Dorian Eason ’20 in conversation with Game Designer Abraham Tena!

June 25, 2020

 

Dorian Eason ’20 talks with animator, illustrator, and educator Abraham Tena! Dorian collaborated on a project with fellow student Anya Voshchullo on a game about self advocacy and learning disabilities:

Pawsabilities is centered around a day-in-the-life for multiple college students with learning disabilities. Currently, only the first two days — for Twiggy and Oliver, respectively, are available to be played. Each character’s day is designed to explore ways that students can self-advocate as well as gain access to resources that will aid them in being more successful in their college endeavors. The game was made by a pair of artists from Montserrat College of Art, and it uses their experiences in college as inspiration for the troubles and the solutions that players engage with.

This project is supported by the Learning Disabilities Foundation of America

Dorian Eason is an animator, game-maker, and story-teller. Raised in rural New Hampshire, he and his sisters were encouraged to spend time outside. His primary interest is crafting complex worlds and narratives that inspire and engage self-reflection from a place of comfort and safety, followed closely by learning more about what causes peoples’ varied responses. 

Abraham Tena is a Mexican-born artist and educator working in Boston, MA. He has spent the last five years as a game designer and artist for Popotropica, a popular online virtual world for kids. He specializes in character design, game design, and concept art for anything animated. He has been producing artwork for games since 2010, created illustrations for two children books, and was featured in the Boston Magazine. 

Special thanks to Blyth Hazen and Meagan Grant

LDFA