Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I have worked as QA, QA Lead, Game Designer, Senior and Lead Game Designer, Level Designer, Senior and Lead Level Designer for a variety of companies in a 25-year career so far. During this time, I have contributed to titles such as Star Citizen/Squadron 42, Call of Duty, Harry Potter, Sniper Elite, Wipeout 2048 and many others.
Why d3t?
I know that d3t look after their employees, first and foremost. It’s very important to me that employees are treated with respect and provided a place to work that nurtures their creative and professional desires and by all accounts d3t has nailed this.
What do you love about games?
I’ve played video games since I was 3 and have been trying to make or mod games as far back as the Spectrum 48k, Commodore Amiga and then PC.
I love the escapism. The best games, in my opinion, take you to another world for a period of time similar to a good novel.
There are games to suit any mood you are in or any time you have available, and I love the flexibility of sitting down, whether it’s for 10 minutes or 10 hours to enjoy something I have loved my entire life.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently I am playing S.C.U.M, Diablo 4, Last Epoch, Nightingale, and Enshrouded.
I finished Baldur’s Gate 3 a few months ago and that was probably my favourite of the last few years.
However, my all-time greatest game could not be narrowed down to just one. It’s literally impossible for me to do that. I can list a few of my favourites from the last 35 years though? Ant-Attack (Spectrum), Robin Hood (Spectrum), Rebel Star (Spectrum), Nitro (Amiga), Moonstone (Amiga), Diablo 2 (PC), Grim Dawn (PC), X-Com original (Amiga/PC), Elder Scrolls – Daggerfall (PC) + many more!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
Fun facts? Errrm. I can’t kill insects. I always save them instead whether it’s from a path, a road or my bedroom ceiling!
Hobbies are the usual nerdy interests such as reading, playing/making games and promising to go to a gym but never quite finding the time/inclination.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve just finished my PhD in Particle Physics at Lancaster University, where I worked with data from the ATLAS experiment at CERN to look for new physics. With this I spent a lot of time coding, and found it was my favourite part of my PhD! I decided I wanted to move out of academia into a job that would let me code all of the time. Combined with my love of video games, game programming felt like a great choice.
Why d3t?
The culture at d3t seems really great, everyone I’ve spoken to has only had good things to say! In addition, I like that the studio is co-development as it means I get the opportunity to work on and get experience with lots of different things. I’m looking forward to being able to be in the studio with lots of other people who love games.
What do you love about games?
I love the way a well told video game can make you feel. I’m a big fan of RPGs and the way a story can be told through the interactive medium of a video game. My favourite example of this is The Witcher 3 (which d3t worked on!). The story was so in-depth and so many player choices were considered, something you can’t do with book, TV, or film! In particular, I love the way video games can tell a story with the environment, well placed objects that give you information about the world without having to lore dump on you.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently replaying Elden Ring, it was my first foray into Souls-like games and I was hooked! Because of this, I ended up playing all of the Dark Souls games one after the other last year. I’m a big fan of Souls-like games as I love the challenge of throwing yourself at a boss and forcing yourself to get better with every attempt. My favourite game is definitely Hollow Knight though. The amazing art combined with the interesting storytelling, amazing music and game mechanics make it such a great game.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I have pet rats! They’re all named after Hollow Knight characters (Monomon, Lurien, Herrah, Quirrel and Cornifer). Cornifer actually made an appearance as an additional asset in my coding interview! Outside of playing games I also spend a lot of time climbing and cycling, as well as playing tabletop games like D&D and Warhammer.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been pursuing a career in game design for as long as I can recall. I studied Games Art and Design at Norwich University of the Arts and won the TIGA Outstanding Graduate of the Year: Designer in 2023. I’m a huge lover of Unreal Engine and I’m always learning new technical skills and soaking in game and level design related books/knowledge.
After breaking into the industry for about a year at Free Radical Design, working with David Doak and Steve Ellis on the new Timesplitters project as a Junior Game Designer, I discovered a huge passion for level design and picked up many new skills.
This role ended unexpectedly due to the many unfortunate industry closures during 2023. However, it has led me to my new role at d3t doing what I love and I’m really excited to continue my amazing journey in the games industry and begin my next adventure here at d3t!
Why d3t?
During my job search I was looking for a great studio where I can grow as a person and be my passionate self. d3t is well known to be an amazing studio to work for and I’ve had such a great professional experience with them in the interview stages that I knew this was the place for me. I’m really excited to start working with the amazingly talented people who are part of the lovely working culture at the studio.
What do you love about games?
For me games are a way to completely lose myself in fantastical worlds, or in the absolute concentration that is a challenging souls/pvp experience.
I’ve always loved games like Tetris and Dark Souls for their simplicity to take you away into a great mode of focus. I also absolutely adore Dungeons and Dragons and games such as Baldur’s Gate 3, The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk and many more – for me these games represent an adventure and really allow me to lose myself in the fantastical worlds and stories of great creative minds.
I also love that games are a great way for people to connect and communities to arise. I’ve been a Dota/League player for a really long time now and it’s really fascinating and wonderful to see how a Warcraft 3 mod has become the building ground for great worldwide gaming successes, such as League of Legends and Dota 2, which have created a massive fanbase and cool events such as esports tournaments.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently playing Helldivers 2, a bit of Dota 2 and Last Epoch. However, for my favourite game of all time I’m going to have to go with Baldur’s Gate 3. For me, it’s a game that really blew me away like no other game has. As a massive D&D nerd and Lord of The Rings fan it was such a great experience and came at the right time in my life that I’ll always cherish in my memories and probably play over and over again.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I just love D&D. I’m always writing adventures and drawing battlemaps for the tabletop even if I don’t get to run them immediately. I’m also always trying to learn more things and explore new hobbies such as drawing and painting miniatures. I also really love house music and am always looking forward to the next two-step.
Some fun facts about me are that I guess you could say I collect tea due to how many types of tea I have. I also like to DJ in my spare time sometimes and I speak Polish and English.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I originally started working for an ArchViz company as a Junior 3D Artist years ago and slowly evolved my way into being a Technical Artist within the games industry. I’ve used a range of tools including engines such as Unity or Unreal and the tools side of tech art is where my heart lies, as I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of it, and it’s always drawn me in.
Why d3t?
One aspect of d3t that I’m looking forward to is working with other developers on a wide range of projects to create some awesome games! The studio really gave off the vibe that they care about the team and while I was talking with various members it became clear they enjoyed the work and were happy with the day to day which brought me to the studio.
What do you love about games?
They allow you to experience a story in a way film and music can’t quite do with the feeling of being involved in a world or laughing with your friends because of some silly thing they did in a multiplayer round once.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
My favourite game of all time has to be Spyro. It got me into gaming and eventually led me down the road of wanting to develop games. My current go to game is Helldivers 2… gotta give those bugs a taste of freedom!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I like playing Golf and Rugby and I’m an avid Fantasy Premier League player with my football team being Manchester United. In my spare time I also run a regiment for the game Holdfast, we now have over 50 active members who come to events on the weekend.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I was introduced to computers at the age of 8 with our first family computer, the Atari 800. I was hooked! I went from playing games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man to tapping in code from magazines and seeing what would happen, to trying my hand at my own games.
20 years later I started self-teaching HTML, CSS, and ASP. I created an online forum for my Quake 2 friends so that we could chat. This led to a 16-year career working for the NHS as a systems developer, and later technical manager. During this time, I would design, develop, and deliver both clinical and administrative solutions that would support patients and staff. One of my favourites, an award-winning project, helped redirect ambulances to other hospitals which were under less pressure. I felt I made a difference.
In 2015 I started an online course to learn C# by making games. Again, I was hooked! I initially volunteered and later worked for a company who created online courses for games development and was able to provide support to other students along with QA for course content.
This led to an opportunity in 2018 where I had the privilege of offering mentorship to a student from the Nueva School in California, this was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to give back. In 2023 I received an unexpected email from my mentee who thanked me for my support and guidance and told me that my mentorship had ignited a passion for computer science, he had just graduated from high school and was now heading off to university. It was a wonderful surprise and I’m so glad I could be a little part of his journey.
2019 was the year I enrolled in my Foundation Degree in Games Design and Development. I graduated in 2022 with a 1st Class Honours and felt proud of my achievement and grateful to those who had helped and supported me in my journey. My degree broadened my knowledge of the games industry, provided insight to other disciplines and technologies.
Since then I have continued my journey of self-development and thoroughly enjoy every opportunity to learn something new.
Why d3t?
I was introduced to d3t during my degree and subsequently had the pleasure of taking part in a webinar where I received some excellent advice from Phil Owen, Head of Engineering. I took that advice!
d3t’s values really do align with my own, especially those of transparency, respect, and excellence. Seeing the company receive awards for Best Place to Work combined with seeing a lot of positivity regarding d3t’s culture was really reassuring.
As a co-development studio I’m excited by the variety of projects I will be able to work on, as well as the scope for learning from a team of such talented individuals.
What do you love about games?
For multiplayer games, I love that games can bring people together to enjoy a shared experience and give them something in common. I have enjoyed playing games with people from all around the world, and when you speak to each other, you’ll often learn a little something you didn’t know about that person’s country, or life. I find it fascinating how games can help bridge the divide between people around the world and focus our attention on what we have in common, rather than what we don’t.
Games also provide a little escapism. At the click or tap of a button you can be a F1 race driver, a space marine, a pirate, a commander of legions in a historical battle, or an athletic hedgehog that likes gold coins. Games offer us so many possibilities.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I play Catan on almost a daily basis, I enjoy the unpredictability of an opponent’s strategy.
Fortnite is another game I play very frequently; I like that it’s so easy to just drop into and have some fun. I typically wear default skins (to help stay hidden in bushes!) and enjoy being called a “noob” by youngsters, only to then spend most of a game reviving them :D
Age of Empires has always been a favourite, all the way back to its first release. You’ll often find me laying siege to an opponent’s town with far more siege weapons than are necessary. Wololo!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
In my youth, oh so many years ago, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Warhammer 40K and painted more Ork Gretchin than anyone should ever paint! Every 40K army needs cannon fodder though, right? I’m currently (read: for the last few years) trying to finish painting some minis for Necromunda, I just need more time…and paint…and time.
I am also a certified technical dive master and have been found in various cold, dark, and deep locations around the UK. I have assisted in the training of other technical dive students which I found really rewarding.
Aside from the above, just the everyday things, walking, cooking, movies, and learning to speak Italian.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
After graduating from Lancaster University, where I was privileged to work on the BBC Micro:Bit project, I landed my first job in games at Traveller’s Tales. After a fair few years there, helping out on three released and cross-platform titles, I moved on to Wushu Studios. Two and half years and a bunch more experience later, we come to now!
Why d3t?
Why not d3t? It’s a studio with over a decade in the industry, multiple consecutive awards for just how good a place it is to work, and a varied history of interesting projects! Where better to go for a fresh start!
What do you love about games?
I love the stories. There are so many fascinating ways a game can present its world and characters, utilising the interactivity in combination with audio and visuals to really draw a player in to a tale.
Then you have the stories players create themselves using the medium. There are so many examples of this, ranging from using mechanics in unexpected ways to making the news for sheer scale of player dedication.
Finally, there is the stories players tell with your world, be it through fan fiction of their own head cannons as to why a character does what they did or through mods or novels telling entirely new stories that build off your lore.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently, I’ve been waiting for Dragons Dogma 2 to release so I can spend an ungodly amount of hours in that. To tide me over in that interim, I’ve been playing Helldivers 2 to pass the time.
It’s hard to choose but I think Disco Elysium is my favourite game though, if we are measuring off hours played, it would have to be Skyrim!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
One fun fact about me is I was once a world record holder. Only for about a week though!
I’ve recently also gotten into LARP’ing and honestly wish it had been something I’d got into sooner! It’s great fun to immerse yourself fully into your character and an evolving world, then hit things with foam weapons.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I originally started in localisation at a company based in Osaka localising Japanese to English and vice versa. When I returned from Japan, I knew that the gaming industry was for me, and I had to get in and live my dreams. I joined Sony PlayStation Liverpool on a temp contract hoping that I’d woo them into giving me a permanent position. It worked! 4 years later after working both in Compliance and Software QA, the pandemic layoffs were looming and that’s when I discovered d3t and production (the first time). I applied and my dreams became true, I was an Associate Producer working on VIDEO GAMES! Best day ever! A little over 3 years later, my thirst for exploration in the industry took over. I had a short but lovely few months’ working as a Senior Producer at Atomhawk Advance which was awesome but not quite what I wanted out of my career.
d3t were there poised and ready to have me back as a Senior Producer and I couldn’t think of a better decision. I’m now ready to take on my new role here and help my team smash through projects. Production and the wellbeing of my teams is my jam and let’s just say – I’m not a regular producer, I’m a cool producer.
Why d3t?
Let’s just say I’m back home and now they can’t get rid of me! There are so many incredible people here that all have the same care for each other and for the work we do. My first day back was probably one of the most overwhelmingly wonderful days of my life. I know that my career, health, and wellbeing is safe in d3t’s hands where every day will challenge and continue to forge me into the producer and people advocate that I want to be!
What do you love about games?
As for a lot of people, games were the escapism I needed from a lot of things that were wrong in the world. They taught me compassion, history, love, adventure and how…erm fragile your Sims family can be. They take me to places of creativity and give me glimpses into different cultures, different mindsets, and the beauty of people’s minds from all over the world. I love being on that journey and now part of that journey. Just know that everything we do at d3t has nothing but love and passion behind every single detail we touch!
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
My favourite games are Metal Gear Solid and Suikoden 2. They just hit the right spots for me, but I would consider myself rather eclectic.
However, I’m currently living my ‘oh a piece of candy’ best life bopping between several games such as Horizon: Forbidden West, Dead Island 2, Life is Strange 2, Surviving the Aftermath and the occasional Crusader Kings 3 session. There are too many games that I want to play at once for my spicy brain to handle!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
Fun fact – You can learn a whole lot about people depending on the weird questions you ask them pre-coffee. Definitely not about toes…curious? Well join our team and find out!
I’ve also recently picked up whittling and woodworking which is really calming and by the end you have some adorable little trinkets which my goblin heart adores.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve always had a passion for games and have always been keen to make them myself. I therefore couldn’t believe that I could not only study Games Development at University, but that after doing so that I’d actually get my first industry job working on racing games at Evolution Studios.
Whilst there I helped craft the chaotic driving stampede of the MotorStorm series, which was then followed by the professional racing AI of DriveClub. We then went on to expand the franchise with DriveClub Bikes and the DriveClub VR edition.
I then moved on to work with Codemasters on Onrush, which was a real career highlight because I had the chance to build a new engine from scratch, which allowed me to put into practise a lot of ideas we’d all been waiting try out!
My latest role was with Avalanche Studios where I was code lead on Call of the Wild: The Angler. It was really interesting to work on something so different, where I had the chance of developing the new technologies needed for shipping a title on so many platforms!
Why d3t?
I found myself drawn to d3t because of how much positivity I’ve heard over the years about the studio’s attitude and values. I also really like the scope and range of projects, alongside the fantastic track record the studio has as a best place to work.
What do you love about games?
I love games for so many reasons. The way they can be immersive escapes, teach you new ways of solving challenges, be creative outlets or just simply be pure art, and so much more. I also love the fascinating technologies that drive games, and how it continues to be a space where we are all pioneers!
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I love playing games with my family, and so I’m particularly drawn to all games with a good cooperative mode. We’ve found Sniper Elite to be a series we’ve come back to again and again, though with my daughter we spend more time on Minecraft!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
Not everything I make is with a keyboard, I also love woodworking and have made many pieces of furniture dotted around our house. I also love whiskey, and so to combine these two loves I’ve built a 1920s themed prohibition bar in my shed!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I have enjoyed everything that I have worked on over the last 13 years, which has ranged from in-house engines to Unity and Unreal, and from gameplay and tools to backend and management. I am always looking for new challenges and different perspectives and am happy to learn and teach in equal measure.
Why d3t?
I’m looking forward to working on a variety of projects in different environments whilst collaborating with other experienced developers. d3t also has a reputation for employing good people and taking care of them, which was one of the main pulls to the studio.
What do you love about games?
They build a variety of skills and take us to a variety of places. Sometimes it’s nice to be immersed in a well-crafted setting, and other times it’s nice to have a challenging problem to solve or best performance to beat.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I am currently playing Gladius and Dawn of War to scratch my Warhammer itch without buying new miniatures. It is difficult to pick a favourite game, but Civilization IV and StarCraft keep me coming back for more.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I like tabletop games and am running my first Mordheim campaign this year. I have been around competitive gaming since the 90s and it’s nice to see it continue to evolve. I also like gardening, painting, writing and philosophy. I’m also learning Italian (slowly).
