As I was walking along the beach the other day, my feet enjoying the cool, refreshing waves, I starting thinking about stuff. Not just regular stuff, like shopping lists and housework, but world-changing, cataclysmic stuff. Stuff like Podcast 17 and how it has nearly 90 episodes. That’s one a week for over 21 months. Do you know how much work is required to produce one podcast? I do and it’s a lot.
So, as I looked down at my beautiful feet I imagined a bottle floating toward me with the message “Write something nice about William and all his hard work on Podcast 17……PS, don’t forget Nic.”
William, thank you for all your hard work on the podcast and within the community. Your continued motivation is an inspiration to us all. I hope that the podcast gains even wider recognition and success.
In addition, let’s not forget Nic. Nic works silently (literally – he NEVERS talks!) helping William produce and run the podcast. He does a great job and I want to thank him too.
I considered keeping this idea for the end of year awards abd having a Gaming Personality of the Year Award but decided against it because I might then have to do it every year. However, if I did have that award, and I woulkd like to take this opportunity to suggest that ModDB introduces a few awards to people next year, then William would be the first recipient.
There are lots of people who work hard in our gaming community but I would find it hard to believe anybody is more passionate about Half-Life than William. Not only does he love everything about the game but he loves the community and its associated works.
Stephanie, William’s girlfriend, partner in crime and Podcast 17’s First Lady, told me a little about his pre Podcast 17 work.
“Billy has been a participant in online radio shows since he was about 16.
WOW, that’s pretty cool. As with most woman, once she starts there’s no stopping her….
His debut as an online radio voice was covering professional Counterstrike matches. He was involved with about five different shows before I met him. Among them are: Game broadcasting live, Gamesnet radio, Gamesurge radio, Gamers United on Mod DB with Bluewolf, guest on Modcast a few times. Most of them were general gamer community shows. He tended to prefer the news portion of the shows, and still considers it his “job” to be up-to-the -minute on the latest news in gaming community.
That explains his love of listing every single piece of news item!
After pausing for a non-second breath, off she goes again…
In 2008 he felt that the community needed a podcast reviewing the latest video games in a casual, fun setting. This is when he headed his first podcast with a few of his friends from Windsor, calling it “Weekly Gaming club”. Just like with podcast 17, Nic was his co-publisher and silent partner through this podcast.
That’s actually how I first met William, or Billy as his friends call him. I saw WGC in the list of my referrers and checked it out. His was talking about The Trap (which by the way will have a complete walkthrough in English very soon – I am just finishing editing it) and he was saying he wished it was in English. I had just finished recording the script and posted the new version, so emailed to tell him.
We started chatting and that’s when he suggested the idea of starting a podcast specifically about Half-Life. He even suggested calling it “The PlanetPhillip Podcast” which I thought showed his altruistic (no, not autistic!) side. It was that moment I knew I was dealing with a really kind person.
In all the time I have known William he has never said anything horrible about anybody or anything. If I were a conman he would be my target because he is just so damn nice and always wants to help people.
We never thank people or say how much we appreciate them enough. We go about focusing on the negative and forget all the positive. NOT TODAY!
William doesn’t run the podcast for fame or fortune but for love, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t thank him.
Why not send a quick email and tell him how much you love the show:
feedback [at] podcast17 [dot] com
Yay William! I once played Left 4 Dead with him – He never once complained about my nearly constant meaningless banter or bad jokes! He’s either very patient, or he just muted me ;). I’ve also played Obsidian Conflict with Nic a couple times now, and he’s just as awesome (he gave me a crowbar after I accidentally threw mine away! That’s generosity!) and also has the ability withstand my verbose bombardments.
I also have to point out that I never would have met Bluefire (congrats to him on becoming an official host too!) or became a voice actor for In Development if it weren’t for the podcast, so thanks to Will and Nic for keeping it up so long! I can only hope that they continue to bring a bit of Valve-themed joy into my life every weekend, and that William continues to let me end every call-in I make with a silly voice.
The world is fixated on the squeaky wheel,,,
My hats off to you William,,
Woo go William! Going good. The podcast is great, but I want to note out…. funny how you didn’t mention Emanuel. Hihi.
– Stalk
Well – thanks Phillip (and Steph) for posting this wonderful article about yours truly. I’ll try to not let it get to my head today on the podcast – OK I might let it get to my head but I promise I won’t brag too much… ok I might bring it up before every topic, but I promise it’ll just be for today.
I can’t stress enough how much I love the Half-Life community – it never fails to amaze me. Thanks again.
I also can’t stress enough how much of a help Nic is to not only the daily operation of the Podcast but the daily operation of my life! He is truly an excellent silent partner. I owe a lot of everything I have worked on to him.
So Nic is really silent, huh? Is Nic actually Gordon Freeman, working behind the scenes to empower the Resistance transmissions?
you gotta hand it to william – once she starts something there’s no stopping her
William is pretty awesome
Thank you to Phillip for such a nice article about my son William! I’m glad to know that over the years, when we had to constantly call him for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that he was actually working on a “gaming personality of the year award”.
Way to go guys… (and girls)
Billy’s Mom
You are most welcome and may I say that, although I have never met William face to face, you have brought up one of the nicest people I have ever met. Great job.
It’s nice to say thank you to one working in the background.
There are, I suspect, many others who work in and for the community; mappers and players alike.
Long may they continue, please.