Meet our alumni
Dave Osei - Game Art & Design
Original program: Game Art & Design
Alumni Information
School: LaSalle College Vancouver
Grad Year: 2012
Program of Study: Game Art & Design
Degree: Diploma
Employment/Professional Information
Company Name: Raven Software
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Job Title: Design Intern
Primary Responsibilities: Multiplayer Game Design.
Describe a typical day at work:
Starbucks in the morning, design meetings in the afternoon, solo work at my desk, followed by daily studio wide play testing.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?
Having the ability to showcase my design skills at a AAA game studio and developing levels for multiplayer game Call of Duty: Ghosts.
What are your creative inspirations or influences? Who are your heroes?
As a level designer, I’m always intrigued by architecture and what implication such types could have on gameplay. A large part of inspiration comes from concept photos done by various environment artists from all genres. Blending ideas from photos with gameplay mechanics generally excites me to start a project and see how it plays.
What do you enjoy the most about your career?
It never feels like I’m at work. I’m constantly having fun while being challenged in every aspect of my job. Design is never easy but it’s also something I look forward to everyday. The people I work with always make every day here never the same.
How did your education at LaSalle College Vancouver help prepare you for your career?
Many instructors taught us early on how tough it was to enter the industry. This was hard to swallow at first but important for many of us to understand. It was challenging to work hard on many of the assignments only to remember that you may never get that opportunity to work in the industry. That constant reminder really helped me strive for greatness and ultimately land me a position I only dreamed of. The Game Production Workshop helped prepare me immensely for what was to come. It was the complete learning experience that taught not only myself but everyone on the team learn what true teamwork in creating a game from start to finish can be.
What advice do you have for people beginning their careers in your profession?
Don’t fear failure. It comes without saying that the games industry is a tricky one to get into but never for one second feel that anyone who’s made it hasn’t failed numerous times trying. Keep working hard at your craft and be open-minded to change. Every opportunity presented is a new chance for a foot in the door, even if not what you expected.
Your profession is constantly evolving, from the technology you use to new career opportunities that didn’t exist five years ago. What trends do you see on the horizon that will affect how you do your job or your profession at-large?
With newer technology, especially those that aim to change how we interact with games, comes an exciting opportunity to design many more unique experiences. Multiplayer and other social experiences have become ubiquitous throughout industry, so designing these experiences that feel like an extension of the game will always bring forth new challenges. The next generation is looking bright as developers (such as those on the WiiU) are bringing players together through new ways of interaction. This is something I see continuing as the AAA industry advances.
