Scott D. Hill | Tech Art & Design [email protected] Ten years of bridging the gap between art and code by designing and developing workflows and tools to improve and enhance the development of console and PC games. Facilitating communication between game development designers, artists and engineers to ensure each group’s vision is equally represented and understood across a development team and that results are met through efficient, smart—not hard—development. Skills Focus: Big-picture; Communication; Consulting; Performance Data; Problem Solving; Training; Workflow Solutions Engines: Anvil; Frostbite 2; Unreal Engine 3; HeroEngine; Phyre Engine; BigWorld. Platforms: PlayStation 4; Xbox One; PlayStation 3; Xbox 360; Windows PC; iPhone; iPad Software: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office. Specialties: Team management; UX design for editor tools; authoring advanced-looking, inexpensive shaders; evaluation of technical issue solutions; custom workflow tool design and common task improvement; detection of opportunities for performance optimization; engine assessments, including in-depth understanding of system benefits and limitations; documentation and training; casual game design; monetization design; product branding. Experience Casual Games & Monetization Designer Unannounced Indie Company Feb 2014 — Dec 2014 Designed new casual games by blending classic childhood games with modern game rules from AAA titles. Designed "free-to-play" business models per game with monetization in mind to avoid "pay-to-win" exploits. Designed customer stickiness game systems: collections; login bonus resources/game credits; unlockable boosts via gameplay; social sharing virtual gifts. Design UX to avoid in-game UI from being covered up by device OS notifications. Designed Ad usage rules for healthy play breaks and to avoid ad spam. Designed themes for DLC as part of optional monetization. Designed company branding for product recognition. Graphics TD Ubisoft Montreal Apr 2013 — Dec 2013 Designed workflows for a work-in-progress user interface toolset built within an in-house game engine for developing 3D User Interfaces. Taught a training class to traditional UI Artists to learn the core elements and terminology for 3D rendering as they prepared to design & develop new 3D UI elements. Developed and managed a Heat Map Excel spreadsheet for tracking Feature Request & Tool Improvements which would sort which JIRA Issues and bugs where higher priority based on time gained for users versus difficulty and development cost to implement into the either the game engine or editor. Collaborated with other Technical Directors from different departments during development of the User Interface workflows to ensure the existing workflows using the same tools did not affect the Level Artist and Game Designers. Documented several editor updates for both VFX artist and Presentation UI artist after each feature request and tool update had been tested and released. Scott D Hill LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/technicalart YouTube: youtube.com/user/techarthill Portfolio: scottdhill.wordpress.com/experience/samples Technical Artist / Shader Artist Electronic Arts / Visceral Games Montreal Mar 2011 — Feb 2013 Developed primary character shader supporting metal, fabrics, and accessories with detail mapping, diffuse color Fresnel, and reflective metals. Developed secondary character shader for fabrics and accessories with multi-region tinting for variations. Developed environment shaders, including blending and adding contrast via both vertex and pixel maps for use on surfaces and walls, reducing the number of decals needed to add visual interest. Employed specialized shader techniques for unique game elements, including fur, gore, vistas, and fountains. Applied texture saving specular techniques to add visual interest without complicating development or sacrificing performance. Created training videos and documentation on engine-specific shader technical for use by company studios worldwide. Designed and managed shader pipeline and workflows. Maya Interface Developer for Art Pipeline Tools. Engaged in performance monitoring during production. Lead Technical Artist Idea Fabrik Plc (formally Simutronics) / Hero Engine Jan 2010 — Feb 2011 Overhauled existing HeroTools for 3ds Max and Maya, including exporter, asset tools and character tools. Worked closely with RAD Game Tools on the latest release of Granny 3D for 3ds Max and Maya. Provided training and demonstrations for potential licensees of Hero Engine. Performed live demos at trade shows like D.I.C.E and GDC. Updated Wiki documentation for all art tools, workflows, limitations, and solutions to common issues. Trained new users on world building workflows in HeroBlade. Provided art support to multiple studios licensing Hero Engine. Designed new features for future releases of Hero Engine's HeroBlade editor. Helped launch HeroEngine with HeroCloud service for indie developers. International team training in Kiev, Ukraine, and Madrid, Spain. Shader and Lighting Technical Artist Supervisor Kung Fu Factory Mar 2009 — Dec 2009 Developed .cgfx and .fx shaders for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 using Shader FX. Developed inexpensive detailed sweat on skin shader. Worked with engineers to develop new shaders and production tools. Executed R&D and implemented new computer graphic techniques (ie. HDR Lighting and Surface Properties). Produced technical references and technical constraints documentation. Created, organized and conducted training sessions on the use of new tools and methods. Scripted repeatable and unique processes using MaxScript. Supported art team, solving 3ds Max issues and solving technical production issues. Acted as game art point of collaborative communication for artists, level designers and programmers. Lead Technical Artist Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment Nov 2005 — Mar 2009 Designed custom tools for Unreal Engine 3 to speed up game workflows. Heavily modified Maya to help 3ds Max users learn Maya faster. Provided single marking menu solution to customized GUI based on user’s job title with the Art Department. Developed a library of material shaders from which artists created instances. Designed the pipeline and workflows for game assets’ storage and management. Built relationships between multiple departments to ensure tasks where completed properly. Monitored and enforced budgets for texture, material, polygon, collision, and asset counts. Oversaw the in-house character creation editor and workflow between Character Artist & Engineers. Integrated faster workflows for artists to bring content from 3D software packages into BigWorld Client Tools. Page 2 Scott D Hill LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/technicalart YouTube: youtube.com/user/techarthill Portfolio: scottdhill.wordpress.com/experience/samples Quality Assurance Jamdat / Knockabout Games Apr 2005 — Sep 2005 Provided feedback for improving user experience. Tracked Stats for playbooks for each NFL team. Tested on Multiple devices running Java, J2ME, BREW. Technical Art Intern / Contractor Critical Mass Interactive Mar 2005 — Sep 2005 Level Designs Game Design Documents Interactive PowerPoint Presentations Quality Assurance Mobile Game Reviews Education Associates Degree, Computer Animation Full Sail University Mar 2003 — Aug 2004 CG modeled, shading, and lighting of a PlayStation controller using NURBS. Level Design of a RC Dirt Track – Modeled games assets, textured, and layout completed in one week with PSP specs in mind. Maya MEL Script allowing users to create unique separate Outliner windows based on node types or object conditions. Level Design of a Horror Island – Modeled games assets, textured, and layout along with Stev Kalinowski in one week. Maya MEL Script creating a Remote Control like UI with new features and look based off of Jared Martin's keyframer script. Composited in Shake a two on one fight animation, composted over arcade footage with fake video scan line, fake health meters, and fake blinking "Credit 0" text. 3D Logo Animation all done in Maya using a 3D Text, a Lattice, and animated extrude for the burst running down the controller cord. Projects Unannounced Casual Games — iPhone, iPad Assassin’s Creed Unity — PlayStation 4, Xbox ONE, Windows PC Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Unannounced 3rd Person Action Game [Cancelled] — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 HeroCloud Evaluation World Areas — Windows PC: SM3.0, SM2.0a, SM2.0, SM1.4, SM1.1, Fixed Function Supremacy MMA — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 UFC Undisputed [Project Pulled] — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Stargate Resistance — Windows PC: SM3.0 Stargate Worlds MMO [Cancelled — Windows PC: SM3.0, SM2.5 SM2.0, SM1.5 Jamdat Sports NBA 2006 — Java, J2ME, BREW Jamdat Sports NFL 2006 — Java, J2ME, BREW Page 3 Scott D Hill LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/technicalart YouTube: youtube.com/user/techarthill Portfolio: scottdhill.wordpress.com/experience/samples Addendum: Work Highlights Management Prioritized feature request and art tasks for the Technical Art team. Oversaw the in-house character creation editor and workflow between Character Artists and Engineers. Assigned art bugs to original author of the bug to instill accountability and learning from mistakes. Managed consistent lines of communication and a policy of collaboration to ensure all team members were on the same page. Collaborated with other Technical Directors from different departments during development of the User