Ad Personam: Linda Currie, Ex Sir-Tech
Sia 'Garrett' Manzari, 2003-07-10

Ad Personam is dedicated to the people behind the games: programmers, artists, musicians, directors, producers and many other professions involved in creating the stuff that fills our harddisks, lets us sleep less and eat more junk food. In each Ad Personam, we want to introduce one of these fine folks to you - and this time it is Linda Currie, former Project Leader at Sir-Tech.

Linda Currie: I'm Linda Currie and I've been involved in the computer game industry since 1981… and no, I'm not that old… I just started young ; ). I got involved in the games industry as a teenager with the inception of the pioneering publisher Sir-tech Software Inc. I worked in many different capacities over a period of years, ranging from marketing to finance and administration to customer support to third party development.

After graduating Magna Cum Laude from the Wharton School of Business, I joined Sharp Electronics Computer Systems Division to gain some "real" work experience outside of the games industry. Following this I returned to Sir-tech Software, Inc. to work on third party product acquisitions and development and in this role I met Ian… and we were married in late 1994. But really I'm a true gamer at heart, so in 1994 I moved permanently into hands-on game development and Ian & I have been working together ever since.

As a game developer, I was a Co-designer and the Level Designer on each Jagged Alliance product (Jagged Alliance, Jagged Alliance Deadly Games, Jagged Alliance 2, Jagged Alliance 2 Unfinished Business), Designer and Project Leader of Nemesis: The Wizardry Adventure, and finally as the Project Leader and a Co-designer of Wizardry 8, recipient of Computer Gaming World's 2001 RPG of the Year award.

RPGDot: Your favourite game, both electronical and board?

Linda Currie: A bunch of us on the team often get together and play various board or card games but one we often return to is Settlers of Catan. Electronically… well at the time I was terribly addicted to EverQuest but freed myself from my MMORPG chains after 6 months or so (I was seriously addicted). Since then I've enjoyed spending time on other MMORPGs but find that I'm just not willing to devote so much to keeping up and find myself returning to single player games where I feel I have more control over the pace that I play at. I've also been trying to spend more time on various console games but all in all, RPGs are probably the genre closest to my heart.

RPGDot: Your favourite movie and favourite actor & actress?

Linda Currie: My favorite movie probably changes a bit depending on what I've seen recently but if I had to choose one, I'd probably say The Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis. I was so inspired by the movie that I actually went and read the book by James Fenimore-Cooper which is not at all the kind of thing I read normally! As a big movie buff, I have so many actors and actresses that I really enjoy watching that I couldn't even begin to list them all.

RPGDot: Your favourite singer/band and record?

Linda Currie: Favorite singer… like movies, I have periodic favorites until I wear them out… for instance right now I really like Coldplay. And in a strange twist for me have been listening lately to The Eminem Show. But overall I'd choose Peter Gabriel because there's so much of his work that I really like.

RPGDot: If you could do any game, regardless of money and developing time, what would it be?

Linda Currie: Hey now, that might divulge my next big project ; )…

RPGDot: If you'd be able to choose anyone from within the game industry to work on your dream project, who'd you put in your team?

Linda Currie: I already have the team I'd choose to work with… all we need is some funding : ). Seriously though, there are so many talented people in this industry that it would be hard just to pick a bunch of them from their various positions to work on my "dream" project. Not to mention that many of the people that I hold in high regard for what they've done in the past I don't personally know so even though they might be amazing, I'm not so sure I'd be quick to pick them for my random team without meeting them first. How people mesh together in a team is as important as the people themselves so honestly, I really would stick with the team that I've got.

RPGDot: What character from a game or role-playing setting best describes you?

Linda Currie: That's a tough one actually… I can't say that too many women characters come leaping to mind other than the famous Lara Croft and I wouldn't pick her… no way would I be that athletic!

RPGDot: Your non-gaming hobbies?

Linda Currie: I ride… horses that is… well, one horse specifically… I used to compete locally in the dressage circuit but don't any longer. It was just too demanding time-wise to keep up with it since I'd really need to ride about 6 days a week to compete… these days I ride somewhere between 3 & 4 days a week.

RPGDot: Your favourite author and favourite book?

Linda Currie: Lots and lots of favorite authors and lots of favorite books… I love to read so there'd be way too many to list. I'm a big fan of legal thrillers.

RPGDot: What historical person would you like to meet and why?

Linda Currie: Hmm… the first name that popped into my head is actually Princess Di because I'm sure she would have some inspiring opinions and advice. But I'm not sure that this is precisely what you meant when you said historical figure so I'll go on to say that anyone who was a part of settling the North American frontier would be someone I'd find very interesting to meet. Their perspectives on life would be completely different from ours today and I'm sure I'd come away even more appreciative of the life that I have now

RPGDot: Thanks for your time!