The VidZone Network logos over the years

It’s been something like half a year since I wrote in this blog. That’s a shame since I’ve always enjoyed writing. But I also got into this Twitter thing that let’s me vent slowly in a stream of conscious manner. It’s sort of like how I treated my LiveJournal back in high school.

I can account my absence to my great fortune in returning back to the game-making biz. I was called back to EA Tiburon last July to write for the upcoming MMA project; I can’t get much more detailed than that. This opportunity was given to me from a recommendation by my friend (actually my project lead) from my gaming grad school, FIEA.

An aside: Let me make something very clear to you aspiring game makers. You know how they say everyone in Hollywood’s no more than six degrees from Kevin Bacon? In the games industry, it’s more like two steps from any person. The best thing you can do is to not make enemies. Don’t burn any bridges. I’m not saying you necessarily have to make friends (though that’d be tremendously helpful), just don’t piss anyone off. Yes, like high school, it’s better to be anonymous than to be disliked.

I’ve written (or at least copied press releases) about video games on a website or blog for well over 10 years. I love games, and I love sharing games. Even if I may sometimes forget about writing on this blog, I’ll shout my voice out somewhere on this big informational network of interconnected tubes. You don’t have to listen to me, but you’ll always be able to find me out there.

Where’ve I been since I last checked in? Well first, let me remind you that I graduated from graduate school in December of 2008. During that last semester I interned as a feature owner at a mega-publisher. Then I spent a short while at a small independent developer.

The following unemployment afforded me reason to go to GDC. Then the student project I worked on was showcased at the return of the glory days of E3. Right after that the phone calls came. Not necessarily from contacts I made at the show, but let me tell you, people appreciate hand-written thank you cards.

I did a quick R&D contract back at the indie developer for a new platform, and once again I was torn with the decision of pursuing a promising follow-up interview in Austin (this time with SOE) or accepting a shorter term contract at EA.

Ultimately I decided on EA because: 1.) I have so many friends in Orlando vs. almost no one in Austin. 2.) The EA position was already offered and waiting for me. 3.) Moving (especially long distances) is a bitch.

My first few calls with SOE in Austin went spectacularly, but unfortunately the timing was just wrong and the planets didn’t align that way. As much as I launch tirades about the whole Sony umbrella of companies (particularly the consumer electronics & Playstation hardware sides), I have tremendous respect and admiration for the actual game software that gets released and the trust and support that must have been given to get them to that level.

Anyway, my time on the MMA team has flown by so quickly. So much has been accomplished, and yet there is so much left to do. I was given a new contract to keep me on a bit longer, I was given more design & production responsibilities, and I even took a couple of trips to Miami last week.

Thanks to a tremendous hookup by our partners at Strikeforce, a large number of our team were able to enjoy fourth row floor seats at the recent Strikeforce: Miami fight. Then I was also entrusted to make an emergency power supply delivery to Madden Bowl, saving the day and allowing our fighters to get some hands-on time with their in-game characters.

Speaking of fighters, I don’t think any other team in gaming is even close to as lucky as we are in being able to regularly talk with and interact with our talent. And not on voice or video conference. In the same room. Over food with plenty of conversation.

Let me recap this: I was invited back to work for two different companies, large and small. That’s four gigs. I went to GDC. I went to E3. I sat cage side at a major televised MMA event. I went to Madden Bowl. All of this in less than two years out of school!

Needless to say, I count myself unbelievably fortunate. I can only hope that this fast-paced life really is just the start.