Hello
The true object of all human life is play.
K. Mitchell
| Name | : | K. David Mitchell |
| Phone | : | +1 603 819 9861 |
| : | kdavidmitchell@gmail.com |
Work
These are some of the things I've made. Click on the titles of the projects to be brought to a page where you can play/view them.
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A CHALLENGER APPROACHES (IN-PROGRESS)
A Challenger Approaches is a 2D political RPG in which the player takes on the role of a woefully disconnected politician and must debate their way to the highest office in the land. It is a solo project currently in development for completion of my master's degree. I programmed and designed the entire experience, and found open source/fair-use pieces for artwork and sound.
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AT WIT'S END
At Wit's End is a 2D narrative-driven horror experience in which the player takes on the role of Sam, a filmmaker in-the-making, who is thrust back into the bucholic town of his youth. As Sam, the player must figure out what nefarious schemes are afoot in the town, by making use of a shoulder-mounted camera and filming the strange goings-on.
MAIN ROLE: Programmer/writer
MADE WITH: Kirby Cofino, art director/sound designer -
CONTEXTUAL DESIGN AND EMPATHY GAMES (UNPUBLISHED)
A sample of an academic piece I have written that examines the nature and efficacy of empathy games in today's world.
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THE MUMMERS OF CRESTMOURN (IN-PROGRESS)
The Mummers of Crestmourn is an original Dungeons & Dragons campaign that I am currently writing and designing for use in tabletop gaming sessions with friends. It is featured here primarily to give an example of my creative writing skills.
Services
These are some of the things I can bring to the table.
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GAME DESIGN
I like to think that I've studied games my whole life. I've learned a thing or two along the way--things like structure, mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics.
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UI/UX DESIGN
User-centered design is one of the most important things when making a product--especially one that receives interaction from real people. Market research, pre-post interviews, and prototype testing are some of the techniques I've learned to understand the user experience.
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STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Whether it's set within the context of market analysis or research studies, I have the experience and skill to make meaningful sense out of raw numbers.
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PROGRAMMING
In making my own games, I've gotten to know the "ghost in the machine" a bit better. Most of my programming skills are with C#, but I've also dabbled with Javascript, Python, and MATLAB.
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NARRATIVE DESIGN
I think games are one of the most interesting mediums in which to develop compelling, magnetic stories. I have a deep love of the lore behind games and the emergent narratives that arise from gameplay.
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NEUROSCIENCE & AI
I have a deep appreciation for the complexities of the human brain, and I have gained some experience working with deep neural networks to train artifical intelligence agents.
Employment
These are some of the fantastic people and organizations I've worked for in the past.
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May 2013 - August 2013
undergraduate research assistant
Boston University Active Perception Laboratory
While studying neuroscience as an undergraduate, I gained some exposure to working with human subjects. We used eye-tracking equipment to assess visual discrimination ability in certain paradigms. I also wrote MATLAB code for some of the programs that made up the experiments.
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May 2014 - May 2016
undergraduate fellow in computational neuroscience
Boston University Neuromorphics Laboratory
Also as an undergraduate, I was exposed to working with deep learning neural networks in attempting to train an unmanned aerial vehicle (a hobby kit drone) to learn to avoid head-on collisions with objects via a mounted GoPro camera.
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September 2016 - May 2017
graduate assistant
American University Game Lab
As a graduate student, I aided a faculty member in researching visual neuroscience for an NSF grant proposal. The object of the proposal was a game that sought to bring popular science to younger audiences.
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May 2017 - June 2018
games research intern
Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars
In the Serious Games Initiative at the Wilson Center, I've been able to design and work on various types of games: board games dealing with history, digital training games, and live-action roleplaying games dealing with important topics like the lack of women in STEM fields.
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August 2018 - present
design consultant/developer
American University School of Education
With the American University School of Education, I am designing and developing an interactive learning experience about dyslexia--more specifically, about the harmful myths that surround dyslexia (e.g., that dyslexia is "just reading backwards"). With the help of this experience, we hope users will walk away having gained more factual insight into the neurological causes of dyslexia.
Skills
These are some of the things I'm good at.
Education
These are the institutions that have brought me to where I am today.
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September 2016 - May 2018
Game Design, MA
American University
Graduated with GPA of 4.0/4.0.
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September 2012 - May 2016
Neuroscience, BA
Boston University
Received summa cum laude (GPA 3.85/4). Also received membership within the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society.
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September 2008 - May 2012
High school diploma
St. John's Preparatory School
Received with highest honors.
Blog
These posts offer a glimpse into my own view of things.
6/14/2017
Case Study of Games and Systems: Setting Sail on the Fiscal Ship
An analysis of games and systems using the Wilson Center/Brookings Institute game "The Fiscal Ship" as the focal point.
2/8/2018
Games Round Up: Space Education
An exploration of just some of the many educationally-oriented space games that are available on the market.
Contact
If you have any questions, or would like further details not listed here, please don't hesitate to reach out. Fill out the form, hit send, and I will respond as soon as humanly possible.