For those of you who are interested or have been following the Rainbow Studios Track Designer hiring process, I have some official news for you. We have made our selection and I promised I would return and let you know the details. Well, here I am.
First off, let me thank everyone who was a part of this. Twisted Dirt for providing such an amazing site and the forum to do this. Without these guys (and gals?) many of us wouldn't even be here. To all who participated in the thread and helped me round up some of the most talented track designers in the community. To ALL of the applicants who believed in THQ/Rainbow, the game, and themselves enough to put their name in the mix. And to the whole MCM2 community who has stuck by this game come hell or high water.
I must say that with the good news I am about to present, there is a bit of sad news. News that was inevitable. We obviously couldn't hire all the applicants and although we all knew that going in, I still can't help but want everyone to know how impressed Rainbow is with your work. Every single track designer that was a part of this process has an amazing talent, was very professional, and I am very greatful that I got to know you a little better. I can't say everything that I am feeling, in this forum, or maybe even in words, but I hope to convey the message that I respect each of you and what you bring to the table. There is enough red tape here to wrap the world in, so thanks for your patience and understanding.
Enough of that...On to the good stuff! Rainbow is proud to present the hiring of two new very talented Track Designers. The first is Mike Mamula (KXmotox45) from Jacksonville, Florida. The second is Robert Munoz (FourtwentyADD/TK_fears/PMA_plex) from San Diego, California. Please join me in congratulating these guys and give them a warm welcome by asking them tons of questions that they aren't at liberty to answer. LOL. I can't even tell you what they are working on but trust me, you will surely love it! I will let these guys take it from here and thanks again for all your help and making me feel like a true hero when I'm here.
Until next time...
DIZ_No_Rebase
Robert Kinnaman
P.S. Special thanks to (in no particular order) Steve Titow (AUS_Twisted) / Denny Steel (V_Sdesign) / Alex Lewis (VMX_SKYmx99) / Paul Valenti (VMX_ElDiablo) / Troy Bjerke (AMA_King) / Clint Rutjes (cR) / Colin Eberly (5ifty1) - I would work with any one of you and hopefully someday I will. NOOBS: If you are looking for a good track to ride or race, start with this list. These names represent a historical part of MCM2, old and new, and they are respected embassadors of our product.
Awesome news! Great job guys! I hope your future with Rainbow is an unforgetable one. May the tracks be plentiful and flow like wine now. ;D
I would like to thank Diz for the great opportunity and the many kinds words you have shared. Your one heck of a person and I'm glad I got to share some of my work with you and THQ/Rainbow. It was an honor to take part in this great opportunity.
I would also like to Congratulate Mike and Rob on there new job. Best of luck with your new adventure, I hope its a good one. Make us all proud.
Best Regards,
Denny (AKA. V_SDesign / GHeTTo_101)
Congats guys :)
First off I just want to thank Robert (DIZ) for taking the time to look at my work and presenting it to the rest of rainbow studios, because i would of never expected to have this wonderfull opportunity, so thanks diz!. also i want to say thanks for all the help your giving me, to get started on the right track. Im going to try my hardest to do my best work possible for rainbow studios. But, i need to say thank you also to the motocross madness 2 community and twisted dirt for all the great things they have done, because without them what im doing now would not be possible. so once again thanks to you all.
=|Robert.M
Thanks Diz for letting us know,
.. and congrats to everyone who was considered IMO you all have produced professional grade work just to get to that stage.
Big congratulations to Mike and Robert.M, i guess you will be RBW_mx45 and RBW_fourtwenty from here on, hope you both (as well as Diz and |RBW|faKt0r) can still find the time to drop by here from time to time to clue us in with whatever info you are allowed to or just shoot the breeze and maybe even produce a track or 2 for the MCM2 community ..
.. and if you should ever need any custom tools in your new venture just drop me a line, always happy to help out ..
Best of luck in Phoenix,
Laurie
Congratulations guys. I'm jealous.
Now if we only knew what you will be working on. I sure wish there was a way that TD could help Rainbow out.
Good luck and be sure to enjoy it (even the crunch times).
Bruce
Well Done guys this is great new :)
Congratulations and Good luck to all
Extreme
Congrats guys. We all know you two DESERVE it. Don't forget about us little people. ;)
way to go fellas now we know we will have great track creaters making tracks for the next mx game ;D
Wow what a great job to be involved in! Congrats to KX Moto and Plex(who was a VRT for a while) ;D and think about this guys!!! Keep testing, creating, screwing up and reach for the stars and it may happen to YOU someday! Thanks Diz for checking HERE for your future employee's.
AND MOST OF ALL MXU FOR PC!!! 2006!!! ;D ;D (with an editor of course!)
Sweet bananas, I was hoping for Alex and Mike (old friendship bias ofcourse :X) and I'm glad to see that at least one of them nailed it. I'm sure Alex and everyone else can make it into the circle some day as long as they keep trying, you all rock. :)
Congratulations!
I did make it Simon. I turned it down. Too many reasons to explain. :)
Kudos to all the candidates and their great work; and a special congratulations to Mike and Robert.
I only wish ALL the good creators in the community could receive financial compensation for their time, energy and talent.
Way to go guys!
Damn...I think Rainbow's red tape is just about as bad as our government's if that's even possible! LOL
Well, I'm glad that everyone finally knows the outcome of this 4 month process (started in April, 2005)! LOL
Robert (Diz), just wanted to thank you, Elliott, Rob B., Graham and the rest of the team at Rainbow for making my time in the studio one that is truly indiscribable (for legal reasons as well as the obvious ones) and amazing. You guys really impressed me far more than I expected, and there's just a great bunch of guys there.
Trust me when I say that (just about) ANYONE here would give their left nut to work in an environment like that!
I think I'm safe in saying this here...the one thing that really stuck with me from my visit to Rainbow and really seemed to sum up the whole staff, was mentioned to me by Robert Baumsteiger (executive producer) when we were returning from lunch. He said that the whole building is full of stuffy-corporate types (lawyers and doctors,...) and the Rainbow guys all roll in, in their 4-wheel drive pickups, try to get air over the speedbumps, park right next to Lexus', BMW's, etc... and roll their dirtbikes off of their trucks and onto the freight elevator and take them upstairs into the office! lol
I dressed up nice for my interview even though they told me that it was casual dress...not corporate casual...just casual. I had a nice shirt and tie, dress slacks and dress shoes on. The whole staff INCLUDING the Director (runs the whole show basically) were wearing T-Shirts, Shorts and sandals, or flip-flops and a few of them wore sneakers! lol
I'm a little let-down that I didn't make the cut. But like I said originally...just the fact that two people whom I call my friends got the job is good enough for me. Congrats guys...you are great guys and definately DESERVE the job!
I won't say, "Don't forget the little guys" cause I have both of your cell numbers and if I think you're blowin' me off I'll hound you like a Jehova's Witness! lol
Finally...hopefully without sounding condescending... I'm PROUD of you both! WTG!!! ;D
Very well put Paul. I couldn't have said it better myself. :)
ADD is taking over haha
Awesome to see my bro Rob get the job, would of also loved to see anyone else who applied get it too.
Does this mean no more MCM2 Rob ? I still want to finish the freeride :)
Plex, good job man, you kick ass, still making badass tracks since way back in the 01/02 days when we did that *#*#* together.
Good luck in your future endeavors.
GREAT JOB GUYS!!! IM SOO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!
Nice work guys :)
It's great doing this for a living isn't it ;)
Oh yeah. Congrats to Burn everone. He is now working for Climax. (ATV Offroad Furry 3 developers) :D
Coooool!!
Congrads! ;D
Every morning I get up and I am excited to go to work. Who'd have ever thought my hobby and love for a video game would turn into a career.
Thanks Robert (DIZ) for being such a great ambassador for Rainbow during the whole hiring, and everyone else involved. Its the coolest thing to be congradulated by the same people I was 'competing' with for this job. That shows this community has alot of class and character.
Thanks again to everyone. And to TwistedDirt for making the announcment on the front page :D
Congrats to Adam as well.
Quote from: VMX_SKYmx99 on September 29, 2005, 04:49:29 PM
Oh yeah. Congrats to Burn everone. He is now working for Climax. (ATV Offroad Furry 3 developers) :D
Lets not forget these too-
MotoGP 1, 2 and 3 (get 3 guys...if you like street racing and superbike it's the BOMB!)
Serious Sam and Serious Sam: Next Encounter
Delta Force: Blackhawk Down
Crash n Burn
Sudeki
Tron 2.0 Killer App
The Art of Magic: Magic and Mayhem
and a TON of others (those are only the recent ones)
;)
Oh yeah MIke we have a lotta class. I'm just as excited that you and rob got the job as if I had taken it. I still have a little regret, but I think my place is here in KY. Who knows though. Tell Rob I said hey. :) Spring break, I'm coming out there. :P
You should be regretting it your doof :P
See ya in the spring.
Ya alex it woulda been cool working with you, maybe one day youll come to your sence's. jk bro hope every thing works out for you with your schooling ;D
It's going good guys. REMEMBER.... I signed the NDA. So feel free to send me pics, betas, news, and anything else you can. ;)
that NDA only covered what you saw and heard while you were in the running. Sorry :(
Quote from: MX45 on October 01, 2005, 10:00:06 AM
that NDA only covered what you saw and heard while you were in the running. Sorry :(
I don't think that's true...I'm looking at it now and it doesn't specify how long it's good for or what specific stuff we're supposed to know/see. Consider that vendors also have to sign the exact same agreement. It covers every visit they make to the studio and everything that they see and hear when they are there.
However... I doubt very seriously that Rainbow would appreciate you taking (or sending) anything outside of the office. Those of us that didn't get jobs certainly don't have as much to lose as you if we were to break that agreement...so I can certainly see why they wouldn't condone any further transfer of information. You can never be TOO carefull you know!
;)
That's true paul... But don't forget to keep us updated with what you can. ;)
I'm happy for yas man. I didn't even know this was going on until it was too late. I would've tried myself if for nothin' more than sheets & giggles. ;D When I got back into this a while back, I was blown away byt the tracks being done today. I seriously thought about not even trying. lol You guys makes some truely awesome maps. :P Again.. best of luck to yas.
I agree with Chris. The quantity of track makers have gone down, but the quality of tracks today is incredible. Too bad everyones hard work doesnt get as much appreciation as it would have 3-4 yrs ago.
I would have loved to see what I could have built with all the awesome tools now and objects that are out. Its to bad I lost so much interest in building maps and suffering burnout to the extreme. I agree some of the tracks now are really sweet but most are rehashes of the stuff we made in the beginning just a whole lot prettier.
Mike
Even though I posted before I still think there is a demand in what us creators have to offer. So anything TD can do to improve on what we offer to keep this game alive is well worth the effort.
Regards,
Denny
Wow....I've been away for a while haven't I.
Nice job guys!
Wow Im really late on this one guys. I just wanted to say congrats to both of you and all of you who got the chance to see the inside of those top secret projects lol....Man I remeber talking to Mike about his injury and I would have never imagined him working for Rainbow! Congrats to you all....you have inspired me to start making tracks again.
Long Live MCM2
Kyle
I would like the add my congratulations as well too on a job well done. For those who didnt make the cut or chose not to make the move, hold on to the dream most of you are young and have the skills your day will come. One other thing guys DONT SCREW THE POOCH!!! ;D lol, bring us the best possible tracks you can theres no doubt with the resources you have at your disposal now there will be no excuses now, and as well as for not having the time or being frustrated with a project. All kidding aside congratulations guys, enjoy your fortune, alot of people would love to be in your shoes make us all proud with the best Motocross Game ever made.
Hey guys. I've been away from the scene for a while but I just wanted to pop in and say congrats to the two.
Congrats guys.... we wan't some dang good........ whatever they have ya makin now
I can't begin to say how cool it is how this community has evolved.
Congrats to the winners, and congrats to everybody else, too!
The Peeper :o
Congrats Mike and Robert. Welcome to the game industry. For those on the outside looking in, its not all glamour and glitz... There's tons of hard work to put in. And no, nobody plays games all day on the development team. Trust me, its hard work. Very rewarding work, but tough.
Since this is a nice warm thread, I'd like to give a shout out to Rainbo too. If it weren’t for the track making tools in the first MCM, I wouldn't be where I am today. Even though we battled it out with MTX vs. MX Unleashed, my hats off to you guys.
And for the people that still want to get into the game industry... KEEP MAKING LEVELS!!! If you're more of an Artist, focus on the texture quality, if you're more of a Designer, focus on the game-play. Every company does things differently, but being really strong at one discipline is very helpful when applying for a job. Most companies hire Designers, Artists, or Coders. Now days it's very rare that an Artist will also build the level.
We will be hiring very shortly and I might look here for some employees... Who wants in??? *#*#*ty pay, free soda and long hours??? OK, its not as bad as that, but it's not what most people think.
I think I've already sent my resume/cover letter and a link to my portfolio website...but ya...I'm interested. I've got the 'feelers' out to about 35 other companies at the moment. I'd rather be making racing games in the continental U.S....but I'm not going to turn down any reasonable offers. ;D
This guy ^^^^^^ would be my pick!
he would be mine too
Quote from: Mglmstr on November 22, 2005, 03:22:48 AM
Congrats Mike and Robert. Welcome to the game industry. For those on the outside looking in, its not all glamour and glitz... There's tons of hard work to put in. And no, nobody plays games all day on the development team. Trust me, its hard work. Very rewarding work, but tough.
Since this is a nice warm thread, I'd like to give a shout out to Rainbo too. If it weren’t for the track making tools in the first MCM, I wouldn't be where I am today. Even though we battled it out with MTX vs. MX Unleashed, my hats off to you guys.
And for the people that still want to get into the game industry... KEEP MAKING LEVELS!!! If you're more of an Artist, focus on the texture quality, if you're more of a Designer, focus on the game-play. Every company does things differently, but being really strong at one discipline is very helpful when applying for a job. Most companies hire Designers, Artists, or Coders. Now days it's very rare that an Artist will also build the level.
We will be hiring very shortly and I might look here for some employees... Who wants in??? *#*#*ty pay, free soda and long hours??? OK, its not as bad as that, but it's not what most people think.
Well I'm currently in talks with another company but there is always a chance that will not work out so I would be very interested.
Just tell me where and when and I'll send in all my info.
For picking Paul thats not up to me but I would have to say that would be an excellent choice. Of course thats not to say I'm not, just whoever fits your needs.
I have to agree their is a missconseption that making games is all fun. But if your looking for a job then you can expect work and in most cases work isn't fun. Thats why I want to get into the industry so I can work at something I enjoy and feel I'm very good at even if it isn't always that fun.
Regards,
What are you guys talking about? Its all fun ;)
No really it still is a capital J O B.
For you guys looking for a job in the game industry now or in the future, just know that there are alot of jobs out there. And video game industry will only keep getting bigger. But thats also not to say it isnt a competative job to get into. Many universities and tech schools offer a major in video game design. I read a good article just yesterday, check it out.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2002-12-03-video_x.htm
Good luck to everyone, and thanks again for all the props.
good articel. mglmstr, where do i sign up?
We generally don't get to choose what we work on. :-( I'm a huge racing fan so I'm always interested in those types of games. But you have to be flexible and adapt to changing needs. A good example is MTX, then Monster Garage, then MX World Tour, then World Series of Poker. The work definitely changes depending in the contract your company has.
I think we'll be posting on Gamasutra today or shortly after the holidays for all positions. In the mean time, I'll keep checking out Twisted Dirt. Once the jobs are officially announced, I'll make a separate thread on it.
One of the coolest parts about being in the industry.... Once you're in, you're in. The hardest part is breaking into it. Well, if you suck ass, then you'll probably be bouncing around until you find out that flipping burgers actually pays more consistently. :-)
Happy Holidays!!!