Hi there

I’m Branden Bean Drake. I design and implement interactive experiences. I have one goal:

to craft ethical, accessible experiences

which maximize user joy

while minimizing user frustration

The lifelong process of better achieving this goal is among my greatest pleasures.

Projects

Trade Capture System

Type: Distributed Data Processing System
Role: Clearing Systems Support Engineer

A live system for processing a wide variety of global real-time trade data and delivering outputs to account-holders and regulators.

  • Elicited feature requirements from business users, then designed and coded solutions in Python/SQL
  • Investigated and debugged production problems, then coded both short- and long-term solutions
  • Programmed in-house Python libraries to standardize common/complex operations and error-handling
  • Mentored new team members on team processes, our technology stack, and problem-solving strategies
  • Became the go-to source for Python advice and assistance both in and outside my team

Internal Web Portal for Fortune 50 Company

Type: Web App
Role: Software Developer

A portal used by employees and their managers for training and daily tasks.

  • Programmed pages and new features based on designer specifications
  • Successfully planned and implemented a project-wide taxonomy change to the live production environment
  • Coded with HTML, CSS, jQuery, C#, and SQL in an ASP.NET Core MVC project

Hug The Line

Type: Game Software
Roles: Lead Programmer & UX Researcher

The proof of concept for an inversion of the tower defense genre; players use their wizards to help critters survive an arduous journey.

  • Collaborated with a small team to iteratively design mechanics
  • Pair programmed all game elements in Java on top of a rudimentary game engine
  • Improved game engine by adding a visual layering system
  • Programmed a library to allow easy creation of similar games
  • Designed and ran user tests to validate usability of UI on various platforms

Halo 4

Type: Game Software
Role: Multiplayer Game System Designer

The fourth installment of the renowned sci-fi FPS. Released on Xbox 360.

  • Scripted classic multiplayer game mode logic and customization options via proprietary scripting language
  • Organized the hierarchy & phrasing of multiplayer menu options, focusing on intuitiveness & accessibility
  • Facilitated regular user tests and parsed feedback into actionable changes

Guardians of Middle-Earth

Type: Game Software
Role: Technical Game System Designer

A MOBA set in the Lord of the Rings universe. Released on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

  • Proactively ran low-budget internal user testing to verify problems in the equipment system's design before implementation
  • Modified equipment system and ran further user testing to verify the new design, preventing a more costly pivot later
  • Collaborated with UX/UI designers to architect inventory navigation
  • Identified design tool needs and detailed specifications for solutions

Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Type: Game Software
Role: Technical Game System Designer

A multiplayer action-RPG set in the Lord of the Rings universe. Released on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC.

  • Designed and implemented enemy archetypes, gameplay, and artificial intelligence with LUA/XML
  • Redesigned technical game design workflow to use shared templates, significantly increasing pipeline efficiency
  • Scripted systems allowing level designers to control enemy behavior and audio designers to tune SFX
  • Ported models, animations, VFX, and SFX into functional game objects
  • Took on project management & animator responsibilities when team was overbooked in the final stretch

beandrake.com

Type: Website
Role: Programming and User Experience Design

My personal website.

  • Designed layout and organization
  • Coded in HTML, CSS, and jQuery