Alex is the online producer for Wireplay, the UK's largest free online gaming service. He's been partly responsible for events such as Quakeadelica and Insomnia '99 (the UK's biggest LAN party) and spends his life updating the website. His hobbies include hugging trees and moaning about living in London.

What games are tickling your fancy at the moment?
I'm spending a lot of time playing Starsiege Tribes online at the mo (just got ISDN). The landscapes are massive and it's slower paced than something like Quakeworld, which means you can enjoy the action even if you haven't got the reaction times of a stressed chipmunk on a caffeine frenzy. Try getting nice and comfy on a hilltop somewhere with a sniper rifle... Other than that Star Wars: Rogue Squadron has been keeping me out of the pub. There is very little strategy, virtually no plot but you get to shoot Tie Fighters and AT ATs and stuff. Makes me feel like I'm doing Yoda proud.

What was the first computer game you ever played?
It was on one of those TV Pong-style consoles. My mate's Dad got one to 'practise his squash techniques' on. Needless to say I was around every day, thrashing it. I remember finding a little cheat in the program and winning all the time. In fact I think that was the last time I was any good at a game. How good was the game itself? Well, the consoles look pretty funky nowadays...

Any particular favourites from yesteryear?
Elite and Strikers Run on the BBC. Also Defender - check out our homage to it! (www.wireplay.co.uk/wirefighter). My fondest and most blurred memories are a bit more recent, like Golden Axe on the Mega Drive. And I spent two and a half years perfecting my Street Fighter skills. Oh yeah and UN Squadron, but I had a Japanese version and my converter broke. Anyone know how it ended?