Table. With all this time on your hands now, you will be a blogaholic for sure. Ya and as mentioned, probably some rum as well…
I have recently passed on a couple of “leaps” and I still wonder if I made the right choice to stay the course. Hopefully you will find the wind behind your sails and rock free coastlines ahead of you. Sail on!
Just wanted to wish the best of luck to you
[...] You can find his farewell on the SOE forums here and a similar but not identical note on his own blog here. [...]
As has already been stated many times over, best of luck to you, I’m sure you’ll land on your feet with whatever ends up coming your way.
Fucking call me.
Can’t says that I blame ya thar, cap’n…. best o’ luck to you.
Salud, to the mythical Blackguard.
[...] And oh yeah, Nerfbat goes fired. Ok, maybe the fired bit is a lie, but hey, sensationalisation! (yes yes, that is a word) I’d wish him good luck, but as an ex-community manager of EQII, my only thoughts for him can ever involve pain and black leather. [...]
Awesome, diving into a new life-altering foray requires moxie; your new adventure is worth the sacrifice no matter the outcome. I’m sure you will do fine and congratulations on your upcoming endeavors.
I always wondered, why is it that SOE burns through CM’s like two dollar bills, but companies like Mythic have kept Sanya around for ages? What about Mythic is so different, and why does SOE go through so many?
The ice weasels keep Sanya chained to her throne.
Well, if you remember, Sanya was lured by the siren call of bagels. I can only presume that they keep her cube well-stocked with fresh bagels and cream cheese. Lattes too, most likely.
That, and isn’t she married (or engaged) to one of the folks there at Mythic? If true, that would also probably help keep her “chained to her throne”, so to speak.
Good luck Blackguard! I’m sure it’ll work out well for you in Denver, given the dedication you show in other things you do.
Good luck BG, with everything, I know you will be back I am sure working on another game someday, it’s in your blood. Sad to see you go, as I finally came back home to EQ2 the same day you announced you were leaving….. so ironic!
ARRRRRRR I be sad to you go!
A Pirate Sails Alone
Ryan,
As time progresses and life changes, we all understand that people must move on in life. I have been on EQII since the beginning. While I followed all of your comments in the forums and also came here to read your blog, you led with inspiration. When I met you at the Atlanta Fanfaire, I was very impressed at the professionalism that you upheld. You are a great guy and you will be missed by the EQII community. Good luck on all of your endeavors… for ye are about to start on another adventure of life.
For now on… when I see a pirate movie… or I hear words of a pirate… I will remember Blackguard…. you will be missed.
Steve
Best luck to you and in all of your future endeavors!
Best of luck on all of your adventures. You will be missed greatly, but, it would not be fair for us to try to keep you. Enjoy yourself, and keep in touch.
Best of luck to you Blackgaurd, you will be missed in the EQ2 community
So I’m off the EQ2 forums for a month or so and the two most important and influential members of the SOE community decide to leave?
Good luck man, I hope your leap puts you on solid ground with the world in front of ya! I’ve been trying to get out to CO myself for the last few months, if I ever make it I’ll buy you a beer if you’ll tell me stories about what it’s like to work for one of the big MMORPG’s
[...] You remember that leap of faith I was talking about a while back? It appears that was the start of a back-to-back leap of faith season for me, because I just made another one (if one would call careful consideration a leap of faith). Though I’d already decided to leave SOE and move home to Colorado before this opportunity become something real, I’ve decided to move on to the next chapter of my game development career already. [...]
[...] I tried to address most of the concerns in my post about me leaving Sony Online Entertainment. Everything in there still holds true, and no I’m not on [...]