GAME DESIGN PORTFOLIO.
About Me
My name is Samuel Mcarthur-Mclean, I am a game designer from the UK currently living in Cambodia. After receiving a First Class Honours degree in Computer Games Design from Glasgow Caledonian University I went on to work for Aurorian Studios and then indie.io (previously Freedom Games) as a designer on One Lonely Outpost.
- Freedom Games: Game Designer 2022 - 2023
- Aurorian Studios: Game Designer 2020 - 2022
- Awarded a First Class Honours degree in Computer Games Design from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2020
- Worked on a game called Novoslavia which currently has over 559,000 views
- From 2014 – 2017 I worked as a journalist where I wrote news, reviews and previews from events such as EGX
Skills
- Game Design
- Creative Writing
- Working Remotely
Languages
-
C#
-
Gamemaker Language
-
gdscript
Tools
-
Unity
-
GameMaker Studio 2
-
.svg)
MonoGame
-
Unreal Engine
-
Photoshop
-
Aseprite
-
Godot
Approaches to Design
When designing games and mechanics I like to have the player learn subconsciously rather than being told through text what to do. The ability for games to teach complex systems to players in an intuitive way is something that interests me. For example, when it came to designing these elements in Cyber Sphere, symbols and colours were used rather than text to explain what the players were meant to do.
Professional Experience
Game Designer - One Lonely Outpost
Some of the major systems I was responsible for designing and overseeing implementation of were, terraforming, fishing, wildlife and the tutorial. After design approval, these were then handed off to the artists or programmers. I would be in constant contact to make sure everything was implemented to the design and worked as intended. From start to finish it was my responsibility.
- Documentation of new systems
- Responsible for seeing mechanics from documentation to implementation
-
Working in Engine
- Data Entry
- Level Design
- Game Balancing
- Quest Design
- Responsible for the game's tutorial
Game Designer Showreel
Cyber Sphere
This is a game I that I worked as a designer on. Our Client - a company called We Throw Switches - wanted an arcade game with a unique control scheme. I came up with the idea of a four-player game where the players would play using trackballs. This worked out well and the university even pushed the game at their showcase events, which led to us being given the chance to demo it as Scotland’s biggest gaming event, Resonate.
Showing Cyber Sphere at Resonate
The chance to show a game I had worked on at a convention was valuable experience for me. It felt I had come full circle from covering them as a journalist to now showing off a game there. The reception from people was great to see with groups of friends laughing and smiling as they played against each other. It gave me good experience in demoing and interacting with players.
Other Projects
The Office Party dot 89
Like any other office party, everyone hates you!
Attend the party and talk to people. You are definitely not there to do anything suspicious... 🕵️♂️
Wonderful Grub!
A Goblin on an adventure. Explore the colourful world and built up a town in this 2D platformer.
FOLLOW ME TO THE DARK
Follow Me to the Dark game is a text-based spy thriller set in 1977 during the cold war. The player takes control of Phillip Coleman a disgraced spy who after being fired from his job at British Intelligence goes undercover to find the mole leaking information to the Russians.
Béton Brut - Level Design
Inspired by Brutalist architecture and the impossible buildings of Étienne-Louis Boullée, Béton Brut has the player exploring an abandoned city. The game aims to capture isolation and uneasy spaces. The world has died and all the player can do is find a way out.
