About me.
Who am I ?
My real name is Jonathan Richardson. I live in a sleepy little town in England. Buried away in the countryside. Yes. I love to drink tea.
I began gaming at the age of two, when my father introduced me to 'Doom' on the PC. I am currently studying for an honors degree in animation and visual effects.
During my time on the great interwebs I've undergone many personas. You can find me on youtube as Xjrlol. Garrysmod.org as Kalny, and on the Garrysmod forums as Breadman.
I began gaming at the age of two, when my father introduced me to 'Doom' on the PC. I am currently studying for an honors degree in animation and visual effects.
During my time on the great interwebs I've undergone many personas. You can find me on youtube as Xjrlol. Garrysmod.org as Kalny, and on the Garrysmod forums as Breadman.
How did this all begin?
Many years ago when I was merely seven years old, I was given a brand new computer. This computer however had sound issues. We went out and bought a brand new soundblaster card, which happened to come with a CD. The CD had Half-Life uplink on it. As soon as I played it, I was hooked.
I played that demo over and over, until 1998 when the full game of Half-Life was released. I must've played that through at least five times, before I discovered the software "Worldcraft" that Valve had so nicely packaged with their first game. I was eight years old.
I played that demo over and over, until 1998 when the full game of Half-Life was released. I must've played that through at least five times, before I discovered the software "Worldcraft" that Valve had so nicely packaged with their first game. I was eight years old.
Eight years old!!?!
Yes. I made my first map when I was eight. It was a pink box made out of the AAA Trigger texture. It contained light, a player start, barney and a couple of headcrabs. As soon as I created that map, I was hooked. The potential behind such a program was awe inspiring to me, and I kept using the software.
I taught myself everything. I occasionally used the odd tutorial.. I think I can just about remember learning how to place nodes in maps, but pretty much everything else is self taught from days and days of playing with the tool.
I taught myself everything. I occasionally used the odd tutorial.. I think I can just about remember learning how to place nodes in maps, but pretty much everything else is self taught from days and days of playing with the tool.
14 Years onward.
This year marks my 14th year of mapping. I haven't stopped. I still have time to weave it inbetween study and work, and only now do I feel confident enough to begin showing the world what I can do with these tools Valve gave the community.
Of course, I've worked with other games and programs too. Back in 2000 I got into using Quark and Qradient and made some maps for games like Quake and Doom. I once used Quark to map for Half-life 1, but soon enough I went back to Ol' Reliable Hammer.
I find it satisfying. I believe the potential of these tools is occasionally overlooked. The ability to have an idea, create that idea and then physically experience that idea is a fantastic thing. And now with the community given this SDK from Valve, it doesn't have to be about narrative anymore.
Narrative is brilliant for any map, but in some cases it hinders a mapper. If I am given a concept, sure I can make it work. But its about what lies in the heart and mind of the mapper. To create environments that reflect the mappers thoughts and feelings, to conjure emotions and most importantly, to make other players think, "Wow."
Mapping is a completely different medium to modeling and animation. Characters are merely puppets in the game world. The world must reflect these characters and work with their emotions. You could have the best models, animation, choreography and voice acting in the world, but it all goes to pot if the world around them lacks imagination.
Of course, I've worked with other games and programs too. Back in 2000 I got into using Quark and Qradient and made some maps for games like Quake and Doom. I once used Quark to map for Half-life 1, but soon enough I went back to Ol' Reliable Hammer.
I find it satisfying. I believe the potential of these tools is occasionally overlooked. The ability to have an idea, create that idea and then physically experience that idea is a fantastic thing. And now with the community given this SDK from Valve, it doesn't have to be about narrative anymore.
Narrative is brilliant for any map, but in some cases it hinders a mapper. If I am given a concept, sure I can make it work. But its about what lies in the heart and mind of the mapper. To create environments that reflect the mappers thoughts and feelings, to conjure emotions and most importantly, to make other players think, "Wow."
Mapping is a completely different medium to modeling and animation. Characters are merely puppets in the game world. The world must reflect these characters and work with their emotions. You could have the best models, animation, choreography and voice acting in the world, but it all goes to pot if the world around them lacks imagination.
Final thought.
I've learnt a lot over the last 13 years, especially about the community and their impressions, and there are some real great mappers out there, whom I look up to. As I said before, I now feel confident enough to begin producing maps to share and show off to the rest of the Valve Community.
Come take a walk around my imagination =)
Come take a walk around my imagination =)
Contact me!
Leave me your email if you want me to contact you back directly! Or if you REALLY love me, you can donate so that I can keep mapping!