About James:
Quick Bio.
James St. Clair is a freelance game developer, web and mobile app developer, and serial entrepreneur. He has been paid to design and develop games since January 2008. If you are in need if a game designer and/or game developer, then James would love to hear from you! Read more about me below!
I'm a hired gun.
Hired gun? Yea, I am a hired gun for game design, game development, and web application development needs. I am your guy if you need help on one small portion, need to expand your team, or need a complete project. No project is too small and no project is too big; size doesn't matter.
Reticent Protocol
Company: Subharmonic Games
Role: Lead Programmer
Reticent Protocol is a metroidvania style game; check out the video!
Tasks: Game Design, Level Lighting, Character Controller, and various scripting.
Released: Alpha Demo
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git
Poptropica Worlds
Company: StoryArc Media
Role: Programmer
Poptropica is a virtual world in which kids explore and play in complete safety. Every month, millions of kids from around the world are entertained and informed by Poptropica's engaging quests, stories, and games.
Kids create a "Poptropican" character to travel the many Islands of Poptropica and use gaming literacy to enjoy a narrative that is often rooted in factual history. Problem-solving skills are honed as kids discover and solve mysteries unique to each Island.
There are always new areas to explore in this ever-expanding world where kids can collect objects, read digital books and comics, watch movies, and compete in head-to-head competition. Parents can always trust that their children are playing-and learning-in a safe, online environment.
Tasks: UI Implementation (Character Selection and Menu) and Bug Smashing.
Released: 2017
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git
Egg Dog
Company:
Role: Lead Programmer
Egg Dog is a cute children's game focused on helping children learn basic language and dietary knowledge. Egg Dog is the cute puppy and the child's goal is to take care of the puppy.
The client delievered large Photoshop files, which had to be exported in correct image sizes and formats. Unity's UI Builder was used and C# scripts connected everything together.
Releasing: Saddly funding was not achieved.
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git, Photoshop
Networking Tutorial
Company: James' Students
Role: Instructor at NRCC
This was created to show students how to make a basic tank game with turning, moving, and firing projectiles. Also teach students how to connect the game to local networked play with health and death. Great advanced game leason.
Released: 2017
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git, Photoshop, UNET api
Crystals of Fate
Company: Hard Mode Entertainment, Inc
Role: Lead Programmer
RPG meets TCG innovative game experience that prompts players to choose from 1 of 3 faction campaign stories. Each campaign has unique characters, a different perspective of story and surroundings. Each of the different world map areas is different, unique capital cities, dungeons and increasing challenges as players advance.
Choose from hundreds of different abilities unique to the characters you acquire, leveling up and learning different abilities depending on the rank of the character/unit. Enhance your units one step further by acquiring powerful equipment to boost them further.
Released: Alpha Demo. Client Funding Issue.
Client failed to secure funding. :(
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git
Last Stand
Company: Golden Fish Entertainment, LLC
Role: Project Manager, Game Designer, Programmer, AI
Last Stand is a 2D top down, pixel art style game where the player fights for survival to last as long as possible. The game will be set in a sci-fi setting with sci-fi enemies. The player must shoot and use deployables to kill the enemies in order to survive the levels.
Worked with the client to make a clear game design document out of a basic overview of the idea of the game, hire a freelance artist and composer, manage the indepentent contracters to meet milestones and stay on budget, and completely program the game from scratch.
Released: December 2015
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git
Neon Town
Company: Treneon
Role: Freelance Game Programmer
Neon Town is a game sought to revive the spirit of old school action games in a top down format while focusing on what made those games best, the challenging and rewarding boss battles. In the game, the player is dropped inside an unknown Transylvanian town, one which never sees daylight and illuminated by nothing other than a vast colorful landscape of neon lights. The town is stuck in purgatory, as the player tries to escape they must defeat 12 challenging bosses in their way with up to 14 different upgradable weapons.
Worked as a freelance 2D game programmer for Treneon's upcoming game Neon Town. I created highly dynamic and highly universial scripts for key elements of the game while also delievering clear documentation on how to use them.
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git
Bigger In Texas
Company: Personal Project
Role: Game Design, Programmer, AI
Bigger in Texas is a 2D southern adventure. Throughout the game you'll visit a variety of people and places all in effort to discover the whereabouts of your precious hat and the man who stole it. We hope that you'll enjoy Bigger in Texas and appreciate all purchases and donations that we receive. Feel free to contact us at one of the sites listed. We will do our best to respond and stay updated.
Releasing: Cancelled (lost artist)
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git
Gratus
Company: Lonely Monster Games. (Co-Founder)
Role: Game Design, Programmer, AI, UX
Gratus is a planetary defense game that blends elements of planning, tower defense, and resource management to create a unique mix of action and strategy.
Your galaxy is dying. Survival is the goal, but not guaranteed. Meteor storms, imploding stars, solar flares, and scavenging space pirates have placed your home on the brink of annihilation. Mine resources from nearby planets, moons, and asteroids and collect salvage from derelict vessels. Use the resources to defend your planet and ensure the safety of the population!
Keep an eye on our Devblog for updates on the game’s progress including music, concept art, and details on the design!
Releasing: On Hold
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git, Asana
Aesop's Quest
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Project Lead, Programming Inspector
Aesop's Quest, based on Aesop's Fables, is a learning game where the player must remember elements of a story to complete a level. The game uses reading comprehension to develop cognitive reading skills. The touch mechanic of the game engages children in a hands-on learning process, implementing kinesthetic learning.
Released: July 2016
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Interns used Unity3D (C#) and Photoshop
Boy and Pup
Company: Lonely Monster Games. (Co-Founder)
Role: Game Design, Programmer, AI, UX
WINNER OF THE MAY 2014 GOTCHOSEN DEVELOPER CONTEST!!!
A boy. A pup. A Haunted House. Navigate room after room of ghostly puzzles in this haunted manor to rescue your frightened puppy! Featuring an original soundtrack, charming artwork, and engaging levels that increase in difficulty until the game’s dramatic conclusion!
Features:
-Timing is key! Each room requires precision to survive and progress!
-Simple touch controls that let you plan your path through each level!
-Music, sound effects, and art combine to make an atmospheric puzzle game like no other!
Released: December 2013
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), Git, Asana
Mathanauts
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Project Lead, Programming Inspector
Help the math-A-nauts defend the galaxy against the hyper galactic dust bunnies in this epic space adventure and earn points as you vacuum up the menacing dust bunnies.
Start your adventure by choosing a math-A-naut. Once chosen you will begin your mission using your epic math skills to defend the planets.
Earn points when you select a dust bunny with the correct solution, in doing so they will disappear… WATCH OUT!! When you select the bunny with the incorrect solution another will spawn. Selecting the wrong bunny too many times will overwhelm you, ending in defeat against the dusty menace. By continuing to select the correct bunny, you will rid the planet of the dust bunnies.
math-A-nauts is a space themed math game designed to help children and young students practice addition and subtraction. This educational game captivates the player by using tap gestures to solve problems. The game incorporates both one and two digit number equations in order to improve a student’s math skills.
Released: Summer 2015
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Interns used Unity3D (C#) and Photoshop
Same Sound Express
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Game Design, Programmer, AI
Same Sound Express is an adventure designed to help the player understand homophones. You begin your adventure choosing to play as a boy or girl character. In this lesson, the player must correctly identify the homophone which best completes the puzzle sentence.
The game incorporates learning synonyms based upon excerpts from grade-appropriate reading materials.
Released: January 2015
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Unity3D (C#), xml
Galactic Adventures Arithmetic Saga
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Project Lead, Programming Inspector
A learning based science fiction/fantasy game designed to help 3rd and 4th grade students become better at arithmetic. The player is the hero trying to save his or her planet by piloting missions through space. The gameplay is fast paced so the player may quickly solve problem after problem. There is a fun story appropriate for all ages and an in-game rewards system involving score, rank and cash for upgrades.
Releasing: Summer 2015
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Interns used GameMaker Studio and Photoshop.
Galactic Adventures Algebra Saga
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Project Lead, Programming Inspector
A learning based science fiction/fantasy game designed to help 5th grade and higher students become better at algebra. The player is the hero trying to save his or her planet by piloting missions through space. The gameplay is fast paced so the player may quickly solve problem after problem. There is a fun story appropriate for all ages and an in-game rewards system involving score, rank and cash for upgrades.
Released: Summer 2015
Tech\Tools: Interns used GameMaker Studio and Photoshop.
Rescue Runner
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Project Lead, Programming Inspector
This game was made by NRCC Games Studo interns. As part of the internship, interns are required to brainstorm a game idea based on Virginia SOLs, pitch the idea, construct a GDD, storyboard, code, and submit to the Apple App Store in 14 weeks.
Rescue Runner is a free-running platform game which uses algebra in a fun way.
Anderson and Phoebe have been captured by the dreaded space pirate, Roland Riggs. Using their amazing skills with mathematics, they were able to hack their cell door open. Help Anderson and Phoebe by maneuvering your way over the many platforms and levels of the ship to reach the cell doors of fellow prisoners. Use your algebraic knowledge to hack open their cell doors. Finally make your way to the last escape pod to win the game!
Released: July 2014
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Interns used GameMaker Studio and Photoshop.
Math Reel
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Project Lead, Programming Inspector
This game was made by NRCC Games Studo interns. As part of the internship, interns are required to brainstorm a game idea based on Virginia SOLs, pitch the idea, construct a GDD, storyboard, code, and submit to the Apple App Store in 14 weeks.
Math Reel is an educational game focused around learning and improving math skills. It does this by combining the fun of a fishing game with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The game play features an evolving difficulty including five different kinds of fish that uniquely affect the game. If striving for the highest score isn't for you the game also includes a trophy system, so you always have something to work for.
Released: Juluy 2014
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Interns used GameMaker Studio and Photoshop.
Updated Old Projects for iOS 7/8
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Update code and graphics.
At NRCC Games Studio, my role is Project Lead - Programmer. As Project Lead, I am responsable for managing intern programmers and teaching game documentation, design, and development. Other responsibilities include updating and developing educational games for a variety of clients, including PBS Kids.
Released: 2013-2016
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), xml
Cafe Boss
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Game Design, Programmer, AI
Cafe Boss needs you to operate the cafe so that it can earn a profit. Learn the forms of payments and cash in on your earnings to buy new equipment for the shop.
Café Boss is a game based on financial literacy where the player must earn points through café item sales to gain money and equipment. The game uses math and reading comprehension to develop financial literacy skills. The touch mechanic of the game engages children and teenagers in a hands-on learning process, implementing kinesthetic learning.
The game incorporates math comprehension attuned to the particular grade level, based upon excerpts from grade-appropriate SOL math materials and Economic Personal Finance objectives.
Sponsored by: Freedom First and American National Banking & Trust
Cafe Boss is brought to you by BizKids.
Released: Feburary 2012
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), Cocos2D, xml, Git
Ratio Racer
Company: NRCC Games Studio.
Role: Game Design, Programming Consultant
Race across a futuristic world while solving challenging fraction problems. Earn new cars and new tracks while learning how to solve fractions.
Ratio Racer is a game based on the elements of simple and complex fractions where the player must quickly solve math problems in order to advance levels. The game uses math comprehension to develop cognitive math skills. The touch mechanic of the game engages children in a hands-on learning process, implementing kinesthetic learning.
The game incorporates math comprehension attuned to the particular grade level, based upon excerpts from grade-appropriate math materials.
Released: September 2012
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: Corona SDK, xml
Cell Defender
Company: Radford University GAMeSLab.
Role: Quiz Programming, GameCenter Programming
Welcome to Cell Defender! In this game, you are a kid whose father is a world famous nanotechnologist. Your dad has invented a series of nanobots and then accidently infected the family dog, Albert, in an experiment gone wrong! Instead of his usual frisky self, Albert is lethargic and feeling very sick. Your mission is to command one of your father’s nanobots inside of Albert and fight off the dangerous nanobots to restore your poor dog’s cells to health. Good luck!
The Virginia Standards of Learning targeted are:
LS.2 The student will investigate and understand that all living things are composed of cells. Key concepts include cell structure and organelles.
Released: October 2011
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), Cocos2D, json, Git
Brain Flash
Company: Radford University GAMeSLab in collaboration with WHRO.
Role: Game Design, Programmer
Brain Flash is brought to you by WHRO. Brain Flash is a timed trivia game designed around Virginia Standards of Learning. This trivia game is based on oceanography, physics, and parts of an atom.
Compete with friends, family, and the GameCenter community by having the most correct answers in a row!
Brain Flash is brought to you by WHRO.
Released: July 2011
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), json, Git
Disaster Chasers
Company: Radford University GAMeSLab in collaboration with WHRO.
Role: Game Design, Programmer, Artist
Become a master of disaster by chasing and responding to disasters around the world. Compete against your friends by beating their score on the leaderboard, and gain bragging rights as the master of disaster.
Disaster Chasers is brought to you by WHRO.
Released: February 2011
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), Cocos2D, xml, Git
Zeppelin Adventures
Company: Radford University GAMeSLab in collaboration with WHRO.
Role: Game Design, Programmer
You are traveling through history in a zeppelin and will encounter different people from different time periods and different locations. Talk with the people and see what they have to say, you might just learn something. Some of the people are not in the correct time period or location, so bring them aboard your zeppelin and fly them to the correct location. When you are complete, then open the settings menu and check how accurate you are.
Zeppelin Adventures is brought to you by WHRO.
Released: Summer 2010
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), Cocos2D, xml, Git
Sticker Shop
Company: Radford University GAMeSLab.
Role: Game Design, Programmer
Come into the Sticker Shop to buy some really cool stickers while learning how to count coins! Sticker Shop aligns with the following Virginia Standards of Learning: Math K.7, 1.7, 2.1. Sticker Shop also aligns with the following Common Core standard: CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.C.8
This game is made possible with an Enhancing Education Through Technology competitive grant from the Virginia Department of Education.
Released: February 2010
The grant funding has ended and may not be updated.
Tech\Tools: XCode (Objective-C), Cocos2D, xml, Git
Bio:
Hi. I am James. I graduated from Radford University in 2010 obtaining a B.S. with concentrations in software engineering and database design. January 2009, I received the unique opportunity to work on a Virginia Department of Education grant which studied the use of mobile educational games as a secondary tool for children to enhance their learning. We were RU GAMeS Lab. The games my team and I designed and developed used the Virginia Standards of Learning guidelines to help generate the core educational mechanics.
I was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, my last year at Radford University. I began working on a game plan to create a bootstrapped startup company, this company was created to offer web application development, consulting, and game development. While the company was successful, I wanted to primarily focus on game design and development. I decided to limit my web application development and start an independent games studio with my dear friends called Lonely Monster Games. Company number 2 for those who are counting, but more on that later.
September 2010, I obtained a job designing and developing mobile educational games at New River Community College. The work I do there was essentially the same as that at the RU GAMeS Lab. My other role was to help the student workers understand game design and game development as well as update old projects as iOS released new versions. As the budget began to deplete, there was a need to change the business model. Side note, the director was so open for ideas that it made me feel like it was my own business. My coworker, Heather, and I developed an internship model where we teach student interns about game design, development, and publishing. Heather became Co-Project Lead and Art Director, and I became Co-Project Lead and Lead Programmer. An article was published on July 26, 2015 about the program.
Summer 2017, I was invited to do three summer camps for local middle and high school students, which focused on game design and development. First was a 30+ boy and girl camp with the Southwest Virginia Governor's School that focused on the Intro to Video Game Design. The other two, back again, was a 40+ girl camp called CyberGen Cyber Ninja Day Camp and Cyber Ninja Advanced Camp that focused on game design and development. The girls experience virtual reality (VR) with the Oculus Rift and discussed the possible limitations when designing for VR. Discuss the different types of hacking and shown some real life examples. Also, they were introduced to the processes of game design by playing the dice game "Haunted Room" and then adding additional rules to enhance gameplay. At the end of the week, every attendee created a game on their own to present to their parents.
Summer 2016, I was invited to teach at the "Cyber Ninja Day Camp" and back to the "Girls Get IT" summer camp to teach 40+ middle school and high school girls game design and development. This year, we let the girls experience virtual reality (VR) with the Oculus Rift and discussed the possible limitations when designing for VR. The girls were then introduced to the processes of game design by playing the card game "War" and then adding additional rules to enhance gameplay. At the end of the week, every attendee created a game on their own to present to their parents. Read more about the camp here, and also here.
Summer 2015, I wes invited to teach 45 middle school and high school girls game development for a "Girls Get IT" summer camp. During the camp, every attendee created a game on their own. By the end of the camp, almost every group (2-3 girls per group) had created their own game to present to their parents. Read more about the camp here, and view some pictures from the camp here.
Lonely Monster Games is an independent (indie) games studio, which I co-founded with Heather Walters and her brother, Jake Walters. We released our first game, Boy and Pup, on several mobile marketplaces in December 2013. We competed in the #TagJam10 with the title BRO-ccoli which can be found at www.lonelymonstergames.com or on twitter @lon_mon_games. We are also working on a title, Gratus, which can also be found on our site. We unfortunately have limited time to work on our titles.