Former Stronghold 2 Heaven Staff
Stronghold 2 Heaven wouldn't be where it is today without the contributions of previous staff members. Our thanks for all of their hard work and dedication to the site.
Sparrow
Seraph (Webmaster)Downloads Manager and Reeve
of Reviews
April 2006 to April 2007
Kester
(Former Seraph of SH, SH2 and BfME2 Heavens;
Former Seraph's Representative)
Seraph (Webmaster)
April 2005 to April 2006
| I didn't play too many computer or video games growing up - just a few like Centipede and Dark Castle. When I finally traded in an old Mac on a new PC, I celebrated by getting a few games: Stronghold and Crusader among them. I played the economic missions many times over, and played around a lot with the map editor... but as I didn't know how to construct a scenario everything I made turned out as free builds. Then one evening at the reference desk (yes, I'm a librarian), while searching for a space simulation game, I came across Space Colony and FireFly Studios, which soon led me to Stronghold Heaven. I was happy to discover that there were maps available for download - something new to play on my favorite game! I read a bunch of reviews of maps, and came across one saying to look at Jayhawk's maps for examples of how to make a good map... so I downloaded a bunch of his as well as other peoples', took them home and looked at them in the scenario editor. At last I learned how to make the win and lose conditions! I started on my first real map, Romris Island, and lurked for a few weeks at the site, then made my first post asking why my archers weren't showing up. Several people responded nicely... something to do with the signpost being a necessary element.  |
NAT
(Former Seraph at AoE3)
Reviewer and Scenario Tester, Downloads Manager
April 2005 to April 2006
| I have always been a big fan of strategy games and played many before Stronghold, notably Heroes III which is an epic! I have played many other games as well and I still play Age of Kings to this day. It's a superb game to play over LAN. Having read about stronghold I decided to buy it; I found it superb. I have always loved castles and visited many in England and Wales, all the big names! I soon got into designing and made a few maps, not of a particularly high standard, but I was new! I discovered Stronghold Heaven quite a while after buying the game, introduced to it by a friend for the excellent maps on offer! My first maps were not too successful but I was delighted when Sulis reviewed my second map. It was brilliant! Another person reviewed my first invasion and I was off. My map making began to improve and slowly but surely they began to enter the Best of Stronghold list. I took up reviewing, something I am still passionate about today. Anyway as time went on I became more and more passionate about the site, forums, maps and reviews. And so when I received the email asking me to join Stronghold Heaven staff a 'yes, I agree' was no doubt the answer. I have had a lot of fun on Stronghold Heaven and it is not stopping here! Thanks to everyone for their support! |
Jayhawk
(currently HG Director of Operations)
Seraph (Webmaster)
April 2005 to April 2006
| I started visiting Caesar 3 Heaven back in December 1998. Angel Alexander I, who at that time worked for the same company, lent me his Caesar 3 CD and said: "Have a look at Heaven." I spent some time playing the game, wondered at stories of people like Marty Party, Reckless Rodent and quite a few others. I got involved in some discussions about housing layout and created a set of glyphs to make this easier. Sometime later, Alexander came over again and said: "I really enjoyed your Egyptian travelogue. It felt almost as if I was reading an Agatha Christie mystery. We have opened a new bit of Heaven, called Pharaoh Heaven. Have a look and tell us what you think." So I fired up my browser, late in February, and was lost. I've always loved Egypt, much more than the Roman age and in a forum that was virtually my own I felt extremely comfortable. Early May I got an email from Angel Reckless Rodent asking me to become a cherub on the site. I thought about it for a day and decided to accept the honours. Two weeks later I got promoted to Angel and started working on the Caesar 3 news. Pharaoh was released and Pharaoh Heaven exploded. I got promoted to Seraph. Pharaoh was followed by Zeus and Draco convinced the Halo to add a site for Age of Wonders, a game I enjoyed playing as well, so I ended up giving him a hand here and there. Stronghold, another game I beta-ed did indeed become a HeavenGames site and it was a pleasant surprise to be accepted as its Seraph. Stronghold Heaven quickly became one of the best sites for the game, and I think I can safely attribute that to the terrific staff we have. We expanded the site to include Crusader and have a site up for the sequel Stronghold II. Meanwhile I ascended to what is probably the final rung of the Heavengames staff ladder and was asked to join the Halo. Even though I was involved with testing several other games and adding Children of the Nile Heaven to the City Builder Heavens, being a Halo is taking over more and more of my time as being Director of Operations means I'm handling most of the staff and site issues. I still try to keep a level of involvement in the sites I have been with from the start, though. For a more extended visit you can check out my cloud |
Merepatra
Seraph (Webmaster), Downloads Manager and Reeve of
Reviews
April 2005 to October 2005
|
I discovered Pharaoh Heaven in March 2000, after I had struggled through Caesar III and then much of Pharaoh by myself. My early posts were answered by some wonderful people and it didn't take long for me to start feeling right at home at the Citybuilder Heavens. In June 2001 I was asked to join the Cossacks Heaven staff as a cherub, working on editing etc behind the scenes. Then later that year Reckless Rodent started talking to me about a new game he had beta tested called Stronghold that he thought I would like. I got the demo then waited impatiently for the game to come out. Reck apparently mentioned to Jayhawk I was keen and the next thing I know I'm a cherub at Stronghold Heaven. I love the game and really enjoyed being part of the team getting the site up and working. In May 2002 I was pleased to be asked to take on the duties of Angel as Stronghold Heaven expanded with the release of Crusader. When Stronghold 2 Heaven was being planned Jayhawk invited me to become co-seraph of the site with him, which has been a great experience. As for personal stuff, I live in Melbourne, Australia with a wonderful man who luckily can put up with my gaming obsessions and our daughters and work as a QA tester of computer games for BreakAway Games. |
GillB
(currently HG Project Manager)
Content writer
April 2005 to October 2005
|
I bought my daughter Caesar 3 for Christmas 1998 on the recommendation of a guy in a computer shop as being educational and fun for someone her age. It didn't take long before I purloined it and had a wonderful time playing my first proper computer game. I had trouble with a fan made scenario and found a link from the official site to Caesar 3 Heaven. It looked a very strange set up to me with all these coloured heavenly names, but after lurking for a while and deciding that the forumers didn't bite, I registered in March 1999 and became part of Heaven Games ... and haven't left since. I continued with Pharaoh Heaven and, by the time Zeus was announced, was lucky enough to be chosen as a beta-tester as I was for the expansion, Poseidon. I've had a wonderful time at the City Building Heavens - they have a special atmosphere. I had heard about Stronghold, but missed out on the beta through total inefficiency. I wasn't sure it was going to be my sort of game, but a couple of CB people whose opinion I trust told me I had to give it a go .. so I did, and was hooked. By November 2001, it became obvious that there was going to be a Stronghold Heaven and I was amazed when Jayhawk asked me to be a cherub at the new site. He took a day to think it over when he became a cherub .. I think I took about two minutes and haven't regretted it for a moment! Life as a cherub was busy but great fun. I wrote a Castle of the Week most weeks for nearly two years, and am still writing historical articles about medieval times and people plus I compiled the glossary of castle terms. My other job is as Reeve of Reviews, making sure that reviews and ratings of the downloaded maps are fair. In May 2002 I was asked if I would consider being an angel. My duties would be much the same ... only more so! Again, it took just a few minutes to think about it and say yes. Personal stuff - I live in the UK, not far from London and am mother to 2 girls and grandmother to a toddler. I run my own business from home selling 2nd hand children's books through the internet & mail order. I started at Heaven Games by asking a really dumb question which wasn't laughed or sneered at and I've tried to keep this in mind ever since. |
Jax
(Former SH & RTW Cherub)
Forum Moderator
April 2006 to ?
Duc de Noisiel
Former Downloads Manager and Reeve of Reviews
*) denotes a former staff member.