talks
Below are some of the talks I have had the opportunity to give throughout my career, in which I ruminate about topics like the development and animation production on Half-Life: Alyx and Dota 2, being a woman in the games industry, and how I got my start in the industry and the lessons learned on my path from student to professional.
Creating a Nightmare in ‘Half-Life: Alyx’
Konsoll 2021
A talk about the development of ‘Half-Life: Alyx’ and the importance of playtesting when creating a full-length game built from the ground up for virtual reality. I discuss the evolution of Jeff, a new Half-Life creature designed for VR, and lessons learned through his development.
Did You hear that? Designing Jeff with Sound and Silence in ‘Half-Life: Alyx’
SIGGRAPH NOW 2021
Lakulish Antani and I team up to discuss how sound design and playtesting were critical aspects of the gameplay design for Jeff in ‘Half-Life: Alyx’, and new spatial audio technology developed for the game.
Animation in ‘Dota 2’
Animation Exchange 2021
Dan Rosas Paulsen and I talk shop about how animators create content for ‘DOTA 2’. We discuss how the team works together to create ready to ship products every 2-3 weeks as well as discuss the challenges of remote work, the flat hierarchy structure of Valve and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
WEARING ALL THE HATS: Adventures in Gaming and Tech with the Women of Valve
Geek Girl Con 2020
Join a panel of women from Valve as we share our experiences wearing all of the hats while contributing to games, Steam, and VR, including discussions on imposter syndrome and confidence, design, and playtesting.
How to Succeed in the Games Industry
BAFGame 2012
An overview of lessons learned on my journey from student to professional animator in games, including the pros and cons of animation higher education, internships, and the realities of working in the games industry.