An unedited copy of this interview in txt format can be viewed here.

Planned Questions:
1. Could you please give me a list of detailed stats for the new races? resistances, max stats, etc.
2. Many people who tried the Elementalists said the guild was "too balanced and even underpowered" Are you worried this guild will become a dead guild because of this reaction? What is your response to this comment?
3. This guild was creative with it's ideas and the fact that it's 4 guilds in one. Do you think the players of Astaria should expect newer guilds in the future to be like this?
4. Could you please give more details on specialization?
5. How do you think players should handle being GM? Do you think that 4 GM's will be nessesary or will just one be suitable? Obviously this will be a player decision. But how do you view it?
6. How do you think the new races will effect other guilds. For example did you build this race just for the elementalists or can a slyph be an effective Psion/Bard. Do you believe a race should be flexible? Or just for one guild?
7. You warned players that this guild was a "complicated guild and only for experienced players" can you elaborate on this a little more?
8. In your opinion, will the new guild bring any more overall changes to the realm? e.g., will this guild bring more players to Astaria?
9. How much help did you have with this guild? How many other wizards were involved in this process?
10. How was the guild designed in terms of Player vs Player abilities?
11. When should we expect the release of the next new guild and/or race(s)?

The Interview

Interviewer: Aarkin
Interviewee: Seti
Re: Elementalists and the new races (nereid/sylph)
Interview date: Friday, May 10, 2002, 5:00 pm
NOTE: many useless things have been cut off from the original convo. The log can be found here

First and foremost, I am greatly honored to have this interview with you.

Could you please give me a list of detailed stats for the new races? resistances, max stats, etc.
I don't have the data in front of me. But as close as I can
recall...
Nereid str 13, con 15, int, 20, wis, 19, dex 20, char 20, luck 18; Sylph str 11, con 14, int 22, wis 22, dex 22, char 18, luck 18

Many people who tried the Elementalists said the guild was "too balanced and even underpowered" Are you worried this guild will become a dead guild because of this reaction? What is your response to this comment?
The underpowered comments were addressed to some degree during beta testing. Most of the spells are to some extent less 'efficient' than their counterparts in other guilds. This is offset by the use of elementals and that of specials occuring with standard combat spells. Many beta testers declined to fight with elementals, using them instead as pack-horses, and thus didn't experience the advantages that were coded in. As for it being a dead guild, I'm certain that many of the new members will suicide and leave.
It is unlike any other guild here, and requires a much more user-intensive playing style. As such, many people will find that its not to their liking. It will still hold appeal to those that have played for a long time and want a new challenge, as well as to the hardcore role-players. The guild can be played 8 times, and each time, the member
recives a a different skill asset and hence must vary their playing style.
could you give more details on "user-intensive"?
User intensive means that its not a simple 'mindfang / pain / repeat' guild. You must consider what your opponent has for weaknesses, tailor your spells to that, and adjust as needed. Also, since our SP regeneration rites are tied into combat, it requires the user to actively play, as opposed to idle.

This guild was creative with it's ideas and the fact that it's 4 guilds in one. Do you think the players of Astaria should expect newer guilds in the future to be like this?
No. there have been ideas kicked around to give guilds more varation and specializations, but such sweeping changes are a long time off.

Could you please give more details on specialization?
At level 7, the player must choose an element (earth, air, water, fire) to specialize in.
They may then train this to 30% above the noremal skill max of 2x player level. But the opposite element (ie: water vs fire) can only be trainined to 30% BELOW the 2x player level max.
This is of vital importance due to the fact that spells are granted based on both glevel as well as skill level. So, a typical spell (inferno for instance), is given at level 8, but requires a skill of 20 in fire lore to use. If you are a fire specialist, you can have sufficient skill to cast that at level 8. Air or earth specialists must wait to level 10 to have that skill available; And water will not have a 20 in fire lore until...hmm..until level 13
regarding the 30% above and below.. so if one specialize in something, he/she will be able to train 2.6 skill per level advance in that specialized lore, while others can only train 1.4 per level advance?
Not quite. say the specialist can train to 2.6 in their
specialized lore, but only 1.4 in its opposite
[NOTE: opposite of earth is air (vise versa), opposite of fire is water (vise versa)]

How do you think players should handle being GM? Do you think that 4 GM's will be nessesary or will just one be suitable? Obviously this will be a player decision. But how do you view it?
There will be one GM, but I'm sure some people will vote along specailty lines. I decided to counter that by coding into the guild a few special abilities that look for either a quartermaster or assistant GM.
The positions are actually coded, rather than honorary. Ie: quartermasters can dispence money from the guild treasury, and control vault bans; Agm's can handle banishes, etc.
do you think this would bring conflicts within the guild though?
I'm hoping so :) I want to see people RP and play their roles

How do you think the new races will effect other guilds. For example did you build this race just for the elementalists or can a slyph be an effective Psion/Bard. Do you believe a race should be flexible? Or just for one guild?
The races were designed with magic guilds in mind. Both will make excellent mages, and eventually druids. And nereid are fine bards.
i'm sure sylph would make fine thieves as well ;)
But the races were designed with the new racial standards, and many will feel that they are under-powered compared to some of the current favorites. Neither nereid or sylph can be any of the 'physical'
professions. I wanted to give something to magic guilds that the others already have via lacertain and such.

You warned players that this guild was a "complicated guild and only for experienced players" can you elaborate on this a little more?
Going back to the 'user intensive' play style. And the fact that rites are given at variable intervals, players may find it very confusing at first.
There is also a high chance of failure to the rites, and such chances vary based on the base element of the spell, the base element for the room you're in, and the element to which you are aligned. By matching them, you can increase the spell's power; by mismatching them, you increase chance of failur.
Tying that into customizing spells to target specific
weaknesses, using other spells to alter your own skills, and things get very complicated quickly.
does luck affect the chance of success like in other guilds? e.g., bards & thieves
Not really. w're more skill based than stat based. I wanted to get away from a system that favors those who roll a perfect player vs those who just want to play.

In your opinion, will the new guild bring any more overall changes to the realm? e.g., will this guild bring more players to Astaria?
I don't think it will attract new players, but I think it will
give old players a reason to stay.

How much help did you have with this guild? How many other wizards were involved in this process?
Finian was instrumental in the review and beta process, while Meryiotes and Yizashi helped with some of the core code for processing spells. And I bounced ideas on the wiz line constantly :) But i do feel that my origian vision is intact.

How was the guild designed in terms of Player vs Player abilities?
I gave each specialization a few player vs player interaction spells, but that varies depending on specialization.
Ie: water can hex or sanctify other players, adjust the alcohol content on booze, and perform various other functions.
Air has a general magic item detection ability as well as being able to teleport to individial players (though this is limited to only air specialists)
I wanted elementalists to have a reason to play nicely with others and give them a chance to do more than just hack and slash.
you said air can teleport to individual players. will this bring unbalance in PKing?
I'm sure that people will find a way to incorporate it to a PK strategy, but the teleportation ability requires the target's permission, and there are areas off limits to teleportation. So I won't be able to suprise someone sitting in their clan hall and kill them. There are other obvious applications to PK, though, and wilth a little consideration and thought, I'm sure that someone will find them.

When should we expect the release of the next new guild and/or race(s)?
No idea. *grin*

well, that's all the questions i have.. for now. do you think there are things i forgot to ask or would you give some other info that is appropriate to give?
Water was designed for players who prefer to interact with others, socially or in RP, and who prefer a more subtle approach to combat. They have weaker combat abilites in damage dealing, but are much better at defense and resistance manipulation than anyone.
Air was designed for social players as well and for those who want to take a more allied approach to combat. They specialize in suimmoning and transportation, and will nearly alwayus hav a high level elemental fighting a their side. The balance offense with defense, but are very weak on the PK side of the coin.
Fire is for people who want combat over fast, and be able to kill big nasty ugly things. they recieve offensive spells faster than anyone, and make for strong player vs player fighters. On the flip side, they are weakest in SP regen, and lost out a lot of socializng and RP abilities.
Finially, earth is another fairly well balanced element. Its
defense isn't as strong as air, but it is more combat oriented. It also has a fair share of player interaction spells, and would be good for people who want to RP, but still hold their own in a fight.
Both guild and races were balanced to new standards, and I would guess that eventually all guilds and races will be balanced to those same standards. I don't know when, though, nor how exactly it will be done.

thank you very much for your time, and i am honored to have had you in this interview.
I'm honored to support your fine endeavor on the web.