Carnegie Mellon University
Entertainment Technology Center
Experimental Gameplay Info Experimental Gameplay People The Games

Gamemaker: Arnab Basu

Arnab BasuHaving earned a Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Arnab's journey has taken him to graduate school at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center. He will draw on his interests and background to gain experience in the realm of entertainment production.

In the long run, he envisions a well positioned, successful career in the Entertainment Industry that involves multi-faceted roles in game design, sports management, Film and Computer Graphics/Animation.

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Gamemaker: TJ Jackson

TJ JacksonWhen TJ was a small kid, he was once looking up at the sky when he saw a cloud shaped like a video game controller. On that day, TJ realized what his goal in life was: to become a meteorologist. Well, as luck would have it, due to his short attention span he developed as the result of playing too many video games as a kid, he totally forgot about that and decided to go into game design!

TJ has always had an interest in technology, drama, and interactive storytelling his whole life. His broad set of interests led him to develop a broad set of skills, including designing, directing, programming, 3D modeling, music, painting, drawing, and more. TJ graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science with a minor in Theatre from the University of Maryland (Go Terps!) and did a brief stint as a contractor for a super-secret branch of the government before finding his way up to the ETC.

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Gamemaker: Demetrius Jordan

Demetrius Jordan Demetrius decided to leave the cold winters of Cleveland, OH to go to the cold winters of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to study Entertainment Technology. At an early age, he was always interested in drawing. Later on, he gained an interest in computers and decided to study computer science. During his undergraduate career, Demetrius studied computer science and kept drawing as one of his hobbies throughout school. During his junior year, he decided to add a minor of Visual Communication Design. He was active in both Computer Science and Art for the rest of his undergraduate career. He participated in a couple computer research projects involving Genetic Algorithms and Grammatical Evolution and he entered logo design contest. When considering what he wanted to do for the future, Demetrius decided that it would have to be something creative and entertaining. He thought one way of achieving creativity was by combining two separate disciplines. He had been studying Computer Science and Visual Communication Design and wanted to find a way in which he could unite them. He stumbled on the rare graduate program at Carnegie Mellon, which offers a Masters of Entertainment Technology. With the help of the Entertainment Technology Center, Demetrius hopes to achieve his goals of finding a career in which he can unite the two disciplines of art and computers. He eagerly awaits new challenges. One of his first challenges will be to stay a Cleveland Browns fan in the city of Pittsburgh. When people asked how he could overcome this challenge Demetrius replied, "That's easy, it's like making a choice between Prime Rib from a fancy restaurant and mystery meat from a school cafeteria. Yeah I said it!"

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Gamemaker: Shane Liesegang

Shane LiesegangJust a simple Midwestern boy forcibly raised in the deep South, Shane discovered games at an early age as a way of avoiding the harassment of three older brothers. Around the same time, he declared his intention to design games for a vocation. This youthful enthusiasm was lost in the face of biology, theatre, English, psychology, teaching, computer science, and (ever so briefly) military service, all of which were considered as "real careers" before his discovery of the ETC in 2002.

Shane thinks games are totally sweet, but he also grew up a scant few hours from Disney World (one of the benefits of the involuntary Southern upbringing), and has a fondness for Epcot and the Magic Kingdom that defies description. Any opportunity to use technology to delight, amuse, and comfort is something he will pursue passionately.

Shane likes Gins and Tonic, cheesecake, General Tsao's Chicken, and Greek salad, but not necessarily all at one meal. He also likes theatre, cooking, and long car trips. To get him talking, bring up Disney feature cartoons of the early 90's, the Jacksonville Jaguars, or U2.

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Gamemaker: Phil Saltzman

Phillip Saltzman A decade ago, Phillip Saltzman was convinced by his mother that it would be a good idea to take a picture embracing a computer. And as embarrassing as that photo was, it remains consistent with though not defining of his interests. Phillip graduated from Northwestern University Cum Laude, Tau Beta Pi, and with departmental honors in 2004 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Political Science. In work and school, Phillip has shown an impressive ability to learn and master every programming environment and technique presented to him. He has also played video games since he could hold a controller, and has decided to pursue their creation since working on games affords chances to work creatively that often don't exist in other programming jobs.

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Advisor: Chris Klug

Chris Klug In the beginning, trained as a theatrical lighting designer, Chris Klug worked on Broadway, in regional theater and opera, and toured with various 70's rock n' roll bands. Before joining the ETC faculty, his last game industry job was as Creative Director for EA's MMORPG Earth & Beyond. Between then and now, Chris kept the wolves at bay by designing games. Starting his career with Simulations Publications, Inc., in 1981, he assisted with the design of Universe (a sci-fi role playing game), then moved on and designed the 2nd edition of DragonQuest (a fantasy RPG and winner of a Game of the Year Award), Horror Hotel (something's lurking in the shadows of an old Victorian guest house) and Damocles Mission (a sci-fi strategy game). While at SPI he edited the role playing section of Ares magazine. When TSR bought SPI in 1982, Chris and the rest of the SPI staff moved on to form Victory Games. There Chris headed up the role playing games division, and designed the James Bond 007 role playing game (a winner of a Game of the Year award as well) and oversaw the entire Bond product line. At Victory Games, Chris designed a half-dozen more titles and was, for a time, Design Director.

After leaving Victory Games, Chris became a freelance computer game designer and has worked for SegaSoft, TSR, Hasbro Interactive, 3W, THQ, Simon and Schuster Interactive, Target Games, h2o Interactive, Gizmo Games, Westwood Studios and GT Interactive. Some of his computer game credits include Star Trek DS9: Dominion Wars, Europa Universalis, Duke Nukem: Time to Kill, Diamond Dreams Baseball, and Aidyn Chronicles: First Mage.

For eight years, Chris was Vice President and chief Creative Officer for Diamond Dreams, Inc., a company dedicated to developing and marketing world-class computer baseball simulations.

Chris figures that in over 23 years designing games, he has sihipped approximately four dozen games, supplements, adventures, and/or add-ons with his name listed as designer in the credits. There may be a few working designers with more credits, but surely not many.

A leading proponent of making the games industry finally realize its' potential, Chris was a keynote speaker at the Second International Conference on Entertainment Computing hosted by Carnegie Mellon University in May of 2003. He also serves on the advisory board of Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Applied Media and Simulation Games Center as well as a Program Advisory Committee Member for Game Art & Design of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.