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Volume Number: 24
Issue Number: 11
Column Tag: MacTech Spotlight
MacTech Spotlight: Blair Yakimovich, Transgaming, Inc.
What do you do?
I'm an Associate Producer for TransGaming Inc., an innovative company who provides portability solutions for video game publishers and developers.
How long have you been doing what you do?
I've been producing for a year. Before that I was a developer for 7 years.
What was your first computer?
In 1990, my parents bought a Mac classic for the family. My life was then devoted to acquiring as many shareware games as I could get my eleven-year old paws on. Nightly, I thanked Silicon Beach Software for Dark Castle and Beyond Dark Castle.
Are you Mac-only, or a multi-platform person?
I'm a multi-platform person, but I predominantly use the Mac. I was raised on the Mac for eight years before I was introduced to Windows in high school. My education in programming taught me to appreciate Linux. Today, I find I can enjoy the best of many platforms through the Mac - the classic user-environment of a Mac, the power of the command line in the Terminal, and a rapidly growing host of games seen previously only on Windows.
What's the coolest thing about the Mac?
I was going to say the chime that sounds every time you turn one on - it definitely evokes a Pavlovian response of excitement from me. My Windows PC beeps...it doesn't chime. Exposé is pretty rad too.
What is the advice you'd give to someone trying to get into this line of work today?
Enthusiasm - let it fuel your desire to break in. If you're a developer, develop small games and demos to show off your chops. If you love to play games and have an analytical mind, QA is a great place to test your mettle.
What's the coolest tech thing you've done using OS X?
Make PC games work on the Mac.
Where can we see a sample of your work?
At http://www.gametreeonline.com and the Apple Store! I've worked on over 20 games for the Mac, including Spore, Jade Empire, Battlefield 2142, Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Need for Speed Carbon, and The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes.
The next way I'm going to impact IT/OS X/the Mac universe is:
To continue to take my passion for Mac gaming and infect interested publishers and developers. The Mac Gaming community is rapidly expanding, and I want to continue to be at the forefront, enabling as many titles as I can using our Cider technology. My goal is for no Mac-user to walk into an electronics store eager for games, and leave empty-handed.
If you or someone you know belongs in the MacTech Spotlight, let us know! Send details to editorial@mactech.com
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