Tanya X. Short
Tanya X. Short is a founder of Kitfox Games and Co-Coordinator of Pixelles.
Early life
Short loved text-based online games called MUDs, volunteering to make rooms, monsters, and items and becoming a content designer. She has a Master's in Level Design from the SMU Guildhall.[1] Her degree helps with getting work visas to be a designer in Norway and travel Europe.
Career
At Funcom,[2] Short worked as a narrative designer on Age of Conan and The Secret World.[3] She designed levels and boss fights for MMOs. On the side, she made little games for fun in game jams and community activities.[1] Short built the survival adventure Shattered Planet at the Execution Labs incubator with artist Xin Ran Liu and programmer Jongwoo Kim. Then they founded Kitfox Games in 2014 and created games including the Henry VIII simulator Fit for a King and "Tinder for swords" Boyfriend Dungeon.[4] Through rigorous playtesting, careful course correction, and open-minded questions, Moon Hunters zeroed in on achieving its intended player experience.[3]
Short was also a founder of Pixelles, which supports women in game development with scholarships and mid-career support.[4] Pixelles has grown to serve more marginalized genders providing both artistic empowerment and industry support.[1] Short encourages designers to be collaborative.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Tanya X. Short – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories". Womenize! Action Program. 2022-02-23. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
- ^ "Tanya Short | SMU Guildhall". www.smu.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
- ^ a b "From AAA to Indie: Kitfox Games Is Carving Its Own Quirky Path to Success". The Escapist. 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
- ^ a b "20 women in gaming you should know". VentureBeat. 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
- ^ "#236 Tanya X. Short Makes Game Systems Obvious – The Game Design Roundtable". Retrieved 2022-02-26.