GamersInfo.net: You stated that you wanted to be a medical doctor until about 5 years ago. What changed at that time to make you consider video games as a career?

Jason Murdick: I discovered, or rather re-discovered, programming. I took a course in C Programming and found out that I really liked it. Then I worked for a while with a friend programming on MUD and began thinking about programming my own games. That interest built and I did more and more work on games on my own as well as mods and non-game programming. Finally, I decided I wanted to finish my degree and I found a school that would help me get into the industry as well as get a 4-year degree. So, I moved to Phoenix 2 years ago and the rest is history.

GamersInfo.net: The leap from genetics to AI and behavioral systems isn't that great. Which do you find satisfies your interest most? The artificial systems created for the game or the systems created by the players, and why?

Jason Murdick: As a programmer, I find the AI and behavioral systems created for the game more interesting than the results. I enjoy seeing the reactions of players when they encounter new situations or behaviors. When I redid portions of Lesser Aradoth, I introduced a mixture of aggro, non-aggro, and social spiders to the forest. It was great to me when the first players explored it and found that not all monsters behaved as they expected.