Karl Markis

Breakaway

Karl Markis — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 19:11:35 +0000

A serious game developed in Flash by the Emergent Media Center, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and Population Media Center, that aims to help end violence against women. Breakaway targets boys ages eight to twelve to reach them during a key developmental stage, when they are forming their own opinions and making their own decisions. It utilizes soccer gameplay with narrative decisions based on the Sabido Methodology. Players join a youth soccer team and learn about being a team player on and off the field. They must build their relationships with their teammates between practices and matches, navigating the conflicts that arise when a girl finds a place on the team.

Click here to play the game!

Role: Lead QA, Sept 2010 – Jan 2011 | Team Size: 50 | Released: Jan 2011

Responsibilities:

Managed QA staff, reporting to executive producer. Created QA procedures, tracked project schedules, liaised with department leads, and trained team members.
Implemented new project management system, integrating a subversion client, project management web application, and bug-tracking tool along with working cooperatively with departmental leads to develop and maintain realistic milestones.
Improved communication between creative director, executive producer, and departmental leads, holding weekly meetings and formalizing systems of interdepartmental communication.

Corpse Creator

Karl Markis — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 19:11:58 +0000

2.5D player versus player puzzle game developed in Unity for the web. Play as a mad scientist and assemble zombies from dismembered limbs, sending them into your opponent’s field in this cartoony, yet grim twist on the puzzle genre.

Roles: Lead Designer and QA, Audio Engineer | Development Team: 4 | QA Team: 15-30 | Duration: September – December 2010

Responsibilities:

Conceptualized, pitched, and documented original concept to executive producer, successfully passing green light and all stages of production.
Created design docs, gameplay flow diagrams, and other visualizations of mechanics.
Developed QA procedures and oversaw/trained multiple teams of 15+ testers in focus group testing.
Arranged and performed interpretations of classical music to create all the game’s audio in Logic Pro and FL Studio.

Corpse Creator requires players to utilize strategy, timing, and hand-eye coordination to master a system of game mechanics while competing with a human opponent to achieve a common goal. The intent is to get people competing with one another in the friendly, low-stakes atmosphere of a casual time and strategy-based game. Exercising the mind’s quick time reaction skills through micromanaging gems and zombie creation challenges the player’s physical dexterity, management, and strategic skills.

Corpse Creator prompts the users to strategically place gems and amass zombies while simultaneously considering choices an opponent can make with gem placement and zombie creation. The aggressive pursuit of building and sending zombies to the opponent’s grid while defending your grid from zombie assault is a crucial gameplay element. The decision is contextual to every moment of a match and demands players to reflect on the best choice to make given each player’s current state.

Click here to view a diagram I created that visually shows the relationships between mechanics and how the progression of gameplay operates.

This is a link to my online design document for Corpse Creator.

Possessed

Karl Markis — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:11:54 +0000

3D single player adventure game developed in Unity for Xbox Live. The King is dead. You are the King. The end of life is the beginning of a mysterious adventure. Possess the living to find out how you died.

Role: Producer | Development Team: 11 | QA Team: 15-30 | Duration: January 2011 – Current

Responsibilities:

Managing development team of 11 to produce an original title, reporting to executive producer. Creating and tracking project schedules, tickets, and liaising with department leads.
Implemented project management system, integrating a subversion client, project management web application, and a bug-tracking process along with working cooperatively with departmental leads to develop and maintain realistic milestones.
Bridging communication between executive producer and departmental leads, holding two weekly meetings and formalizing systems of interdepartmental communication.
Successfully passed Green Light and Alpha; currently establishing goals and tasks for Beta.

The Story

The evening’s dinner leaves you feeling sick. Shortly afterwards, you collapse on your bedroom floor and die, only to awaken as a ghost. Why did this happen? Who wanted you dead? Your spirit shall not rest until you find answers.

Possession

You may return to the world of the living by possessing the people and animals who still inhabit it. Masquerade through your castle with these forms, asking questions with the people most likely to get answers.

Manipulation

Ghosts can see people’s emotions. You can only control someone who is upset. To gain access to the most useful “puppets,” find ways to distress key characters.

Predators and Prey

Use animals to steal valuable trinkets – a cherished necklace, a prison key, a vial of poison… But watch where you wander as a vulnerable little critter. There are predators on the prowl ready to stop you in your tracks.

Consequences

Haunt your lost home asking questions, confronting the guilty and manipulating those in your path. But beware the consequences your pursuit of revenge brings for your kingdom and loved ones. Before you find rest, you must undo the damage you have caused.

The end of your life is just the beginning…

Clash

Karl Markis — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:11:09 +0000

2D, top-down, online Flash game that requires two participants on the same computer to play. Clash is a gameplay commentary on relationships. It is a mandatory two-player experience with no given goals. Players are meant to conclude on their own, through play, what the goals of the game are. Clash’s underlying theme is that it reveals truths about the users’ natures, whether they progress through life competing to get ahead and seek individual glory, or work as a group to accomplish goals and are more cooperative. Everyone’s experience with Clash is different.

Roles: Lead Designer, Lead QA | Team Size: 5 | Duration: January – May 2009

Responsibilities:

Conceptualized, pitched, and documented original concept to executive producer, successfully passing green light and all stages of production.
Designed game mechanics, systems, and core gameplay.
Created design docs, gameplay flow diagrams, and other visualizations of mechanics.
Developed QA procedures, documented bug testing pipeline, and oversaw/trained teams of testers in focus group testing.