do something BIG!
Meet Joseph
Joseph started programming at the age of 9, and now he’s the co-founder of an indie gaming studio with a profound passion for developing server side applications. One major stepping stone on his path to success? A 3D modeling course at iD Gaming Academy. The summer program at Stanford helped Joseph gain a solid foundation in character modeling, as well as a thorough introduction to technical modeling terms. This knowledge has helped him communicate with the modelers that he now employs through his gaming company, MassiveWar Studios. He credits iD with helping him to decide on his career path, and encourages all students to take their learning outside of the classroom.
iD: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? What are your hobbies?
Joseph: I’m from California. My hobbies include playing on the drums, watching films, having good conversations with friends – preferably in a hot-tub – and programming for hours on end. It is not odd to find myself coding 60-80 hours a week.
iD: What course did you take at iD Tech Camps?
J: I took 3D Modeling with Autodesk Maya® at iD Gaming Academy. It was a great experience because I learned how to create 3D characters and got a good foundation in rigging and movement.
iD: What opportunities did iD Tech Camps give you that you otherwise wouldn’t have had?
J: The modeling course I took gave me a lot of experience in 3D Modeling with Autodesk Maya– now when I work on my own gaming projects today as a programmer, I can talk to my modelers in technical terms instead of only explaining in lay men’s terms. iD Tech Camps was also really valuable because it allowed me to win a gaming computer, which was an amazing experience and gave me the perfect equipment for keeping up my gaming passion.
iD: How have you used what you’ve learned with iD Tech Camps? (Any projects or clubs at school?)
J: To start off, I ran a gaming service with modified games for two years at the beginning of my college career.
Now, I am one of the co-founders of MassiveWar Studios, an upcoming indie gaming studio. My iD Tech Camps training has been really useful because it allows me to manage modelers with the technical terminology that I’ve learned in 3D modeling class. From animation, texturing, rigging, modeling and fully understanding the 3D game perspective, my communication skills with 3D artists excels the process of making and modifying games.
iD: What do you plan to do with this knowledge in the future? (Attend college, pursue a certain career?)
J: I’m already a senior at the University of the Pacific obtaining a Computer Science degree in Fall 2011. I plan to put my passion towards programming unique and addicting games to create interactive multi-player experiences on the latest technologies. My dream is to create a successful game company or join one who shares similar passions and put their efforts towards quality instead of focusing on profit.
iD: Did coming to iD help you improve in other aspects of your life besides technology? Can you explain?
J: iD Tech Camps led me to decide on becoming a programmer or a 3D modeler. Without the camp, I would have been unsure and probably unsure of a major when I started college.
iD: How was daily life at camp?
J: Daily life at camp entailed working on awesome models daily, having fun conversations, being competitive in Ultimate Frisbee and playing a lot of Battlefield 2142.
iD: Any advice for future iD Tech campers?
J: Keep your eyes open for opportunities! Meet friends and keep in touch. Start your own projects in your free time. Find what type of technology you thoroughly enjoy. Once you find what you love doing and dedicate yourself to it, you may have just found a career that you would love to do every day!
iD: Anything else you want to share with us?
J: My company will be making a new video game (see www.monkeyescape.com), which is due to publish in the next few months for the iPhone®, Android and web browsers on Facebook®.
I also am working on a site to promote sound artists (musicians, comedians, radio talk shows, etc.) which should be a promising idea in the future. Please check out www.massivewar.com for some awesome games in the future!
Check out some of the cool courses Joseph mentioned. Register early and do something BIG with iD this summer!
