Developing games since 2007

Over the course of my career, I’ve worked in indie and AAA studios across three continents to ship over 35 premium, free-to-play and subscription games on a variety of platforms.

I’m passionate about collaborating to create memorable experiences, and my strong suits are creative leadership, radically candid people management, and holistic player-centric designs. In other words, I empower teams to do their best work in crafting an emotionally engaging journey from the first trailer to purchase to hours into gameplay.

On the weekend, I write novels while having brunch or getting my hair re-blued.

I also make a mean cheesecake.

Downloadable Resume    Detailed LinkedIn Profile

Senior Game Design Lead

Key projects from my history as Game Designer, Design Lead, Design Director or Game Director.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Invasion of the Lava King

One of my first games, this Legend of Zelda-inspired Flash game won the 2008 Game of the Year popular vote on Nickelodeon’s website. I was the sole designer on it from initial proposal to launch.

This project set a precedent for bundling the budgets of a few projects to develop one episodic game, which led to several other games in this format for the studio.

­­Gameplay Video­­

Wedding Dash 4-Ever

At the peak in popularity of time management games, I worked on the third and fourth installment of Playfirst’s beloved Wedding Dash series for PC. I participated in the initial proposal and some game design, but did most of the narrative design which included lots of tiny love story that doubled up as puzzle hints.

­­Gameplay Video­­

FunPark Beach Blast

I was the sole designer for this 50s amusement park spin on Diner Dash and took the client’s idea from proposal to launch.

My design and systems were reused as the basis of another game, which I played a support role on and ported to mobile (back in the days of the iPhone 3GS.)

Gameplay Video

Drakensang Online

Three years into the live service of this browser-based MMO RPG, I led the overhaul of the on-boarding experience and the monetization strategy, along with the development of a new play area.

Those designs (all developed within my 3 months as interim Lead Game Designer) increased early game retention, reduced long-term churn and boosted the revenue.

Gameplay Trailer

Play

The Sims FreePlay

A flagship of EA Mobile’s portofolio, The Sims FreePlay was three years into its live service when I took the lead of its design team.

During my tenure, we launched the best earning limited time events in the history of the game and added a new system to the core game that increased the daily baseline revenue by over 10%.

Gameplay Trailer

Play

Buy Somewhere

As Game Director for this tech and games start-up, I led the development of two location-based games (pre-launch) while supporting the development of the proprietary technology that generates a 3D world out of real map data.

Key strides made during my time include paper prototyping, reworking the art style and procedural generation systems, delivering a demo to approach partners and investors, and revising the company strategy to adapt to the market.

Old Trailer

Writer

Small samples of my multiple writing projects

100-Word Stories, Twitter Prompts

Cake

Alice sits before the oven, a tea towel clutched in her hands, her eyes glued to the cake tin. “Please don’t burn…”
“A watched cake never bakes.” Sven chuckles.
Alice gasps and fumbles for her notebook. “The recipe didn’t mention glowing symbols!”
“Funny.” Sven frowns as Alice rushes out. “What are you—”
Otherworldly voices waft out of the oven. “N’lweyet kara’he—”
“What the hell!” Sven grabs a chair.
Fire extinguisher in hand, Alice elbows him aside, kicks open the oven and sprays the cake.
The voices stop.
“How… how did you know to do that?” Sven stammers.
Alice shrugs. “Habit.”

Original prompt: “The recipe didn’t mention this!” by Matt

(more…)

TV Episode Teaser (Script)

Emergency Magical Services

EXT. SANTA MONICA BEACH – LATE EVENING

A GLASS BOWL full of RED GOO flies through the night sky.

A 22-year-old woman (MAC) slides in the sand on her knees. She wears jeans and a t-shirt covered with sand and riddled with little holes. Her hair is tousled; she has had better days. She catches the bowl.

Carried by the momentum, goo sloshes around the bowl and a dollop falls onto Mac’s thigh.

MAC

Shit!

Read the Script

PAX Australia Puppet Show Script

Opening of Sockette, Interrupted

David uses a “movie trailer” voice for the narration in this section, unless stated otherwise.

DAVID: Previously on Game Development Explained with Sock Puppets… In the wake of Tiny Angry Flappy Bird…

Audience prompt sign: *gasp*

SAM: We don’t talk about that.

DAVID:  The team found inspiration…

EMILIE: Two dust bunnies surviving the vacuum cleaner through the power of friendship. Make some noise for Tales of the Dust Bunnies!

Wait for audience reaction.

(more…)

Public Speaker

Recordings of some of my public speaking

At GCAP 2017 – Game Design Talk

What Were We Thinking!? – Design Hindsights from Long Running Game is a compilation of the top ten things to consider early on in the development of games as a service.

At PAX Australia 2020

Since 2016, I write and co-narrate Game Development Explained With Sock Puppets, a live interactive show. Due to COVID restrictions, our 2020 edition was a feature film about the role of artist in pandemic times.

At GCAP 2020 – Leadership Talk

Third installment in my leadership talk series, Leadership Cards for Connection helps leaders develop their self-awareness, observation skills and ability to craft a psychologically safe environment.

Contact Me!

To contact me about job opportunities or speaking requests, please use the form below. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.