Call sign (alias): Augur

How did you get that call sign? Any particular meaning? Augur is Latin for "seer", "prophet", or "soothsayer". The choice came from the fact that I was once a member of the Seer volunteer program, and later went on to help run the program at Origin, as an Interest Game Master.

Position at Origin (job title): Designer

What do you do (i.e. what's that job title really mean)? I work on the UO Design team, conceptualizing and coding everything from new game systems like the Plant System, to new creature additions, like the Orc Bomber, Solen Warrior, or Giant Beetle, to new items, like the Bracelet of Binding, as well as Scenario Finale code and quests utilizing the Lore Engine and working on new map additions.

Can you describe your "big break" into the gaming industry? My big break was more of a slow crawl, beginning at the time I went to my first Ultima Online player luncheon, where I met someone that convinced me to move to the Catskills shard and start roleplaying with his group. From there, I made a name for myself, and caught the attention of the Interest Game Masters at Origin. After spending time in the Seer Volunteer program, I graduated college and was hired on as a Game Master for Ultima Online. If I hadn't met my friend at the UO Lunch, and started that ball rolling, I probably would have joined up at a different kind of game company, or written games at home while holding down some other sort of job.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? A stunt man. I used to throw myself down staircases into piled up beanbags, climb anything and everything, jump off the sides of hills, and engage in elaborate mock fights with anyone who would let me. Second to that was world famous author.

Where were you on this day 10 years ago? Attending high school in Richardson, Texas and getting into trouble.

What is your favorite thing about UO? The absolutely vast amount of different types of things you can do in the game. You can really choose to be any type of character you want, and play an entirely different sort of game than anyone else. Crafting, vendors, houses, combat, taming, treasure hunting, quests, fishing, resource gathering, barding, magery, growing plants, fighting champion spawns, unique item collecting, bulk order deed gathering, there's just a million things to do in this game, and they all have their own unique flavor.

What is your fondest memory in UO? As a player, the community of folks I played with on the Catskills shard. There were a million fun times with a huge group of us together playing characters, really getting into the world. They were the best. As a designer, probably the reaction to the Plant System and the Scenario content. I love watching people play out the Scenario Finales, working together or exploring on their own. It was also fun to log in about a month after the Plant System went live, and see all these plants in peoples' houses.

Most embarrassing moment (in-game or out)? You'll have to talk to my lawyer.

So tell us… what was your worst subject in school? In College, probably Government and History classes. I just really wasn't charged up by them, so I didn't put any real amount of work into them. Before College, I was pretty well rounded in all my classes, though language classes (English, French, and Japanese) were always my favorites.

Favorite way to spend a Friday evening? Currently? Games, games, and more games. Being social is for the true weekend.

What's your favorite game of all time? UO still takes the cake for MMORPG's. It's hard for me to pick a single favorite game, though I have favorites in each separate genre. I think I'd have to say Starflight, an old EA game put out years ago. It was the first game that really blew me away in terms of what the designers had done with what they had. It really did some amazing things - the best of which was providing a game that was huge in scope, while still being grounded in simple, easily understandable gameplay.

Your favorite comic (comic books or online comics)? Aigh! I have too many favorites. Everything from Bone to Preacher, at the two extremes.

What is your favorite food? Anything that has a fried coating is good. Hurry for my super fast metabolism!

Do you have pets (in real life)? What are they? A little black cat with various names depending on who you ask. Right now I call her "Taytay".

What's your dream car? I'm not really into having a super fancy expensive car - but it would be nice to get my hands on a Delorian (with or without a flux-capacitor)

What's your favorite holiday, and why? Christmas. How can you not like Christmas? Plus it's close to my birthday.

Your favorite color? Blue? I have no idea.

And last but not least… If you had to be stranded in the Britannian desert for the rest of your life, what one person would you want with you? Several people would kill me if I answered this wrong, so I plead the 5th.