Here's the interview with the webmaster of Planet Age of Empires, definatly one of the best AoK sites. He's known for his great site design, and exceptional graphics. Before PAoE he maintained the AoK and AoE Atrium. I'd like to thank him again, for agreeing to and awnsering this interview.

1. How did you originally get involved with Age of Empires?
A) I received Age of Empires as a Christmas present a few years back. I started out playing the campaigns and then moved onto playing random match games versus the computer, the classic "newbie start" if you will. Then came IP games with local friends and then on the Zone.

2. Was there ever any "magic moment" that made you think that the AoE series was really something special?
A) There's probably too many to mention. I do remember my first Zone game and being on the edge of my seat the entire game and that feeling keeps bringing me back. I was never much for playing the single-player aspects of the game like scenarios and campaigns as they didn't have much replay value in my opinion. It's too bad many who have the game haven't experienced the multi-player realm of the Age series.

3. Where do you think the success of the AoE series lies?
A) Definitely Ensemble's hard work and the complexity of the series. It's not a fluke that the series has sold millions of units and won all those awards. The Age series is a bright spot in the world of RTS which is full of clones and uncomplete products. No game on the market can compete with Age of Kings' intricacy of gameplay. There are so many variables when you play that no single game will be even close to any of your previous games. The variety of maps, units, techs, civs, etc. makes this series really special. Each player will devise his/her own playing style and there's no telling what will happen when that clashes with another's strategy.

4. What other games/games series are you interested in and why?
A) I like a variety of genres, not just strategy. I play a lot of Half-life, Rogue Spear, and Q3 Arena to get the adrenaline pumping. Doom II was the first PC game I played so I've stuck with the FPS genre to this day. I also play a lot of RPGs. The game in my CD drive when Age of Kings isn't there is Asherons Call. Sure it's $10 a month but it's well worth it and the immersion in the game world is unbelievable.

5. What do you like most about web design?
A) It's a new form of media to show your skills and make connections around the world. The best thing about it is anyone can do it and if he/she puts time into it they can attract thousands or even millions of viewers each day. I've made a lot of connections and met a ton of very intersting people from around the world that would otherwise be inaccessable.

6. How long have you been involved with web design? What got you interested in it?
A) I've been doing web design for about three years. I took a C++/HTML class my freshman year of high school and was assigned to make a page on anything. I selected of course Age of Empires and made a simple page with the cheat codes and slapped a few graphics on the page, which was about the extent of my abilities at that time. I uploaded the simple page to a free server, registered with a few search engines, and the rest is history. The thing that kept me going was seeing my small site continue to grow each day with
more visitors and content.

7. How much time do you devote to your webpage?
A) With the old site, AoK Atrium, I used to spend an hour or so adding content and updating the news. Well that's changed with the new site, PlanetAoE, as the number of visits skyrocketed as well as the responsibility of updating. I now spend two to three hours, or more if necessary, on the new site. I enjoy it though and I've become very fluent in the programs I use.

8. What's involved in creating a new site for you?
A) A lot of time and preparation. :) It's really a daunting task trying to put together an entire site but it pays off in the end when it all fits together and you start hearing compliments on your work. Each time you make a site it seems to be easier than the last though.

9. What do you think has made your site so successful?
A) Well, some people say its my sites' graphics that keep them visiting but I'd like to think it's the content. :) I like to make my sites as easy on the eyes as possible but it's the info and strategies that make your game better and that's what people are looking for in Age sites. Also, I couldn't run the site without the help of the many Agers out there whom
submit stuff, whether it be news, files, or strategies. The forums have also been a big part of the site and they bring people back many times a day to see what new posts are there.

10. Do you have any advice for some of the newer age webmasters?
A)Put some time and effort into it. If it feels like a job making updates then you should quit right then because your site will soon go by the wayside. I've seen a lot of promising sites pop up that go strong for a few months and then wither away. Be consistent and and make your site unique so people will have a reason for visiting.

11. Other than your own site, are there any other AoE sites that hold special meaning for you?
A) My favorite site, when it was updated regularly, was GX's site. They had Methos, Thump, Kleitus, and many other greats writing strategies every week that kept me coming back. I've also enjoyed visiting all of the other sites that have popped up over the years. The Age community has really grown and it's great to see. I've also played with a lot of the other webmasters and they're all great guys.

12. If you could have ES design a game for you, what would it be like?
A) Definitely a strategy game, since that's what they do best (though that might change in the future) with a midevial/fantasy plot with RPG components. I'd like to see increased and mutating stats for each unit, such as if they win a battle their hit points are increased or something to that effect and things like war trophies/items (swords, armor, etc.) that can be carried by units. Instead of sending in a group of twenty infantry and letting them sparatically attack I'd like to see the gamplay devolve down to the building of that group of infantry, putting the units in rank and so on. Ensemble almost got there with formations in Age of Kings but I don't think the idea has fully been utilized yet.