People behind the scene – Geneviève

!WARNING!

Warning: what you will read in a couple of days doesn’t represent the ethic and the seriousness of our work, or anything. Or does it?…

We are back with our last staff interview about our colleague Geneviève, aka Wonder Woman, one of our programmers! We told you in our last post that there’s a little evil in her. But then again, who hasn’t ? Let’s just say that she found a way around the artists’ countless demands and figured it would be better for her to be on their good side, than on their bad one. Clever, right? She’s undoubtedly their favorite programmer in the bunch, and if you ask me, if that isn’t magic or evil, I don’t know what it is!

These days, Geneviève is mostly busy code programming for you guys, fans of The Guild 3, making sure there isn’t any bug left in the game. 🙂But she’s also dealing with the few emotions that a programmer can express; anger and appetite. While in her free time, she’s busy playing Pokémon Go and becoming a better trainer than all of us!

Martin- Hello Geneviève!

Geneviève- Hello Martin!

Martin- I can see that you left your sword at home today.

Geneviève- Yeah, of course…

Martin- Because you’re WonderWoman!

Geneviève- Yes, and I usually carry my sword everywhere with me.

Martin- Is it to deal with the artists or with the programmers?

Geneviève- Mainly to intimidate everyone.

Martin- Perhaps you’re not that intimidating because I’ve noticed you managed to become the favorite programmer of all the artists here.

Geneviève- Yes I am.

Martin- But how did you manage that?

Geneviève- I don’t know. I think I try to respect them and it seems to work… because I’m the only one that does it! I think programmers are too harsh with the artists. I don’t like that. So I try to help them.

Martin- Even Pierre-Olivier, the master manipulator?

Geneviève- Yes, even him. But he’s nicer with me, he’s more hypocrite. He always says “Genevièveeee” with a smooth voice.

Martin- Does the Good Work stickers still work on you?

Geneviève- Now that you talk about it, it’s been a long time since I had one! I think they’re jaded; they take me for granted now.

Martin- We’ll have to talk to them about that.

Geneviève- They won’t court me anymore. Maybe I should start bringing my sword to work again!

Martin- Exactly! But tell me: how is it to work with your desk next to Jean-René’s, the big boss? Isn’t it intimidating?

Geneviève- No, not really. I figure I’m more intimidating than him! I’ve got my sword, nobody is messing with me.

Martin- Aren’t you bothered at all by any of his t-shirts, like all the other programmers are?

Geneviève- Not really, I don’t notice them. I know he wears one, so that’s good.

Martin- That’s always appreciated! It was a long process to make him wear one but we succeeded!

Geneviève- Yeah I really don’t notice them, except if anyone else makes a comment about them.

Martin- Do you think JR is more of an artist or a programmer?

Geneviève- Both!

Martin- More or less of which?

Geneviève- Well, I think he’s more of a programmer. But I also strongly believe that we, the programmers, are all artists at the core.

Martin- (silence)

Geneviève- It’s my personal opinion! I don’t think artists would agree with me at all. Obviously we have a different vision of beauty and art… But to answer your question, I believe JR’s more of a programmer than an artist.

Martin- Yeah, but outside of work, in real life, at all our afterwork parties, he’s more the artistic type.

Geneviève- Well, he built his own dungeon at home! That’s artistic, right?

Martin- I don’t think we can talk about that here…

Geneviève- I’ve never even seen it!!!

Martin- But you consider yourself as artistic. How?

Geneviève- Because we need to be creative in our programming code, and I like to make it pretty and elegant. In our very own programmers’ point of view, of course.

Martin- Less chaotic, then? Less Jean-Renéesque?

Geneviève- Yeah. When we have time, I like to make it as creative as possible. Right now, we don’t have time for that. In my personal life, I like to make artistic things too, like my scarf. And I did made some icons, remember?

Martin- Yes, it’s true! You made some icons for The Guild 3 as well.

Geneviève- Maybe they’ll even stay in the game!

Martin- I hope so! Sometimes our 2D artist is too busy so we have to improvise.

Geneviève- I think we delivered, as far as the icons are concerned.

Martin- People will have to find them, there will be an achievement for that: find the programmers’ icons!

Geneviève- The programmers’ icons… Yeah… Good luck with that!

Martin- And how do you manage to be on schedule every single time? Of all of us, you’re the best one to plan ahead and meet deadlines. Unlike some people here who spent way too much time on chickens…

Geneviève- Nobody in mind that fits that description, right?

Martin- Nobody 🙂

Geneviève- I’m instinctive, that’s all. Call it a woman’s instinct 😉

Martin- True. That’s why we rely on your opinion.

Geneviève- But I know all of you pretty well. I know when something’s going to take more time.

Martin- As far as organizing your time goes,, do you see any difference between you and the male counterparts? Except for the testosterone, of course.

Geneviève- I don’t think so. We try not to. I’m not more structured than any of you, we just do it differently.

Martin- No difference at all?

Geneviève- No. But we don’t work at the same programming code at the same time. So it’s hard to notice the differences.

Martin- (silence) This conversation lacks of chickens… But no, no difference. Except for JR who will be knighted by the Queen once The Guild 3 will be released.

Geneviève- Maybe he could knight us… Can we be knighted by another noble?

Martin- Maybe in TG3, with enough XP, you will be able to do it.

Geneviève- I will be Geneviève I of Sherbrooke, then.

Martin- But would you be eligible for a title of nobility? You did a test recently and the result was… compromising to say the least. What was it again?

Geneviève- I got Neutral Evil[1]. And I gotta say… I was a little shocked by the result. I don’t have the impression that I’m evil at all. I really think that I’m a good person.

Martin– Of course, this is exactly what an evil person would say…

Geneviève- But it’s true, I don’t see myself as evil at all.

Martin- Those horns with your Wonder Woman costume shall remain hidden…

Geneviève- At least, I don’t think my colleagues see me as evil.

Martin- You’re so evil that you act like you don’t know anything about it. And you act all overwhelmed but really, you’re not.

Geneviève- With all my malignant schemes.

Martin- That’s why you get along great with Pierre-Olivier! You manipulate him into thinking that he’s manipulating you, but he’s not.

Geneviève- Yeah, something like that!

Martin- That’s what evil is all about.

Geneviève- All that manipulation is not a mixed train of thoughts at all 🙂 By the way, is there anyone reading these interviews?

Martin- Yes… Outside our friends and families?

Geneviève- And some fans asking for gameplay videos? 🙂 By does anyone get that we’re joking?

Martin- Let’s hope so. But i gotta say: the chickens and nobility interviews were much more interesting!

Geneviève- Of course, M. Senior Chicken Programmer.

Martin- It’s true! You seem surprised.

Geneviève- Well, I am. Programmers have emotions too.

Martin- But you’re too evil to show it! Which emotions do we really have?

Geneviève- Anger and appetite?

Martin- That’s about it. Were you sad when the The Guild Go concept was cancelled?

Geneviève- Yes. A lot.

Martin- A counterproductive decision, again!

Geneviève- It would have been so fun! It wasn’t my suggestion to cancel it.

Martin- Maybe it was cancelled because of a lack of time and resources.

Geneviève- We needed to work harder on The Guild 3!

Martin- But how does Pokémon Go help you to do your work on The Guild 3? How does it make you a better programmer?

Geneviève- Well, I am in a better shape, I am mentally relaxed and I have clearer ideas. I promise.

Martin- You’re the higher Pokémon trainer here! Are you proud?

Geneviève- Yes, I am.

Martin- You won your title, the highest of them all!

Geneviève- But that’s the only game I can play with my kids… I used ro play a loooot of PC games. I was a junkie; Diablo II was my drug.

Martin- Maybe later you and your kids will all play The Guild 3 together!

Geneviève- Maybe! There was Titan Quest too, I was hooked on that one. I was ecstatic when I found out we were developing a game for THQ Nordic just because they’re the ones who published Titan Quest.

Martin- Did you have the high definition Anniversary Edition?

Geneviève- Yes, I played a lot!

Martin- (pause) Wait, there’s a Ditto [2]near us.

Geneviève- What? Seriously?! Well… Goodbye, then!

Martin- I think we lost her…

[1] In a Dungeons & Dragons alignment test online.

[2] Ditto is a Pokémon of the first generation.