🎵⚡ Remastered Empire Earth musics from Reborn modders are now available on Spotify  ! ⚡🎵

Stainless Steel Studios

Having co-founded Ensemble Studios in 1995, Rick Goodman decided to do it again by founding Stainless Steel Studios, Inc. in January 1998. Rick plans for Stainless Steel Studios to become the industry’s premier developer in real-time strategy games. By utilizing Goodman’s design philosophies, proven development techniques, and innovative management style and the hiring of some of the industry’s most talented programmers, game designers and artists, Stainless Steel Studios will be able to accomplish this task.

Rick Goodman – Founder, President
Dara-Lynn C. Pelechatz – Vice President of Business Operations
Renko – Morale Committee Chairman

Rick Goodman
Founder, President

In 1995, Rick Goodman (a.k.a. “Mr. Grinch”) co-founded Ensemble Studios with his brother and ultimately created the award-winning Age of Empires® game published by Microsoft. When the development of Age of Empires was completed, Goodman chose to return to his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts and establish Stainless Steel Studios in order to create his newest brainchild, Empire Earth.

Goodman has an MBA in finance from Boston University, and has spent the past ten years developing software products, managing custom development and consulting. He worked for LotusDevelopment Corporation for four years and worked for Ensemble Corporation (sister to Ensemble Studios) for three years where he managed large scale software productivity development. As co-founder of Ensemble Studios, Goodman was Lead Designer and Project Manager of Age of Empires and exercised responsibility over company operations for three years.

Tapping his skills as an entrepreneur and game designer, Goodman has already proven himself as someone capable of overseeing and actively participating in the development of ‘AAA’ computer game titles, as well as managing a close business relationship with a leading software publisher.

Goodman has six years of experience in successfully hiring, motivating and managing winning development teams through the entire production and delivery of milestone-based development cycles, particularly under tight deadlines. He has a thorough understanding of all aspects of game design and development process.

Goodman is particularly skilled in managing key relationships, establishing reliable schedules, and developing and reviewing functional and technical design documents. His project management and game development experience combined with his financial background provide Goodman with the expertise needed to operate, manage and market PC game software development utilizing cutting-edge technology for “AAA” game products.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:
A quote that best describes you?

It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

What game are you playing right now (2001) ?

Anno 1602 (By Infogrames)

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Command & Conquer
Warcraft 2
Command HQ (By Microprose, 1991)
SimCity

What was your very first job?

I flipped hamburgers and scooped ice cream in high school. After
graduating from college with a Business degree, I got a much better job – waiting tables.

Ideal night out?

Board game night on Fridays!

Dara-Lynn C. Pelechatz
Vice President of Business Operations

Prior to joining Stainless Steel Studios, Dara-Lynn Pelechatz worked as president of her own marketing and consulting company, Promotions In Motion. Her high-profile clients included Neiman Marcus and Sears. Her consulting expertise was in the areas of strategic planning, sales, marketing, business operations and human resources.

Before establishing her own company,
Pelechatz worked for five years as a senior technical recruiter for engineers working in the high-tech fields of networking, programming and MIS. She was responsible for successfully placing hundreds of top-level professionals.

For Stainless Steel Studios, Pelechatz is responsible for the day-to-day business operations of the company, as well as for strategic planning, corporate marketing and public relations. Her extensive expertise as a professional recruiter are paramount to the company’s key objective in building a world class development team. She is working closely with founder Rick Goodman, to build one of the most talented development teams in the industry.

Pelechatz’s entrepreneurial skills, management style and recruiting experience mesh perfectly with Goodman’s vision for Stainless Steel Studios, giving the company a unique depth of managerial expertise and a highly-organized, “process oriented,” operational foundation.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

A quote that best describes you?

Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question.
-Albert Camus (this might best describe me).

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Age of Empires

What was your very first job?

While in high school I worked at Caldors as the Head Cashier, I held all the power then! HA!

Ideal night out?

At this point-any. I don’t get out often. No seriously: I really enjoy going to the
symphony or theatre. My second favorite is having dinner parties with friends.

Favorite 1999 E3 memory?

Telling 11 grown men they would have to share king size beds. The hotel had over-booked and created this problem. Of
course the problem was solved and every man had his own bed.

Renko
Morale Committee Chairman

Scott Marison – Game Engine Programmer
Michael J. Tatro – Software Engineer
Bob Scott – Communications AI Programmer
Dan Higgins – Communications AI Programmer
Brian Stephens – Game Programmer
Charlie Cleveland – Game Programmer
Shawn Shoemaker – Programmer
Chad Dawson – Programmer
Greg Seegert – Programmer

Scott Marison
Game Engine Programmer

Scott Marison has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and over nine years experience programming in C and C++. As a software engineer for 5D Games, Marison was responsible for the design and development of the low-level game engine, 3D graphics engine, physics engine, particle systems and skeletal animation for the company’s premier title, Millennium Four.

Prior to joining 5D Games, Marison worked at Sierra Online/Papyrus on Grand Prix Legends and the award winning Indycar Racing II, specializing in high-level engine design, engine programming and UI.

Marison also did five-year stint as a senior software engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation, developing client-server code management systems for the PC platform. He is accomplished in C++ programming, 80×86 assembly, Visual Basic and DirectX. His game development experience began in 1982 when he programmed a version of Lunar Lander, followed by a real-time MUD-based adventure game, a ColecoVision emulator, a WWII strategy game and finally a major league baseball game.

Marison currently works with Stainless Steel Studios’ founder Rick Goodman to design and develop the technology and low-level substructure for the cutting-edge, next generation game engine that will support the company’s first real-time strategy game title, Empire Earth.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite Musician/Band?

Elvis Costello

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Missile Command
Asteroid
Rolling Thunder
Jumpman Jr.
Miner 2049er

The perfect meal?

Salmon sushi, eel sushi, california roll, spider roll and several orders of saki.

Most physically painful experience?

I’d rather not say – it still hurts.

Favorite 2000 E3 memory?

The “Promised Lot”… and game-wise, it was Halo.

Michael J. Tatro
Software Engineer (“Graphics Guy”)

Michael TatroMichael Tatro has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Computer Graphics and 12 years of programming experience, the last five in C and C++. As a software engineer in the 3-D Application Research Group at ATI Research, Inc., Tatro was responsible for the development of a high-performance 3D graphics engine designed to render directly to 3-D hardware through various APIs (Direct3-D, OpenGL, and ATI’s CIF).

At ATI Research, Tatro worked directly with several of the finest game developers on some of the industry’s leading 3-D titles, making astonishing improvements in their underlying graphics engines. Though he specializes in multi-texturing techniques, his expertise extends to graphics engine architecture, design and 3-D hardware acceleration and performance optimization. He worked closely with the DirectX team at Microsoft to help define Microsoft’s next-generation DirectX APIs. He is also a regular contributing author to Game Developer magazine.

First and foremost a programmer, Mike Tatro is also a highly talented professional 3-D digital artist. Prior to ATI, Tatro worked for The DI Group, where he created broadcast-quality computer animation for television networks and production companies, including The Discovery Channel, Warner Brothers and ESPN.

Tatro is working with the development team at Stainless Steel Studios to design and develop an entirely new, next-generation graphics engine for the company’s first real-time strategy game, Empire Earth.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite television show you watched growing up?

Boston Red Sox

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Bard’s Tale

The perfect meal?

A beer on the first warm day of spring.

Most physically painful experience

Banging my head against a wall 100 times for joining the Army.

Favorite 1999 E3 memory?

School Girls – Thank You, GOD!!!!

Bob Scott
Communications AI Programmer

Bob ScottSince his days of typing in Commodore 64 game programs that he got out of the back of Compute! Magazine, Bob Scott’s been working his way towards being a game programmer. With gaming credits ranging from his work on Warlords 3, to putting together the Red Orb Zone, to his current work on Empire Earth, Bob is well on his way to fulfilling that dream and becoming one of the bright lights of the industry.

Bob has over fifteen years of programming experience and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from UC Santa Cruz. He is proficient in C++, Java, Perl and Visual Basic. Prior to joining Stainless Steel Studios, Bob spent many years at Therma-Wave, Inc., as a senior programmer developing semiconductor test equipment software.

In January of 1997 Bob joined Red Orb Entertainment. There he created the Red Orb Zone, Red Orb’s free game-matching service. Afterwards, Bob became involved in games like Take No Prisoners, Warbreeds and titles in the Warlords series. The recipient of Broderbund’s Intellectual Capital Award, Bob developed a reputation as a pioneer in introducing new technologies to the game development process.

Seeking a new challenge after Broderbund’s merger with TLC, Bob contacted Stainless Steel Studios founder Rick Goodman, expressing interest in the new gaming culture Rick was developing. After joining, Bob took responsibility for the game’s multiplayer communications and Artificial Intelligence. He’s already laid the groundwork for a solid multiplayer engine but is really looking forward to developing a good, but game-friendly, AI engine.

Bob’s a big fan of strategy games and RPGs, but has been known to cut loose on a high-end racing game when he feels “the need for speed.” Recently he completed Baldur’s Gate and is currently tearing up the tarmac in Viper Racing. An immigrant to Beantown, Bob has decided to take the Fifth when it comes to talking about his new home. Apparently Bob will only say that since he arrived in the middle of winter, he’ll wait until summer before he starts asking everyone why you can’t get decent guacamole.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite Musician/ Band?

Current favorite is Goo Goo Dolls – Dizzy Up the Girl is jam-packed full of good songs.

Favorite television show you watched growing up?

Crap – this might date me, but Thunderbirds (yes, the one with the puppets, er, marionettes).

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Video game – Galaga. PC Game – XCom: UFO

One question: Rocket Launcher or Railgun?

Rocket Launcher, of course.

The perfect meal?

Lunch – Shepherd’s Pie. Dinner – Pizza (Sicilian style)

Brian Stephens
Game Programmer

Brian StephensBorn and raised in a little suburb of Boston that nobody’s ever heard of called Boxford (not Boxboro), Brian Stephens has been working toward becoming a game programmer. After ditching his Atari 2600 for the far more advanced 64K computers of his day, Brian began developing games in BASIC, putting together RPGs and arcade titles – simply because they didn’t exist.

Brian earned a BS in Computer Science at the University of New Hampshire, in May of 1991. After that, Brian secured a position at Banyan Systems developing their networking toolkit, the core technology used in many of their key products. Throughout his career, Brian has picked up extensive knowledge of C/C++, DirectX (DirectDraw), WinSock and Visual Basic. Prior to joining Stainless Steel, Brian helped in the development of a multi-user BBS software package, a job that included creating an API for connecting to the BBS via an IPX/SPX LAN.

Finally, after eight years of exceptional work on products he wasn’t terribly excited about, Brian decided to seek out a new environment where his passion for producing exceptional product would be appreciated. He came across the Stainless Steel Web page, read every word and decided that this was the place he wanted to work. After sending in his resume along with some demo code, he ran the interview gauntlet of Stainless Steel Studios, Inc., performed a swingin’ rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Luck be a Lady Tonight” and was asked to join the organization. Since his arrival, Brian has taken responsibility for a great deal of Empire Earth’s multi-player and networking code, although as the game progresses, he’s also planning on making some contributions to the graphic engine.

Brian is a long-time fan of classic arcade games, particularly retro titles like Moon Patrol and Joust. He’s also recently developed an interest in real-time strategy games and is currently burning through Warzone 2100. During his infrequent off-hours, he enjoys hiking, camping, biking and restoring old cars with his wife, Veronica. His goals include becoming the best in the world at what he does and convincing his wife that there’s more to computer gaming than SimCity 3000.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite Musician/ Band?

Hard to say… Lots of stuff in the punk-ish category… Currently I’ve been listening a lot to The Dropkick Murphys and The Suicide Machines…

Favorite television show you watched growing up?

“The Dukes of Hazzard,” of course… 😉

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Rally Speedway for the Atari 800. Ghosts and Goblins for coin-op…

One question: Rocket Launcher or Railgun

Rocket Launcher, definitely.

The perfect meal?

Anything that originated from things without eyelids. The more heart-unfriendly the better…

Charlie Cleveland
Game Programmer

Brian Stephens5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite Musician/ Band?

If GWAR, Tom Waits and Mr. Bungle decided to form a band, that would be it.

Favorite television show you watched growing up?

Sesame Street. Now I know better and don’t watch television.

The perfect meal?

I’d start out with a light appetizer of chewy spiced gluten nuggets simmered in cashew milk, then move on to a main course of a Thai tofu “chicken” satay fried in an green coconut curry, along with a side of marinated packed fermented soybean husks. For dessert I would have organic strawberry shortcake or maybe some carob- almond brownies.

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Starcraft
Quake 2
Star Control 2
Magic Carpet
Tribes
Scorched Earth
Battlezone (first remake)
Mortal Kombat
MDK
Super Mario Brothers (1, 2, 3)

A quote that best describes you?

“Do it right or not at all.” Or however that goes.

Shawn Shoemaker
Programmer

Shawn began programming in third grade, writing Logo programs on an Apple II. At about the same time he began gaming on an Atari 2600. Shawn continued to work with computers and play games through high school — then it was time for college. As he always enjoyed understanding how things are put together, Shawn decided that engineering was his calling – after ruling out a career as a Lego designer.

Shawn’s interests led him to Virginia Tech, where he received a BS and an MS in Computer Engineering. He had a few different internships in school, including two tours at Intel. In his second job at Intel, he worked in the Developer Relations Group with several game developers and hardware manufacturers. Upon returning to school for his senior year, Shawn decided to combine his two passions and pursue game programming. Should game programming ever grow old, though, he can always return to the world of VLSI and digital logic (yeah right!).

Stainless Steel is Shawn’s third company in as many years. While completing his MS, he worked for a VR company that had some great toys: Head-Mounted-Displays, 6-DOF trackers, pinch gloves, and a CAVE virtual environment. For his MS, Shawn wrote a Star Wars-like game “CAVE Wars Episode 1: A New Hokie” for the CAVE environment. Shawn then left the VR company for something more like a game company. He found a small developer in Washington, D.C., that was trying (unsuccessfully) to get into the game business using DoD contract money to fund the game development. After spending too much of that year coding from a Navy-based fallout shelter (fallout shelter 13, incidentally) and working on the games at night, Shawn again sent out his resumes. After numerous phone interviews, programming tests, and multiple offers from mass-market game developers, Shawn found Stainless Steel and it was immediately obvious that this was the place for him. Shawn describes his present position at Stainless as his “dream job.”

Currently, Shawn is working on the Empire Earth game engine. Some of Shawn’s more interesting past projects include a D&D; RPG tool, a nuclear-missile expert system, a Web browser, a caller ID device, an ELIZA-style personality (Beavis), the Intel 440BX chipset, a Web server, an online coffee-ordering app, windsock via winsock (distributed sci-viz), a CAVE game, a designed and fabbed microprocessor and a not-so-successful game engine.

Shawn grew up in northern CA and northern VA (D.C.). When he’s not worrying about premature transaction termination, Shawn enjoys cheering for his Big-East-Champion Virginia Tech Hokies, worshipping his life-sized replica of Han Solo in carbonite, and having a good conversation with a friend over a pint of Murphy’s. Shawn is quick to point out, however, that he never wanted to do this for a living. He always wanted to be… a LUMBERJACK!

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

River Raid
Leisure Suit Larry
Bard’s Tale
Legend of Zelda
Dune 2
Wasteland
X-Com
Mario Kart 64
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Starcraft
Age of Empires
Baldur’s Gate

Favorite Musician/ Band?

Radiohead

The perfect meal?

Outback cheese fries, my chicken quesadillas, Carrot cake, and Venti skim mocha

A quote that best describes you?

“Do or do not; there is no try.”

What was your very first job?

In 4th grade, I formed Shoetech Industries. Besides selling board games and lemonade, having company outings, and producing marketing propaganda aimed at our rival company, Moldardokin Inc., Shoetech Industries also introduced Evergreen Elementary to the lottery. We sold scratch-off tickets and held a weekly lotto (we used the teacher’s reward-based play money). Unfortunately, Shoetech Industries was soon forced to shut down its most profitable venture. If only we had gone public!

Chad Dawson
Programmer

Chad DawsonAfter earning a BS in Math and Computer Science (1991) and an MS in Human-Computer Interaction (1999) from Carnegie Mellon University, holding a number of research and system administration positions at Carnegie Mellon, serving his country in the US Army Reserve from 1995-1998 and working as an Application Developer in the computer industry, Chadley Dawson took a 15-minute break and got himself a job at SSSI.

Like many gamers, Chad started down the gaming path with an early console that played a number of different games – all variations on Pong. Like many game industry employees, it took a while for Chad to realize that it was possible to get a job in the gaming industry. While at school, Chad worked on a number projects that ultimately helped him land his current job, including working with a team to create interactive environments for a head-mounted 3D virtual world and programming neural network simulations. One day he spotted SSSI’s ad for programmers on the Gamasutra Web site and things quickly fell into place.

Chad is now working on the AI and the Scenario Editor for Empire Earth. He also reluctantly admits to being responsible for introducing the employees of SSSI to the time-eating scourge of so many other game developers: Counter Strike. Though polite and exceedingly pleasant in person, Chad’s been overheard to say, “There’s nothing like humiliating a coworker by putting away your sniper rifle and taking him out with your hunting knife.”

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

Favorite Musician/ Band?

Saint Etienne

Favorite television show you watched growing up?

Toss-up between Six Million Dollar Man and Battlestar Galactica.

The perfect meal?

One shared with friends.

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Ultima4
Super Mario Karts
Samurai Showdown
Planet Fall
Half-Life
Everquest

Last traffic violation?

Haven’t been caught yet

Greg Seegert
Programmer

Greg Seegert can trace his intense interest in video games back to when he was 10 years old. He got a Tandy 1000TX and his first computer game, Sierra’s King’s Quest III: To Heir is Human. Greg still fondly recalls turning the evil wizard Mannanan into a cat and kicking him around the castle. Once he started fooling around with BASIC, he was hooked.

After high school, Greg spent a few semesters at the US Air Force Academy studying Computer Science. He also took Basic Training, Drill and Ceremonies, Combat Survival Training and Free-Fall Parachuting. Though he thoroughly enjoyed plummeting from airplanes, he decided military training wasn’t really helping him achieve his goal of getting a job as a game programmer, so he transferred to Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

At WPI he worked hard to develop the skills he felt he would need, both in class and out. In a graphics programming class, Greg worked on a 3-D renderer using X-Windows. Over the following summer he converted the program to a Windows OpenGL version. He also programmed a DirectX UI for a game he was working on in his spare time. In 1999, Greg graduated from WPI with a BS in Computer Science.

Knowing that the game industry can be a tough nut to crack, Greg waited a year after graduation before applying to game companies, in order to study up further on Windows programming, Glide, OpenGL and DirectX. Then he began his search and came across the Stainless Steel Studios, Inc., Web site. As a big fan of AoE and the RTS genre, Greg found the opportunity of working with the Lead Designer of AoE on a new, epic RTS game in the Boston Area too great to pass up.

After his test of fire – also know as the SSSI interview process – he was offered the job. Greg is now working on the UI and Game Engine for Empire Earth. When not working, Greg still enjoys jumping out of airplanes, as well as listening to music, reading, lifting weights, painting and drawing, and drinking beer. Sometimes all at the same time.

5 Questions – 5 Answers:

A quote that best describes you?”

Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it’s in my basement… let me go upstairs and check.”
– M.C. Escher

Favorite television shows you watched growing up?

A-Team, McGyver, The Greatest American Hero

Favorite video game(s) of all time?

Night Stalker
King’s Quest III
Space Quest I
Leisure Suit Larry I
Chuck Yeager’s Air Combat
Monkey Island
Command and Conquer
Half-Life
Grim Fandango
Asheron’s Call

What was your very first job?

The illustrious chore of delivering newspapers where, immediately after collecting the money, I would proceed to the arcade and spend all of it. Things haven’t changed a whole lot.

Favorite movie?

Fight Club