STEPHEN R. SHAW
When did you start at LucasArts and what
was the first project on which you worked?
I started at LucasArts in March 1992. I worked on a couple of R&D projects but the first project I worked on was The Dig.
Tell us a little bit about what you're working on now?
I'm Lead Programmer and Co-Designer of Outlaws. It's a cool game based on 1960's spaghetti westerns. It draws a lot of imagery and elements from the films of Sergio Leone. You might say it's an homage to his movies.
Tell us your best LucasArts "war story."
That has to be Full Throttle's Mine Road section. It provided quite a coding challenge. In order to add that style of
game play, we had to take the SCUMM story game engine and the video engine from Rebel Assault, then cram them together and try to make them play nicely with each other. Every morning for the last three weeks of the project, I would come in and find that our testing department had left the Mine Road running all night, thereby discovering new crash bugs over which to pull my hair out!
If you could transport yourself into a LucasArts game, which one would it be and why?
Monkey Island. The pirate milieu is a blast. It has heroes, heroines, swashbuckling raiders, big guns and lots of action. I try to make sure that every time I go to Disneyland I ride The Pirates of The Caribbean at least half a dozen times! Monkey Island takes what's fun about pirates and adds an incredible sense of humor.
What is your favorite LucasArts game and why?
Full Throttle, the last game I worked on. Ben is a majestic character with complex, suppressed emotions and a deep ambivalence towards the world around him. The artistic style is really spiffy, too. Being biased however, I'd also have to say Outlaws.
Why did you choose a career in gaming?
I have a degree in Systems Programming, but I couldn't see myself working at a 9 to 5 job for some defense contractor. A lot of my classmates ended up doing that. During college I had worked as a contract theater lighting and sound designer, so when I heard about a positionc as a game programmer at LucasArts, I thought "Great! Here's a job where I can take what I like from computers, and mix it with my creative, theatrical side."
If you hadn't chosen a career in gaming, what would you be doing?
Probably theater lighting & sound design.
What do you do when you're not at work?
Since I spend a lot of time inside at work, I enjoy getting outdoors whenever I can, usually hiking, camping, skiing, biking, or gardening. I also enjoy doing carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and other home improvements. (Needless to say, I try not to even look at a computer at home!)
What is your favorite vacation spot?
The British Virgin Islands, specifically Tortola. Last time I was there it was an incredibly laid back island setting; No commercialization, friendly people, phenomenal scuba diving and gorgeous sunsets!
Who are your heroes and why?
Dr. Roger Lessman, one of my primary professors at Tennessee Technological University. He was always open to a new way of solving problems, and he encouraged me to strive to find new, innovative solutions.John Partyka, the Technical Director at the Cumberland County Playhouse. He would surmount terrific lighting and set challenges with limited budgets, time, and resources.My father and my mother. I know it sounds hokey, but I want them and everyone else to know that I appreciate everything that they've done for me. While many parents may push their kids into a certain mold, my parents let me find my own "road." Without their support, I probably would not have made it to where I am today.