Gonna head out in a bit and see STATE OF PLAY and then hit the toob and play some KILLZONE 2 single player. I spent lots of time with the MP but am only now going back to go thru the one player campaign. So far, I'm digging it lots. Pretty amazing looking game, that's for sure. Oh and playing OUTRUN on the 360 as well! Very fun, very addictive!
Anyway, been accruing game biz pics over the last few months and figured I'd post them here just for fun, and to also shine the tiny light which I am able to shine on lots of other amazing men and women who make the game biz run. So here ya go- and I'll chat with ya'll more regular like start of next week!
David
This is at the Sony party at GDC. At this point, I was as drunk as I have been in several years. At pic left is Scott Hyman, Biz Dev head of Creat Studios (they of the PSN addictive MAGIC BALL, among many others). At pic right is super agent to the stars, Gina Ramirez of UTA talent agency. I do not know why I look so smarmy in this pic. Perhaps I get smarmy when I get drunk? Either way, there ya go. And yes I am wearing the same clothes here as I did on the Bonus Round that was taped the next day. Like I said, I was very drunk. It was a very long night that never really ended. It just kind of went from here to the glamor spot that is Denny's. And then, before you know it, it was the next day and there I was, hung over and trying to hold my own on the Bonus Round
Some of the heaviest hitters in the Sony family...and then me :) That's Shu Yoshida who runs the product development ball of wax- all over the WORLD!- for Playstation. If it wasn't for this man, you'd have no ICO (among many other ground breaking games). Sean Layton is next to me, who now runs Japan's Playstation PD and has been a major Sony playa/heavy hitter for years. And then there's Studdy at the end, Shannon Studstill who was the GOD OF WAR I producer (i.e. she who pulled the whole damn chaotic thing together), was exec prod. on GOW II and is now over at EA Los Angeles.
This is me- drunk again- on the first night of the show. I am really not that big of a drinker, altho these pics would indicate otherwise. But biz shows are not only for nuts and bolts work, but the nights are great times to hook up with industry friends and colleagues and just blow it out. So there tends to be lots of drinking. But by the third night of the show, I was done with the booze and just wanted to hit my hotel room and watch a flick. Anyway, this is me when I took the trumpet off some random San Fran cab driver's dashboard and proceeded to see if I could still play the INDY JONES theme (as well as the ON BROADWAY solo from back in high school...either it was that or GIMME SOME LOVIN')...either way, I can't play the damn trumpet anymore....not that I was ever much good at it. But now it sounds like a duck being slaughtered.
And here's the cab driver- whose horn this was- taking the trumpet and showing me how it's done. Why the FUCK I put my mouth on some strange cab driver's trumpet (shut the fuck up) I have no idea. But he could play, that's for sure. Glad I've not come down with anything since that nite. Perhaps all the booze killed whatever germs were living in the mouthpiece.
Did I mention there was much drinking? Here's me doing the only thing in my life that even comes close to being a gangsta: drinking Patron like a fucking fish. Altho I hear these days the rappers are into the White Russians and Patron is kind of out of vogue. Ah well. That's me, Shannon/Studdy, and then Nate (who was a designer on God of War II and is now doing external design work for Sony Santa Monica) and God of War III game director, Stig Asmussen.
Me and Shannon in some cool light.
We're missing Ru (the director from CHAINS OF OLYMPUS...altho me and Shannon downed pancakes and french fries with him later that night) but here's me, Shannon, God of War II director Cory Barlog, and God of War III director Stig Asmussen!
Now this is both amazing, flattering, embarrassing, and sad. This is the FUCKING ANIMATION DIRECTOR for MGS4!!! Yes, that's right- the man who fucking worked hand in hand with Kojima to create some of the best- oh hell, THE BEST- cinematics ever put in a video game. And I can NOT REMEMBER HIS NAME!!! :( I was just getting my drink on- but was buzzed enough- that I have blanked on this super talented dude's name!!! Also his name is Japaneese and I'm bad remembering names from Japan. So if you are reading this, please shoot me an email. I would love to stay in touch. So cool that he came up to me and told me how much he dug GOD OF WAR. And I was like: oh man, you worked on MGS4?!? So it was very cool. But how lame that his name has slipped my mind :(
Me and Eric, one of Sony Santa Monica's external senior producers and magnet for drunk Persian women. Eric is working with us on the new game and also seems to know pretty much everyone in the biz. This is from dinner with the Sony folks out in Utah just a few days ago.
Me and Eat Sleep Play Co Founder/Co Pres Scott Campbell (also of Incognito and SingleTrac fame). I was going thru some fun gifts that Tina Kowalewski (industry super schmoozer and head of Sony Santa Monica External Dev) had gotten me for my bday. I had to have Eat Sleep Play fed ex them to my house as I would not be able to get on the plane with a magic 8 ball (cause it's not only filled with more than 3 oz. of fluid but looks like a fucking cartoon bomb from Rocky & Bullwinkle)...
Me and Tina K in the hotel lobby. Tina K- by the way- took ALL these pics except this one. I should hire her to be a paparazzi for me :)
Ok, so there's me and my buddies out and about in this amazing industry that is the video game biz. Ok, movie is gonna start soon- gotta run. Chat later ya'll!
David