// Professor · Researcher · Creator

Stephan
Jacob

Prof. Dipl.-Inf. · Creative Technologies & Digital Art

Game developer, VFX engineer, and professor at Hochschule Darmstadt — building worlds from code since 2005. Creator of World Creator, deployed in AAA productions from Call of Duty to Star Wars. Researcher at the intersection of space exploration and games.

h_da Darmstadt ESA Collaborator DLR Research Panel DGSW Chairman Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur
Listen to Podcast → Get in Touch
Prof. Stephan Jacob
Prof. Dipl.-Inf. · Hochschule Darmstadt
Creative Technologies in Digital Art
0+Years XP
0Awards
0+Publications
Scroll

About

Professor. Engineer.
World Builder.

I build the technology that makes digital worlds breathable — real-time rendering engines, procedural terrain systems, and the tools that let artists paint entire galaxies.

As Professor for Creative Technologies in Digital Art at Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da), I bridge the gap between bleeding-edge graphics programming and artistic expression. My work spans academia and industry: from teaching shader pipelines and generative AI in the lecture hall, to seeing my tools used in Call of Duty: Warzone, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, and Unreal Engine 5 demos.

With roots in demoscene culture — creating the world's first DirectX demo engine in C#.NET in 2005 — I have always pushed real-time graphics into uncharted territory. My company BiteTheBytes GmbH develops World Creator, a professional terrain generation tool used by studios worldwide and in space research applications.

Beyond the technical, I am deeply invested in the broader ecosystem: I hold the position of 1st Chairman of the DGSW (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Spiel und Wissenschaft), sit on the Advisory Board of the Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur, and serve on the Research Panel of the DLR (German Aerospace Center) on space exploration topics.

Roles & Affiliations

  • 🏛
    Professor — Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da) Creative Technologies in Digital Art · since 2022 h-da.de ↗
  • 🎮
    1st Chairman — DGSW Deutsche Gesellschaft für Spiel und Wissenschaft spielwissenschaft.de ↗
  • 📚
    Advisory Board — Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur Promoting digital game culture in Germany stiftung-digitale-spielkultur.de ↗
  • 🚀
    Research Panel — DLR (German Aerospace Center) Space Exploration Research dlr.de ↗
  • 🌍
    ESA Collaborator European Space Agency · Citizen Science & Outreach Games esa.int ↗
  • 🎬
    Lecturer — Filmakademie Babelsberg Real-time PreVis & Special Effects, Animation · since 2017
  • 💼
    Co-founder & Developer — BiteTheBytes GmbH World Creator — Professional terrain generation software world-creator.com ↗
  • 🎯
    Game Campus Expert Listed games industry expert gamecampus.de ↗

Technical Expertise

Real-Time Graphics & Shader ProgrammingExpert
Game Engine ArchitectureExpert
Procedural Content GenerationExpert
VFX & Visual Effects DesignExpert
Generative AI & Machine LearningAdvanced
Game Design & MechanicsAdvanced
3D Mathematics & AlgorithmsExpert

Languages & Tools

C / C++C#DirectX 9–11 HLSL / GLSLCg ShaderUnity 3D Unreal EngineOpenGLJava LUASQLHTML / XML PythonWebGLHoudini FX Maya3DS MaxPhotoshop

Audio

The Podcast

STEPHAN JACOB PODCAST
Listen on Spotify

Games, Science
& Digital Worlds

Join me for conversations at the intersection of game development, computer science, and digital culture. I talk with researchers, developers, artists, and thinkers about the technology shaping interactive entertainment — from shader programming and procedural generation to generative AI, space exploration, and the future of games as a scientific medium.

Whether you're a developer, researcher, or simply curious about what goes on behind the screen, pull up a chair.

Topics covered

Game Development Real-Time Graphics Generative AI Space & Games VFX Technology Digital Culture Game Science Education

Academic & Industry

Publications &
Lectures

Peer-reviewed research, industry magazine articles, and international conference contributions spanning game technology, AI, and space exploration.

2025
📄 Conference Paper International Astronautical Congress
From Players to Protectors: Gamification for Public Space Safety Awareness
International Astronautical Congress 2025
2024
📄 Peer-reviewed Paper Gesellschaft für Informatik
Konzeption einer rundenbasierten Simulation zur Förderung von Digital Literacy
Diskussionsbeitrag zur Verwaltungsmodernisierung · Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.
DOI: 10.18420/RVI2024-04 ↗
2024
⭐ Keynote Devcom 2024
Science and Games
Devcom 2024, Cologne
2024
🎤 Conference Talk Gamescom 2024
Gamification in Space
Gamescom Konferenz 2024, Cologne
2023
🎤 Conference Talk German Dev Days 2023
Generative KI
German Dev Days 2023
2021
🎤 Industry Talk itSMF Forum 2021
Gamification im professionellem Umfeld
itSMF Forum 2021
2019
⭐ Keynote German Dev Days 2019
Digital Worldbuilding für AAA-Produktionen
German Dev Days 2019
2019
🎤 Conference Talk Gamescom 2019
Gaming und 5G: Wie verändert sich unser Game Design
Gamescom Konferenz 2019, Cologne
2019
🎤 Industry Talk Fraunhofer Institut · future cAR 2019
Cloud Gaming & 5G
Future cAR Conference 2019, Fraunhofer Institut
2018
🎤 Public Talk Heinz Nixdorf Museum 2018
Künstliche Intelligenz in Videospielen
Heinz Nixdorf Museum 2018
2013
🎤 Conference Talk Prometheus Konferenz 2013
Digital Game Production
Prometheus Konferenz 2013
2011
⭐ Keynote QuoVadis 2011
"Backward Tessellation" — Realtime 3D-LOD
QuoVadis Entwicklerkonferenz 2011
2010
🎤 Conference Talk QuoVadis 2010
Continuous LOD Algorithms for 3D Meshes
QuoVadis Entwicklerkonferenz 2010
–
📰 Magazine Article Making Games Magazin
Techniken für Landschafts-Visualisierung in Open World Games
Making Games Magazin
–
📰 Magazine Article Retro Magazin
Evolution rundenbasierter Mehrspieler Dungeon Crawler
Retro Magazin
–
📰 Magazine Article Retro Magazin
Prozedurale Welten im Game Design — Carcassonne
Retro Magazin
–
📰 Magazine Article TZH
Digitalisierung von Brettspielen
TZH

Career

Biography &
Timeline

A career built at the intersection of academic rigor, technical innovation, and creative vision.

Academic Positions

2022 — present
Professor — Creative Technologies in Digital Art
Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da)
Full professor on lifetime tenure. Teaching VFX design, real-time rendering, game development, and generative AI.
2020 — 2022
Professor — Game Design
media Akademie Hochschule Stuttgart
2018 — 2020
Visiting Professor — VFX Design & Technology
Hochschule Darmstadt
2017 — present
Lecturer — Real-time PreVis & Special Effects
Filmakademie Babelsberg
2014 — 2020
Lecturer — Game Programming
SAE Institute (Frankfurt, Munich, Hannover, Stuttgart, Leipzig)
2008 — 2015
Lecturer & Project Coordinator
Games Academy Berlin — Game Programming

Industry & Education

2022 — elected
1st Chairman — DGSW
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Spiel und Wissenschaft
Leading the society bridging games and science in Germany.
Ongoing
Advisory Board — Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur
Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur
Ongoing
Research Panel — Space Exploration
DLR — Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt
2013 — present
Co-founder & Developer — BiteTheBytes GmbH
World Creator
Professional terrain generation software used in AAA games and scientific applications globally.
2001 — 2007
Dipl.-Informatiker — Medieninformatik
Hochschule Fulda · Grade: 1.8 · Study Abroad: Boston University, USA (2002–03)
1998 — 2000
State-certified Information Technician
Obersberg Schule, Bad Hersfeld
2013
Hessischer Gründerpreis
Innovative Idea · Hessen, Germany
2012
Deutscher Entwicklerpreis
Nominated: Best Technology
2011
European Innovative Games Award
Winner: Technology Category
2022
Tenure Professorship
Beamter auf Lebenszeit · Land Hessen

Beyond the Code

Other Interests

When I'm not writing shaders or teaching game engine architecture, you'll find me…

✈️

Licensed Pilot

PPL(A) pilot with JAR FCL certification. Flying is the perfect companion to digital flight simulation — there's no better way to understand aerial camera work and VFX than actually being up there.

🎲

Tabletop & Board Games

Deep interest in analog game design informs my digital work. Analyzing turn-based mechanics, spatial reasoning, and player psychology in board games has directly influenced my research into digital game adaptations.

🚀

Space Enthusiast

Member of the DLR Research Panel on space exploration. Collaborating with ESA on citizen science games that contribute to real lunar and planetary research.

🖥

Demoscene Roots

Started in the demoscene — the underground art movement pushing hardware to its absolute limits. Those early days of writing real-time demos with zero budget built the technical intuition that still drives my work today.

🌍

International Teaching

Studied at Boston University (USA), lectured across Germany. Teaching across cultures — from game jams to formal lecture halls — informs how I communicate complex technical ideas.

🏆

Industry Advocacy

As 1st Chairman of the DGSW and Advisory Board Member of Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur, I work to strengthen the bridge between games research, culture, and mainstream recognition.

Get in Touch

Let's Connect

Whether you're a student, researcher, industry partner, or journalist — I'm happy to hear from you. For academic inquiries, collaboration proposals, speaking engagements, or press requests.

Academic Email stephan.jacob [at] h-da.de
Personal / Industry Email webmaster [at] jacob-mm.de
Institution Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da)
Fachbereich Media
www.h-da.de ↗
Podcast Open on Spotify ↗
World Creator world-creator.com ↗
DGSW spielwissenschaft.de ↗
ESA Games ESA IMPACT ↗  ·  ESA SHIELD ↗