Walled In was my first attempt at a non digital game. It appealed to me on a crafty side, as well was the gameplay as it meant I could focus almost all of my effort on how the game would work. Making Walled In didn’t feel much like work as I would idea generate whenever I was left alone for too long and game testing in the initial stages had my housemates running about the main room or fumbling through random knowledge in their brains to make sure each challenge was plausible. I got to go through a handful of iterations this way, easily finding problems that may arise before they got too embedded into the game where I could not remove them. Going into this project, I hadn’t expected it to be as enjoyable as it was, and I was able to enjoy the creation and final product; even if it did come from some late night cut and glue jobs with a couple of my helpful roommates.
Like most others looking to work in this industry, games are a key interest. My love for games stems first from my love of books, with games now offering me the chance to make my own choices and lead the story in my own way. Games that allow the player to make their own choices and choose the direction of the story is something that inspires me heavily and I hope one day I could be part of making something that helps the player feel that same sense of awe and freedom that I do in the games I play.
From a young age I was raised to be a hard worker and have always strived to put my best foot forward in whatever I do. While I may suffer frustration, and maybe sometimes lose a little confidence in completing a challenge, I have learned to look to the end goal and try to achieve my best, no matter whether I’m climbing Ben Nevis, working towards a first place in a dance competition or learning a new skill in the workplace.
Despite the difficult times we have all faced over the last year, I have still found ways to continue doing what I love; creating games.
In my spare time I have enjoyed making quizzes and challenges for my friends to take part in over long distance calls, made roleplay escape rooms for online communities, and worked on my personal skills to help me grow as a person.