UKTerrorist

Interview with Andie Fairlie, GameLadder.com

Posted by WazMeister at 15:32, 26/7/2005

I took a time out from writing crazy reviews and pinned down Andie Farlie from GameLadder.com to ask a few questions-

Hello there Andie thanks for taking a time out from your heavy schedule can you please introduce yourself to those who don’t know you.

Hello I’m Andie Fairlie, Head of the web development team at game-ladder.com. Game-Ladder is quite a young gaming ladder, we have just started Season 2 which is supported by many companies too provide prizes for the winning players.

Could you dig back to roots and tell us how GamerLadder.com came around?

Basically a year or 2 ago we started experimenting with different scripts and developed them. For a very short while the ladder was concentrating on Medal of Honor : Allied Assault - although it was a failure occasionally people signed up and started posting on the forums. We decided at the beginning of this year to give it another try - this time concentrating on Counter Strike : Source and so far it’s been great.

Sounds good! Could you give us a little detail about the current ladders you run and how people can get involved?

This season we are breaking away from just Counter Strike : Source, we are also providing some Battlefield 2 Ladders and some Xbox Live ones - including Brothers in Arms.
Its very easy for clans to sign up this year - all they need to do is login to game-ladder.com. There is a sidebar on the left, go to My Options > Create Team and you’re done!

A lot of clans these days have their own clan servers with prices getting lower but still some fall sort of this, are clan servers needed to participate in your ladders?

The good thing about game-ladder is we have a strong connection with third-party companies. For example ClanPlanet.co.uk is offering to provide a server for GL (Gamer Ladder) which we can then give out at specific times. Also we are planning to provide servers for winning teams!

Sounds like things are really coming together, do you rent clan servers and perhaps discount for teams with certain medals from your ladders?

In the past we have provided a rental service in which active clans get a substantial discount - however interest was low and therefore the service was axed. It is however possible too launch this again if interest is high.

How do you see Game Ladder in the fore see able future, what can we expect?

Personally I see a strong future, hopefully getting a large community going and a very active clan-base. This however is only possible if people play, the staff at GL are constantly trying to improve the service - sometimes not noticeably and sometimes drastic. I think that when people learn about GL and the things we have too offer it will become a strong contender to the more popular ladders.

With other big ladders such as ClanBase and the infamous Enemy Down, What are you bringing others don’t?

Well we are trying to focus on the community, there are currently a few key members to our forum who help out everybody - it’s a really good place to chat. We are also trying to provide as many prizes as possible - even for those who don't win we are trying to get something for taking part. I think we are a lot more community driven that the ladders you named.

Prizes sound very exciting I may have to form a team to compete! Is there anything you like to add?

All I would like too say is thank you too all the members in season 1 - I wish everybody luck in season 2 and to urge people to give us ago. As our current campaign says "change is good"

Again thank you for your time Andie and good luck with the Ladders!

Season 2 is open for sign up’s as many other ladders at GameLadder.com so get signing!