Gracie
Technical Art Director
Who is your favorite fictional character and why?
I’m quite the foodie and always have a little rumbly in my tumbly, so I often relate to Winnie the Pooh. I also admire his simplistic view of things—a lot of times I overcomplicate things and he is a good reminder to scale back and enjoy life as it comes.
He may be a silly bear, but he’s pretty wise, too!
What question do you commonly get asked about your job at BioWare?
I typically get asked what the work environment is like. Most people think we get to play video games all day (I wish!), but for me, it’s a constant stream of challenging technical puzzles. Finding solutions makes it easier for our artists and animators to get content into the game.
I work with an extremely talented and fun international team, and there are many people I talk to frequently but have never met in person (or only met once).
We work hard, we play hard, but most importantly, we love what we do. (And bonus: I totally love breakfast taco Fridays at BioWare Austin. It’s the best!)
How did you come to join BioWare?
I’ve been with the EA family for quite some time. I started my career as an intern and worked on EA Sports titles (Tiger Woods PGA Tour, NBA Live, Madden NFL) for a number of years in Orlando, Florida.
As a Texan born and raised, the appeal of being closer to home, plus the opportunity to be a part of BioWare’s rich tradition of compelling gameplay experiences and storytelling, made BioWare a natural choice. As luck would have it, Madden NFL and Star Wars: The Old Republic had some shared technology at the time that I was very familiar with, and (along with some amazing support from my EA network) I was able to get my foot in the door. The rest is history!
What is a goal you set for yourself in three years?
I’d like to be comfortable conversationally in Spanish, and maybe pick up a little bit of French. Both of my parents are fluent Spanish speakers, and I can understand it reasonably well already, so it’s just practice, practice, practice (I mean…”practicar, practicar, practicar”).
My Austin
Favorite Place
I love to get outdoors and run, and when I can make it downtown, my favorite place to go is the trail on Lady Bird Lake. I like to listen to my feet hit the gravel, hear the birds chirp, and see people biking and canoeing. It’s so peaceful.
Best Culture Spot
The Hope Outdoor Gallery is an amazing place: one big canvas that is constantly being changed by graffiti artists. It’s colorful, fun to explore, and great for pictures!
Best Summer Tip
Just a short drive south of Austin is the town of Gruene, Texas (pronounced “Green”). It’s a quaint little town with great restaurants, live music, and the oldest dance hall in Texas. And best of all: plenty of places to raft/tube the Guadalupe River on a hot summer day. Nothing better than a lazy day floating the river. You can even bring a cooler along with you!