James Chao

Experience

Hyperkinetic

apr 2017 - present

Epic Tavern ( Steam )

random art guy

• Responsible for upgrading and creating new art assets in all area of the game, in order to bring the game to Early Access ship-able state. 
• Tasks includes particle vfx, lighting, UI, sprite / sprite animation, and C# scripting.

Skydance Interactive

(formally Workshop Entertainment)

founder/partner, oct 2007 - apr 2017

Archangel ( PSVR / Oculus Rift / HTC Vive )

lead vfx / lead technical art

• Responsible for creating master shaders, optimization, art/technical workflows, and tools for environment art team and vfx team. 
• Responsible for planning and creating front-end environment and vfx, as well as various other vfx, including weapons and shield.

Gears of War 4 ( Xbox One / PC )

senior vfx

• Responsible for vfx for escape-themed levels, as well as attack helicopter's weapons vfx, including particles, shaders, and blueprint scripting.
• Responsible for maintaining schedule and communication with our partners at The Coalition.

Armored Warfare ( PC )

art director

• Responsible for leading an art team of approx. 10 artists for PvE maps, maintaining schedule, and communication with our partners at Obsidian Entertainment and mail.RU.
• Responsible for minimap creations of PvE maps.

The Evil Within ( Xbox One / PS4 / Steam )

art director / lead vfx 

• Responsible for leading an art team of approx. 20 artists for next-gen upgrade, maintaining schedule, and communication with our partners at Tango Gameworks and Bethesda.
• Responsible for various environment vfx, water and blood shaders, and R&D on next-gen graphic features.

Sorcery ( PS3 Move )

lead vfx / lead technical art 

• Responsible for most vfx, including particles, shaders, post-process, cinematic planning, and kismet scripting.
• Responsible for various graphic features R&D, including toon/stylized shader, out-line post-process, post-process-based fog.

Torpex Games

oct 2006 - jul 2008

Schizoid ( Xbox 360 Live Arcade )

the art

• Responsible for planning, design, and production of all art assets in the game, including all Live Arcade backgrounds and marketing materials.

Treyarch / Activision

aug 1998 - oct 2005

Spider-Man 2: The Movie Game ( Xbox / PS2 / Gamecube )

art director / lead vfx

• Responsible for leading an art team of approx. 20 artists, maintaining schedule, creating new art workflow and technical requirements to support new streaming engine.
• Responsible for maintaining overall visual vision and city map design, as well as various environment and AI vfx.

Minority Report: Everybody Runs ( Xbox / PS2 / Gamecube )

senior vfx

• Responsible for implementing all environment vfx and destruction vfx, including particles and scripting.

Spider-Man 1: The Movie Game ( Xbox / PS2 / Gamecube )

senior vfx

• Responsible for implement all in-game vfx, including scripting, environment, combat, AI, and cinematic.

Max Steel: Covert Missions ( Dreamcast )

senior vfx / animator

• Responsible for implement all in-game vfx, including scripting, environment, combat, AI, cinematic, and character animations.

Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm ( Dreamcast )

vfx artist / animator

• Responsible for implement all in-game vfx, including scripting, environment, combat, AI, cinematic, and non-VSIM character animations.

EA Sports Triple Play 2000 ( N64 )

3D modeler

• Responsible for modeling of baseball stadiums.

Farsight Studio

may 1998 - jul 1998

EA Sports NCAA Football '99 ( PC )

freelance 3D artist

• Responsible for modeling of football stadiums.