Multimedia

Read or Listen: Articles / Podcasts / Reviews

Here’s a collection of awesome stuff in which I’ve helped design, build, launch, maintain, write, edit, host, moderate, or participate. 

PicturePodcast: DNB EP 257: Helping non-profits in America with Elizabeth David-Dembrowsky of Keren-or.org 

Listen here

IN THIS EPISODE OF THE DUDES N BEER PODCAST HOST CHRISTOPHER JORDAN WELCOMES TO THE PROGRAM SPECIAL GUEST ELIZABETH DAVID-DEMBROWSKY OF KEREN-OR INC, GOOD COUNSEL SERVICES AND RIGHTEOUS CAUSES INC, AS WELL AS BILLY JOE CAIN, HEAD OF THE RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION TO DISCUSS HELPING NON-PROFITS IN AMERICA.

AUSTIN, Texas – February 19, 2020 – Non-profit organizations provide some of the most necessary services in America. Yet the face a unique set of challenges. From the legal leg work it takes to begin the process and setup an infrastructure to the writing of mission statements and choosing of board members, It can be a daunting task to say the least.

This is where people like Elizabeth David-Dembrowsky come in. Admitted to the bar in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, and California, Elizabeth’s legal work focuses primarily on helping new and emerging social entrepreneurs. As a non-profit executive with over a decade of experience, she has vast experiences in this area and has helped ensure the success and safety of numerous organizations.

PicturePolice Officers Are Learning to Spot Sex Trafficking in Virtual Reality

Read here

VR COULD BE ESPECIALLY WELL-SUITED FOR TEACHING OFFICERS HOW TO SPOT PROBLEMS THAT AREN’T OFTEN IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZABLE

Medium – February 6, 2020 – More than 2,500 people, many of them in law enforcement, have watched Lisa’s story for free at law enforcement conventions, community gatherings, and station visits, says Billy Joe Cain, CEO of Reef Cares, the VR storytelling company behind Trapped. “Most people, including the police, don’t understand what trafficking looks like,” he says. For one, many expect people affected to “foreigners,” but 83% of people trafficked in America are U.S. citizens. The shadowy trafficker that snatches kids off the streets is rare; most often victims are groomed, like Lisa was, by a so-called boyfriend. And it can start young, like, really young, which is why, for a small fee, Cain licenses his nonprofit experience to high schools and middle schools as a learning tool.

PictureVIRTUAL REALITY: The Comprehensive Guide for Not-for-Profits 

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO DEVELOPING VR EXPERIENCES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT FOR NONPROFITS.

AUSTRALIA – July 26, 2019 – I met with non-profit producers and VR filmmakers who’d created experiences for social causes, and I spoke with Mercy Ships Global campaign manager Ruben Plomp, on the production process of Mercy Ships’ VR for Good film. I had in-depth discussions with Radical Empathy president Billy Cain, who had designed a unique interactive VR educational game to train teenagers on the signs of grooming, which he had built through the clever use of pre-existing game environments and nuanced game-play storytelling.

If the VR experience is to be an interactive or animated piece, this will require hiring team of game developers to build a 3D world and set algorithmic rules for that world. Game development is laborious and intensive work, and costs can vary significantly. While game development is typically quite a costly path for VR, there are shortcuts. Radical Empathy president Billy Cain showcased his own interactive VR experience at SXSW this year, which he had developed by purchasing pre-built 3D environments. Through these environments the narrative is queued through interactive clues scattered throughout a ‘choose your own adventure’ style gameplay. This method was a unique and clever means to reduce development costs and ensure the strength of the story was the focus to the experience. Consulting a studio that develops interactive VR content would be the best process of quoting for your desired project, giving a clearer understanding to the costs depending on the level of interactivity and the quality of development for the 3D world.

PictureREDM Talk

Read here

HOUSTON, TEXAS – July 26, 2019 – Join us for our RedTalk event and hear from Billy Joe Cain, President of Radical Empathy! The Radical Empathy Foundation is focused on ending Human Trafficking by the use of education and technology to spark empathy for the victims and their situations. Radical Empathy educates using virtual reality to walk people though these extreme situations and help them develop a better understanding. Come and learn more! Free and open to all!

PicturePodcast: DNB Ep 225: Human Trafficking, Jeffrey Epstein and #every40seconds with Activist Chong Kim

Listen here

IN THIS EPISODE OF THE DUDES N BEER PODCAST AS HOST CHRISTOPHER JORDAN IS JOINED BY SPECIAL CO-HOST BILLY JOE CAIN AS WE WELCOME CHONG KIM, HOST OF THE VELVET BRICK PODCAST, ACTIVIST BEHIND THE #EVERY40SECONDS CAMPAIGN AND SURVIVOR OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO DISCUSS THE DARK WORLD OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

AUSTIN, Texas – July 9, 2019 – With the recent arrest of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, and the accusations of sex with women as young as 14 for money, the media is abuzz with the words human trafficking. But the issue goes much farther than the headlines would like to admit. Human trafficking is one of the most prevalent and hidden crimes in America and worldwide. From children to adults people are taken, brainwashed, tortured, drugged and sol on the open market for everything from sex to labor. It sounds like the plot of a horrific movie, but the tendrils of human trafficking reach far and the clientele includes community leaders, police and even CEOs and politicians. How can we learn to recognize this crime that happens in plain sight and what can we do to help heal victims and educate the public?

PictureRaising Awareness Of Human Trafficking Through VR

Read here

RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION TEACHES YOU HOW TO SPOT A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

VRScout – Apr. 1, 2019 – Radical Empathy Education Foundation teaches you how to spot a victim of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is an often-overlooked crime that has a devastating impact on millions of people all across the globe.

According to a report from the International Labour Organization, it was estimated that in 2017, 40.3 million individuals were victims of modern slavery with 1 in 4 victims being children forced into sexual exploitation, and almost 99% of female victims forced into the commercial sex industry.

To combat this ongoing epidemic, an Austin, TX-based organization called the Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF) is using a VR called TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story to educate people on how to recognize the warning signs of a person who might be a victim of human trafficking or being groomed as a potential target.

PicturePodcast: DNB Ep 203: The Scourge Of Human Trafficking In America With Billy Joe Cain Of The Radical Empathy Education Foundation

Listen here

IN THIS REVEALING EPISODE OF THE DUDES N BEER PODCAST HOST CHRISTOPHER JORDAN ONCE AGAIN WELCOMES BILLY JOE CAIN OF THE RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND DUDES N BEER VIRTUAL REALITY CORRESPONDENT TO THE STUDIO TO DISCUSS THE SCOURGE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN AMERICA.

AUSTIN, Texas – Feb. 5, 2019 – With events like the Super Bowl providing havens for criminals trafficking people for sex, drugs and everything in between, what can we do to bring this plight to the forefront of social conversation? Everyday thousands of women, men and children are trafficked worldwide.

It could be the wife next door, children at your local school, even the passing person on the street. Trafficked individuals surround us every day. What can we do to learn to recognize the signs of those who are being trafficked around us? How can programs like REEF’s One Generation and virtual reality games such as “Trapped: A VR Detective Story” designed by the Radical Empathy Education Foundation do to help the cause?

PictureSan Diego Area Middle School Integrates Virtual Reality Human Trafficking Awareness Education

Read here PDF / PRLog

​VISTA, Calif. – Jan. 27, 2019 – During a school day on a Friday, teachers and students took a break from their classes to walk in the shoes of a victim of minor sex trafficking, through the innovative human trafficking awareness education program called One Generation, from the non-profit Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF).

Vista Innovation Design Academy (VIDA), in Vista, California, is leading the way with this type of training in California, integrating it into their school curriculum.
Eric Chagala, VIDA’s principal, brought the program to his school. “This is a real problem and we want to do our part through the unique approach of the One Generation program.” He continues, “Students and faculty have been amazed by the way it makes people care about the educational materials they really must know to recognize a victim and what to do.”

PictureCompany Uses Virtual Reality to Teach Students Signs of Sex Trafficking

Read more / Watch video

​SAN DIEGO, California – Jan. 24, 2019 – NBC — If sex trafficking was happening in front of you, would you know it? Many experts say the signs can be subtle.

“They can be simple, like you might see a friend getting a lot of gifts or they might have an older boyfriend,” said Billy Joe Cain, President of the Radical Empathy Education Foundation.

His non-profit uses virtual reality headsets to teach students signs to look out for.

Cain was at SIATech Charter High School in Oceanside Thursday, showing school administrators the technology.

“I think students are going to be shocked,” said Principal Greg Cohen. “I think they won’t know this is happening in their communities, let alone all of our communities.”

PictureVirtual Reality offered to Fight Ugly Reality of Human Trafficking

Read more / Watch video

AUSTIN, Texas – Jan. 22, 2019 – Fox 7 — Advocates for victims of human trafficking traveled from across the state for this rally at the state Capitol.

Robert Sanborn, one of the organizers, urged those at the rally to ask lawmakers for more funding to combat criminal organizations that continue prey on the children of Texas.

“I get tired of hearing people saying, we really can’t do anything about this, this may be the world’s oldest profession, the fact of the matter is we’re doing a lot at our state legislative level but we need to do more. We need to stop trafficking now,” said Sanborn.

Houston Democrat Senfronia Thompson told those at the rally she will not give up the fight. She did indicate proposed legislation should not simply target victims.

PictureVR is a Social Awareness and Education Tool Placing Viewers in Perspective of Sex Trafficking Victims

Read here

AUSTIN, Texas – Jan. 1, 2019 – Towards the end of the year, websites are doing roundups proclaiming how VR technology is creating a massive sea change in hardware. That’s true, but is VR bringing anything else to the world at large? The answer is a resounding YES and it has to do with social awareness and education about sex trafficking.

When viewers get transported into Trapped: VR Detective Story they embody a teenage girl who is in the grips of trafficking. Viewers of all ages learn about the reality of being a victim — that anyone, regardless of gender, age, and any walk of life can fall prey to this type of abuse.

[S]outhern states like Texas, California, and Florida have the highest rates for human trafficking. Although these states are located close to the border of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico, the article opens eyes with mention that half of those trafficked are actually from the United States.

PictureVideo Game Developer in South Texas Battles Sex Trafficking

Read here

​LAKE JACKSON, Texas – Dec. 30, 2018 – When Billy Cain found out his coworker and close friend of 10 years was contacting his children and talking to them in a sexually inappropriate way, he said he felt shocked and guilty. How could someone he trusted do this to his children without his knowledge?

“Long story short, nothing happened to him because he technically didn’t cross a line legally, but through this experience, I realized we knew nothing about sex trafficking,” Cain said. “My kids didn’t. Their friends didn’t. And not just about trafficking, everything that can lead up to it — sex abuse, spousal abuse, physical abuse, psychological manipulation, Stockholm syndrome. All these things that surround trafficking.”

The Facts reports at the time, the successful video game developer had started searching for a way to use virtual reality technology — or VR — to educate people. After his personal disaster, he made teaching people about sex trafficking his first project, he said. By 2016, he and Kevin Reinis, a technology expert, had co-founded the Radical Empathy Education Foundation.

“When you’re a kid, everything is normalized,” Cain said. “So, if there’s screaming or abuse in the house, you may not know that is bad. So we want people to recognize what is going on that is not healthy.

PicturePodcast: DNB EP 196: Virtual Reality And Other Worlds With Billy Joe Cain Of The Radical Empathy Education Foundation

Listen here

CHRISTOPHER JORDAN IS JOINED BY DUDES N BEER TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT AND INTERACTIVE VR DEVELOPER BILLY JOE CAIN TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WORLD OF VR TECHNOLOGY.

AUSTIN, Texas – Dec. 17, 2018 – How has the recent upsurge in the release of VR devices to the public changed the once dim expectation of a virtual world? What are the possibilities when it comes to integrating virtual reality into the real world and creating an fully interactive augmented reality? Are we as humans ready to take our first steps into interplanetary travel both within and without of our own solar system and how can VR help us prepare for this and other fantastic futures? How does the use of VR help us as people develop a sense of empathy not only for one another but for victims of crimes such as human trafficking, kidnapping and other violent and not violent crimes?

PictureBrazosport Graduates Using VR Tech To Stop Sex Trafficking

Read here

​LAKE JACKSON, Texas – Dec. 4, 2018 – When Billy Joe Cain found out his coworker and close friend of 10 years was contacting his children and talking to them in a sexually inappropriate way, he said he felt shocked and guilty. How could someone he trusted do this to his children without his knowledge?

“Long story short, nothing happened to him because he technically didn’t cross a line legally, but through this experience, I realized we knew nothing about sex trafficking,” Cain said. “My kids didn’t. Their friends didn’t. And not just about trafficking, everything that can lead up to it — sex abuse, spousal abuse, physical abuse, psychological manipulation, Stockholm syndrome. All these things that surround trafficking.”

View Front page of newspaper | View Continued section

PictureRadical Empathy Foundation Interview

Read here

AUSTIN, Texas – Oct. 28, 2018 – Virtual Reality has always been my least favorite gaming device. No matter how many times I put on those goggles, I never have felt like my virtual entertainment experience was ever enhanced, a couple of potential examples aside. That being said, I’m up for anything having the ability to land a positive impact in the communities, which Radical Empathy Foundation aims to do just that with VR.

PictureIncubatorCTX: Using Virtual Reality To Teach Educators And Youth On How To Prevent Human Trafficking

Read here

AUSTIN, Texas – Oct. 24th, 2018 – Radical Empathy’s program “TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story” is a 3D, interactive virtual reality experience, that allows the user to become Lisa, a 14-year-old girl lured into trafficking by a boy she met online. This narrative journey enables users to explore her world, piece together important clues, and learn how she fell under the control of an abuser. It provides awareness of human trafficking, educating users on grooming techniques and how to recognize the signs of human trafficking.

Cain began his idea after a profound personal experience which caused him to realize that, being the 2nd largest criminal enterprise in the world, human trafficking happens in every country, every city, and on every day of the year.

During his speaker event, he also discussed what techniques traffickers use, such as violence, fear, threats, and intimidation. Partnered with Allies Against Slavery, Traffick911, Texas Attorney General’s Office of Human Trafficking, and many others, Cain and Radical Empathy Education Foundation are on a mission to end human trafficking in one generation.

PicturePodcast: DNB EP 182: Is Transhumanism The Death Of Humanity?

Listen here

CHRISTOPHER JORDAN IS JOINED IN STUDIO BY DUDES N BEER TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT BILLY JOE CAIN OF THE RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION

AUSTIN, Texas – Sept. 25, 2018 – In this episode of the Dudes n Beer podcast host Christopher Jordan is joined in studio by Dudes n Beer Technology Correspondent Billy Joe Cain of the Radical Empathy Education Foundation to discuss the topic are Transhumanism and Cyborgs the death of Humanity? What is Transhumanism? What does it mean to become a Cyborg? How does the marriage of man and machine begin to change humanity as we know it? With the recent announcement by the Pentagon that we can now have telepathic control of drones, what is the future of warfare? Do Sex-Robot Brothels promote unhealthy attitudes toward women? What if we could use technology to resurrect the dead? How does a recent study showing that we can upload information into the human brain bring about the scenario of a real world Matrix? When will we begin to have upgrades for our bodies to not only repair damaged limbs and organs, but elongate life? These questions and more in this week’s exciting and in depth episode of the Dudes n Beer podcast with special guest Billy Joe Cain of the Radical Empathy Education Foundation.

PictureAustin Independent School District Leads Nation in Technology-Enabled Child Safety Programs

Read here

INNOVATIVE INTERACTIVE CHILD SAFETY PROGRAM RAISES FUNDS TO SUPPORT PILOT SCHOOL

AUSTIN, Texas – Aug. 7, 2018 – I4U News — Who teaches children about the dangers of meeting a stranger online? Recognizing an unhealthy relationship? Can they recognize or avoid sex trafficking? McCallum High School, in the Austin Independent School District, is Piloting a program to answer those questions.

In Texas alone, there are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking, including almost 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking and nearly 234,000 adult victims of labor trafficking, according to a 2016 University of Texas Study.

For the 2018-19 school year, McCallum was selected as the Pilot School for the launch of the child safety education One Generation program, from the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Radical Empathy Education Foundation, which teaches children how to avoid becoming trafficked.

PictureYou can use VR to Help Stop Child Exploitation

Read here

​Good News Ministries – June 1, 2018 – This video is a must-see. It’s about a VR project called TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, a narrative story that empowers its users to help stop human trafficking. Why is this a must-see? Because the danger is in every town, not just bad neighborhoods or foreign countries. With this VR experience, parents and teachers will be able to use this non-profit tool to educate students about how to recognize when they or a friend are being groomed by a perpetrator.

PicturePodcast: The Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF)

May 22, 2018 – Billy Joe Cain is back at it again. And this time, it is the finale. BJC was the first interview I conducted for the show and it was dynamic because he had a lot of personal experiences to share with me throughout his long relationship with games. I’m excited that I get to finally showcase the Radical Empathy Education Foundation, BJC’s foray into virtual reality game development that serves a greater purpose. Trapped: A VR Detective Story is a great implementation of the noir genre that puts players in the thick of the mystery in case that involves the realities of the world of human trafficking and how it is right under our noses.

PictureAnti-trafficking Groups Join Forces At 19th Annual Fundraiser in Washington DC

Read here

UNIQUE VR EXPERIENCES PROVIDE AN UNPARALLELED PERSPECTIVE INTO THE LIVES OF VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Apr. 28, 2018 – PRLog — Who teaches children about the dangers of human trafficking, including meeting a stranger online? Who gives kids the tools to survive in this fast-paced world where they don’t know what information to trust?

Can children join the adults and become advocates and activists for this cause? The answer is yes.

Prevent Human Trafficking (PHT), the second oldest anti-trafficking group in the United States, and Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF), who uses interactive technology for education and awareness of human trafficking, are the first organizations in the world to use 360 video and VR to engage people in immersive experiences that create unforgettable memories and hopefully help bring this issue to life and connect with it in a real way.

PicturePodcast: DNB Ep 156: New Horizons of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence with Billy Joe Cain of the Radical Empathy Education Foundation

Listen here

CHRISTOPHER JORDAN IS JOINED IN STUDIO BY DUDES N BEER TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT BILLY JOE CAIN OF THE RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

AUSTIN, Texas – Apr. 2, 2018 – In this episode of the Dudes n Beer podcast host Christopher Jordan is joined by Steven Bishop and special guest Billy Joe Cain, head of Radical Empathy Education Foundation, an Austin based Virtual Reality endeavor aimed at educating people about the horrors of human trafficking utilizing the technology of virtual reality gaming and “Trapped: A VR Detective Story” an immersive virtual reality experience that places you in the person of a detective trying to solve the case of a missing person. How can games like this and other VR experiences bring about a new level of not only cognitive understanding, but allow us to connect as better as people? How has the world of virtual reality already expanded our view of education and training as we know it? What does the all too common term “artificial intelligence” really mean and what does it mean for the future of man and machine? How can we begin to marry the technologies of VR and AI and what could the possibilities be? Will they all be for the best or could some outcomes, if left unchecked, lead to horrific electronic nightmares? These questions and more in this revealing and in depth episode of the Dudes n Beer podcast.

PictureVR Game Raises Awareness of Human Trafficking

Read here

VIRTUAL REALITY CAN TEACH LESSONS AND SERVE AS AN IMMERSIVE VIDEO GAME PLATFORM, BUT IT CAN ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PURPOSE: RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, SUCH AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

AUSTIN, TX – Mar. 27, 2018 – The Future of Technology Lounge at SXSW, hosted by Capital Factory, showcased the cutting-edge technology of Austin startups, from VR to rovers. The nonprofit Radical Empathy Education Foundation, founded by Austin video game designer Billy Joe Cain, sought to educate users on human trafficking with an interactive narrative story called “TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story.” This is an issue that researchers in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work have been investigating for several years with the Statewide Human Trafficking Mapping Project for Texas, an ongoing research project to provide data about the extent of human trafficking in Texas.

PictureA Different Kind of VR Experience

Read here

A MONITOR AT THE “TRAPPED: A VR DETECTIVE STORY” BOOTH AT SXSW GAMING 2018 ALLOWS ATTENDEES TO VIEW WHAT SOMEONE WEARING THE BOOTH’S VR HEADSET IS SEEING DURING THEIR EXPERIENCE.

AUSTIN, TX – Mar. 18, 2018 — Radical Empathy’s virtual reality experience “Trapped: A VR Detective Story” is different from the other booths promising a radical VR experience. Attempting to raise awareness of and generate empathy for victims of human trafficking, “Trapped” has attendees strap on an HTC Vive headset to experience an interactive narrative that teaches how to recognize warning signs for human trafficking.

The experience was a SXSW 2017 Finalist Showcase winner, as well as winner of Best In Show at the 2017 Austin Game Developer Showcase. President Billy Joe Cain hopes to use “Trapped” as a teaching tool in schools, as well as draw corporate sponsors to help support their cause and mission.

PicturePBS Features Virtual Reality Experience Created to Stop Child Exploitation

Read here

KLRU’S DECIBEL TO SHOWCASE VR EXPERIENCE TRAPPED: A VR DETECTIVE STORY FROM RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

AUSTIN, Texas – Mar. 11, 2018 – PRLog — Virtual Reality can make you feel empathy for others. That’s the premise of TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, an interactive virtual reality experience that puts you in the shoes of a victim of human trafficking, Lisa, as she shares what it’s like to be pulled into this horrible life.

Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF) created TRAPPED, a narrative story experience, to change perspectives about how to recognize a victim of human trafficking. Parents and teachers can use it as an additional tool to educate students about this very real issue facing everyone across the globe.

Lisa’s story is aligned with Polaris Project’s “Recognize the Signs” campaign, which highlights potential red flags and teaches the indicators of human trafficking, so users can help identify more victims to help them find the assistance they need. Users learn these signs from Lisa’s experience, and the personal connection increases retention of the material.

PictureN​ew Tool To Prevent Child Exploitation Showcased Throughout SXSW

Read here PDF / PRLog or Watch Live on Fox 7 during SXSW video
​​
NEW TOOL TO PREVENT CHILD EXPLOITATION SHOWCASED THROUGHOUT SXSW.

FOX 7 AUSTIN’s Good Day Austin to Experience TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story During South by Southwest

AUSTIN, Texas – Mar. 4, 2018 – PRLog — Virtual Reality can make you feel empathy. That’s the premise of TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, an interactive virtual reality experience that puts you in the shoes of a victim, Lisa, as she shares what it’s like to be pulled into this horrible life.

TRAPPED is being showcased on FOX 7’s Good Day Austin morning show on March 7th at 7:20 am. It is a virtual experience made to change your perspective about how to recognize a victim of human trafficking. It is an additional tool to educate middle and high schoolers about this very real issue facing everyone across the globe.

“Knowing how to identify a victim could save their life, and we want you to have a lasting empathetic experience when you are learning these signs,” says Billy Joe Cain, President of Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF). “When people care about something, they remember it much longer. We are giving them the tools to stop exploitation.”

PicturePodcast: Episode 7 — Origin – Electronic Arts


February 27, 2018 –
In today’s episode of the show I sit down with Billy Joe Cain to talk today about his time working as a level designer for Origin, around the time that they got bought by Electronic Arts, and other companies, along with the general experience of developing and porting games for home consoles in the 90’s and early 00’s.

PictureStudents Use Virtual Reality To Learn How To Avoid Exploitation at Texas Association of Student Councils  Annual Conference

Read here PDF / PRLog

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS TO EXPERIENCE TRAPPED: A VR DETECTIVE STORY AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Feb. 27, 2018 – PRLog — Virtual Reality can make you feel empathy. That’s the premise of TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, an interactive virtual reality experience that puts you in the shoes of a victim, Lisa, as she shares what it’s like to be victimized by the horrible travesty that is sex trafficking.

TRAPPED is being showcased in the expo as well as being used for breakout sessions for educators and students at the 82nd Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) High School Annual Conference in Arlington, Texas on April 14-15. Radical Empathy exhibited and performed breakout sessions at the conference.

PictureVirtual Reality Experience Educates About Human Trafficking

Read here PDF / PRLog

EXPERIENCE TRAPPED: A VR DETECTIVE STORY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

AUSTIN, Texas – Feb. 26, 2018 – PRLog — Virtual Reality can make you feel empathy. That’s the premise of TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, an interactive virtual reality experience that puts you in the shoes of a victim, Lisa, as she shares what it’s like to be victimized by the horrible travesty that is sex trafficking. TRAPPED is demoing at the SXSW Gaming Exhibition in the Austin Convention Center from March 15-17 and the Capital Factory’s Future of Tech Lounge from March 10-13.

PictureAustin Game Designer Brings Human Trafficking to VR

​AUSTIN, Texas – Jan. 15, 2018 — January is Human Trafficking awareness month and the problem isn’t confined to third world countries. Could your own children become victims of human trafficking? An Austin game designer’s kids nearly were.

Radical Empathy Foundation founder Billy Joe Cain responded by developing an immersive virtual reality experience called “Trapped” which takes place in suburban America. Cain says you first play as a teen girl lured into the sex trade by an online stranger who convinces you to have sex with his friends for money.

PictureNon-Profit Launches Virtual Reality Game to Draw Attention to the Plight of Human Trafficking Victims

Read here

A TEXAS-BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION HAS DEVELOPED A VIRTUAL REALITY GAME THAT EXPLORES THE LIFE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS.

AUSTIN, Texas – Jan. 15, 2018 — TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story is more than just another virtual reality game. It is the strategy used by Texas-based non-profit organization Radical Empathy Education Foundation to teach people about the plight of human trafficking victims. The game was developed thanks to crowdfunding and has a unique approach.

Beyond the Excitement of Virtual Reality Gameplay, a Dreadful Reality
In TRAPPED, the player assumes the role of a detective who has to investigate a murder case. As the game progresses and clues start coming in, it is clear that the murder victim was exploited as a victim of human trafficking as well.

PicturePodcast: Episode 2 — The Texas Video Game Championships

Listen here @ KAKEBYTES Podcast

November 7, 2017​ – In the newest episode of the show, I sit down to talk to Billy Joe Cain about… everything. Today’s show is the first part of our long interview, and I chose to break it up because Billy has an extensive history with the video game industry that began long before his time as a game developer.

PicturePodcast: DNB EP 122: Virtual Reality and Learning with Radical Empathy Education Foundation

 
Listen here

CHRISTOPHER JORDAN IS JOINED IN STUDIO BY DUDES N BEER TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT BILLY JOE CAIN OF THE RADICAL EMPATHY EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

AUSTIN, Texas – Aug. 23, 2017 – In this episode of the Dudes and Beer podcast host Christopher Jordan is joined in studio by Steven Bishop, Julie Connally and special guest Billy Joe Cain, President of the Radical Empathy Education Foundation to discuss the rapidly emerging and immersive world of Virtual Reality. What is this amazing technology? When did it actually start and where has it come from? How can Virtual Reality help when it comes to education and learning? Where did the inspiration for the VR game TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story come from? How can game such as this raise awareness of society to issues such as human trafficking? Is it possible for Virtual Reality to help mankind not only better understand each other, but to ultimately find a means to co-exist and see each other as people we all are? These questions and more in this hi-tech and introspective episode of the Dudes and Beer Podcast with our guest from the Radical Empathy Education Foundation!

PicturePodcast: Dr. Mara Karpel Your Golden Years 

Listen here (59:45 is beginning of the discussion)

AUSTIN, Texas – Jun. 25, 2017 – Billy Joe Cain joined us from Austin to talk about the Radical Empathy Education Foundation, currently using Virtual Reality technology to aid in the prevention of human trafficking. Find out more about this important issue, what this organization is doing to help to raise awareness and stop this national and global problem, and how you can help.

Gerontologist, Dr. L. T. Force – “The Detoxing of Caregivers”; Billy Joe Cain – the Radical Empathy Education Foundation; Kathleen Ann Hudson – Texas Heritage Music Foundation; and Medicaid and the Elderly… plus Words Matter.

PictureOriginal eSport Champion Donates Historical Artifacts to National Videogame Museum to Help Raise Awareness of Human Trafficking

Read here
​​
DONATION CEREMONY TO BE HELD AT CLASSIC GAME FEST IN AUSTIN.

AUSTIN, Texas, Jun. 2, 2017 — A quarter can go a long way, if you’re a skilled game player. In 2013, Billy Joe Cain played for over 33 and a half hours on a single credit to set the highest verified world record on the arcade game Defender. His effort raised over $1000 for a soup kitchen in Killeen, Texas. Now, he is donating his record-setting Defender machine, and the Stargate machine he won in a 1982 eSport tournament, to the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, Texas, in the hopes that it will raise awareness for his new mission: raising awareness of human trafficking.

PictureToxic Game Development Environments

Power-up Digital Game Conference – July 30, 2016 – Did you know your job could KILL you? What is a toxic environment? Are you working in one already? How can you identify one? How does it affect your mind? Your body? Come find out!

PictureVideo Games And Our Future: We’re All Gamers

Wizard World Comic Con San Antonio – August 2, 2014 – 3:30 – 4:15PM VIDEO GAMES AND OUR FUTURE: WE’RE ALL GAMERS (ROOM 212)

Giants of the video game industry join forces for this highly-anticipated panel. Don’t miss Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion, MMORPG.com, The Gamer In You), Billy Joe Cain (Wing Commander: Prophecy), Theodore Gegeoux (Senior Studio Analyst – Star Wars: The Old Republic), and surprise guest speakers give their insight on everything ranging from creating futuristic video games to delving into themes that span the most prevalent elements of pop culture. Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at video game story details, gameplay features, and the influence video games possess in both video game culture and pop culture at large. These high-power panelists will discuss the past of video game culture as it compares to today and how “gamification” is making it possible for everyone to become a gamer.

PictureAre Multiple Resumes Necessary? In a Word, Yes.

Read here

Feb 12, 2014 – Recruiters Deal With Thousands of Applicants. Billy Joe Cain, executive recruiter for gaming recruitment firm Mary-Margaret Network, cites the time constraints faced by most recruiters and hiring managers as one of the reasons why it is so critical job seekers tailor their resume to the position at hand. “If I have a stack of resumes that have specific details clearly delineated so I can match them to the job, and your resume requires me to guess at all, you get tossed,” Cain warns. Cain likens the process to a game of “Where’s Waldo” – if the HR manager has to search a resume for relevant experience, and feels that these qualifications are buried within experience that is not relevant, they may give up on the resume altogether and move on to the next.

PictureWhat you can learn from reading between the lines of a resume

Read here

Feb 26, 2014 – Going through resume after resume to fill a position can be exhausting. 
Billy Joe Cain, a recruiter in the video game industry, says “Untailored resumes and fill-in templates are huge indicators. If someone isn’t going to take the time to customize for the job I’m offering, they’re either apathetic or on a desperate job blitz. During the interview, if they don’t come off as desperate, then I’ve already prejudged them as apathetic, simply based on their resume.”

PictureVideogame Archive at Explore UT

Read here

March 8, 2011
– In an effort to mix the familiar with the more obscure, we decided to offer three console choices: Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System I, and the Vectrex. As previously reported in this blog, the NES and Sega consoles were donated by veteran Austin game developer Billy Cain, and the Vectrex donated by Mike Hall.

PicturePodcast: Gaming the Game Developers

Listen here

November 16, 2010
 – As game designers, we have a collection of tools with which we direct the behavior and emotion of the player. While many of these are still rough, we are already capable of keeping players in a “flow” state or a peek efficiency mental state for hours on end, we are able to motivate people to put hundreds of hours into repetitive tasks and feel good about it afterward, and if there is anything we are good at, it is giving the player a sense of pride and achievement in their own accomplishments.

And yet in many game development studios, the game developers themselves fail to be given the same sense of motivation, have the opportunity for the same state of flow and get the same sense of achievement after a job well-done. We routinely fail to inspire in each other what we so easily inspire in our players, and we routinely fail to communicate within our own groups in a clear and positive manner.

PictureSneaky Games Raises First Round of Funding

Read here

Jun 24, 2010
 – Fantasy Kingdoms is a building game, where participants create their own fantasy kingdom, collect mystical creatures, magical gardens and share enchanting experiences with their friends.

The management team of Sneaky Games includes David Godwin, founder and CEO, gaming veteran and producer Billy Cain, Chief Creative Officer, and Jon Masters, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer.

PicturePodcast: CryptoCast Special Edition – The IGDA and Tim Langdell

Listen here

September 12, 2009
– This week, Billy Cain joins us to talk about the current situation regarding Tim Langdell, the IDGA, and the lack of transparency when it comes to the members speaking their minds.

PictureHeatwave Approaches Critical Mass

Read here

September 15, 2008
– “With significant contributions to over 125 shipped titles on almost every platform imaginable, Billy is one of the most experienced and well liked Producers in the games business,” said Anthony Castoro, Heatwave’s President and Chief Creative Officer. “In addition to his strong reputation as an award-winning Producer and highly connected problem solver, Billy is committed to improving the overall game industry as evidenced by his active mentorship and participation in various industry organizations both local and international.”

PictureGroup Report: Professionalizing Game Design

Read here

The Second Annual Game Design Think Tank – Project Horseshoe 2007
– Game design is, by some estimation, a full century behind other aspects of design. How can we define the designer’s role, standardize the expectations and necessary skill sets, and provide a framework for developing future designers to a professional standard?

PictureMobile Gaming at MobileMonday Austin was a great session

Read here

Sept 20, 2007
– Last MobileMonday Austin event on mobile gaming was a great one — Billy Cain (of Critical Mass Interactive) covered the life-cycle of mobile gaming, from conception, to development, to publishing.

PicturePodcast: Developers are from Jupiter, Marketers are from Saturn: Learn the Secret Codes for Working with a Marketing Team

Listen here 

March 2005 – The GDC 2005 lecture featuring April Jones from Arctic Light and Billy Cain from Critical Mass Interactive, and focused on the crucial issue of developer/marketing interaction.

“How many times have you been irritated by last minute marketing requests during crunch time? With hundreds of games released every year, a good marketing team and plan is essential for the success of any game.

However, there is a pervasive communication gap between marketing and development teams that often borders on hostile. This lecture pairs a veteran developer with a veteran marketer (a ‘thorn in the side of developers including Red Storm Entertainment, Ubi Soft Entertainment, and Funcom’) to hash out a checklist of things developers should count on or discuss with marketing for every project.

Listeners will receive a better understanding of the key things they can always count on from marketing teams. This information will put developers in a better position to control and understand the needs from either in-house or external marketing groups.”

You can directly download the ‘Developers Are From Jupiter, Marketers Are From Saturn’ GDC Radio panel here (.MP3, 13.8 MB). 

PictureFull Sail Welcomes Game Developer Billy Cain

Read here

April 23, 2004
– Videogame developer Billy Cain, Vice President of Critical Mass Interactive, will be the featured guest for the latest Artist Series event being held at Full Sail’’s main campus on Friday, April 23rd. Produced by Full Sail’s School of Game Design & Development, this event is a chance for students to interact with a veteran game industry executive. The Artist Series will begin at 7:00pm.

PictureCritical Mass Completes “USAF: Air Dominance” Military Action Flight Simulator

Read here

Fri, Nov 12, 2004
– “Based on the success of other `serious’ games, `America’s Army’ in particular, we are really excited to see how the public will react to our incarnation,” said CMI VP of Development Billy Cain. “From the very beginning, it was our intent to both create a compelling experience while maintaining the educational value of the product.”

PictureGaming Studio Regroups and Opens as BigSky Interactive

Read here

Shutdown of parent company prompts creation of startup
July, 2002
 – The shutdown of French electonic game publisher Kalisto Entertainment forced a local development studio to chart a new course. When Kalisto closed in April after being unable to make payroll, employees of its Round Rock-based studio were left to form their own company and renegotiate contracts to maintain business.

Stretch Williams, head of Kalisto’s local studio, Kalisto Entertainment USA Inc., formed a company called BigSky Interactive Inc., where he is president and CEO. The company, founded in May, just finished the delicate process of reworking business contracts. “The transition was fine on a day-to-day point of view. People went home on their last day at Kalisto and came back for their first day at BigSky,” Williams says. “For me, it was very stressful, but I tried to shield the people in the company from that.” Williams says all 30 people employed by Kalisto Entertainment USA now work at BigSky. The big challenge: Fortifying business deals with Kalisto customer THQ Inc.

PictureCrimson Order Interview: Producer Billy Cain answers a few questions about Kinesoft’s upcoming squad based strategy game

Read here

December 21, 2000
– One of the surprise showings at this past E3 was by a newcomer into the development game called Kinesoft. They showed the two games that are under development at the moment and one of them was a science fiction squad based tactical strategy game (boy that was a mouthful) called Crimson Order.

PictureMagelords/Crimson Order Interview

Read here

2000 
– Billy Cain (Producer, Crimson Order): Crimson Order has been in development (with a programming team) for a little over a year now. There was a fair amount of time before that spent on pre-production, design, etc., but for simplicity’s sake, a little more than a year.

Watch Videos: Interviews / Promotional / Gameplay

PBJ Learning: Human Trafficking Essentials Online Certificate Course

Human Trafficking Essentials 
Online Human Trafficking Prevention Certificate Course

You may be curious about human trafficking, you may be required to take training for your job or school, or you may be looking for contact hours of education as Continuing Education Units (CEU or CEC).

This course is far beyond a typical PowerPoint presentation. You truly get involved through your phone or computer browser. Multiple forms of teaching, critical thinking, and interactivity are incorporated to make the course interesting and informative for all students.

​Beginning with a pressure-free assessment to gauge your improvement, there is over 30 minutes of video alongside 90 minutes of relatable lessons. Real-life stories, definitions, and statistics are brought to life through multiple interactive activities. It is victim-centered, research-based, and has measurable learning outcomes.

Radical Empathy Education Foundation TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2)

February 2020 – Radical Empathy demonstrated their Virtual Reality experience, TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, at A 2nd Cup, in Houston Texas.

​Houston Police Human Trafficking Unit Lieutenant Angela M. Merritt spent a few minutes describing how ONE GENERATION™ can help open adult minds to this epidemic. (Complete transcription in video.)

Lt. Merritt shared her thoughts on the story itself as well as who could benefit from this teaching tool. Lt. Merritt answers the following questions: – Can a “story” be realistic enough to learn how someone else’s life “feels?” – What makes this teaching resource so powerful? – Beyond public schools, what kinds of groups would benefit from this type of training?

​Culture Shock – Day by Day, from “Where Is The Shame?” (Bass, Video Editor)

April 2019 – It’s more from my old band! Whoo! Premiere isn’t easy! 🙂

Culture Shock was a melodic metal band in Austin, Texas from 1989 – 1992. 

Culture Shock frequently played in Austin at The Backroom and Steamboat (both defunct), and they also played in Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. In 1990, they won a “Battle of the Bands” at Cheatham Street Warehouse, with judges from the local music industry, including one of the leaders of 93.7 KLBJ, the main hard rock/AOR station in Austin. Their music was available at Waterloo Records, Austin’s premiere “record store” at the time. KLBJ featured them on their “Local Licks” program, as well as performed live interviews.

​Culture Shock – Double Talk, from “Where Is The Shame?” (Bass, Video Editor)

April 2019 – I made this. Yep! My first attempt at using Premiere. It’s my old band!

Culture Shock was a melodic metal band in Austin, Texas from 1989 – 1992. 

Culture Shock frequently played in Austin at The Backroom and Steamboat (both defunct), and they also played in Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. In 1990, they won a “Battle of the Bands” at Cheatham Street Warehouse, with judges from the local music industry, including one of the leaders of 93.7 KLBJ, the main hard rock/AOR station in Austin. Their music was available at Waterloo Records, Austin’s premiere “record store” at the time. KLBJ featured them on their “Local Licks” program, as well as performed live interviews.

San Diego School Uses One Generation From Radical Empathy to Fight Human Trafficking

October 2018 – If sex trafficking was happening in front of you, would you know it? Many experts say the signs can be subtle. “They can be simple, like you might see a friend getting a lot of gifts or they might have an older boyfriend,” said Billy Joe Cain, President of the Radical Empathy Education Foundation. His non-profit uses virtual reality headsets to teach students signs to look out for. Cain was at SIATech Charter High School in Oceanside Thursday, showing school administrators the technology. “I think students are going to be shocked,” said Principal Greg Cohen. “I think they won’t know this is happening in their communities, let alone all of our communities.”

“Virtually Caring” PBS Features Virtual Reality Experience Created to Stop Child Exploitation

March 2018 – Researchers and game designers are just beginning to dig into the potential of virtual reality technology. But the Radical Empathy Education Foundation is using this new frontier for a specific mission: raising awareness about human trafficking. PBS Features Virtual Reality Experience Created to Stop Child Exploitation KLRU’s Decibel to Showcase VR Experience TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story from Radical Empathy Education Foundation

Raising Awareness About Human Trafficking Fox 7 News Austin

March 2018 – TRAPPED is being showcased on FOX 7’s Good Day Austin morning show on March 7th at 7:20 am. It is a virtual experience made to change your perspective about how to recognize a victim of human trafficking. It is an additional tool to educate middle and high schoolers about this very real issue facing everyone across the globe.

“Knowing how to identify a victim could save their life, and we want you to have a lasting empathetic experience when you are learning these signs,” says Billy Joe Cain, President of Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF). “When people care about something, they remember it much longer. We are giving them the tools to stop exploitation.”

Virtual Reality offered to Fight Ugly Reality of Human Trafficking Fox 7 Austin KTBC

January 2018 – The focus is not just on the predators. State lawmakers Tuesday were also given a chance to better understand the victims of Human Trafficking. It involved taking a step into Virtual Reality. A demonstration took place in the Capitol Extension. State Rep. Tony Tinderholt was one of the first to put on the VR head gear. “You know its eye opening to see the triggers to make children potentially want to do this, things you’d never think of,’ said Tinderholt. The Arlington Republican wants other lawmakers to put on the head gear. “I’m absolutely going to talk about this upstairs,’ said Tinderholt.

VR Metaverse – All sections, Fan Video (Oculus Rift, 2016)

January 2016 – VR Metaverse combines 6 original Meta 3D Studios’ Virtual Reality experiences on Oculus. Learn more here.

Billy Joe Cain Interview – Big Box PC Game Collectors VidCast

April 3, 2016 – The Big Box PC Game Collectors are excited to present our special guest Billy Joe Cain. Billy has worked on several games, including Abuse, (during his time at Origin Systems) Ultima VII for the SNES, Ultima Savage Empire on the SNES, the unreleased Wing Commander II for SNES, Wing Commander Prophecy, and more!

History Channel / A&E’s ​Ancient Aliens (Facebook, 2015)

February 2015 – Ancient Aliens allows you to go back in time and build your own world in ancient Egypt. I directed in-game cutscenes and created a video commercial for History Channel.

History Channel / A&E’s Porta Pilots Commercial (Video / Audio Editing, 2015)

​2015 – Porta-Pilots. Due to our successful work on Ancient Aliens, A+E invited us to create their sizzle video for their online advertising for Porta-Pilots, a group of kids that use a Porta Potty to travel through time. Really. We captured video, edited it together, added motion graphics, and provided a completed video for their use. (Video, online), 2015

Grumpy Old Developers IGDA Austin Talk at Mister Tramps on 11/11/14

November 1, 2014 – IGDA-Austin’s Speaker Series. We got a bunch of older developers in a room, asked them questions, and then made fun of them. Well, maybe not but the discussion was lively. And I think it was a good time for the attendees, too. You’ll just have to watch and see for yourself!

Featuring, from left, Billy Joe Cain, Kevin Gliner, Sheri Graner Ray, Mike McShaffry, Gordon Walton and John Henderson. Filmed live at Mister Tramps in north Austin, Nov. 1, 2014 as part of IGDA-Austin’s Speaker Series.

I’m on the far left of the table in front of the screen. Thanks to John Henderson and Mister Tramps for making this happen!

Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded Kickstarter (Mobile / Tablet / PC / Android / iOS / Mac / Linux, 2013)

Mar 30, 2013 – Served as the Chief “Happy Ending” Officer on Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded, ensuring all versions of the game were completed and put in the right places. Lots of plates were in need of spinning, desperately. Larry was a Kickstarter game that hit its funding level AND shipped! YES!

2012 Rise of the Indies: Interviewer

Dec 13, 2012 – I was the interviewer off camera and behind the scenes. Read more!

After working together on Star Wars: The Old Republic for half a decade Alex Thomas, Arnie Jorgensen, and John Watson decided to strike out on their own to open Stoic Studio in Austin, Texas. Developing their dream game, The Banner Saga.

Stay Sane Inside Insanity: Identifying Toxic Game Development Environments

September 7, 2012 – IGDA-Austin Microtalks, Billy Joe Cain, 9/7/12. From the YouTube “about” section: ‘Given the chance to talk about game development for 10 minutes, Billy Joe Cain decided to examine some of the worst practices that have followed him in his 25-plus years in the industry, and about the awful effect it has on teams, projects and people’s lives. He had a lot of material on the subject, and went for closer to 15 minutes. Still great stuff.’ PowerPoint available here.

HARMONIX Comes Over to Play ROCK BAND

March 30, 2010 – During SXSW Interactive 2010, Harmonix came over to my house to play Rock Band!!!!

The Harmonix Community Team came out in full force to rock SXSW in Austin, TX. We had a huge Rock Band Network presence at the festival and got to talk to tons of bands about getting songs in the Network.

SXSWi: Sneaky Games’ Unveil Fantasy Kingdoms and Strife of Sevens Facebook (Flash Facebook, 2010)

March 29, 2010 – Sneaky Games’ debut at South by Southwest Interactive in 2010 included an interview by Miles from Video Game Hour Live. 

Miles checks out the future of Facebook gaming with Sneaky Games’ two newest projects, Fantasy Kingdoms and Strife of Sevens.

Andrea Humphrey and I describe the games and where we’re taking them. This was the first time these were shown in public.

“MyPyramid Café” Public Service Announcement (Animation, 2009)

2009 – Created to promote healthy eating to Texas school children for the Texas Dept. of Agriculture

2008 Game Developers’ Conference: Rock Band Party!

Sept 15th, 2008 – Heatwave let me put together a ridiculous Rock Band party! “Heatwave Interactive had a massive party at the Austin Game Developers Conference. Hosted by Jessica Chobot and featuring an open bar as well as Rock Band and Rock Band 2 exhibitions, a blast was had by all!”

Shoot ’em Poker Mobile (BREW® and JAVA® Mobile, 2007)

2007 – Best Direction came to Critical Mass Interactive to build out Shoot ’em Poker, a unique mobile game that has a unique twist on poker. Take a look!

Crunch Time with Pixel and Vega (PC, Casual, Match 3, 2007)

2007 – Crunch Time with Pixel and Vega. VMC Game Labs came to Critical Mass Interactive looking for a marketing game. This epic, “not just another match three game” follows the adventures of Pixel and Vega while they are testing the newest MMO. Innovative rotational interface and HUGE story complement the 20 minutes of original music and sound effects. Find out if they can take out the final boss!

Crunch Time is a freeware match-3 game with an innovative story based mechanic. Crunch Time was made by Tandem Games and is powered by the Torque Game Builder engine. It is a finalist in the in the Intel 2008 Game Demo Contest, selected as one of the top 10 games from over 350 entries submitted. 

A great article with the development team can be found here.

2007 Digital Leadership Initiative / GameCamp!

May 2, 2007 – GameCamp! is a career and college preparatory summer intensive program for middle and high school students aged 10 to 17. I serve as a GameCamp! Adviser, Lab Leader, Mentor.

Jaws Unleashed (PlayStation 2 Xbox, Microsoft Windows, 2006)

2006 – Jaws Unleashed. Critical Mass Interactive designed, built and tested the first few levels to make it more acceptable for the game market.

Nickelodeon’s Kid Choice Game of the Year: SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman (PlayStation 2 / GameCube, 2002)

September 10, 2002 – Served as Exec. Producer at BigSky Interactive for THQ. I didn’t know much about SpongeBob when I started, and ended up loving him!

Best Action/Simulation of the Year: Wing Commander: Prophecy (PC, 1997, 1998)

November 30, 1997 – Lead Designer
​Wing Commander Prophecy pushed the cutting edge of technology with 3D acelerator cards. The game was designed for the 3dfx Glide technology which is no longer prominent, its use of 3d hardware makes it stand out in the graphics department many years after its release. The cinematic storyline focuses on young Lieutenant Lance Casey aboard the newly commissioned TCS Midway. Commodore Blair is overseeing the ship’s maiden voyage when strange signals are detected from the Kilrah System. An alien fleet is pouring out of an artificial jump gate and seems to be fulfilling a Kilrathi prophecy about the end of the universe. Casey and company must halt the invasion force and learn more about their enemy to counter future incursions.

Learn more on this phenomenal fan page here. They are the best!

  • “Space Sim of the Year” and “5 Star Review” – Computer Gaming World
  • “Best Action/Simulation of the Year” and “Best Graphics of the Year” – GameSpot
  • “Editor’s Choice Award” – PC Gamer
  • Finalist for “Computer Action Game of the Year” – Computer Games Magazine’s Interactive Achievement Awards

Abuse: Multiplayer (PC LAN, 1996)

February 29, 1996  – External Producer, shipped Abuse with multiplayer, a game editor with documentation, and an improved interface.

Rugby World Cup 1995 (Sega Genesis / Megadrive / PC, 1994)

1994 – Assistant Producer, data wrangler, and Quality Assurance. The official game of the 1995 IRB Rugby Union World Cup in South Africa. Featuring all 20 international teams that took part in the World Cup including the All Blacks of New Zealand and the Springboks of South Africa, as well as an EA All Stars team and a few other minor rugby nations. Read more here, on MobyGames.

Ultima: The Savage Empire Kyouryuu Teikoku Audio (SNES, 1995)

1995 – Lead Designer.

This is a fan recorded piece from the Super Famicom. Composed by Barry Leitch. 

Developed by Origin Systems, Inc.

Ultima: Savage Empire (SNES, 1995)

1995 – Lead Designer. Adaptation of PC version of Savage Empire.

Released in Japan.

​Developed by Origin Systems, Inc.

Ultima VII Black Gate (Super Nintendo Entertainment System / SNES, 1994)

November 1994 – Lead Designer. This is the intro for the SNES version.

Picture

Digital Leadership Initiative / GameCamp!
Teaching kids how to work on a transdisciplinary team by making video games.

As America and the world face social and economic challenges, vibrant leadership with remarkable potential is coming from the Gulf Coast.

Louisiana has some unique problems, ranking dead last in key categories such as health and education, with the nation’s highest rate of high school dropouts. The state also faces a skilled labor shortage of nearly 100,000 jobs, and leads the nation in out-migration, particularly of young professionals.

I just spent a week in “the heart of Cajun country”—Lafayette, Louisiana—where I watched diverse teams of talented young people transform before my eyes through an intensive training program led by 3D Squared, a nonprofit workforce development organization. The program focused on building a digital workforce steeped in one of the twenty-first century’s most marketable skills: creative collaboration.

 
Picture3D Squared is currently executing the Digital Technologies & Creative Processes Initiative, a program that promotes growth of the game development and digital media industries in Louisiana. Students in the program will work with the Metaplace toolset as they build game development skills and design games that address social and economic issues in Louisiana.
 

Picture3D Squared is currently executing the Digital Technologies & Creative Processes Initiative, a program that promotes growth of the game development and digital media industries in Louisiana. Students in the program will work with the Metaplace toolset as they build game development skills and design games that address social and economic issues in Louisiana.

“Our curriculum focuses on the core technical and collaboration skills required to work in today’s advanced software development environments. At the same time, we focus young people on thinking about the core social and economic problems where they live. Metaplace will allow us to be even more effective in helping middle-school and high school students become the collaborative software developers who will shape the world of tomorrow.”

 

PictureFrom an article in a Louisiana newspaper after the event: Our journey to LITE began in an Internet browser-based virtual environment called Metaplace. Simple to access, filled with small, innocuous avatars in an environment more evocative of Donkey Kong than Grand Theft Auto, Metaplace seemed ideal at first glance for educational purposes.

It was within Metaplace that we first met Joe Castille, the executive producer of a technology education group called 3D Squared, amid a square of landscaped green space. 3D Squared is a non-profit dedicated to “workforce development for the game and digital media industry” lead by Spencer Zuzolo an academic and game developer from Austin, Texas, who teaches game design.