Video Game Artist Draws Success at Zynga
Tue, 5 November, 2013 at 8:48 am
“I spent most of my time in English
studies,” he said. But something happened to Simpson when he enrolled at Cañada
College in 2010. “Suddenly, math and science were fun for me.”
Simpson said he chose Cañada to study
Maya, a 3D computer graphics software system designed in close collaboration
with Walt Disney Feature Animation that is the industry-standard for video game
designers. “Cañada’s program fit my lifestyle,” he said. “I was originally only
going to take a couple of night classes but the staff’s energy and enthusiasm
made me want to take more.”
Simpson said the faculty created an
environment that made the tools secondary to the skills being taught in the
classroom. He said faculty members Paul Naas, Roger Royce, and Domenic Allen
taught him about art, creativity, and engineering, which formed the foundation
of his education. The math Simpson avoided in high school now became relevant. “We
learned how to use the software but the underlying principles of how to apply
our skills came from the teachers at Cañada.”
Allen said Truman was a great student
whose enthusiasm was infectious. “He always contributed energy and talent to
his classes. He continues to give back to the community by speaking to current
students at Cañada and describing his experiences at Zynga. He is an example of
the great caliber of students we have at Cañada.”
Simpson said his fellow classmates were
also inspiring. “Everyone came from different backgrounds and brought a
different set of life experiences and we were able to bounce ideas off of each
other in class and in labs. I pushed even harder, as my work was reflection of
all of us.”
The skills Simpson gained at Cañada
eventually earned him a job at Zynga, one of the world’s largest developers of online
social games. The company was founded in San Francisco in 2007. His job at
Zynga is fast-paced and goal-oriented and Simpson said he’s often working with
people he’s never met before but they share the common goal of creating
something they believe in. “Cañada taught me how to succeed in this type of
work environment.”
Naas said Simpson executed his
assignments with flair. “On one animation assignment, he took into account
where I’d be sitting during the critique and animated the character so it
noticed me and reacted to my presence. The room exploded with laughter when
they saw the character.”
Naas said Simpson has made an impression
while at Zynga. “There are at least two characters in Zynga games that have
Truman’s unique hairstyle!”
Simpson said he loves creating games and
is honing his skills at feature game development and technical artistry at
Zynga. He said students who want to learn the skills of game development at
Cañada should enter each class with an open mind. “Learn all the time and from
everyone in your classes,” he said. “Every person you meet can teach you
something new. As Paul Naas is so keen on saying – you never know who’s sitting
next to you.”
Posted in: Student Experiences, Alumni