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November's Dragon Lord Spotlight - ChefJen

This month the spotlight shines on Dragon Lord ChefJen! She has done tremendous work helping out other players and bringing together the Brazilian playerbase. She has even been a guest on our live stream to walk through base-building!

Note: ChefJen has also translated her interview into Portuguese! View it here.

What is your current level, team, and league?

[A]: My current level? Do we have to discuss this? Next you're going to ask me if I told the truth when the DMV applications requests that you state your weight! I'm currently a level 81. So as I mentally imagine all the players who are in the hundreds arena groaning, I'd just like to gently remind everyone that I carry knives. Sharp ones. I started gaming just a few years ago and my Jedi mentor (I'm still but a Padwan) firmly embedded the hatred of 'buying your way up' into my brain. While I can't say that I've NEVER bought rubies and packs (kudos to those of you who honestly never have!), I'd like to think that in War Dragons, at least, I’ve pretty much worked my way up. Plus, I have two accounts.

I'm currently the honored leader of Brasilsempre, a predominantly Portuguese speaking team. But our Portuguese speaking crew isn't even all residing in Brazil! We have Brazilians in Japan, the US, and even one from Austria. We do have a two American ladies from California and even an Australian - none of whom speak Portuguese. Big ups to Lump420, Stripella, and Bandit for

hanging in there! The rest of the team considers our gringo members 'born again' Brazilians and I'm sure we'll have them all speaking Português in no time! Which would be awesome and save me a lot of time as I currently write all wiki content and team mails in two languages. We are currently at the top of our Platinum league but intentionally losing a few wars as the more seasoned players and I agree that we just aren't ready for Sapphire yet.

Two months ago, I took on leadership of this team. Including myself, we were nine strong! So the quick drop from Sapphire all the way to Silver league was inevitable and didn't require a crystal ball or a call to Cleo to foretell. Thanks to the faith of those who stuck with me as well as the limitless optimism and drive of my officers, we've made it back to Platinum with a full roster of 50 players! We are always recruiting, however! Always 'trimming the fat' and trying to rid ourselves of 'dead weight.’ So, if you're interested in learning Portuguese, what better way?

And if you speak Portuguese, come home!
Oh, and I did tell the truth on the DMV form. The truth is always far more interesting!

When did you start playing War Dragons?

[A]: I started playing War Dragons in June of last year. Almost since Day 1. I didn't really get into it for about 4-5 months though. I must admit I didn't even like it at first. My dear friend Salieri of CornFedCrew basically threatened me into playing! He had 'made me' download and play Clash of Clans a few months prior so I guess he figured he might try his luck at 2 for 2. He's my Jedi mentor I spoke of previously and I try to emulate his leadership style as much as possible. He's the guy who loves everyone on his team to death but cusses you out with all sorts of never-before heard expletives if you don't do your war attacks. Charming guy, I swear! He definitely grows on you. Somewhat like a barnacle on a whale. This is definitely not the game for those who want a few minutes of mind-numbing entertainment that requires little attention. Candy Crush might be more up their alley. I first thought the game to be so confusing! But once I changed my perspective and decided to look at it more like a secret encoded message to be deciphered, it became more and more appealing as I navigated my way through the labyrinth of tabs, choices, settings, etc. And this was before Runes even came into play! (Imagine how much fun translating runes for 45 players is!)
Here's a screenshot of some of my handiwork:

I translated words or used the corresponding icons for spells... not fun. Some of the game content isn’t translated when playing on a language other than English, so I do my best to provide my teammates with them where needed.

What initially drew you to War Dragons?

[A]: I wasn't drawn to this game as much as I was pushed towards it. Heels dug in and protests notwithstanding. See my mention of salieri above. The appeal was the dragons for sure though. In CoC, I was a huge dragon fan. That's what kept me coming back even though, for the most part, I felt utterly lost until about level 30.

Why have you stuck with the game?

[A]: I've stuck with this game because I'm stubborn as all get-out. Hahahha while that is true, I really feel that War Dragons is not just a game (queue the dramatic orchestra). Honestly, the game is constantly evolving and growing as the player grows and evolves within it. 'Static' and 'predictable' are definitely not two adjectives I'd ever attribute it. I always chuckle when I see players complaining, "fix the bugs/issues before introducing new content." Isn't art imitating life, even in WD? Though I, myself, have been phone-smashing infuriated a few times over glitches, c'est la vie! Suck it up, buttercup! Life doesn't wait for you to have it all figured out before throwing you a curveball. Or a dozen of them. The quirks and glitches and changes in WD are what make it more lively. Well, that and all the weirdos playing it. Myself included, of course!

We heard you have strong ties with the Brazilian community in the game!
Can you tell us more about how you've helped to cultivate this group within the community?

[A]: Brazilians! Gotta love em! No, really! Psychological studies on happiness have shown that, by country, the happiest people in all the world come from a politically corrupt third world nation: Brazil! I'm a first-generation American. My father was born in Terceira. It's a tiny island in the North Atlantic about the size of the city of Bakersfield. His family emigrated to Brazil when he was a child and my mom was a Brazilian. Growing up, I was never allowed to speak English at home. Of course, I hated it. I hated all the extra Portuguese homework 'the foreigners' (as I called my parents behind their backs) made me do and I just 'wanna be like normal American kids!' Plus, I lived in Rio for two years as a child and have been to Brazil a handful of times. I still have family there and if I were independently wealthy, you'd find me on the sands of Copacabana beach getting a dangerous sun tan while drinking a Caipirinha. I've always gravitated to Brazilians in every aspect of my life. You might say they're my Kryptonite. Once I joined Brasilsempre, I saw what a disadvantage Brazilians (and probably every other non-English speaking player) have in War Dragons. I am committed to closing the gap, as much as I can. Outside of the game, I'm available to all Brasilsempre players by phone, email, Facebook, Kik, WhatsApp, courier pigeon, or smoke signal. Although, the last two have proven to be somewhat tricky given our geographical distance. I also chat with members and leaders of other Portuguese-speaking teams and would like to think I have a cordial and civil relationship with them all if not outright friendly. Since the 'News' section of in-game e-mails aren't translated, I make an effort to pass along the info to other team leaders. I really do wish more content was translated for non-English speakers. Since it is more challenging for my Brazilian friends, I find that they lose interest in the game and become disheartened easier and often quit playing altogether before it gets really fun! Don't leave before the miracle happens!

What have been some of your favorite moments in War Dragons so far?

[A]: Some of my favorite moments in War Dragons this far? Every time I'm on and see the banner to 'Defend Yourself!' And instead of defending, quickly transfer all resources to a teammate and imagine the frustration the attacker must feel when, completing the attack, learns that to the victor does NOT go the spoils. Hahahhaha! Or when a war that was declared against your team doesn't go as well as the other team would have liked! I love when people ask for resources in league chat! Or announce that they have a ton and who would like some? We've all accidentally posted in LC before but I still get a chuckle out of it.

Besides those types of moments, which I'm sure everyone has had, there is a particular moment in my War Dragons life that that is dear to me: my officers and I were manically recruiting to rebuild Brasilsempre. I sent an email to every potential recruit in addition to just tapping the 'Invite' button. I'd been lucky and found Velho, the leader of a Portuguese-speaking team who was willing to come join us and bring his most active players along. We reached the turning point where, although not quite out of the woods yet, there was definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. You see, when trying to rebuild Brasilsempre, there were many times when I felt it would be wisest to disband the team and thank the players who stuck it out for their loyalty. But tell them that it wasn't going to happen and for them to find homes on other teams. But, having reached this turning point, I thanked the officers in our group chat and told them how I couldn't have done it without them. How grateful I was that they had stuck it out with me, and that I couldn't wish for a better bunch of guys to work with. That is still true today. So I'd be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to thank them again now. Enydragon, KaldrogoBR, KingJusti12, Velho, and Argosmontehain - you guys are the best.

Who are some of the standout personalities you like to play with and why?

[A]: Stand-out personalities aren't hard to come by in WD. For some reason this game attracts the craziest, strangest, and most funny as well as very intelligent people. Besides my own teammates, my favorites are: Salieri for being a true friend and mentor as well as dictatorial brute who urges everyone on to greatness with a healthy dose of yelling that makes me wonder why he doesn't coach football. Angry8ird who, when I asked for resources once, sent me 69 food. Not 69k. Just 69. That was hilarious. Jerk! Horsehead - probably my favorite Brit who I had pegged all wrong. Loordy and CoringaBR- even though we're not on the same team anymore (they're on the newly formed and highly successful ViciadosBR), they were always the most lively guys and fun to be around. Their good attitude is the kind that everybleader dreams for. Preall, Slverfox and Dayday as well as everyone else at Coffee and Tacos. Oh man... I realize I could go on and on and still not cover everyone. Every single player I've had the pleasure of interacting with has taught me something whether they realized it or not.

What is one feature you really wish was in the game?

[A]: I really, really, really wish the game had a shield of sorts, like Clash of Clans. Where after getting hit, you're protected for a while. Or maybe instant resource transfer. Or even higher percentages protected in storage. It's just impossible to rack up the amounts needed the way things are currently.

What keeps you motivated to continue to level up?

[A]: I'm motivated to keep leveling up every time I see a level 346 Lx460 on the horizon. Because if I don't keep moving forward, I'll just end up falling behind!

We heard you're a real chef! What do you spend your time with when you're not playing War Dragons?

[A]: As a single mom of an amazing 7-year-old, Chef, Girl Scouts Troop Leader, and Art instructor/ Art Program coordinator for my daughter's school, I'm ridiculously short on time. I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead. Sleep is for the weak anyhow. And little babies. Or old ladies. Currently, my only goal within the game is to not end up in an insane asylum. Truly. That and to not have to declare bankruptcy as a result of playing. Everything else is bonus!

Yep, I really am a real chef! With all the amazing things to eat out there, we are never going to be skinny! I can make most anything but my favorite is pastry. Specifically homemade ice cream and cheesecake! I make an Irish car bomb cheesecake that's heavenly. For those of you who've never had an Irish Car Bomb, it's a half-pint of Guinness and a shot of Bailey's and Jameson. You drop the shot glass into the pint glass and CHUG QUICKLY! Otherwise the mixture curdles. If you have an aversion to beer yogurt, you'll end up tossing your cookies. Losing your lunch. Spewing. Yacking. Hurling. Barfing. In other words: vomiting! But the flavor combo is amazing. Of the Car Bomb - not the ejecta!
Some people call it 'Adult chocolate milk.' Although I don't think it tastes ANYTHING like chocolate milk, I did put away 21 of these tasty concoctions when I hosted my birthday party at an Irish pub a few years ago! But I digress... the cheesecake has Guinness in the crust, Bailey's Irish Creme in the cheesecake, and a Jameson caramel sauce on top! My favorite ice cream is maple bacon! And I add little crumbles of candied bacon on top (think peanut brittle but with bacon instead!)

If you could soar through the sky on the back of a single War Dragon which one would it be?

[A]: If I could soar on the back of a single War Dragon I'd have to say I'd choose Amarok. Though I know that I'll soon outgrow him, he's the workhorse of my dragon roster. Either Amarok or the warrior that can be summoned via spell. Where does he come from? Does he materialize out of thin air? Is he hanging out in a Dragon firehouse of sorts? Waiting for that emergency alarm to sound so that he can slide down the pole into battle? Since inquiring minds want to know, I wouldn't mind riding in on him so I can find out. And why doesn't the nameless warrior have a name? That's kinda messed up. Poor thing comes to the rescue so many times we should give the poor S.O.B a name! Since Ryuu is the Water Dragon, Summon Warrior should be the counterpart- fire. And if he's the fire bringer, maybe we can name him Prometheus? I kinda like the ring of that. Feel free to go ahead and use that, PG. You're welcome!

If people want to connect with you, what is the best way for them to do so?

[A]: If people want to connect with me I'll give ya all the necessary info just please don't come raiding me ruthlessly and ad nauseam! After being featured on the live stream, I easily replied to at least 100 emails regarding base-building. Which was cool. But the extra 100 attacks on my base were not! Besides smoke signal and courier pigeon, one can reach me in game. My name is ChefJen and my team is Brasilsempre. My email is thechefiscrazy[at]yahoo.com. That is also how you'd find me on Facebook. If you get 'non-creep' status, I'll give ya my number and you can text me directly or on WhatsApp.

Lastly, with Thanksgiving around the corner, what is your favorite side dish to make?

[A]: With Thanksgiving around the corner you'd think I would be brining a Turkey and getting it ready for cooking. Nope. My family is quite big (40-50) people and I've not yet earned the role of Turkey roaster. Being a trained Chef doesn't mean jack, apparently. So I'll be making the mashed potatoes and gravy for this year's family feast. But some of my other favorite dishes are a cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries and cilantro. I make a mean bread pudding that started off with Paula Deen's recipe. I love green bean casserole but if you use canned green beans, forget it. Haricot verts (yes I'm showing off the French I learned while working at a restaurant in southern France) should be fresh! Especially if you live in California. We grow everything here so there's really no excuse. Finally, if you make a killer pecan pie you're always welcome at my place! Pecan pie is what I'd eat every day for the rest of my life if I were told I had only a few months to live... no doubt from eating too much pie in the first place!

We would like to extend a huge Thank You to ChefJen for all that you do for our community!

Each month we feature a stand out player in War Dragons to celebrate their accomplishments and contributions to our community. If you would like to nominate a fellow player for this honor, please let us know by sending us a message on Twitter @wardragonsgame and briefly tell us why you think they would make a great person to feature!

View our previous Dragon Lord Spotlights:

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