Today’s Featured Player is Jerry aka Mockduck! Jerry is the creator and host of DDOcast, a DDO-themed podcast. He recently took some time to answer some questions for us. We are very pleased to have the interviewer become the interviewee!

• Visit DDOcast
• Follow him on Twitter
• Check out Mockduck’s my.ddo.com page

Where are you from?

Born in Rhode Island, mostly grew up in Minnesota. Currently live in Mankato, MN.

What do you do for a living?

I work as a writer for a national news wire.  Cover stuff across the upper Midwest, particularly in states where we have a certain affiliate base.  The wire is owned by a large radio syndication company.  Been an interesting experience, worked for them since 2002 after moving to Indianapolis, IN.

What do you like to do when you are not playing DDO? Any interesting hobbies?

Heh, if I’m not playing DDO there’s a good chance I’m playing another video game.  Or writing about stuff, gathering notes for, responding to emails about and more for the DDOcast podcast.  Podcast?  Yes, a few of you may have heard that I do a little podcast about DDO called DDOcast.  DDOcast.com!

Seriously, though, big video gamer.  I’m also into board games, particularly Settlers of Catan (and similar), Red Dragon Inn and just about anything half-way cool.  Darts is fun.  Music is good too.  Play some instruments.  Read.  Disc golf (ahem, but not when it’s 10 below)!  Love to camp, take photos, do things for the internet, listen to music, cook, read, watch movies and more.  I’m a geek and a gamer - and proud of it!

What is the last book you read? What is your favorite?

Currently reading the children’s classic “The Westing Game” by Ellen Raskin for the first time since I was a child.  Recently read “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy (wasn’t that much into it), “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman (loved it) and a bunch of Haruki Murakami.  I’d highly, highly recommend reading “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.”  “Kafka on the Shore” was really good too.

Favorite is tough, since childhood I’ve been a fan of “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells.  “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll.  Adult stuff would be “Post Office” by Charles Bukowski, “Pet Cemetery” by Steven King or “The Real Frank Zappa Book” by Frank Zappa.

What was the last movie you saw? What is your favorite?

“Innocent Blood” was the last movie I watched.  Online.  Favorite is another tough one as I’m a huge fan of movies, art films and classic films (and cheesy 70’s horror, classic ‘big monster destroys the world’ and all sorts of groovy and weird stuff.)  It might be “Stalker” by Andrei Tarkovsky, or it might be “Repo Man” or it might be the segment from “Black Sabbath” called “The Wurdulak”, starring Boris Karlov and directed by Italian film genius Mario Bava.  Actually, maybe it’s “The Big Lebowski.”  I simply can’t decide.

What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Again, a tough one.  Literally just about everything.  Some all-time favorites include Can, Sonic Youth, Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Hawkwind, The Misfits, The Cure, Pink Floyd, The Residents, early INXS (like Shabooh Shoobah), Iron Maiden and more.  Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Wilco, The Shins, Goblin, Return to Forever, Camel, Neu!, Charlotte Gainsbourg, My Morning Jacket and Solid Gold.

Did you ever play the Pen and Paper version of D&D? Which editions?

Yup!  1st and 2nd Edition mostly.  Last few years I’ve had a blast playing 4th Edition at GenCon.  The time in which 3.5 came out happened while I was away from a regular gaming group, so DDO was actually my first chance to really dig into the rule set (as it stands in DDO.)  But I’d played D&D throughout my childhood into young adult-hood, pretty much up until I got ready to graduate high school and head off to college.  Life took me in other directions, but I’ve always been into this kind of stuff.  A few months ago I began to get together once per week with a local group of folks playing a hybrid 1st/2nd/house version of D&D.  Mockduck the pen and paper human cleric is currently level 4.

How did you get interested in DDO?

My brother encouraged me to check out the game following its release in February of 2006.  At the time, though, I was pretty hesitant to get into the world of MMOs (although I’d certainly played online games).  I’m pretty cheap and the idea of a monthly fee was pretty foreign to my gaming world at that time.  Started playing in June of 2006 and haven’t looked back!  It’s a great way to get that D&D fix while also getting a fantastic MMO experience.

How did you choose your character’s name?

Mock Duck is the name of a popular protein product consumed by vegetarians and all sorts of folks throughout the world.  Yeah, I’m a vegetarian, been one for going on 17ish years.  You have to call yourself something on the Internet, right?  Someone recently informed me about Mock Duck the New York criminal, but I had never heard of him until recently.  I’ve also gone by the name Courderoyguy, but that name dates back to the mid-1990’s and I decided that a misspelled user name just didn’t fit my life at this point in the timeline.  Original DDO character is Beefheart the Vegetarian, currently a level 16 pure build fighter.  It’s just a funny name…

What race/class is your favorite?

I’d say favorite race is Drow, favorite class is Cleric.  However, my “favorite” tends to be whatever I’m most into at the moment, y’all have done a good job making variety a lot of fun.

What server do you play on?

Primarily Sarlona.  Secondary is Orien, but I’ve got characters on every server.  Some of which have not been played in a long time, sorry…

Are you a member of a guild? Which one?

Yes!  Officer with the Sacred Flame Guardians on Sarlona.  Co-founder of the DDOcast Build Guild on Orien.  Used to be a member of The Fellowship Eternal on Aerenal, RIP.

**DDOcast Build Guild officially meets on Orien, Sundays starting at Noon, Eastern Time. People are also on whenever. Discussion on the DDOcast Forums.**

Do you like to raid?

Yes, but I’m not nearly the raider that many other players are.  I’m not one to repeat quests on a timer, for example, or keep a quest open to avoid completion.  I prefer to mix things up I guess.  I do like to raid, though, with particular DDO favorites being Tempest Spine, The Shroud and Reaver’s Fate.

What do you think is the coolest looking place in DDO?

I like the woods in Redwillow Ruins.  Also love night in Cerulean Hills.  And Von 2, 3 and 6.

Do you quest with people you know, a pick up group, or brave it alone? All of the above?

Yes!  All of the above.  I first see if any DDOcast, SFG or friends are on, and hit up the LFM if they aren’t.  I love to be in pick up groups, it’s almost always a good time.  I’m more than willing to solo and/or short group as well.

Do you use any clickie items? What kind are must-haves in your inventory?

Yes!  On my cleric I’m often using an invisibility clickie necklace, expeditious retreat boots, Phiarlan Pendant of Time and the Raise Dead clickie from the triple-positive greensteel sceptre I made (grr…true resurrection clickie was great for a cleric too, ya know…)  Ranger loves the Planar Gird.  Oh, and Space Helmets!  I’m the guy who thinks grease remains funny after almost four years.

Do you have a favorite snack to eat when you are playing DDO?

I tend to not eat while gaming.  A beer and/or other beverage will suffice.

What is the funniest thing you have ever heard in general chat?

I’ve seen so much general chat over the years that remembering a specific remark is near impossible.  I like it when you highlight something in the UI pane and then type in an /emote.  Mockduck is angry with the Evil Alter, indeed.

Ever had an embarrassing party wipe?

Many.  Umm, yeah.  But a lot of amazing wins, too!

If you could hang out in real-life with any of the NPC’s from the game who would you choose? Why?

Baudry Cartamon.  I bet it’d be a party!

What’s your favorite Adventure Pack or quest chain?

That’s a tough one.  Vault of Night still remains among the best.  I really enjoy Gwylan’s Stand as well.  They both offer great stories, fun fights, a variety of creatures, the need for skills, the need for teamwork, flexibility, loot, great scenery and more.

Jerry, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule for our interview. See you in game!

***If you’d like nominate yourself (or someone else!) to be a featured player, send us a quick email at ddo@turbine.com. Make us laugh, make us cry, and tell us why you (or they) should be in the spotlight!