Los Angeles Game Designer

Kaelen Cook

Game Designer

Based in Los Angeles, CA; Kaelen Cook has an impeccable eye for detail rooted in a love for games spanning back 20 years, and will make sure your project is as impactful and high-quality as possible. He’s also a fun guy to be around, but only as much as you want him to be.

Education

University of California, Santa Cruz 2020-2024 (Recently Graduated) Art and Game Design, Games and Playable Media B.A. Experience

Trying to make this one bigger

Game Design Tutor (2023-2024)

Worked with students to help further their understanding of different javascript game engine tools, as well as bug fixing/stress reduction in Unity, Godot, and other engines. Technical Animator/Concept Artist (2023-2024)

Worked on a professional game team with other students on a 3d FPS platforming project in which you use a sledgehammer to bash angelic machines; created 1st person animations, character rigs for hands as well as robot enemies, and concept art for various machines/types of enemies that ended up being turned into 3d assets, which I rigged and brought into the game engine to be used.

Game Designer/Artist (2020-2024) Various Projects

Designed multiple games in a variety of engines, from the ground up in Javascript, Python, Lua using the language itself and plugins, to fully fledged game engines such as Unity, Godot, Bevy, and even Unreal. Created art for 2d games, animations for characters, and VFX with particles and other juicy screen effects to enhance the fun factor and bring the game to life.

Skills

Art and Animation

- Concept Art

Able to design interesting and visually appealing creatures, machines, and characters from scratch that are unique and outside mainstream expectations.

- 2d Animation

Experienced in Cell animation, such as pixel art sprite animations and 2d illustration sketches. Also experienced with keyframes and splines to manipulate rigs for 2d characters.

- 3d generalist

Able to model, rig, and animate confidently from scratch or concept art in Blender, and port the final result into game engines. Surface level familiarity with Maya, however the fundamental skills are present and would be able to be ported to a new workflow seamlessly if required.

Design and Fun

- Combat and Juice

Most of the games I’ve designed have been combat focused in some way or another; very interested in making games that feel good to play, and scratch that itch to keep you coming back for more.

- Particles and Effects

Very important for a variety of good feelings in games, and I have a deep love and respect for all things particles and simulated effects. Experience with particles in 2d hand drawn, effect sheets, or full on simulated systems. Reverie for real world particle physics, attention to bubbles in nature, the way smoke proliferates, and water/ fluid motion adds to a better craft. Performance and Spectacle

- Acting and Directing

Have a lot of acting experience from high school and college; performed in a variety of plays and musicals and have an understanding of character, drama, and an interesting story. Not afraid to be in front of the camera, or control the camera.

- Film and Writing

Written multiple short one act plays and scripts for the stage and the screen. I have a deep love of film and am very familiar with conventions of storytelling. I watch film essays for fun, and also have created a few storyboards/animated short videos.

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