Creating a simulator requires a huge team of people working on various aspects, from audio to scenery to the software platform itself (and so much more!). We thought you might be interested in learning about some of the people who are working to make Train Simulator 2 the best rail simulator ever.
Kathie Flood
Call Sign: Ka-Thief
Current Job: Lead Program Manager
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
My colorful past in this studio includes prototypes for other simulations whose existence I can neither confirm nor deny.
Pre FS/TS history:
I’ve been kicking around the Microsoft Game Studios since 1994 lobbying for unusual titles for the large, under-served audience of people who don't like to shoot things or blow stuff up. While I've waited for this sea change to occur, I've managed to amuse myself as the PM for Project Gotham Racing 4, Project Gotham Racing 3, NFL Fever (2000-2003), several scuttled prototypes that may resurface eventually, and the justifiably maligned, but highly educational, Soccer 1.0. Prior to games, I spent two years in Microsoft Research working on online tech that eventually evolved into MSN. I started at Microsoft in 1990 as a Programmer/Writer on the Programmer's Reference manuals for OS/2, Windows 3.1, DOS 5, and Windows NT.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Train Sim: Blow the whistle in the Steven’s Pass tunnel.
Flight Sim: Cruise the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas strip, and other landmarks of the world at the tree-top altitude of my flying dreams.
Random fact about yourself:
I play drums in an oldies rock band (Usual Suspects) and Brass Band Northwest, and I like to run, snowboard, bicycle, and scuba dive with my husband.
Duane Molitor
Call Sign: Artist X
Current Job: Animation Art Lead
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined the studio October 15, 2006.
Pre FS/TS history:
Worked as a Art Lead & Animation Lead for 6 years at Virtual World Entertainment and Fasa Interactive on location-based simulators and PC games in Chicago IL. Then, landed at Microsoft 9 years ago to continue game development on PC and Xbox360. Now, flyin’ high with ACES Studio!
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
To develop a foundation for animated characters with very talented, enthusiastic artists and programmers.
Random fact about yourself:
The better half of fraternal twins. :)
Kevin Burgess
Call Sign: K-Funk
Current Job: 3D Artist
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
I joined ACES in Dec of 2000 as a panel artist, made aircraft for a few years, dabbled in environments, and am now a character modeler for TS.
Pre FS/TS history:
I worked for 3 years as an industrial designer and prototype developer for an avionics firm. We created synthetic vision prototypes and pitched them to various general aviation and air-cargo customers.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
I love seeing human figures interacting in the sims. The platform has always been missing the human element and I’m glad to be a part of the solution to fix that.
Random fact about yourself:
I once had 28,000 people curse me and my ancestry all at the same time! I called a penalty kick in an MLS playoff game with three minutes to go in front of 56,000 fans.
Mike Porter
Call Sign:Portergraphic
Current Job: Vehicle Art Lead
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined the Train Simulator team in May of 2007
Pre FS/TS history:
Terminal Reality: 5 years
Ritual: 5 years
Sierra: 18 months
FASA: 18 months
Bungie: 2 months
Aces: 6 months
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Stare at the trains for hours.
Random fact about yourself:
I make attempts to do art in my spare time. (Unsuccessfully)
Blog:
http://portergraphic.spaces.live.com
Jeremy Tate
Call Sign: Marcoval
Current Job: SDET - Testing
(I’m the one with the beard. The other is my daughter Georgia)
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined the TS2 Team in September ‘07
Pre FS/TS history:
Recently worked as the Content Test Lead on Shadowrun with FASA Studio. Other titles I’ve worked on; Rise of Nations, RoN Thrones & Patriots.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
I will approach an AI driven train, and before I collide with it, I will pop up the editor and create a side track, so that my train will miss the AI train. Playing around with random places in the World of Rails, is fascinating as well!
Random fact about yourself:
My degree is in Choral Music Education and I was a choir director for 5 years before making a career change to testing. (Long Story)
Steve Heijster
Call Sign: stonelance
Current Job: Platform Graphics Developer (On loan to TrainSim)
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined the TrainSim team in January ’07 and was moved to the platform graphics team shortly afterwards.
Pre FS/TS history:
2.5 years on Microsoft Office Charting, 1.5 years at EA on the graphics library and FIFA teams, and plenty of time making games and mods in my spare time.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
When I’m not staring at frame rate stats and screenshots of new features, I like going to a random place in the world and driving a locomotive around looking at the terrain and scenery.
Random fact about yourself:
I was the programmer for a Quake 3 mod (Quake3Rally) that turned it into a racing game.
Nicolas Coderre
Call Sign: Cody930
Current Job: Software Design Engineer
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined in February ‘06.
Pre FS/TS history:
Worked on Visual Studio 2005.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
I like to ruin the rails that Max spends so much time placing with great minutiae.
Random fact about yourself:
I still think a mouse is a superior control device for playing First Person Shooters.
James Osborne
Current Job: Train Sim Development Lead
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Enlisted in August 2006.
Pre FS/TS history:
Game developer for Apple.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Machinima
Random fact about yourself:
Married to the former Program Manager of the original TS2
John Paquin
Call Sign: Tyrathect
Current Job: TS2 Physics Programmer
Background with Flight / Train Sim Team:
Owned a copy of the original Sub Logic Flight Sim for the TRS-80. Joined Train Sim Team in 2007
Pre FS/TS history:
I got my start in 1991 at Microprose, where I got to work on “Task Force: 1942” and the classic “1942: The Pacific Air War” as a graphics programmer. In the mid 90’s I moved on to Origin / EA where I did graphics, tools, and infrastructure as the Lead Programmer for Janes F-15 and Janes F/A-18. After that, I worked with Breakaway Ltd in the Baltimore area doing serious games. I came to Microsoft in 2006.
Random fact about me:
I am co-holder of a world record in International Field Position, an airgun shooting discipline.
Keith Melmon
Current Job: Senior Software Engineer, GUI guy
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
I’m here to help create a next-gen user experience for Train Simulator 2. My mission is to create a beautiful, intuitive, and easy experience for Trains users, and set the groundwork for the same type of next-gen experience in future releases of Flight Sim.
Pre FS/TS history:
I’ve been a software engineer for over 15 years and have been specializing in UI work for the last 8 years.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Explore the World-of-Rails!
Random fact about yourself:
I practice tai chi, enjoy “energy work”, and am interested in quantum physics.
John Anderson
Call Sign: AI Guy
GamerTag: BulletBaitFasa
Current Job: AI / Animation Developer on TrainSim
Background with TrainSim:
Started with TrainSim in Summer ‘07
Pre FS/TS history:
Designed and developed the AI on Shadowrun, SWAT 3: CQB, EE, & TGOTY, and Close Combat I, II, & III. Worked on Dept. of Defense Traffic Switch Control System project with Loral / Lockheed. Don’t ask what that is or I’ll have to shoot you.
J
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Engine Grinding (split the bolsters on separate tracks by throwing the switch mid train then rejoin them without derailing)
Random fact:
My current favorite game is Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword.
David Henry
Call Sign: WombatSoup
Current Job: Audio Director, Aces Studio
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined the team in October of 2004 and have done audio for FSX and FSX: Acceleration
Pre FS/TS history:
Many games including Crimson Skies (both of them), Inside Drive, Microsoft Baseball, and at Sierra the Leisure Suit Larry and Gabriel Knight series.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Watch the trains go by, “pre-flight” any place I might want to travel, practice instrument approaches
Random fact about yourself:
I became a pilot while working on Flight Sim. Will I become an engineer while working on Train Sim?
Gary Hsu
Current Job: Software Design Engineer
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined the TS team in December of ’06.
Pre FS/TS history:
Worked for 6 years with Microsoft Office InfoPath on various features from calculations to Visual Studio integration.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Decouple the train while it’s moving and try to get onto another track before the rest of the consist catches up, a.k.a. the Gary Maneuver.
Random fact about yourself:
I used to be the president of the bridge club in college.
Michel Lowrance
Call Sign: Firestorm
Xbox Gamer-Tag: Frstrm
Current Job: Character Scripter
Pre FS/TS History/work:
- QA Test Lead – Mechcommander
- Software Development - Virtual World Ent. – Software and Game Design for MW4 to work in VWE’s Cockpit Simulators – www.virtualworld.com
- Technical Character Designer – Shadowrun
Royal Winchester
Current Job: Art, Character, and User Experience PM
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Flew the Apple 2 version, the Commodore 64 version. Joined the team mid 2006
Pre FS/TS history:
SDI Physicist (ground and space-based lasers, tracking systems), fighter pilot, college professor,
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
Work on it
Random fact about yourself:
Once opened for the Drifters.
Steve Hinan
Call Sign: Dr Hinan
Current Job: Lead Environment Artist (Train Simulator 2)
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
Joined Aces in Summer '07
Pre FS/TS history:
Over 11 years experience in the videogame industry. Spent most of my years at Microsoft Game Studios, Electronic Arts and Alias|Wavefront (Autodesk).
Random fact about yourself:
My personal focus is in Architecture and Interior design, specifically the Craftsman / Arts & Crafts movement.
Derek Bentley
Call Sign: Spinner_Delux
Current Job: 3D Production Artist
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
I started out contracting for ACES in 2005 and was hired on Full-Time March 6th 2006. The highlights of my work on FSX would include the work I did modeling and texturing scenery objects including many static aircraft, Las Vegas hotels, the new aircraft carrier, and not to mention the Navy Blackhawk helicopter. I also worked on the FSX demo area which included creating an aerial image of Sint Maarten Island, and annotating it with autogen and scenery objects.
Pre FS/TS history:
Previous to MGS ACES I worked at a number of other studios including MGS Turn 10 (Forza), Wildtangent, Snowblind Studios, and Monolith Productions. Titles that I have worked on include FSX, Forza Motorsport, Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance, and SHOGO.
Favorite thing to do in Train Sim or Flight Sim:
My favorite thing to do in FSX is fly the seaplane upside down trying to tap the tail (rudder) into the water without crashing. My favorite thing to do in Train Sim is compose screen shots in Slew mode.
Random fact about yourself:
I have a twin brother and I really enjoy building custom PC’s, and growing Ficus Bonsai trees (mostly ficus Microcarpa).
Rick Selby
Current job:Lead game designer
Background with Flight/Train Sim Team:
As a life-long railroad enthusiast, I became acquainted with the ACES Studio while volunteering my time to assist with the development of Train Simulator 1. I joined the team full time to help build Train Simulator 2.
Pre FS/TS history:
I have also worked as a training consultant in the railroad industry and authored several books for the model railroading community.
Random fact about yourself:
I spend my free time with my railroad hobbies (of course!), in addition to automobiles, photography, kayaking, and golf.
Scott Inglis
Current job:Software Design Engineer
Pre FS/TS history:
Worked on gameplay systems for hit titles like Star Trek:Elite Force 2 and Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth.