Sean R

Director of Central Technology

Bio

Starting life as a demo scene programmer, Sean quickly became lost in the world of polygons and visible surfaces. Around the same time that he entered college at the University of Texas at Dallas, Sean began work with his high school friend, Steve Jones, on the Opal Engine. The development of this engine brought much experience and led to working first at VRGN then at Gearbox Software. At Gearbox, Sean works with Steve Jones to create advanced technology for the PC and PlayStation 2, but he managed to find time to implement several key features of Half-Life: Opposing Force. Sean plans on finishing his Comp Sci degree at UTD, though it may take a while. Once, Sean ate a Taco Bueno product every day for ninety days.

Length of time I have been employed in the industry

Since '99.

Game companies I have worked for

Gearbox Software, baby!

Titles I have worked on

Half-Life: Opposing Force — PC expansion (October 1999). Half-Life — Dreamcast (unreleased). Half-Life: Blue Shift — PC expansion (July 2001) Half-Life — PlayStation 2 (November 2001). Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 — PC (October 2002). James Bond 007: Nightfire — PC (November 2002). Halo: Combat Evolved — PC (September 2003) Counter-Strike: Condition Zero — PC (March 2004) Brothers In Arms: Road to Hill 30 — PC, Xbox (March 2005). Brothers In Arms: Earned in Blood — PC, Xbox (October 2005).

Advice

Resources I would recommend for those interested in getting into game development (books, tutorials, sites, etc)

I would recommend first that your passion be about your craft, rather than "working in games." Be passionate about being a great programmer or artist, and then consider the gaming field. We have great respect and interest in programmers who want to be applying their passion to the field of gaming, and less interest in people who want to work in games doing "whatever."

Favorites

First game I remember playing

Patty cake? (Web team edit: He still plays this in his office when he thinks no one is looking.)

All-time favorite game

River City Ransom? Advance Wars? Civilization? Age of Empires? Quake I? Serious Sam? One of those, depending on the moon.

Non-video gaming hobbies

Reading, random coding projects.

Favorite bands/music

Music as an art form is overrated in my opinion. I like stuff that's fun or that's performed by interesting people. Most of this art form just feels really silly and contrived to me.

Favorite books/authors

Neil Stephenson, Orson Scott Card, Ann Rice, Ayn Rand, I read a bunch though, so I'm definitely leaving some people out. Totally enjoyed Stephen King's Dark Tower series...

Favorite TV shows

Basically all the HBO stuff + The Colbert Report.

Favorite movies

Joe vs the Volcano, Ghostbusters, Tombstone, Predator, Die Hard, Ghost in the Shell, 5th Element, 2001 Solaris, Aliens, Red, Sonja Blade, Army of Darkness, The Dark Crystal, Heat, Contact, Time Bandits, Baseketball, Logan's Run, Clue, Blade Runner, Starship Troopers, A Clockwork Orange, Heathers, Scrooged, The Graduate, Run Lola Run, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Top Secret!, The Royal Tenenbaums, Amelie, Grave of the Fireflies, Beetlejuice, The Last Starfighter, UHF, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Favorite quote

I live on quotes. No way I can pick just one. It would be like picking your favorite letter of the alphabet.