The document outlines Brent Lebow's mastery journey timeline to become a game designer. It includes goals and tasks in areas such as time management, citations, team dynamics, programming, design, testing, production and more. Brent plans to learn skills through reading textbooks, watching online courses on Lynda.com, shadowing professionals and networking. The timeline shows goals across multiple terms to help Brent achieve mastery in the field of game design and production.

1. Mastery Journey Timeline
Brent Lebow

2. Mastery Personal Development and
Leadership
• I learn time management skills and effectively build a schedule.
• Use the calendar on my phone to record appointments, classes, etc. in
order to stay on top of and plan what I do on a day to day basis.
• I understand APA style citation for current and future research.
• Watch the Word 2013: Creating Long Documents segment through
Lynda.com on citations to properly use them in research papers (Langer
2014).
• I make short term, medium term, and long term goals for myself.
• Write down these goals each week, at least 2 per term, and then revisit and
rewrite them every week after.

3. Research in Team Dynamics
• I learn how to motivate my team when working on projects.
• I read the textbook at least 2 hours everyday in order to implement
strategies and techniques that motivate a team.
• I understand how the scientific method plays into team dynamics.
• I watch Project Management Fundamentals through Lynda.com in order to
study team dynamics (Biafore, 2016).
• I refine my APA citations tailored to my specific program.
• I revisit my notes on APA citation from Mastery and discuss with my
professor what specifics he wants in the game design program papers.

4. Project and Team Management
• I understand how to read team member strengths in order to
properly order a projects tasks.
• I read the textbook at least 2 hours everyday in order to learn the
categories for team strengths and how to implement them.
• I learn how to make budget plans.
• I watch Marketing Fundamentals through Lynda.com in order to learn the
specifics of budgeting (Boyd, 2014).
• I utilize the role of being a mentor in order to become a better
leader and see what characteristics I want in a mentor.
• I shadow the production and management tract in order to learn the skills it
takes in order to mentor a team.

5. Game Design
• I learn basic programing skills so I can build levels in game
engines.
• I watch C++ essential training on Lynda.com to learn the basics of
programing language (Weinman, 2014).
• I learn node based programs in order to make and build
characters.
• I watch Substance Designer: Painted Metal on Lynda.com in order to learn
how the program works in building models (Bradley, 2015).
• I learn about genre and history in order to flesh out the worlds I
design.
• I read the textbook 2 hours everyday in order to learn the myriad of genres
available and how they are implemented in games.

6. Methods and User Experience
• I learn how art direction directly effects a players engagement with the
game.
• I read the textbook 2 hours everyday in order to see how art direction can
effect gameplay, genre, and other traits.
• I understand what statistical significance is in measuring user experience
and how to calculate it.
• I watch Statistics with Excel Part One on Lynda.com and refresh myself on the
basic statistics skills I will need along with how to calculate and implement this
data in Excel (Schmuller, 2015).
• I utilize industry standard reports in order to compile my information
together in a professional manner.
• I shadow at the UX Lab on campus, watching and taking notes on the reports
that they write up.

7. Game Production Tools
• I learn how workflow and organization effect team projects and
workplaces.
• I read the textbook everyday for 2 hours in order to define the traits and
mechanics that go into workflow and organization.
• I understand Microsoft Project and Visio in order to produce and
manage a team.
• I watch Visio 2016 Essential Training through Lynda.com in order to see the
fundamentals of how the program works (Rivers, 2016).
• I utilize progress reports with my team in order to improve their
performance.
• I shadow the production and management tract in order to see how progress
reports or other methods are used to judge performance.

8. Prototyping and Content Creation
• I learn what prototyping is, specifically geared towards the gaming
industry.
• I read the textbook everyday for 2 hours in order to define the mechanics
that go into prototyping.
• I utilize prototyping programs in order to make them myself.
• I watch Prototype and script.aculo.us Essential Training through Lynda.com
to give myself the fundamentals on how to prototype (Marini, 2010).
• I understand how prototypes are implemented in real industry
settings.
• I shadow the game design tracts to see how they use prototyping in the
games they are building or planning on building.

9. Quality Assurance
• I learn the steps in which the industry takes to assure quality in their
games.
• I read the textbook everyday for 2 hours in order to map out the steps and their
mechanics.
• I understand defect tracking and test plans in order to enact quality
assurance tests.
• I watch Foundations of Programming: Software Quality Assurance through
Lynda.com to learn the fundamentals of recording defects (Dolberg, 2013).
• I utilize these skills in order to run a playtest assessment on a game to
practice what I have learned.
• I work in the UX lab on campus and run a playtest assessment on one of the
games they are working on.

10. Asset Management
• I learn about the fundamentals of scheduling how assets are
designed and implemented in games.
• I read the textbook everyday for 2 hours in order to outline the steps
necessary to scheduling.
• I utilize the proper tools in order to manage and produce the
assets being designed.
• I watch Operations Management Fundamentals through Lynda.com in order
to holistically approach management (Davila, 2015).
• I understand the industry standard of assets and how they are
managed in real life.
• I shadow the game design groups, taking notes and watching how they make
and implement assets or their projects.

11. Game Usability and Testing
• I learn to refine what I learned in user experience in order to
implement tests for games I design.
• I revisit my notes from User Experience while reading the textbook for the
class 2 hours everyday to learn the mechanics that go into testing.
• I utilize industry standards of game testing to implement in my
designs.
• I watch Unreal Essential Training through Lynda.com in order to learn the
fundamentals of game testing in game engines I will use (Barr, 2016).
• I test out rewards systems in a playable game and determine its
effectiveness.
• I work in the UX lab, set up a playtest assessment and provide a survey to
monitor a myriad of aspects that the players experience in the game.

12. Game Project Practicum
• I learn how to compile progress reports into a presentation to
highlight the elements of my project.
• I meet with professors/peers twice a week to provide feedback and
criticism on my work.
• I make either a tangible product/game/report that harnesses
everything I have learned through the program.
• I watch Presentation Fundamentals through Lynda.com in order to better
represent my product (Kolovou, 2014).
• I add this project to my resume in order to bolster it.
• I meet with the Career Development department on campus in order to fine
tune my resume.

13. Production Research Capstone
• I make a portfolio compiling everything I have done through my
capstone work.
• I watch Building and Maintaining Your UX Design Portfolio though Lynda.com
to properly construct a professional portfolio (Cronenwett, 2016).
• I utilize this portfolio in obtaining a job post graduation.
• I go to the Career Development department to work with them on
portraying my portfolio to potential employers.
• I take advantage of my last month on campus to go to every
networking event possible.
• I use Connect to look and sign up for events happening on campus.

14. Leadership
Development
Team Mechanics Team Management
Production Tools Statistical Significance Designing Games
Prototyping Quality Assurance Asset Management
Capstone Project Practicum Usability and Testing

15. Industry Connection
• Ben Brode, Technical Game Designer, bbrode@blizzard.com (Global Duns
Market Identifiers, 2016).
• Ray Gresko, Production Director, rgresko@blizzard.com (Global Duns
Market Identifiers, 2016).
• Shawn Su, Quality Assurance Manager, ssu@blizzard.com (Global Duns
Market Identifiers, 2016).
• Michael Morhaime, President of Blizzard Entertainment,
morhaime@blizzard.com (Global Duns Market Identifiers, 2016).
• Rob Pardo, Vice President of Game Design, rpardo@blizzard.com (Global
Duns Market Identifiers, 2016).
• Chris Metzen, Vice President of Creative Development
chris.metzen@blizzard.com (Global Duns Market Identifiers, 2016).

16. Clubs and Organizations
• Esports League (Full Sail, 2016)
• LAN Club (Full Sail, 2016)
• RPG Club (Full Sail, 2016)
• International Game Developers Association (IGDA, 2016)
• Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA, 2016)
• Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA,2016)

17. Personal View of a Mentor
• A mentor in the game design industry someone who is both patient
and insightful. Not only can they provide the information I would
need to succeed in the field, they take the time to nurture that
passion inside of me into tangible skills and techniques. Moreover,
a game design mentor should be brimming with passion for their
work, whatever it may be, striving not only to finish the job or
project, but to innovate their field.

18. Professional View of a Master/Mentor
• “Anyone who would spend years absorbing the techniques and
conventions of the field, trying them out, mastering them, exploring and
personalizing them, would inevitably find their authentic voice and give
birth to something unique and expressive.” (Greene, 2012, p. 209)
• “What constitutes true creativity is the openness and adaptability of our
spirit. When we see or experience something we must be able to look at
it from several different angles, to see other possibilities beyond the
obvious ones.” (Greene, 2012, p. 236)
• “There are many paths to mastery, and if you are persistent you will
certainly find one that suits you. But a key component in the process is
determining your mental and psychological strengths and working with
them.” (Greene, 2012, p. 279)

19. References• Barr, C. (2016, February 4). Play-test your game. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Unreal-Engine-tutorials/Play-Test-your-Game/424941/461183-4.html
Retrieved from Lynda.com
• Biafore, B. (2016, March 31). Understand team dynamics. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Project-tutorials/Understand-team-dynamics/424947/486884-4.html
Retrieved from Lynda.com
• Boyd, D. (2014, August 28). Budgeting (from Marketing Fundamentals). Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Budgeting/168334/188156-4.html
Retrieved from Lynda.com
• Bradley, J. (2015, December 24). Substance Designer: Painted Metal | Lynda.com. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Substance-Designer-tutorials/Substance-Designer-Painted-Metal/371547-
2.html
Retrieved from Lynda.com
• Cronenwett, D. (2016, May 26). Building and Maintaining Your UX Design Portfolio | Lynda.com. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/User-Experience-tutorials/Building-Maintaining-Your-UX-Design-
Portfolio/483023-2.html
Retrieved through Lynda.com
• Davila, E. (2015, May 25). Scheduling. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Scheduling/196589/391491-4.html
Retrieved from Lynda.com
• Digital Games Research Association. (n.d.). Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA). Retrieved from www.digra.org/
• Dolberg, A. (2013, August 23). Recording defects. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Developer-Programming-Foundations-tutorials/Recording-defects/126119/146216-4.html
Retrieved from Lynda.com
• Entertainment Consumers Association. (2016). Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA). Retrieved from http://www.theeca.com/
• Full Sail University. (2016). Full Sail Connect Oragnizations. Retrieved from https://orgsync.com/browse_orgs/529
• Global Duns Market Identifiers. (2016, February 13). Shibboleth authentication report. Retrieved June 25, 2016, from LexusNexis Academic
Retrieved from LexusNexis Academic
• Greene, R. (2012). Mastery [VitalSource Bookshelf].
• International Game Developers Association. (2016). International Game Developers Association (IGDA). Retrieved from https://www.igda.org/
• Kolovou, T. (2014, May 12). Presentation Fundamentals | Lynda.com. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Presentation-Fundamentals/151544-
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• Langer, M. (2014, November 20). Learn citations Word 2013. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Office-tutorials/Working-citations/167073/363718-4.html
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• Marini, J. (2010, July 22). Prototype and script.aculo.us Essential Training | Lynda.com. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Prototype-and-script-aculo-us-tutorials/essential-training/62223-
2.html
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• Rivers, D. (2016, January 7). Visio 2016 Essential Training | Lynda.com. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Visio-tutorials/Visio-2016-Essential-Training/445423-2.html
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• Schmuller, J. (2015, December 23). Statistics with Excel Part One | Lynda.com. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Excel-tutorials/Statistics-Using-Excel-Essential-Training-Descriptive-Inferential-
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