Ulairi

The Employee Profiles roll forward, this time focusing on Ulairi. Former Horizons pimp (developer), IGN staffer and all around nifty fella. Ulairi didn't send in a picture even though he totally promised he would so here's a dancing robot courtesy of Penny Arcade.

Read on for Ulairi's profile and... dammit, there he goes again.

Who the devil are you?

My name is Ken Johnson. I am a former and future game developer. IÂ'm currently attending the University of Wisconsin and working for the IGN Vault Network (EverQuest and Lineage 2 Vaults). IÂ'm also a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffalo.

What are you supposed to be doing during the day when youÂ're reading GWJ?

School work. But after putting in hours at a game company I laugh at the amount of homework I have. (LetÂ's hope IÂ'm still laughing come finals).

When youÂ're not working or gaming, what do you do with your time?

I play in a Lord of the Rings RPG group, which is a different kind of gaming. IÂ'm in Wisconsin during the winter so unless youÂ're in being warm and gaming there isnÂ't a lot for me to do. I like reading comic books and real books, going to movies, fiddling around with level design and working on my own mods that none of you will ever see. ;)

How about family? Do you have any kids?

I have no kids and IÂ'm back living with the parents. No money doesnÂ't lend itself to independence.

What was your favorite game over the last year or so? Why?

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Metroid Prime. I cannot name one game because there are too many games that have been released. I named my favourite franchises of all time and I havenÂ't been disappointed by one of the games yet. I liked everything about Zelda: the graphics that feel like A Link to the Past in 3D, the dungeons (they could be harder), and the story. I think if Nintendo took Zelda the next level with some more character building (RPG Style) they would shock and awe us all. I liked Metroid Prime because Nintendo took a 2d platformer into 3d and did a great job, the second time for the company. I only wish the game had some voice acting so I can understand what IÂ'm scanning late at nignt.

Which game are you looking forward to most?

Metroid Prime 2. There are rumours of multiplayer which makes everyone happy.

What is your fondest gaming memory?

Getting to the 99th floor in Lufia 2 and beating the giant slime.

Finally, why do you play games at all? Why havenÂ't you outgrown them?

I havenÂ't become a grownup yet. IÂ'm still a kid and just past my teenage years. Games are a medium for expression and creativity. By the time IÂ'm forty there will be a gamer In the White House.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our hard-hitting questions!

Comments

Young whippersnapper...

No picture after promising to do so? SACRILEDGE!

Rat Boy and Ulairi are shy methinks!

And the person who only sends a photograph where he's with his dad is NOT shy?!

the robot seems to be a homage to The Second Renaissance, though.

And the person who only sends a photograph where he's with his dad is NOT shy?!

I showed something at least !

Flux wrote:

Rat Boy and Ulairi are shy methinks!

Well, this scared me off some:

IMAGE(http://home.t-online.de/home/520024258500/temp/hlux1.jpg)

But Ulairi promised and didn't follow through, that's worse.

But Ulairi promised and didn't follow through, that's worse.

This is true!

It's my dream to have a photo of myself cruelly photoshopped into a gamma radiated monster. Is that so wrong?

I don't have a photo of my self past the 8th grade.

So does that mean you haven't had your 9th grade pictures yet?

Tobyus wrote:

So does that mean you haven't had your 9th grade pictures yet? ;)

wakka wakka wakka.

Once I got into Highschool I became too cool for pictures.

Once again my theory that only me and Ulairi are the young ones on this site. We better watch out, I heard Certis is after the blood of the young.

When you say young what do you mean?
Some of us are young at heart

I'm only 26; that's still rather young. At least, my thirtysomething friends always refer to me as "the kid."

Don't feel bad, Ulairi, I don't have much in the way of recent photos either, and certainly no way to digitize them right now. Well, maybe I could go to Kinko's... Nah.

I don't know... let's face it....a dancing robot from Penny-Arcade is better than a real photograph of anybody!

I usually describe myself as resembling Brad Pitt with significantly less hair. The laughter and endless taunting thereafter usually make me cry, though.