Personnel Files – Fran

Community Manager – Ready Up

Name: Fran Shergold

Age: 29+1

Current Location: Oxford. The city of dreaming spires. Home of one of the worlds oldest universities, pioneering research, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and a 25ft fiberglass Shark embedded head-first into the roof of a small terraced house.

First gaming memory: The half an hour of god awful noise that the Commodore 64 makes when loading every bloody game.

Longest gaming session: My longest gaming session was when I was part of the Ready Up crew who took part in the Guinness world record for the longest time spent playing a driving game. It was just over 24 hours.

Least favourite genre: I don’t like puzzle games, especially any game that involves you matching three of anything.

Favourite gaming snack: It’s got to be Haribo. I love them. I remember asking someone  to go buy me some Tangfastics at the world record attempt. Even if I’m not eating them, knowing there is a packet near me is a great comfort. I hug them in bed, you know.

Reaction to dying in game: I think it depends on the death. The ‘not knowing’ death like in Dead Space 2, had me in shock each time Isaac died. Each death was very different but usually ended up with Isaac being just a torso. The ‘knowing’ death, is like when you are playing Tomb Raider and you swing off the rope onto a pile of spikes you knew were there. In this instance I would probably start complaining at the culprit (my thumb) for being a inaccurate git.

Favourite game character: Chain Chomp. I actually have a tattoo of one. They are round and oh so shiny. They are like a dog but without the dog crap, and they want to constantly bite you on the arse. The perfect pet, I think.

Most hated game character: Charmy friking Bee. I quite liked Sonic Heroes, but damn, what a horrifically annoying little shit! I swear he wears that little crash helmet and goggles to shield himself from the cans of Raid people are constantly trying to spray at him.

Favourite game EVER!: Everyone knows I love Final Fantasy 7 and the Mass Effect series, but my favourite games is actually something less obvious. Back in the early noughties I fell in love with a gothic RPG called Koudelka on the PS1. It was made by Sacnoth and it was very different from any RPG I had played at the time. It was a mix of survival horror and a tactical RPG with grid-based combat. It also has one of the most amazing celtic inspired soundtracks.

Martin asks: If they ever made GTA Oxford would you buy it based on location alone?

Fran: Yes I would. I think it would be awesome to steal a car, drive it over to Christ Church parks, and then run down a line of tourists in a queue. Maybe a side mission involving sabotaging the Cambridge university boat at the annual boat race, and a main mission that involves killing Swindon football club fans. Another mission could be to hunt down and kill the guy that is playing the young Inspector Morse in the prequel series.  You get an achievement called ‘No Re-Morse’. Also a  mission to beat down as many cyclists as possible, with a hammer, would go down well with me. Oh and stealing the bell from Carfax Tower as the final mission, it would be called “Bell End”, *smug face*…man, why would I NOT want this game!

Loz asks: Is there any character design you wish could have been your own creation?

Fran: I love the characters in Jet Set Radio. I love the cell shading art style and how awesome cool all the characters look. Though out of all the characters, I wish I had designed those annoying ‘anti-rudie’ police that chase you around Tokyo-to. “Hut hut hut!”

Mike asks: If you could make any Star Trek game in any genre, what would it be? When would it be set, what would happen, who would feature in it?

Fran: Ha! What a demanding little git. Well, I think I would probably make a Star Trek resource management game called TrekVille. You would play Captain Archer just as he becomes Admiral. As you level up, the time line goes on, the technology advances, and you then become Admiral Kirk, followed by Admiral Picard, Admiral Janeway and maybe even an admiral Sisko for shits and giggles.

You can choose to put your money into military action, developing better starships, colonising a planet or hunt for rare Bajoran artifacts. And you must protect the earth from invading Romulans at the same time. The fate of Starfleet is in your hands!! Also for just a small in app purchase fee, you can infest your enemies with tribbles. And how much are you willing to pay for a Mirror Mirror goatee?

But if that fails, I will make a Star Trek dancing game, set in Guinans bar (…not inspired by the latest Kinect Star Wars game whatsoever).