Spotlight on Scott
Video game designer

What first got you into game design? Was there a game or moment that really inspired you?

I always loved video games and wanted to make them since I was a kid. But I didn't know how to, particularly because I was never told how you start. When I was in 6th form, I saw that there was a game design course and thought this is something I'd want to do.

At Mayamada, how did you make sure your character designs matched the story and style? Can you share an example?

I would say that I would look at the design of their famous manga, specifically Samurai Chefand and study how their faces and bodies are designed before moving on to the details. Also, reading the manga to have a concept of what kind of story it is and having Nigel guiding what story was really important and investigating different types of media that are similar to the manga.

YWhat’s your usual creative process when starting a new piece of artwork?

When it comes to making a piece, I usually start by watching shows or looking at different objects and then I brainstorm ideas. From there, I'll start sketching out the idea to get a clear picture of how the design will look and then iterate it and do the final outline, colours and shading.

What was your experience like on the Future Tech course and what key skills did you take away?

It was a very intriguing experience, especially since I had never done anything in the theatre before. I learnt new skills such as how to rig lighting and program sound for shows.

How was working at Revel Puck Circus this winter and what did you learn from the customer service side of things?

Revel Puck was enjoyable because of the people involved. It was interesting to meet a variety of people and gain a thorough understanding of customer service. It was chaotic when it was busy, but the Revel Puck staff was always present to help me when I needed help. I'd say I learnt how to multitask and work under pressure, especially when a venue is busy. It also helped me enhance my communication skills.

During the Flipside programme at A New Direction, what design challenges did you face and how did the live briefs and mentoring help you grow?

Flipside is fantastic! It's been an incredible journey, but one of the design challenges I've faced is having so many great ideas and having to eliminate many of them to keep one because having so many ideas in one design will become messy. Especially since my app is a Spotify app for artists, which was the live brief. Mentoring was quite beneficial to me because it demonstrated how the digital product design market operates and what type of CV and portfolio I should prepare.

What tools or software do you rely on for game design and concept art and why are they your go to?

When it comes to game design, I primarily use Unreal Engine as the main game engine for both game creation and programming. I utilise Maya and Blender to construct 3d environments, which is my favourite.

How has the past year influenced your confidence and approach to pursuing jobs in the creative sector and what role did Future Formed play in that journey?

I feel that I'm better with communication skills, able to present in a better way and future-formed has help me to obtain the experience that I really need, which is extremely important while pursuing a job in the creative field.