Game of Design

My name is Dan Kline. I’ve been an AI and Game Programmer and Designer for consoles since 2001. I’ve shipped 5 titles and have worked with companies such as Activision, Blizzard North, LucasArts, and Midway. I was the Head AI and Gameplay Engineer on the upcoming Star Wars: Force Unleashed. I also designed the first two levels of Call of Duty: Finest Hour. I’m currently working at Crystal Dynamics as an AI Engineer on an unannounced title.

AI engineers occupy a funky place in the classic developer hierarchy. I’ve spent much of my career thinking about the science of Game Design, game mechanics, AI, the role of “story” in games, and the procedural methods for generating stories and specialized content. I’m a deconstructionist systems designer.  I frequently think about common design problems, the construction of games, games in the marketplace, the role of games in society, and the future of games as a medium. I also do quite a bit of work in game production and management, and am a fan of Getting Things Done-style methodology. Oh, and I might talk about something else too. Design is about the world around us, after all.

If you’d like to contact me, my mail pointer address directs to dankline at sbcglobal . net.

Everything I write on this site is my opinion, and not that of my employers. In fact, it’s only even my opinion at the time I write it, and I will liberally apply the right to change my mind and even contradict myself. You accept my thoughts at your own risk, but I encourage you to think about them anyways. I will not talk about my job or my work, unless it is public knowledge or could be easily deduced from public knowledge by someone paying attention.