San Francisco State University
California Graduated 1994 Bachelors Degree - Industrial Design
I studied art, architecture and engineering before finally choosing Industrial Design as my major at university. The design degree discipline includes courses in; concept illustration, modeling, project planning, technical writing, creative thinking, team management, product presentation and marketing.
My training gives me the skills to derive an idea from a market need and to create a concept, which meets those needs without exceeding set limitations. I evolved these designs from simple illustrations to a manufactured, working prototype.
I have a passion for solving design challenges drawing from all of my experiences. I was consistently at the top of my class in all my design classes, on the dean's list 1993 - 1994. My technical writing instructor took 3 of my documents to add to her syllabus as examples of how to write a good technical document.
It is this educational background along with more than 10 years of industry experience that give me the ability to envision a highly imaginative game, generate a practical plan to turn those ideas into a feasible and marketable product without losing the original spark.
Below I have listed some of the core classes to give you a sense of the type of instruction I received.
Courses
Product Design 1 Industrial manufacturing processes related to the development of three dimensional objects for product and interior designers and manufacturing personnel.
Product Design 2 Introduction to the product design and development process: people, process and product. User/market research, product development documentation, concept visual, models and applications.
Graphic Design Design principles and problem solving for visual communication. Basic digital production tools and techniques for creating print and screen media.
Design Process Creativity and the design process. Individual and group creative problem solving related to graphic communications and product design/development for industry.
Drafting and Sketching for Design Mechanical and freehand drawing, the reproduction of drawings, and interpretation of graphic projections. Perspective drawing and the common elements of technical illustration. Signs and symbols of design and drafting.
Computer Graphic Imaging Comprehensive studies in computer imaging process and production: digital image generation, image conversion processing, image assembly, and image production and reproduction.
Research and Writing for Design Critical examination of works across the industry sub-disciplines of product design, visual communication and new media. Authoring design concepts and shaping visual presentations.
Electricity and Electronics Fundamentals of DC/AC circuits theory and basics of semiconductor devices. Principles of power generation, distribution and applications. Application of theory to practical applications in home and industry.
Technical Drawing 1: Introduction to CAD Fundamentals of two-dimensional geometric image generation techniques to familiarize the student with computer-aided drafting (CAD). Microcomputer CAD hardware and software.
Visual Design Literacy Fundamental visual design principles, vocabulary, and applications in design. Topics relevant to 2D and 3D design techniques for both tangible and virtual results.
Plastics for Design History and development of the plastics industry; basic materials, processes, technology, and application for design.
A History of Design and Technology History of modern design and attendant technology issues. Antecedents of modern design in product design, visual communications, and allied sectors in design.
Metals Manufacturing Contemporary metals design and manufacturing processes. Evolution of metal forming practices from traditional to computer-based automated processes.
Rapid Visualization Illustration of product and graphic design ideas. Three-dimensional sketching and rendering techniques.
Principles of Marketing Introduction to marketing principles and functions designed to satisfy an organization's target markets by offering an appropriate marketing mix consisting of product, price, place and promotion in domestic and international settings.
Relevant Courses
I have taken many other relevant courses in addition to my Industrial Design degree. Courses include Film, Art History, Painting, Life Drawing, Creative Writing, Video Production and Video Editing.
Industry Experience
I have over 10 years of industry experience in a wide variety of games. This experience gives me the ability to see upcoming issues and address them before they come critical to the project. I have a proactive approach to making games which allows me to adapt to unexpected events during the course of production. I am a strong believer in setting demonstrable goals which can be played to prove gameplay ideas.
This section is a brief highlight of my industry experience.
Genres
Lead Design
Level Design
Platforms
Quality Assurance
Art
Software Experience
Creative Tools
Engines, Editors and Scripting
Productivity Tools
Web/ Interactive Software
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When I’m not busy at work making games I enjoy exploring, from my downtown to traveling across the world. All of my adventures no matter how large or small give me the ability to see things from different perspectives. I believe these skills make me a better designer.
Below I list some of the things I enjoy doing outside of work.
Below I list some of the things I enjoy doing outside of work.
Travel
I have traveled to many areas of the world and do not plan to stop until I have seen them all. I guess I’ll always have something to look forward to. I have traveled Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America. I lived in Austria for a year and a half while working for Rockstar Vienna. I like a good mix of culture and adventure. Some adventures include Safari in Kenya, Cave diving in Mexico, Snowboarding in Austria, hiking Machu Picchu, trekking in the Amazon and skydiving in Monterey.Flying
Both my parents were pilots and I got my license (private class) as soon as I was old enough. As a family, we took several flying vacations across the United States in a small four seat Cessna 182RG. For me flying was a hobby, an expensive hobby.Scuba Diving
Certified scuba diver (PADI Open Water). I try to include a dive trip when I travel. I have been diving in the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Thailand and the Red Sea. My favorite dive spot has to be the Galapagos Islands. This spot has the most abundant and unique sea life of any location I have been to. I swam with schools of hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, and several kinds of fish, sea lions, iguanas and penguins.Outdoors
Being able to spend time outdoors is great. I have been fortunate to live most of my life in the mild climate of California. Some of the outdoor activities I enjoy include Mountain Biking, Hiking, Snowboarding, Swimming, Climbing, Sailing, Flying, Camping, Traveling, Jet skiing, Hang-gliding and Skydiving.Indoors
I cannot be outside all the time. I also like to watch movies, draw, paint, sculpt, take pictures, have friends over for board game night and go out to a good pub with friends.Web Design
When I am not creating games or traveling, I usually have some web project in the works. I have designed several web sites both professionally and for friends. This site is one example of something I created from scratch. To create this site I had to teach myself PHP, JavaScript and more advanced HTML coding.Flash Web Games
Creating flash-based educational games is a new hobby of mine. I am working with a 4th grade teacher to develop games that supplement in class work. These games are still in progress. I will be posting these on this site when they are completed.