Each week on Show Us Your Rig, we feature PC gaming's best and brightest as they show us the systems they use to work and play.
Tom Johnstone, Engine Programmer on the early access game Armello at developer League of Geeks, seems to be an old fashioned kind of guy. Not to say his rig is outdated, far from it, but he's held onto a classic Apple Cinema monitor and a mechanical keyboard for that Model M feel. Johnstone was gracious enough to take some time and tell us about his setup, as well as why he still loads into Quakeworld on occasion.
What's in your PC?
- OS: Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit and Linux Ubuntu 14.04
- CPU: Intel Core i7 4770K @ 3.50GHz
- RAM: 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3
- MOBO: ASRock Z87 Pro4
- GFX: ASUStek 4096MB ATI AMD Radeon R9 200 Series
- MONITOR: Samsung U28D590 28" 4K + Apple Cinema HD 30"
- USB: LED fan + light
- KEYBOARD: Realforce 87U Tenkeyless 45g
- MOUSE: Logitech G9 Laser
- DESK: Adjustable height
I also have my MacBook Pro on my desk most days if I need to jump on to Mac development stuff. It's not a beast, but it gets the job done.
- Processor Type: Intel Core i7
- Processor Speed: 3.00 GHz
- Memory: 8 GB
- Operating System: Mac OS X 10.10, Yosemite
- Hard Drive Capacity: 512 GB
- Screen Size: 13.3"
What's the most interesting/unique part of your setup?
It's a really great setup all round but I particularly like my old Apple 30" Cinema Display monitor. It's one of the older anti-glare models that has a 16:10 aspect ratio which I enjoy because it gives me that little bit of extra vertical screen real estate when coding. I'm sure I'll hunt around for a secondhand replacement if it ever dies. I also use a mechanical keyboard which gives me that classic IBM Model M feel and sound. Combined with a Filco leather wrist pad it gives me the most comfortable experience when I'm working.
What's always within arm's reach on your desk?
My USB desk fan is always at arm's length when I feel like coding with the wind through my hair. Apart from that I like to always have Rdio at the ready for tunes in the office and a set of headphones for when I want to put my head down and focus on a task.
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What are you playing right now?
It probably sounds like a cop out, but Armello actually! I quite often come home from work to find my partner also playing Armello (in support of me she asserts, despite the fact she doesn't normally play video games). So we've been teaming up against the AI a lot and I've even snuck a few of her suggestions into the game. Outside of that I don't get much time for games, but I've just downloaded the expansion to Monument Valley. So I'll probably get stuck into that on the flight over to GDC.
What's your favorite game and why?
My favourite game would have to be Quakeworld. I have a lot of great memories attending meetups and playing online growing up and I still load it up occasionally to have a run around. I still hang out with a few of the old players (in real life!) even though most of us have moved on. It really was a great competitive and fun community to be a part of growing up. It's how I got my first introduction to modding and I guess it was a big influence in making it in the games industry.
