From Animation Student to Full-Stack Game Developer
I was still in college when this journey formally began, though my passion for 3D started even earlier, I studied digital animation at LCI Veritas (known as “Veritas” back then) because I was fascinated by computer graphics. Most of my classmates in digital animation focused on film, storyboards, cameras, and linear storytelling. But I felt drawn to something different: interaction. I didn’t just want to create motion; I wanted systems, reactions, something that lived and responded to input.
For my graduation thesis, I took a big risk by building my entire final project inside a real-time game engine (unity). At the time, no one at the school had done that before. Real-time tools weren’t part of the curriculum, so I had to teach myself much of what I needed. It was a grind but also thrilling. When I finally presented, I wasn’t showing a film, I was showing a playable experience.
That decision didn’t just define my thesis, it set my direction. It was the moment I realized I wanted to build worlds, not just scenes; to create things people could explore, touch, and change. Eventually, other students began following that path too. Interactive media had arrived.
My First Game Job
After graduating, I jumped into game development full-time. My first real industry role was on a highly ambitious indie title, where I served as Art Director. It was a small team with big vision. I helped build the production pipeline, defined much of the visual tone, and shaped early creative direction, while also contributing across modeling, rigging, environment work, and more.
It was a formative experience. I learned a lot about teamwork, iteration, and aligning vision with reality. But over time, things shifted. The project got stuck in a loop, chasing polish over progress. Feedback spiraled, goals drifted, and eventually, I had to face a hard truth: it wasn’t going anywhere. Despite the effort and emotion I’d invested, I walked away. It’s now been over a decade, and the game still hasn’t shipped.
That experience taught me something that’s shaped my career ever since: finished is better than perfect. We don’t grow by endlessly tweaking; we grow by releasing, putting work into the world and learning from what comes next.
Learning Across the Stack
Since then, I’ve worked in games professionally, both locally and remotely almost nonstop. My roles have never stayed in one box. I’ve handled full art pipelines (modeling, rigging, texturing, animation), built gameplay systems, coded UI flows, managed environment and lighting, tested builds, and even worked on trailers and promotional assets.
I don’t think in terms of ‘art vs. code’ anymore. I see it all as one giant toolbox, full of different ways to solve problems. If it helps the project, I’ll do it, whether that means writing a shader, sculpting a model, or tweaking gameplay systems and I genuinely enjoy the variety that comes with it.
Marbles, and a Side Chapter at Fair Play Labs
One of the most defining experiences in my career has been working on Marbles on Stream, a physics-based racing and streaming game that continues to thrive on Twitch nearly seven years after I joined. When I joined the project, there were no proper 3D assets; everything was just placeholders, and the team didn’t have a dedicated 3D artist. I helped define and develop the game’s 3D style, shaping how the pieces evolved visually from rough concepts to polished, playable assets.
Beyond art, I got involved in programming physics systems, designing gameplay levels, and contributing ideas for interactive elements. As the lead 3D artist, I worked closely with a talented team across all areas to maintain and expand the game. Today, my role focuses on ongoing maintenance, new content creation, and integrating cosmetics.
Marbles remains the project I’m most proud of, not just because of what I’ve contributed, but because of the collaborative effort behind its continued success.
During my time working on Marbles, I also had the opportunity to take on a short but intense side gig at Fair Play Labs, one of Costa Rica’s top studios. They were in crunch mode for G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout and needed VFX support. I stepped in for a few months to create most of the stylized effects, including custom shaders that matched the toon-like art style. Additionally, I took the initiative to optimize significant performance bottlenecks caused by complex scenery. Though brief, this role confirmed my ability to quickly adapt and deliver meaningful contributions even in high-pressure environments.
Experimenting in VR
More recently, I’ve been diving into VR, and it’s been a truly novel experience for me. VR offers a fresh and immersive way to experience 3D spaces and gameplay that’s very different from traditional screen-based games. Being inside a world rather than just looking at it changes how you perceive scale, movement, and interaction. Even simple mechanics take on new meaning when you physically feel presence and spatial awareness.
To explore this further, I’m currently developing a simple FPS-style plugin for VRChat that lets players engage in basic combat against AI enemies. It’s a small project, but it’s helping me understand the challenges and possibilities of creating gameplay systems designed specifically for VR environments. This hands-on experimentation has reignited my appreciation for spatial design and interactivity, and I’m excited to keep pushing the boundaries of what VR can offer.
My Philosophy
I care about results. I believe games need to ship, not just get “perfected.” I’ve learned how to finish things, problem-solve fast, and build toward polish. But I also care deeply about work culture, where critiques flow, ideas get shared early, and egos take a back seat.
Tools don’t limit me. Whether it’s Unreal, Unity, Blender, Substance, custom shaders, Arduino, or XR, I’ll use whatever makes the best version of the experience. Creativity isn’t about loyalty to software; it’s about what gets built in the end.
Thank you for reading!
That probably means you care about this craft the way I do it. If you’re looking for a generalist who can think in systems, in pixels, and in real-world constraints, I’d love to hear from you.