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A picture of JC Lau

JC Lau

Senior Producer (ProbablyMonsters)

in game, windows

Who are you, and what do you do?

I'm JC Lau! I'm a Senior Producer at ProbablyMonsters, a AAA studio based in the Greater Seattle Area. I am working on an unannounced project, so there's not to say much there (yet!). In my spare time I am also President of the Board of Directors for the Global Game Jam, and I also serve on the Board for IGDA Seattle. I'm also the creator of #WhatAGameDevLooksLike, a social media campaign celebrating and amplifying the diversity in the games industry.

What hardware do you use?

My main work machine is a Dell Precision 5560 laptop running Windows 10. Producers generally use laptops as (at least when we were working in an office) we would take them from meeting to meeting. It's also decently beefy for gaming on. It is connected to two Dell Ultrasharp 27 monitors so I can have multiple windows open at once.

For peripherals, I have a Razer Huntsman Elite keyboard and an iClever TM209G wireless vertical mouse. A vertical mouse takes a bit of getting used to but it's done wonders for my hand/wrist/elbow pain so it's worth it. I use a Logitech C920s Pro HD Webcam and my headset is a Logitech G432 (which I picked because it comes in one of my favorite shades of blue). I also have an Xbox wireless controller plugged into my machine so I can run through builds at work. All of this is plugged into a OWC Thunderbolt Dock to keep everything together.

My personal machine is a Microsoft Surface Pro (the model which is so old I can't even link to it on the Microsoft store).

And what software?

My workplace uses the Microsoft Office suite, so I'm using that. My day to day tools involve Jira for task tracking and project management, Confluence for documentation and notes, Miro for whiteboarding, and Slack for communication. Other than that I enjoy using things like Discord and social media to keep my shitposts current.

What would be your dream setup?

I honestly don't know! I have a sit/stand desk with a foot hammock thing which I really like, so I'd probably want that still. Other than that, I'd love something that is tiny and mighty. I really enjoy working in different spaces other than at a desk all day, like being on my couch, or even taking meetings outside in my garden, so a laptop is ideal. But I also want something that is light enough that I can throw it into a bag and carry it around all day without giving me spinal issues--I'm still recovering from years of clunky laptops in messenger bags which put strain on my back, neck, and shoulders asymmetrically. Having something light and agile (see what I did there!) that I can tote around, but which is still powerful enough to play games on, would be perfect.