Discover storytelling in game design engines and
become the architect of your own video game
In sessions led by digital artists, participants aged 11-18 learn to build immersive worlds and tell compelling stories through game design, focusing on graphics, gameplay, and sound. Our narrative-driven approach examines the role of gaming tools and questions the ethics of character design, demonstrating how gaming can foster new perspectives. We explore how technology shapes our thoughts and experiences, empowering creators to become architects of their worlds.
Additionally, participants delve into the industry side of video games, learning how to pitch and publish their creations. Industry experts guide sessions on effectively presenting and pitching games, covering essential topics such as understanding target audiences and developing a unique voice.
Hear what the young participants have to say about the programme here.
XYZ 2024/2025 - Programme for 11-14 years old, with youth charity Sirlute, run by digital artist Joseph Whitmore
CLICK FULL SCREEN TO PLAY THE GAME!
Echoes of Redemption by Havana (top)
Rick and Morty by Dayyaan
Theo’s World by Theo
HOW TO PLAY
ESC - minimise the window
ENTER - start the game
Z - jump, collect items, talk and progress in the story
ARROW - move forward and backwards
SHIFT - select
REFRESH - reset/stop the game
XYZ 2023/2024 - Programme for 16-18 years old with ELAM College, run by artist David Blandy, with Shay Thompson and Alexis Trust
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by Hashim Amin, Zain Almadani, Kristine Binas, Mohammod Galib Chowdhury, Dipa Ghosh, Jeremiah Tabudlong, Katie Vong, Alex Vuong
CyberZero is a 3D exploration game that immerse players in an alternate timeline where Earth succumbs to the allure of augmented reality. In this cyberpunk landscape pulsated by a striking synthwave soundtrack, the desire to craft a new identity takes precedence, shaping a world where realities intertwine seamlessly. As a technician, you navigate neon-lit streets of a sprawling metropolis.
Artwork credits
2D Design: Zain Almadani, Katie Vong
UI: Katie Vong
Programming: Kristine Binas
Visual Effects: Kristine Binas
Writing: Katie Vong
Animation: Kristine Binas, Alex Vuong
3D Design: Zain Almadani, Mohammod Galib Chowdhury, Hashim Amin, Alex Vuong
Sound: Dipa Ghosh, Jeremiah Tabudlong
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by Ashton Bura, Dylan Hall, Hasti Mohammadi, Xena Pointer, Laine Powell, Alex Vuong
Future Future isa pixel-style game that unveils the secrets of the Verdant Jungle which once cradled a technologically advanced metropolis. A thousand years after a cosmic cataclysm destroyed a civilisation designed to distract and ensnare the citizens for covertly uploading their consciousnesses to a higher plane, the untethered descendants now uncover the remnants of their unfortunate past.
Artwork credits
2D Design: Ashton Bura, Hasti Mohammadi, Laine Powell, Xena Pointer
UI: Dylan Hall
Programming: Dylan Hall
Visual Effects: Ashton Bura
Writing: Ashton Bura, Dylan Hall, Hasti Mohammadi, Laine Powell
Asset Implementation: Dylan Hall
3D Design: Laine Powell, Xena Pointer, Alex Vuong
Sound: Xena Pointer
XYZ 2022/2023 - Programme for 16-18 years old with ELAM College, run by art collective Keiken, with Clifford Sage and Target 3D
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by Aldo Mckinney
“Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to experience the world around you through a new lens? Immerse yourself in an experience that takes you to a world that goes undetected by the human eye.” F-R-A-C-T-A-L T-R-I-P is a video work that places the viewer in a trippy, hallucinogen-inspired space made up of moving and warping fractals.
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by Taj Shaun
“See what could be a glimpse into the future when it comes to fashion and garments. See digital fashion come to life.” Taj Future Fashion is a collection of digital garments created on CLO3d inspired by Science-Fiction and futuristic aesthetics. Viewers can wear the garments by using a filter.
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by Jayden Stephenson-Miller
Enhanced Boxing is a 3D video clip about cyborg boxers and how they throw away their capability of body enhancement to bring back “the old way of boxing”.
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by Cyril Jimenez
“You enter a hub to escape into outer space, through your journey you encounter another solar system called Kepler-1.”
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by Humza Mustafa, Clarence Veras, Kazi Jawad, Frankie Miller, Thomas Screciu, Enrikas Necelis, Daniel Hernandez, Tin Hunyh
“786, an A.P.H android of the future, wakes up from a nightmare of sorts while charging overnight. He wakes up so violently that the charging port from his nape breaks which means he can no longer charge. He needs to find a new charging port so he decides to look around the apartment he lives in.”
PAST GUEST COURSE LEADERS
Narrative Game Design
Keiken
Artist collective
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Keiken is an artist collective founded by Tanya Cruz, Hana Omori and Isabel Ramos. Based between London and Berlin, they come from mixed diasporic backgrounds (Mexican/Japanese/European/Jewish).
Keiken creates these speculative worlds through filmmaking, gaming, installation, Extended Reality (XR), blockchain and performance. Through these varied mediums they explore how societal introjection governs the way we feel, think and perceive.
Marketing & Publishing
Alexis Trust
Chucklefish
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Alexis Trust is a highly experienced marketing and publishing professional currently employed at Chucklefish, an independent publisher and developer. With over 13 years of experience, Alexis has worked on a variety of award-winning indie and AAA titles, and has led successful community and public relations initiatives for notable companies such as XBOX, EA, and Samsung.
In addition to their professional work, Alexis is also an active mentor to both students and fellow industry professionals. They have collaborated with the BBC to promote the industry to schoolchildren, and deliver lectures and workshops with various universities and development hubs such as Creative England.
Game Development
David Blandy
Artist
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David Blandy (b. 1976, UK. Lives & works in Brighton) makes work that slips between performance and video, digital and analogue, investigating the stories and cultural forces that inform and influence our lives. Collaboration is central to his practice, examining communal and personal heritage and interdependence. With research spanning multiple forms of archive, from fandoms to the archive of the body, historic texts to academic libraries, archaeology and ecological theory, twitch streams and film archives, Blandy weaves poetic works that explore the complexities of the contemporary subject.
@david_blandy_
Video game design
Joseph Whitmore
new media artist/researcher
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Joseph Whitmore is an animation director and new media artist/researcher who utilises playful, intuitive and experimental processes. He has exhibited internationally at venues such as Institute of Contemporary Art (London), OUTERNET (London), Manchester Art Gallery (Manchester) and Sundance Film Festival (USA), and developed workshops for organisations and institutions across the UK including Kingston University and CfCCA.
Marketing & Publishing
Shay Thompson
Presenter/broadcaster
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Shay Thompson is a presenter and broadcaster in the games industry, known for her charisma, warmth, and professionalism. Her exceptional talent has earned her a reputation as a respected member of the industry and a go-to for speaking engagements and broadcast productions. She has collaborated with esteemed brands such as Bafta, BBC, McLaren, Xbox, Activision, Ubisoft, and others outside the industry.
World-Building
Clifford Sage
Programmer
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Clifford Sage's personal Interest in Computer aided design has been a long passion for over 20 years. Proudly working to help others envision their works has forever refreshed his own creative insights.
Since graduating from the Royal College of art in moving image he worked closely with different artists, musicians and designers and programmers for both installations and live situations.
PAST PARTNERS
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Target3D specialises in the integration and application of cutting-edge tracking & immersive technologies. Working across all industries, they provide innovative tracking solutions for virtual production, VR & AR, robotics, biomechanics, animation, VFX, gaming, training and simulation, 3D scanning and haptics.
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ELAM is an Ofsted Outstanding free school in East London dedicated to giving opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to enter the games & real time industries.
ELAM team
Head of Games: Curtis Leblanc
Programming Teacher: Mohammed Elhaj Art Teachers: Alex O'rourke-Potocki and Brittany Sutcliffe Technicians: Chris Binns and James O'reilly Industry Enga
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Sirlute is a creative charity that delivers free creative learning, mentoring and training to young people aged 5 to 25 years old from under-resourced backgrounds in London. Sirlute acts as a gateway into creative industries, including music, multimedia and fashion, for young people who wouldn’t normally have access to such opportunities to advance their personal or creative development.