Creativity at KingsIsle
Today we want to showcase some of the creativity we’re lucky to have at KingsIsle. This doesn’t just apply to making games though – many of our employees have highly creative hobbies outside of the office as well!
My making the statement that KingsIsle is the most creative environment I have ever worked in is probably no surprise to anyone reading this. What’s really fun to see is how this creativity manifests outside of our day to day work. Given this I thought it would be fun to start a series on the KingsIsle blog showcasing some of this creativity.
For this first installment, I wanted to showcase our very own Executive Producer William Haskins. By day he’s an incredibly talented producer, but at night his creativity really comes out. He has been writing poetry for years. I was able to convince him to share a bit on his background as well as a few of his original works here on the blog. I hope everyone enjoys the work. I’d also encourage any budding poets out there reading this to share your own poetry in the comments section.
Howdy. My name is William Haskins and I am Executive Producer here at KingsIsle.
I started out with the company as Associate Producer on Wizard101, back when it was little more than a lot of brainstorming and some hilarious doodles scrawled on index cards. I took the helm as Producer for the two years leading up to its launch and shepherded it through its first year or so as a Live game.
I then served as Senior Producer throughout the development and launch of Pirate101. Now, in my role as EP, I oversee both games, in addition to our fascinating new projects.
Though I’ve been in the videogame industry since the 1990s (spanning two centuries, yo!) and have been at KingsIsle now for nine years, I have been writing poetry for much, much longer. It’s been a constant thread in my life since before I was a teenager, and it’s something I will do as long as I live.
Robert Graves famously said: “There’s no money in poetry, but then there’s no poetry in money, either.” Fortunately, I have been extraordinarily blessed to be able to make a living in a highly creative environment, which allows me to take care of my family doing something I love and still be inspired on a daily basis by the creative energy that surrounds me. I try to take this forward into my writing.
Anyway, here are a couple of my poems. Hope you enjoy.
One of the (many) perils of commuting in Austin is the dreaded traffic jam. One day, both before and after work, this slow crawl brought me in uncomfortably close proximity to a possum that had made the mistake of straying into the highway when traffic was actually moving. It didn’t end well for him, but it inspired this meditation on risk and, ultimately, mortality itself:
Ode to Roadkill
I saw you at eight
and again at six,
your fur blood-matted,
eyes like ice,
your grimace greeting
the traffic, speeding
to places where
slaves while away
their days and
nights in cages,
swallowing rages.
I wonder if they
ever felt the rush
or risked the risk
to bolt between
those metal monsters
on instinct alone;
I wonder if you
took some satisfaction
in those errant tracks in
the roadside grass and
foolish fear of
the human heart.
Sleep well, my friend.
The buzzards will wait
until rush hour ends
and traffic thins, when
the sun isn’t watching,
then pierce your skin
and take you home,
piece by piece.
Peace.
This one is an admonition (to myself, as much as to anyone else) to never squander creativity, no matter what life throws at you. Though the metaphor of the pen connects it to the act of writing, it applies to any creative endeavor:
Alea Jacta Est
In fury’s grasp
or throes of pain,
when nightmares stalk
the waking brain,
and monsters wear
the masks of men—
still the mind,
move the pen.
Beneath the heel
of tyrants’ wrath,
when robber-barons
plot your path,
to journey through
the vipers’ den—
steel the soul,
move the pen.
And when the
final die is cast,
each breath connected
to your last,
a matter of
not if, but when—
steal the night,
move the pen.
Thank you for sharing this poetry with us William! If you are a fan of creative writing, make sure you check out the Wizard101 Fan Fiction and Pirate101 Fan Fiction sections. We love to publish poetry alongside the creative prose of our players!
Wizard101 is my favorite!!! GO NINJA PIGS!!
w101 is amazing and the blog was nice too.
i love w101 best game ever but i also like p101!
I know a lot of you guys are saying wizard 101 is better, I started out on Pirate101 first. When I started playing wizard 101 i enjoyed it but it could do with a visual update. I know it came first but it just looks kinda bad after playing pirate 101 for the first game. I would and a lot of others would like wizards better if it looked as good or better than pirate101
yeah i agree i played w101 first but once i played p101 the graphics are better and its more involved so i like p101
you guys rock and thank you for everything you’ve done keep doing what you do best
First those are great poems. Second I write novels and short stories all the time. I love you w101 🙂
Sometimes i like to draw in my free time, but i once in a while would, too, make a poem or at least try to 😛
Here is a short poem i made:
—-Nature—-
The Dawn grows as the Twighlight once grew,
The sun rises as the sun once set too,
The glories of nature can be seen,
To someone whom is most keen,
The birds in the morn’ sing,
As the spider continues its last string,
The nature is all around,
Just be keen…
i love wizard101 after i get home from school i just start playing its sooo fun ill never stop playing
I think for Wizard101 as an idea would be, since the game has many warlords and such you should create high level gear if your still thinking about raising the levels, that you should take the arena gear and make it glow such as: Death, it would glow black. Or life it would glow with leaves with green. If it where in the crowns shop I can’t tell you how many people would kill to have gear like that.
I read these 2 pieces over and over. Loved them both! Such fun! The first poem “Ode to Roadkill” was simply amazing. A truly odd homage to the daring-do of that poor reckless critter juxtaposed with the insanity of rush-hour and lives that “rage” in silence in their work-day cages. Makes me want to go sky diving again. 🙂
I like seeing others using their creative minds! I am actually at a fine arts school, so we see people showcasing their talents all the time. (During lunch, there’s people playing instruments, and we can go up to the stage to perform whatever we want. Just to share my side on creativity.) Keep on with your talent writing; you definitely have one! 🙂
I have been playing W101 for 5 years now. I love it dearly, and i am hoping i can keep playing the game, as i get older. :). I love both pirate and wizards ❤
you should add werewolves in wizard101
good game so fun
so cool very good game.
absolutely love it, you have got to be a creative machine to be able to work on entire worlds and realms of imagination, i would love to see the creative process for how they come up with furniture, the plants and clothing
I like in wizard 101 that you can buy your house and decorate it
😀 i love playing wizard101 😛
i love wizard101! 😀
btw lovely poems, can I get more! 🙂
Wizard 101. I think you should make Ninja 101 aswell. But make it free PLEASE!!!!!! 😉 Pirate 101 should let you get to lvl 10 for free like Wizard 101
That would be a really, really, REALLY, good idea! i would certainly play that game, if would be made by kingsisle
Wizard101 is the best game EVER but behind it is Pirate 101 and they are the best games on my desktop and believe me i have allot of games on the desk top 🙂 🙂
i love w101 best game ever! i am lvl 30 and i am a member!
i really want a double mounted horse….
Pirate101 you’ve really changed my life
for the past 2 years I’ve really payed the price
and this game is really really nice.
With all the new friends i made it’s really been a blast
Without P101 i wouldn’t know what to do
I’m gonna rock some tags only got $20 in my pocket.
I’m gonna buy some P101 cards only got $20 dollars in my pocket
in my opinion, wizard101 has more potential than pirate101. the game play, and story line get more to you. For instance, i dont like pirate101 in my opinion its not that entertaining.
I pick both because pirate101 and wizard are the same but battle styles are different and I like it like the crowns are one that everybody needs.
wizard101 is the best game in the whole world! ❤
Hello Wizard101 Central! I’ve been a member of your game for about 6 years. And I would love to tell you this poem.
I have been playing this game forever
Wizard101 is kinda clever,
But when i opened the door to this game,
I found myself to this magical world of magic and wonder,
I always found the game great.
Now rate this as a gate
I have an idea of a battle, when but only when you are at el dorado in pirate101 could you have a battle with all 4 of the armada generals (phule, rokke, bishop and deacon) that would be awesome but you are companied with avery, boochbeard and his monkey as allies that are 10 lvl higher then the armada leaders are. i think that should be a great surprise that deacon returns and rokke does that to when they got destroyed.
my dad is on level 34!!!!
w101 is best, no doubt about it
Wizards 4 ever!!!
well how about a game were more elements like water and wind it will be nc in wizard and maybe machine and earth i think wizard 101 will be better if i have more elements you khow more epic battle and i will like that wizard have a skin maker relly i like to do skins and then sell it to other players it will be cool well in my opinin o yeah an one more thing it will be a good trainig for a pet to have a farm so how about a man ho take care of the pets for some gold for every day you let it it will be cool so this is my opinien and thanks for read :3 plz do what u cant to make wizard like we all like is still awesome as it is thaks :3 again XD
wizard 101 is awesome and cool but the should put more quest’s in wizard city and grizzle helm in stuff like that that would be awesome if they do that.
peaceful and nice
how do I get to amber esatate?
Guys, I know a lot of you think that Wizard101 is better than Pirate101, but really, there really is no better or worse. They put a lot of time into both. Pirate101 has companions and a neat battling system. And Wizard101 a really good storyline and many more levels. So in my opinion, I wouldn’t be able to tell you which one is better.
Please try to get more content for wizard101, for max levels and low levels
Very addicting game if your a dare devil or appeal to other people easily, I rage quit about 6 times each time about 2 months but I always come back, in fact I am about to start playing right now after my last time when I lost 1400 in rating pvp
but okay ;3
Here Is a Haiku written by ME:
Test Realm:
I am angry now
When is the update coming?
Been waiting all spring
wizard 101 rules hands down XD
Wizard101,
and Pirate101.
Both these games,
are tons of fun!
Wizard101 is better Pirate101 does not make sense to me on how to play!
SOUNDNESS OF SOUL
By S. S. Carpenter
Ó1999, S. S. Carpenter, All rights reserved.
An ailing mind is not
An ailing spirit.
There is no “hole” in my soul.
My soul has kept me saner
Than my best thinking.
Simplifying was a necessity
To stay grounded during the
Chaotic storms of my mind.
And, by accident, I found
Simplicity is food
To nuture the soul.
This gift is not medicine for illness;
It is a wise and sound approach to Life.
Here and Now is all I ever have.
Here and Now I choose to ignore my churning mind.
Here and Now I open my eyes
To the winter branches on the trees
Who reach in one, simple direction:
Toward the heavens …
And I am at peace.
i am allways playing on KingsIsle or drawing!
that is funny. i like you re poem!!!
Pirates: A Haiku
Many a pirate
Has wondered in great dismay:
“Why is the Yum gone?”
i liked it a lot. i usually like to do video games with creative ability, like minecraft, or halo forge. those are fun and help with creativity.