I first got my start in gaming on an Atari 2600 when I was 7 years old. Thanks to two older brothers who were gamers themselves, I learned why Pitfall Harry came to hate crocodiles and what made Kaboom! such an aptly named title. Eventually, I’d manage to save up enough to get a system of my own, the Nintendo NES. Score! Now I was playing with power – Nintendo Power! At least that’s what I was told. And what games it had! Mario, Kid Icarus, Dragon Warrior, Zelda! It felt like a whole new experience to me. And that was just the beginning…

I came to absorb myself in games. PC, console, hand held – if I could rent it from the library, borrow it from a friend, or snag it from my brothers’ collections, I’d try to play it at least once. Some were great and some were…well, not. But it didn’t matter, because it always felt like going on a new adventure.

If a new console came out, I’d work all summer and had to have it. My friends used to joke that I had every system imaginable, even those they’d consider to be the “bad” ones (I still think the 3DO is one of the most underrated systems).

At 11, my oldest brother showed me a game series called Ultima. I thought it was incredible. The feeling of immersion and how interactive the whole world felt, made me realize that games could be so much more than just a series of bleeps and bloops. They could be an experience that talks back to you in the language of interaction. Stepping through a moongate into a world that felt so anchored, rich with lore, contextually logical – it made me realize that playing games simply wasn’t enough. I knew I was a gamer at heart, but I wanted to know what made them work. I wanted to know how I could share that same experience with others. And I’d try…

In between assigned work in Art class, I’d draw the things I’d want to see in a game. I still remember one of my classmates telling me good luck ever working on them professionally (thanks for the confidence!). And when I wasn’t learning classical music on the piano, I’d attempt to play some themes from the titles I loved. But it wasn’t more than wishful thinking at that point.

A few years later, an online version of Ultima came out. Only this time, it blended those experiences with the world of player connectivity. I instantly became hooked and lost way too many hours of sleep and study exploring Britannia (sorry mom!). But if it wasn’t for those memorable years, I wouldn’t have had my start in game development.

I was fortunate enough to help with the game’s volunteer customer support and befriend several great people that lived in Austin, TX. Eventually, I made the trek down there, fresh out of high school to fill a position as a customer support representative. It didn’t matter where I was in the company, I just wanted to be a part of the team.

Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to get that shot in game design. I’ve had the privilege of meeting great folks in all areas of development and each day feels like a journey that never ends. I’ve always believed if you work on what you really enjoy, you are more likely to put your all into it. And games are not a terribly bad thing to be working on :).

In my free time, I’m an avid movie watcher, viewing all sorts of genres (although I still prefer a good drama or suspense flick). I enjoy drawing and graphical design and now that I have a digital piano, you’re more likely to see me back at those keys playing Fantasie Impromptu or Claire De Lune. That is, when I’m not straying off into a Zelda melody…