Nathan Herrmann

22 East 2300 North | Lehi, Utah 84043 | 801-368-7037 | nathanjherrmann@gmail.com

7/20/2015
To whom it may concern
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah
To whom it may concern:
I am eager to enter into the IT field and am searching for a job that will allow me to further
my skills and learn more about the requirements for this field of work. Having spent much of
my personal and some of my academic time exploring and interacting with the technical
world I feel like it would be a great area for me to join
Through working and school I have developed my critical thinking on an individual basis and
have learned how to organize and work with a team. Previous work experience as a delivery
driver for Flowers on Main has taught me how to organize and prepare a team for busy and
intensive work while maintaining attention to detail. Along with this I learned how to serve
excellent customer support.
Thank you for your consideration of my application for this position. I am excited for the
chance that I have to continue learning in this great field of work.

Sincerely,
Nathan Herrmann

Contents

Technical Description........................................................................................
This document is meant to explain the new model of Siberia v3
headphones to consumers. It is meant to easily explain the key points that
have been improved in the technology and show what they have to offer.

Set of Instructions............................................................................................
This document is meant to give guidelines for consumers who are
installing their own AMD CPU into a motherboard. It labels the proper steps
that must be taken in order to complete the task without damage to the
product.

Technical Document..........................................................................................
This document is a report on the information gathered on the culture of
the gaming company ArenaNet. It is meant to inform the reader about the
background and reasons for success behind the company. It serves to show
organizational skills of a research paper.

Resume..........................................................................................................

SteelSeries Siberia v3 Prism

Headphones
Through our various forms of entertainment there is a common factor that
contributes to our overall enjoyment: Sound. The Siberia v3 Prism Headphones are
designed for gaming specifically and are meant to enhance the experience through
improved sounds and voice communication while offering comfort and great options
for personal customization. This is all achieved through the design of the
headphones, the microphone and the overall design for comfort.

Headphones
The new design of the v3 Headphones is aimed at enhancing the acoustic
space by reducing the number of internal parts. This along with the new driver to
push audio it creates a great listening experience. The frequency response ranges
from 10 - 28000 Hz and offers a great low end sound quality. Along with this the
headphones themselves will sit snugly against your head and cancel out unwanted
sound ensuring that the audio you hear is from the headphone speakers.

Microphone
The microphone is created to have unidirectional pick up at a frequency
response of 50 - 16000 Hz. This offers clear audio pickup for voice communication
with others and keeps the unwanted sounds out of the mix. The microphone
features a mute switch on the side of the headphones for quick access and when
the it is not in use it can be retracted into the headset itself so it stay out of the way.

Comfort and Design

The v3 Headphones are designed to be lightweight and comfort at the
forefront. Weighing only 250g they are incredibly light and dont weigh down on the
head or ears. The soft headband across the top will easily fit to most head sized
without the need for adjustment. The headphones are both equipped with soft
memory foam to hold against the head ensuring comfort around the ears.
The v3 Headphones come equipped with the ability to display 16.8 million
different colors on the outside and a series of color effects and lighting modes.
These can all be changed using the SteelSeries Engine 3 program.

Conclusion
The v3 Headphones offer great sound quality and extreme comfort while
maintaining a reasonable cost. Keeping in mind the requirements that are needed
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for the enjoyment of the consumer and maintaining the quality of the product
ensures that this product delivers a greater level of enjoyment to those who choose
to purchase it.

AMD AM3+ CPU Installation

These instruction will guide you during your installation of your AMD CPU into
the motherboard of your computer. Ensure that your motherboard is compatible
with the AM3+ socket to ensure that the computer will function properly.

Materials Needed
Motherboard supporting AM3+ CPU socket
AMD CPU Unit
CPU thermal paste
Fan Heatsink

Setup
1. Lift the metal lever beside the CPU socket. This will open the socket and allow the
CPU to be set inside
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2. Set the CPU into the socket. On the bottom of the CPU there will be a golden
triangle. Match this to the cut out triangle on the CPU socket to ensure that the
prongs on the CPU match with the socket.

DO NOT FORCE THE CPU UNIT INTO THE SOCKET. The CPU should easily slide
in. Ensure that it is aligned properly.
3. Push the metal lever down until it locks the CPU in place. This may be accompanied
by a crack and require slight pressure.
4. If the CPU unit does not already have a gray or white substance on the back then
thermal paste must be applied. Apply a small amount, just enough to lightly coat
the entire back of the CPU.

5. Place the Fan Heatsink on top of the CPU and gently move it in all directions to
ensure the thermal paste has made contact with the entire bottom of the Heatsink.
6. Place the metal latches on either side of the Heatsink so they attach to the plastic
tabs of the CPU socket.

7. Flip the black switch on the side of the Heatsink to secure if to the CPU and the
Motherboard
8. Plug the power cable on the fan into the prongs labeled CPU_FAN on the
Motherboard

Conclusion
Your AMD AM3+ CPU is now ready for use. When the unit is turned on ensure
that the fan is running in order to avoid overheating.

The Workings of ArenaNet

Nathan Herrmann

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Abstract

In this analysis I am going to examine the culture at the company ArenaNet. They
are a triple A gaming company responsible for the game Guild Wars and Guild Wars
2. To better understand the culture at ArenaNet I will examine how the company
interacts within itself and with its consumers. First I will explain the research
method used in order to examine the different parts of the company, then I will
report the findings. After the results I draw my conclusion about the success that
the company.

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The Workings of ArenaNet

Introduction
When hearing about video games we all tend to have different opinions come to our
minds. We think of different video games that are popular; some we see in
advertisements or movies and others that we may have played or know people who
play. There are hundreds of video games out there; many of which we may be
completely unaware of. With so many it may be easy to think that they are all the
same and that there really isn't a large difference between them. When further
investigating them however we can see that there are large differences in games.
One such game that is rising in popularity and has been named one of the best
MMO's of all time is Guild Wars 2. In order to get a glimpse at what sets this game
apart from others we will look at the company behind it to see what differs in their
culture in order to produce this game. This report will look at specific practices and
techniques that ArenaNet uses in order to achieve its ultimate goals.

Research Plan
In order to see how ArenaNet works we will examine different areas in which they
operate.
Phase 1: Background of ArenaNet
Phase 2: Internal workings among employees
Phase 3: Workings with their game
Phase 4: Working with the gamers

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Phase 1: Background of ArenaNet

To research the background of ArenaNet it was important to look at the founders
and where they had originally started. New companies are often started by those
who have prior experience in the gaming community and it can be important
because of the knowledge that they bring with them

Understanding the connections that a company has to larger ones is important to

know as core values are often shared. The companies are able to influence each
other through their efforts and so they hold each other responsible for their work.
Examining the background and products of the lerger companies can give us an
idea of what to expect but not always guarantees results.

Phase 2: Internal workings among employees

Understanding the way that employees interact with one another helps us
understand the actual creation process that is involved in making a video game.
This part of the process is important to understand as it reflects greatly in the final
product of the game. To understand this I decided to look into job postings by the
company in order to see the kinds of people they are looking to hire.

Reporters are often allowed to enter into the company buildings are take tours of
the office to get a feel for the company and its employees as well. A quick search
was able to reveal that in the months leading up to the release of Guild Wars 2 there
were several tours allowed and they show us a part of the creation system that
ArenaNet uses.

Phase 3: Workings with their game

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The best place to see how ArenaNet works with the game is to examine the game
itself. Since the time of release we are able to see the many changes that have
occurred in the game. This reflects in the patch notes that they release whenever
this new content is added. These notes are all stored not only on their website but
also in the various information sites about the game.

Phase 4: Working with the gamers

The forums of the game are a great place to be able to see how the employees at
ArenaNet interact with the players. They are often seen responding to questions
and providing information about the game. Using these forums I was able to get in
contact with one of the employees at ArenaNet and get a better understanding of
how they are reaching out to their playerbase.

Results
Background of ArenaNet

ArenaNet is a video game development company and is part of the larger NCsoft
company. Founded by Mike O'brien, Patrick Wyatt and Jeff Strain in the year 2000
they had a very small beginning with roughly 65 employees at the time of the
launch of their first game Guild Wars. Over the years they grew and now have over
250 employees and sold millions of copies of their games. Thought two of their
original founders have since left the company Mike O'brien still resides as president
of the company.

ArenaNet is a subsidiary of NCsoft and as such the two share many of the core
values. The three points that are focused are integrity, passion and never-ending
change. Integrity to stick to principles and stay honest. Passion in the work that is
being done. Never-ending change to keep growing and never stop learning. These
beginning principles make the backbone for the entire creation process that leads
the team at ArenaNet to have the desire to break the current trends that are seen in
video games.
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Internal workings among employees

ArenaNet was founded with the purpose of breaking the mold of current gaming
trends. They sought out to create something that was different from what most
other games provide and especially focus on the online gaming market. One way
that they achieve this is through project-oriented work where rather than having
different departments working separately you see artists, coders and writers all
working together until the project is done. This is to ensure that the original ideas
that are created are implemented into their games just how they were originally
envisioned. This also leads to a great creation process that is used in writing known
as peer review. Through this there is a sense of a collaborative effort to create
something great.

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Figure 1: Concept art from the office of ArenaNet

Another aim that ArenaNet has is to have the concept art of the game and the
actual game itself to feel the same. This idea formed into having the art of the
game posted around the office at ArenaNet. Not only does this give a great
atmosphere to work in but the displays capture the feeling of the game and serves
as a reminder of the ultimate goal that is being worked towards. Self motivations is
also a strong emphasis for employees and as such they are allowed artistic
decorations of their own. Given this freedom allows the employees the ability to
seek their own personal inspiration in order to share with the whole to be reviewed
and built upon.

Workings with the game

A large part of what a video game company does is keeping up with the products
that they release. What we call the "final product" of a game is far from perfect and
always has its own share of bugs and fixes that must be done in order for it to
function as expected. This is even more true for online gaming. With the release of
their second game, Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet promised to have content updates every
other week. This way there was always things happening and changing in their
game.

Since the time of the release in 2012 ArenaNet has changed how they release
content but they still focus on creating new story, content and changes to the way
the game plays. This allows them to keep their game feeling new and refreshing for
years after release. These changes are always announced beforehand and tested
rigorously by the employees. This interaction with the game allows the team to
continuously brainstorm ideas of how to improve their game for those who play it.

Keeping their consumers informed on these changes is a big part of keeping up with
the game. The team releases large lists of changes that include detailed
explanations about what and why the changes were made. The precise work that is
put into compiling these lists shows a level of dedication to not only the game but
also the consumer.

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Working with the gamers

Just like any other company ArenaNet wants to create a product that their
consumers will enjoy. Part of this for ArenaNet is getting feedback from the
consumers in order to continue to deliver quality content for their game. In order to
do this they constantly are communicating with the consumers across different
platforms of communication. The first that you will find is on the forum pages of the
game. Here we can see that there are specific people who constantly interact with
the community in answering questions and listening to feedback from the game, be
good or bad.

Employees at ArenaNet not only want to hear from their players but also spend time
with them. Many of the employees can be found playing alongside the average
gamers and spending time with them. This offers them another opportunity to get
to know their player base and hear what their concerns are about the game. This
interaction opens the developers up to thinking more like the gamers and having a
stronger connection with them.

ArenaNet started a project called the Collaborative Development Initiative. This CDI
was an effort to get a more structured conversation going with the players of the
game. They created threads on their forums that addressed specific topics and
allowed feedback and ideas to be submitted by the community. These topics had a
more specific purpose than the average forum post and allowed the community to
speak their minds more directly.

Conclusion
Creation process
The way in which ArenaNet generates ideas is essential in how they create games.
The environment around the office is meant to inspire and give ideas. This also
leaves each employee available to work with their own personal ideas and bring it

17

to the team as a whole. Overall the freedom that is allowed offers great success
and motivation for the employees to work with.

Continuous development
Guild Wars 2 is in a constant state of creation and management in which it
constantly is being improved and changed. The process generates constant interest
in the game by providing new material and content for the players to enjoy.
Keeping the player base informed on the changes informa and keeps players
coming back to the game. This greatly adds to the success of the game.

Interacting with the community

A great part of keeping players coming back is responding to questions and
interacting with them. ArenaNet gives their players the time they want in this
regard and even goes as far as to play the game with them. This helps them to get
a feeling for the game and for the players and their desires.

References_______________________________________________
___________________
ArenaNet. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2015.
ArenaNet want your ideas on how raiding should work in Guild Wars 2. (n.d.).
Retrieved June 20, 2015.
Exclusive Interview with ArenaNet's Chris Whiteside - News. (n.d.). Retrieved June
20, 2015.
Exclusive Interview with Chris Whiteside on the CDIs! (n.d.). Retrieved June 20,
2015.
Get a job: Guild Wars 2 studio ArenaNet seeks a Character Artist. (n.d.). Retrieved
June 20, 2015.
Guild Wars 2: ArenaNet Studio Tour. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2015.
The Truth About ArenaNet. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2015.
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Visions and Goals. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2015.

Nathan Herrmann
22 East 2300 North | Lehi, Utah 84043 | 801-368-7037 | nathanjherrmann@gmail.com
I am looking to further my knowledge in the IT field and learn the necessary skills for future
positions.

Education
* Lehi High School, Lehi, Utah
* Graduated in 2008
* Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City Utah
* Expected General Studies completion in May 2016

Experience
Sep 2012 Jul 2015
Delivery Driver | Flowers on Main
Organizing and preparing routes for delivery of myself and those in my team. Customer
service and delivery of purchased products.
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Feb 2012 - Sep 2012

Customer Service Specialist | 4Life Research
Providing account support for distributors of company products. Delivering customer service
to distributors and consumers of company products. Working with a team to solve internal
problems and better support customers.

Communication
Working with others in a team setting has taught me how to solve internal problems and focus
on providing superior service to customers.
Other Skills
* Fluent in Spanish
* Team organization
* Working with time restraints

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