Copperhead: Retaliation

My first complete game project was Copperhead: Retaliation, which I developed during college. This total conversion mod for Dungeon Siege represented the first time I comprehensively understood the elements required to create a game. I handled every aspect myself: the story, characters, weapons, enemies, animations, and environment models. The project served as my final college endeavor, culminating in my Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Video Game Art and Design.

Mastering the Technology

I created the assets using GMAX, a tool that no longer exists. GMAX was Autodesk's free, stripped-down version of 3ds Max (lacking a renderer) intended to encourage game companies to adopt the software for modding purposes. Although it never gained widespread adoption and has since been supplanted by Blender, it represented an intriguing experiment at the time. Having already used 3ds Max in my coursework, I found GMAX familiar and comfortable. Through this project, I produced my first gameplay animations, including a character run cycle as well as shooting and healing sequences.

Level design utilized the Dungeon Siege editor, which relied on modular tile sets of terrain pieces designed to align seamlessly, supplemented by individually placed assets. I developed several custom tile sets to enable unique outpost configurations that integrated effectively.

Collaboration with Gas Powered Games

Beyond the technical learning, the most rewarding element of the project was the opportunity to communicate directly with developers at Gas Powered Games. They patiently explained their game engine and underlying systems. The company's dedicated community team provided substantial support to modders, enabling many impressive creations.

Attending My First E3

After sharing regular updates on the mod and engaging with the community at Planet Dungeon Siege (part of FilePlanet and GameSpy), members began inquiring whether I planned to attend E3. At that time, securing tickets, even as a student, was challenging and costly. Unexpectedly, the HR department at Gas Powered Games extended an official pass as part of their team, granting me access to my first E3. There, I presented the work-in-progress version of Copperhead: Retaliation to the Planet Dungeon Siege group.

The Beginning of My Career

June 18, 2003, marked both my graduation from the Art Institute of Phoenix and the official launch of Copperhead: Retaliation. The mod garnered more than 80,000 downloads along with highly positive reviews. This project, and the portfolio pieces it produced, directly led to my first professional position in the game industry.

Following the release, the mod's website experienced such intense traffic that I incurred an additional $80 in bandwidth charges beyond my standard monthly fee. Thus, my entry into the video game industry involved shipping a game and losing $80, an expense I consider the most worthwhile investment I have ever made. I have never looked back since. I remain deeply grateful to Gas Powered Games, Planet Dungeon Siege, FilePlanet, and the many others who contributed to the successful completion and release of my first game.