James LaPierre, Author at Filament Games

How to Get Hired at a Game Studio: Game Engineer Edition

October 16, 2017 // Stephen Calender

Filament Games | Educational Game Developer

One of my responsibilities at Filament is facilitating the hiring process, and I will often be the first person to screen applications. Upon first review, I try to give each applicant 10 minutes of my time. Based on Filament’s structure, I need to evaluate a candidate on the following criteria: Are they capable of building…

The Future of VR Controllers

October 18, 2017 // James LaPierre

Contemporary VR control methods designed for use with Oculus Touch and HTC Vive headsets function much like traditional video game controllers, intended to be held naturally in one’s hands and operated via motion controls, joysticks, and a “grip” button used to pick up virtual objects and interact with the game world. While these control schemes…

How to Get Hired at a Game Studio: Working with HR

October 23, 2017 // Sarah Conn

Hi, I’m Sarah! In addition to making sure the office keeps running, rearranging people’s schedules so that we can make appointments with outside clients, and running the phones, I also operate as on-site HR for Filament Games. I deal with posting jobs, job applications, and constructing offer letters. For all you job seekers out there,…

Meet the Expert: Virtual Reality Artist Adam Blumenthal

October 25, 2017 // Brandon Pittser

We recently connected with Adam Blumenthal, a veteran of the virtual reality space, to discuss the history and future of Virtual Reality. As Brown University’s Virtual Reality Artist-in-Residence and Virtual Reality Professor of Practice, Adam provides a unique and comprehensive perspective on Virtual Reality as a medium. Tell us about yourself. What’s your background? I’ve…

Speed Sketch! Halloween 2.0

October 30, 2017 // Brandon Pittser

Happy Halloween everyone! For this year’s Halloween Speed Sketch, Game Art Lead Natasha Soglin takes us on a hike through a colorful autumn forest scene. Natasha used both Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint for this sketch, so pay close attention to see if you can spot when she switches. It won’t be long until the…

Learning to Code with Human Resource Machine EDU

November 1, 2017 // James LaPierre

I work at a video game development studio- but I don’t actually make games. As a Marketing Assistant, my primary responsibilities involve writing about and promoting our games through in-person and digital channels. While I love my job, I can’t help but have a tremendous amount of appreciation for the work our game developers do…

A Night of VR Exploration at Madison Children’s Museum

November 6, 2017 // Sarah Conn

I may be the office admin at Filament Games, but my background is in informal science education and I spend my weekends working at the Madison Children’s Museum as the STEM Program Specialist. The museum hosts once a month Free Family Nights and I decided to combine my two jobs for a night of fun. This…

VR in Medical Training: 3 Groundbreaking Applications

November 8, 2017 // James LaPierre

Virtual reality technology is making waves in the growing field of employee training and development, with organizations like Walmart, UPS, and Farmers Insurance already embracing VR as a powerful and cost-effective teaching tool. In the coming years, as spending on corporate training rises while the cost of VR hardware declines, it is likely we will see more companies…

Tangential Learning: What Can Commercial Video Games Teach Us?

November 13, 2017 // James LaPierre

There is no shortage of game-based learning research and implementation studies suggesting that educational games can serve as effective, beneficial teaching tools. But what about commercially released games like Assassin’s Creed: Origins or Call of Duty: WWII? Are these wildly popular titles, developed first and foremost to entertain, capable of offering any educational value to players?…

VR Buying Guide Part 1: Entry-level & Mobile Headsets

November 15, 2017 // James LaPierre

With the holiday gift-giving season just around the corner, we thought now would be the perfect time to offer our VR hardware recommendations. The current landscape of virtual reality headsets is diverse, exciting, and – at first glance – expensive. But fear not! Despite what you may have heard, there is a wide range of…

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