Keeping the Magic Alive
Staff Highlights
Written by TheFallenPrince
Edited by Silquer
Sometimes it's easy to overlook just how much our dedicated staff put into keeping the magic alive every single day, to forget the people who helped create this wonderful server of ours. Which is why, to give you all a better idea of the incredible people behind the scenes, we highlight some of Potterworld’s most passionate team members every month so you can see a glimpse behind the scenes. That way you can see the faces and hear the stories of those who have helped shape the magical world we all love!
How long have you been on the staff team?
MamaDuckie: I joined the staff team, though not Media, back in mid-March 2020, as part of CM on the Poltergeist team. So I suppose that is about six and a half years, give or take.
Alexstrasza14: I initially joined in November 2015, though I did have two short periods where I left the team.
ForbiddenPlaces: The server hired me as a Builder back in January 2018- we were all made Staff some number of years after that. It was an automatic upgrade- I've never been officially promoted.
What made you interested in joining the staff team?
MamaDuckie: At the time, I had been playing on the server with some friends and a friend of mine - who was on the staff team - told me about a new team that had just opened applications that he thought I'd be good for. As I already really enjoyed the server, I was interested in getting more involved, so I gave it a shot.
Alexstrasza14: Back in the olden days, I was first part of the DMA team, which was a non-staff team that specifically existed to help newcomers. It was something I really enjoyed doing and I wanted to help people in even more ways. That's when I applied to staff, back when there was only Jr. Prefect as the starter role.
ForbiddenPlaces: I liked the server and I liked to build, so when the applications opened, I applied.
What are your current staff roles?
MamaDuckie: I am currently Head of Media and Public Relations.
Alexstrasza14: While I have held a position in all but one department, I am currently only a Sr. Developer.
ForbiddenPlaces: Builder Robot? Ghost-That-Haunts-the-Server-and-Builds-Things?
What type of work do you do in your positions?
MamaDuckie: Generally, I oversee the Media and PR Department, helping manage the various teams within it alongside the amazing Leads and Assistant to Head gospojken. I also take part in making decisions for the server alongside the other Head Staff and Drooble. Besides that, I still dabble in the general positions and work that each team in the Media does when needed - gotta keep my skills sharp!
Alexstrasza14: This varies quite a bit. Nowadays I mainly work more as a type of consultant. My main expertise is still privacy and cybersecurity, but I also help out in other aspects.
ForbiddenPlaces: I just build and serve as a sounding board. Occasionally I amuse people.
How much time do you approximately spend on your staff responsibilities each week?
MamaDuckie: Honestly, it really depends on the week, however, I'm constantly checking in to read everything that gets posted, not just in Media, but across all departments, just to keep myself in the loop on things going on. So I guess I'm not constantly working on a project, but I am following everything constantly instead.
Alexstrasza14: Due to the nature of my role, this varies quite a bit. At times there isn't much to do for me, and other times I spend a whole weekend on Potterworld.
ForbiddenPlaces: It varies greatly. Sometimes not so much time at all. Sometimes a lot of time.
What do you enjoy the most about your roles?
MamaDuckie: The people. I love the diversity of not just skills across Potterworld, but getting to watch as people grow while on the team and move on to not just higher roles, but taking what they learned while on the team and putting it to use in real life. I've seen many who have left the team say that they got a certain job in real life because of something they learned on the team, or that they were pursuing a certain degree or dream after dabbling in it on Potterworld. When I was younger, people used to say that you couldn't learn anything playing video games, and I have living proof that not only can you learn from it, but you can use that knowledge to shape your life.
Alexstrasza14: One thing that has always been a constant is the wonderful people you get to work with and meet. No matter how big or small, the community has always been really solid as well.
ForbiddenPlaces: The Friends. There wouldn't be much reason to be here without them.
What do you find most challenging with your roles?
MamaDuckie: The most challenging thing is my lack of ability to really learn and understand any kind of tech. I'm still not sure how I got to the position I am in without it, but my ability to do tech is so very limited, and I struggle with it a lot. Although that hasn't stopped me from using it.
Alexstrasza14: Right now I feel I am in a good position where I mainly work my expertise. Finding the time, however, can sometimes prove a little challenging.
ForbiddenPlaces: Keeping up with all the forums and workflow services, channels, meetings, ice-breaking and team-building exercises, monthly check-ins, etc. That was REALLY difficult for me because it was a total information overload and I could never keep it all straight.
What is a favourite memory you have made during your time as a staff member?
MamaDuckie: This is something that I will repeat over and over again until the end of time, but I once pulled an all-nighter with a friend who at the time was also staff. We were wandering around the castle looking for hidden chests like we did several times a week, but this night we had stayed up into the very early hours of the morning (the sun would be coming up soon). She and I found ourselves in that huge corridor of portraits and kept trying to jump into each one looking for secrets, and at one point we jumped through several back to back, and I blurted out in voice chat, "Wow! There's another big corridor of portraits!" It took us much longer than I care to admit discussing how that 'new' corridor looked exactly like the other one, and wondering how we were supposed to get back to the other one because we were lost and had now veered far off our normal course of hidden chest paths... before we realized that the 'new' corridor and the 'old' one were one in the same. I'm rather sure that we laughed for a good 30 minutes in hysterical exhaustion before we continued on our adventure. We never did find the classroom with a very specific tree in it ever again after that night either.
Alexstrasza14: There are many good memories made, both online and offline. Through staff, I've made many wonderful friends, including some I have met IRL. I think one feeling I'll never forget is teaching my very first class with a subject I made, namely Literature. It was a very exciting time for me, and all the positive feedback I received back then was delightful.
ForbiddenPlaces: The time we built Wigtown. We had tried making some weird little Medieval Fantasy villages, and this was the first mundane one. I had wanted to see more builds in that theme on the server, so it was really exciting to be a part of it. [Canadian] Dani and I started bouncing ideas off each other and made up a whole bunch of stories about the place. What a good time.
Is there anything more you would like to say to those reading this interview?
MamaDuckie: Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone! I joined the Potterworld team as a Poltergeist with hopes of becoming part of Daily Diviner because writing is one of my passions. But over the years I learned how to render, create graphics, and even have dabbled in creating models and doing tech - albeit badly, simply because they looked interesting to me. If I hadn't of tried, I wouldn't have known I could have fun with the more visual arts side of Media. Not only can I now help with these things in Media, but I actually enjoy playing around with them outside of Potterworld as a hobby. I never thought I could do it, but decided to step outside that comfort zone and give them a chance, which worked out in the end. So never be afraid to try something new, because you never know what you may find out about yourself in the process!
Alexstrasza14: A big thank you to the community for being so wonderful. You lost The Game.
ForbiddenPlaces: Thanks for being my friends and making this server so much more than just a Theme Park.
It’s always a treat to have an excuse to chat with some of Potterworld’s most remarkable team members. I love learning more about the team I'm lucky to be a part of, because at the core, we all share the same goal: to make Potterworld as enchanting and special as it can be.
A big thank you to everyone who graciously took the time to be part of this, and to all of you reading, thank you for your interest and for getting to know our wonderful team. I hope you enjoyed learning more about the incredible people working behind the scenes to keep the magic alive in Potterworld!
