Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
Programming and making games are two things that I have been interested in my early years at primary school. Back then I used to play on the platform “ROBLOX” where the purpose was to develop experiences for other players and then share them with others. Even though I couldn’t understand it a great deal back then, it did put me on the track to start my programming career.
For the most part I have developed games in the Unity engine and have made use of C# to develop these games for my university projects. However, more recently I have taken a liking to C++ and the Unreal Engine. So, for my last year at University, I decided that my first Unreal Engine project would be my dissertation piece, which I found to be a great learning experience.
Why d3t?
I’ve always wanted to learn and better my skills as a programmer, and I feel like d3t will enable me to reach the goal of becoming a more experienced programmer.
With d3t being a co-development studio, I believe that this will allow me to gain a lot of experience in programming, not only from the varied projects that the studio is working on, but also from the experienced and talented team.
Furthermore, I’ve really enjoyed speaking to those that I have met at d3t so far and I believe that the studio offers a really great welcoming atmosphere.
What do you love about games?
One thing that I’ve always loved about games is trying to understand how things work. Most of the projects that I have worked on during my time at university have always been inspired by another game. This is because I enjoy trying to understand what it takes to make something great, and in particular something that I have loved sinking time into playing.
Furthermore, I really enjoy games because they offer the freedom that isn’t offered in the real world, you’re able to change who you are and experience many different stories.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I never particularly stick to one game; I like to move between games a lot of the time. Though the genre that mostly interests me are racing games. Some of the racing games that I have played recently include the latest Forza Motorsport and EA’s WRC both of which have been great experiences. I really enjoy the fast-paced competitive nature of racing games because you always have to be on your toes thinking about every moment.
When it comes to my favourite game, this is a difficult one to choose. Warframe is one that always pulls me back, however, as a racing fan I also can’t forget to mention the early 2000 era of Need for Speed!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
Other than playing video games, I like to go out and ride on my bicycle as I get to explore and see things as well as keeping myself in shape. I also enjoy vehicles and motorsports, rally in particular.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I started my career in 2011 working on a children’s TV programme for 10 months, after which I moved into the games industry. I worked at TT Games for just over 8 years in both their cutscene department on LEGO games and then in their R&D department developing game concepts as part of a small team.
I also spent 2 and a half years at Cubic Motion animating faces on some fun games like Until Dawn and Battlefield 4 and have just spent a year in Frontier Developments working on the cutscenes for Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, and then in game animations for Planet Zoo: Eurasia Animal Pack.
Why d3t?
The studio’s culture was a big draw for me. So far everyone I’ve spoken to through the interview and new starter process has been so kind and considerate, and I’ve only heard good things about the studio from people I know who work here. I love the idea of working on a wide range of games, and of course, the dogs that greeted me in the studio on my second interview were the icing on the cake!
What do you love about games?
Recently a close friend who hadn’t played games before asked me what games I thought they would enjoy. This made me think about just how many different types of games there are out there, which can provide so many different fantastic experiences depending on what you’re looking for.
Sometimes I want to switch my brain off and play something cosy, and on a different occasion I’ll want to be challenged with combat to the point of my heart nearly pounding out of my chest. I love that both of these things and everything in between I can get from a game.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently playing a couple of different games – Balders Gate 3, Dave the Diver, and Super Mario Bros Wonder. I usually enjoy having a few different games on the go at once so there’s something to suit my mood at the time.
Soulsborne games are some of my favourite games, along with Hollow Knight, and recently I was completely obsessed with Inscryption.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I love hiking, especially with my DSLR when abroad, and I’m really excited about a trip to Japan I’ve got planned later in the year. I enjoy a lot of anime and manga, and this year I’ve started learning Japanese. I’ve got 2 cats and 7 cat beds (not counting me, my husband, the sofa, or our bed).
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve had ten years in the games industry, mostly as a QA at various levels, but I’ve also had a dabble at vehicle handling design.
I’ve only worked on racing games so far, Driveclub being my first title, and WRC (23) being the most recent – so racing is my bread and butter really, and I can bring some skills in that regard, but I’m also keen to explore other genres with d3t too.
Why d3t?
Several reasons really:
I have some good friends who already work at d3t, people I met in the old Sony Evo studio down the road – and they’ve only said good things about d3t and the people there.
It’s an ambitious studio that seems to really look after the staff, and the whole ethos of the place just sounded right to me.
I also saw that the team did some work on Shenmue, which has a big place in my heart and gets me pretty nostalgic. It’d be great to get hold of another classic and work on it.
The location is also perfect for me, it’s within throwing distance of my previous studio, so I can cycle in if I want to!
I was looking at several other studios when I interviewed, but I can honestly say that this was the one I really wanted. I feel so lucky and grateful to have been accepted and cannot wait to start!
What do you love about games?
I’m old…like, really old, so I’ve played many, many games over the years – starting with the likes of Pong and Pacman, right through to the present day – there has never been a time where I haven’t had at least one or two systems and played games.
I love the escapism of it, doing things that I could never do in real life, like blasting a 20 yard overhead kick on EA SPORTS FC 24 for example.
And I love seeing the constant advances in the technology, of which there have been many in my 40+ years of gaming.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
EA SPORTS FC 24 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare III currently (I have to fit in what I can right now, whilst powering through the heavy work that comes with a 7 month old baby).
Favourite game though? It feels unfair to pick one! There are so many…Zelda Breath of the Wild, both of the recent God of War Games, the GTA’s, the Battlefields…I could go on and on!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I’m a passionate Liverpool FC supporter.
I like to play a bit of football too.
I love DJ/Mixing dance music alongside attending music festivals.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been working in the creative and games industry for something like sixteen years (but hey, who’s counting), and have truly seen it all – if it’s weird or colourful and involves a computer, I’ve probably worked on it at some point.
I cut my teeth in the digital agencies of Manchester, before then working for quite a while at the BBC as a Senior Games Dev on many of their BAFTA-winning projects, plus a cheeky stint as a Research Technologist in their exciting R&D labs.
I then went freelance, working on client projects for the likes of Sky, TATE, The Commonwealth Games and a zillion others. Over time, I began to shift into narrative design slowly, culminating in doing an MA in Creative Writing at the Manchester Writing School, which was a lot of fun.
I also started an indie company, PASSENGER, putting out a major work of interactive fiction called Closed Hands, which picked up an IGF nomination for Excellence in Narrative. Most recently, I spent a year working as a Senior Narrative Designer for Deep Silver Fishlabs on all sorts of unannounced AAA projects, which ended unexpectedly during this tumultuous period of games industry shuffling and closures. The results of which has led me to d3t, where I am extremely excited to begin my next adventure!
Why d3t?
Although I’ve travelled and exhibited my work all over the world, home is where the heart is – I’m a fiercely proud northern creative, and so finding a studio full of lovely people working on killer AAA games right on my doorstep was too exciting to not get involved with.
As with many folks, COVID really pushed me into a lot of remote work, and I’ve properly missed having an actual office full of good folks (and good coffee) to come and hang out in whilst we make some magic!
What do you love about games?
The people making them, and the scope of the industry. By this I mean that videogames really feel like a medium where there’s room for everything, and as a player I can dive into such an unreal range of experiences so easily now.
Sometimes I want that big widescreen AAA brain-melter, and sometimes I want someone with a story to reach out through their work, and connect with me more quietly, giving me an experience I haven’t had before. At both ends of the spectrum I feel like we’re in a real golden age for the medium, and I adore being part of it.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m a total RPG dork who got a PS5 recently, so I’m currently deeply engrossed in Final Fantasy XVI, which is stunning if you’re into sheer spectacle. Obviously FF12 is the best Final Fantasy game, a fact which I’m sure nobody can disagree with me on whatsoever. I’m still also in awe of Baldur’s Gate 3: as both a designer and writer the way that game is put together absolutely fries my noodle, it is a masterpiece. I also get regularly distracted by smaller fun-sized experiences, I really love games that give me the good stuff in smaller doses – Dredge was a recent gem, and Cocoon was stellar.
Favourite game ever? The one I’ve completed the most is Super Metroid, by far. The game series I’m best at is Tony Hawks Pro Skater – statistically speaking, it’s very likely I will destroy you at Tony Hawks, try me! RPG-wise I’d probably put Persona 4 up there too, I’m a sucker for a weird JRPG.
Best console ever? The Dreamcast, clearly. Give me vibrant experimental weirdness all day!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
When I’m not making videogames, I love printmaking, running D&D and tabletop games with my equally nerdy children, and banging my head at noisy metal shows. And… I really, really, really like jigsaw puzzles! A 3000-piece puzzle with a good podcast and a brew is the best way to unwind your brain ever – try it!
I guess my coolest fun fact is that a couple of years ago I had an RFID chip implanted into my hand, which means I can now wirelessly store data on a little computer chip that lives snugly inside my right hand. Painful, but what a cool pub trick, eh!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been in the games industry for a little over ten years, the majority of that time in animation production. I started on the bottom rung of the ladder and worked my way up through the production team, going on to manage the entire animation department in my last role. I’ve been lucky to have been able to work on dozens of titles across my career so far and to have worked with some truly exceptional people, something I look forward to continuing!
Why d3t?
The biggest thing which attracted me to d3t is the culture. From reviews I’ve read of the company, speaking with the team I’ve met so far, and the multiple “Best Places to Work” awards, d3t is clearly a studio that knows its biggest strength is its people.
The varied nature of projects on which the studio gets to collaborate is another big plus. Being a co-dev studio means that you get to work on a huge variety of different titles, spanning multiple genres and platforms. No day is the same!
What do you love about games?
I love the inclusive nature of games, there’s something for absolutely everyone. Whether you’ve only got 20 minutes to jump online with your friends, want to spend the evening cosied up with a chill sim, or are hosting a horror night to amp up the Halloween spirit, there’s a game out there which fits the bill.
The engagement of games is something I love as well, when you’re playing a game you’re present in that moment and it can pull you in because you’re not just an observer like with a film or TV show, you’re actively there and can put yourself in the shoes of that character or situation more easily.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’ve been playing Starfield and Cities: Skylines most recently because I love a good RPG and sink too many hours into sim & strategy games. You could just as easily find me relaxing with some Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, and I can’t resist something with a great story like Until Dawn or Life is Strange (especially if it has a great soundtrack!).
Picking a favourite game is so tough because it depends so much on my mood, but Red Dead Redemption 2 really blew me away with its world design and environments. I loved getting lost in the world and the story was fantastic. I ended up taking a break for a couple of months before picking up the prologue because the main story emotionally drained me so much!
Some of my older favourites include classics like Ocarina of Time and a lot of that era of Nintendo, plus The Simpsons: Hit and Run is a game I often find myself going back to.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I enjoy the outdoors, going for walks and hikes and taking the opportunity to be away from screens for a bit. I feel lucky living in the North West since we’re so close to so many national parks. If I want to go out into the countryside and I’m feeling too lazy to walk up a big hill, then chances are I’ll go for a pootle on my motorbike around some country lanes.
Closer to home, I have a couple of small hobby programming projects which, though gaming-related, aren’t your traditional “make a game” projects.
Recently, I’ve also become a keen DIYer, meaning I’ve spent far too much money at B&Q with not very much to show for it.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I started my career working on in-browser, kids ‘edutainment’ games; including a Club Penguin inspired game for Discovery Kids called ‘Dino Builders’ that I think is long gone now (That was 10 years ago!? What even is time!?)
I then worked in the mobile gambling industry for 7 years, where I worked my way up to Principal Artist at InTouch Games. However, I’m really excited (and a bit nervous) to finally be able to professionally work on console and PC game UI with you of the team at d3t and Coconut Lizard!
Why d3t?
Out of all the interviews I had, the vibes from d3t seemed right. And the kind of projects the studio is co-developing on was an opportunity for me to take my career in the direction I’ve wanted it to go for quite a while.
What do you love about games?
They can be real works of art; purpose crafted worlds you can spend hours getting lost in. Where every building, plant, button, and action has been consciously designed to fit into a wholistic experience (hopefully!)
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’ve nearly finished Tears of the Kingdom (however, I keep getting distracted running around collecting stuff!). And I’m also working my way through Lies of P and Death Stranding.
Shadow of the Colossus must be up there in my top favourites. As well as an old PS2 game called Primal – although the gameplay itself hasn’t held up I still like the world. Oh, and the SoulsBorne games, obvs. I actually really enjoyed Dark Souls 2 (DON’T AT ME!) ;)
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I live in the West Midlands. It’s not really fun but it is a fact. And I’m currently trying to teach myself more about 3D modelling and Unity development to make a fan game based on the world of Primal I mentioned before. It’s slow progress and not amazing. But I’m happy with it, considering I didn’t know how to do any of it a year ago.
How long have you been in the industry? Three years
How long have you been with d3t? Three years
What was the first game that you worked on? Assetto Corsa Competizione
How did your career begin?
I graduated from Liverpool John Moores University back in 2020, where I achieved a first-class degree in Computer Games Development.
During my final year there, I also worked as an intern at RenderNation which involved exploring gamified techniques to improve their workflows.
How did you get your job at d3t?
After attending plenty of talks related to ‘Getting a Job in the Games Industry’. I was able to understand what studios were looking for in an applicant and how to tailor my CV and portfolio to secure a job. Once I had polished up my CV and portfolio, I contacted d3t and secured an interview.
What do you do day-to-day in your role?
I kick off my day by chatting with other project members, typically catching up and having a friendly chat before jumping into our stand up meeting. In this meeting we can discuss any blockers, reach out for help and offer any assistance to other team members.
After stand up I will identify which tasks I’ll be working on for the day. This involves writing and maintaining code, investigating bugs and new features, and contributing to code reviews.
What is it like working at d3t?
d3t is an excellent company to work for, they truly put their employee’s needs first and offer excellent flexibility with their hybrid working. This is achievable because of d3t’s quality of work, and the standards showcased across the fields.
Working alongside industry veterans, who have worked on a magnitude of games, gives me the opportunity to continue developing my skills. In fact, I’d have to say that being surrounded by some of the top talent in the industry is one of the many great benefits of working here.
Since joining d3t, I have worked on some fantastic AAA games and this catalogue only continues to grow. Working with some of the largest studios and publishers, in the industry, demonstrates the standard of work produced by us all here.
What has been your most memorable moment working within the industry?
Working on my first title and experiencing the project launch. It’s a sense of achieving something great with an amazing group of people. You get to see everybody’s hard work pay off and a game that is enjoyed by the players.
Do you have any tips for people looking to get into the games industry?
A solid portfolio is by far the most important thing you need. If you can showcase your personal projects and provide some context regarding your work it will go along way. Setting up a portfolio is relatively cheap and simple with most modern website builders. You could go the extra mile and develop it yourself. You don’t have to create a groundbreaking game, a simple game that demonstrates some understanding, across multiple areas, within your chosen field. For example, a programmer could develop a simple 2D side scroller, include an inventory system, powerups and some basic enemies. This demonstrates your Gameplay and AI and UI abilities.
We are hiring
Stay tuned for more spotlight features coming soon. In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired and want to join our team, check out our vacancies page!
How long have you been in the industry? Since April 1997. I’ve stopped counting how many years that is.
How long have you been with d3t? I joined d3t in December 2015. It’s been quite the ride and I regret nothing.
What was the first game that you worked on? My very first job was with Psygnosis. The team I joined was working on a game called “The Contract”, but it never saw the light of day. The first game I worked on which made it to the shelves was the PC version of ToCA2.
How did your career begin within the games industry?
Back when this was all fields, there were no games design courses that I was aware of. My degree was in Business Law, which is clearly a perfect fit.
But a good friend of mine from school did Computer Science (I think it was) and got a job at Psygnosis after his degree. He recommended I apply, and this was successful. And so it began. He’s now working at d3t too, coincidentally, and is brilliant.
How did you get your job at d3t?
I was made redundant by Sony in 2015, and joined d3t at the end of that year through an agency.
What is it like working at d3t?
I’ve worked for Psygnosis, Codemasters, Warthog, and Sony. I can honestly say that d3t is easily the best of them.
The difference is the culture, and how d3t treats the people here. It is the most genuinely people-first organisation I have experienced.
The impact of this is that throughout the company there are real efforts and initiatives to help people thrive. And in doing so, we get really talented people demonstrating their abilities.
As a Head of Design, what do you typical day-to-day activities consist of?
There are 4 things I do most: talk to people, listen to people, react to events, and plan for the future.
Gone are the days when I actually do design work on a project. Instead, most days I will have at least one scheduled discussion with a designer here at d3t, to see how they’re doing on the project, what’s going on in their lives, how they may be progressing in their career goals etc.
I have plenty of meetings about project status and progression, what upcoming projects we might be preparing for, and discussions about plans or initiatives at a company level.
We always have a number of different projects running, so I try to go to at least one stand up meeting every day – ideally more – so that I get to say hi to some of the team.
What are the current games design challenges we face and how are we overcoming them?
Some older game design challenges come with a brand new mask. Keeping a player engaged is the core to what designers do. So that’s always the underlying question.
But upon that, there are new and interesting things to throw you off your design stride. The “big” games are getting bigger. Having a bigger game doesn’t necessarily mean the actual player engagement is better – a longer playing time means you need more innovation to avoid repetition. But there are also increasing numbers of smaller games, based perhaps around unexplored ideas or concepts. Keeping up with this is a whole new challenge – possibly impossible for one individual.
AI is obviously a challenge, but potentially a great opportunity. Utilising these opportunities is something we, and lots of others, are exploring. Probing what it’s good at, and what it struggles with, is very revealing.
What are the things that excite you most about your role?
As I mentioned, my role is no longer to act as a designer. But I can still appreciate great design and help the other designers in that area.
But what’s most exciting and rewarding about being the Head of Design is being able to help shape the path of d3t – which projects to go for, what training would be most useful, seeing people surpass my, and their own, expectations.
Having worked for a number of games companies, I’ve seen good and bad processes. Being able to pick the best and see them in action to make d3t a really rewarding place for everyone – that’s the best thing.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced whilst in the industry and how have you overcome it?
I’m very pleased there has been a significant shift in mindset regarding what is acceptable to expect from people regarding working hours. Crunch was difficult. It put strain on personal and mental health, as well as relationships and families. It can only be a good thing that the industry seems to, on the whole, have a greater understanding of this.
Our working model means that it doesn’t make sense to stress the team through overtime. Having this as a principle within d3t is great.
What has been your most memorable moment working within the industry/or at d3t?
At Develop in 2022, over the course of one day, or perhaps two, we learned we won both the Best Places to Work and the Best Creative Provider awards. That was great because it meant not only our people valued the culture and ethos of the company, but also the output was top quality. That was a good day.
Where do you see games design heading in the next 2-3 years?
There’s been a movement towards greater specialisms in design. In the first few years of my career, I did scripting, level design, systems, narrative, and possibly more that I can’t remember. But as games get bigger, so do the teams. And that allows people to really get into the minutiae of different elements. Being able to find a niche that really fits an individual’s talents and passion can be a wonderful thing.
Obviously AI has the potential to impact how much a designer is able to produce. From what I’ve seen of the current AI systems, the output is pretty generic, but I imagine that will change. As so many developers use Unreal, an AI that can create Blueprints, even if they’re quite basic, will give a huge head start to designers.
What makes you proud to work at d3t?
Our commitment to making a successful games company that treats the employees well. Being part of the senior leadership team, I can honestly say that the discussions we have are genuinely aimed at helping our team. The quality of the work we create is a direct result of the quality of the people.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into the games industry as a Designer?
I think anyone whose job revolves around being creative benefits from absorbing stories, perspectives, songs, information etc from as many different sources as possible. We can only create from what we know, so the more we know, the wider our possible creative output. I would heartily recommend watching films, reading books, going to the theatre, visiting museums, listening to music – especially if it’s outside your current sphere of knowledge.
Personally, I get great value from understanding brains. Having insight into how brains work helps us anticipate how players will act, and react. This is why I put time into the psychology of games and game design.
Any other points that you’d like to share?
Something I have noticed, particularly from designers within their first couple of years in the industry, is that there is a lot of self-inflicted pressure. The perceived need to be perfect, possibly as a result of imposter syndrome, can be quite debilitating. So for anyone in this situation, I would heartily recommend they realise that nobody gets things right first time. Any creative process is mainly iteration, and so having the freedom to allow yourself to adopt this mindset is very liberating.
We are hiring
Stay tuned for more spotlight features coming soon. In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired and want to join our team, check out our vacancies page!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
Before starting my careers in games, I jumped between history degrees and comic art and writing. However, when I discovered game development as a career, I utterly fell in love. I wasn’t quite sure right away what I wanted to do; I just knew that I needed to be part of this world.
I spent my first few years in the same company, learning and experimenting, and eventually becoming a level designer. This role not only allowed me to improve my expertise, but it also allowed me to mentor others at the company, which I absolutely loved.
Why d3t?
After working for many years on the same project, I really needed a change of pace, a place where I could, with time, experiment with different styles and genres and d3t fit this perfectly.
Whilst researching d3t, I learned about the studio’s incredible culture, one of the most important aspects for a company. And all that I had read was confirmed to be true from the first interview. They made me feel welcome right away, and I’m beyond excited about being part of it all.
What do you love about games?
I love the multi-layered level of creativity that games can offer. There’s problem solving, there’s art, there’s beauty and there’s fun. I’ve loved creating games since I was a child, even if back then it was of course at a much smaller scale.
It’s a medium that offers visual stories and interactivity, unlike any other. It also allows for great experimentation and incredible variety.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently jumping between Spiritfarer, Age of Empires, Spiderman, and Assassin’s Creed. However, I’m really looking forward to the new Final Fantasy VII game.
Of the last few years, the game that I loved the most is, without a doubt, Ghost of Tsushima.
From my childhood years, I’ll never forget Monkey Island, King’s Quest and a few platformers like Prince of Persia, Aladdin, and the Lion King. An important mention also goes to StarCraft. These are some of the first games I ever played, and I still hold them dear.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
As one might guess from my background prior to games, I am a big history nerd, and have an immense love for comics. I still occasionally do some comic art, now and then.
I also have a love for creative writing which, together with my passion for history, tends to make me spiral in hours of research on the most peculiar topics. This is somewhat of a warning.
My favourite current hobby is playing TTRPGs, and the occasional board game.
