Bruce Evans

www.brucein3d.com | brucein3d@gmail.com | 424-362-7186

Technical Art | Game Design

Los Angeles, CA

Passionate technical artist and designer with over 9 years of production and international experience creating some of the best gaming experiences imaginable. My own work is a mix of shaders, VFX, game design, and academic research contributing as a programmer, 3d artist, and designer.

EXPERIENCE

Blizzard Entertainment - Technical Artist, February 2020 - Present

  • Research and develop new shading techniques for DirectX 12 and next-gen platforms.
  • Write and maintain pipeline code for Substance Designer and Painter for speedy exports to proprietary game engines.
  • Create tools written in Python and PyQt to assist various animation departments and increase productivity for the Diablo IV in-game cinematics and quest cinematics. Examples include submission tools, status tools, motion capture transfer, animation caching, and various Maya tools.
  • Write and maintain the shader library for Diablo IV's real-time cinematics.
  • Diagnose and solve animation pipeline problems ranging from rigging issues, pipeline errors, and shader debugging.
  • Optimize shaders for real-time playback while maintaining Blizzard cinematic quality.
  • Work with artists and designers to achieve artistic goals while maintaining performance standards. 
  • Establish a pipeline for Substance tool development for Blizzard’s real-time cinematics.
  • Implement real-time cinematics inside of proprietary game engines, making sure they are performant while holding to Blizzard’s quality standards.

Pixologic - Designer and Plugin Developer, April 2019 - February 2020

  • Create a diagnostic tool to assist the support team in troubleshooting user issues.
  • Design and develop sculpting tools and plug-ins for future releases of ZBrush written in C++ using proprietary SDKs.
  • Sculpt high poly meshes, retopologize, and test new features in ZBrush.
  • Work with teams of developers and designers to create unique, artist-focused approaches to software, UI, and interaction.

Ohio State University - Graduate Research Assistant, August 2016 - April 2019

  • Published "The Message in the Mechanics", game design research thesis.
  • Invited to show Escape from the Glass Factory at the UCLA Game Art Festival where the game was played by over 200 people.
  • Organized the 2018 Global Game Jam ACCAD location with over 40 students in attendance resulting in 5 playable games.
  • Scripted a procedural UI system and model viewer for Canine Anatomy, an iPad app made in partnership with the OSU Veterinary School.

Sendai Board of Education - Assistant Language Teacher, September 2014 - August 2016

  • Taught English lessons for eleven Japanese classes through the JET Program (Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program).
  • Managed classrooms of approximately 40 non-native English-speaking students.
  • Volunteered as an English teacher at the Nagamachi Children’s Club in Sendai, Japan.


ASCD - Associate Producer and Video Editor, March 2012 - August 2014

  • Worked with teams of designers and producers to create video and graphics concepts for feature documentaries.
  • Routinely solve creative problems and complete digital products under strict deadlines.
  • Operate camera, set up lighting, and record audio for over fifty productions.

SKILLS

Tool Development / Shaders / Game Design / Level Design / Environment Art

Unreal / Unity / Blender / Maya / Substance Designer & Painter / ZBrush / Marmoset Toolbag / Photoshop

Python / C# / C++ / Node Based Shaders / HLSL / PyQt / Javascript

 

EDUCATION

Ohio State University - M.F.A. Design, May 2019
Ohio University - B.S. Communications, May 2011

PUBLICATIONS

The Message in the Mechanics: Designing Game Mechanics that Reflect a Character's Mental State

©2021 Bruce Evans