FIGCON 2013 PRESENTERS
DAVE LANG
CEO, Iron Galaxy Studios
After working at studios like Midway and Acclaim, Dave went on to become the CEO of the popular turnkey developer Iron Galaxy Studios. The Chicago-based studio is responsible for a number of ports and R&D projects over the last console generation, including its own in-house products -- Wreckateer and Divekick. He also knows the guys at Giant Bomb.
CEO, Iron Galaxy Studios
After working at studios like Midway and Acclaim, Dave went on to become the CEO of the popular turnkey developer Iron Galaxy Studios. The Chicago-based studio is responsible for a number of ports and R&D projects over the last console generation, including its own in-house products -- Wreckateer and Divekick. He also knows the guys at Giant Bomb.
JASON MANLEY
President/Owner/Founder, ConceptArt.org
Jason is the visionary behind ConceptArt.org and The Art Department in addition to being one of the creative forces behind Massive Black. He was a primary factor in each company's success, especially the world renown of Massive Black and its impressive resume. Jason currently serves as the President of ConceptArt.org, one of the largest creative communities for artists in the world.
President/Owner/Founder, ConceptArt.org
Jason is the visionary behind ConceptArt.org and The Art Department in addition to being one of the creative forces behind Massive Black. He was a primary factor in each company's success, especially the world renown of Massive Black and its impressive resume. Jason currently serves as the President of ConceptArt.org, one of the largest creative communities for artists in the world.
DR. ROB JAGNOW
Founder & CEO, Lazy 8 Studios
Dr. Rob Jagnow is the founder and CEO of Lazy 8 Studios (www.lazy8studios.com). After working on several AAA titles at Demiurge Studios in Boston, Rob bootstrapped his own company in San Francisco, CA. Lazy 8's first independent title, Cogs (www.cogsgame.com), has won a number of awards, including the Grand Prize at the 2010 Indie Game Challenge. Since it launched on PC in 2009, it has been ported to 9 different platforms to achieve broad distribution. Rob's latest project, Extrasolar (www.exoresearch.com), blends aspects of alternate reality games (ARGs) and traditional game design to create a new genre that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
Founder & CEO, Lazy 8 Studios
Dr. Rob Jagnow is the founder and CEO of Lazy 8 Studios (www.lazy8studios.com). After working on several AAA titles at Demiurge Studios in Boston, Rob bootstrapped his own company in San Francisco, CA. Lazy 8's first independent title, Cogs (www.cogsgame.com), has won a number of awards, including the Grand Prize at the 2010 Indie Game Challenge. Since it launched on PC in 2009, it has been ported to 9 different platforms to achieve broad distribution. Rob's latest project, Extrasolar (www.exoresearch.com), blends aspects of alternate reality games (ARGs) and traditional game design to create a new genre that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
TADHG KELLY
Developer Relations, OUYA
Tadhg has some tenure in the industry. After numerous positions and eventually running his own studio, he went on to work at OUYA where his job is to help developers with the platform. He is also the writer of What Games Are, one of the industry's leading blogs about game design. Additionally, Tadhg has contributed work to TechCrunch, Edge, and Gamasutra.
Developer Relations, OUYA
Tadhg has some tenure in the industry. After numerous positions and eventually running his own studio, he went on to work at OUYA where his job is to help developers with the platform. He is also the writer of What Games Are, one of the industry's leading blogs about game design. Additionally, Tadhg has contributed work to TechCrunch, Edge, and Gamasutra.
ARA SHIRINIAN
Independent Developer
Ara Shirinian is a veteran game designer and developer, with over 9 years of video game industry experience. His expertise is in user interface design and user psychology.
He has shown how the basic psychology of user-centric design can be applied to improving business performance in a series of articles published in the industry journal, Performance Improvement (Performance Improvement Journal, Volume 40 No. 7). He has also been published alongside several industry luminaries in the 2004 book, Difficult Questions About Videogames.
As a game designer, Ara has contributed to several important and successful video game series, and was one of the primary designers on Cars: Mater-National, based on the Disney / Pixar movie Cars, which sold well over a million units within just five months of its release. (source: vgchartz.com)
In the summer of 2008, Ara was recruited by Arizona State University as an instructional specialist to teach game design and implementation to high school students and incoming freshmen, as well as assist in developing a video game studies cirriculum at ASU’s School of Computing and Informatics.
In his spare time, Ara co-hosts the locally-broadcast ChatterBox Video Game Radio, which has won a “Best of 2008” award from the Phoenix New Times.
Ara received his B.S. in computer science with a concentration in mathematics from the University of Maryland.
Independent Developer
Ara Shirinian is a veteran game designer and developer, with over 9 years of video game industry experience. His expertise is in user interface design and user psychology.
He has shown how the basic psychology of user-centric design can be applied to improving business performance in a series of articles published in the industry journal, Performance Improvement (Performance Improvement Journal, Volume 40 No. 7). He has also been published alongside several industry luminaries in the 2004 book, Difficult Questions About Videogames.
As a game designer, Ara has contributed to several important and successful video game series, and was one of the primary designers on Cars: Mater-National, based on the Disney / Pixar movie Cars, which sold well over a million units within just five months of its release. (source: vgchartz.com)
In the summer of 2008, Ara was recruited by Arizona State University as an instructional specialist to teach game design and implementation to high school students and incoming freshmen, as well as assist in developing a video game studies cirriculum at ASU’s School of Computing and Informatics.
In his spare time, Ara co-hosts the locally-broadcast ChatterBox Video Game Radio, which has won a “Best of 2008” award from the Phoenix New Times.
Ara received his B.S. in computer science with a concentration in mathematics from the University of Maryland.
CHRIS CRAWFORD
Owner & CTO, Storytron
Chris Crawford earned a Master of Science degree in Physics from the University of Missouri in 1975. He has published fifteen computer games and five books. He created the first periodical on game design, the Journal of Computer Game Design, in 1987. He founded and served as Chairman of the Computer Game Developers’ Conference, now known as the Game Developers’ Conference.
Crawford has given hundreds of lectures at conferences and universities around the world, and published dozens of magazine articles and academic papers. He served as computer system designer and observer for the 1999 and 2002 NASA Leonid MAC airborne missions. His current work concerns interactive storytelling technology. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife, 3 dogs, 7 cats, and 10 ducks.
Owner & CTO, Storytron
Chris Crawford earned a Master of Science degree in Physics from the University of Missouri in 1975. He has published fifteen computer games and five books. He created the first periodical on game design, the Journal of Computer Game Design, in 1987. He founded and served as Chairman of the Computer Game Developers’ Conference, now known as the Game Developers’ Conference.
Crawford has given hundreds of lectures at conferences and universities around the world, and published dozens of magazine articles and academic papers. He served as computer system designer and observer for the 1999 and 2002 NASA Leonid MAC airborne missions. His current work concerns interactive storytelling technology. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife, 3 dogs, 7 cats, and 10 ducks.
CHRIS TOEPKER
Executive VP of Product Development, Safe Communications
Chris Toepker is a China expert with a particular expertise in gaming, both video games and tabletop. In the early 2000s he was key in launching "Magic: The Gathering" in China for Wizards of the Coast (WotC). Later, he revamped and restored WotC's miniatures category with "Dungeons & Dragons" and "Star Wars" miniatures.
Later he operated Lamplighter Studios, a game service start-up specializing in art assets, yet also delivered full games and even animated programs with more than 75 artists and programmers across Asia and greater China.
He also ran Upper Deck Asia, managing outsourced development (in China) of globally-sold cards, toys and collectibles as well as launching in-sourcing services in creative and video game development used by US and European sister companies, plus signing new licenses and launching products in India, China and across Asia.
In between he happened to manage global marketing for Philips Mobile Infotainment BG and run Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design multimedia incubation and entrepreneurship center, M-lab.
Most recently he was the COO of New Edge, an expanding game company in Beijing, China which launched the Dungeons and Fighters (a.k.a. Dungeon Fighter Online) trading card game in coordination with TenCent and Nexon/Neopeple.
He is currently the Exec. V.P. of Product Development at Kuboo.com, Safe Communications.
Executive VP of Product Development, Safe Communications
Chris Toepker is a China expert with a particular expertise in gaming, both video games and tabletop. In the early 2000s he was key in launching "Magic: The Gathering" in China for Wizards of the Coast (WotC). Later, he revamped and restored WotC's miniatures category with "Dungeons & Dragons" and "Star Wars" miniatures.
Later he operated Lamplighter Studios, a game service start-up specializing in art assets, yet also delivered full games and even animated programs with more than 75 artists and programmers across Asia and greater China.
He also ran Upper Deck Asia, managing outsourced development (in China) of globally-sold cards, toys and collectibles as well as launching in-sourcing services in creative and video game development used by US and European sister companies, plus signing new licenses and launching products in India, China and across Asia.
In between he happened to manage global marketing for Philips Mobile Infotainment BG and run Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design multimedia incubation and entrepreneurship center, M-lab.
Most recently he was the COO of New Edge, an expanding game company in Beijing, China which launched the Dungeons and Fighters (a.k.a. Dungeon Fighter Online) trading card game in coordination with TenCent and Nexon/Neopeple.
He is currently the Exec. V.P. of Product Development at Kuboo.com, Safe Communications.
RAHEEM JARBO
Independent Music Professional
Random, aka Mega Ran, Big Ran or Random Beats. Teacher, Rapper, Hero.
If you put video games, the 80′s, hip-hop, soul music, jazz and standup comedy into a blender and hit “puree,” you’d have something close to The Random Experience.
The self-proclaimed “TeacherRapperHero” made waves by going way left of his backpack roots by combining 8-bit video game sounds and hard hitting hip-hop tracks, and has become a trailblazer in the budding genres of chiptune and nerdcore hip-hop, while maintaining a career as a middle school teacher.
A Capcom cosign and admiration from the genre’s toughest critics has led to placements in TV, movies, university coursework, and of course, games. His music and story have been told on stages across the world, on television (Portlandia, Tosh.O, WWE Wrestling) and in publications like XXL, Complex, Playstation Magazine and more.
Today, Random is no longer a teacher by title, but travels the world to entertain and educate through the gift of face-melting raps.
Independent Music Professional
Random, aka Mega Ran, Big Ran or Random Beats. Teacher, Rapper, Hero.
If you put video games, the 80′s, hip-hop, soul music, jazz and standup comedy into a blender and hit “puree,” you’d have something close to The Random Experience.
The self-proclaimed “TeacherRapperHero” made waves by going way left of his backpack roots by combining 8-bit video game sounds and hard hitting hip-hop tracks, and has become a trailblazer in the budding genres of chiptune and nerdcore hip-hop, while maintaining a career as a middle school teacher.
A Capcom cosign and admiration from the genre’s toughest critics has led to placements in TV, movies, university coursework, and of course, games. His music and story have been told on stages across the world, on television (Portlandia, Tosh.O, WWE Wrestling) and in publications like XXL, Complex, Playstation Magazine and more.
Today, Random is no longer a teacher by title, but travels the world to entertain and educate through the gift of face-melting raps.
BEN REICHERT
Co-Founder/CEO, Game CoLab
Ben is an internationally published and award-winning entrepreneur with experience in video games, transportation, and conflict management. Previously, Ben worked on advocacy and fundraising for the international peacebuilding efforts of Nonviolent Peaceforce, developing and managing the European communications strategy for the International Road Transport Union, and most recently, he served as the first Assistant Director for the ASU Center for Games and Impact.
He is combining his passions for advocacy, sustainable mobility, and learning through games as the CEO and Co-Founder of Abeona Games. His areas of interest include gamification, alternate reality games, and open-source data.
Ben currently works as the CEO of Game CoLab, a games incubator based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Co-Founder/CEO, Game CoLab
Ben is an internationally published and award-winning entrepreneur with experience in video games, transportation, and conflict management. Previously, Ben worked on advocacy and fundraising for the international peacebuilding efforts of Nonviolent Peaceforce, developing and managing the European communications strategy for the International Road Transport Union, and most recently, he served as the first Assistant Director for the ASU Center for Games and Impact.
He is combining his passions for advocacy, sustainable mobility, and learning through games as the CEO and Co-Founder of Abeona Games. His areas of interest include gamification, alternate reality games, and open-source data.
Ben currently works as the CEO of Game CoLab, a games incubator based in Phoenix, Arizona.
ANABEL MARTINEZ and ALLEN AMIS
Media Specialist, Men vs. Cosplay
Anabel began working as the marketing director for Phoenix Comicon in 2009, and since then has been involved in cosplay. Anabel works with the cosplay community (along with Allen) to write guides on how to get into the hobby and most recently started Men vs. Cosplay, a company dedicated to showing off what is being done in the world of cosplay.
Media Specialist, Men vs. Cosplay
Anabel began working as the marketing director for Phoenix Comicon in 2009, and since then has been involved in cosplay. Anabel works with the cosplay community (along with Allen) to write guides on how to get into the hobby and most recently started Men vs. Cosplay, a company dedicated to showing off what is being done in the world of cosplay.
Founder, Allen Amis Creations
Allen Amis was born on Ft. Biggs Army Base, in El Paso Texas, in 1971 and currently lives and works in Chandler, Arizona. Amis was raised on Saturday morning cartoons, science fiction, and monsters movies by his Military Father and his Seamstress Mother. He has since then attended Art Schools and Technical schools that gave him the necessary fuel he needed to feed his desire to design and build quality costumes and props.
In 2009, he created his own costume and prop business, Anarchy Squared Creations (now Allen Amis Creations), and since then has won awards and accolades for his ability to bring artistic concepts and renderings to life as wearable costumes and displayable props.
Currently you can catch Amis displaying and even wearing some of his creations at local Comic Book Conventions, Art Walks, and Charity functions held throughout the year. You can even attend one of his costuming panels where he discusses his techniques on costume and prop building -- be sure to check out his work on Men vs. Cosplay!
Allen Amis was born on Ft. Biggs Army Base, in El Paso Texas, in 1971 and currently lives and works in Chandler, Arizona. Amis was raised on Saturday morning cartoons, science fiction, and monsters movies by his Military Father and his Seamstress Mother. He has since then attended Art Schools and Technical schools that gave him the necessary fuel he needed to feed his desire to design and build quality costumes and props.
In 2009, he created his own costume and prop business, Anarchy Squared Creations (now Allen Amis Creations), and since then has won awards and accolades for his ability to bring artistic concepts and renderings to life as wearable costumes and displayable props.
Currently you can catch Amis displaying and even wearing some of his creations at local Comic Book Conventions, Art Walks, and Charity functions held throughout the year. You can even attend one of his costuming panels where he discusses his techniques on costume and prop building -- be sure to check out his work on Men vs. Cosplay!
TRISTAN MOORE
Game Designer, Redacted Studios
Tristan Parrish Moore is a game designer and 3D artist who has been a part of THQ, Massive Black, and most recently Redacted Studios. Tristan has contributed worked on numerous games; one of his university projects, The Afflicted, was featured at GDC Play in 2013. His most recent side project, Grave, can be downloaded at this link.
Game Designer, Redacted Studios
Tristan Parrish Moore is a game designer and 3D artist who has been a part of THQ, Massive Black, and most recently Redacted Studios. Tristan has contributed worked on numerous games; one of his university projects, The Afflicted, was featured at GDC Play in 2013. His most recent side project, Grave, can be downloaded at this link.
NOAH DYER
Professor of Game Production and Programming, University of Advancing Technology; Partner, Sure Spark Internet Marketing
Noah Dyer is equal parts educator, consultant, marketing director, and facial hair aficionado. He has worked in both marketing and games as a cultivator for talent, currently instructing game development students at the University of Advancing Technology. In addition to being involved in multiple startups, Noah has been published multiple times on The Examiner and has spoken for the Ignite conference series.
Professor of Game Production and Programming, University of Advancing Technology; Partner, Sure Spark Internet Marketing
Noah Dyer is equal parts educator, consultant, marketing director, and facial hair aficionado. He has worked in both marketing and games as a cultivator for talent, currently instructing game development students at the University of Advancing Technology. In addition to being involved in multiple startups, Noah has been published multiple times on The Examiner and has spoken for the Ignite conference series.
MICHAEL HICKS
Independent Developer
Over the years, Michael Hicks has released various video games, music and short films under the name MichaelArts. His projects trace all the way back to his childhood, back in the late 90s when he would run around with his cousins filming home made movies and sharing them with neighbors, family and friends.
MichaelArts released a number of interesting projects through the 2000s, but now has a strong focus on video games. In 2011, MichaelArts gained notable attention when 18 year old Michael and a team of talented individuals from across the globe developed the Xbox 360 game, "Honor in Vengeance", and released it on to the Xbox Live Marketplace.
2012 saw the release of "Sententia", an experimental game that explores both the death of the human imagination as we age and abstract story telling in games. Michael also spent a lot of the year coordinating the third annual XBLIG Uprising, a promotion aimed at showcasing original and exciting games for Xbox Live Indie Games.
MichaelArts has been featured, interviewed, mentioned and plugged by publications such as Official Xbox Magazine, Wired, Joystiq, Ars Technica, Kotaku, IGN, IndieGames, GameTrailers and more. Michael has also appeared on various radio shows and podcasts to promote different MA releases.
[FIGCON 2013 Note: Michael's talk was not recorded.]
Independent Developer
Over the years, Michael Hicks has released various video games, music and short films under the name MichaelArts. His projects trace all the way back to his childhood, back in the late 90s when he would run around with his cousins filming home made movies and sharing them with neighbors, family and friends.
MichaelArts released a number of interesting projects through the 2000s, but now has a strong focus on video games. In 2011, MichaelArts gained notable attention when 18 year old Michael and a team of talented individuals from across the globe developed the Xbox 360 game, "Honor in Vengeance", and released it on to the Xbox Live Marketplace.
2012 saw the release of "Sententia", an experimental game that explores both the death of the human imagination as we age and abstract story telling in games. Michael also spent a lot of the year coordinating the third annual XBLIG Uprising, a promotion aimed at showcasing original and exciting games for Xbox Live Indie Games.
MichaelArts has been featured, interviewed, mentioned and plugged by publications such as Official Xbox Magazine, Wired, Joystiq, Ars Technica, Kotaku, IGN, IndieGames, GameTrailers and more. Michael has also appeared on various radio shows and podcasts to promote different MA releases.
[FIGCON 2013 Note: Michael's talk was not recorded.]