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Derrick’s Profile

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Name: Derrick “codemonkey” Schommer

I’ve been playing video games since the video game crash of 1983. I’m not old enough to recall “the good ol days of pong” but I was old enough to grow up with Combat, Dragon Fire, Pole Position, Donkey Kong, Mario, Ninja-Gaiden, Metroid and many other classics in the industry. The only thing I did equal to playing video games was to record myself and friends on a Fisher Price tape record and pretend to run a radio show.

Favorite Game? My favorite game of all time is the original Zelda with the golden cartridge on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Although my Atari 2600 was great and NES Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out was fun to play, Zelda is what turned me into a dedicated gamer. My cousin Doug and I spent much of our childhood scrubbing every inch of the tiled game map in Zelda.

Hardest Game? Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi and Zelda II. What’s with Ninja games and their high degree of difficulty?

Nostalgia for? Side Scrollers, we need more damn side scrolling games.

Games you lack interest in? Anything with the name Halo, most science fiction RPG style games and anytime that is design specifically for violence and lacks plot (i.e. Postal)

Favorite Genre? RPG’s, Racing games, great war FPS titles and Flying games.

Favorite Console? Althogh the NES was a break-thru system, I believe the Super Nintendo Entertainment System grew the industry by expanding game franchises and building the foundation for a game industry that would ultimately defeat them in sales figures, namely Sony.

When I’m not gaming? I’m writing. That might be about beer, wine and other beverages, one of the many gaming sites I contribute to or helping out others with their blogging.

Real Job? Yeah, I’m a Systems Engineer (pre-sales) doing network storage solutions, prior to that I was a C++ developer for eight years or so (and have been programming since I was 16).

Favorite TV Show? Forever Knight. Today, CSI: Miami.

Favorite Musical Arist? Billy Joel, with Steely Dan, Disturbed, Godsmack and Alice in Chains coming in a close second (yeah, off the wall).

Websites I maintain, assist with and/or run: derrickschommer.com, everydaydrinkers.com, gamestooge.com, techdiversions.com, 2old2play.com.

My Social Networks and Contacts: