Sep 03, 2:20 pm
I’m a bit of a geek, so it is only natural that my geek journey leads me to new reaches. In my spare time, I’ve developed an interest and career in networking. Time spent studying binary and routing protocols helped me achieve my first of hopefully many Cisco certifications. I am a network analyst – providing support to the technicians who monitor the devices that facilitate my company’s global communication. I get to interact with people who are 5,000 miles away or 13 hours ahead of my time zone, so that we can work together to find ways to improve cost efficiency, time management and process oversight. I occasionally work on projects that require investigating whether or not my company’s network is at risk. I could ramble on and on about the diversity of my job description, but I will spare you. Basically what I am trying to say is that I have opened up new geek doors – and this new path is filled with opportunities.
That being the case, I am closing a chapter in my life that I never thought to part from so soon. Just 2 years ago, I tried out for this team and was embraced with open arms. I planned for many many years of conventions, tournaments and Frag Dolls Fridays, knowing in my heart that my geek dream had been achieved. But when conquering new ground, eventually the size of that land grows larger. I was presented with an opportunity to explore a different kind of technology; information technology (IT). When you gamers turn on your Xbox 360, log into Xbox Live, join an online multiplayer match, shoot bullets at your friend, take a knife to the back and re-spawn, all of that information is being passed through a network much like the one that I get to play with at work. I am in the world behind your virtual world.
Before I can close this chapter, I have very important messages for the girls that will continue to represent the Frag Doll initiative:
Dolls, you rock. Some of you have been at this for years and some of you are new to this journey. You have achieved great things since this team was formed - creating a healthy environment for women gamers and breaking the stigma is not an easy task. But we have come a long way and it’s heartwarming.
Rhoulette – You have been a rock on the team. And when times get rough, you are the glue that holds all of us together. I can tell that you like a challenge, hence why you try to juggle 10 things at a time. And you have been so good at making sure this team never hits the floor. You are truly remarkable.
Seppuku – You are the ultimate teammate. You are always supportive and encouraging, and you always have a cool head when things get heated. You are the FD Zen Master. I’ve never met anyone like you and I hope we never lose touch.
Valkyrie – You are like family to me. If anyone knows anything about the Frag Dolls, they know that you are like the mother of FD. You are honest and nurturing, with a hint of “I’ll kick your ass if you act like an idiot.” Beyond that, you are truly a life-long friend. But I am sure I will see more of you, so I will save the sappy words for later.
Brookelyn – You are thoughtful and always find a way to relate to the people in your life. You make people feel good about themselves and you are so fun to be around. There are some other qualities about you that I also see in myself. And as with Valkyrie, I am sure we will see each other often, regardless of the physical distance between us.
Psyche – You light up a room and make your presence known. You are addicted to having fun, which is always an attractive quality to have and makes you an important element to any group you’re with. You never judge a book by its cover and you are so welcoming.
Phoenix –You are so spunky and genuine. You aren’t afraid to ask questions and you have such great enthusiasm and confidence. Working with you has been so enjoyable. I am so glad you only live a few hours away! Be prepared for visits.
Spectra & Fidget – Welcome to this team of great women. Meeting you at E3 was delightful and I can’t wait to see you at PAX! You are both what I would expect a Frag Doll to be and hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
With that said, my last hoorah as an official Doll will be at Penny Arcade Expo next weekend. There’s no way to celebrate and say goodbye like a few days at the biggest (and totally sold out) gaming event of the year. PAX 2007 is where I competed for my position on the team and will be the last place I work by the name “Pyra.” My heart is heavy, because I will sometimes wonder if I made the right decision. But without regrets, I know that my life is moving in the right direction and I am excited to see where it will take me.
To all of our community members, I wish I had been around more to get to know you all. But even though I won’t be a Frag Doll, I will join your ranks as a Frag Doll supporter. See you at PAX!
May 12, 11:00 am
My teammates are like family to me. These girls have seen me in my most veracious moments: training, competing, working and socializing. I’ve created some great memories in the past year and a half and hope to continue to do so with the new additions this year. However, in casting our 4th generation recruits, I will no longer be the one submitting a gaming resume and impatiently waiting by the phone for a callback. This time, I am behind the scenes! And because I have been through the Casting Call twice (and lost both times), I wanted to share my tips with this year’s candidates. But first…
MY STORY
My first tryout for an open Frag Doll position was held in California… eons ago! There were 8 finalists and only 1 spot - that meant I had less than a 13% chance of being chosen. I had recently surfaced from an isolated year of playing Final Fantasy XI and hadn’t competed in a long time. I wasn’t too nervous for the interviews and I was camera-friendly, but my shooter skills were severely lacking. I took my one chance for granted – a part of me expected every other girl in the running to totally suck at video games. Yes, I am embarrassed to say that, I, myself, had a slight stereotypical mindset about girls playing games and my ego was enough to prove me wrong. I learned quickly that Frag Dolls was a serious force to be reckoned with.
In August 2007, the second Casting Call was announced and I knew it would prove to be a bigger challenge. The expectations for the next Frag Doll far exceeded the standard that was set in the past. They flew the finalists to PAX and put us under a hot light: cameras, competitions, community interaction, interviews, and so on. I came into this competition with my ammo packed. My PC proficiency was sick; having spent some time training with pro players and competing in CPL. I also played a few Gears of War tournaments with PMS Clan, which helped tune my communication and teamwork skills. Nonetheless, I was nervous and the competition was stiff. We were under the microscope and every little thing counted.
By this point, most of you know the rest of the story, but I will spell it out for those who don’t.
I LOST AGAIN! It’s a bit difficult trying to hire two girls when you’re allotted one spot. It wasn’t until after heavy mind-raking that they found a way to magically convince the powers-that-be that hiring Cella was imperative! So here I am at last! (I cut out a lot of information, but trust me it’s for your own good.) After having lost twice and won once, I want to share some tips with the candidates:
• One coat of polish and two coats of buffer
Trying too hard or not trying enough will get noticed, so just be yourself. You will be interacting with a wide variety of people and they are all looking for something specific. Polish your communication skills so that you are better understood. But don’t polish it up too much, your personality is your buffer!
• Know the ropes or walk the plank
If you don’t know how to answer a question or you’ve never played a certain game before, don’t panic. It’s better that you say something first before winging it. Set your own standards. The Frag Dolls take everything into consideration before giving recommendations to the powers-that-be.
• Frien-emies
This is a competition and you are trying to look like a better investment than everyone else. But when all is said and done, you and every other candidate have the same desire and they are probably feeling the same way you are. Hopefully, you will make some great friends in the process.
• Drama Llama versus Chatty Kathy
I don’t think I should have to dive into this too much. Basically, to tie this back into my intro, this team is like a family.
(These are just a couple of MY tips to the semi-finalists, this isn’t necessarily the same view for every Doll. But I hope this has helped!)
Apr 15, 1:00 pm
I’m sure we have all felt the sting of the economic changes recently… in some way or another. Whether it be was fluctuating gas prices, fewer loans, tighter budget, pay cuts or even layoffs, the state of our economy is no secret. But one way that I have recognized and noticed this effect is in gaming. This industry has taken a back seat in entertainment and suffered serious losses, so what is keeping the industry alive?
Demand!
Gamers are demanding, that’s no news to us. When times are rough, there are still expenses that most people won’t cut short on; like money for alcohol and video games! My mom is in the spirits and wines industry and financial challenges have yet to even knock on their door. Unlike alcohol, which inevitably has the same effect after you pass a certain point of consumption, video games tend to be hit-or-miss. Too many misses and we won’t bother looking at your games anymore. As for gamers, although we’ve experienced a severe lack of social congregation at expos and tournaments, we still play. And make no mistake; we don’t just play any game, we want the good stuff.
With layoffs at major game developer studios, I think they are presented with a challenge that only independent developers face day-in and day-out before: Make a quality game with a crappy budget. It is imperative that developers adapt to the economic changes quickly, or they could witness the fall of everything they built during the first decade of the new millennium. Putting edgy ideas to the test were difficult enough, as it was when times were good, and even more dangerous now. But if developers take the right approach, ground-breaking concepts could seal their spot in the gaming market and give us gamers something great to play!
I am curious to see what will be in store for us at E3.
On her toes,
Pyra
Apr 07, 10:00 am
As you may know, I have been doing great diligence to make sure I never play Final Fantasy XI ever again. It’s the one game that I can truly say I was addicted to. I’ve been through my crazy FPS sprees and all-nighters, but nothing quite tops the time I have put into this game. And I made it into a blanket rule, preserving the safety and sanctity of my social life, by banning myself from all MMOs. Little did I comprehend the power of peer pressure!
Because everyone around me seems to have at some time played or currently plays World of Warcrack (I mean, -craft), I cracked under pressure. With coworkers, clanmates, friends and family who have raved on and on about this game, I took my free copy from Comic Con NY 2007 and went through the rigorous install. The patches alone took long hours and three attempts to completely download. When the final glorious moment arrived, also known as the character creation screen, it was time to transpose myself into a mythical creature to fight the war. With research and advice, I decided to steer my first WoW experience as a Night Elf Druid.
By nature, my first choice was: Pyra FD.
CAN’T USE SPACES!?
Second choice: Pyra_FD.
CAN’T USE UNDERSCORES?
Third choice: Pyra.
TAKEN! SOMEONE STOLE MY IDENTITY!
Naming an elf is pretty important (at least that’s my opinion). The name should fit the face… and the race. So with some digging around the interwebs for Elvish and Elvaan languages, I found and fell in love with: Reona. It’s Elvish (the language of the elves in Lord of the Rings) for Reaper. The meaning is dark, but the mask is pretty. And after naming my Night Elf, I took Reona out for her first kill. Hazaah!
The World of Warcrack had induced a feeling of gratification for slaying small animals over and over and over. (My dog just stole a quarter pound of organic pepper jack cheese from the table. Tonight is not gonna be a good night.) So far, the game is definitely entrancing, as the cartoon-like, colorful graphics pull you into an alternate world of excitement. But I am only level 14 and have a lot to learn. Wish me luck.
~Still fraggin’~
Reona (Pyra)
P.S. - A couple screenshots for y’all. (Click to see the full image.)
I can fly!!!
I’m such a noob.
Mar 23, 11:00 am
I can’t believe it. I have had my iPhone for 6 months and I’ve been so wrapped up in work that I haven’t had a chance to explore all that it has to offer! Let me tell you, I enjoy my games, I wouldn’t be a Frag Doll if there wasn’t a gaming itch in me, and last week I finally sat down and downloaded a few iPhone games to pass the time. Little did I know that I would be addicted to them! These little casual games are so much fun and require no prep time. You know what I mean? To get on Xbox Live, you have to turn on the Xbox 360, let it load, sign on, make a room, invite people, make sure your headset isn’t muted, blah blah blah. (Yes, I am lazy.) But with my iPhone, it’s at my fingertips! Literally! I wanted to talk a little bit about my favorite games this week:
Fave #1 Blackbeard’s Assault
This game reminds me of Zuma on XboxLive Arcade, but beefier. It has cool power-ups and multiple cannons, not to mention fun sound effects. Okay, so maybe it’s sub-par to Zuma, but the fact that I can play it whenever I want gives it mega bonus points. This game allows me to play the game I love and still indulge in lazy behavior. My kinda game!
Fave #2 Wurdle
A 5x5 slew of letters and you have to find as many words as possible within 2 minutes- THAT sounds like a hot Friday night! And Thursday night, and Wednesday, and… you get the point. I actually caught myself dazed with this one. I somehow managed to walk from my desk, to the break room, make a cup of hot tea, and sit back down without remembering any of it. I can easily bury myself in this game. And if you can’t find anymore words but still want to take a shot at high score, shake the iPhone and the letters are scrambled around for other possible combination’s. You take a hit on your points, but if you time it right it’s doesn’t make much of an impact on your score. (I actually took a break in writing this blog to play Wurdle...)
Fave #3 Blocked
You have blocks. Yes, just a bunch of blocks. It’s not the prettiest game, but it’s oddly time consuming. You have to move these blocks side-to-side or across in specific patterns in order to let the identified “blue block” out of the square, with the blocks only able to move in 1 direction at a time. Even the easy levels can be hard, which I love. It took about 20 minutes to figure one out, but it feels great when you see that little blue guy fly right out of the opening!
I am going to download a few more games next week and report in with my findings!
The casual/hardcore/mobile gamer,
Pyra
