Zero Dean : A Brief History

[Zero's Note: The first thing that people usually ask me is, "Is that your real name?" Well, if you're curious, here's the answer.]

*Zero Dean's career began in college where his love for multimedia art and software applications led to a position as Multimedia Consultant at the University's IT Help Center. His talent in providing software, hardware, and HTML training to students, faculty, and university clients got him noticed by professors who then sponsored him as an undergrad to design, develop, and teach a course involving 3D computer graphics and animation.

After college, Zero spent time as a freelance digital artist and provided computer graphics and web site designs for local television stations and internet companies. Not long into his freelance career, Zero was discovered by a computer gaming startup in Massachusetts and promptly hired to fill dual roles as Art Director & Lead Artist. At What If Productions, Zero managed all facets of the art department while creating textures, models, and scenes for Playstation (One) games and learned the hard way that computer game development is an unstable industry.

Since then, Zero has continued to develop his skills at such companies as SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation - in a multimedia dept), where he worked on a wide range of multimedia projects, including: computer based training design, 3D character animation, audio track analysis for lip synching, still & digital photography, 3D modeling and design, HTML programming, web site design, digital video effects, and even voice acting.

In 1999 Zero got to experience first-hand the rise and fall of an internet startup company where he spent a year specializing in low poly modeling and texturing for UBUBU Inc. in San Francisco (a now defunct internet based company). But alas, all good things must come to an end...and so did the internet boom.

Giving computer gaming another try, Zero joined Big Huge Games as a 3D Artist (on the buildings team) in February 2001 and remained there until June 2004. Some of his work can be seen in the game Rise of Nations, an *award winning real-time strategy game published by Microsoft. (*PC Gamer's RTS Game of the Year, Gamespot's PC Game of the Year, Gamespy's PC RTS Game of the Year...) and its follow-up: Rise of Nations : Thrones & Patriots (The highest ratet expansion pack ever!" - TechTV Review)

In the summer of 2004, Zero Dean left Big Huge Games to pursue two of his passions independently and full-time, photography & digital art.

Also noteworthy:

In 1997, Zero founded 3D ARK (http://www.3dark.com), an on-line archive of resources for 3D computer graphics enthusiasts. 3D ARK won numerous awards and was seen by over 7 million unique visitors before the site became too time intensive and financially costly for only one person to maintain. Zero put 3D ARK on hiatus in order to pursue other endeavors.

As the founder of a private "3D Pro" related project, Zero enjoys continued involvement with several key players in both the computer graphics film and gaming industries.

In his spare time, Zero pursues other creative outlets, most notably relating to his passion, photography, and also creative writing. His long-term goal is to one day travel the globe taking photos, document the journey, and publish the results.

Outside of the digital realm, Zero enjoys a wide range of activities such as working out, bowling, mountain biking, tennis, reading, rollerblading, and using his secret super powers to rid the world of evil.

* Yes, that's his real name.