Anders Howard
andershoward@gmail.com
San Francisco, CA.

SKILLS

    Game Design

  • Strong grasp of Game Design and Product Management
  • Systems modeling and balance
  • UI/Usability Design with mockups and flowcharting
  • Pitch documents and executive pitching
  • Level Design Fundamentals - 2D concepting to 3D world building
  • Experience in multiple engines (Game Maker, UDK, Unity..)
  • User testing, pre-and-post launch Metrics Analysis

    • 3D Art

  • Strong Art fundamentals
  • Studied in anatomy, kinesiology, architecture
  • Strong traditional sculptor
  • Texture painting in a wide range of styles - painterly to realistic
  • Maya, 3DS Max
  • ZBrush, Mudbox
  • xNormal, Crazybump, Topogun, 3DCoat
  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator and Flash Vector Art
  • Love improving processes, PASSIONATE ABOUT GAMES AND ART!

EDUCATION

The Art Institute of California - San Francisco
Bachelor of Science in Game Art and Design, September 2009.

Coursework includes: Traditional / Digital Art, Game / Level Design, Computer Applications, and Production classes.

EXPERIENCE

11/09 - Current - Zynga (http://www.zynga.com)
Game Designer
  • Model and tune complex gameplay systems, from Achievement and Combat systems to Quest and Energy systems.
  • Work closely with Artists and Programmers to implement the PM team's vision.
  • Wrote content such as adventure narrative, flavorful feed form copy, bot opponent stats, miscellaneous dialog copy.
  • Designed UI with usability principles in mind.
  • Pitched new concepts to executives.
  • Worked with Product Managers to diagnose metrics issues.
  • Traveled to India to hand off game design duties and train staff in a variety of disciplines from project management, to usability, product management and game design.
04/09 - 11/09 - SudoScape, LLC
3D Character Art Intern
  • Helped set up 3D to Flash pipeline for an unnanounced browser-based MMO: set up rendering environment (materials and cameras), helped architect the cloth dyeing and swappable armor systems.
  • Concepted characters and armors.
  • Modeled characters, armors, and creatures and painted them with stylized toony textures.
  • 07/09 - 11/09 - theBroth (http://www.thebroth.com)
    Junior Game Designer / Vector Artist
    • Spent some time as a vector artist - illustrated some props and buildings for Barn Buddy - a farming game for Face Book.
    • Pitched features to executives, designed low level game systems for Barn Buddy.
  • 08/05 - 02/06 - Electronic Arts. (http://www.ea.com)
    Language Integration Tester
    • Wrote and executed testing plans for a variety of SKUs on multiple platforms across 5 projects.
    • Tested AAA games in various stages of production for general, first party, and language bugs.
    • Worked with translators to uncover language bugs.
    		•

    RELATED EXPERIENCE / AWARDS

    • 09/08 - 09/09      Down For Maintenance Games – San Francisco, CA.  
      (http://www.fullmoonmanor.com)
      Project Manager / Game Designer / Artist
      My duties include planning and scheduling milestones, assigning tickets to team members, contributing to and editing the game design document, and character + environment art for Full Moon Manor, a 2D puzzle platformer game for the PC nearing completion. (School Senior Project)

    • Finalist in the South by Southwest (SXSW) Screenburn Game Design Competition for my original game design FLOAT, a casual game designed for the iPhone / DS / PC.

    • Finalist in the South by Southwest (SXSW) Screenburn Game Design Competition for my team's game design Full Moon Manor, a casual game designed for the PC / Web.

    • Project Manager / Game Designer / Artist on CAEN – a WWII themed student mod for Unreal 3, SPR08 - FA08. My duties included scheduling milestones, assigning work to team members, reviewing work and adjusting schedules, writing the game design document, and miscellaneous modeling + texture work.

    • Game Developer's Conference: Conference Associate. 2006-2009. My duties included facilitating speaker sessions, manning expo booths, general attendee customer service, and networking with games industry folks in my spare time.

    • Awarded "Best in Class" by a faculty jury in Life Drawing class, Spring 2007.

    • Character Maquette "Dobbs McKraken - Space Pirate" on display at the Art Institute of CA-SF SPR07 - Current.

    • Co-designed the “Chemical Existence” total conversion modification for Half-Life that received an invitation to the Valve Mod Expo '99.

    • Avid Tabletop Gamer.


    References available upon request.

    DOWNLOAD RESUME WITH CONTACT INFO: Art RESUME/ GAME DESIGN RESUME