Interviews
KATIE
POSTMA
URU COMMUNITY MANAGER
Interview Conducted by Randy
Sluganski
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Uru Community Manager,
the charming Katie Postma. She was kind enough to find some time in
her busy schedule to lead us through some of the intricacies of the
largest online adventure world ever created. So as you wait to join
the tens of thousands of adventure gamers around the world preparing
to explore the online world of Uru, take a moment to learn how this
online world has evolved into a vibrant community.
- How did you
happen to be chosen as the Uru Community Manager?I got
a call from UbiSoft in mid-August, asking if I would please come
to Montreal for an interview to be the Uru Community Manager!
I was very surprised, as I was not seeking to be employed out
of my home at the time, but they had been given my name by Cyan.
I was thrilled to say the least. 
Can
you tell us a little about what it was like to meet Rand Miller?I have
had the great honour of meeting Rand a few times now. I met him
first in a neighbourhood of D’ni, where he and RAWA came
to talk to Mysterium fans in Philadelphia, in 2001. This year,
at Cyan in August, I finally met him in person, and then got to
know him even better when I was there for Uru business this October.
He’s so down to earth and friendly, and he really appreciates
that people ‘get’ and love the things Cyan does. It’s
very easy to talk to him; I have great respect and admiration
for Rand, and all the folks at Cyan.- Tell us a little
bit about your background in the Myst community?My
husband and I first played Myst together in 1994 at a friend’s
home. We were taken immediately by the sense of mystery, the atmosphere
and the realism. When we finally got around to purchasing our
own home computer a few years later, Myst was the first software
we got! We soon learned that Riven was out, and when we got stuck
with puzzles, we went to Cyan Chat to get help. I met some wonderful
folks there and was soon going back for the friendships, long
after the games had been completed. I realized that there were
many people like me, who enjoyed intelligent, beautiful adventures,
and enjoyed spending time with each other while waiting for the
next adventure to start.I’ve
been on a few committees and a member of the staff on various
fan sites and forums throughout the years, most notably the Lyst,
the UnMysterium Committee, and Myst Community. My husband and
I have traveled to Mysterium to meet fellow Myst fans for the
past 2 years. We plan to continue to build and grow the relationships
we’ve been so fortunate to have in this community! - What are your
primary job functions as Uru Community Manager?I’m
one of a team of other Community Managers worldwide. Ron in the
US (North American lead), Greg in France (European Lead), Waldemar
in Germany, Andrea in Italy, and Emanuel in Spain. Our job is
to ensure that news and information about Uru is communicated
to the fans and players, as well as being the “hub”
for information being relayed between Cyan, Ubi.com, the media,
the fans, the DRC, and the explorers. We do this by any means
necessary! No two days are the same. It’s a busy and all-encompassing
job, and I love it. 
There
seems to be some confusion in the adventure community between Uru
the game and Uru live, can you explain the differences between the
two for our readers?The
game you will pick up in the box, being released November 13,
2003, is Uru: Ages Beyond Myst (in both US and Europe). This is
a game that you can play to completion – a brand new adventure
from Cyan that gives you many new gorgeous Ages, tons of puzzles,
an intriguing story and some new characters to get to know. It’s
unlike anything we’ve seen before, because it’s all
3-dimensional. Instead of playing in first person, like the previous
Myst games, you get to design your own avatar to look like you,
and then you can play in either first or third person –
you have the option of watching yourself do the puzzles and the
adventures. Myst fans have been waiting for Uru: Ages Beyond Myst
for years – a chance to finally glimpse D’ni! Playing
Uru will answer many questions… I can’t wait to hear
the fans’ reactions to what awaits them.- Do you have
to purchase Uru the game to later be able to join Uru Live or can
they be experienced individually?Yes,
Uru is your gateway into the Live experience. You will learn and
practice the skills you need to travel deeper into D’ni
and explore more new ages in the live game. - Is Uru the game
a continuation of Exile?Uru
is a standalone game that is happening now. Rather than linking
into ages and times when Atrus himself was alive, Uru (U R U –
you are you) is happening, now, today. When I first arrived in
Uru, I felt like I had just packed up my things and gone to …
well, you’ll see. - What will be
the monthly fee for Uru Live and will there be a free trial period
available?The
monthly fee will be announced by Ubi.com shortly, but I expect
it will be comparable to other online games that have a monthly
subscription. - What type of
internet connection is recommended for Uru Live?Uru
Live is for Broadband only. 
Are
you able to go into any detail as to what the bug-testers for Uru
Live have uncovered that has helped to make the game better?I can
tell you that the beta testers and QA testers for Uru have been
incredible. It’s never easy testing games and finding all
the imperfections… especially as many are fans. You want
to jump in and play the game! But our testers have been incredibly
patient, incredibly vigilant, and incredibly successful in rooting
out so many potential problems for the future players of Uru.
I have gotten to know quite a few people, and it’s amazing
– folks who are new to the Myst universe and were accepted
as beta testers for Uru are now cleaving to the community and
recognize the unique way Myst fans bond together to share the
great adventures Cyan leads us through!The
testers we have are testing all aspects of the game, but also
testing how best to interact with one another, how to encourage
others, how they can best help each other… it’s a
real treat watching the way they are forging this totally new
way of playing a Myst adventure. It gives me a great look at how
things may go when the game goes live.- How would someone
go about finding you specifically – or a friend of their choosing
– in the online world of Uru?People
will be able to find each other the same way they do in real life
– if I were to meet you at a mall, I’d ask you what
you look like, what you will be wearing, where you will be standing,
and what time you’ll be there. I can do the same thing in
Uru – I will be the girl with the dark hair in a ponytail,
wearing a green shirt and jeans, standing by the railing at the
side of the lake, around 3 in the afternoon. Also, you can tell
each other the “username” you are using, and find
each other that way, too. You’ll be able to keep a Buddy
List, similar to those in IM programs, and see when your friends
or neighbours have logged into the game. - Are there any
expectations number-wise for Uru Live? After all this is the largest
online adventure game ever attempted.Yes,
we have projected numbers we are working with, and I expect these
numbers will be achieved and surpassed very quickly! 
What
is it about the world of Myst that keeps people coming back for
more?I don’t
think it’s anything you can bottle and sell, Randy. It’s
like magic, a feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves,
that Cyan feels when they get the urge to share their worlds with
us, and that the fans feel when they accept the invitation.Myst
fans are drawn to the beauty, the simplicity, and the familiarity.
But they are also bonded together in a unique community. I hope
that any fan of Myst out there who has yet to experience the games
with other fans will use the Live opportunity to finally do so.
Having an adventure is a fun thing to do. Sharing the adventure
is awesome.- What does UbiSoft
have planned to keep Uru a vibrant, growing community?The
Community Managers will continue to listen to the fans and facilitate
community growth any way we can. But, for the most part, we’ll
let the community do what it has done for over 10 years naturally
– grow and expand in ways we’ve only dreamed possible.
Thanks for the
quick tour Katie, we’ll be looking for you in D’ni.
Thank you,
Randy. See you there.
