We recently had an opportunity to inquire about our new Community Manager for Everquest II, Craig "Grimwell" Dalrymple, and here's what he had to say:

Stratics: So what is it like working on an established game that you have had so little experience with? Grimwell: It is both refreshing and exciting. I am coming onto the EQII team at a really great time with the release of Echoes of Faydwer. Naturally I have a little trepidation as well, as I'm stepping into some big shoes, with a great community - I really want to continue the tradition and help keep things going in a positive direction. Stratics: What is your biggest accomplishment as a player so far? Grimwell: I get a lot of pride out of earning status for my guild. Individual character driven goals are fun, but it is really rewarding to be able to do something that helps the team, even when I am playing solo. Stratics: What do you enjoy most about your new job? Grimwell: I really enjoy the people. When you are looking at a game company from the "outside-in" viewpoint, it's difficult to really get an idea of how the people in the company relate to each other. What I am finding here at SOE is that the people are nice, and a lot of fun. Add with such a strong community behind EQII, it is an ideal situation. Stratics: What is the most difficult thing about your new position?

Grimwell: Keeping up with the pace! My position sat vacant for a few months, so there is a lot of work to do to get things caught up - and I'm learning the ropes! I'd like to joke that I play video games all day, but I'm so busy at work that I'm almost too tired to play them at home.

Stratics: I noticed you are already getting pestered with the "fix my class!" comments. How are you planning on dealing with that?

Grimwell: Yes, I am getting some requests from people who would like to see things changed in the game. Not as much as some might think though. My role in is to make sure that the dev team is aware of a potential issue, help them validate it, and then communicating with the community about any potential fixes.

Stratics: What sets EverQuest 2 apart from the other MMOs out there?

Grimwell: I really enjoy the level of detail that the new expansion has brought to the game. There is so much to do, and so much to see that it's a bit overwhelming. While every MMO out there has content, I really think the content found in EoF is fun and well done. I was playing EoF before I was the Community Manager and know that I'd be playing it right now even if I had a different job.

Stratics: What are you most excited about regarding the future of EverQuest 2?

Grimwell: The developer teams commitment to quality in future content. In my first week I got to sit with Sr. Producer, Scott Hartsman and learn about his team's approach to the game for 2007. They have really learned a lot about how to improve the game over the last two years, and EoF is just the latest manifestation of the hand crafted content these guys are able to create.

Stratics: What do you think is the most important issue that needs to be addressed in the game?

Grimwell: I don't think I have enough experience in the game to actually call out one individual issue as the most important. I'm still on my first character, and that means I haven't had a chance to experience the range of classes available. Further, I haven't seen much of the content outside of the EoF expansion. I've also got to feed the urge to get on the PVP server after I know what I'm doing with a character. Ask me in six months, and then again in a year - at that point I'll know the game well enough to have opinions on the issues to address. Until then I'm going to trust my community and keep tabs on what they are saying.

Stratics: Do you plan on making any sweeping changes from how previous Community Representatives have interacted with the community at all?

Grimwell: At this point, I have no sweeping changes planned. Every Community Manager has their own individual style, and I'm not going to try to emulate someone that I'm not. So players will get to know me for who I am - but that does not mean I have my fingers on the rug beneath the community and am just looking for a reason to yank it. To the contrary, I like the community that I've joined so much, I'm more interested in getting to know the personalities within it better than I am in reordering it.

Thank you so much for taking some time to tell us a little bit more about yourself, Grimwell, and we welcome you to Everquest II!