New Users Post Here!
Introduce yourself!
There where so many people at the AGD meeting that it strtikes me as odd that the forum doesnbt have that many people posting on it.
If you havent posted, reply to this with who you are, what you do, what you want to do. whether your in games, want to be in games, teach games, etc.
me, Im Eric Kinkead, own Game Titan for 6 years. Working on 7th title. And I annoy just about everyone w/long, off the wall, ideolgical posts. 
I'm Marc Majcher, and I've just started a job at frog design, but I've been an independent programming contractor for the last five years or so. I ran a small web-game site for a couple years back in '97 or so, and I've been tinkering with game programming and design again in the last few years, between paying gigs.
In my copious free time, I also teach the Intro to Game Programming class at ACC, and work with Quoc on AGD. Sometimes, I actually get to play a game now and then. Sometimes.
I'm Greg Arsaga. I don't live in Austin yet. Though I'm hoping to be there soon. I'm trying to get a job in the games industry, but I think I'll have to move to Austin with a Tech Support job like I have now. I just didn't want to pass up the opportunity to introduce myself in this thread. 
I'm Jeff Jakubowski. I don't live in Austin yet, either, but plan on making the move down there in about a month and a half. I do not yet work in games, but am trying very hard to land my first gig in the business. I am an audio engineer/producer/composer, with extensive studio and production experience. I too just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself in this thread. Howdy!
I'm Handinata Tanudjaja or you can just call me Handi. Used to work in a game company for almost 2 years, and right now still trying to get a programming job in a game company. The good thing of being unemployed is having lots of free time to learn many new stuffs but the bad thing is negative cash flow 
Currently focusing on learning to develop Windows app. with C#.
I'm Michael Lubker, and I'm the lead coordinator of the IGDA Independent Games SIG. Currently taking Game Design 1 at ACC. And looking for opportunities in the game industry.
I'm Joe Wilson, I don't work right now, but I'm hoping to break in soon.
I just graduated from the Art Institute of Phoenix 4 weeks ago. When I started there 3 years ago, I wanted to be a Game Designer and still do. Level Design has been an interest of mine as well.
Ah, those are dreams of mine. Right now, I love texturing, it doesn't matter if it's environments or characters, I just like making textures. Photo manip, or painting.
I like cats and my hobbies are somewhat long walks on the beach and training pokemon.
Originally posted by JoeDaveWilson
...training pokemon.
I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST A CARTOON!! Pikachu, I choose you!
I'm Patrick Rogers, moving to Austin from Mississippi in a few months to work whatever crap job I can find until I bug a gaming company enough to hire me on.
If you were at the July 13th meeting, I was the smaller of the three Mississippi guys who brought the beer.
--
Patrick Rogers
And I guess that would make me the larger of the three MS guys. I'll be in Austin as soon as I can find a job up there.
Originally posted by Quoc Tran
... I don't think anything takes the steam out of a discussion quicker than when everyone basically agrees.
My name is Dan Manfredini and I work at Multimedia Games as a programmer. My hobbies include designing and playing board games, card games, dice games, computer games and all others you can think of. Also, I have a magic unicorn that can ... er ... I think I've said too much already.
Hi Dan,
I used to be an Illustrator at MGAM. I miss it very much. I hope you're doing well there! Tell people I said hello, they'll know me!
Multimedia Games... I've heard many good things about it from people who work there. Very stable company, too.
Hey folk
My name is Ian, just moved out here from LA. Gotta say this hot weather isnt as much fun as I was hoping. Right now I work at NCSoft doing a non-production related job but hopefully can get into an art role relatively quickly.
When I'm not at home working on a personal project or two you can find me exercising or skydiving.
On a final note, the Alamo Draft house is by far the best way to see a movie.
Welcome aboard! Were you one of the Glendale folks?
Originally posted by mweyna
On a final note, the Alamo Draft house is by far the best way to see a movie.
Agreed. If you haven't already, you have to catch the Sinus Show (which used to be Mister Sinus Theater until they got sued).
Yep, they shipped about half of our office out here. Other half decided not to make the trip unfortunantly. All good guys that will be missed losing any members of the team is tough but when you lose half it doesnt quite hit you till after the axe has dropped.
Hi,
I'm Sean Gautreaux. You may have seen my other posts about when to visit Austin. With the advice of the others, I've decided to go there for the conference. I've been to E3 and GDC, so it will be interesting to see how this one is.
I'm a good blend of traditional art and digital arts. I earned a bachelor's (painting) from LSU and headed to NYC for a master's in the same. Once I took a computer course the first semester, I switched majors to CG. While the entire department was eyeing movies and web design, I was striving for game development. I'm glad I did, since web design in NYC crashed and working for a movie studio now-a-days can be a nightmare.
I have experience with 3 games (2 shipped) and, obviously, I have my sights on Austin now. Dallas, Houston or Corpus Christi would be nice as well, but there is only one city I have never heard a bad word about, and that's Austin.
Is it hard to get crawfish there?
Sean
Sean, Houston is the pit of hell. Dallas is worse.
Welcome to Austin all you NCsoft folks from CA. I moved here a few years ago from LA. Really the humidity you get used to, just wait until your allergies kick in. But the beer is cold, the music amazing, and the people actually genuine.
I've already sort of introduced myself but I'll try again here - I'm just entering the gaming world. In my "real life" I'm an anthropology PhD teaching occasionally at Texas State. I play all kinds of games but love MMOs, stealth and survival horror FPSs more than most games. I'd like to make a living working with the games that I love.
Seems like a nice group of folks here on the Austin UGDA forums. I'll most likely be at the happy hour on the 10th, see some of you there.
Originally posted by Sean3D
Is it hard to get crawfish there?
You'll probably have to settle for the Chinese crawfish. Then again, so long as Louisiana crawfish farmers think their product is worth more than gold most people will buy Chinese crawfish.
Originally posted by JenD
Sean, Houston is the pit of hell. Dallas is worse.
Jen, why did you say that?
I am asking this because I might be moving to Houston for a job *sigh*
OK, I might be exagerating a bit, but in my mind Houston really is the embodiment of all that can go wrong with a city. It has terrible sprawl, very bad traffic, places with a sense of community identity are few and far between, and it is fairly polluted. I've heard it compared to LA yet without the nice weather, ocean and mountains near by. I've got family there who say that there are at least tons of good restaurants and some "really good malls"...
I grew up in Houston and left as soon as I could. I come back every now and then to visit, but it just seems to get worse every time I see more of the city. I second Jen's statement that Houston is the pit of hell.
The biggest difference between Houston and Austin: mean people versus nice people... relatively speaking. You can really see the difference on the roads with other drivers. It took me a long time to adjust my driving style to a friendlier Austin version. But there's also more of a busta-cap-in-yo-ass kind of mentality in Houston than Austin.
I strongly suggest many hours of VR driving simulation if moving to Houston. Xbox - Forza. PS2 - Gran Tourismo 4.
The food is better in Houston, though. And if you're a fan of plastic surgery, you get to see more of that in Houston.
Thx for the infos!
Yeah, the food sure is excellent and cheaper than Austin too.
Need to play GT 4, heh? That means I have to hang around Frys alot more often coz they got the whole set of driving simulator equipment for the public to try (Note: If the person who is playing it is an asian guy with glasses then most likely that would be me :P).
Welcome Everyone !!!!
regarding Houstonians...
I kind of love Houston. It has such a bad rap from people but I love it. I get a lot of ribbing for loving that city for some reason. And infact it seems that all texas cities have massive rivalries over one another. which is silly. Each one has different things to offer.
but back to houston... yea, Houston is definately a wonderful mecca of a city as far as I am concerned. I am not to into the suburbs and strip mall aspect.. but the new revitalized and ultra modern downtown area is just too awesome. And it's relatively cheap to live near it. I've been very tempted to pick up and move locations to their downtown district many, many times.
And their art community is the BEST in texas hands down.
Austin has more of a college grungy feel as where downtown H-town is more modern and hip w/proffesionals cutting loose rather than teens, early twenty somethings, and hippies.
After my game is finished in a few weeks I will be looking forward to doing some live VJ stuff with some of my music and video mixes at CLARK'S.
http://www.clarksrecording.com/
If your in Houston attend! it will be fun!
Hello,
I came in a little late to post, but I'll introduce myself anyway.
I'm a student at ACC under Bob McGoldrick's Video Game Design Program and a Graphic Design student at the same location.
I hope to enter the game industry as an artist with both 2D (concept/illustration) and 3D skills. I also help with AGD flyers.
I am happy to see other pokemon masters on the board.
Originally posted by BlueFly
I am happy to see other pokemon masters on the board.
I challenge you to a battle...to the death!
Hi,
I am Patrick Moran and I am a Designer at Knockabout Games. We are closing our doors pretty soon so I am in the process of surveying the job market for another position.
In my spare time I make quirky games for the PC. My interest is directed towards bringing games to the mass market and making games that appeal to people outside the hardcore audience. I am also known to spend a huge amount of time trying to figure out how to take over the world.
That sucks to hear. I hope you'll be able to find a new gig soon.
My name is Christian Sheppard. I am from Seattle WA. This site was just referred to me by someone from Amaze. I registered with AGD and placed this post because I am beginning the process of moving to the Austin area. I have read some of the other posts that decribe both those that work in the area as well as those who are in the same boat as I and are interested in moving to the area, and I find the info posted super helpful.
Looking forward to digging in and getting to know you all and the things available in town.
more later.
Christian
I'm Quoc Tran, and I work at NCsoft. I make bad programmer art and I track schedules for the Core tech team.
On a slight side note, I don't believe ideological posts are bad since a lot of great discussions are spurred this way. I don't think anything takes the steam out of a discussion quicker than when everyone basically agrees.