Level 2: Experience

Professional Links

• LinkedIn
• Github
• Resume

Education

I have always been on interested in learning. Reading has always been a great source of knowledge for me. At Manhattanville College, I actually spent time double majoring in not just Computer Science but also in Studio Art with a focus on Computer Graphics. This lead to me getting a MS in Computer Science from Pace University that included opportunities to learn about AI and Unreal Programming.

But, that was never really enough for me. I continued my pursuits in education taking a large variety of courses and workshops. Through NYU Game Center I was able to learn about the MDA process of game design from Marc LeBlanc. At Playcrafting, I learned about a variety of topics that included UX, Education Design, Pixel Art, Writing, Tabletop design, and Legal aspects of game development. From there I furthered my education by taking the UX workshop at General Assembly. Coursera provided a great opportunity to learn from Unity on how to prepare for their Certification Exam that I ended up earning in May of 2020.

My pursuit of learning never really has ended as I am consistently trying to learn new things. Even taking classes from Story Telling Collective to learn more about writing for Tabletop RPGs.

My Career - So Far...

Story

My game industry career actually began with a Game Testing job with XS Games. At XS Games, I had the opportunity to learn from some amazing people and a chance to work on games while learning more about the industry. Games were on a variety of platforms that included the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, and iOS. Being there I was able to learn much from being a tester but also on how to be a lead of a team of testers. Also, I was able to gain experience working directly with technical requirements from hardware manufactures and creating daily builds.

From there I had a day job working at Sony while working as a Game Developer on the side for a mobile game. That game was called Mutton Math with the goal of teaching kids how to solve problems by counting sheep. The game was released on iOS and Android developed using Unity.

While working in Advertising, I ended up at Eyeview Digital that focused on creating dynamic and customized ads. Initially, my work involved developing logic and functionality for dynamic / interactive video ads working with APIs revolving around complex logic customized around users. This was an interesting experience that helped my development as a Software Engineer that had me eventually developing tools and Continuous Integration capabilities for the team handling the logic for the Dynamic Ads.

Currently, I work at a small startup that leverages Unity and 3D visualization around garment design and development. This role has allowed me to develop my skills around 3D visualizations, developing complex User Interfaces, and development on platforms including Web, Mac, Windows, and Mobile. I was also responsible for the configuration of our pipelines to execute Unity tests before automatically creating builds for test or release.

Highlights

• Global Game Jams: Outside of work I have always been into Game Jams. Over the years I have taken part in the Global Game Jam 8 times. It has been a great opportunity to work with others, learn, and just make something in a 48 hour time frame.


• YouTube Channel - PaulPrograms: While I have a great interest in learning new things I have always wanted to share my own experiences. That is why I decided to start a YouTube channel focused on teaching Game Mechanics to others. The videos break down the mechanics from a high level and then present ways these concepts can be executed through design or code.

Awards

• GGJ 2019: Highest APM Award (Microsoft + Playcrafting)
• GGJ 2010: Best Game at Venue (NYU Game Center)