Save the Date: Thomas Ellsworth's MFA thesis defense is April 22, 2024!
Thomas joined the Department of Design in 2021 in the Digital Animation and Interactive Media track. His areas of expertise include 2D/3D hybrid animation and animation pipelines. Thomas has worked professionally as a technical artist for the LDS motion pictures studio, had an R&D engineering internship at DreamWorks Animation and Pixar Animation Studios, and held the role of technical director at DreamWorks Animation.
Committee Members:
Scott Swearingen
Kyoung Swearingen
Maria Palazzi
Ruth Smith
Thesis Project Title:
Green Acres: An Approach to Endogenous Analog Game Design Around a Real-World Problem
Project Description:
An endogenous informational game is an educational game in which learning is not driven by learning outcomes but is instead embedded in the narrative, mechanics, and theme of the game. Thomas is applying iterative design to an interdisciplinary design process where the game designers are not specialists in land management practices. Instead, he is applies playtesting and participatory methods to engage with stakeholders, faculty and professionals in the field of land management. The primary outcome of the project will be an analog game (board game) about land management practices, situated in northern Ohio & the western Lake Erie basin. This game will seek to inform a general audience about sustainability issues in current systems of agriculture and water management
