"WHO AM I? I'm a competitive gamer, problem solver and as of recently a video game developer." - cliath
General Questions
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP AND ARE YOU STILL LIVING THERE? I grew up around Seattle, but now I'm living in Dallas, TX.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO GAMING? I've been gaming as long as I can remember. I always had a console and PC in my house to play on.
FOR THE READERS, HOW DO YOU KNOW ME? I met saw Lauren at PAX one year and knew she would make a great friend someday! I said hello, wished her luck in the Miss Video Game competition. We ended up playing CS and WoW online together after that and never looked back!
WHERE DO YOU WORK AND WHAT DO YOU DO THERE?
I'm a programmer at id Software. I am tasked with creating build system and continuous integration software that analyzes and automates the development process of id Tech 5 games.
TELL US HOW YOU GOT INTO THAT INDUSTRY?
I got into the industry through an amazing friend! I already had a couple years of professional programming experience when an awesome friend I had met at PAX a few years earlier and ended up playing games with online mentioned an opportunity to get into the industry. I jumped at the chance!
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS IN THE INDUSTRY?
My ultimate goal is to help eSports grow into a world-wide every household entertainment experience in the same sense that conventional sports are. I want to help ensure that competitive gaming maintains and even increases the amount of skill required to play at a professional level as well as add new levels of entertainment to the spectator experience.
ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE READERS ON HOW THEY COULD PURSUE LANDING THEIR DREAM CAREER?
Meet people. I'm not the most sociable guy, but getting out to gaming events and conventions is where all the action is. Its not going to be an immediate jump into the industry, even in my case it was years of friendship that lead to my job. Make friends with people who are doing the things that you would love to be doing. I think a common misconception is that you can just go up to a game developer and start talking about programming or whatever aspect of game development you are interested in and hand them a resume and you're in. You gotta be patient, just make friends and eventually you'll both be at a point where you can help each other out professionally.
video game questions
WHEN DID YOU GET INTO GAMING AND HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED?
Ooo there ain't no other way
Baby I was born this way
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way
WHAT IS YOUR PROMINENT GAMING STATION? XBOX, PS3, PC, WII, OTHER? PC
HAVE YOU EVER COMPETED? IF YES, WHERE AT, WHAT GAME(S), HAVE YOU WIN ANYTHING FROM IT? I've played in online leagues with some friends, never really won anything notable from that.
WHAT GAME ARE YOU PLAYING NOW? Quake Live
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LIKE AND ONE THIS YOU DISLIKE ABOUT THAT GAME? As a realtively new player in the Quake scene, the weapon strategy combined with the movement physics in Quake Live is beyond any other game I have ever played.
I would love to see better tools for introducing new players to the game. As horrible dueler, I would like a training mode that helps practice pickup timings and locations.
WILL YOU ACTUALLY BEAT THAT GAME OR SHELF IT AND MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ONE? I don't think I'll ever shelf QL, but I don't think my LG is good enough to beat it either.
WHAT IS THE NEXT GAME YOU WILL BE PLAYING AFTER THAT? I'm about to start playing Gears of War 3.
HOW DO YOU VIEW THE GAMING INDUSTRY TODAY? WOULD YOU CHANGE SOMETHING ABOUT IT IF YOU HAD THE POWER? My point of view is that gaming is currently going through puberty. Its had an awkward growth spurt and is trying to sit at the lunch table with the cool kids. As I mentioned before, I would like to see competitive gaming gain some ground.
cliath's favorites
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME? Singleplayer Console: Metal Gear Solid, Multiplayer Console: Super Smash Brothers, Multiplayer PC: Counter-Strike, Singleplayer PC: Diablo
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GENRE? FPS
WHAT IS YOUR WEAPON OF CHOICE? AWP
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME CHARACTER - OLD SCHOOL? Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME CHARACTER - NEW GEN? GLaDOS
MULTIPLAYER MODE OF CHOICE? Round based team play
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MAP AND WHICH GAME IS IT IN? de_cpl_fire, Counter-Strike
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SNACK/DRINK COMBO THAT YOU STUFF YOUR FACE WITH WHEN YOU GAME? Pizza & Mtn Dew
JELLYBEAN FLAVOR..? Melon
TYPE OF MUSIC/BAND YOU LIKE? Weezer
GAMER GIRL AND GUY YOU FOLLOW? L337Lauren and sWoozie
POKEMON? Stewpidog
SOCKS? OH GOD NOT TUBE SOCKS