My name's Mike Breault, and I'm a game-aholic.

I just discovered this site today and am following Johnhuck's suggestion to introduce myself.

I'm 46 and I live in IL, USA, with my wife, two kids, and dog. I've been employed in the games industry since 1984, so I've been around for a while.

In 1984, I started out as an editor/developer for TSR, working mostly in their AD&D titles (though "editor" is not really an adequate description of the position--we were pretty much ghost writers on TSR projects). I worked on a little over 100 products for TSR from 1984 - 1989. Lots of Dragonlance modules (starting with DL6), 6-7 of the AD&D hardback books, mass market games, wargames, and scads of miscellaneous stuff. I continued to do freelance editing for TSR for 2 years or so after I left, but I turned more and more to computer and video games.

I was a co-designer on the Pool of Radiance PC game in 1988, and I left TSR in 1989 intending to get more into computer and video games. While I had a bunch of TSR work to start out with, I starting going to computer game conferences and connected with Sega of America. I worked on 5-6 Genesis games for them, re-writing the god-awful translated lines for games like Phantasy Star III, Shining Force, Shining in the Darkness, Sword of Vermilion, Warriors of the Eternal Sun, and maybe one more I'm forgetting. Over the next 10 years, I worked on freelance writing and design projects for a bunch of companies. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Seawolf, Top Gun, and a bunch of even lesser games took up most of my time during those years.

During my freelance design and writing phase (1989-1999), I did mostly computer and video games, but I also did some work for Milton Bradley on their HeroQuest system, editing and developing some Quest Packs for them (anyone interested in the production versions of the two unpublished character-based Quest Packs?).

Since 1999, I've been working as a writer and game designer for Volition, Inc., now owned by THQ. Games I've had major roles on in the 5 years I've been here are Red Faction, Red Faction 2, and the upcoming Punisher game (which goes much more with the comic series, not the recent movie). I've had minor roles in FreeSpace 2, Summoner, and Summoner 2.

I've been a game collector in the past, but mostly I'm winnowing my collection down now. I used to run the GenCon games auction for TSR, from about 1987-1992, and I ended up buying lots of stuff there, as I had to endure four days of glorious temptation every year.

I still play games, mostly computer and video games now. I also find time to irritate my wife and kids, read a few books a week, and to run.

Heh, thanks. Um, who do I tell him is saying "hi"?

Hey all.  My name is John and I live in the great state of Texas.  I am 33 years old and work for a hotel company as a computer/network technician.  I was introduced to D&D when I was nine years old, shortly after reading 'The Hobbit' for the first time.  The first module I played was Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh.  I remember my DM laughing as my pitiful 2nd level magic-user died from a poisonous snakebite (I really despised that guy).  I played here and there for several years until college when I became hooked after a marathon session of Queen of the Spiders.  I loved it so much I went out and bought it along with Temple of Elemental Evil and Scourge of the Slavelords.  Lucky me I bought them for retail price and didnt have to buy them years later at the prices they are going for on Ebay.  I have not played for quite a few years, as I spend my time doing other things.  I have been collecting comic books for 25 years and I love computer games (Unreal, BF 1942, Call of Duty) so that keeps me pretty busy.  I also collect vintage home video games (Atari, NES, etc.) but have only amassed a small collection so far.  As far as D&D collecting goes, I am not a serious collector.  I mainly go for 1st Edition and some second edition stuff.  It is difficult to say what my most prized item is but would probably be either my copy of Vecna Lives!, Greyhawk Ruins, or Throne of Bloodstone.  My favorite module is still Ravenloft though.  And even though I dont play anymore, I hope to someday play again.

I live about 10 minutes south of you in Plano...not too far from Spring Creek and Alma.

You can fit 34 New Hampshires into one Texas.  Not good enough for ya?

Seriously though...Texas isnt any better than any other states (except Oklahoma   ).  It is just that I was born in Texas, raised in Texas, and still live here and have a great deal of pride in everything Texas....even the Dallas Cowboys.

It just depends on the city or area of the state you live in.  I lived in Amarillo for ten years after college and the cost of living there is very inexpensive.  I have been living in the Dallas area for five years now and the cost of living is much higher here.  A $150,000 home in Amarillo would run about $300 to $400K in Dallas.  Austin is even higher from what I hear from friends.

Hey everyone, a2jeff reveals both my name and location of Ann Arbor Michigan.  Amazingly like most folks here, I'm in the demographic sweet spot.  I'm 36, and started playing about 1976/77 in elementary school.  A little after that time I attended a few of the MDG cons and such (dam if only I knew to find and buy up all the Fazzles and Tsojs I could!!  ), and continued playing a lot in middle and high school until I met my first serious girlfriend and went off to college.  At that time I had a pretty complete collection volume wise, though nothing really rare, that luckily was stored and carted around during my career development years.  

When my wife and I bought our house around 2 years ago I decided maybe I should get rid of some of my stuff.  I didn't need any of the dozens of mint boxes of unused Grenadier and Ral Partha figures I had acquired and started selling them off on ebay, along with my Colecovision and Commodore 64 stuff (still hangin on to my star wars toys, beer can collection and sx-64 though!  ).  A funny thing happened after I did that....I just couldn't part with the rest of my D&D collection, and found myself knee deep in Nev's stage 3 collector syndrome.  Over time I started "filling in the gaps" in modules and other periodicals I was missing.  The DM in me just couldn't part with anything else.  

I've been lurking here for the past 2 years as a resource, although my collecting has picked up more recently.  I actually realized there were forums here about a month or two ago!  My collection is focused mostly on 1e, although I have some 2e and beyond.   Coincidentally helping to feed my rediscovery, my neighbor next door is an avid RPG'er, and last year we started a 3.5 campaign.

I guess that's it, nice to get reconnected to a game I love.

Name: William (Bill) H. Location: N. Va DC Metro  Age:33
I started playing 1st edition when in the 5th grade. I quickly became obsessed with anything in the "Fantasy" realms especially AD&D, to my parents delight(Sarcasm) remember all those 60 minute programs/after school specials/ and even movies(Tom Hanks? Wizards & Warriors?) about D&D and it's secret brainwashing effects bringing kids into SATANISM! Well, of course my parents jumped on that bandwagon and took my stuff with them! The day I turned 18 that was the first thing I asked for back,heh heh.
But by then of course I really wasnt into that at the time(for some reason I then became obsessed with Beer and Women) go figure huh?
7 years ago I got married and guess what--started playing D&D again! By this time I started reading voraciuosly trying to catch up on everything I had missed over the years--hey!--did you guys know there was a 2nd Edition released!!!!(LOL)  Well, all good things must come to an end, I came home one night and found that my house had been robbed! Think I cared about my crappy T.V.? Or that junky VCR? "Hey, where's all my D&D stuff?!!"
So after crying myself to sleep (still wake up with a wet pillow) I've started collecting again and trying to build a better collection than ever before!!!
My biggest Loss" 1st printing B2 w/mutton eating mino.(sentimental) 1st print SW B4/ WOODGRAIN BOX SET!!!!! Oh god!!! Hand me another tissue (Sobbing endlessly)
W.H.

lol wasn't me......
or maybe it was