A couple of the Transient Pod Design Collective members where involved with the production of a new Tower Defense Game created by BigPark Inc. Miles, who works at BigPark as the Creative Director / Director of User Experience recently had the wonderful opportunity to work with a talented group of designers and developers to create Wizard Defense. The goal was to push the technical limits of flash based web games, while creating one of the world’s best tower defense games. The results are one of the highest production value flash experiences available on the web today.

By taking traditional Tower Defense tactics and adding some new features, Wizard Defense brings a fresh look to the otherwise traditional genre. With a focus on art, animation and storytelling, Wizard Defense brings a new element to the otherwise strategy-based game. Set in the fictional world of Espeon, players take on the role of aspiring students at the Espeon School of Wizard Defense. Guided by Headmistress Edith and her troupe of spell casting instructors, players are tasked to defend themselves from the evil Domidos and his army of Creeps.

Wizard Defense puts players in a world where they must use strategy and timing to defeat Domidos’ incoming armies. With the help of their instructors and Elementums, players sift their way through enchanted forests, snowed-capped mountains and even magma-fused volcanoes to protect the world of Espeon. Wizard Defense is a free to play game that can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

www.wizarddefense.com

Collective Members: Miles Nurse (BigPark Director) Scott Lew: Interactive Story Designer (Contract)

Miles recently had the wonderful opportunity to work with The Next Institute, who’s goal is to be a catalyst for creative and sustainable enterprise. Companies like The Next Institute understand the market and growing need for designers in a leadership position.

Miles helped The Next Institute create and conceptualize pitches, while providing post production design services. Their clients include many of North Americas top retailers.

Collective Members: Miles Nurse

This months design inspiration come from our very own Annika Newell and a project that she completed in 2007 in New York City. The project appropriately named Light Bulb Ceiling was a collaboration between Annika & AGNY and created for the Gramercy Park Hotel, Ian Schrager Co.

Inspired by Jeff Wall’s, Invisible Man photo installation, Ian Schrager Co. approached her & AGNY to design a light bulb ceiling for their VIP lounge on the 18th floor of the Gramercy Park Hotel. The project went through many experimental design iterations and drew from many new areas of inspiration, but the end result is truly breathtaking.

Click here to see more details about this amazing project

It was a surprising Saturday for Miles Nurse when his name was called for the Excellence in Teaching Award at the VFS Annual Holiday Party. Miles was truly humbled by the gesture and feels that so many others where equally deserving. As much as the award is a great honor Miles feels this is a reflection of all efforts put forward by everyone who was committed to making the Digital Design program more successful at VFS. It was a great day for VFS and a great day for the Digital Design team.

Excellence in Teaching:

VFS will annually recognizes one instructor who demonstrates excellence in instruction and exemplifies passion, innovation, experience and ‘results’ in their teaching. This year, VFS will establish the Miles Nurse Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 for an incoming Digital Design student.

Course Outlines:

The User Experience course focuses on the fundamentals of User Centered Design, by focusing on observation, interviews, and persona development to effectively guide and focus the design process.

The Interactive Design course focuses on competitive analysis, infographics, informational / interactive / interface design principles, visual design (color theory, moodboards, hierarchies) SEO, and user testing.

The Creative / Art Direction course focuses on communicating messages through a number of different techniques including, contrast, substitution, and association. We explore mechanism, medium, context, tangible & intangible attributes, viral marketing, & controversy.

Collective Members: Miles Nurse

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As a Creative Director at Fiver Media during 2007 -2008 I oversaw the development of all products for one of our major clients; The Bodog Entertainment Group. This included brand strategy, product excellence initiatives, interactive gaming & web experiences.

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