Senior Environment Artist

Joining us from a stone pot only recently unearthed at dig site M at Santorini comes Mark 'static_mover' Lack. Formed by splicing and knotting liana vines during a stringent series of double-blind clinical trials into the efficacy of shouting, Mark garnered his bad self a BA in Animation from North East Wales Institute of Art and Design but he's feeling loads better now. He used to be all about the 'nimation. Now he's all about the 'vironments. He previously worked at Free Radical, working mainly on Timesplitters, and at Ninja Theory on Heavenly Sword and now he's here, arting hither and thither.

Mark can be placed athwart various objects. And he invented the stirrup. And yawning. His hobbies include flavouring himself with star anise and quince, such that he may be drunk as a sort of julep, and foaming. He's currently unavailable in Tab form, but in chords he goes something like: F / Fm7 / E7 / C / C7 / Dm or that could be Bsus / Eb / G / G7. He has a bridge, but we haven't learnt that bit yet. His ambitions include gathering the stamens of the crocus in a little glass dish, and coaxing trout to hum.

Things You Were Too Afraid To Ask...

Every once in a while, we interrogate one of our own and put their answers up for all the world to see. Read on to find out more about what Mark does, how he ended up at Splash Damage, and more.

What do you do at Splash Damage?

I'm a Senior Environment Artist.

Why did you want to work in the games industry and how did you get started?

I wanted to do art, and hopefully be good enough to get paid for it. This was the force driving my motivation to become a better artist, and it took a lot of hard work before I got my break, which was actually doing 2D animation for kids cartoons. The job also involved doing a bit if background art, and compositing. I knew then that I wanted to make environments, and leave the character animation to someone better skilled than me! So after a year of 2D animation, I decided I needed a lot more scope for adding detail to my work. 3D seemed like the only option. I quit my job as an animator, worked in a bar, and started doing 3D stuff in my spare time. After some time I decided I was ready to apply for another job and sent off my reel which led to a few interviews. I ended up going to Free Radical where I worked on the Timesplitters series.

You were also one of the environment artists on Heavenly Sword. Which bits of the game did you work on and what are you most proud of?

There were quite a few of us working on the environments, and we all had a big hand in creating the look and feel of the game, so it's unfair of me to say that one particular area of the game is completely down to me. I'm proud to have worked on a game that was widely acknowledged for good art, it makes you feel as though you're doing something right!

What other games have you worked on?

I worked on Timesplitters: Future Perfect and also I did a bit of work on Haze. I've also worked on several things that never saw the light of day... maybe they'll come back to haunt me!

Why did you join Splash Damage?

Unlike a lot of the artists that join Splash Damage I hadn't done any mods for Quake or anything. I joined because the new SD project sounded very interesting, and I felt like I could share my experience having already worked on a PS3 title. I was made to feel very welcome at my interview, and the people interviewing me knew what they were talking about.

What are the best and worst parts of your job?

The best part of the job is doing artwork. That's why I'm here. The worst part is probably when something is getting in the way of you doing your job, like when your computer crashes! That really sucks.

What was your first gaming experience?

The Spectrum I think, or some console with a wood veneer! It was too long ago now and I can't remember that far back!

What types of games do you like, and what's your favorite game of all time?

Difficult question. I like a lot of different types of game, and I don't know if I can pick a favourite. Off the top of my head I'd have to say it's between ICO and God Of War 2. But then there's Resi 4, Half-life 2, and Medieval Total War II is really good. The games I've played the most? Goldeneye on the N64, and Battefield 2. If I could have that time back I'd be about 5 years younger!

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

I like seeing friends and bands, and try to have a life away from it all.

If you have any questions you'd like to ask, feel free to post them in the comments — our forum-trained tapirs will try to answer as many of them as possible.