 "Photo: Submitted photo")
Kenn Hoekstra, 35, is a 1995 graduate of UW-Whitewater. He graduated with a B.S. in English with a minor in History. He works for Pi Studios, LLC in Houston, Texas.
RP: How did you get into the game development field?
Kenn: I was in the right place at the right time. I was managing the Graham Street Cafe on the U.W. Whitewater campus and got to know a graduate student named Jeff who worked for me part time. He introduced me to his brother Eric, who was (and is) a designer at Raven Software in Madison. The three of us hung out and became good friends. Six months later I interviewed at Raven and got my first job in game development as a level designer. The rest, as they say, is history.
RP: What was the first game you worked on?
Kenn: The first game I worked on was Take No Prisoners for the PC. The game was developed by Raven Software and published by Red Orb Entertainment in 1998. If you've never heard of it, don't sweat it. Not many people have!
RP: What exactly does your career entail?
Kenn: I started out as a level designer, which is essentially an environmental artist or 3-D architect. I've since moved into the project management side of things. In game development, "Producer" is another name for Project Manager. Basically, you plan out the project schedule, assign tasks to your team and make sure everyone completes them on time. You also interface with the publisher and make sure your company gets paid!
RP: What do you like most about your job?
Kenn: Seeing a game you worked on hit store shelves is extremely rewarding. In my 12 years in game development, I've been fortunate enough to ship nearly 20 titles. It's still a thrill to walk into GameStop or Best Buy and see a game I worked on on display. It's a great feeling.
RP: Have you met anyone famous in your line of work?
Kenn: I met Dick Van Dyke at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles in 1998 or 1999. We were showing Soldier of Fortune behind closed doors and I got to demo it for him. Video games were under a lot of government scrutiny at the time, and I believe his exact words were "Wow...congress is going to love this." I demoed the game for actor Kadeem Hardison at that same E3.
RP: What's the game you are most proud of?
Kenn: I'd have to say Soldier of Fortune. I worked on that game briefly as a level designer before moving on to write the manual and the official strategy guide. I also did a bunch of interviews, secured several magazine covers for the game and got to take it on the road in the U.S. and the U.K. to promote it. It was one of Raven's most successful titles and I'd like to think that I had something to do with that success.
RP: What's your favorite game you haven't worked on?
Kenn: I'm a big fan of the Resident Evil series. I would love to work on a Resident Evil game.
RP: What would you like to tell students interested in a career in video game development?
Kenn: If you want to work in the games industry, make friends with your local gym. Sitting at a desk in the dark all day with free soda and snacks all around you isn't very conducive to staying in shape.
RP: Do you have any hobbies besides video games?
Kenn: I love to read, I'm a fantasy football fanatic and I absolutely love low budget horror films. I'm also an aspiring screenwriter. A few years back I wrote a screenplay for a low budget horror film called "Cold Front" that takes place on a college campus inspired by U.W. Whitewater. What can I say? Go with what you know!
RP: What's your favorite college food?
Kenn: I lived on the generic Captain Crunch they served in the dining halls. I had a bowl with almost every meal. By the time I graduated, I was calling it Admiral Crunch. I figured after four years, the Cap'n deserved a promotion.
RP: What's your favorite Whitewater hangout?
Kenn: On campus, I used to hang out in the U.C. a lot. I watched more soap operas between classes than I would ever care to admit, went bowling and (not surprisingly) spent many an afternoon playing video games downstairs. Off campus there was a bar called T.A. Spirits that used to give out novelty t-shirts if you drank a goldfish. For better or for worse, they were a cornerstone of my college wardrobe. I was never much of a fashion plate.
RP: What's the worst college job you ever had?
Kenn: During the summers I worked at Hardee's slinging burgers and working the drive thru. I met some great people, but as jobs go, it wasn't glamorous.
RP: What's your favorite memory of UW-Whitewater?
Kenn: I was an RA for three years and a summer to help pay for school. Working for the office of Residence Life was a great experience and I still remember it fondly. I got the chance to meet and work with a lot of awesome people.
RP: What advice would you give to UW-Whitewater graduates entering the job market right now?
Kenn: Your education and experience are important, but never underestimate the power of networking. It sounds like a cliché, but it's true: who you know is often just as important as what you know. I met the right person at the right time and that's what got me out of restaurant management and into game development. Networking is important. Don't forget that.
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