Whose artwork did you admire the most there?

Oh there were plenty of people. The main guy was this guy named Dennis Loubet He was the first artist hired at Origin, basically. The guy was just one of those really gifted artists who didn’t shy away from the technical. Because at Origin there was a clear division between 2D and 3D artists. It was like this elitism. I come to find out that the 3D artists are all that, because they were doing 3D and they were doing the cinematics and everything else, and the 2D guys are like, they’re just 2D guys. We can do both, they can only do one. So Dennis Loubet was the first guy I saw that was really a nice mix of both.

Is there like a lot of this segregation between different art groups?

Yeah there is, because you have to understand that it’s really competitive. It even happens now. I take for granted sometimes. That’s why I like teaching this stuff, because I want to break down the walls of this thing being intimidating. It’s just a computer program. You have to conquer it like you have to conquer everything else. You have to set your mind to it. It’s really how dedicated you are to making it work.

Ok let’s move on here. How did you get your job at id?

I was working at a company called Virgin. And a head hunter called me and said, ‘hey. There’s a little company in Texas that needs an artist and I was wondering if you’re interested.’ I said, ‘what’s the name of the company?’ Because I was an art director there and I kind of had it made. Anyways, he goes, ‘ It’s a company called, id,” and I hung up on the guy. So he called me back and said, ‘I’m serious’ and I thought yeah right. Who would ever leave id? Why would id need somebody? Anyway we got to talking, and I only had my original demo tape that I had made all my copies from and I didn’t have a copy, and I said, ‘screw this, the only company I’d leave for is id and I was a big fan.’ So I sent it to him and the guy called me back the next day and said, ‘you know they got the tape but they never really looked at it because they made this other guy an offer.’ And I thought, oh shit there goes my tape.

Doh.

And so I figured I gambled and lost, whatever. And the guy goes, ‘don’t get too discouraged because the guy might turn them down. And I’m like, what fucking moron is going to turn id down? And sure enough he calls me back the next day and says ‘hey they want you to do a phone interview with Kevin Cloud because the other guy turned them down.’ And I thought you’re bullshitting me.

Do you know who it was?

No, they won’t tell me. Because I want to buy him a Volkswagen or something. I want to give him something to show my appreciation. So anyway the guy turned them down for the dumbest reason. He should be kicking himself every day for the rest of his life.

Do you know what the reason was?

No. Well yeah I know what the reason is. I think, a little bit of money, a little bit of fear that his creative input wouldn’t be appreciated or some crap like that. But anyways he messed up. But I think the reason why I was selected was since I was the last applicant, my thing was on top of the stack. And Kevin was so desperate to get somebody in for Quake II, he was like, ‘God we just gotta get somebody. Ok this Steed guy, ok let’s give him a call.’ So I talked to them and the phone interview went pretty well. They flew me down and pretty much made me an offer on the spot.

What’s your daily routine like?

I get up.

About noonish?

I usually try to get up about 9:00 or 10:00. In to work before noon. I don’t try to get in early like some of the others that get in by 8:00. I work out about 3:00. Do some dinner. Come back to work and usually get home around midnight or 1:00am.

How about your favorite websites?

I haven’t really been hitting any lately. I do the usual. I go surfing across the usual. I do Blue’s, PlanetQuake, Redwood’s, the typical stuff. I just don’t have time. I haven’t hit a website in a long time. If I’m in a mood to be pissed off, I go to sCary’s msgboard and get my dose of frustration over the really insightful things I read up there.

Yeah he really needs to implement some kind of password authentication.

You know what, he does. I’m not really for the whole censorship issue, but in some situations I think it’s okay. Which is a contradiction of course, but I won’t tell anyone.

Who’s the funniest guy at id?

The funniest guy at id is Adrian Carmack.

Get out. Really?

He is, without a doubt, no question, the funniest guy at id. He’s fucking hilarious.

He seems so introverted.

Get a few drinks in him, and he’s like Chris Fucking Rock, the guy will just have you rolling. It’s amazing. It’s shocking. He could do stand-up.