Sunday, July 30, 2006

My Resume

This is Updated - Just Its Kept Down Here :)


Personal Details

First Name: James
Last Name: Allsopp
Initials: J.W.A
D.O.B: 13/04/1989
Gender: Male
Nationality: White British

Education

1994 – 1999 – Severn Banks Primary School
1999 – 2005 – Whitecross School
2005 – 2006 – Wyedean Sixth Form Centre

Employment History:

Faramix Enterprise – July 2007 - Current

Designer
END (PC/Xbox360)

  • Create detailed game documentation for the game
  • Help polish off game documentation with lead designer
  • Plot Game Flow Diagram & System
  • Create Technical Trigger Layout Documents for Level Designers
  • Create Style Sheets for Artists
  • Create Front-End Work
  • Help Out When Needed
Brief
I joined Faramix just after my contract ended with SEGA. I was contracted onto the Faramix team as a designer to help create documentation, game play flow diagrams, front-end work and also help direct their artists on level design. I’ve archived a lot with Faramix and brought in some new techniques helping the designers communicate with the artists, using style sheets is a good example. I’m currently helping them get their pitch demo up to speed and AAA title quality.

SEGA Racing Studios – March 2007 – July 2007

Environment Artist
SEGA Rally (PC/XBOX360/PS3)

  • Ability to consistently produce high quality models and texture work – delivering them on schedule.
  • Taking direction from the Lead Environment Artist to produce environment artwork that is visually and functionally consistent with the rest of the game visuals.
  • Create environment geometry using proprietary design tools.
  • Furnish large game environments to designer specifications with buildings, props and features.
  • Ability to review and constructively comment on other artists work – both in-house and outsourced.
  • Work with other members of the team to provide balanced solutions to both technical and aesthetic related issues.
  • Maintains a strong knowledge of innovative game production technologies and techniques
Brief
I joined SEGA just after my second year at collage, being the youngest to be taken on was a big praise in my dedication to get my foot in the door. My task given was to create environment art for there up coming title SEGA Rally Revo (PS3, Xbox360, PC) I quickly got to grips with the in-house tools and also the Dev Kits for PS3 & Xbox360. I worked on one track under a senior artist then progressed onto taking Screenshots to show at Media Events and to companies such as Microsoft, Sony and SEGA HQ.

Solar System Studios – April 01 – December 06

Self Employed

  • Offering 3D Art Creation to Independent Developers/Small Companies
  • Creating Commercial 3d Art Assets for MMORPGS
  • Creating Design Documentation for Independent Developers
  • Level Design for Independent Developers
  • Game Design Consultancy for Independent Developers
  • Create High End Design Documents & Production of Prototype’s

Brief
Solar System Studios was a small business I ran to start earning money while learning on the way. My main production was 3D Art assets for MMO’s. I have modelled sets of World Models for 6 clients and have very positive feedback .
“Without Solar System Studios service we wouldn’t be able to keep on schedule, Solar System Studios has helped us out a lot with excellent quality service” Jonny, CEO, Realm Fighter 3D
I closed Solar System Studios in December 06 when I got offered the job at SEGA Racing Studios.

Mod & Volunteer Work:

Ancient World Online – April 05 – September 06

MMO Designer
AWO – Prototype (PC)

  • Create extensive high end Concept & Game Design Documents
  • Create Game Play Flow
  • Create skill systems
  • Create professions systems
  • Create Item Sheets
  • Maintain Good Communication between artists & programmers
  • Help create high end pitch DEMO
  • Create extensive MMO World Lore
  • Maintain Games Vision
Brief
Ancient World Online was a high end MMO project I did with a few experienced friends. We had a team of 16 helping out to create AWO’s Prototype. My role was to make sure all the in-game systems where designed properly and the aesthetics of the game would suit the audience. Game play had to be simple but offer complex events. AWO’s team split in September 06 due to some of our members got into the Industry. Although AWO is still kept alive on my computer with all its documentation, Pre-visuals and Prototype.

A Jedi Order – April 06

Creator
A Jedi Order – Star wars Battlefront (PC)

  • Add ability to play as JEDI
  • Add FORCE powers
  • Implement a new Game Play System
  • Balance out JEDI & Normal Characters
Brief
A Jedi Order was just a small hobby project which I put myself to. It took me around a week to create it, although I didn’t know it would become a big success to me. Over 10,000 download on release night which was a Friday. Then week after had an offer to publish the mod in PC-Gamer Issue 152. Everyone could now enjoy Jedi in Star wars Battlefront.

Solar System Studios – Jan 01 – December 06

Owner/Designer
Mafia: Suited Men (PC)

  • Create Concept Documentation to Support Design Idea
  • Create Game Design Documentation
  • Create Technical Design Documentation
  • Create Pre-Visuals (Concept Art, 3D Models)
  • Create Mock-Up
  • Create Working Prototype using RC Engine
Brief
Mafia: Suited Men was a personal project of mine. I started off using a Game Boy type engine. The proceeded to forward the game into 3D. Mafia was defiantly a very big project to undertake. It was my decision to make a working prototype of Mafia Online. I only ended up keeping it as a document based concept and it never got to any sort of Alpha stage. It was a working prototype which I Enjoyed making for a hobby, to gain skill and experience in Design/Art/Programming.

ToyWarz – September 05 – October 05

Owner/Designer
ToyWarz – Battlefield Vietnam Engine (PC)

  • Bring Something New to the Battlefield Modding Community/Gamers
  • To create something purely base don my imagination
  • Set challenges to overcome (1 Month Production Time)
  • Design & Layout 2 Levels (Bedroom Warz & Full House War)
  • Create & Animate Toy Characters
  • Create & Texture Weapons
  • Create & Texture Vehicles
  • Script vehicles
  • Script weapons
  • Script Teams
  • Script Online game modes and game play
Brief
Toywarz was a bit of fun. Something new and vibrant. Give a wooden toy soldier a rifle and let them pit against each other around a bedroom and full house levels supporting up to 60 players. Toywarz was defiantly a hit with players. Although on low end machines it would run a bit slow. The community grabbed this mod straight up and gave me a lot of credit. A Release was made to the community along with the Level Configuration files to allow the community to create other Toywarz maps.

SAS: CAB2Z – April 05 - September 05

Owner/Designer
SAS:CAB2Z – Battlefield Vietnam Engine (PC)

  • Create a Mod using the Battlefield Vietnam Engine By EA
  • Create a SAS directed mod
  • Create a mod with face pace action and extensive game play
  • Design a team work based system changing Battlefields Game Play
  • Create Weapons & Characters
  • Design 8 Levels which would include (Urban, Desert, Jungle) Maps
  • Create New Game Play Modes for Online Play
Brief
SAS: CAB2Z was a big success on Art work. Many people would look to its weapons and characters as professional quality. It was once big step for me and my learning curve was very steep but like all my mods I got there in the end. The mod gave me a lot of publicity; I even got invited down to EA’s UK studios to play Battlefield 2 with other mod developers.

Skills

Primary Skills
(Includes Single player & MMO Skills)

Writing Game/Concept Documentation, Creating Game Play Flow Charts, Creative writing, Project Direction, Game layout documentation and plans, level design, world art, textures, asset production, extensive knowledge and practice with high end assets. This includes normal maps, many Shaders and asset production.

Secondary Skills

Front-end design, concept art, web design, basic animation, Basic Visual Basics, Design Tool Layout

Other Skills:
Graphical Design, technical drawings, logo design, Rock-climbing all Grade Pass up to 12a, St Johns Ambulance level 2 First Aid, Trident Gold Award – Skills for Life, Armed Forces Cadet – Shooting Team, First Class Marksman, Fine Art (painting and drawing skills)

Program Knowledge

3D Studio Max (V3-V8), Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Complete Office Suite (including Visio), Visual Basic, Speed Tree (RTS & MAX), Endorphin, Z-Brush, Battlecraft 42, L3DT, RC Zone Editor, Unreal Ed, MV World Editor, Big Bang, Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver,

Engine Knowledge

Big World Tech, Gamebyro, Unreal, Multiverse, RC 1 & 2, FPS Creator, Torque, Reality Engine, Law Maker, PS3 SDK, XBOX 360 SDK (Console SDK only on Art Side) ,VBS1 (Virtual Battle Space), Battlefield Engine.

Interests:

My current interests are mainly to do with Computer and Design. I am dedicated on reading entire collections of books on game design. I have been reading books for about 2 years on the subject now and have gained a lot of knowledge and in sight into the industry. My current hobbies are based on game design; they vary from modelling, to level design to lore and world story writing. I also do some concept art and plans for cities and scenario for my game.

I love to play around with 3ds studio max and its elements/tools. Also I have started searching for a good level design editor/world builder I’ve tried many and have skills from modding editors all the way to BigWorld Techs Bigbang world editor. I understand Game Design is hard and to be a game designer is very hard and rare to become successful but I’m dedicated to proving people wrong. I will carry on going until I reach my goal and this is what usually takes up all my time.

Although I am interested in game design a lot I do have other hobbies. Such as rock-climbing and biking also I enjoy fine art and acrylic painting (expressive/landscape painting usually). I also enjoy photography and graphic design. I also have a passion and skill at web site design. With merging my graphics and photography skills using Photoshop to give a professional quality site.