emailkris.terhurne@yahoo.com
resumeresume.pdf

Kris Terhurne

TECHNICALARTIST

I've spent 14 years in games doing character tech — cloth, hair, rigging, and the tools that keep them running under a production deadline. Character physics on three Call of Duty titles. Cloth simulation on Mafia III and all its DLCs. The cloth and hair pipeline for WWE 2K19.

Technical Art Manager — 14 years in the AAA, AA, Mobile video game industry. Most recently Senior Manager of Character Technical Art at Obsidian Entertainment, leading a team of 11 through Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2. Previously Sledgehammer Games, Visual Concepts, Hangar 13, Kixeye, and Goko. BFA in Animation & Visual Effects, Academy of Art University.

SHIPPED GAMES

Thirteen shipped titles, 2012 through 2025.

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The Outer Worlds 2
Obsidian Entertainment · 2025The Outer Worlds 2Sr Manager, Character Technical Art
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Avowed
Obsidian Entertainment · 2025AvowedSr Manager, Character Technical Art
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Call of Duty Vanguard
Sledgehammer Games · 2021Call of Duty: VanguardSenior Technical Artist — Character Physics
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Call of Duty Warzone
Sledgehammer Games · 2020Call of Duty: WarzoneSenior Technical Artist — Character Physics
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Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War
Sledgehammer Games · 2020CoD: Black Ops Cold WarSenior Technical Artist — Character Physics
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WWE 2K19
Visual Concepts · 2018WWE 2K19Senior Technical Artist — Cloth & Hair Pipeline
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Mafia III
Hangar 13 · 2016Mafia III + DLCSenior Technical Artist — Cloth Simulation
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Tome Immortal Arena
Kixeye · 2014Legacy GamesTome: Immortal ArenaTechnical Artist — Character Rigging
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Vega Conflict
Kixeye · 2013Legacy GamesVega ConflictTechnical Artist — Character Rigging
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Backyard Monsters Unleashed
Kixeye · 2013Legacy GamesBackyard Monsters UnleashedTechnical Artist — Character Rigging
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Dominion Online
Goko · 2012Legacy GamesDominion, All the Kings Men, Forbidden CityTechnical Artist — Avatar Rigging System

TOOLS

Two tools, both usable. The Maya one downloads as a .py; nodeSmith has its own page.

tripo_pbr_builder_ui.py
Tripo PBR Material Builder — Maya tool UI with FBX import, PBR map loading, and skydome lighting sections
Maya · Python · ArnoldTripo PBR Material BuilderFBX import → auto-wired PBR maps (sRGB/Raw) → skydome lighting — click to download .py
nodeSmith_comfyUI
Concept-to-FBX character pipeline, six stages: hero shot and ortho views via nodeSmith with SDXL and GPT Images, Tripo multiview-to-mesh, frameBridge axis correction, SkinTokens rigging with SkinBridge cleanup, and manual UE5 import — three paid steps, and three gates that refuse, guarding against a silent left/right swap
ComfyUI · Python · JSnodeSmith // Character ToolingStaged toolkit for a concept-to-FBX workflow — seven diagrams, 76 workflow nodes, 3 paid steps, 3 gates that refuse

CLOTH SIMULATION

Click any thumbnail to watch the sim in action.

Lincoln army jacket cloth sim
Army Jacket
Lincoln denim cloth sim
Denim Jacket
Lincoln Hendrix cloth sim
Lincoln Hendrix
Lincoln panther cloth sim
Panther Jacket
Lincoln vest cloth sim
Vest
Lincoln trenchcoat cloth sim
Trenchcoat

This cloth asset shows how the cloth reacts to the player collision capsule and shot collisions: Environment Cloth Clothesline

I also worked on the cloth physics for the cinematics in Mafia III and all DLCs:

Thanks to IGN: Mafia III Cinematic

Thanks to MKIceAndFire: Mafia III Sign of the Times DLC

Thanks to Gamer's Little Playground: Mafia III Faster Baby DLC, Mafia III Stones Unturned

RIGGING

Dynamic nHair-driven joint chains for cape, loin cloth, and hair — simulated motion baked to FK controls for animators to polish, plus creature and character rig demos.

Cape and loin cloth dynamic rig
Dynamic Cape Setup
Cape and loin cloth rig alt take
Death Knight Rig
Hair dynamic rig
Dynamic Joint Chain Hair
Hair rig alt take
Epic Creature Rig
Hair rig alt take
Skarktapus Rig
Hair rig alt take
Rock Rhino Rig
Hair rig alt take
Wolf Rig
Range of motion rig demo
Advanced Skeleton ROM
Stirge idle flying animation
Stirge Rig
Dretch idle animation
Dretch Rig
Character rig model texture
Avatar Rig Demon
Rig control demo
Avatar Rig Demo

NHAIR DYNAMIC JOINT CHAIN

Building an nHair dynamic joint chain that can be manipulated in real time using a simple expression.

Nhair dynamic joint chain setup
Tech DemoJoint Chain Setup

MODELS

Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop. Click a thumbnail to view full size.

Lighting and composition test
Render TestLighting & Composition
Render test
Render TestCreature — WIP
Scene blocking
LayoutScene Blocking
H&K MP-7 ZBrush render
Hard SurfaceH&K MP-7 — ZBrush WIP
Superman suit concept
Character StudySuperman Suit Concept
In-game outfits
In-Game AssetsOutfits (GOKO)
Character selection screen
In-Game UICharacter Selection (GOKO)
Woody ZBrush study
Character StudyWoody — ZBrush
Cyclops concept render
Creature StudyCyclops — Concept Render
F22 digital maquette
Hard SurfaceF22 Digital Maquette
Facial blend shape sheet
Facial RigBlend Shape Sheet
Stirge textured
Creature StudyStirge — Textured
Dretch textured
Creature StudyDretch — Textured
Demon race armor textured
Creature StudyDemon Race Armor