Hard Light Productions Forums

Announcements => Announcements => Topic started by: Mongoose on April 28, 2011, 04:18:32 pm

Title: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Mongoose on April 28, 2011, 04:18:32 pm
Mike Kulas, the founder of FreeSpace developer Volition, Inc. (and co-founder of Descent developer Parallax Software), is stepping down (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6310560.html) as president of the company after 15 years at its head.  Without :v:, none of us would have a reason to be here, so here's a 21-beam salute to the man who made it all possible.  Thanks for all your hard work, Mike, and best of luck in your future endeavors!
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition Software
Post by: Jeff Vader on April 28, 2011, 04:24:28 pm
(http://www.cjournal.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/US-GI-military_salute.jpg)
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition Software
Post by: Thaeris on April 28, 2011, 05:17:52 pm
Now, we must ask ourselves...

...How can the SCP get Mr. Kulas to join the project.

:nervous:
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: sigtau on April 28, 2011, 07:17:28 pm
(http://bigpapadaddy.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salute.jpg)

Everyone must move on in life at some point...
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Nuclear1 on April 28, 2011, 07:43:27 pm
Good luck to Mike, with whatever he chooses to do. 
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Hunter on April 28, 2011, 07:50:23 pm
Damn, sad to see him go. Bye, Mike!
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Kie99 on April 28, 2011, 08:02:16 pm
(http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/111/0/0/Citizen_Kane_Clap_by_FlyingBrickAnimation.gif)
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Jadehawk on April 28, 2011, 09:12:51 pm
Having him join us for doing  FreeSpace 3 to complete the saga would be.....totally cool in my book! I can dream cant I? :)
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Destiny on April 29, 2011, 03:32:45 am
Now, we must ask ourselves...

...How can the SCP get Mr. Kulas to join the project.

:nervous:
Show him the GTF Kulas?
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Ypoknons on April 29, 2011, 03:35:22 am
15 years is a long time. Congrats.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Deadly in a Shadow on April 29, 2011, 05:12:39 am
Congratulations Mr. Kulas. I hope you will join the SCP soon.^^
It was a joy to fly a fighter named after him.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Thaeris on April 29, 2011, 09:02:44 am
Now, we must ask ourselves...

...How can the SCP get Mr. Kulas to join the project.

:nervous:
Show him the GTF Kulas?

...Only after the model is HTL'ed...

:nervous:
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Infamus on April 29, 2011, 07:32:39 pm
*Salute*


I hope he does some stuff for the SCP team, that would be fukken awsm.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Enzo03 on April 29, 2011, 08:41:56 pm
<o/
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Vespene on April 30, 2011, 01:56:09 am
Mike was not only the founder of Volition, but also the lead programer for FS1 and 2, the latter being his final programing job before assuming full responsibilities as CEO.  This man didn't just give the community the source code, he IS the source code.   

/salute
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: rscaper1070 on April 30, 2011, 02:14:26 am
I can see it. He'll do the retirement thing for awhile then start to get bored and get an itch to work on something. Why wouldn't he find his way here and work on one of his greatest games? How much golf can you take? :p
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Snail on April 30, 2011, 05:20:57 am
Let me say that he has shaped my life and I wish him good luck for the future and stuff because he is an excellent man
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: JCDNWarrior on April 30, 2011, 07:16:09 am
Hope to see more of him soon, and I definitely agree that I'd like him to be part of the SCP team here at Hard-Light. It is his home. ;)
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: The E on April 30, 2011, 07:22:36 am
You do know that that is, like, completely unlikely right?
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: JCDNWarrior on April 30, 2011, 07:38:10 am
Of course it's unlikely, but crazier things have happened. We just shouldnt forget to send a message his way in a few months or so. ^^
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Zacam on April 30, 2011, 10:47:55 pm

Minor correction to the OP: 18 years, not 15.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Mongoose on April 30, 2011, 10:55:13 pm
According to the article, :v: started up in 1996.  Though I suppose that could be incorrect.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Destiny on May 01, 2011, 04:30:53 am
Wiki says founded in Champagne, Illinois, 1996.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Mobius on May 01, 2011, 07:13:57 am
Great man!
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: SypheDMar on May 01, 2011, 02:50:00 pm
Wiki says founded in Champagne, Illinois, 1996.
Champaign, Illinois.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Destiny on May 01, 2011, 11:15:04 pm
Wiki says founded in Champagne, Illinois, 1996.
Champaign, Illinois.
I don't know if I should say something usually used in this situation, but it'll certainly make me look like a fool if I did.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Colonol Dekker on May 06, 2011, 10:44:10 am
(http://bigpapadaddy.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salute.jpg)


 :eek2:



*frustration*

Edit---


Cheers for Freespace etc Mr Kulas.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Marcov on May 11, 2011, 08:46:52 pm
(http://bigpapadaddy.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salute.jpg)

fail porn is fail

successful kulas is successful
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Fearless Leader on May 12, 2011, 12:57:11 am
Quick, somebody make a "Bring Mike Kulas to HLP" page on facebook
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Flipside on May 12, 2011, 01:05:04 am
Congratulations to Mr Kulas on a long and successful career with :v:, he's earned a break, and best of luck to Dan Cermak.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Zacam on May 12, 2011, 09:08:48 pm

I'm hoping against hope that should Mike Kulas truly not have anything better to do with his time than to come here, that he won't get flooded with a spam of well intentioned and overly eager people dog-piling on him in jubilation.

Cause if it were me, I'd be running the other way.

Yes, the man is awesome. I personally owe him a great deal for having created Descent and FreeSpace. I wouldn't have met the people in my life if not for them. And point of fact, I probably wouldn't be alive if not for them. If I could, I'd pay for that man to have himself and his family for a vacation spot anywhere in the world. Or at the least, buy them a really nice dinner. But if the Interview debacle is anything to go by, I'd much rather that he enjoy his plans, whatever they are, rather than being subjected to the worst of us.

That being said, it would be awesome to hear a thought or two from him on what we've all done, if he was inclined to share his opinion on the matter. But I'd rather like to think that whatever he is doing, it's a lot of fun for him or at the least, what he's been wanting to do for a while.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: headdie on May 13, 2011, 03:15:17 am
I suppose the way round the flood of messages, especially if there was prior contact with the site's admins would be a Welcome Mike Kulas thread for the purpose of such fan spam which he can then browse as he wished, It would work better if he signed up with a non specific user name and didnt let on who he was for a few months to let the hysteria and guessing games die down.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Thaeris on May 13, 2011, 09:33:37 pm
(http://bigpapadaddy.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salute.jpg)

fail porn is fail

successful kulas is successful

I understand this derides the conversation, but you sir, have no taste.

More importantly, cheers for Mr. Kulas.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: G0atmaster on May 19, 2011, 03:41:13 am
 A few months?? Why not tonight?  I'll see if I can find an email address for him.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: karajorma on May 19, 2011, 04:51:52 am
And you've basically proved why a few months. :p
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: G0atmaster on May 19, 2011, 06:43:56 am
Hey! I said email address! Not phone number... That ranks far less creepy on the creeper meter.

I wonder if he isn't already here, under some obscure forum name... Maybe he's one of the mods. Hmmm... Perhaps even one of the Blue Planet folks!!
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Dilmah G on May 19, 2011, 07:03:24 am
(http://bigpapadaddy.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/salute.jpg)
Oh yes ma'am...

Bravo Zulu, Mr Kulas, may you stand easy.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: karajorma on May 20, 2011, 11:31:51 pm
Hey! I said email address! Not phone number... That ranks far less creepy on the creeper meter.

It's still pretty creepy.

Especially if it comes from some random forum member.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: G0atmaster on May 21, 2011, 12:32:47 am
Well Ok... Maybe it should come from "King Louie."
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Pelegrin on August 12, 2011, 03:35:30 am
Holy canolies;
I just found out.
I realy hope to come and visit here as the guys here have done an awesome job
And Mike, καλη τυχη σε οτι κανεις.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: chief1983 on August 23, 2011, 03:07:44 pm
I suppose it would be my job to drop him a line, unless I wanted to delegate it.  I dunno though, I mean, if someone asked me to look at code _I_ wrote ten years ago, I'd probably slap them in the face.  But I was writing BASIC, and HTML with table layouts 10+ years ago, not the best space sim of all time.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: technopredator on January 03, 2012, 08:41:07 pm
(http://www.cjournal.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/US-GI-military_salute.jpg)

Best of lucks Mike, and I'm all for a GTF Kulas.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Klaustrophobia on January 04, 2012, 03:30:53 am
there already is one.
Title: Re: Mike Kulas retires from Volition
Post by: Cobra on January 05, 2012, 03:03:23 am
It's even from the same link. Denver's smellin' rotten.