- Christopher Erhardt
-
Christopher Erhardt 
Born Seattle, Washington Occupation Head of School, AIE US Campuses Christopher Erhardt was born in Seattle, Washington in the late 1950s. He is currently the Head of School - US Campuses for the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE)[1]. He is a former Professor of Game Design and Production of DigiPen Institute of Technology.[2]
Contents
Biography
During the first 10 years of his life, Christopher Erhardt lived in Seattle, WA, Detroit, MI, Riverside, CA and Arcadia, CA. He received a bachelors of science from the University of San Francisco, did graduate studies in Psychology at Harvard University and acquired his Masters degree in business from Capella University. As of 2007, he is working on a Doctoral dissertation on video game players demographic considerations. Currently he has over 19 years experience in the Interactive Media Industry, where in he was responsible for the production, design and product management of over 22 titles with such publishers as Infocom, Activision, Electronic Arts, Infogrames, and Ocean Software of America.
Christopher Erhardt first started working at an early age, putting himself through his undergraduate degree by odd jobs that ranged from magician to fur currier to line chef. In the early 80's he was a product planner for companies such as Teledyne and other TEMPEST secured, MIS-based programming and project management tasks. He moved into the game industry in 1987 when Infocom requested that his assistance in transitioning them from text-only games into graphical titles, leveraging his education in adolescent psychology to help them develop more compelling titles.
Christopher Erhardt was the President of ISOG based at Hyderabad, India till June 2009.
In December 2010, it was announced that Christopher Erhardt will be the head of the new Seattle branch of the Academy of Interactive Entertainment where they will offer certificate programs and continuing education courses in digital media, game development, special effects and film production.[3]
Games Credited On
Game Role/Duty Company Total Control Football (PC) Producer/Product Manager Philips Media Total Control Baseball (PC) Producer/Product Manager Philips Media Centurion: Defender of Rome (SEGA) Executive Producer Electronic Arts Starflight (SEGA) Executive Producer Electronic Arts Rings of Power (SEGA) Producer Electronic Arts Hard Nova (PC) Producer Electronic Arts The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel Producer Electronic Arts The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Rose Tattoo Video Director Electronic Arts Noctropolis (PC) Video Director Electronic Arts Black Crypt (PC) Producer Electronic Arts Battletech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception (PC) Producer Activision Quarterstaff: The Tomb of Setmoth (MAC) Producer Infocom Pool of Radiance (MAC) Designer/Producer Strategic Simluations, Inc. Chiller (NES) Producer ShareData TV Sports: Soccer (PC) Designer Cinemaware Hong Kong Mahjong (PC) Producer Electronic Arts James Pond (SEGA) Producer Electronic Arts James Pond 2: Codename Robocod (SEGA) Producer Electronic Arts B.O.B. (SNES) Executive Producer Electronic Arts Sword of Sodan (SEGA) Producer Electronic Arts Battle Squadron (SEGA) Producer Electronic Arts Ultimate Pinball (PC) Producer GT Interactive Gearheads (PC) Consultant Designer Philips Media Fighters Destiny (N64) Executive Producer Ocean of America Wetrix (N64) Product Manager Ocean of America Star Trek 5 (PC) Designer Mindscape Spiderman (SEGA Genesis) Designer SEGA of America Deal A Meal (PC) Designer GT Interactive Mission: Impossible (N64) Director of Development - USA Infogrames Academic career
In 1998, Christopher Erhardt transitioned into an academic environment and became a Professor of Game Design and Production at DigiPen Institute of Technology. In 2000 he was responsible for co-creating, with Alex Dunne, the student submissions category of the Game Developers Conference Independent Games Submission (www.indiegames.com). In 2002 he moved to Beirut, Lebanon and spent 2 years teaching game software design and production to French and Arabic speaking computer engineering students. In 2005, upon his return to the US, he approached Valve to develop a Level Design program at DigiPen using their FPS engine[citation needed]. In 2006 he worked with Microsoft Game Studios to bring XNA product development into DigiPen and inaugurated one of the first series of C#/XNA Game Studio Express product development programs at an accredited academic institution.
In 2007 Christopher Erhardt left DigiPen Institute of Technology and moved to India to head ISOG.
2005- 2007 Public Presentations
- Co-Presenter: GDC 2005 session ('The DigiPen Video Game Curriculum: From the Game to the Classroom')[4]
- Moderator: PAX 2006 ('Gaming and Controversy')[5]
- Moderator: November 2005 Game Producers Boot Camp[6]
- Speaker: WritersUA 2006 ('User Assistance in Video Gaming')
- Panelist 2006 Games Initiative ('Applying Transferable Skill Sets')[7]
- Panelist 2006 E3 Expo ('The New Gamemaker: Trends in the trenches of game making and publishing')
- Member: 'Seattle Bureau of Trade-2007 World Cybergames Steering Committee'
- Moderator: PAX 2007 ('Growing Old in Gaming', Getting an education in Gaming')
- Presenter: VGEXPO 2007 ('Education and Gaming')[8]
References
- ^ AIE US Senior Management web page
- ^ "DigiPen's Faculty Roster". digipen.edu. http://www.digipen.edu/images/c/cb/DigiPen_Course_Catalog2007-8.pdf.
- ^ Dudley, Brier. "Seattle's getting a new school for video game, film studies". The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2013630711_seattles_getting_a_new_school.html. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
- ^ "GDC". cmpevents.com. https://www.cmpevents.com/GD05/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=227143.
- ^ "DigiPen newsletter". digipen.edu. http://www.digipen.edu/images/a/aa/Oct06NewsletterSM.pdf.
- ^ "DigiPen newsletter". digipen.edu. http://www.digipen.edu/images/3/37/Dec05Newsletter.pdf.
- ^ "2006 Seattle Game Conference press release". stageselect.com. http://www.stageselect.com/News/NewsViewer.aspx?newsid=1699.
- ^ "VG Expo". vgxpo.com. http://www.vgxpo.com/breakingin.htm.
External links
Categories:- 1950s births
- Living people
- University of San Francisco alumni
- Harvard University alumni
- Video game producers
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
