KATIE POSTMA URU COMMUNITY MANAGER Interview

by Randy Sluganski 1 January 2005

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.