Guest Speaker for 23 January 2013: Ian Verchere

Hello Colleagues,

In preparation for our guest lecture on Wednesday, 23 January 2013, here is some information on our guest speaker:

Ian Verchere is the co-founder and Chief Creative of the Vancouver-based video game production and development company Roadhouse Interactive.  Founded in 2009, Roadhouse specializes in games developed for browsers, social media, and mobile platforms and is currently developing Family Guy Online and MechWarrior: Tactics.

Ian has an interesting and varied past.  He was a professional downhill ski racer and coach in the early days of Whistler, an experience which let him to author the book V0N 1B0: General Delivery Whistler, BC.   Following an injury that ended his skiing career, he graduated with honours from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 1989.  He has founded video games companies, such as Radical Entertainment and Roundhouse Interactive, and worked on a wide variety of games, including SSX Tricky and NBA Street V.2 for Electronic Arts and the Sega Genesis title Beavis and Butt-head for MTV.  Ian has also co-authored a feature film screenplay with Douglas Coupland, which was sold to Disney.

The following GameZebo interview with Ian has a great overview of his history in game development and his involvement in the Family Guy project:

GameZebo: Ian Verchere talks Family Guy Online [interview]

Enjoy!

Brendan & Geoff