20th Anniversary Interview

HellOw,

As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, Emma interviewed Titmouss, one of our dear admins.

You can find the interview below:

Emma: HellOw Titmouss! How are you doing? Who is behind this account? What do you do on Howrse?
Titmouss: HellOw, I am well, thank you! I’m a Customer Support Specialist. My areas of involvement are rather varied, ranging from queries about payments to dealing with cheating, as well as keeping an eye on comments on the mobile app… I also oversee the coordination of translations and customer support in general, by answering agents' questions and providing them with assistance on various issues, for example. In short, it’s vast!

Emma: So you must know all the game’s little secrets! I hear you hold a one-of-a-kind record on Howrse?
Titmouss: Yes, that’s right! I was the first person to be employed on Howrse!

Emma: Wow, that’s so cool! When did it all start? How did you get here in the first place?
Titmouss: It’s been a little over 20 years, time flies! I was one of the first ever Howrse players back in September 2005. The internet was only at its inception. I was no longer horse riding at the time, so I was playing a few breeding games to stay in touch with the equestrian world. And then one day, a new little game made its appearance: “Equideo”, that was its French name originally. So, I signed up to the game, and because I was very active on the forums helping others, they asked me to become a moderator… and soon enough, they hired me! It sounds like a dream now, but back then, people thought I was mad because working on a “game” on the “Internet” was not a “normal thing”. It was a leap of faith! (Spoiler: I was right!)

Emma: And so, on this drawing here, it’s you? What is the context behind this illustration?
Titmouss: Yes, you can tell it’s me, no? ^^ It’s a bit blurry in my mind, I don’t really remember the year. Maybe it was in 2007 or 2008, during the first-ever edition. We were represented as children, like a class photo. Little anecdote here: I was working remotely, and I did not send my picture to the artist. So he had to steal a picture that we had done at the office. I’ve grown since, I sent 2 pictures of me(!) in the span of 20 years…



Emma: You must have seen a lot of people come and go on Howrse! Any anecdotes about the team? This will stay between us!
Titmouss: There are two members of the team who have been here for as long as I have! We all started as players, became moderators, and since then, we have evolved into different areas of the game. You now know my role, but their roles are Game Tester and Game Designer.

Emma: A very diverse team that remains to this day! By the way, what is your favourite thing about your work?
Titmouss: I really enjoy the variety and how dynamic it is due to Howrse’s format: It is what you call a “live” game, you never get bored! There are a lot of exchanges between the team, which players are not always aware of… but the life behind the scenes is very rich. It’s multiple teams across different domains, and we all cooperate as one; it’s very enriching and stimulating!

Emma: You don’t say! Hey, so earlier you mentioned that you used to do horseback riding in real life?
Titmouss: Yes, I’ve even had a pony since 2010! He was born in April 2005, just a few months before Howrse. In a way, it’s thanks to Howrse that I have been able to share my life with him for the past 16 years. So, thank you so much to the game and to all its players throughout the years.

Emma: Can we give him some mash? Or some oats? What is his favourite snack?
Titmouss: He’s very fond of carrots, but he won’t refuse an apple either. But he’s still a pony! Anything that ponies can eat works for him…

Emma: And what about you? What could we try to bribe you with?
Titmouss: All the team Community Managers know, but we made a contract to keep these types of secrets… But I might be susceptible to cookies and chocolate! I trust you not to abuse my weakness, Emma!

Emma: I promise! Well, anyway, your relationship with horses seems to be more than just work-related! What element of the game Howrse do you enjoy the most, as an equestrian?
Titmouss: I’m often in awe of the graphics of the special horses and the great talent of our players in the Creative Space… But my first love remains the realistic aspect of the game: the breeding, the reproduction and the competitions. Event-wise, my favourites are the Ascent of Olympus and the Blast event!

Emma: A variety of pleasures! Tell us… after many years working for the game, there must be a part of you in Howrse! Ow might have said that you are the muse behind the Morpheus’ Arms. Can you tell us more about it?
Titmouss: Back then, we were discussing a lot with the game’s creators, and sometimes, late at night, I would end our conversations with “I’m off into Morpheus’ arms”. And so this idiom eventually became a Black Market item!

Emma: Did you influence the creation of other elements of Howrse? Tell us everything! *Popcorn*
Titmouss: I did suggest the idea of a lucky bag, which became the Horn of Plenty. I am also the artist behind the wandering horse “Shy”.^^

Emma: So cool! Can you tease us with any upcoming content? A feature, a divine… We’ll take anything!
Titmouss: I’m thinking about suggesting “Shy 2” to the Game Designers!

Emma: Let’s hope they’re for it! Hm… However, I see you have a hammer hidden behind your back… Any words to the cheaters?
Titmouss: *smiling smiley face and squinty eyes*

Emma: Ouh la… That smile that speaks volumes! They have now been warned! Alright, let’s leave this dark topic: If you had a magic wand, what would you wish for Howrse and its community?
Titmouss: Long live Howrse, this game has a wonderful story! In my IRL equestrian life, I am always touched to hear adults, young or old, get emotional when I bring up Howrse. This game really marked many generations. And through it, I was able to make incredible and long-lasting friendships, which is amazing! I wish the best to the whole community.

Emma: Us too, we wish you all the best! Thank you so much for this interview Titmouss! See you soon!
Titmouss: See you soon!

We hope you enjoyed reading this interview!
The Howrse Team