Name: Josh Forde
Age: 21
Location: Wisconsin
Occupation: College student and video game developer
Programming languages: C++ (since 2003), PHP (since 2004), ActionScript (since 2008), Java (since 2008)
Favorite games: Chrono Cross, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VIII (8), Final Fantasy VII (7), Super Mario Galaxy, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rock Band 2, Super Mario World, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Starcraft, Warcraft III, Mortal Kombat 2, Street Fighter II, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time.
Favorite genres: RPG, action, real-time strategy (RTS), platformer
Least favorite genres: Sports, racing

Biography:
Josh Forde has been an avid gamer his entire life, beginning when he first played Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 at the age of two, and he is now starting a career in the gaming industry.

Vision:
Following in the footsteps of Shigeru Miyamato and other revolutionary figures, he tries to focus mainly on innovation in gameplay with addictive, unique, fun features. This is exemplified in games like Seeds of Time Online, which exhibits features not commonly seen in games of the browser-based RPG genre, such as its unique monster-catching system, clever spell-learning system in which spells are learned directly from special items (inspired by a similar system used in the console RPG Final Fantasy IX), and an integrated chatroom service.

Education:
Josh currently attends the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, as a sophomore, seeking a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. The dominant majority of his programming knowledge has been self-taught.

Experience:
Josh has been programming in C++ since 2003, in PHP since 2004, and in Java since 2008. He's also written a few Flash minigames in ActionScript. His most prominent project in web programming is the web-based game Seeds of Time Online, written in PHP and using MySQL database software. Other games can be seen on the Games page and on the Small Projects page.

Employment:
Josh currently only develops games in his spare time. After graduation (in either May 2011 or May 2012, depending on a number of factors), he will be seeking an entry-level position in the game development industry in a programming or design position and will be willing to relocate. He is always interested in speaking with future employers ahead of time, so don't be afraid to check out the Contact page.