This time around we're going to introduce everyone to the members of Volition whom composed our first two Developer Blogs. Anoop Shekar, author of
"Fake Businesses" will be featured in our next installment. Steve Jaros is first up this time. He wrote a
fantastic article about the changes to the radio system from Saints Row to Saints Row 2 which includes lots of familiar audio samples and anecdotes, straight from the game.
Jose Vazquez came next and gave everyone a
stunning sneak peek at his graffiti-filled background and the early design for the three new gangs roaming around Stilwater. Check it out for some amazing artistry and even some of Jose's actual mural work.
 | Steve Jaros – Writer
Upon graduating from the University of Illinois, Steve did what many Fine Arts majors do after college. Cry. Months later he was lucky enough to not only land his dream job as a Writer/Designer for Volition, but also to find a wife who would put up with his shenanigans. Today, Steve still cries…but only when he’s watching Love Actually or the Gilmore Girls.
Here's a few games he is playing outside of SR2:
• Boom Blox (Wii)
• Shadowrun (360)
• World of Darkness (Tabletop)
• Last Night on Earth (Board Game)
His favorite life lesson quotation is "A plan is a list of things that don’t happen†- Way of the Gun
Some advice for others: "Nothing worth doing is easy."
Did we mention that his dinner last night was Rice Chex? Finally, Steve wants to ensure that everyone knows that Final Fantasy IV is better than Final Fantasy VII. |
 | Jose Vazquez – Concept Artist
Jose is one of the best artists in the world, according to his mom. Ever since Jose could remember, he has scribbled on anything he could get his hands on. He started with marking his parents’ walls, and soon moved on to marking everyone else’s walls by getting into Chicago’s urban graffiti art scene. Jose later decided to go to school to get some formal training and received a BA in Illustration. After learning to paint the “old fashioned†way, he worked on city-funded murals, private commissioned artworks, and illustrations. It wasn’t long before Jose returned to school to continue his education, getting a second Bachelor’s in Media Arts and Animation. During his second pass through school Jose learned about the world of concept art. He had the opportunity to work as a concept artist for several companies before Volition picked him up at a bargain bin from a High Voltage garage sale. He’s still working as a concept artist and still scribbling away.
Favorite Quote: "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." - Albert Einstein
Best advice to give: "It takes a little elbow grease to make things work. By that I mean, if you really want something so bad you have to truly work at it. I truly believe in this. â€
While Jose ate a double-stacked hamburger from Wendy's last night, he still prefers a nice home cooked meal over anything else. |
Stay tuned for our next installment as we continue to reveal more of the development team responsible for Saints Row 2.
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