Hey, sweet! Thanks for taking the time to check this page out.
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I'll try and keep things interesting!
cool pic here
Interests/Hobbies
Dance Dance Revolution
I started playing DDR/Stepmania my freshman year of college, and I LOVE IT. Now, I'm not one of those crazy skilled players, but I can definitely pull off some moves. Was president of RPI's DDR Club for 3 years, and skyrocketed membership (and the quality of our equipment) but this isn't the place to brag. I usually play custom songs in Stepmania, but my favorite official songs are definitely BRE∀KDOWN! and Heaven Is A '57 Metallic Gray.
epic picture
here
Touching Grass
Camping! Hiking! Building an igloo! I love excuses to get outdoors and do stuff. Maybe it's from growing up in Scouting, but sometimes, you can't beat a good trip in the woods.
And snow camping? Man, that stuff's my favorite. Carrying your gear on sleds, building shelters, eating soup...
I always look forward to the winter.
Other Games
When thinking about the games I love the most, the one thing they pretty much all have in common is the ability to run the gauntlet of emotions. Silly at times, serious at others, the ability to flip from dark to cheery at the drop of a hat is the mark of an expertly crafted narrative. Especially if that narrative dissonance is used to the game's advantage.
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In completely unrelated news, my favorite game series has to be the Yakuza/Like A Dragon franchise. Every wild, seemingly incompatible element of the games, from the gritty crime drama, chicken racing, karaoke, taxi driving... they all come together somehow - and make a wildly unforgettable experience. I'm definitely more of a fan of the classic 3rd person brawler combat over the RPG system, but the gameplay always has me coming back.
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After that, I've gotta put Mother 3 on here. Nothing makes me go from laughing to crying nearly as fast, or as strongly, as this masterpiece of a game.
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One other big shoutout has to go to Metal Gear Rising: Revengance. I could talk for hours about how masterfully the game handles it's ludo-narrative dissonance, trying to push a moral high ground while punishing pacifism and making aggression so much more entertaining.
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And I have to mention the first two Fossil Fighters games! They're what really got me invested in video games, and sparked a good portion of my professional interest in game development. Cause hey, I love dinosaurs! What's better than digging up dinosaur bones, cleaning them, and reviving them into fighting machines to battle for your amusement?
I really considered being a paleontologist when I was younger, but upon hearing that we don't have the technology to make dinosaurs fight each other, I decided to settle on game development.
I figure I need something like this, right?
Professional-Sounding Blurb
Production's an important, multifaceted role - but everything comes back to one point: people. Without effective team management, and without people excited to contribute, projects fall apart. The focus of the game dev mentoring program I founded was just that - working with people. Training upperclassmen to take that initiative and give the underclassmen the encouragement they need to develop their skills, so that everyone improves their technical (and interpersonal) skills.
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There’s a saying I like: “Good leadership gets things done, but great leadership creates more leaders.” It’s something I’ve seen in action time and time again - both from people I’ve personally learned from, and from those I’ve inspired to take action. Game development’s a competitive field - and the two things that really set people apart are passion and ambition. You can (and should) always learn new skills, but that willingness to go the extra mile, to be the change you wish to see - that’s something the world always needs more of.
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The resume TLDR
Experience/Awards
Rensselear Poytechnic Institute - Dual Major in Games Simulation Arts & Sciences and Business Management. 3.64 GPA.
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iD Tech - Taught Unreal Game Dev & Unity VR development classes to 13-18 year olds.
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Level UpState - Ran a 6 person team like an indie studio, working on various games and prototypes. Honed skills in project organization and management in a professional environment.
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GSAS Mentoring Program - Pitched, created, and ran a full-scale official mentoring program for RPI game dev students. Recruited and trained mentors, and worked with a broad variety of faculty.
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Phalanx Honor Society - RPI's highest honor society and service organization, only admitting a select few who go above and beyond as leaders, on and off campus. I served as their Treasurer, as well.
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Vicarious Visions/Blizzard Albany Pathfinder Award - Given to recognize students who exceed expectations and consistently inspire others.
RPI Founder's Award - Same kind of thing. To recognize those who raise the bar both in and out of the classroom, and make the program a better place.