I'm trying to follow really successful people and figure out what makes them good at what they do.

One of my favorite people in the game biz is Jeff Litchford.  For one thing he is a really nice guy the other thing that strikes me about him is that he is very balanced.

I've heard hardcore gamers derided as nonphysical, nonathletic, wimps who lay around her living room and do things on the screen they wouldn't ever do in life. 

That annoys me. 

The majority of the people I know who are gamers are actually quite physical people who enjoy that rush of adrenaline and also enjoy feeling their own bodies do work. 

Jeff Litchford perhaps is the best example of one of the people I know who doesn't fit some people's stereotype of a gamer.

Jeff Litchford has successfully run a game company for many years.  In this unstable industry to have this kind of longevity is a miracle. Also he has two sides to him.  

By day he is a high tech dude, his credits include VP of production in 2008 for Madagascar: Escape to Africa, project manager on PAIN in 2007, producer and lead artist for Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde, Jazz Jackrabbit, Trailer Park Tycoon, the list goes on. In one interview on the web, Jeff discusses how many bones he has broken over the course of his life. This in comment related to discussing the realism of the game PAIN and how well he understands it.

On his own time he runs a farm with horses, cows, goats and chickens.  So his personal life is full of farmers - talk about high tech/low tech. 

He has fainting goats 2 of them are named Toe Jam and Earl. Fainting goats were designed by humans to freeze up during a fearful experience thus the predator attacking the herd of goats go after the fainting goats not the ones that are valuable.

If you met him you would encounter a strong person (physically and emotionally). He looks like a hero out of a western.  His wife and kids are beautiful and robust looking. All sport smiles and radiate health. If you ask Jeff probably say that his family and his farm are far more important than any software he produces. That being the case, logic follows, that he does everything well including designing games and managing his life.

For example, one gets the impression while reading an interview by Josh Wirtanen, "Idol Minds Talks Ruin" that Jeff actually experiences the game from a point of view that's physical. For example "Ruin" uses both the front and back touch panels on the Vita, and will support Move on the PS3. However, Litchford expressed the desire that neither PS3 nor Vita players would have any tactical advantage. This is something Idol Minds is still working out, so further details on these control options are unavailable at this time.

"Ruin features cross-platform play between PS3 and the PlayStation Vita. Litchford explained that if you start swinging your sword on the Vita, but save before the sword makes contact, you can load that save on the PS3 and finish delivering the blow. "