As Hunter Zero Gaming has undergone some changes to format and content, it has also gained some new staff, namely me. So who am I? Apart from being the mysterious new editor yet to name himself (that will come, don’t worry), I’m also an avid gamer, writer, editor, and have enjoyed games from the time I was old enough to hold a joystick.
You may have questions, such as: Am I credible? Am I a gamer? Am I even remotely competent to edit and/or review games? The answers to those questions are, in order: yes, indeed, and probably not, but I’m going to anyway.
Regarding my credibility I present to you a short bio of my gaming experience and knowledge:
My earliest recollections of gaming hail from the “Golden Age” of the video gaming industry. Most of my early gaming was done on my families trusty old Ti-99/4A (complete with Speech Synthesizer and a Tape Drive [read: cassette] Adapter!) and on my best friends Colecovision. While I enjoyed these systems, and arcade games, I couldn’t see what drove people to beat the “Hi-Score”, “get to the next level” or just plain dominate a game. That would all change Christmas Day, 1987; the day my family opened our brand new Nintendo Entertainment System (aka NES). When Super Mario Bro’s lit up the screen for the first time I was hooked. To me this was different, and new, and so completely awesome that there was no going back. I’ve been playing and collecting ever since.
As I’ve watched gaming explode over the past thirty or so years, I’ve owned almost every single console system released since 1976. Yes, you read that right, Nineteen-Seventy-Six. At the peak of my collecting I owned over thirty five unique consoles and handheld systems, with dozens of “add-ons” and peripherals, and I have no idea how many thousands of games (if I had to guess I’d say a little over 3,500, possibly more). I’ve owned “complete libraries”, prototypes, betas, “lab loaners”, books, collectibles, soundtracks, posters, etc. As you can tell, I was pretty deep into the “collector’s scene”. I gained a deep knowledge of video games and their history from these experiences, but have since decided to be more of a “gamer” and less of a “collector”. Not that there’s anything wrong with collecting, it’s just not for everybody. Over the course of the past few years I have sold most of my systems and games, going from 35+/- consoles and handhelds with thousands of games to less than 200 titles and six consoles. Maintaining only the games and systems I play often.
As for industry experience, I was the General Manager of a small chain of independent video game stores, have attended trade shows, worked with a software studio, etc. I also have several years experience in technical writing and editing for different projects and companies.
But enough with the resume, let’s get to the good stuff:
My personal gaming preferences are varied. I enjoy nearly every genre of video games, but rarely play First Person Shooter (FPS), MMO or “Sandbox” titles. My favorite genres are, in no particular order: Action-Adventure, Puzzle, Platform, and Shoot-Em-Ups (aka “Shmups”). That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy other genres. I have been known to delve deeply into RPG’s, fighting games, etc. I love and play them all.
I currently enjoy indie and niche titles most, and am very excited by the ‘renaissance’ that gaming is going though, as well as the innovations and creativity that new technology and ‘fresh blood’ are bringing into the gaming world. It’s a thrilling time to be a gamer, and I personally cannot wait to see what the future holds for the video game industry and the games themselves.
It is my, and Mikes, hope that through Gaming Cuisine we will be able to help inform others about games and gaming culture and in turn get you, the reader, as excited about them as we are.
Oh and my name is Ryan “Danger” Huff.
Nice to meet you, now let’s game.
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