Back when the video game Mortal Kombat made its debut in 1992, Aaron Hall and a friend would play it everyday at downtown Oxford’s movie theater, stopping only when their $10 roll of quarters was gone.
These days the 1988 Oxford High School graduate doesn’t have much time to play video games because he’s too busy helping to create them as an art specialist with the Chicago-based Midway Amusement Games.
‘I’m kind of the guy towards the end of the pipe line that makes sure the end product looks the way it was originally concepted to look,? said Hall, who’s worked at Midway for five years.
He’s currently engaged in one of his ‘crunch? times as he and the rest of the production team feverishly work to get Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe on store shelves Nov. 10.
This latest installment will pit Mortal Kombat’s martial arts characters against legendary superheroes from DC Comics like Batman and Superman.
Hall’s main job is to make sure all the lighting in each scene looks realistic whether the source of the illumination is a lamp, a torch or even moonlight. From where the shadows fall to each light’s intensity and color, his job is all about creating the fine details.
He’s also in charge of creating and applying textures to the different objects in each scene. For instance, if there’s an image of a table top, he gives it a wood grain finish along with the reflectiveness and shine one could expect from a polished surface.
Again, it’s all about the details for Hall.
Hall, who lives in Chicago with his wife of 10 years, Dawn, and their 18-month-old son, Truman, got his start in video games working Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy released in 2004.
Since then, his name appears in the credits of five different games, the last being Mortal Kombat: Armageddon released in 2006.
Not bad for a guy who’s never had any formal computer training and is largely self-taught.
Hall got his foot in the door at Midway by purchasing one of the company’s computer programs and spending the next six months learning it and putting together some samples of his work.
His work was good enough to get him hired as a contract employee and when a full-time position in the cinematics team opened up, Hall was Midway’s choice.
He spent three-and-a-half years working on the movie introductions for various games, which consist of 3-D actors rendered through the computer.
For the last year-and-a-half, Hall’s been part of the actual 40-person production team that works on all the playable aspects of the game.
Hall credits all those art classes he took at OHS and the Oakland Technical Center’s northwest campus in Clarkston with putting him on his present career path.
‘If (those) art programs hadn’t been available, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do what I do now,? he said.
It was the art program at the vocational center that really gave Hall’s creative skills a workout.
‘I actually spent half my day there,? he said. ‘That program was quite intensive and required a lot of work.?
Hall also credits his parents, Nathan and Linda Hall, of Oxford, with helping him realize his dreams.
‘Obviously, my parents were a big support,? he said. ‘If they thought that going into the art field was asinine, I probably would have never been able to.?
After Hall graduated in 1993 with a degree in illustration from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, he tired several different career avenues to utilize his artistic talent from creating his own comic book to designing a children’s puzzle.
Hall said that’s the great thing about the art field, there are ‘so many different ways you can express yourself.?
Ultimately, he found his niche and success in video games. Although it’s a far different medium than drawing or painting, it still allows Hall to be creative on a daily basis and utilize his artist’s eye for detail.
But make no mistake, it’s loads of hard work and there’s no time for slacking off.
‘A 40-hour work week would be a short work week,? he said. During crunch times, it’s not uncommon for him to work more than 60 hours a week.
When he tells people what he does for a living, Hall said many envision his workplace like something out of the 1971 movie ‘Willy Wonka,? but nothing could be farther from the truth.
‘It’s a lot of work. It’s not like we’re sitting around playing games. At least I’m not. The game testers may be,? he said. ‘I actually play less now than I did before I had the job.?
He noted one of the big perks of his job is not having to wear a suit and tie to work.
T-shirt and shorts are just fine with his bosses.
To any aspiring art students who may be reading this article, Hall urged them to not squander their talents.
‘If you have that ability and you have that gift, I think you should use it,? he said.
But don’t assume that alone is going to be enough to achieve your goals.
‘You still have to work hard and put your time in,? Hall said.