Grumpy Snomwen: Brief Post Mortem

Late 2011 through January 2012, I was offered an opportunity to work in Michigan State University's Games for Entertainment and Learning (GEL) Lab on a light-hearted, holiday Angry Birds parody called Grumpy Snowmen.  I was asked to come on board as a 2D artist on a team that included William Jeffrey (Game Designer), Eric Musser (3D Artist), Dan Sosnowski (Programmer), Jon Moore (Programmer), and Professor Brian Winn (Producer/Game Designer).

Described as "a video game that features Michigan State University mascot Sparty taking on up-to-no-good snowmen", Grumpy Snowmen has been a fun ride, and out over 9,000 downloads in the App Store suggest that Spartans agree.  The game is available in the App Store as well as in a web-player.

Of course, I think you should play it!

Post Mortem for Wave: A Rhapsody in Cantando

You are a jellyfish, an outsider to your tribe. Sunken ruins call to you with a haunting song. You alone wonder what could lie waiting in this place of music.

You cannot understand why others of your tribe cannot hear its need. You feel compelled to return it to its glory. Therefore you leave your tribe in search of the city that pulls your spirit. What awaits you, you can only imagine.

I was the 2D artist (among other roles within a four person team) for this ambitious, experience driven game project in Brian Winn's TC455 class.  This was my first opportunity to push the limits of what my 2D skills could accomplish in a 3D game engine.

Read more to find out my game art and design lessons from Version 1 of one of the most ambitious game projects I've tackled yet at Michigan State.  Better yet, play WaRiC!

2010-2011, Achievements and Goals

 From my 2010-11 MSU Progress Report

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Over the past year, I have attacked the goals set in my initial goals statement with zeal.  Due to gaps in my skills and theoretical knowledge of game design, I have pursued each course taken as an opportunity to build my knowledge in these deficit areas.  Due to the excellent instructional methods of Dr. Wei Peng and Dr. Carrie Heeter, I am confident in my background in design research and theories of serious games. I also am able to reach out into other disciplines in order to substantiate research and design.  In addition, I have had the opportunity collaborate with other students in the design of two substantial serious games, “Shades of Shakespeare” and “Pardon of the Sun”.  Each game was a lesson in game design and content design, that demonstrated the challenges inherent in creating games with meaningful play.