Why are you studying games?
I like writing a lot, but I also enjoy visual design and programming. Games bring those things together, so I thought it was a good place to start. But more than that, I like the room for exploration that games can give us, along with the quiet moments where we can reflect. This is why I've really liked games like Antichamber and Thomas was Alone. I hope to make games that help players explore and reflect on their life and on their world.
Describe your most embarrassing playtesting moment.
For my very first game assignment, my teammates and I had a fairly decent game with a really cool name. That name got everyone's attention, but then the playtest went pretty badly. Our game had a swap ability to switch cards between players, and it became central to all our strategy. But in our rules sheet, swap was just as one ability among many, rather than a central mechanic. So new players didn't really use swap like we hoped they would, which made the playtest pretty boring. At least we had a cool name though.
What's your secret weapon?
I've learned a lot about working with others, which helps me make better games. Paying attention to the general mood of the group along with the relationships between teammates and knowing how to be kind when giving feedback helps me maintain a good atmosphere that lets us work well. I’ve learned the importance of trusting a teammate’s judgement and stepping back, and really considering the opposing view when I’m in a design disagreement. It's really helped move design discussions and the iteration process forward.
What do you hope to accomplish after school?
I hope to live a happy life, surrounded by people I love. Other than that, I want to be a part of creating interesting stories and experiences for others. Hopefully the games—and anything else—that I'm a part of will be good emotional experiences; something players will look back on and reflect.
