Community Spotlight: Valeroth 
After a hiatus, we are now finally reintroducing our Community Member of the Month feature! Ladies and gentleman, please join me in congratulating our old friend Valeroth! I had a chance to ask Valeroth a few questions about his history with Pirates of the Burning Sea, and this is what he had to say:
When did you first hear about PotBS?
My finding Pirates of the Burning Sea is actually indirectly tied to “International Speak like a Pirate Day”. Mid-September 2001 I remember hearing about this Speak like a Pirate Day, and thought to myself, “That sounds like a lot of fun! Next year I’m having a party on Speak like a Pirate day”. So the following year while doing a little pirate research I ran across the Pirates of the Burning Sea website. While it was all things piratical that lead me to stumble across the website, it was really those early notions of ship combat at sea that got my full attention. So right around September 2002 I started visiting the site frequently, gobbling up any data I could find on the game. It sure looked a lot different back then than it does now. It was a fresh new take on something that never really been done to my satisfaction. The openness of the developers is probably what really hooked me from that point on.
How long have you been involved with the PotBS community?
While I lurked in the shadows for several years after that I didn’t really get involved until around the time the first beta applications hit the site. This forced me to actually register on the forums, and I started posting a little here and there and answering a few questions from the news I had read. When I really became involved was in September of 06, when I was accepted in to the closed beta. Then I was engrossed in the game, and spent as much time as I could checking things out and reporting feedback.
You’ve met some of the FLS staffers in person, tell us how that came about:
One of my friends was going to Gencon-Indy in the summer of 06 and had spent several weeks dropping hints that I should come along. I had never been to Gencon and so was slightly resistant. Finally his nudging, plus the fact that I had learned FLS would be there, made me finally, at the last minute, decide to go. I had an absolute blast at GenCon that year. Soon as I could make into the dealer hall I wandered over to the FLS booth so I could get a chance to actually check out the game. After hovering nearby for a while I finally got the chance to play. I have to say that the system came very natural to me, and over the course of the weekend I spent a lot of time showing other people walking up how to play the game. I also spent some time schmoozing with Aether, Gavin, and Jess at the booth. GenCon 06 was a blast. Getting to meet developers from FLS and Bioware was certainly the highlight for me, and every game I played over the course of the weekend was a lot of fun. As I left that year I was certain I would be returning to GenCon every year from that point forward. The thing that struck me about GenCon is that everyone is really there to have fun. The following year, at GenCon 07 I spent an equal amount of time at the FLS booth, showing people the game, teaching them how to play, and sharing as much as I could. I met Danicia, Theresa, Jodi, Lindsey, and a few other people. I also met Rusty very briefly both years, however he’s hard to actually find at GenCon. I’m pretty sure that any time he’s not talking to the press he’s off playing some game. Everyone I’ve met from FLS has always been a lot of fun to talk to and hang out with.
You’ve made a lot of contributions to the PotBS community, from helping to settle squabbles, keeping discussions on track in our forums, to creating essential information resources for the community at large. What drives a person to participate at the level you do?
It’s the excitement of being part of the process that has really driven me. Deep down I’ve always wanted to be a game designer, and being able to provide direct feedback and ideas to the developers really has been a gift to me. I’ll admit, sometimes this excitement gets the better of me. When I happen upon a bit of free time, and I have no outlet to put all the excitement I sometimes get a little frustrated. Overtime though I’ve slowly been able to smooth out my reactions to various things with guidance from some very exceptional community members.
I have tendency to analyze things which is what initially lead me to start work in my Ship Sheet. I originally put the sheet together because it didn’t seem to me that the level progression didn’t relate to the power of the ship very well. Of course at the time there was only about 35 ships, and Taelorn had not yet come to FLS. From that point forward the ship sheet grew and expanded into what it is now. When my free time has lessened others have helped out, and I’ve done some of the same with a few other tools that people have worked on.
Do you have any plans for future PotBS projects in the works?
I always have ideas in mind for the ship sheet. However, since the game has released others with more time than I have been able to add things that I haven’t had the time for. My big plans for the future are probably to start running events in game. I have ideas mulling around in my head, some of which will have to wait for the skirmish system, some which will not. I would really like to use the skirmish system to recreate (as closely as possible) the starting conditions and background for actual historical battles from about 1600-1800. I’m hoping I could get players to fill the roles of historical captains, set the stage for battle, and then let them fight it out to see what outcome they happen across. Ideas mull around in my head for months when my real life is extremely busy and then sort of burst onto the scene when I have the free time. And of course to continue give pass on any feedback I have on ships (both analytical and play test experience).
If someone out there is looking to get involved in the PotBS community, what kind of advice would you give them?
First, I would advise them to help out new players. The “New User Questions” on the forums is a great place to this, as well as just stating on /nation chat anytime you are in a starter area that your available for questions. Second, I would direct them towards “The Playability Lab” that Fraxl has setup on the forums. It’s a great place to leave very directed feedback on certain issues. Third, I would lead them to investigate the Boarding Party and consider being a member, it’s a great way to be involved in the community. And last (this one is often difficult for me) I would advise patience.
Thanks for all you do Valeroth, and congratulations!
