What Ive been up to

SOoooo... now that we're all nicely aquainted... I should let you know what Ive been up to so that you have some idea of the direction of this blog.

Jobs: Ive been working a job called 'data categorization' where I go through game related search results and process consumer opinions from blogs and forums into numbers so that the companies can more easily make use of the data. I turn 'I cant wait for the new GTA... the Trailers amazing!. The graphics are Uber!' into 'anticipation, 5. Video Trailer, 5. Graphics, 5.'. I also write game related articles for my school newspaper, 'The Silhoutte' which has an arts and entertainment section.

Games: Ive been hooked ever since my mom bought me an Atari 2600 from a door to door salesman who was originally trying to sell her a vacuum (he must have been desperate for a sale!). Along the years there have been far too many infatuations... but some of the more prolific games in my past have been; Street Fighter (the whole series... one of the only games I could challenge the Asians at my local arcade at) Mario (of course) early FF games (played up until 7 before they got too plot heavy and not as fun) Anything from Blizzard (I keep my Warcrack addiction minimal by only playing when Nicolle wants to play) Counterstrike, Tony hawk and GTA since it was on PC as a top down game. I play just about everything that comes out, but those are some of the games and IP's that have consumed more than their fair share of gametime.

Currently im playing Super Paper Mario, Company of Heroes, WoW, SF2: Turbo, Smash Bros (N64) and Dead Rising. I bought Nicolle Okami and Psychonauts both of which she seems to enjoy quite a bit. I also just dug out my old magic the gathering cards to play a few games with some university buddies who also gave up magic cards a decade ago.

I have Wii, 360, Dreamcast, Ps2, and an FC Twin.

Anyhoo.. thats about it. Till the next time.

Who I am...

ITS ALIVE!!

So here it is.. the MONUMENTAL first post in my new blog...

Ive done blogs before for my photos... but never for my biggest passion turned career path... Video Games!

I am Jacob Karsemeyer... A student at Mcmaster University (thats in Canada.. near Toronto for you non-Canucks) studying multimedia and communications. Im not taking many technical design or programming courses (I did some basic 3d modeling, and other beginner courses) and I plan on becoming a game designer... more on the creative side of things. If this fails I will go to college to learn more practical game design techniques and then try again. As of now the plan is to get a job doing game testing for one of the many companies that operate out of Toronto and then use that as a springboard to climb that lovely corporate ladder.

Im sure that all could have been said in my profile... but there it is.

Recently I have been bogged down with exams and such... but the summer is readily approaching and Im finding myself with more and more free time... so I thought I might as well fill some of it by trying to maintain a gaming blog as I so often have opinions. The other things that take up my time are (in order of likeliness of getting in trouble for not having them near the front of the list); My lovely girlfriend Nicolle, my music (ask me about it if you love music...), family, school, occasional inebriation, gadgets, photography, and people in general.

anyhow.. enough about me.. what brings you here?