What I Learned Designing My Thesis Game

I made 12 little games (analog and digital) over the course of my MFA program. However, I dedicated most of that time to my thesis. By graduation, I’d worked as a writer/narrative designer on prototypes, vertical slices, documentation – you name it. And after many adjustments, my thesis even won a highly competitive grant to assist post-grad development! Short deadlines and secondary assignments led to high-stress periods, albeit in a controlled, academic environment, but the lessons about collaboration and creativity were invaluable.

It’s an ordinary school night, and I’m in a video call with my friend Jude. I watch them casually scroll through graffiti-adjacent concept art and brief clips of a passion project called Ponch: Cyberspace Investigator. They give me a rundown of the game’s mechanics, inspirations, and vibe, which includes phrases like “platformer,” “Ace Attorney-inspired dialogue puzzles,” “detective work,” and “hack the internet.” Read more…