Guild Wars 2
Scroll ↓
My time at ArenaNet was, without a doubt, the most formative years in my life, both personally and professionally. While there I became a father, got my first design job, earned my degree, became a father again, grew into leadership, formed teams, disbanded teams, learned, led, and became a father a third time!
Highlights
Current Activities Team
The Current Activities Team (C.A.T.) was born out of a single question: can a small team deliver playable content every two weeks? When I was asked this I replied, “I don’t know, but I think it’s worth a try!”
The team not only succeeded, but survived beyond my own direct involvement. This was the first team I led, and I will be forever proud of the work we accomplished.
End of Dragons
Beginning as Principal Designer, and later as Design Director, I was part of the small team that set the vision and direction for the 3rd expansion to Guild Wars 2. We leveraged several fan favorites: Shing Jea Island, a known and notable locale from GW1, and Siege Turtles, a combat mount both epic and fun. Additionally we brought in novel new mechanics in the form of boating and fishing to appeal to a broader audience. All of these decisions were set before my departure from the team.
And So Much More…
With over a decade working on a single project, there was no part of the game I didn’t take part in building.
Rewards, Progression, Monetization, Mini Games, Quest Content, Open World Content, Content Systems, Design Automation, Data Driven Design, Collaborative World Content, Player Abilities, Creature Design, Festivals
As a Leader
As a lead, my style was always one of collaboration and empowerment. I built my teams from a place of trust. I always assume that anyone at a table deserves to be there, and it’s up to them to prove that wrong. By building this foundation of trust I was able to provide critical feedback from a place of understanding and care. I will always lead from an adjacent place, not from above. Put me in the trenches and we will change the world!