What do you do and where?

[NiX]

No pinch.

Why no pinch?

No one cares, but I upped a blog to document my time as an unpaid intern. Enjoy!

[schild]

I really don't think this needs to be stickied either.

[Strazos]

Necro.

So....I haven't received any word on the status of my medical or security clearance for the US State Dept. I sent the medical people an email a few days ago to inquire about the status, but haven't heard back yet.

So I come home today, and what do I find in my gmail account? A message from one of the caseworkers who handle potential hires down there.

She says I'm being put on the register of eligible hires, which is pretty nice. This means I passed both my clearances, and was given final approval by the final eligibility panel, in one fell swoop.


And then she went on to offer me a position in one of the upcoming orientation classes. In September. Which is pretty sweet, I guess.

So I guess this means I'll be the first person ever to go from GameStop to the US Dept of State's Foreign Service? That's kind of funny when you think about it.

Now I get to do all sorts of neat stuff, like move to DC (or more likely somewhere around Arlington, VA), get a real job, and all sorts of other neat things. 52 days to go.


I wonder if I'll have F13 access from work once I am abroad?  

[Oban]

I wonder if I'll have F13 access from work once I am abroad?

Yes, http://www.witopia.net/welcome.php works.

[Strazos]

Pretty sure Diplomatic Security would not appreciate me installing something like that, but thanks for the suggestion all the same.

[Cheddar]

Necro.

So....I haven't received any word on the status of my medical or security clearance for the US State Dept. I sent the medical people an email a few days ago to inquire about the status, but haven't heard back yet.

So I come home today, and what do I find in my gmail account? A message from one of the caseworkers who handle potential hires down there.

She says I'm being put on the register of eligible hires, which is pretty nice. This means I passed both my clearances, and was given final approval by the final eligibility panel, in one fell swoop.


And then she went on to offer me a position in one of the upcoming orientation classes. In September. Which is pretty sweet, I guess.

So I guess this means I'll be the first person ever to go from GameStop to the US Dept of State's Foreign Service? That's kind of funny when you think about it.

Now I get to do all sorts of neat stuff, like move to DC (or more likely somewhere around Arlington, VA), get a real job, and all sorts of other neat things. 52 days to go.


I wonder if I'll have F13 access from work once I am abroad?  

Welcome to the Guberment - fill out paperwork, wait, wait, wait, random response eventually.

No news is almost always good news.

Congratulations and cannot wait to hear how things go!  I may be up in Reston for a week later this year; too bad there are not enough f13'rs in the area for a get together.

[Strazos]

If all goes well, I should be in the area for about a year.

But I hate to break it to ya - I'm terribly boring company. 

[Cheddar]

I am much more bland IRL. 

[Phildo]

From what I've been told, getting hired by the government in under six months is something of an accomplishment.  Grats!

[bhodi]

I wonder if I'll have F13 access from work once I am abroad?  

Actually, I can tell you from personal experience that DS does not block or care about F13. You're in luck! Yes, you'll have full access.

Congratulations and cannot wait to hear how things go!  I may be up in Reston for a week later this year; too bad there are not enough f13'rs in the area for a get together.

Going to be at the sterling campus off of waxpool? I used to work there. :)

Myself, MrHat, and Phildo(before he moved) are in the area. Possibly more people I don't know.

[Oban]

Pretty sure Diplomatic Security would not appreciate me installing something like that, but thanks for the suggestion all the same.

On non-secure computers on the non-secure network, they do not care.

[Cheddar]

Pretty sure Diplomatic Security would not appreciate me installing something like that, but thanks for the suggestion all the same.

On non-secure computers on the non-secure network, they do not care.

Depends.

[Oban]

Depends.

[Stormwaltz]

EDIT: Nah, never mind. No news yet.

[Lantyssa]

Tease.

[Oban]

EDIT: Nah, never mind. No news yet.

Congratulations on being hired as the lead designer for SWTOR's post-launch Advanced Pastime Ordeal.

[Stormwaltz]

Chris L'Etoile, just shy of 35
Somewhere in Maryland
MMORPG Content Designer, ZeniMax Online


Once again, I am part of the problem!

[Strazos]

Good job, and good luck in the US.

As a side benefit, you can now order stuff from nice US sites without having someone re-ship to you in Canada! 

[Signe]

Hey!  Congrats!  And just in time for Silver Queen corn!   

[schild]

Chris L'Etoile, just shy of 35
Somewhere in Maryland
MMORPG Content Designer, ZeniMax Online

It's called Bethesda.

Also, I'm not entirely sure giving up your health care for California Tortilla was the right move. But that's just me.

Enjoy the armpit of America. I give it 3 years, tops.

Edit: Actually, I do have a serious question: What's the wisdom behind leaving Bioware a mere few months before a AAA RPG comes out to work on an unannounced title that will remain unannounced for yet a few more months, if not a full year?

[Lantyssa]

They made him an offer he couldn't refuse?

For whatever reason, gratz Stormwaltz.

[Stormwaltz]

Edit: Actually, I do have a serious question: What's the wisdom behind leaving Bioware a mere few months before a AAA RPG comes out to work on an unannounced title that will remain unannounced for yet a few more months, if not a full year?

Why now rather than after ME2's release? Because ZeniMax was hiring now. I found their project interesting. I wasn't looking for "any" job, I was looking for one I wanted to do. This one wouldn't be available after ME2.

I've spent the last five years working on Mass Effect games. More than half that time was spent working on projects before they'd been announced, so no big difference there. In that time, all I've been allowed to do was writing, writing, and more writing -- and that's what I was slated to do for ME3, too. BioWare is very big into role specialization. We've been using UE3 for over four years, and I've been asking for the ME writers to get training in Kismet (UE3's scripting system) training for three years. None has ever been offered, because writers are supposed to write -- only tech designers "need" to know how to use Kismet.

I'm bored. I want a job that will let me do a bit of level design and systems design in addition to writing. That's how I got my start at Turbine, and I miss it. And to be frank, I've just been having a grand old time experiencing LotRO as a player the last 18 months. It's rekindled my love of these games. That's why I started spitballing ideas in the Game Design forum.

BioWare was comfortable and secure, but I got into this industry to push envelopes, not punch clocks. My work on Mass Effect no longer excited me.

(I'll admit there are additional reasons, but they're either personal or potentially covered by NDA.)

[Engels]

Its nice to hear that someone out there isn't in it purely for the paycheck.

[Merusk]

(I'll admit there are additional reasons, but they're either personal ...

Hasn't anyone ever told you don't dip your pen in the company ink!!  

Grats on getting out and doing something you like to do instead of something you 'have' to do.

[Mosesandstick]

Go you!

[JWIV]

Chris L'Etoile, just shy of 35
Somewhere in Maryland
MMORPG Content Designer, ZeniMax Online


Once again, I am part of the problem!

Welcome to my neck of the woods!  COME FOR THE HEAT, STAY FOR THE HUMIDITY.    Oh August, I love you so much.

Also, ignore these haters.  Now that baseball season has ended (The O's season ends with the start of training camp), you can watch Maryland go collectively batshit crazy over the Ravens for the next few months.

[Cheddar]

Interesting.  Elder Scrolls MMO?

[Murgos]

Interesting.  Elder Scrolls MMO?

Fallout MMO is my guess.

[JWIV]

I wonder if I'll have F13 access from work once I am abroad?  

Actually, I can tell you from personal experience that DS does not block or care about F13. You're in luck! Yes, you'll have full access.

Congratulations and cannot wait to hear how things go!  I may be up in Reston for a week later this year; too bad there are not enough f13'rs in the area for a get together.

Going to be at the sterling campus off of waxpool? I used to work there. :)

Myself, MrHat, and Phildo(before he moved) are in the area. Possibly more people I don't know.

Missed this earlier, but I work out of  Reston. 

[Soln]

congrats Stormie, you're my favourite red name.  All the best.

PS. if yer a Canuck as well, beware the TN visa.  They are clamping down.  Get an H1B stat.  Cheers.

[Cheddar]

Congratulations and cannot wait to hear how things go!  I may be up in Reston for a week later this year; too bad there are not enough f13'rs in the area for a get together.

Going to be at the sterling campus off of waxpool? I used to work there. :)

Myself, MrHat, and Phildo(before he moved) are in the area. Possibly more people I don't know.

I missed this also - I am responsible for any outage reporting on the Eastern region of Verizon FiOS during after hours now  .  So I work hand in hand with the dudes up there.

[Cheddar]

oh hai, moneys.

So, no longer a manager of that company. 

[Stormwaltz]

Aw. Now where will I go for intartube advice?

Moneys. They are good to have.

[Cheddar]

Aw. Now where will I go for intartube advice?

Eh, I still have a job.  Deal was not due to perfomance/discipline.  One of those headcount things. 

You guys hiring? 

[Bunk]

I wondered where this thread had gone.

Belated congratz on following what you want to do Stormwalz.


I am currently enjoying the situation of being promoted to Assistant Manager of my department, but not being able to tell anyone (including the supervisor I leapfrogged) as the paperwork has not gone through yet.