Jeff's Personal Page

I do the conception, design, artwork and most of the development for Distant Systems. While game design and programming is my passion, I do have one or two other things to occupy my time...

Personal

I'm married to Doctor Nicola Helen Chapman, a research scientist at the University of Washington specializing in statistical genetics. We have a young son, Liam, and a daughter, Ailey.

I was born in Bristol in the U.K., and moved to Ontario with my family when I was thirteen. I attended the University of Toronto where I earned an undergraduate degree in physics and mathematics (which is where I met Nicky). Nicky went off to do her PhD at UW, and I followed, first getting a position at Electronic Arts in Vancouver which I never began, since I landed a far better job (i.e. closer to Nicky) at Microsoft. I've been at Microsoft ever since, really enjoying myself as a developer on the DirectDraw and Direct3D teams. (Seven years in the same position- an MS record!). In August of 2002 I moved to irownWorks studio (part of Microsoft Game Studios, later merged into FASA Studio), where I was responsible for the animation and physics simulation systems for a sadly cancelled science-fiction FPS project. Here's my CV in detail.

Interests

Well, game programming is about it really. I started coding on a single-board micro I built from a magazine design sometime in 1978, but my first published work didn't come about till I formed my first venture "Oblique Triad", circa 1988. Under the OT banner I produced seven titles for the Tandy Color Computer (or Colour Computer- it was Canada after all).. You can read all about my efforts here. My current hobby efforts result in an entity I call Distant Systems.

I enjoy creative writing. As yet un-published, but you can read some samples here and here.

I am a licensed private pilot, renting Cessna 172s from Regal Air out of Paine Field, Everett, WA.

I am so into marine invertebrates it's not funny. Especially nudibranchs, or sea slugs. No, really. I can't pass by a tide pool!

I do like a good juggle. Recently took up contact juggling. Very interesting!

OK, I admit a soft spot for my '88 Mazda 323 GTX sort-of rally car.

Ever tried to think about human behavior as the product of millions of years of evolution? It's an enormously fruitful point of view, and can explain wars, religion, politics, professional sport, and most everything else about human society. Check out this on-line summary.

I ride a really cool recumbent bike... by the time you read this I may have completed the 2002 Seattle-to-Portland on it!!!

Love the big outdoors. Nicky and I (and Liam, twice so far) hike hike hike....