Being a software developer for many years (20+ now) I have always marveled at game development.  I love computer games and I can say that my love of them in the late 70's and early 80's is what drove me into my profession.  Although I have never worked in a game company my career has always been in microcomputer and then quickly PC platform once it was out.  This allow me to learn many things at home and provided a platform in which I was able to write very simplistic games back...