Ex-GM Lulu Belle was interviewed by our ex-staff member Zanko.

Tibianews: Hello Lulu Belle and a big thank you for agreeing to take this interview.

Lulu Belle: A pleasure!

Tibianews: To get started could you tell the Tibian community a little bit about yourself?

Lulu Belle: Let's see... There is nothing really "crispy" about me, aside simply being a mother who likes to play video games. I enjoy swimming but prefer if the water is warm... sad how things change from teen to older ^.- you can turn into such a "scardy cat". Probably cause i do too much computer... I also like bikeriding and currently still trying to teach my daughter how to. If any of you have tricks which doesn't involve throwing her on the bike and down a hill, i'd appreciate. lol

Tibianews: How did you first find Tibia?

Lulu Belle: My brother was playing the game and sitting somewhere around Edron (or was it thais.. memory is blurry..) and i became curious about what he was playing. Tibia was the first Mmorpg i tried, i came from another game that was played online, but you could hide yourself into private hunting grounds so the difference was massive for me. (omg peoples that takes my creature!?! HEY MINE!)

Tibianews: What about your very first day as a Tibian. Fun, exciting?

Lulu Belle: First day was mostly trying to figure out the basics. Hardest being "how to use those darned ladders?" ! Took me a while to figure it out. >_< Afterward, aside some minutes having fun bouncing off the premium bridge, i just resumed hunting to reach mainlands, which took a few days. Today i learnt about the tutorial planned for the game (update teaser) and it would definitly have saved me a few hours of learning, if something like this existed 4 years ago.

Tibianews: Well let’s move a bit forward in time to the day you were asked to become a gamemaster. How were you asked?

Lulu Belle: Quite a bit forward indeed lol . I was on my mage, STILL manasitting and received a random PM from Craban. Replying to it i wondered if it was a bot investigation (since i am always manasitting at the same place and randomly go AFK, players sometimes get the wrong impression and it looks as though simply manasitting at the same place is enough reason for them to think you are cheating) . But the conversation quickly moved to the subject and i was definitly surprised to be invited on the team.

Tibianews: What thoughts were running through your head?

Lulu Belle: First one was "what the --- ?! Who reported me again...." (before heading to the subject)

Second one was "Holy uh oh! Yatta!!!!!" (as the subject came)

Afterward it was "oh noes, will i be accepted?!" (since it was an invitation, i wasn't sure, as the details were given, if it was official that i'd be accepted or not)

Tibianews: What did your friends say when you first told them or they first found out that you were a gamemaster?

Lulu Belle: When we're invited, we're advised not to talk about it. However, i don't think anyone holds on to warning and sooner or later, lips goes unsealed. It was late afternoon when i was contacted and a few close friends were on (and my brother was in my room), so i told them about the invitation and they were thrilled about it. After that, they had to deal with me rambling non stop for the following days ( "oh noes!!" ) . Thanks to them for putting up with me >_< i tend to go a bit... "hyper" if you know what i mean. lol However, what had to hapenned hapenned. When i was officially in the team, i did several mistakes that led some peoples around me (to which i told nothing) to be hinted and the "hunt" started. Several found out, others were told by those who found out and despite constantly denying it, prooves where there. While some used this as subtle flaming grounds ( "eh! there is a GM on and she isn't doing anything!!" ), most players were kind enough not to take it too far.

Tibianews: What about your very first day on the job, the first time you went solo. What happened?

Lulu Belle: First banishement was an assisted one. Craban and i met and after a long talk and a few questions, we headed to Aldora where the first ban (and broadcast) hapenned. After, i was hinted to the documents available and strongly advised to read and understand them before going on a "banning rampage". However, most rules hold on to sheer logic, so while reading, it was not too hard to catch a few trouble makers.

Tibianews: Do you think CipSoft has given you the proper tools to really fight against the cheaters of today?

Lulu Belle: Yes and no, the way i see it is that bots evolves but our tools still remains limited. While there is will for this to change, it takes time. In the beginning it was easier ( about 2 years ago ) but as time goes by, cheating tools changed and out methods needs to change as well. But in all things, for cheaters, it simply comes to this, one mistake and you are in "danger" . This is often in those moments that we catch the higher level ones. Nothing like the feeling of catching a level 150+ that you knew was cheating but that you did not hold enough prooves for a banishement.

Tibianews: Do you ever get bored while GM’ing, even if you used to enjoy it?

Lulu Belle: Yes, it happens, there are moments that i get on my tool characters and a few minutes later, the PC is closed and i am simply away from it. It depends on the reports and how things evolved with them. Other times i simply log a tool character on and wonder why i even did that. I log on them, sometimes more out of habit than need. Recently my will (and time) to work has greatly dimmed, it is not as much as i used to simply because summer is drawing near and that i needed a bit of a break from the game itself (even my playing characters are not on as much) . However, when the will gets in, i can easily go for a few hours non stop. Sometimes to the point my head spins cause of doing too much at the same time lol.

Tibianews: On your character page it shows that you have a gamemaster position, yet the name Lulu Belle does not come up on the gamemaster list. Is their any specific reason for why you showed you were a gamemaster but not which one?

Lulu Belle: The reason was simple, privacy. I did not want the "big tibia" to be able to see my players when clicking on my GM character, i get enough "spam" as it is. However, i did not want to fully be hidden anymore because several players used that knowledge against me. Screaming "Lulu Belle is a GM!!!!" in the middle of carlin, for example or semi-flaming in the game chat. I was tired of having to deny something that was obviously not true. I was also already facing the problems of being public GM while being hidden (flames, spam to name only those), so things did not really change after i hid my tool character and unhid my main players. I have to admit that going on one of the fansite and becomming more open about my position in their chat room, helped in the decision.

Tibianews: What would you say are the pros and cons of being a rule enforcer?

Lulu Belle: Pros? Sadly at the moment i see more cons, however you get to have a new perspective of the game and understand those that runs it a bit better. The team of GM and CM is fun to be along with and there are several moments, either on the boards or on the servers (mostly test servers) where we hang out together and have long chats. (lol... Peugot... and dont ask me what this is about! lol) Of course, the feeling of helping is a big pro. While there are sometimes things toward which we are powerless, despite our will to help (example: thievery) , there are several moments where we do get things to change and the feeling of helping is what keeps me going. The cons would be how people change around you when they see you have "power". Some wants to manipulate you and others change simply because they know you're out there to catch them. It is sad how much peoples i know ended up banned for cheating or for other reasons. Even loosing some friends because of banishements. However, i believe that real friends will stay no matter what. I banned a few guild members for their language or other reasons and most of them stayed. Nothing changed because they are capable of understanding that if they put me into a position where i have no choice, well as it say "i have no choice" . The rules are the same for everyone and it is not because you're a friend that i'll let it slip. If i see it, you're out. This is when you are able to sort out real friends from those that are just there for "advantages". So while being a con it is also a pro.

Tibianews: Do some things make you regret being a gamemaster?

Lulu Belle: Like i said to the previous question, loss of friends and how people changes. There is so much hypocrisy revolving around that it is pretty sickenning. Peoples that comes to you claiming unconditionnal love and friendship when all they want is to either harass you or backstab you. (oh... this sure sounds paranoid lol) Things come down to this, real friends can be counter on your fingers. I am lucky so far to have more than a handful of close friends on the game and they are those that sometimes keeps me going with their encouragements. What also makes me regret being a GM (or being partially unhidden) is how some peoples can be when reporting things. They come in the help channel and complain about GM not replying when they NEVER bothered pressing CTRL-R and doing their report there. Of course, they came directly in my private message and when it is the case, i ignore it. The ONLY thing i tolerate in my PMs will be heads up on statements done in the channels, and i do not mean long and exhaustive things. An example would be: "Hey Lu (or Val ) there is a hacker in trade" . But i will NOT accept "Hey you know there is a botter here and i would like to hunt in peace" or "hey can you come on x server for y reason?" . While things might seem as though i don't want to catch botters, it is not the case. There are moments i simply cannot get into longer investigations because of various reasons (often being that i am already working elsewhere) . Statements bans are the easiest ones and it is because of that, that we're often told that we just ban statements and not botters. It is not true! It is simply that statements bans are more obvious. When we clear rook of a dozen botters, peoples don't see it. when we clean Fibula rots, it is the same. Peoples don't see it because.. well because it was only botters in fibula.... So the constant complains are definitly annoying. HEY! We are human after all, there is a limit to how much complaining we can handle while keeping control of ourselves. Sad how players can loose control all they want and as soon as we (gms) do, it is the end of the world and we're unfit for the position. Same goes with how we react to complains, it is normal for a player to react negatively for it and not us? What changes aside a red crayon and a blue cape? i still have 2 legs 2 arms and a head (though sometimes i wonder where that one went... ) It is pretty much all those things that sometimes makes me regret my decision.

Tibianews: What is your opinion on the vocation balancing? Do you like the way which CipSoft is trying to solve the problem?

Lulu Belle: I have 2 mid level characters, or at least, i believe they are mid level XD so the changes were giving me mostly advantages so i have nothing to say against them aside one thing: ~ahem~ I WANT THE UH BACK!!!!!! , thank you <3 lol Naw honestly it is merely per lazyness that i would want them back. I used to spend hours manasitting for those blue rocks which my knight would use in mere seconds... Now i do Icicles, to throw one of my friends at the behemoths. lol Cip is trying their best, i am sure of it. But as a personal opinion, i sometime think they aren't playing the game enough to really know how it feels in there. Or maybe their perspective is different. Whichever it is, while there are some changes that are for the best, others might be perceived for the worse. But you know, no one holds a gun at your temple and forces you to play. Like it? Play it! Don't like it? Well.. you know what you have to do then ^.-

Tibianews: Hundreds of tutors cheat on the tutor test. Do you have any idea on how this problem could be solved, or any comment to make?

Lulu Belle: ~sigh~ Those tutors are the worse. Either they are incapable of passing the test, either they are simply too lazy, either they simply want of a power they cannot use or they want to enter private test server. I know of someone who took about 2 years to pass the test and NEVER cheated on it. THOSE are the real tutors and though she isn't one anymore, i still treat her as though she is. Orange crayon doesn't make the tutor. Anyways, even if you change the test, it won't take long for the answers to be online again. Those tutors are often shooting themselves up the foot. They can barely form a coherent phrase in english and go in help, trying to understand what the player asked. A tutor's job doesn't consist of telling players to "ask in game chat" and those that only do it gets dismissed, sooner or later. Many are incapable of taking the test again because they are permanently blocked. So cheating on the test is not only bad, but can lead you to trouble. Mostly in the times of test server. This is often when the scythe falls and hurts the most.

Tibianews: Which type of rule breaker do you think is the biggest problem and does the most damage to other player’s experiences?

Lulu Belle: Rule break: Cheating in general, macro/hacking/sharing. This is also why they are the bans that will last the longest. The rest can pretty easily be ignored or avoided. Nothing worse than being a new player, in rook, trying to get passed the ton of chicken/rat botters. Rook is where players will either get addicted to the game or move on. If this place is spoiled, it is the first impression players will get.

Non rule break: Thievery. Ever since i became a GM, Thievery has been my personal pet peeve. While it is not a rule break it is something that can greatly hurt someone. Personally (and from a player perspective), i do not care whatever you do, cheat all you want! (i told you, it's from a PLAYER perspective, not a gm one, i did NOT give you permission to cheat! Cheat and i will be there to catch you ^.- ) But do NOT touch my items, some of them i have feelings linked to them! (example: Panda bear, given by a friend that barely plays) Sadly, my attempts to have this become illegal failed and i do understand that the problem is simple to solve. "Do NOT let your items at the reach of anyone!" This means, let no one in your house or near your items. If you take the risk of trusting someone, you take the risk of being backstabbed. (and i do take that risk with a few, like almost everyone else )

Tibianews: Here at TibiaNews we like to ask some small and quick questions which you have to answer as quickly as possible. Are you up to this fatal challenge?

Lulu Belle: No pk plix... i pay....

Tibianews: Har har, too bad! Favourite colour?

Lulu Belle: Blue! (lol no its not cause of the cape XD) and pink and red! but only for my hair.. o.O oh i need to dye them again T_T

Tibianews: Favourite rule breaker to ban? (eg: botter, hacker, swearing, etc.)

Lulu Belle: High level macro user! Those are like an ----- err no...i won't say it

Tibianews: Most banned in a day?

Lulu Belle: I believe it is around 40

Tibianews: Coolest outfit?

Lulu Belle: Female mage/sumonner (whichever it is! it is the one with the potion belt and tiara *.* !!!)

Tibianews: Nicest CM?

Lulu Belle: Favorite Quartet: Alguzara , Mercutio , Craban , Akananto (which some are not really CMs ... but that's merely a detail lol ) The four of them are lovely to be around with!

Tibianews: Scariest CM?

Lulu Belle: Eheh shhhh.... Craban is scary though.. VERY scary.. XD

Tibianews: Wow, you made it with barely a scratch. Well, that brings us to the end of this interview; do you have anything to add before I blast off into space?

Lulu Belle: Hail to the super cape o.o saves us from all damage ~covers self with it a-la darkwing duck~. hey wait! space.. err.. what?! you can fly ?! o.O ... hey!! i want a ride!!

Tibianews: Thank you for your time, Lulu Belle.

Lulu Belle: A pleasure <3