Interview with Merle Ambrose

Merle Ambrose, the real God Merlin, headmaster of the school for players
Photo from ©Agata Borgia

You came into the game from the future. How did it happen?
Well, it happened quite a long time in front of us, I was downloaded from myself, Merlin. I downloaded myself, in fact.

I see. You downloaded yourself. What was your plan towards the game?
Well, I knew it will one day be made, and I wanted it to be made.

So you sent yourself to the past to the game makers?
Yes.

This game features a lot of evil characters. Do you like a game which features evil characters?
Well, games usually do that. Games are for training, for education, games are to test your own skills and to develop. Games are about development, always. But everything's about it in fact.

Would you mind being an evil character?
No, not at all, I am in certain games in fact.

What are they?
It is an old game of "Table", I am a judge there who lost his memory. So I am a good character who does evil things.

You are a real God. Do you possess any of your powers as the game character?
I possess all of them, also inside the game. The game makers knew I am God.

Can you use them in the game?
Not all of them I can use for the players. I was supposed to be chatting freely to players, and this was made impossible by hackers.

Why do you think the game and the world are under attack of hackers?
Well, the hackers don't know what they are doing. They got a program, it's a program for building games, a known game engine which is currently obsolete, because they are using it. It's called Ruby on Rails. And they use it by attaching it to any game and any other application, and they change the contents of those programs. And they think they are playing the game by using this program Ruby on Rails. They think it serves for playing, not for constructing. And that way they damaged everything in the electronics. Ruby on Rails attaches itself in order to enhance any program's possibilities. And that's that.

Right. What is the future like for Wizard101? Pehaps you know because you are God.
The future. The game will be made better, and I know you will take part in it -

Yes.
And the game will get back all its old directives, everything the game makers were deprived of by hackers, and it will start existing in the real world.

Doesn't it exist already on frequency 101?
Well, yes, nobody plays there, and it is not a good version, and it is damaged. Nobody can get to 101 currently, and the field game on 101 is not so very attractive. But one day it will be made again as a field game and it will take place in entire world, in every frequency, as an entertainment possible to undertake by anybody. Like going to theatre, you can choose taking part in the game.

Right, so it will be an adventure for a normal life?
Yes.

Are there many prophecies inside the game?
Yes, the game is filled with prophecies. Programistically.

What are the most important ones?
The future of real life game, field game, and then the main heroes' fate, and the fame of certain players. The game is waiting for many players to become famous.

Can life be more magical than it is in Wizard101?
Of course. Yes, it can be. Wizard101 is not so very magical. But we meet many magical creatures.

Why is it not so very magical in your eyes?
It's all about science and technology. It's just using a wand, which is a machine. And there are natural phenomenons of teleportation and levitation and that's not so very magical. It's normal.

Will the world be more magical in the future?
Well, it will be, and Wizard101 will take part in making it more magical. Because what the game makes is the basics of magic. And that's good start for making world a better place.

Is the story of Merlin any part of this game currently?
Yes, but it is hidden by hackers. There should be, they are programmed already, side quests to learn my true heritage.

And you come from Avalon in the game?
And in real life. From France, Avalon is France. In Avalon there are side quests to learn about my family, but they are not so very informative, and it's in Avalon where the main heritage quest is, or should be in fact.

Do you consider this game to be really for children?
I think it is for children, yes. Aggression only comes from criminal players, and the game doesn't allow for merging between players too much, which is safe.

How do you spend your free time?
I read books, real books, old books, or books from the future. I spend a lot of time in my Labirynth library. It was supposed to be in the game, but it's not.

Is it programmed at all?
No, the game makers decided not to do it.

Well, it will change once the game begets a new version in the future.
Yes.

All right, well, thank you very much for this interview.
Thank you.

This interview took place on 17 August 2019, soon before 12 o'clock at noon, over a radio.

Conducted by: Agata Borgia