Andre Yam's Project Portfolio

ANDRE YAM’S PROJECT PORTFOLIO

Andre Yam, MA, CAPM

Project Coordinator / Game Producer

Cellphone: (519) 590-9699

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/pub/andre-yam/72/211/530/

• ca.linkedin.com/pub/andre-yam/72/211/530/

• ca.linkedin.com/pub/andre-yam/72/211/530/

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Why I Am An Asset To Your Organization

Education and Certification

2009: Honours BA in English and History at

Wilfrid Laurier University

2013: MA in English Literature at the

University of Waterloo

2014: Graduate Certificate of Project

Management at Conestoga College

2014: Certified Associate Project Manager

(CAPM) issued by the Project

Management Institute

Soft Skills

Has collaborated in planning and

estimating resource requirements and work

hours for event and game projects.

Utilized concise oral and written

communication skills with internal and

external stakeholder situations.

Team building focused, has pushed and

encouraged individuals to reach personal

milestones and improve their deliverables.

Has experience in gathering project

requirements, where eliciting responses

from all team members is crucial for scope

baseline and for subsequent changes.

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Professional History

Event Project: Make a Game or “DIY” Trying Game Jam - 2013

Game Project: Happy Animal Kingdom - 2013

Game Project: Tactical Magic - 2013

Marketing Project: Folio Instrument’s Social Media Revamp - 2014

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Event Project: Make a

Game or “DIY” Trying

Game Jam - 2013

Project Sponsor for this event was Dr. Neil Randall, director of the University of Waterloo’s Game Institute think tank.

Project head was Ryan Clement, a PhD candidate.

Scope was to create a public event that would bring amateur game enthusiasts together with several prominent local industry leaders.

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Event Project: Make a

Game or “DIY” Trying

Game Jam - 2013

Was part of the core planning

committee of 5 that oversaw

the initiation, planning and

design, and stakeholder

management aspect of this

event.

Was held at the Kitchener

Town Hall to approximately 40

participants, with 6 academic

and industry representatives

serving on the judging panel.

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Game Project: Happy

Animal Kingdom -

2013

iOS Game Project for InfiniDyCorp. Worked as a content developer and creative writer on a project team of 10.

Worked on the tutorial design and planning the quest dialogue system.

Drafted concept designs for mascot function and decorative function.

Also independently researched market trends and submitted a user retention marking plan.

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Game Project: Tactical Magic - 2013

As sponsor, worked as project lead with a team of 6. Funding was

limited, so initial work strove to create a demo-able first level for

crowdfunding. Project shuttered after 4 months.

Scope was to create a high-fantasy Role Playing Game (RPG).

Mechanics included:

• Multiple user choice options that would dramatically alter the

plot, geography, party, quest choice, and in-game events.

• A shadow and light mechanic, or “cursed”, that would affect

not only perception but, as well, current character classes.

• Morality system that would impact quest choice, merchant

availability, NPC interaction, and character classes.

• Scarcity item model, where low item availability and

durability forces players to choose their battles strategically.

Art done by Kim Parker

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Character Study: RudenThe original character concept idea that started this project: I had originally envisioned the player starting their journey in front of a small

campfire, illuminating the surrounding dark woods in the grasp of deep winter. Was modelled on historical East Asian weaponry, armor, and

culture. Depending on the player’s morality choices, Ruden’s talent pools could be unlocked from the basic selection and expand into the

Knight-Errand tree, which served as a tank / damage sponge role, or the Mercenary tree, which served as front-line damage dealer that

could ignore lethal party damage. Art done by Kim Parker 8

Equipment Study: Ruden

Originally, the game engine had been RPG Maker VX Ace, which ultimately proved to be too underpowered. The switch to the Unity engine

solved the issues of lighting, but also gave us more freedom with design. As such, a focus on equipment and weapon design would define

the last month of project work. The above equipment study for the character of Ruden shows how the concept artist, Kim Parker, worked

with me in terms of identifying the number of equipment slots a given character could use. This, as well as the following slide, would then

translate to conceptual and graphical work needed to be done. For an initial 20 items it had been estimated to take 2 weeks using Blender.

Art done by Kim Parker

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Character Study: Rachel

The first “cursed” character that was developed. Curse characters have unique properties, with their base character class being associated

with daytime or well-lite areas. When they are plunged in darkness, their class changes, which doesn’t just affect the character but also the

party. Rachel’s default class is as a traditional holy priestess, using a combination of healing and shielding spells. Once she has been

plunged into darkness, the spirit that has possessed her manifests, turning her into a necromancer – abide a defensive one. She would

summon a wall of skeletons to absorb the first few physical attacks, and she can transform party members into undead who cannot be

afflicted by status ailments but also have a lifesteal component added to their attack. Art done by Kim Parker

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Character Study: “FOX”

Simply named “FOX”, she was designed originally as the second “cursed” character. She was to fill the shaman trope, one-with-nature. Her signature item would have been various masks, which could enhance her light or shadow traits. Conceptually, she would have worn her mask in the light but, when daylight fades, she would remove her mask and her body would fade: leaving only the mask visible.

In the light, she would attack with a long-bow for physical damage, enhancing subsequent damage through a range of elemental enhancements and improved arrow head quality.

In the shadows, she would become a spiritual representation of her animal spirit guide: the fox. Her damage becomes elemental-based melee magic damage.

In order to unlock further talents, the player would have to meet the following requirements of having her in the current mission’s party, find a defiled shrine, and exorcize the spiritual pollution.

Art done by Kim Parker

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Weapon Study: One Handed

Axes

Since item scarcity and low durability was a mechanical focus,

it was important to populate the environment with different

weapons that were specific to their function. Though some

stats would overlap, the important distinction was to create

items that were visually stunning to look at while, at the same

time, offering some variety in the combat loop. In this case,

combat actions would require, if on smart phone, touching

and swiping in a specific fashion was required in order to

successfully perform an attack. For PC it would have been

using the mouse to hold and drag in a specific pattern, much

like the OSU game.

Different weapon types would have had different ramping-up

actions and time required, such as mimicking the drawing

back of a bow, or having a longer slashing action for a great

sword. It would ultimately be up to the player in deciding if

they want to use immediately or save it for a tougher fight.

Art done by Kim Parker

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Planning and Design Documents for Technical Limitations

Trello and Google Docs were the primary organizational services and tools used for the project team. This ensured that documents and

discussions were directed to those assigned responsibility of work packages. It also meant keeping in touch with all team members, ensuring

that meetings conducted in a way that all voices were heard. Maintaining scope was perhaps the most difficult (include everything AND

the kitchen sink!) aspect, since this intended project was on creating a demo of the envisioned game for crowdsourcing applications. 13

Damage Number Modelling Work Package Work was done through in-person and virtual meetings. Requirements clarity and communicating changes helped push initial progress and

was, even to the end, a part of the project’s work culture. Throughout the project, many work packages were assigned to team members.

Requirements were identified early on, with time and resources being given for training activities. Total work equalled around 24 work

packages, with the Damage Number modelling being the only one completed and ready for testing once other work packages were

ready. 14

Post Mortem - 1

Even though this project was cancelled due to resource and

time limitations, its death became the basis for me to formalize

my project management skills. With the knowledge and tools I

have gained during my time at Conestoga College, I decided

that my position in the project gave me enough information to

do a post mortem on not only what occurred during the

project’s performance to plan along with a personal leadership

analysis.

This includes two team member’s exit interview.

Art done by Kim Parker

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What Worked What Didn’t What to Take Forewords

Post Mortem - 2

• Requirements gathering and decision

making considered all aspects of the

project’s limitations. This allowed for

asymmetrical decision making in terms of

exploring other low-cost alternatives that

could enhance other critical processes.

• Virtual meetings were effective with

agendas, allowing for conversations to

be archived and revisited when possible.

• Smaller department meetings allowed for

team members to better understand the

vision and quality of the project.

Discussions were made and compromises

were made that allowed all members to

be happy.

• Feedback was overwhelmingly positive

regarding my leadership of the project.

Respondents noted that I was constantly

on the hunt for new talent, and that I

asked the hard questions while also

taking on new roles or functions.

• Difficulties in talent acquisition

halted certain parts of the project

from continuing on schedule. This

issue ultimately contributed to the

cancellation of the project.

• The lack of an effective risk plan

lead to, in some instances, delays in

the planning and execution, such

as with the game engine change

lead to new risks developing from

unfamiliarity with the software.

• Biggest concern was with the lack

of initial resources. The lack of funds

and equipment eventually proved

to be too much of an issue for some

members to fully commit to the

needs of the project.

• That a proper risk management plan is

important, especially if there is the

chance of software transitions or an

acute lack of available talent.

• While I managed to facilitate

meetings well, I need to be more

vigilant on keeping notes accurately.

This can resolve potential future issues

from reoccurring, as well as making

agendas more useful.

• Communication remained one of my

biggest assets during the project, with

the team being kept informed of

changes through meetings and Trello.

Ensuring that planning documents are

concise but detailed enough is always

a hard balance to maintain.

Marketing Project:

Folio Instrument’s

Social Media Revamp

- 2014

Project sponsor for this marketing project is the owner, Gord Howes.

Scope is to create 3 product videos for their website. Enhancement of their social media capabilities is also done in order to strengthen the product video’s reach.

Expected to be completed by December 2014 by the team, which is made up of program students.

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Good design enables honest and effective

engagement with the world. Poor design is

symptomatic either of inadequate insight or of

a fraudulent and exploitive strategy of

production. If good design tells the truth, poor

design tells a lie, a lie usually related, in one

way or another, to the getting or abuse of power” - Robert Grudin

“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is

doing the right things” – Peter Drucker

“Of all the things I’ve

done, the most vital

is coordinating the

talents of those who

work for us and

pointing them

towards a certain goal” – Walt Disney

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Andre Yam, MA, CAPM

Cellphone: (519) 590-9699

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/pub/andre-

yam/72/211/530/

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