About Me
Who am I?
Hi there I'm Ethan, I'm a graduate of ucf with a degree in game design
Ive been into video games as a player since i was 6 years old when i got my first console
In 7th grade after being told to stop playing games and find something a bit more "useful" to do i discovered that even someone like me could actually make a video game. and from there the rest was history i quickly figured out that this is what i want to do for a living. I get to be around video games and use computers in a cool way for a living what could be cooler than that, eventually realizing all the cool things you can do with games.
I focus on level design but with my degree i got experience with all aspects of game design from 3d modeling and texturing, to programming, to mechanic design, to even the production. This jack of all trades training really makes me a great fit in a small team since im able to wear many different hats for the team, and even in a larger team this allows me to approach a problem from a different perspective and
I would describe myself as a more technical designer with a focus on level design. I have the experience to do a little bit of just about all aspects of a game development pipeline which i think helps me as a designer since it allows me to get my points across to the more specialized members of a team or in a small team/in a pinch i can serve as an emergency backup for multiple roles.
What Inspires Me
What inspires me about video game design is doing incredible storytelling that is only possible in a game. No medium has the capabilities to get a player immersed into a story like a video game can. Games have this unique ability to combine music writing and pre recorded media with interactive elements to tell great stories utilizing the best of each medium. The level of agency that video games give to players is something not possible with other mediums and that is one thing that is really cool.
Another thing that really inspires me with games is being able to make stories that highlight characters from under-represented communities like the LGBTQ+ community. With limited resources anyone can make a game and share a story all they need to have is that spark and a bit of percierviernce to learn some free tools to make that dream reality
Hobbies
Outside of video game design I have a verity of other interests. My main hobby is following sports, particularly baseball and pro cycling. baseball is something that can get super nerdy with things like Sabermetrics and its something that i have had a team to root for since i was a kid, and cycling is something that i really enjoy because it is something anyone can do (just not at the same level obviously) and with it being centered in europe its great to watch while you wake up and get started on the day. Ive also found that sports are a great hobby for me since it can take me completely away from games for a bit if im in a rut creatively or something is getting frustrated.
Im also into hobby electronics like 3d printing and raspberry pi projects. both of which ive been into for about 10 years ago. its kind of a branch of hobbies that mesh well with being into game design as there are good number of skills i can use in either.