An Interesting Design Notes

Did you guys know we were capable of keeping secrets from you?   

Sure, we manage to keep certain story-lines under wraps for a few weeks, or maybe even big ones, like the nature of certain egg meanings, or the big ending to the Orb saga, but those we keep secret because we have to.  It'd ruin the fun for you if you knew them. It's not our fault we're normally so bad at it, we get to be extremely creative people, and it's hard to keep that creativity from you guys when it's brought to life before our eyes and there are still so many days until Friday, or whenever the release is due. 

So I'd like you to keep that in mind, as I share with you the biggest, and best secret I've ever kept from you guys.   

Also remember, I'm not a very public person.   While you've gotten to know me through these design notes and on the forums, I tend to keep the big private stuff very much to myself.  The idea of how public and personal I'm about to be with you guys blows my mind in and of itself.  So remember that too! 

Alina and I met for the first time at DragonCon, more than two years ago; but that doesn’t really cover it.  Our friendship started over IRC and IM more than a year before that.   Neither of us can think of exactly when we started talking all day every day, but it's been more then a couple of years since we've gone a whole day without talking.  And for us to meet at DragonCon, brought together by nerddom, and our shared passion for the games we both lived and loved so much felt, well, right. 

At DragonCon '08 I got to hang out with an awesome person, who happened to have the most startling blue eyes that I've ever had the pleasure to look into. 

For over a year after that we stayed at that point.  We were friends, as near enough best friends that it wasn't worth thinking about even though we had only ever met face to face once.  We flirted, on and off, but innocently. And still were just friends when our second DragonCon came and went, despite what some here at the underground lab thought.  (Looking at you Thyton, Artix, Beleen... actually pretty much everyone.) 

Things didn't start changing until Alina worked up the nerve to leave her friends, family, and life in Chicago to make the leap to developing for DragonFable full time and move to Florida.  When she arrived, it wasn't long before we got to work together, hang out together, and even spend weekend afternoons watching really bad (and really epically good) British TV.  Instead of finding the switch to real life friendship awkward or nervous, both she and I quickly realized we were growing closer and closer. 

So, I said we've been keeping a secret.  If you haven't figured it out by now, Alina and I fell in love.  And yes, secrets are fun, but it's about time you guys got let in on this one, because, and I'm being completely honest here, it's your fault. 

Or, I should say, it's all thanks to you. 

If it wasn't for Artix Entertainment, this game, it's wonderful community, and all of you, I would have never met the love of my life, and realizing that makes me feel so humbled, and lucky.  

So, as you read this (and if you're reading this from the future, sorry for the spoilers)  you guys are officially more in the know than Alina.  She has no idea I've spilled the beans on the Design Notes (and in game).  She also doesn’t know about the very special question I've got in store for her tonight. 

Yes, I  am proposing to Alina.  Tonight.  And you guys are in on it.  The idea of asking her this question and not getting you guys involved was inconceivable, so there you go.   I'm off to ask the most important question of my life and enjoy the rest of DragonCon.  Hope you guys enjoy a wait, because I'm rolling this DNs live from my cellphone, and not sure when Alina will be able to post her answer.  Not until very much later, I'm sure.  Shhhh.  She thinks I'm checking for bugs reports from the release testing right now.