Toontown Online -- Designing Massively Multiplayer Games for the Masses

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Speaker
Jesse Schell
Professor of Entertainment Technology, Carnegie Mellon University

When
-

Where
Newell-Simon Hall 1305 (Michael Mauldin Auditorium)

Description

It is quite possible that Massively Multiplayer (MMP) games will be the killer app that brings broadband to the living room, via networked game consoles. For this to happen, though, MMP games need to first find a broad audience. In this talk, Jesse Schell, former Creative Director of the Disney VR Studio, will discuss the challenges of game design and social engineering that were involved in the creation of Disney’s Toontown Online, an MMP world designed for children of all ages.

Speaker's Bio

Jesse Schell is a Professor of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon, specializing in Game Design. Formerly, he was Creative Director of the Walt Disney Imagineering VR Studio, where his job was to invent the future of interactive entertainment for the Walt Disney Company. Jesse worked and played there for seven years as designer, programmer, and manager on several projects for Disney theme parks and DisneyQuest (Disney’s chain of VR entertainment centers). His most recent work at Disney involves design of family-friendly massively multiplayer worlds, such as Disney’s Toontown Online. He came to the ETC to impart real-world experience, and to build exciting new things. He has a BSCS from Rensselaer, and an MSIN degree from Carnegie Mellon. In a previous existence, he was writer, director, performer, juggler, comedian, and circus artist for both Freihofer’s Mime Circus and the Juggler’s Guild.

Speaker's Website
http://www.etc.cmu.edu/