What inspired you to pursue a master’s degree in game design, and what led you to choose West Virginia University specifically?
I’ve been working professionally in game and software development since graduating from New York University in 2018. I currently teach a game design course as an adjunct professor at Shepherd University, while working full-time for Cortina Productions, one of the top studios in museum interactive development. I recently shipped a personal project I had been building for the past 6 years called Onto Maizilind Unto Infinity. As I was winding down the project, I decided I wanted to go back to school to get a master’s degree in game design.
For one, I want to be able to teach the theory and practice of game design at a college level. Additionally, I want to steer my practice away from experimental alternative projects towards a more streamlined, commercial approach. Since West Virginia is now my home state, it felt fitting to attend the flagship university in this pursuit. When I met the faculty involved with the program at last year’s Game Developer’s Conference, this inspired me to apply.
How do you plan to integrate what you’re learning in the program with your long-term career goals? Where do you see yourself after completing your degree?
Ultimately, I want to create a studio that offers a sustainable practice to a growing number of like-minded artists and developers. To do this, my focus is to create a successful series of small independent games. Many of the readings and assignments offered by the game design program are pushing me in this direction. It has been a whirlwind of ideas and creativity.
I see this continuing and expanding as I dive into the thesis track of courses. After graduation, I’d like to bring my experience to my local area and use it to build up a game design program at Shepherd University. There are not enough opportunities for games and tech work in the state. I’d like to help change that.
Can you share some information about the game(s) you’ve developed?
Onto Maizilind Unto Infinity is a horror tragedy game about the Iranian Revolution, nuclear war, and an act of suicide. It’s a dark, experimental project. It is available for free on Steam and itch.io. In the past, I created more whimsical, psychedelic exploration games like Stereophyta and Oceanarium.
In my current course work, I’ve been creating retro-arcade games about my farm animals. Namely, I’ve been working on a 4-player game about cats fighting a turf war for food in my neighborhood called Cat Thief Circuit. It’s a nostalgic pixel art style, made to emulate the 80s but with modern animation capabilities. I’ve also been creating strategy games, like a tabletop board game called Monkey Warz, where players command opposing armies, collect resources, and battle for supremacy.
How do you balance creativity and technical constraints?
I’ve been working with the Unity Engine for about a decade now. Most designs I want to engineer are things I can technically achieve at this point. However, there is always the issue of scope. In the classroom setting, it’s best to be concise with projects and explore concrete, defined ideas. I follow my gut and make what I feel passionate about – with the understanding that I need to meet deadlines and choose something realistically producible.
Tell us about a project you’re most proud of.
In its latest iterations, Cat Thief Circuit is shaping up to be a fun, simple, and accessible game. The basic game loop involves moving your cat to nearby houses, meowing for food, then consuming it before any other players can beat you to it. It’s a high-score game where you can cleverly compete with other players by hissing and scratching to defend your territory. I played it with a variety of friends and family over the Thanksgiving holiday. People really enjoyed it, and even my younger cousins quickly understood the task – be annoying, get food, and steal from people and your friends. It’s what cats do best!
What advice would you give to young creatives hoping to build a career that bridges both the academic and gaming world?
Build games. Ensure that you finish and release them. Create projects you are excited about, find collaborators who can help you achieve common goals, and invest in your community. The best way to make interesting games is to have unique life experiences that inform them. There are many disciplines that can make someone a strong game designer and a strong academic. I’d suggest pursuing those in undergraduate and working towards game development in whatever way feels natural. If that means making tabletop games for fun with friends, start there. If you prefer to make a big, ambitious video game – then do it. Whatever it is, consider it thoroughly and then execute it. Execution matters much more than originality.
What is one insight or piece of knowledge you’ve gained from the program so far that you’ve already applied to your professional work?
A great game is nothing without a proper audience for it. This is true both in the process of development and in the journey to market success. In further studies, I’ll be researching the various markets for my thesis concepts and deciding what prototypes to focus on.
What advice would you share with new online graduate students at West Virginia University who want to make a meaningful impact, as you have?
Stay motivated, keep active, read everything, and really pay attention to what the other students have to say. If you struggle with working independently, find folks to co-work with whether in-person or online. Fundamentally, it’s true that practice makes perfect. People aren’t born as good game developers or artists. They aren’t naturally talented at games. You must work hard to build skills. That is true for every art form and discipline.
Is there a quote, mentor, or defining moment that has guided your career path?
Well, seeing as I spent six years making a game about him and his story and processing his death, I think it’s safe to say my Uncle Ramin’s suicide had the biggest impact on my creative path. He was like a brother to me and someone I had always looked up to.
Before I started writing and making games, I didn’t see myself as a creative person. I didn’t think it would be possible for me to write a book. Dealing with his death changed all that. Suddenly, I needed an outlet. It was for my sanity, but also to process what had happened and what it all meant.
But this wasn’t why I played games, nor was it what attracted me to them as a child and throughout my life. In that sense, moving past that project, I have been trying to return to my roots and the roots of the medium: player-authored stories, meaningful choices, and fun.
If you could describe your professional journey in three words, what would they be?
Spirituality, Politics, and Systems
Feel free to share anything else you’d like to add.
Anyone can make games, but not everyone will finish them. It’s easy to have an idea, but it’s not easy to execute it faithfully. Development is hard, and so is personal growth. If you want to make games, just get started. The tools are free, there’s plenty of ways to learn, and you can immediately begin the difficult journey of transforming yourself.