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Chris Handy: Game designer, Evel Knievel enthusiast
neighbor handy pic
Chris Handy - photo by Photo Contributed

Occupation: Game Designer/Recording Artist

City of residence: Turlock

Q. What was the first game you thought up and how did it turn out?

A. The game that kick started my board game design career was “Long Shot,” a horse racing party/strategy game for up to eight players.  This game concept popped into my head while riding on a Waverunner on Lake Don Pedro in July 2000, just one month after I was married.  However, it wasn’t published until 2009.  The final production turned out great.

Q. What helps inspire your creativity?

A. New music and games inspire me the most.  Observing other artists take risks keeps me going.  New ideas can pop in my head at anytime, so I’m always ready to jot ideas down in my iPhone before they escape me.

Q. What's your biggest challenge?

A. My biggest challenge is working as a solo recording artist and game designer.  Sometimes it’s difficult working on projects alone and not being able to bounce ideas off of other people like I would if I was in a band or team of game designers.

Q. What do you look forward to the most each day as you go to work?

A. It’s most fun to playback a song that I worked on the previous day with a fresh perspective.  It’s easy to hyper-focus on the recording process and it can become difficult to hear the whole song in the way that most people will hear it.

Q. What change would you like to see happen in Turlock in the next five years?

A. I’m excited about the new momentum that’s happening downtown.  My game workshop is upstairs in the old Mercantile Building (above Dust Bowl) and I like to observe the Farmers Market and the new activity that’s happening down on Main street.  I’m hoping we’ll see a coffee house and a few more new home-grown restaurants and establishments pop up in the next few years.  I’d also love to see an art-house movie theater open up in Turlock.

Q. What do you think Turlock should be most proud of?

A. Is Colin Kaepernick too obvious of an answer?  How ‘bout the most churches per capita?  Really though, there are great people in this town.  I’m proud of my friends at Dust Bowl Brewing Company.  

Q. What do you like to do for fun?

A. Work!  The line between my work and play is too blurry for my own good sometimes.  I’m still really into watching film (a shared hobby with my wife).  Sometimes we’ll clock several movies in a single day.  I also love to spend time with people, especially one on one or in small groups.  The solitary nature of my work allows me to appreciate the time I spend with family and friends.

Q. What was the last thing you read?

A. I’m a painfully slow reader (probably undiagnosed dyslexic).  Though I do read news apps and digital magazines, I really wish I could read books faster.  I would read a ton more if I was.  I think the last book I read was a biography of Evel Knievel. 

Q. What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

A. I’m fascinated by Evel Knievel.