Tag: Cryptic Studios

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Unreleased UE5 Project

PC / PS5 / Xbox Series X

Role: VP, Creative Director (Cryptic Studios)

In 2022, I was asked to spearhead new product development and adoption of new technologies at Cryptic Studios after acquisition by Embracer and Gearbox Software. The first new project during this period was a multiplayer rogue-lite/souls-lite built in Unreal 5.

This project built on Cryptic’s strength in multiplayer-centric design and deep world building. This project was greenlit and in production prior to Embracer’s major re-structuring and Gearbox Software’s departure from the Embracer Group in 2024.

I’ll be adding more detail and imagery here soon, as this was a project that really expanded Cryptic’s capabilities and raised the the studio’s bar for visuals and gameplay.

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Magic Legends Open Beta Trailer

PC / PS4 / Xbox One

Role: Studio Art Director (Cryptic Studios)

Cryptic Studios partnered with Plastic Wax to create a cinematic trailer for Magic Legends Open Beta launch. This was the follow-up to a teaser trailer we collaborated on a few months prior, and built further from those foundations .

I was the dev-side art director for the trailer project, working with my counterparts at Plastic Wax, stakeholders at Wizards of the Coast and publishing partners at Arc Games to ensure that Cryptic’s character designs, environments, gameplay and audio elements were brought to pre-rendered life flawlessly.

Projects like this take heavy collaboration between the CG house, dev studio and IP holder, and can derail the game’s art staff if not managed properly. My job was to oversee quality, ensure smooth communication between all parties and provide detailed feedback, supplemental animation direction, timing and editing notes, paintovers, concept support and reference assets.

The game wasn’t as successful as we’d hoped it would be, but the trailer was a blast to work on, and still holds up today.

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Star Trek Online – Console Launch

PC / PS4 / Xbox One

Role: Studio Art Director (Cyptic Studios)

2016 was an incredible year for Cryptic Studios and Star Trek Online. For the first time ever, console audiences were able to take part in the largest and longest running Star Trek MMO.

Bringing Star Trek Online to the PS4 and Xbox One was a herculean effort, given the massive amount of live content, systems, UI and technical constraints of a bespoke MMO and engine initially designed for PC only.

Audience response was overwhelmingly positive, and the consoles went on to become a popular and highly profitable part of Star Trek Online’s business that continues to this day.

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Neverwinter – Console Launch

PC / PS4 / Xbox One

Role: Studio Art Director (Cryptic Studios)

In July of 2016, Neverwinter was released on PS4. Following it’s earlier debut on Xbox one in 2015, Neverwinter’s success on console marked the beginning of new era of multi-platform development for Cryptic, widening the studio’s audience and market.

The effort to make Cryptic’s bespoke MMO engine, technology and games console friendly began slightly before my return to the studio in 2016, but having recently completed similar efforts to bring Diablo III to consoles at Blizzard Entertainment, I was able to assist in the final stages of console development, marketing and launch for both Neverwinter and Star Trek Online.

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City of Heroes

PC + Mac

Role: Studio Art Director (Paragon Studios / NCsoft)
Lead Environment Artist (Cryptic Studios)

City of Heroes was groundbreaking for it’s time, and is still beloved by players to this day.

This cinematic is neither, but it captures a nostalgic moment of transformation when the game went from an indie upstart effort to a fully funded and published MMO with innovative combat, movement, gameplay and character customization features other MMOs would later emulate.

I worked on this title initially as lead environment artist from the end of the City of Villains initial development cycle at Cryptic Studios and eventually took on art direction for the franchise and founding studio art director at NCsoft’s Paragon Studios.

I’ll always be fond of this game, the stories it told, what it taught me about creative leadership, management and the importance of every aspect of live game health and community.

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