Games Design Journey

My Games Design Journey started in 2009. I was a computing lecturer at a local college in the east midlands in the UK. There was no such thing as games design back then. It didn’t exist in my college or in any college I knew.

I had a creative flair and enjoyed playing computer games. I was at that time a huge World of Warcraft player. I spent much of my spare time playing that game.

My first attempt at teaching games design was at a night session to adults teaching flash animation and using that to make simple games. The first classes I ever taught were to do a flash based space invaders game (see screenshot below). However flash is not an easy games design platform to use or deliver with.

I was always on the hunt for a better games development platform and then I discovered Mark Overmars Game Maker (version 6 back then) and ever since that day I have been using Game Maker (in all its variants). Its a great way to 'introduce' games design to students.

Gamemaker with my version of the classic 'Manic Miner' loaded up and ready to play!

This is 'manicminer' ready to be ported to android systems.

From 2D to 3D and beyond

The next step was to move from 2D games such as platform games and shoot them up to full 3D FPS type games like 'Call of Duty" etc. I came across UDK (Unreal Development Kit) fairly early on. I found its interface simple and intuitive. Also for student who hate coding the 'kismet' system is excellent. However after doing some research I discovered Unity. Which is an excellent all round development tool (although it does not produce as polished games as UDK can).

Then I discovered Unreal 4 Engine to develop games and now mainly use Unity and have created many games with it. I have also been using Maya to create all my 3D models in (once again I prefer Maya to 3D Studio Max). 

Along the way I became a

PhD Research student

I am also a PhD research student based at SGI Coventry University (Serious Games institute) . 

Doing research into embedding mathematics into games design.

A recent paper I have presented and published is

Serendipitous learning & serious games: A Pilot Study

This pilot study explores the use of serendipitous learning of mathematics in a group of Further Education students. Data was gathered from 28 students within a computer games design unit on a computer science course. The data was gathered using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings indicated that even at this early stage that student's view of mathematics had changed in a positive direction and students had learned mathematics during this process. The data analysis showed that further research into serendipitously embedding mathematics with a games design unit is of value and worth pursuing.

 I am now a Doctor and Games design Lecturer at Coventry University!