Boom Blox

Boom Blox is a motion-controlled casual puzzle game developed and published by Electronic Arts in 2008

Core team: ~40

Time on project: ~9 months

Contributions

  • Mentored two junior content designers providing feedback on their levels
  • Created, polished hundreds multiplayer and single player puzzles

LinkedIn Recommendations

"I really loved the multiplayer levels designed by Stephen on Boom Blox and Boom Blox Bash Party. He was able to riff on the elusive theme of "block puzzles" and create a gameplay experience rivaling the most passionate of sporting events, complete with cheering crowds and smack talk from players, which defines what many critics and fans view as the Boom Blox experience. Stephen is able to think on an abstract level when it comes to game design, giving players fresh and original gameplay experiences. I wish that we could have collaborated on a third Boom Blox title, but that time did not come.......yet." - Daniel Cheng

"Stephen is one of those rare individuals in the Video Game business who is able to mix the disciplines of design and engineering. Because of this he brings a synergy to game development that you don’t see very often. As a game designer he is creative, disciplined and pragmatic. As an engineer he adds a perspective and sees things that I would often miss. His willingness to seek a degree in Computer Science while working full-time on a game in production and raising a family at the same time, further demonstrates his discipline and motivation. I enjoyed working with him on the AAA game BOOM BLOX and would eagerly look forward to the opportunity to work with him again." - Michael Braley

"Steve can put together interactive prototypes with a clear vision for where the game's technology is headed, he can see a huge chunk of a game's design through end-to-end, he's always eager to go the extra mile working to ensure everything gets done on time, and most impressively, the man is 100% politics-proof. Bureaucracy and natural office drama bead up and roll off Steve like on a waterproofing infomercial. Nothing is ever going to get Steve down, or otherwise get in the way of his crafting fun for the player. Steve is steadfast, level-headed, has a solid understanding of the game development process, and from his level of enthusiasm you'd think the guy just got started (he's been doing this 14 years!). On top of all that, is just a really great guy to have around. Working with Steve was definitely a major highlight of my time with Electronic Arts!" - Chris DeLeon

ASCII Art

All levels in Boom Blox were saved in text format, built by defining individual letters with specific block types, then defining each slice of the level from the ground up like a layer cake.