Aaron Casillas
award winning game Designer and STORYTELLER
Aaron Casillas
(310) 909-9153
Actapatio2007@yahoo.com
http://www.aaroncasillas.com/
HIGHLIGHTS
Award-winning, critically acclaimed game designer with 18 years of experience. Participated in shipping in excess of 35 titles across multiple platforms and genres. 21 years of industry total.
Played a key role in the development of some of the industry's largest franchises,
Have managed all phases of the development process, from creative conception to prototyping, release and live operations.
UCLA Game Design and Unity Instructor
Directed Social Media, earned Best Streamer on Facebook 2016
EXPERIENCE
Feb 2017 to Present, Last Bastion Studios, Co-Owner, EP, Creative Director
We’ve handled NDA projects from VR Casino, Interior Design prototypes, to an Unannounced IP for console.
Game’s Financial Advisor, in depth counseling to financial institutions and stock brokers
Rebranding and Branding for old and new IP.
Creative, Art, Design and Social Media direction. From Copy, Art and Video.
Nov 2014 to Feb 2017 Zynga, World Wide Franchise - Design Director Poker
Directed all game Design, Creative and Social Media efforts on the team
20% 2016 booking inc. 40% YoY growth, record 4m DAU, record Daily revenue $500-600K
Competitive analysis, deconstruction and Creative Roadmap direction
Zynga wide Live Streaming Operations, average 1.2m reach, 35k unique viewers
March 2013 to Nov 2014 Tell Tale Games, Lead Narrative Designer, Story Team
Lead Designer and Co-Story Creator, “Wolf Among Us: In Sheep’s Clothing” Episode 4
Game of the Year and various other categories.
Co-Story Creator, “Tales of the Borderlands” Episode 2, high level design of Action Sequences.
Season Story developer
Jan 2012 to March 2013, Red Ronin Entertainment, Co-Founder, Creative Director, EP
Created "Amazing Flying Machines", an original IP available exclusively on the iOS
Top 10 Games in Japan.
Managed external team of contract engineers and artists
June 2011 to Jan 2012, Atari SA, Creative Lead/Sr Game Designer
Adapted and updated company's design strategies for mobile and social games. This involved leading new design initiatives, adjusting technology requirements, and R.F.P. creation
Publisher Design lead and liaison for Atari’s portfolio
Nov 2009 to June 2011, Petroglyph Games, Creative Lead/Game Designer
Lead Creative for Award Winning E3 Design, End of Nations MMO RTS.
Back to Back Year Award Winning Awards and Nominations
Designed, built, and balanced maps, missions, and systemic content
Nov 2008 to May 2009, Big Huge Games, Sr. Lead Level Designer
Prototyped dungeons for Ken Rolston's RPG, Kingdoms of Alamur
High Level design for 150 dungeons, including layout, object placement, lighting, scripting, and enemy and FX placement
July 2007 to Feb 2008, Collision Studios, Contract Lead Designer/Bus Dev Design
Wrote proposals, created gameplay prototypes, and worked on experimental projects such as Warner Brother's Viral Video
Helped grow projects from proposals through final contract
July 2005 to July 2007, Trilogy Studios, Lead Game Design/Director/Partner
Helped manage initial development of IP, company vision, and brainstorm non-traditional delivery concepts
Lead game designer for Daybreakers, an action-RPG hybrid similar to Borderlands
Pitched and designed Shrek Worlds, a children's MMO-lite for DreamWorks
2001 – 2005, Electronic Arts, Lead Level Designer
Medal of Honor: Lead Level Designer
Created and prototyped new IP proposals using in-house technology
Designed all phases of the acclaimed E3 "Pearl Harbor" level and its counterpart that shipped in the final product
Created scenarios that acted as foundational design blueprints for the rest of the game
2000-2001 Novalogic, Design Manager
Titled Design Dept. Manager charged with managing mission design and the day-to-day operation of the design department.
Co-Created Black Hawk Down original mission scenario which later became Black Hawk Down IP
Design real world military encounters for the military with “Secret” tier status
1999-2000 Black Ops Studios, AI/Level Designer
Implemented level design, managed texture memory and asset database
AI design and scripting
The World is Not Enough E3 Level
1996-1999 Activision, QA Console Sr. Manager- Tester
Co-Managed a department of more than 30 testers and 3 teams as Sr. Manager
Responsibilities included Budget management, Coordinating with Sr. VP, Producers and Marketing to ensure a timely ship of the product.
Co-Created 3rd party shipping standards for ATVI's console department.
EDUCATION
UCLA Graduate of School of Fine Art: Bachelor's degree/ 3.79 GPA
Misc. Credits
Zynga Poker
Wolf Among Us
Tales of the Borderlands
Walking Dead 400 Days
Amazing Flying Machines (Mobile)
Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes of Never Winter (FB)
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3d (3DS)
Deer Hunter Online (FB)
Super Bunny Breakout (Mobile)
Asteroids: Gunner (Mobile)
Breakout Mania (Mobile)
Centipede: Infestation (Wii)
Centipede: Infestation (3DS)
DnD: Heroes of Never-Winter (Social)
Putt Putt/Freddie Fish (Mobile)
Jumper: Griffin's Story (2008), Brash Entertainment, LLC.
Medal of Honor: European Assault (2005), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (2003), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Medal of Honor: Frontline Xbox Multiplayer
Delta Force: Urban Warfare (2002), NovaLogic, Inc.
Comanche 4 (2001), NovaLogic, Inc.
Delta Force: Land Warrior (2000), NovaLogic, Inc.
U.S. Govt. Tank Simulations (2000), NovaLogic, Inc
Star Trek: Armada (2000), Activision (UK) Limited
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (2000), Activision, Inc.
The World is Not Enough (2000), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Disney/Pixar A Bug's Life (1999), Activision Publishing, Inc.
Disney's Tarzan (1999), Activision, Inc.
Space Invaders (1999), Activision, Inc.
Star Trek: Hidden Evil (1999), Activision Publishing, Inc.
Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense (1999), Activision, Inc.
Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style (1999), Activision, Inc.
Asteroids (1998), Activision, Inc.
Quake 2 patches 3.14
Quake 2 Expansion Packs
Sony OEM
3dfx Mechwarrior Mercenaries
Dark Reign: Rise of the Shadowhand (1998), Activision, Inc.
Guardian's Crusade (1998), Tamsoft Corporation
Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning (1998), Activision, Inc.
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (1998), Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), Inc.
Dark Reign: The Future of War (1997), Activision, Inc.
Heavy Gear (1997), Activision, Inc.
Interstate '76 (1997), Activision, Inc.
NetStorm: Islands at War (1997), Activision, Inc.
Mech-warrior PSX