TOM SLOPER 310.915.9945 Resume, continued
TOM SLOPER
12420 Woodgreen Street, #208, Los Angeles CA 90066 310.915.9945
OBJECTIVE
Seeking a responsible full-time position in the electronic game industry that will leverage my demonstrated abilities in game production, management, licensing, and design.
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Experienced game producer on a wide variety of platforms and genres.
Shipped scores of finished products, from both the publisher side and the developer side.
Negotiated license agreements in both directions; maintained licensee/licensor relations.
Wrote game design documents, budgets, schedules, ROI's/P&L's, BOM's.
Managed external development, domestic and international.
Managed internal teams; knowledge of current production methodologies.
CREDITS
Alien vs. Predator - produced with Japanese developer; liaison with 20th Century Fox (Activision).
Blast Chamber - produced with British developer; liaison with Japan (Activision).
Die Hard - produced with Japanese developer; liaison with 20th Century Fox (Activision).
Ghostbusters I & II - produced with Japanese & domestic developers; liaison with Columbia Pictures (Activision).
IPTV Chess - produced with domestic developer; cross-platform playable against PC & Mobile (Yahoo).
Mechwarrior - produced with Australian developer; liaison with FASA & Japan (Activision).
Shanghai: Dynasty / Shanghai: Second Dynasty - designed and produced with domestic & Russian developers; liaison with Japan (Activision).
Shanghai: Great Moments (aka Shanghai: Triple Threat) - designed and produced with multiple domestic & Japanese vendors (Activision).
Top Gun - produced with European developer; liaison with Paramount and CBS (Mastiff Games SF/Tokyo).
Full product list: http://www.sloperama.com/business/prodlist.htm
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Best Simulation Game 1993, "Mechwarrior" Super NES, Game Informer Magazine.
Best Multi Player Game 1996, "Blast Chamber" Playstation, Videogame Advisor Magazine.
Year's Best Classic Game 2000, "Shanghai Second Dynasty," Computer Games Magazine.
The Family PC Recommended Seal 1996, "Shanghai: Great Moments," Family PC Magazine.
Best Super NES Puzzle Game 1992, "Shanghai II Dragon's Eye," Game Players Magazine.
Achievement Award 2003, Classic Gaming Expo.
Contribution Award 2007, World Mahjong Organization.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Sloperama Productions 2001-present
Consultant, Producer, Designer
Consulted for developers and publishers on production, design, submissions, and business matters. Consulting clients included:
Naked Sky Entertainment 2007-present
Advised on business growth strategy, helped formulate personnel policies. Produced the multiplayer portion of an Xbox 360 game for a major publisher. Created budgets, schedules, bids. HR duties.
University of Southern California 2006-present
Taught ITP391, "Designing and Producing Video Games," as part-time faculty. Created curriculum, brought in guest speakers from the game industry.
Dynasty Gaming 2006
Consulted on user interface design aspects of their online game; advised on live tournaments and potential television project; represented company to potential partner organization in China.
Yahoo! 2005-2006
Produced five casual games for IPTV for AT&T Yahoo: "Chess" (multiplayer cross-platform), "Sudoku," "Solitaire," "Mah-Jongg Tiles," "JT's Blocks." Hired developers; created design specs and test cases; shepherded games through Yahoo's and AT&T's release processes.
Mastiff, LLC 2005
Produced "Top Gun" for Nintendo DS. Guided European developer in polishing design document; hired and directed musical talent; created voice audio; coordinated manual and packaging with external marketing firm; hired and oversaw independent Quality Assurance lab; secured approvals from Paramount and music licensor; coordinated game's release through Nintendo.
Sennari Games 2003, 2004
Design consultation for "PowerPuff Girls" GameCube; created concepts for mobile phone games.
Other clients during this period include but are not limited to (in alphabetical order):
Academy of Game Entertainmt. Tech. (teaching, '03-04) / AtGames (business & design consultation, 2003)Bonus Mobile (design consultation, 2004) / Cal. State U., Dominguez Hills (teach, 2003-04)
Flying Fishworks (business consultation, 2005) / Four Winds, Inc. (localization writer, 2003)
Global Star Software (design consultation, 2007) / Goodsol Development (graphic artist, 2002)
Jailed Games (design consultation, 2003) / Phyware, LLC (business consultation, 2004)
Quinn Emanuel (legal consultation, 2004) / RompMedia (business consultation, 2006)
Sincere Image (business consultation, 2004) / TikGames (design consultation, 2004)
Tuttle Publishing (writer/author, 2005-2006) / Westridge School (teaching, 2005)
Activision, Inc. 1988-2000
Creative Director (2000)
Executive Producer (1999)
Senior Producer (1992-1999)
Production Manager (1990, Japan)
Producer (1988-1992)
· Produced 36 unique game titles and innumerable ports/localizations.
· Designed 6 games.
· Significant participation in an additional 53 game projects (multiple platforms, OEM, licenses, and international versions).
· Aided in the acquisitions of games from Japan, and licensing of games into Japan.
· Brand-managed the Shanghai series across international and domestic licenses.
· Mentored and trained junior producers, guiding their career growth.
Atari Corporation 1986-1987
Director of Product Development
Produced 20 games for the Atari 2600 and 7800 games systems. Created a developers' manual. Participated in licensing of game properties.
Rudell Design 1985-1986
Senior Project Engineer
Created working prototypes and mechanical drawings of game and toy concepts. Participated in the development of board games.
Freelance Toy/Game Designer, Los Angeles, California 1985, 1986
Designed an original board game based on The People’s Court television series for Hoyle Products. Made mechanical designs for Rudell Design, Universal Innovations Inc., and McT Inc.
Sega Enterprises, Inc. 1984
Game Designer
Coordinated with external game developers in the conversion of arcade games (Tapper, Up 'N Down) for home entertainment systems.
Datascan, Inc., Santa Monica, California 1983
Game Designer/Programmer
Programmed two original computer games in Z80 Assembly language. Assisted in the development of 3D games for the Vectrex game system.
Western Technologies & Smith Engineering, Santa Monica, California 1979-1983
Design Director (1982-1983)
Designer (1979-1981)
Designed numerous games for various home entertainment systems, especially Vectrex and Atari 2600. Pioneered games for watches and calculators (designed liquid crystal displays and games).
MY GAME PHILOSOPHY
Great games needn't be complicated or feature-packed. Every game has a core gameplay element, and that's where the focus must always reside. Great games shouldn't have to rely on controversy to sell. Addictive gameplay and attention to quality always prevail.
What I do...
Project management: I believe in planning thoroughly from the outset. Working backwards from the drop-dead release date, the Golden Spike beta date can be determined. Nobody makes up schedule delays during QA (as I wrote in Introduction to Game Development; Charles River Media, ISBN-10: 1584503777; ISBN-13: 978-1584503774). It's all about establishing a solid methodology from the outset, and reacting swiftly whenever red flags appear. And my extensive contact base is useful in finding resources when needed.
Communication: The producer or project manager is the focal point for all communications during the project. My job is to let everybody know what's going on and what to expect as the project progresses. All the way from the development team on up to the executives, from marketing to operations, from QA to the licensor and platform holder. The full spectrum of concerned parties has to be fully informed at all times, and that's my job.
Training/mentoring producers: My experience is long and varied. I've seen it from numerous sides, and I have much to share with up-and-coming producers. I enjoy teaching Designing and Producing Video Games at USC, and one of the greatest joys of producing is to help the younger producers grow... so they can replace me someday.
Game design: As a producer (project manager) it isn't my job to mandate or dictate as regards to the game's design. And I may not be a fan of every game genre, either. But I don't need to be. And regardless, I always have something to offer, whenever design problems get in the way of getting the game done, and making it as fun as it can be.
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Cynthia Woll, Game Development Consultant
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 562-8451
Bill Black, Audio Engineer
Bionic Games Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
(213) 215-0453
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