Post » 23 Apr 2012, 07:51
1) I registered the domain as a joke so it could be used with names (i.e. aerhx.stabyourself.net) so it would be INCREDIBLY FUNNY. But I never got around to doing it and at the time we were deciding about the name, the domain was week (or so?) old. We just decided to use it for that since we couldn't think of a better name (which happens a lot). We actually got an email a few days back from a father asking us to change the name. Since changing the name you're known by and is very memorable is a bad idea, that won't happen.
2) In 2009 on Facepunch studios, Gold members had a christmas card exchange - I became a Gold member due to a change which made members that were there longer than 4 years automatically gold. I decided to do something different and send over 60 of them (which were more like business letters since it was pure black text on white paper), each containing a code (same for all) that would need to be solved.To make things a bit more interesting, I also offered prizes in form of Steam games. Maurice was the first to solve it after a day or two. It took about 2 weeks (not sure about that, I'll check) before someone else solved it. We've been talking since and we've met in person for 2010 Gamescom (he invited me and then I said okay and then I drove 1000km).
And yes, the stamps and prizes ended up being a lot of money, but considering the outcome, I don't regret it one bit.
3) I have no clue. The situation for me is a bit more complicated though. Currently my highest education is wood technician (family business) and I'm in a 2. year Informatics vocational school, which is extremely broad and doesn't focus on games at all. Not that I develop them much personally.
This is also the reason why I'm the one that replies to emails.