Was a graphics and lead app engineer on many of the Kai line of products at the time.
So much fun. And polarizing for sure - but more fans than detractors, and the business didn't fail because of lack of interest. Way more sordid/gossip-y and sad unfortunately.
I had a conversation with an individual in '96 while at Burning Man. He mentioned he worked on the Kai line of products, and was quite pleased when I told him I used and loved them. This person explained he liked to talk to people under the influence and have them describe the patterns that they saw, and would then go back later to try to recreate them.
This wouldn't be some crazy lottery winning level of odds that you were that person type of chances would it? Either way, just want to express a bit of personal gratitude for your and co-workers' work.
I grew up in the Mid-South and when I was using the sky presets in Bryce, I thought: "man, these folks must have been on some good stuff when they came up with these." But after I moved to CA and started working at MetaCreations at their office on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I realized they were just recreating what they saw out the window!
I had the same experience with the original release of Lightwave on the Toaster. The default horizon/skyline had soooo many more colors in the gradient than I had ever seen where I grew up. It just didn't look real to me at all. Then I finally got to visit the west coast, and it made much more sense. It's crazy the effect that having (or not) has on the normality of one's view of the world.
Hi Sree! I worked under Fegette and then Javier. Such an amazing place and time and group of people. I hope you're well. (And yes, the end was pretty sad - I was there until the end when the "dark side" was practically empty.
So much fun. And polarizing for sure - but more fans than detractors, and the business didn't fail because of lack of interest. Way more sordid/gossip-y and sad unfortunately.