StormWind Studios
From GenieWiki
StormWind Studios, often referred to as SWS, is a design team for Age of Kings, and originally also intended for Age of Empires III, although that department quickly died out. Albeit being a small and relatively young team, Stormwind Studios is currently one of the most active design teams for Age of Kings. The Age of Empires III section never got off well and has to date not produced anything.
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History
Founding and younger days
StormWind Studios was founded on August 13th, 2006 by six members from HeavenGames. The idea was created by the founders Thunder77, Scud and Selim (referred to as Swordsworn at SWS). When the first plans and the site was set up, three more members were asked to join, these being Lord Basse, Fattybryce and Custergrant. These six are often referred to as the founding crew. Shortly before going public, VonCorgath and Surge joined the team.
After announcing the new team in a thread at Age of Kings Heaven, activity at the forums increased but the boom that the crew had hoped for never came. Instead, StormWind Studios soon was nearly forgotten as its members produced very little.
The latter part of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 were dark times for the team. Founding members Scud and Fattybryce quit the team and the team leader, Thunder77, became more and more inactive. Hope was failing for the members who were almost certain that SWS would become yet another team to fall into oblivion after only a very short time. However with the spring came new energy. Thunder77 left his position as site administrator to VonCorgath and with Lord Basse taking the job as moderator, the activity slowly rose again. Two new members joined, Julius999 and Andanu T, and suddenly the sky began to clear.
Current History
At the time of its first anniversary, StormWind Studios had had a total of seven released projects. Yet in six months this would rise to 15 with activity on the forum increasing greatly and several new members joining; Mashek, Jatayu, Turty and matty12345.
In the second ACSC, the Age of Kings Heaven Cut-Scene Contest, hosted by Mashek, StormWind Studios' members entered with a total of three entries which all placed in the top 5 when the results of judging were made official. Shadows After Sunset - Ominious Silence by Julius999 and Eternal Moon by Andanu T tied in third place, and Jones Blond and the Ultimate Mission by Lord Basse, placed fourth.
More releases, and more wins, for the team came in December as Lord Basse's Defend the Island IV - the Invasion of Duang-Zhe won the Defend the Spot Competition hosted by Jatayu at AoKH.
StormWind Studios is currently one of the few active teams in terms of Age of Kings designing, albeit being so young. Despite increases in productivity, the members try to always maintain the pleasant atmosphere of a small design team, as they describe it. There are very few, if any, rules for what a member has to do when he joins and the policy if the team is to help each other, work together, but never force members to join co-operation projects.
Team Policy
While many design teams rely on being bases for independent designers to evolve and design from, StormWind Studios is a small team with many inner relations. There are several plans on creating team-projects where several designers team up and make a single scenario.
A big part of the policy is to maintain the small-team-atmosphere. Instead of acting like a big company, SWS wants to act like a family business. The important part in being an SWS-member is not to be productive and bring attention to the team, but simply to have fun designing alone, or with other team-members, and to enjoy their stay at the website.
Members and Crew
Staff
StormWind Studios has a unique way of maintaining their forums. Every month the administrator job and moderator position is switched between the members. Every new period is accompanied with a special theme, ranging from Communist roleplay to french accents in every word. There are few constant staff members, and all these are inactive.
Constant Staff Members
- Thunder77 (official team leader)
- Swordsworn
Members
Active Members
- Andanu T
- Jas the Mace1
- Jatayu
- Julius999
- Lord Basse
- Mashek
- matty12345
- Turty
- VonCorgath
Inactive Members
- Custergrant
- Surge (visits at times)
Ex-Members
- Fattybryce
- Scud
Released Projects
(as of March 14th 2007)
Single Player Campaigns
- A Christmas Story by Lord Basse. Rated 4.6 out of 5.0
- Sven's Quest by Lord Basse. Rated 4.4 out of 5.0.
- Jones Blond and the Sacred Ring by Lord Basse. Rated 4.6 out of 5.0.
- Zegrelandia - Prologue by Andanu T. Rated 4.5 out of 5.0
Single Player Scenarios
- Moria by VonCorgath. Rated 4.2 out of 5.0.
- Defend the Island - the full Series (Part 1-3) by Lord Basse. Rated 4.1 out of 5.0.
- An Unseasonal Tale by Julius999. Rated 4.6 out of 5.0.
Multiplayer Scenarios
- Colonists II - the Southern Lands by Lord Basse. Rated 3.2 out of 5.0.
Modification Packs
- Roman Ruin Pieces by Lord Basse. Rated 4.0 out of 5.0.
Utilities
- Mini & Mega Scenarios] by Lord Basse. Rated 5.0 out of 5.0.
Competition Entries
- Defend the Island IV - the Invasion of Duang-Zhe by Lord Basse. Rated 4.4 out of 5.0. Winner of the Defend the Spot Competition.
AoKH Cut-Scene Contest
- Shadows After Sunset - Ominious Silence by Julius999. Rated 4.7 out of 5.0. Ranked 3rd in the ACSC of 2007 (tied with Andanu T).
- Blond and the Ultimate Mission by Lord Basse. Rated 4.6 out of 5.0. Ranked 4th in the ACSC of 2007.
- Eternal Moon - Prologue by Andanu T. Rated 4.1 out of 5.0. Ranked 3rd in the ACSC of 2007 (tied with Julius999).
Links
StormWind Studios Official Website
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