KEN DEMAREST

 

Address

 

Contact

603 W 13th St

Suite 1A-276

Austin, Texas

78701

TECHNICAL RESUMÉ

Phone: 512 657-9157

Fax:     800 884-9652

Email: ken@demarest.com

 

Summary:

Twenty-one years of new-technology vision, management and programming experience.

(this is the technical, not the business resume)

 

9/00 – 8/01     Manager, Accenture Inc

·         Technology strategy and design work for eCRM, online collaborative software, clustered processor mini-supercomputer, multi-terrabyte clustered database applications.

 

4/98 – 9/00     Owner, Terrabyte Consulting

·         Wrote C++/Corba /PHP/mySQL based web site tester with dedicated back-end server.

·         Wrote up-time monitor residing in Windows tool tray.

·         eCommerce demo at http://reliablesite.com/snakeoil incorporates most major web technologies: ActiveX, JavaScript, Authenticode, SSL, TCP/IP native transport, etc.

·         Wrote ad-sifting HTTP proxy with SSL tunneling.

·         Wrote self-extracting executable maker with LZ compression for web delivery.

·         Wrote FTP uploader that redirects web pages to a dynamic-ip page.

·         Picture thumbnail maker for personal pages.

·         Improved version of Microsoft’s OCX registering software regsvr32.

 

10/98 – 4/00   Owner, Terrabyte Consulting

·         This consulting was primarily large-scale management.

·         Advised Canadian ISP on structure, ASP opportunities.  Assisted negotiation.

·         Wrote Risk Management SQL database, improving dept. efficiency 30%

·         In spare time, wrote HTTP v1.1 web server

·         Created distributed ecommerce marketing platform to integrate sales directly with applications.

 

5/98 – 10/98   New Technology Producer, Eclipse Entertainment, Inc.

Parts of this work are still under NDA

·         Microsoft internet libraries including wininet and urlmon.

·         Windows COM and ActiveX protocols, plus integration with MSIE4.0

·         Internet streaming techniques for moving most-relevant data to client machines in order.

·         Managed three technology demos, plus streaming design and the development of compression for 2D, 3D and audio data.

 

8/95 – 4/98     President, Titanic Entertainment, Inc.

For the project “Torment,” a 3D hardware accelerated action title,

·         Coordinated the design of all technical and artistic aspects of the game.

·         Ran the team to create a demo with varying LoD, morphing, dynamically lit terrain and 3D animated flying and running characters.

For the project “NetStorm,” a latency tolerant Internet game (available upon request)

·         Ran the project from inception to completion, coordinating programmers, artists, in-house and online quality assurance, localization into three languages, 3rd party sound and music contractors, and the creation of six servers world-wide.  The project used C++, 80586 assembly and Perl on both Win95 (clients) and Linux (servers).

·         Prepared all documentation, design specifications and schedules for the project.

·         Co-designed kernel-based latency-tolerant rapid transaction and prediction process system.

·         Wrote fair-play artificial intelligence for the units.

·         Implemented HTML interpreter which included the ability to define in-script variables and manipulate them to act on simple conditionals.

·         Wrote sound layer above Microsoft Direct Sound.

·         Implemented particle systems for fire, smoke, explosions, reverse-disintegration and clouds.

·         Devised specialized 16:1 compression systems to minimize data transfer over modems.

·         Wrote least-distance path finding across unstable graphs.

·         Implemented CD checksum and virus detection program for consumers to validate disks.

 

4/95 – 7/95     New Technology Co-Director, Origin Inc. an Electronic Arts Company

Co-directed with Zack Simpson (my future partner in Titanic Entertainment) to manage the growing technology needs of game developer Origin Systems, a 300 person company.  All code was C++.

·         Organized the seven member “Online Scouts” to document competition on the Internet.

·         Created proof of concept for Ultima Online by hacking Ultima VI code.

·         Managed tool creation for new technology products.

·         Created tools including pkzip-like compresser, IFF file manager, virtual file system

·         Wrote text-based, networked bug tracking system.

·         Created Voxel-based terrain system. (hobby)

·         Created simulation of macrophage (cell) combat and breeding (hobby).

 

2/93 – 3/95     Director of BioForge, Origin Inc.

Conceived and created the product “BioForge” managing a core team of ten from inception to ship. Localized into four languages. The project used a DOS 386 extender and was C++ and 80x86 assembly.

·         Wrote exchangeable-skeleton and single-skin animation system with real-time linear interpolation between poses using fully texture-mapped figures.

·         Designed 3d animation and world management scripting system plus compiler.

·         Created pose editor called “Salsa” including real-time display of fully rendered character as data was gathered from the “Flock of Birds” on-body electro-magnetic detection system.

·         Created system to parse 2D scenes from 3D renders and position, sort and detect collision of 3D characters within the scene.

·         Implemented compression that saved company $50,000 in shipped media costs.

·         Maintained various code libraries for rendering, file management, music, art formats, etc.

·         Wrote tool to augment scandisk and detect internal circular FAT references in files.

·         Wrote Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) program to take VGA screen snapshots.

·         Invented text-based window management and display system, fairly similar to HTML.

·         Modeled natural selection code for single-celled organisms.  (hobby)

·         Wrote flowing-water simulation (hobby)

·         Created high-speed rendering engine for texture-mapped tubular structures. (hobby)

 

6/92 – 2/93     No Title, Origin Inc.

Produced the Ultima VII add-on “Forge of Virtue” with a team of three.  Wrote foundation code for future 3D efforts with a small team.

·         Discovered B-Step 80386 processor bug manifestation in Ultima VII. Created b-step detection tool to ship with future products.

·         Wrote many core libraries to overcome the shortcomings of DOS for supporting games.  Libraries were used on four other Origin products.

·         Created patch program to modify the distributed executable of Ultima VII and “add in” a new island and entirely new characters, puzzles and dialog.

 

12/90 – 5/92   Lead Programmer Ultima VII, Origin Inc.

Managed coding of U7’s then-revolutionary game engine and integration with world builders and art team.  Introduced C++ to Origin. The U7 engine was later re-used to create the sequel “Serpent Isle.”

·         Created and maintained core libraries for palettes, virtual file management and more.  Set coding goals and schedules.

·         Wrote caching systems for extremely large world and art databases.

·         Implemented translucency code for cloud shadows, stained glass windows and more.

·         Set standards for game engine creation.  Educated team about C++ benefits and usage.

 

6/90 – 11/90   Programmer Wing Commander I, Origin Inc.

Wrote Ship Intelligence, ship controls, asteroid fields and more for the original Wing Commander.

·         Wrote goal and maneuver based artificial intelligence for missions, capitol ships, enemy fighters and wing men.

·         Created asteroid fields and collision and dodging routines.

·         Implemented user interface and HUD routines and display mechanisms.

·         Completed save/load and in-base graphics.

·         Created navigation system with dynamic label placement.

 

4/88 – 5/90     President, Demarest Consulting

Ran a one-man contract consulting firm with clients such as Johnson and Johnson Inc, Party City Franchises and Ohaus Scale Corp.  Sold the business in 1990.

·         Created complete custom inventory database and reporting system for Party City Franchises.

·         Invented integrated weighing system for Johnson and Johnson sausage weighing process.

·         Worked on team creating integrated weighing applications for Shedd’s Spread margarine.

 

9/84 – 5/89     Degree in English and Sociology from University of Vermont.

Spent a lot of time coding.  Took a semester off to found Demarest Consulting.

·         Created overhead, 2D space battle and exploration game in my free time.

·         Wrote rogue-like ascii-based dungeon delving game with randomly generated levels, monsters and treasure.

 

5/84 – 5/89     Early job experiences

·         Worked for a summer at AT&T using their RAMAS databasing and reporting software

·         Worked through highschool writing applications and entering all class scheduling on a Wang 2000 minicomputer.

 

12/79 – 8/84   Hacker, Demarest Home

·         Started writing code the moment I got my TRS-80 with 4K and a cassette tape drive.

 

Hobbies: Rock climbing, SCUBA diving, cycling