Get to know the CO's leaders, Part One: Caden Graka

[Caden Graka]

About me

I originally became involved in online gaming during the summer of 2002 when I started playing America's Army Online. I joined up with a great online gaming clan that consisted of mostly veteran US Armed Forces, called the Second Ranger Battalion (2RB). During my time with that clan, I rose to be the second in command and helped lead and train new members on how to use team tactics to survive and win in AA:O. The highlight of my time in AA:O was when my clan reached the #10 spot in the official AA:O tourney ladder. As this was my first experience with an online gaming group, it was a very formative period for me and helped establish my thoughts and theories on what makes a successful online community. Primarily - and this sounds obvious but can be hard to develop and grow - is the feeling of community, that every is a part of a larger family.

Shortly after I started in AA:O, I found out about Star Wars Galaxies. Being a big Star Wars fan/geek I was drawn to it like a bear to honey. I then began a search in the latter part of 2002 for a SWG focused clan (and soon learned that the proper vernacular was "guild" or as SOE desired, "Player Association"). I found that in The Imperial Guard (yes that TIG). At the start TIG was a great group of people, I made a number of friends that I still keep in touch with today (and many who are now with us in the Crimson Order). Again, by showing my predilection for organizing things in a better manner than when I first arrived, I eventually found myself in the number three spot in TIG as the head of their "C-Corp" (just had the Military Commander and Khade Deveron himself above me).

Then enter palace intrigue, power-hungriness, and dereliction of duty, and then you'll find the second defining moment of my on-line career. I eventually grew tired of how things were shaping up in the upper echelons of TIG leadership (hint: I don't like drama and think video games should be fun) and asked to go join the bad-ass peeps over in Special Ops. I took a demotion and became a member of a solid core of members. They were a very tight nit family. One night during some counter-intelligence operations, I came into contact with Corf Ferno. We defeated the spy and ousted a few moles who were trying (but failing miserably) to disrupt things in TIG, but more importantly laid the groundwork for what was to come.

Eventually, the game launched and we (TIG) started out on Starsider server in SWG. Long story short, we migrated to Naritus a month later and a few weeks after that, the entire Special Operations branch plus Corf left TIG and formed the Crimson Guard. Since that name was slightly lame and too close to our predecessors, we quickly changed it to the Crimson Order.

Not long after, Corf was placed in charge of the Crimson Order and I became a member of the Battalion Command (or what we called the Trinity of Evil with Corf, Jaboota, and myself). I headed up operations (essentially all the administrative parts, planning, etc) and functioned as the mayor and city planner for the Crimson Keep. I served in this manner from 2003 until about 2006ish when I took my last stroll through Naritus and soon turned off my SWG account in disgust of what SOE had done with the game.

I then took turns playing through EvE for a year and some change with an old TIG acquaintance, and took turns running through the Matrix Online beta, the Tabula Rasa beta, and hoping for other games that never materialized. Finally in 2009, a former CO member (Stern, aka Sovereign) that I had teamed up with for other games contacted me about Star Wars The Old Republic and how he wanted to get the gang back together. I liked the idea very much, and fairly soon afterward we were back in the saddle.

A few other things about me, I am an avid reader with three bookcases (and several boxes in the garage) full of books I've read. I like the Washington Capitals, am into science, political theory, computers, history, paintball, hiking, and am strongly supportive of the US military.

Questions and Answers

What was/is your best MMO experience and opportunity to date, and a particular instance in your gaming experience that you will never forget?

Well, it would have to be Star Wars Galaxies. Honestly, SWG would also hold the title for worst MMO experience. As far as a gaming experience I will never forget... I would have to say it would be a tie between one of the major Crimson Keep battles that raged for hours and the Naritus Imperial Alliance grand parade. We had designed the Crimson Keep to be essentially centered on a giant square with houses forming a wall around it with three "gates" allowing entrance (back in the day the dev's allowed medium naboo houses to be placed right next to each other with no gaps). This allowed for some very interesting battles as our four-eight large imperial bases were always a target for the rebel scum. We would have massive fights that would rage all night as waves of rebel guilds and our imperial allies would battle for control of the city. It's hard to forget that final moment when all would go quiet as the last rebel was incapp'd and they had lost the will to continue the fight.

Why have you been a member of this guild for so long?

Honestly, it's the sense of family and community that has been formed here. I've had relationships and friendships formed within the Crimson Order that have lasted for six plus years. Plus, it is not often that you will find a group of players who are out there to have fun and to leave the drama at the door (not to say we've never had drama, we just have a way of shoving it off a cliff if needed). I've never met a CO leader who was doing it for the power or the glory. Most of our long line of guild leaders have had the job thrust upon them whether they wanted it or not. And for the most part, they all stepped up to the plate.

When did you first meet Titan?

I first met Titan (Corf's dread Gnort) outside of the Keren Starport. Corf was busy farming Nunas at the time.

What's the deal with Corf's hair?

Corf had the misfortune of picking the most god-awful haircut in SWG character customization. It's main feature was the giant bald spot on the back, side and front of his head. It quickly became both his trademark and the butt of many many jokes within the CO that it has now taken on a legendary status.