Hello! I am Maria, simulated reality developer, artist and award-winning game designer based in Brooklyn, New York. I also teach and give talks sometimes.
work:
I have co-founded Synesthetic Echo, a design micro studio focused on on creating interactive experiences for emerging technology. We recently shipped Bizarre Barber, a VR game about cutting hair after the apocalypse and made an online course about fun real-time workflows in Houdini. Currently we are very into innovative VR design for training and education, procedural art pipelines and synesthetic digital toys.
Want to hire us? Get in touch! (we prefer long-term projects)
speaking:
I am available for public speaking (remote and in-person) and guest lectures about Game Design, Virtual Reality, Technical Art for games and interactive experiences. Below are some examples of my recorded talks.
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Designing VR for accessibility – MAVRIC 2020 conference
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Tips and tricks for improving VR game dev workflow with Houdini – GDC 2020 Houdini Hive
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Experimental Gameplay Workshop 2020 – GDC 2020 (requires GDC Vault login)
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Designing creative tool for audio wearables– AWE 2020 (paywall)
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It’s alive, but not for long!! – !!Con West 2020 lighting talk
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Action Spectra Pitch – RLab Bootcamp Demo Day 2019
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Ignite! talk – EYEO 2017
frequently asked questions about speaking:
Will you require speaker fees? – Yes, especially if you are a for-profit organization. My fees are very affordable.
Will you require us to cover the travel and accommodation if we want you to participate in our in-person event? – Yes.
Can you find me other speakers to “diversify” my tech panel? – No ♥.
How can we book you? – Send me a message through the form below, with your dates, topics you’d want me to cover and logistics. I read all the messages and respond promptly.
writing:
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Playtesting during a pandemic– guest article for the Playcrafting blog
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Not in a one flash of brilliance – guest article on NYU Game Center web-site
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Procedural character design for VR: 5 lessons learned – SEEDS #4 (November 2019)
press:
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Accessible games primer– Oculus official Youtube channel
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In-VR Interview: Maria Mishurenko, Lead Developer of Bizarre Barber – Upload VR
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Celebrating women in VR – Oculus blog