Our interview with Brent Shinn is one of the first of our “Know Your Devs” series of interviews. Brent Shinn is the IT manager for Flagship Studios. He’s better known as Stint in our IRC channel.

1. Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and where you came from?

I was born and spent the first 21 years of my life in West Virginia. I moved to North Carolina in pursuit of work and spent 12 years there. When I was 33 I came to CA for the first time and fell in love with the Bay Area. I went home to NC, packed up everything I owned, stuff me and 3 cats in my car and drove to Berkeley with little more than 1300$. Tada! Here I am…

I’m an avid musician and love to play music. I play guitar mainly, but I also play drums, bass, keyboard (barely) and sing. I spent the last 15 years in pursuit of a musical career. It’s tough, but I’m happy where I ended up. Now that I’m in CA I plan on picking back up where I left off. It’s wonderful place to be a musician.

I play mostly rock and roll but I love finger style guitar and most anything that[s creative. I hate pop music… I also write electronic music and I’m working on my first CD of highly intricate ambiance music. I’ll send you some once I get a little deeper in to it.

2. What was Zeus like growing up?

He was a brat, always asking for more lightning bolts to hurl at the mortals. I think he’s just full of Bull…

3. Being the almighty Brent Shinn that you are, how do you cope with working amongst mortals?

Well I tolerate them but at times I think it’s the other way around. You know, always dealing with my omnipotent banter.

4. What was it that pushed you to enter the Game Industry?

Luck actually… As I said, I moved to CA on a whim and just had to browse the right job ad at the right time. I actually tried to get a job doing sound engineering at Red Storm back in Raleigh, but they didn’t even interview me!

5. What made you decide and hop aboard Flagship Studios?

I still struggle with that… I honestly didn’t know jack about them before the first interview. I did a ton of research and was like ‘Oh wow!’. So I was sold on them from the beginning.

6. Have you worked in the game industry before? If so, where and on what (if you can say)?

Nope nada… this is my first job in games.

7. How long would you say you’ve been working in the Game Industry, and at Flagship Studios?

14 months March 3rd.

8. Did you get a degree in anything, and if so from where?

I studied genetics and environmental science. I had planned on working with evolutionary biology and population genetics. I dropped out of college to play music and work with computers.

9. Did you know Chuck Norris wears a beard to hide the scars he got the last time you looked at him?

Man, Chuck fears me. He trembles so hard when he thinks of me, his chest hair falls out.

10. Seeing as I’ve played a game with you and know you love them, what would you say your favorite games of all time are?

I will always love UO. I also played Asheron’s Call (1 and 2) and have always been a huge fan of Unreal. Most anything Epic does I dig.

11. Tell us something funny that you experienced while working for Flagship Studios that you will remember for the rest of your life!

Wow, there have been a few. I think our Halloween Party was quite memorable for everyone… I don’t remember it however but I hear I had a blast.

12. What’s your opinion on Goats?

Don’t talk dirty to me!

13. Thanks a ton Stint for giving us a nice glimpse into the life of our favorite deity. May there be virgin blood spilled on sheets in your name, Shinn. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Flagship has been the best thing to ever happen to me. So many interesting and inspiring people, so much to learn, so many new experiences. I treasure every day, I really do…

Hellgate Guru thanks Taylor “Krazy Kaution” Balbi for conducting the interview and for getting the whole thing started!