Ethan Kennerly
Tianjin, China (天津)
US citizen, will relocate
kennerly + finegamedesign – com
I script systems and missions in Python and create content in BigWorld and Flash
Experience
GlobeX Studios (构思科技（天津）有限公司), Tianjin, China, March 2011 - Present
Lead Level Designer (资深策划组长): 7 designers populate 25 km2 of 神骑世界 (Secret
Kingdoms) free to play MMORPG (8 wks). In Python, script boss AI (1 wk). Design and
insert 2000 equipment (1 wk). Co-build tutorial and co-illustrate (2 wks). In client,
script spawn map; in worldeditor, script spawn preview (1 wk). In Python-Excel, chart
7000 mobs and 700 quests (1 wk). Specify, simulate, and import quest loot (1 wk).
Game Development, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 2010 - March 2011
Gastdocent II (Guest Lecturer II) (part-time contractor): Co-designed class "Game
Design 2." Hosted workshops: level design, system design, and playtesting.
Fine Game Design, Los Angeles, Seoul, and Amsterdam, June 2009 - August 2010
Independent Designer/Programmer: Flash-Python proof of concepts to animate Go,
typing, and English. Flash-Python toolkit for test-driven development of client/server.
Interactive Media, School of Cinematic Arts, USC, Los Angeles, August 2006 - May 2009
M.F.A.: Designer/programmer on language learning and procedural graphics game.
Assisted semester of "Game Design Workshop." Advisors: Chris Swain, Paul DeMeo.
Incognito Entertainment (SCEA, Sony), Salt Lake City, Utah, March 2006 - August 2006
Designer/Scripter (contractor): Scripted a single-player mission and intro for Warhawk
(PS3 multiplayer only). In game, scripted tool to trigger, spawn, and path vehicles.
Collaborated on infantry AI. First draft scripting language reference (2 wks).
TableStar Games (board game publisher), Berkeley, California, February 2005 - February 2006
Game Developer: Co-analyzed HeroCard system. Co-art directed Cyberspace.
Interim Director of Development, May - Aug 2005: Managed five HeroCard games.
Digital Entertainment and Game Design, ITT Tech, NIIT (textbook publisher), 2004
Author (contractor): First draft & some illus. of chapter, "Game Script and Storyboard
Creation" (80 pg, 2 wks). Instructor’s manual, Game Interface Design (290 pg, 4 wks).
Special Major - Computer Game Design, San Francisco State University, 2002 - 2004
B.A.: Created major of algorithms, animation, and screenwriting. Department honoree.
Nexon, Inc. (넥슨-미국 MMO developer), Santa Clara, California, 서울 (Seoul), Korea, 1997 - 2002
Game Director, 1997-2002: US employee #3. Operated US launch of The Kingdom of
the Winds and Dark Ages. Designed and scripted: Dark Ages religions, legends,
politics, arena, guilds, contests, events, team quests, and a few levels and bosses.
Scripted with proprietary unstructured programs and finite state machines. Collaborated
with programmers and artists. Wrote server reference manual (300 pg, 5 wks).
Consultant, June 2003: Advised US managing director about Mabinogi (MMORPG).
계획자 (Game Planner), Korea, 2002: Wrote some systems, UI, story (cancelled MMO).
Localization Producer, 2001: QuizQuiz (casual MMO, QPlay) US alpha in one month.
20th Century Fox, Los Angeles, California, 1997
Game Concept Designer (contractor): The X-Files Trivia Game (board game).
Highlights of Credits
Game
Platform
Developer
Role
Year
神骑世界
PC MMO
(Secret Kingdoms Online)
Runesinger (한글)
PC
构思科技
(GlobeX Studios)
资深策划组长
(Lead Level Designer)
2011
USC (MFA thesis)
Designer/Programmer
2007-2009
Warhawk
HeroCard Nightmare
PS3 online
Incognito (SCEA)
Designer/Scripter
2006
Board game
TableStar Games
Design Team
2005
Game Designer
and Co-Art Director
2005
HeroCard Cyberspace
Board game
TableStar Games
QuizQuiz (퀴즈퀴즈-미국)
PC MMO
Nexon, Inc. (넥슨) Localization Producer
Dark Ages (어둠의 전술-미국) PC MMO
Kingdom of the Winds
(바람의 나라-미국)
The X-Files Trivia Game
2001
Nexon, Inc. (넥슨) Game Director
1998-2000
PC MMO
Nexon, Inc. (넥슨) Game Director
1997-1998
Board game
20th Century Fox
Game Concept Designer
1997
Highlights of Publications and Presentations
Independent Games Festival, "Runesinger" (student honorable mention), 2010
Games for Change, Mediateca Arcadia, "Civ. IV: Quality of Life" (exhibit), 2009
Game Developers Conference, "Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics" (assistant), 2009
Dutch Game Garden, Korea Game Conference, "Prototyping Gameplay," 2009
ISAGA, INTETAIN, IEEE-GIC, TCETC, "Runesinger: gameplay = phonics," 2009
Charles River Media, "Graph Theory for Designers" (two chapters, MMO GD2), 2005
ITT Tech, "Game Script and Storyboard Creation" (chapter, some illustration), 2004
ITT Tech, Game Interface Design (instructor’s manual, some illustration), 2004
IGDA, "Persistent World Design" (co-editor of a section with Gordon Walton), 2004
Gamasutra.com, "Better Game Design through Data Mining," 2003
Education
Interactive Media, M.F.A., Cinematic Arts, University of S. California, May 2009
Computer Game Design, Special B.A., magna cum laude, San Francisco State, 2004
Software
Advanced: Game scripts. BigWorld 2.0, Python 2.6. Excel '07, PowerPoint '07, Word '07.
Intermediate: Level editors. ActionScript 3, C++, Flash CS4, gVim 7, HTML 4.
Beginner: Audacity, Blender, CEGUI, DAME, FlashDevelop, Flixel, GlovePIE (wiimote), Go (GTP,
SGF), Illustrator, InDesign, InnoSetup, JSFL, Maya, MIDI, Newton Dynamics, OGRE, Photoshop,
Premiere, Project, PyAMF, SketchUp, SQL, TortoiseSVN, Twisted, Unix, Visio.
References available on request. Some portfolio samples online: fine game design . com