Alumni Newsletter: Fall 2010
Mick Mancuso and Jani Kajala have joined our esteemed faculty and began teaching level design and game engine design, respectively, in August.
Read More >
A new classroom and the rehab of two existing ones are part of the construction plans currently underway on the second floor, slated for completion by the end of September. The former office/printing station and flanking classrooms are being converted into three classrooms, each featuring a centralized location outfitted with portable furnishings to accommodate team-based interactions and bordered by traditional classroom-style seating.
Read More >
The Guildhall at SMU is on  Facebook, so if you haven't become a fan, please go to www.facebook.com/smuguildhall and "like" us. We will use this as a means to provide interesting updates about what we are involved in, industry visitors, new faculty hires, alumni successes, photo galleries, videos and much more! Our hope is that this is a truly interactive forum for alums, potential students, educators and industry, so check it out and send us your suggestions.
We have updated our database to ensure that alums can keep up with the school, each other, share information, and learn about job opportunities as well as upcoming events. A few alums are MIA, so if you can send us in the right direction, we'd like to reconnect. Take a look at the list to see if you have any current information on your fellow classmates.
See MIA Alumni >
THQ moved its primary usability lab into our building this summer, and as the only graduate level video game program that has a facility like this on site, we're proud to have them across the hall. Run by Dr. Karl Steiner, senior manager for usability, the lab is visited by a steady stream of executives, who have been more than happy to hold informal Q & A sessions with students. We look forward to many collaborations that will be mutually beneficial for THQ, our students and faculty.
Read More >
Controlled Chaos Media, founded by Hunter Woodlee with fellow C2 alums David Doran Marshall and Mike Penrod, has partnered with world-renowned Cooper Institute to help young kids make nutritionally sound food choices with an educational 3D video game that will complement a kid-friendly, interactive website. This endeavor, to which The Guildhall at SMU is serving in an advisory capacity, is the first known program to integrate video game-based nutrition education designed specifically for elementary school children.
Read More >
The second annual Indie Game Challenge has gone global and is currently underway. Last year's Professional and Non-Professional category winners walked away with $100K each, but all twelve finalist team members had a truly winning experience. Members of each finalist team attended the D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas, rubbed elbows with industry legends, attended the Interactive Achievement Awards, as well as their own awards ceremony hosted by Adam Sessler, and sat down for exclusive meetings with a bevy of AAA publishers.
Check it out (click image to view video):
Learn about finalists' IGC experiences in their own words: http://indiegamechallenge.com/2010-finalists/
As alums, you know firsthand the advantage of learning from the distinct perspective of an industry vet. Lend an extra set of eyes and ears. Help us recruit the best of the best to not only maintain our competitive edge but also continue to add value to your educational credentials.
Read More >
Cohort 1
Brian Traugott - ZeniMax Online Studio
Working for ZeniMax Online on an unannounced project.
Chuck Nicholson - Buzz Monkey Software
Shipped Tony Hawk: Ride (Wii) and welcomed his second son, Griffin in August 2009.
Cohort 2
Jennifer Canada - Insomniac Games
In March, Jennifer Canada spoke at GDC, giving a talk based on her thesis, "Paint-by-Gender: How to add 'pink' gameplay to your 'blue' title (and still keep all the boys happy)." In June, she married her longtime nemesis Kyle Patrick in Cary, N.C., while their cat Milly napped at home. She is working at Insomniac Games on an unannounced title.
Jeff Browne - Bethesda Game Studios
Has been working for Bethesda for 5 years and after shipping Fallout 3, was the lead level designer on two DLC's for Fallout 3: The Pitt and Broken Steel. Also did some work on Mothership Zeta and Point Lookout for DLC's for Fallout 3. He recently married and moved into a new home.
Drew Murray - Insomniac Games
Katy and Drew had a baby girl on April 22 - Ainsley Madeline Murray. And he's been a part of several podcasts at Insomniac.
"Behind the Game" episode - video podcasts with me talking about my transition from lawyer to games.
http://www.insomniacgames.com/blogcast/podcasts/entry/1533902
Was part of a Resistance: Fall of Man retrospective - video (shorter) and audio (longer):
http://www.insomniacgames.com/blogcast/podcasts/entry/1532681 - audio
http://www.insomniacgames.com/blogcast/podcasts/entry/1531476 - video
See More Alumni Updates >
Follow The Guildhall at SMU on: Facebook  Twitter |
