I build the world in which the players live. I sculpt the terrain to form mountains, valleys, and all that good earthy stuff. I make the textures for things like dirt, grass, and rock as well as paint these textures on the terrain. I place structures and other items the world art team has built, and if the need calls for it, I make trees, rocks, and other natural things. I layout the encounters, set up dramatic and memorable scenes, make the sky, and some other stuff here and there.
In short, I make nature. In an MMO, that’s a majority of what the player sees and interacts with, so it’s an awesome position. I can’t take all the credit though. There are other on the terrain team that perform the same tasks and they do a great job.
What is your background? College? 1st game industry job? How long have you been with Mythic?
Well, I’ve been with Mythic for about a year and some change now. I went to school at the Art Institute
of Phoenix and had completed two of the three years in the bachelor program when I was contacted by
Mythic about a project I posted on Polycount’s forum. They liked my work and wanted me to do a test.
So I gave it my all and I guess they liked it because here I am. This is my first job in the industry
and I couldn’t be any happier than I am now. I love my job.
What was your “welcome to the game industry” moment when it hit you that you were really making games
for a living?
Probably when I was working on WAR’s Marshes of Madness, which was the first zone I helped create. I put
it in game and people were running around really enjoying the map. That was the first time it hit me;
I was in the gaming industry and doing this kind of stuff for a living.
What excites you about the Warhammer property? What makes it perfect for an MMO? What cool things
in the Warhammer universe do you hope to bring to life?
Chaos and the Empire are two of the main reasons I love Warhammer and why I believe it’s a great
world for
an MMO. Warhammer is unlike any other MMO out there today. Nothing is cute, there are no prancing fairies.
It’s all about the struggle for survival. It’s a world at its darkest hour with no sign of emerging
victorious. War is everywhere and whether you want to or not, you will have to join the fight. That
is the feeling I hope to convey in all the parts of the world I build; a sense of urgency and despair.
Do you collect Warhammer figures? What army do you play? Does your spouse let you display them
when friends come over for dinner?
I wouldn’t say I collect them. I do have my own little army though, and of course I play Chaos. Nothing
is cooler than a body of huge armor with a tiny head! And I can display them whenever I want because
I am currently single...... ladies???
What are your hopes/goals for the game?
Well, like all of us, I want the game to be a hit. But I really want the hardcore Warhammer fans to
be satisfied with what we have made. Warhammer is a great game and a great idea. My only hope is to
do it justice.
What are your key influences when making the game? Anything besides Warhammer?
Obviously, anything Warhammer I can get my hands on is a great inspiration. I also find that I am
influenced by real life experience, having lived in Europe and throughout the US during my time as a military brat. I got to see a lot of the world and I bring that to the game. Plus, I own lots of landscaping, aerial photography, and concept art books.
What is the biggest problem with current MMO’s you hope to fix with WAR?
“I beat it... now what do I do?” This is an all too common problem with MMO’s. I think WAR provides a
new style of game play that will lend itself to great end-game content. This is much more interesting
than “How big can I get my shoulder pads?”
What are your favorite video/computer games of all time? What games are you playing right now?
What game should the reader be playing if he’s not?
The list is massive, but if I had to name a few... My favorites of all time are Metal Gear Solid for
Playstation One, Faxanadu, Twin Cobra, Contra, Zelda, Blade Warrior for PC, \
Final Fantasy 7,
Half-Life,
Mega Man, Ultima Online, and Metroid to name a few. Right now I’m playing
Dead Rising and Gears of War.
If I could recommend any games for the reader to play; I would say find older games. People often limit their field of play to new games with shiny graphics. Some of the best games I ever played were made long before I even touched a computer.
What music are you listening to right now?
Unearth. Yes, screaming-dude heavy metal. Nothing helps me get into working mode better than fast paced
heavy metal. It makes you feel like you have to do everything quick so it helps me do my job fast.
Is there a recent movie you’ve seen or book/comic you read that you’d recommend to others?
Glory Road by Robert Heinlein. My father gave me this book for my birthday and it is one of the best
books I’ve read.
Anything else you want to add?
Just a hello to my mom, dad and brother. I miss all of you. And I have to add my favorite quote
that I also feel works well for WAR:
"The most noble fate a man can endure is to place his own mortal body between his loved home and
war's desolation."
-Robert Heinlein
