Question: Tell us about yourself!* What’s your name and what do you do here at SOE?
How long have you been working at SOE?
Answer: My name is Lannice L. Montague. I am an acting Assistant Lead on the Free Realms Quality Assurance Team, and a Design Apprentice for Clone Wars Adventures! I’ve been here since July 2008. I remember it like it was yesterday, a sweltering summer day at the crack of August. I walked up the stairs of building three and was introduced to the brilliantly illuminating light of pure and simple assurance of game quality. It was like meeting an angel, really.
Question: How did you get into the industry?
Answer: I’m a big nerd and have always loved video games. I finished college and didn’t really know where I wanted to land, so I looked in every corner until I noticed that SOE was hiring game testers. While I wasn’t sure where it would lead me, I’m glad I took a chance, because I love my job and the people I work with are unequaled.
Question: Tell us what a typical workday is like for you.
Answer: I share a quiet moment with a cup of joe before I clock in and hit the ground running. I send out an agenda to my team with updates on our current testing plan, upcoming game content to look forward to, and things to watch out for. Then my Lead and I track our build status, and while he stays in contact with Development about testing needs and whatnot, I keep in contact with my team. We have a lot of fun on Free Realms QA because everyone has a great sense of humor and the ability to use that to make even long days seem smoother.
Question: Let’s talk favorites… What is your favorite SOE game title? What is your favorite location, favorite thing about that game? Do you have a favorite memory or moment from that particular game?
Answer: I have to be honest – I was never a huge PC gamer before I started working at SOE. Since I started, I’ve basically lived in Free Realms, so I AM a little biased. I also work part time as a Design Apprentice for Clone Wars Adventures, so it’s near and dear to my heart too.
I love Wugachug in Free Realms. It reminds me of Munich, a place I loved traveling to, and who doesn’t love a chugawug with a pint of frothy cold sarsaparilla in hand?!
The art that has come out of the Free Realms engine is really very remarkable for a free-to-play MMO for kids. There are terrific characters and animations, and the game looks great.
I’d have to say that the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs promotional tie in was hilarious. It was a tough event to test, but once it was live to our players, it was hilarious watching them run around Seaside collecting giant meatballs, corn cobs, and strawberries that fell from the sky!
Question: If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?
Answer: R2-D2, hands down. He always has a clever way to figure out a problem and he’s hilarious. We don’t ever know what he’s saying, but we always know what he means. That’s a notion near and dear to my oft-misunderstood heart.
Question: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Answer: I’d want the ability to read minds, with the reverse ability to shut it off. I wouldn’t want to always hear what’s going on in someone’s head, but it would be awesome to be able to get the real, unfiltered deal any time I want! Not only that, but it would make general people-watching exponentially more entertaining!
Question: Let’s get real! Hobbies? What’s last book you read? Last movie you saw? What do you do to unwind after a busy day?
Answer: I’m a book nerd and aspiring writer. I write short stories and pop commentary pieces. I read a whole lot too.
I recently read
Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman. He used to be a writer for SPIN and various other entertainment magazines, and he’s a personal hero of mine. He’s hilarious and basically writes what he sees. Now, that could easily mean a deep, philosophical commentary on the current political climate and how it compares to the political tension of
Saved by the Bell’s Bayside High student council. No joke. He’s terrific!
The last GREAT movie I saw was
Biutiful. It’s a contender for Best Foreign Film for this year’s Oscars and it was incredible. And while this movie was verrrry heavy and sad, it was very moving. Javier Bardem is a champion actor with a lot of depth. Bravo.
I work late every day, and I unwind with an episode of a travel show, then I either do a little reading or a little writing. I’ve been known to get my Doogie Howser on with a little “Dear Diary” action from time-to-time, but that’s only when I’m being too lazy to write something else! *I hit the hay fairly soon after that, and I start all over the next day!