James LaPierre, Author at Filament Games

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

January 17, 2018 // Dan Norton

Filament Games | Educational Game Developer

Let’s talk about design as a job! People like to think that designers are a job defined by having neat ideas. They sit on a cushion, think of game…stuff, maybe even write it down. The developers gather around, consume the documents, eager to fulfill the prophecies from their glorious leader, and eventually, the designer is…

VR in Industrial Training: Safe, Simulated Learning

January 22, 2018 // James LaPierre

Our blog has previously examined some of the most groundbreaking applications of virtual reality in both medical and corporate training settings. This time, we thought we would highlight a few of our favorite VR learning applications utilized in an entirely different realm: industrial training. While many manufacturing companies have yet to fully embrace the potential of VR…

Designing Games & Saving Lives! An Interview with Matt Haselton

January 24, 2018 // Brandon Pittser

To celebrate the recent launch of the AppClinic series, we sat down with Matt Haselton, Game Designer at Filament Games and lead designer on Saving Lives!, AppClinic’s marquee CPR/AED learning game. We spoke with Matt about the inspiration behind the project and the particular advantages of delivering this kind of training content in a digital,…

Yoga For Teachers: An Interview with Breathe For Change

January 29, 2018 // Brandon Pittser

[Note: This is an interview transcript, and has been edited for length and clarity.] Breathe For Change is a growing movement of educators focused on teaching and learning for peace, love, and social justice. Their vision is to allow all people to be educated and empowered as their whole and brilliant selves in their lives, relationships,…

Demoing Your VR Game at Industry Events & Conferences

January 31, 2018 // James LaPierre

In my short time as a Marketing Assistant at Filament Games, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to travel the country and show off our latest VR projects at various industry trade shows and events. From showcasing our virtual reality robotics experience RoboEngineers at I/ITSEC 2017 to demoing our VR celebration of women in science Breaking Boundaries at…

Why Virtual Reality May Be The Tech to Bridge Generations

February 5, 2018 // Jennifer Javornik

I work for a company that makes video games for impact for PC, mobile, VR and AR. A core part of our business is to make digital experiences on a contract basis for companies and organizations all over the world. Recently, we got to work with Publications International to create 6 different VR experiences to accompany 6…

Learning from 2017’s Best Commercial Video Games

February 12, 2018 // Brandon Pittser, James LaPierre, Nell Farrell

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds A Hunger Games-esque battle royale survival game, online shooter PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds tasks players with a single objective: stay alive until you’re the last player standing. Each match begins with 100 players dropping out of an airplane onto a giant landmass packed with towns, farmlands, mountains, and forests – immediately thereafter, players begin fending…

Creating a Culture of Play: A Creative Approach to Company Events

February 14, 2018 // Jennifer Javornik

At a recent Culture Community event, brand master D.P. Knudten made the case for companies defining and living their values. He used the example of R.E.I. who has made multiple policy decisions over the years to encourage their employees to live for adventure and spend more time outdoors. As a result of this effort to create…

Speed Sketch! Character Redesign Challenge

February 19, 2018 // Natasha Soglin

Art RPGs can create some weird critters. The below creature is called an ‘Esk,’ created by artist Witherlings over at DeviantArt. Their relatively new ARPG “Those Who Went Missing” has skyrocketed in popularity, garnering over 1,000 new members in a mere nine months. Esk are furry creatures with four legs, long flowing tails, and a distinct…

How AI Enhances Collaborative Learning

February 21, 2018 // James LaPierre

Artificial intelligence is poised to radically change education, according to Pearson’s 2016 report Intelligence Unleashed: An Argument for AI in Education. Though the report lists numerous ways in which recent advancements in educational AI programs are improving learning efficiency and outcomes, a section I found to be particularly thought-provoking highlights a few ways that artificial…

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