CS201: Better Games Through Data: How Blizzard Uses Data Science to Create Epic Experiences, ALEXANDER ZOOK, Blizzard

Speaker: Alexander Zook
Affiliation: Blizzard

ABSTRACT: “Gameplay First!” is one of Blizzard’s core company values. Data scientists at Blizzard combine machine learning, statistics, and insight to create epic experiences for our players across our games. In this talk I’ll cover two examples of data science driving epic game experiences: matchmaking in Heroes of the Storm and automatically detecting competitive playstyles inHearthstone (aka “the meta”). These cases showcase how data science techniques can deliver world-class epic experiences in the entertainment industry. BIO: Alex Zook is Senior Data Scientist at Blizzard Entertainment with a PhD in Human-Centered Computing from the Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing. He researches technologies to improve game design and development and formally model game design through artificial intelligence and machine learning. At Blizzard Entertainment he has been using machine learning and simulations to understand and design for player behavior in games including Hearthstone, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Heroes of the Storm. 

Hosted by Professor Demetri Terzopoulos

REFRESHMENTS at 3:45 pm, SPEAKER at 4:15 pm

Date/Time:
Date(s) - Oct 23, 2018
4:15 pm - 5:45 pm

Location:
3400 Boelter Hall
420 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095