Donald Schepis Email & Phone Number

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: As a developer at Pinnacle, I cover a wide range of responsibilities. I fit myself to the needs of each project as a producer, game designer, writer, editor, graphic designer, or community manager. I am also PEG's liaison for nine different translation partners worldwide.I managed the development and deployment of our GameChanger crowdfunding plugin with external partners.—I work in an incredibly deadline-critical environment to ensure each product moves through development cycles smoothly to prevent delays from affecting the whole company's schedule. These releases range in complexity from a single hardcover adventure book to a major boxed set with multiple books, maps, and other accessories.I simultaneously track multiple projects:𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝟭): I work with the line developer, marketing director, and production manager to lock in what will be offered during the campaign. I will then act as the community manager for the campaign, answering questions and preparing stretch goals.𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝟭–𝟮): I manage the community feedback process. I collate the data, process it, and conduct a review to reject anything that conflicts with our style guide or design principles. I'll work with the line developer to implement the feedback and release new versions to backers. I create covers, fix bookmarks, and address any final technical issues with the PDF. Final checks require a meticulous review of the file and an eye for fine details.𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝟮–𝟯): I coordinate with the production manager to get accurate printing and shipping estimates and then communicate that information to backers with the marketing director. We'll also work with the customer service team to prepare logistics for the eventual fulfillment of the campaign.Due to LinkedIn's character limits, I've broken up my contributions per project. Scroll to the positions with the same name below to read a breakdown of my work.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Due to LinkedIn's description box text limits, I've split up the same job at PEG into multiple descriptions to track my major contributions.For every project, I covered the following duties:• Planned, developed, and managed the crowdfunding campaign.• Answered backer questions and resolved complaints.• Proofed and released digital files.• Tracked and produced the development of project files.• Collected backer feedback.𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝟮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮• Successfully implemented strategies to improve communication about high-intensity issues.• Adjusted pricing to strike a balance between profitability and backer satisfaction.𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻• Outlined the space horror adventure 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥.• Provided reference and direction for illustrations.• Coordinated with our advertising partners at Jellop.• Developed strategies to improve communication with high-intensity issues like shipping costs.𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆• Coordinated with our advertising partners at Jellop to solve issues with backer communications.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

I covered the following duties for all projects:• Planned, developed, and managed the crowdfunding campaign.• Tracked and produced the development of project files.• Collected backer feedback.𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻• Coordinated with our advertising partners at Jellop.𝗡𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗹: 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀• Created cover assets.𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻• Created art orders for the character pawns and maps.• Edited text and organized it into layout.• Scoped the art assets required for the book and other accessories.𝗥𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀® 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀: 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿• Assisted in the development of our GameChanger crowdfunding platform.• Supported the customer service team in managing customer orders.𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 & 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲• Implemented backer feedback into character cards.• Implemented multiple rounds of feedback into horror monster stats and fixed layout issues.• Assisted in solving design issues with monstrous player character abilities and rituals.• Designed cursed items and wrote flavor text.𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝘆 – 𝗠𝗮𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗻• Conceptualized and pitched the Bounty Cards.𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿­™ 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀: 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 & 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲• Collaborated with the design team to refine systems, patch game exploits, and simplify rules.𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻• Iterated on existing designs to align with gameplay goals, avoid exploration loops, and tie the rules closer to the intended fantasy.• Contributed stats and encounters to the Ally & Adversary cards.𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀• Edited stats and gear for Archetype Cards Set 4.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Due to LinkedIn's description box text limits, I've split up the same job at PEG into multiple descriptions to track my major contributions.For each project*, I covered the following duties:• Planned, developed, and managed the crowdfunding campaign.• Participated in marketing live streams.• Proofed and released digital files.• Tracked and produced the development of project files.• Collected backer feedback.*Excluding Pathfinder® for Savage Worlds.𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿: 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗽𝘀𝗲• Assisted in the fulfillment of goods to backers.• Wrote and ran an original one-shot adventure for our Hollerween convention.𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻• Wrote the street-level heroes adventure for Tales of the Doomguard. I also put the text into layout with the trade dress, ordered and implemented the art and maps, and edited all of the adventures.• Wrote the first draft of the rules for the new Adventure Cards.• Updated non-player character stat blocks to match rules updates in the rulebook and Archetype Cards.• Created the box assets for the Pawns Box and Archetypes Box.𝗥𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀® 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀: 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀• Assisted in the fulfillment of goods to backers.𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗻™ 𝗥𝗣𝗚: 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼• Worked with Scott Woodard to create the updated Threat Cards.𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱• Edited and rewrote significant elements of the Polish chapter to make it more usable for GMs and to correct cultural and plot inconsistencies in the adventure. Created additional creatures more suited to the region.𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿® 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀• Streamed Twitch content about the game's design.• Worked on the initial conversion from spells to powers.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

My work with PEG continued as part of the initial team discussing how the Savage Worlds version of Pathfinder® should look. I worked on the conversion of Pathfinder® spells to Savage Worlds Powers, which included the initial design of over 200 spells using Savage Worlds rules. Soon after, I completed an editing test before my responsibilities on the team expanded (AKA PEG hired me full-time as a Developer, see above).

I was the principal writer for an unannounced AAA game project in pre-production. I worked with the creative director and visual director to develop interesting designs for the environment and enemies that meaningfully connected with our narrative elements. I also worked with the level design team to provide narrative context for encounters and developed points of interest. Part of my work was to populate an in-engine outline to help drive encounter design and environmental asset creation.I also wrote descriptive text for items, abilities, enemies, etc., that tied into our visual worldbuilding. These elements also provided hints and directions for players to complete unmarked quests in the game.

Tempe, Arizona, Usa

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: I taught introductory game design and programming classes while mentoring teams of senior students working in a studio-like environment within the university's Game Studios program.—The game design classes focused on building the foundational principles of design, exposing students to the wide variety of design roles they will encounter in the games industry, and guiding them through the process of developing a game idea into a fuller design that touches on all major game elements. I also coached students on how to approach game design from a professional mindset and how to work with team members of different viewpoints and skillsets from themselves. I stressed the importance of empathy in effectively working as a professional game designer.The programming classes showed the students how to code fundamental game functions, such as movement controls, UI integration, and collision events, to develop a foundational toolbox. We worked on developing strategies for identifying bugs, researching problems, and developing workable solutions for new problems efficiently.Within the UAT Game Studios program, I mentored team leads in recognizing the various motivations driving their colleagues and leveraging those motivations to energize their teams during the production process. I fostered a bottom-up style of leadership that empowered team members to make decisions and have ownership over their contributions to a project.

Tempe, Arizona

I taught both on-ground and online introductory game design classes. These classes focused on building the foundational principles of design, exposing students to the wide variety of design roles they will encounter in the games industry, and guiding them through the process of developing a game idea into a fuller design that touches on all major game elements.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

I began my work with Pinnacle by creating a One Sheet for Deadlands: Noir, a one-page adventure typically released for free on their site (currently unreleased). The initial draft was well-received, though we went through a short revision process, primarily adding more supernatural elements to the adventure.I also participated in playtesting of Doom Guard (a super hero boardgame) and an unreleased prototype.

I was the lead writer for a canceled AAA fantasy role-playing game. I worked with the creative director to build the core setting information and started building narrative pipelines. I also worked with the team to design an engaging booth experience for E3.

Mesa, Arizona, Usa

I was the lead designer on the tabletop strategy game Trident. Trident is an asymmetrical fighting game that pits giant monsters called Leviathan, controlled by a single player trying to wipe out humanity, against massive robots called Tridents, controlled by a group of players trying to defend their sector of space.I also wrote short narrative pieces to give the team a sense of the setting and the type of sci-fi world we were building. We also used these pieces to help establish guidelines for the visual language of the Tridents and Leviathan, as well as inspire mechanics and tools for usage by players.

Mesa, Arizona

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: My primary responsibilities at Pushing Thren / KalqueLord included setting production goals, providing guidance and tasking to developers to achieve said production goals, and writing design documentation to support the creation of game systems. I also set studio budgets, hired personnel, and managed schedules.—KalqueLord was an edutainment mobile game where we utilized gameplay and reward loops found within MMOs to help K-6 children develop math skills. Players would complete math homework to earn currency to purchase new armor and equipment. Their performance and teacher input from a separate administrative console would customize the quests that appeared. Students would see less practice for areas they performed well in and have more practice for areas they struggled in. We also developed curated social interaction systems to provide basic interaction among classmates while avoiding tools that could lead to bullying. I organized meetings, stand-ups, and build reviews to track progress on development and create new production schedules based on team performance. I would review progress and judge game systems alongside the stakeholders to determine where to focus our resources. I also coordinated with outside interests like educational consultants and organizations to ensure the game functioned in a way that worked with the classroom model.Alongside the art lead, I helped develop the game's visual direction. I helped bridge the gap between the art team and the stakeholders to build a style that worked technically and creatively. I also managed the hiring process for freelance illustrators to support the internal art team.I acted as the design lead, creating documentation, layouts, and other mock-ups of central game systems. This included the quest/encounter progression, rewards systems, difficulty modifiers, player profiles, achievement/stat tracking, admin-user interaction, currency and economy balances, and UI layouts.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: At Terrasect, I managed production for multiple long-term development cycles on mobile game projects. I coordinated multiple disciplines to meet project goals and release deadlines. My responsibilities also included principal design on all major game systems.—During the development of the original prototype for KnickKnax (a kid-friendly puzzle/platformer in which players used metal balls and magnetic rods to build platforming objects), I ran the team. I also developed most of the original game design, including the initial concepts for the magnet & socket connections, the methodology for building puzzles, and overall player interaction.Additionally, I handled the transition from the prototyping team to the development team. During the transition, I focused on getting the new team invested in the game and fostering a sense of ownership while maintaining the game's original vision. By the end of production, both teams felt ownership over the game.Happy Skies was a kid-friendly adventure/exploration game that took players around the world to see famous monuments from numerous countries. I managed production for over two years with a wide team of freelancers of various skill levels and experience. I coordinated across all disciplines to achieve development goals and meet objectives for presentations and demo releases.I helped draft the original concept where players would control a character with wind movements to avoid air- and land-based enemies. I had a hand in designing most enemy types players would encounter and all of the puzzles players could interact with when exploring monuments.

Tempe, Arizona, United States

I wrote narrative inserts for expansions to the studio's line of sci-fi wargame miniatures. This included narrative sections to contextualize in-game stats and larger narrative pieces for their mech expansion. To keep the inserts interesting, I had to utilize multiple formats and voices while staying within the constraints of a print product.

Tempe, Az

Summary: I managed production and design for a team of six developers as we built small, web-friendly games ranging from 2D platformers to puzzle games. We also developed a tactical, turn-based sci-fi RPG prototype with branching dialogue.—At Aftermorrow, we focused on rapid prototyping to develop a strong central mechanic and then wrapped a short game around it. We used the high-intensity, start-to-finish environment of a 48-hour game jam to structure our prototyping sessions. Then, we would refine the core concepts from the prototype that playtested well into the core loop for a short-form game.We developed best practices for setting up projects, managing asset development, and pivoting from poor-performing features. Since we were a small team of six with limited resources, I had to carefully manage the team's time and effort into lower-risk projects while maintaining team morale. By regularly improving our production environment, I built structures that increased the maneuverability of the team and allowed us to identify pitfalls faster.Our largest project was a verticle slice for a mobile-based sci-fi RPG. We built an XCOM-style, turn-based tactical combat system with enough depth to engage players but with simple enough controls and mechanics to work well on a touch-screen phone. I designed our narrative systems to handle branching dialogue and in-conversation skill checks, which gave us a solid idea of the scope our game could handle when it came to narrative elements. I also managed the production of the level, coordinating with the level designer and environment artist to develop usable assets efficiently.