James.
Practicing Game Designer Aspiring Ludologist
Having realised 6 years ago that my true passion lay in the creation of interactive and engaging experiences for others, I have been persuing this goal ever since.
Hello. I am
About Me
Though Design is my forte, I have an ecclectic set of skills which I have put to use in the various projects I have completed and worked on over the course of the past half decade When it comes to design my focus is to make each project a unique experience that can speak to those who play or otherwise interact with it. To achieve this, I always start with a theme, then wherever possible make every facet of the game work towards reinforcing that theme.
Here are a few of the aforementioned skills:
- Unity
- Unreal
- Blender
- Logic
- Github
Professional Experience
Game Designer
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Team Hydra
Septemer 2023 - present
Team Hydra is new studio that is made up of me and a handful of classmates from my university course. Initially made for the sake of doing group work, it has since metamorphosed into something we are proud enough to want to develop post-university. This is because over the past 2 years, we have been working on our own stealth game (a demo of which is on my itch.io page) and we believe that is has the right stuff for Tranzfuser. This being a game development competition with winners receiving funding for their game.
For the team, I have worked as one of 2 game designers. Working closely with the other we came up with the game itself, and as of late I have been in charge of all things related to the level design.
Lead Unity Developer
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Danveria
April - May 2021
During college I received the oppourtunity to work as part of Danveria during the work experience section of the module. For this project I was assigned as the head of all things done in engine. This involved overseeing about 10 others, seeing to it they knew what they were doing, and making sure all of their work ended up in the right places.
- Organised the other in-engine designers.
- Aggregated all of the work onto one build.
- Created levels for the game
Combat Engineer
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The British Army
March - December 2020
The Army was the only proper job I had before going into education for games. And although it does not sound as relevant as my other experience, the time spent there was integral for learning confidence in myself, how to work as part of a team, as well leading people.
I was in the Royal Engineers, which means alongside leadership and teamwork, I also can blow things up!
Education
2023-2026
BA(HONS) Game Design
University of East London
Wrote my dissertation on how location relates to the experience of play
- “The Role of the Venue: How the Location of Play Affects the Roleplaying Experience for Both Players and Game Masters”
2021 - 2023
UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production (Specialism in Game Design)
Uxbridge College
- Design and Research Skills in Creative Media Production: Level 3
- Professional Practice in Creative Production: Level 3
- Media Processes and Technical Skills: Level 3
[Merit]
Secondary School
Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School
Projects
Kagemusha
Team Hydra's first project, Kagemusha is a first person stealth game being developed as we speak. As of early may, we have an alpha build ready, in order to showcase our work, which you can play right now!
A Treatise Concerning Correct Combat Conduct for Officers in the Theatre of War
This project is an interactive art piece, as well as a game rolled into one. I constructed it by hand, designed the pieces and the board myself, as well as learned photography just to document it for others to see. It is a commentary on the romanticism surrounding glory in battle, especially further back in time, as this game is set in the Napoleonic era.
Ennui at the Disco
Made in a simple game engine called Môsi, this game is intended to convey its themes more through its writing and story as opposed to its depth of game mechanics. You play as our hero, Steve, and follow his investigation into the newest Nightclub that opened up in his town.
The Motte and Bailey Fallacy
This demo showcases my level design abilities in Unity. You play as a hired assassin sent to kill the king of an opposing nation. How you go about this task is up to you, all the while avoiding or dispatching the guards.
Symmetry Survivors
This game was made for the UKIE Student Game Jam 2026 where the theme was Symmetry.I served as the primary game designer, as well as the composer.
Get in Touch
Thank you for taking the time to look through this. If you wish to get in touch