Welcome to the best Mail Sack that has ever been published on Bungie.net in the very short history of this brand new tradition. You’ll be amazed at how different this Mail Sack is from the ones that have come before it. For starters, we invited our community to ask questions, and our team stepped forward to answer them.
If you think that sounds familiar, you’re right. Sorry for the lie, but we needed a theme. Fortunately, a lot of people at Bungie also swallowed the hook, so there are a lot of new friends (and some old favorites) to chat with below.
You know what's next. Let’s open the Sack.
The EAKLE What question could I ask to make this the best mail sack ever?
Hint: Not that one.
crawlingshadow9 What is your favorite part of your job?
John Stvan, Graphic Designer
Fame and Fortune!
Christian Diefenbach, Engineering Lead
Getting presented with a crazy idea from our designers or client engineering team, and designing whole new services to support it. It is a ton of fun to work out the most efficient way to make our team’s dreams come true.
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer
Getting to see the things I make used throughout the studio.
David Johnson, Engineer
Answering Mail sack questions.
Alex Haraux, Engineer
It’s a toss-up between implementing an exciting new feature or fixing a nasty bug.
Ben Litowitz, Engineer
The people. I get to work with some of the most talented people in the industry… and also DeeJ.
Drew Smith, Producer
My desk! I’ve never had a desk so amazing in all my life. It holds all my things! (And I’m pretty sure it’s longer than I am tall).
Jami Jeffcoat, Tech Designer
I love firefighting, which is probably unhealthy but it’s true. It produces pleasant brain chemicals.
Alex Loret de Mola, Engineer
My coworkers. You can have the most creative, highest paying job in the world and hate every minute of it if you don’t have a team that works well together.
Troy McFarland, MoCap Lead
Seeing things I worked on in-game, and thinking “Dude! I helped make that!”
Andrea Fonger, Engineer
Figuring out solutions to hard problems, and having those hard problems relate to how to make an awesome universe.
Michael Strein, Engineer
Trolling the forums Interacting with fans. My line of work gets especially fast feedback, since I work on the primary way fans talk to us. I can’t imagine how we’d be Bungie without that connection.
Tom “Achronos” Gioconda, Engineer
Seeing a finished cinematic for the first time in Jay's "magic chair" after we've handed it off to the Effects and Audio teams, and they've had their way with it.
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
coolmike699 What are the politics of gaming?
The politics of gaming are completely different from anything we saw in the news this week. As a gamer, you can wage a hard-fought campaign, only to be confronted by additional challenges that will take some strategic cooperation with your allies to overcome. You need to mobilize your base if you want to raise your flag. When a race is over, congratulations are always in order, no matter who wins. And, we gamers always need someone to watch our back. That’s what makes us so unique. I don’t think there is an elected official in the world that would be able to relate to any of those statements.
Kr1egerdude Why do you answer Mail Sack questions?
Why do you ask Mail Sack questions?
Jay Thaler, Senior Engineer
John Stvan, Graphic Designer
Fame and Fortune!
Christian Diefenbach, Engineering Lead
I used to write my favorite game development companies when I was a lot younger, asking questions about games. I love that at Bungie, we actually take the time to answer.
Andy Howell, Matchmaking Test Lead
Because it’s my favorite part of my job.
Alex Haraux, Engineer
I’ve never answered before, but this one was titled “The Best Mail Sack Ever!” so I figured I was required to respond. You’re welcome, internet.
Jami Jeffcoat, Tech Designer
Notoriety…?
Dave Mongan, Senior Writer
Because I think I’m funny. Even if no one else laughs, I crack myself up, and I tell myself that is what really counts.
Andrea Fonger, Engineer
Because “The DeeJ” has compromising information on me and he’ll release it to the masses if I don’t. Damn you, Facebook!!
Troy McFarland, MoCap Lead
To paint a picture in all your minds of what is REALLY happening here. You can always count on me to be honest and truthful. DeeJ, when are you gonna run the story about the new fire pole that leads down into the test lab?
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
As soon as you let me sit in this magic chair you’re always talking about.
Captain Scurvy Would the Bungie office make a great place to play hide and seek?
Since none of us have an office, the studio that we share would make a terrible place to play hide and seek. We don’t make great games by keeping secrets from one another, so there is no place to hide. The whole development floor is wide open. You can hide under your desk, but anyone with hands and knees would be able to find you with a quick scan. Every conference room is concealed by a completely transparent glass wall, so you’re dead meat if you try to take cover in there, too.
CoRaMo What is your favorite ship (real or fictional, space or sea)?
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
Christian Diefenbach, Engineering Lead
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer
Andy Howell, Matchmaking Test Lead
Alex Haraux, Engineer
Drew Smith, Producer
Dave Mongan, Senior Writer
Andrea Fonger, Engineer
Austin Spafford, Engineer
John Stvan, Graphic Designer
Roger Wolfson, Theoretical Physicist
Chris Owens, Test Engineer
I used to work on these in middle school in my Grandpa’s workshop.
Troy McFarland, MoCap Lead
Alex Loret de Mola, Engineer
Michael Strein, Engineer
Jay Thaler, Senior Engineer
Can I use friendSHIP?
Jami Jeffcoat, Tech Designer
Oh, my word! She’s new, Bungie Community. She knows not what she does. Ease down…
DE4THINC4RN4TE What are the perfect ideals for Internet etiquette?
Everyone has their own solution. What works for me is to pretend that the person I’m dealing with over the Internet is right there in the room with me. And that person is Mike Tyson. And Mike Tyson just happens to be holding a shotgun with a freshly-oiled trigger assembly. If it’s a woman, just substitute with Angela Bassett. I let that delicate scenario inform my behavior. Ever since I discovered this roleplay, my participation in flame wars and post-game lobby trash-talking has decreased dramatically.
sacktapped Who would you like to fist fight?
The rich and famous.
Christian Diefenbach, Engineering Lead
I’m going to go with Ke$ha. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like her music. The way I imagine it, once we’re done fighting we could laugh it off, drink whiskey ‘till our wounds don’t hurt anymore, and become best friends forever. The end.
Jami Jeffcoat, Tech Designer
Can I fight a car, like in the bonus rounds of street fighter?
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer
My 16 year old self.
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
Strong Bad!
Andrea Fonger, Engineer
Tyler Durden.
Troy McFarland, MoCap Lead
Abe Lincoln. Big guy, big reach. Skinny guys fight till they're burger.
Josh Hamrick, Senior Designer
DefiniteInfinity how long ago did you decide on that career path and why?
Ten years ago, seeking Fame and Fortune.
Christian Diefenbach, Engineering Lead
In my early grades, I had to do a project based on the book Old Yeller, and ended up writing a program that printed out an ascii dog. The ability to make the computer do something was so amazing that I started on my path right then.
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer
For a long time I wanted to be a teacher, but in high school I realized that computer programming was something I really loved to do (and was reasonably good at), and so I decided to pursue that instead.
David Johnson, Engineer
Ten years ago. However, I did waver and take a break from game development for two or three years in the middle. Because of that break, I know that no matter what comes along, I will not be tempted away again.
Andy Howell, Matchmaking Test Lead
Probably about twelve years ago now. It was either this or marine biology. Frankly, I didn't want to go to school for nine years for the latter.
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
I tried to apply for President of the Universe, but the position was already filled.
Alex Haraux, Engineer
I realized I wanted to make games when I was 17, or so. I wanted to mix technical and artistic skills to make something fun and awesome. As an only child in an overly protective family, video games practically raised me. I just wanna give something back. (/awww)
Jami Jeffcoat, Tech Designer
I knew I wanted to be a writer from birth. Or, at least from the time I learned to write.
Dave Mongan, Senior Writer
In my junior year of college, I discovered that programming was much more fun than physics research. In the summer after my senior year in college, I did an internship at EA and fell in love with the game industry. There’s just something special about working with a bunch of fellow game nerds.
Andrea Fonger, Engineer
Generally, I knew I was doing programming as a career by the time I was in the fourth grade, and server engineering by high school.
Tom “Achronos” Gioconda, Engineer
My freshman year of college. I took my first programming course and loved it. It also helped that I was pretty good at it too.
Michael Strein, Engineer
1996. I got an impromptu interview with Dynamix, who said they weren’t hiring when I contacted them. I asked for a tour of their studio, and brought my resume and portfolio anyway. They gave me a job as a Photoshop retoucher of prerendered images (for Rama). I’ve been in the games industry ever since.
Troy McFarland, MoCap Lead
I know what you’re thinking, but this only works once in a lifetime. Visiting our careers page and following instructions is a far better tactic than gatecrashing our studio with your book under your arm.
Xd00999 Do employees ever look to these forums for inspiration?
This is certainly a great place to browse when we need a reminder for how to be patient.
mark117 mia2553 Besides the Mail Sacks do you have any other duties at Bungie?
Yes I do. Thank you for asking.
joe campbell What are some questions that people haven't asked already?
No one has asked about the game that we’re working on. What’s up with that? Don’t any of you even care?
sytheNsnipe Who's your hero?
Chris Owens. Yes, I’m my own hero.
Chris Owens, Test Engineer
My Grandpa (see above), my Father, Mark Twain.
Troy McFarland, MoCap Lead
Alan Turing is one of my big heroes.
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer
My Father. He was a journeyman mechanic and has a degree in electronics. He could fix anything without biological parts, and he was the kindest, and funniest, most intelligent man I have ever known.
Andy Howell, Matchmaking Test Lead
Ferenc van der Sluijs.
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
Chris Metzen.
Alex Haraux, Engineer
Ferris Bueller (oh man… I suddenly feel old).
Drew Smith, Producer
My 5th grade teacher, who taught me a lot about how being a geek should be celebrated, not hidden. Jocks run the playground, but geeks rule the world.
Tom “Achronos” Gioconda, Engineer
John Stvan, Graphic Designer
AxJARxOFxDIRT Are you tired of Halo related questions?
“Not yet…” –John, 117
It’s exciting to see a new adventure for the Master Chief, even if we’re not at the helm. Bungie will never forget Halo. That series of games will always be a cherished part of our heritage as a studio, even if we have moved on. We’re proud of what we created in that universe, and it’s an honor to see that people still want to explore it. Plus, until we give you something new to talk about, and we will, it’s perfectly logical that our conversations will turn to Halo. There are people who still pop up on Twitter to reminisce about Myth or Marathon or ONI.
BLAIR223 Do chicks dig the job?
I don’t know… do they?
Alex Loret de Mola, Engineer
The ones with a shovel do.
Pat Jandro, Senior Cinematic Designer
Depends on the lady. My awesome wife thinks it is pretty cool.
Michael Williams, Senior Engineer
“The job.” Is that what the kids refer to it as these days?
Rick Lico, Senior Art Lead
It is all about Fame and Fortune!
Christian Diefenbach, Engineering Lead
I have been testing this hypothesis lately; the sample size has been small, but thus far the results are not promising.
Ben Litowitz, Engineer
It’s not the job they dig, it’s that look I give em.
Veara Suon, Artist
They dig the passion and the cornrows.
Drew Smith, Producer
Yes, I definitely dig my job! Wait a minute…
Andrea Fonger, Engineer
I love the job! I’m sure the other fine ladies working here do too. And there’s never a line for the bathroom.
Jami Jeffcoat, Tech Designer
Nope.
Michael Strein, Engineer
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! No. Not at all.
Chris Owens, Test Engineer
John Stvan, Graphic Designer
Remorazz Today during lunch, some guy traded a game with one of my friends who sits at my table. He was wearing this shirt. Do you think he is member of Bungie.net? Should I seek him out?
Looks like you found yourself a Bungie Beta tester. Just imagine what he knows! The lure of information can be tantalizing, but I do not suggest that you not approach him. The punishment for betraying our trust can be messy and indiscriminant.
Disambiguation Being one of the few who had an opportunity to venture inside your studio earlier this evening, I have to ask: Does that NES in your rec room actually work, and what games do you guys play on it?
Hylebos Wait, what?
We got another Bungie Beta tester, and this one is talking! Stand back, Hylebos. Cybernetic Attack Wolves have been dispatched to his location to sweep and clear, and they don’t stand down until they're certain that the rumor has been contained. There’s no escape, Disambiguation. They can follow the scent you left on your chair in our lab across state lines and bodies of water.
Diseased Moto It's no secret that the best thing about a secret is secretly telling someone your secret, therefor adding another secret to their secret collection of secrets, secretly.
Telling a secret isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? Having a secret. At least, that’s what I tell myself whenever I think about tweeting concept art.
Don’t go rushing off to our Twitter feed, now. It’s secure, as evidenced by the fact that I am still here to publish this article – the very best Mail Sack in the history of mail and sacks. We hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have. If you think we can do better, you’ll have another crack at the letter box on Monday. Until then, keep your hands out of the Swedish fish.