Most people are surprised to hear that I'm interested in things like computer games, and often even more surprised to find out I'm a sci-fi fan too. My favourite childhood shows were Star Trek and Deep Space 9 and I'd much rather watch Battlestar Galactica than a rom-com. When negotiating who got what after the break up of an old boyfriend I didn't mind if he got the TV and the furniture just as soon as I got the DS and all the games with it too.
It's funny that being interested in these kind of things is usually considered a bit surprising because I'm a girl.
Click below to read on (and win an iPad Mini!)
I suppose in the past few years my interests in games have been taken over quite a bit by blogging and being immersed in this world, which I think probably makes me just as geeky. I've had less time to play games since becoming a mum but I have to confess to owning a couple on my iPad.
I'm interested in girls in technology especially gaming as it's a world that is usually dominated by men. I was recently asked to play a new game on the market called 'Bake Escape' (I know, I have such a tough job right?). The idea behind the game is that the character 'Victoria Sponge' needs to get to Paris by completing puzzles. By moving and matching sugary cakes you can score points and complete levels to get you closer to your goal. I have to warn you, it's highly addictive!
The artist behind Bake Escape is 24 year old Becky Smout and I was interested in hearing what she said about the process and about being a girl in gaming.
How did you get into games?
I initially started out in the animation industry, even have a degree in it. But always had a battle with myself ‘Animation?’ ‘Games?’ ‘Illustration?’ even throughout studying, with the mobile game market getting bigger and more independent companies popping up, I realised that I could actually put all these things together! I’m just over a year into my first year of being in the games industry now, and hands down the best decision I ever made.
What is it like working in the games industry?
Really fun! I think there is a slight misconception that because we work in the games industry that we all sit around and play games all day (which my parents think I do). Which in some aspects are true, especially at lunch times and sometimes after, y’know, research purposes. But in the midst of all that, we all work really hard to get the best product we can, we all want the game we’re working on to succeed and I think a huge part of making a fun game is having fun while making it.
What is it like working in such a male dominated industry? Best bits? Worst bits?
The reason why we’ve brought together is our passion for games, we’ve all worked really hard to get where we are and want the best product we can achieve in the time we have to create it. I’ve never been treated any differently because I’m female and I want to keep it that way.
What influences your designs?
A difficult one really, as a lot inspires me! Even though a lot of my work is digital now a days, traditional media will always hold a huge part of my heart so I always try to weave a bit of a traditional process in. I’m always on the lookout for something new and try to keep an open mind about trying new styles and processes. I think as an artist it’s inbuilt and you’re not really sure when inspiration might strike, but when it does you have to grab it by the horns and run with it. Normally the use of shape and colour are the big players for catching my eye, I think that’s part of my animation degree allowing me to appreciate that more. The internet is a great thing, social media even more so! I get to follow a lot of inspiring artists which is good for a quick fix of inspiration (we all have our artist block days! It’s knowing how to recover from them!) Lois Van Baarle and Jon Klassen to name a few favourites. But saying that, nothing beats a well illustrated book , that’s always a winner too!
Can you describe the process of coming up with the characters for a game?
I like to make them little stories, what is their purpose, how did they get to where they are today and what’s their personality like? This normally is a really good framework to start creating a character, visual language should give a lot away without them moving or having to say anything and I find knowing a little about them before I start the drawing process really helps. For our first independent title ‘Bake Escape’ we did a lot of research, I mean a huge amount of research! Mood boards where almost the wallpaper for the office. We got a few character ideas from that, after a bit of market research we narrowed it down to a handful. We made up a few crazy stories (one involving a travelling circus, I still want to revisit that one!), after a few runs of designs focusing on their shapes and colour we whittled it down to the characters you see in game today.
What advice would you give to other women thinking about working in games?
Do it. Follow your passions, set goals for yourself and work hard. It all pays off in the end! I don’t think there is a right way of getting into the games industry, as everyone has their own story, just don’t get remembered for the wrong reasons, it’s a small industry, everyone knows each other!
Do you play games yourself? If so what?
Yes, although I never really marked myself as a ‘gamer’ as I don’t play anything religiously, I’ve always owned a console but I go through fazes of being really into a game, my drawing has always taken over in the end and I’ve let it, it means I don’t think I’ve ever finished a game 100%. I’m pretty nifty at Mario Kart and I still hold a place in my heart for the games I played as a child (Spyro and Crash Bandicoot to name a few!). With games being so accessible now, I play a lot of little games on my phone, which suits me as I can have a few in circulation at once and delete them when I get bored without feeling guilty of never finishing it.
You can download and try the game out here and you can win an iPad Mini by entering the below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
UK entrants aged 18 and over only. Correct entries will be submitted to the random draw. Incomplete or Duplicate entries will be deleted. All times are in GMT. Blog Owner not responsible for non-delivery of prize. Entrants must leave a means of contact: either twitter handle or email address. Prizes must be claimed within 2 days, otherwise another winner will be selected to replace the non-claimant. The prize is the item featured in the post, and there is no cash alternative.
It ends midnight on the 31st Dec 2014.
In association with Bake Escape
285 comments:
1 – 200 of 285 Newer› Newest»Iced Christmas Cake
I love the look of the shortbread biscuits
Winter iced Christmas cake
Champagne and chocolate hamper--mmmmmmm
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper
Winter Iced Christmas Cake
The Christmas glitter shortbread
winter iced christmas cake
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper - always a winner :)
The champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper. It's christmas and it would be a great hamper for sharing with family
the christmas glitter shortbread
Thr hand-painted commemorative baubles
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Loads of lovely things, the Christmas biscuits look gorgeous as well as the tins they come in.
winter iced christmas cake
Champagne and chocolate hamper
A mini ipad?! FAB giveaway! xo
Iced Christmas Cake
Winter iced Christmas Cake.
Oooh the Christmas glitter shortbread!
Winter Iced Christmas Cake! Yum
champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper. every girls dream :)
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Imagine their Traditional German Stollen is good
Champagne and chocolate hamper
The Family Christmas Hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Christmas glitter shortbread x
I have been wanting a tablet for aaaages.. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
champagne and chocolate hamper :D
Definitely the champagne and chocolate hamper, yum ;o)
The Champagne and chocolate hamper, exciting!
The Epicure Hamper
The port and stilton box. Yummy!
skaters mini hamper
champagne and chocolate hamper
Christmas Glitter Shortbread
Skaters mini hamper
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper!
Pretty solid favourite - the chocolate and champage hamper!
The glitter shortbread is adorable :)
ohhh champers & chocolate hamper
Gosh I think we all love champagne and chocolate! That hamper would be my first choice also :) x
champagne & chocolate hamper
Christmas Glitter Shortbread
Glitter shortbread <3
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper.
Defo The Champagne & Chocolate Hamper
The Champagne and chocolate hamper! Seems a popular choice!
Love finding new things out about people!
I love a bit of sci-fil especially fiction.
I love the look of the pork & stilton box
The champagne and chocolate hamper x
Champagne and chocolate hamper
epicure hamper
Oooh port and Stilton for me please :-)
I would love any of their hampers
Hmmm I think the chirstmas glitter shortbread x
Gingerbread London Townhouse!!!!
Epicure Hamper
The champagne and chocolate hamper
Can't beat champagne and chocolate
The glitter shortbread is lovely!
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper would be a dream
The Gingerbread London Townhouse :)
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper (amazing!)
Champagne and chocolate hamper- chocolate even the worst days a little bit better!
My favourite is the family xmas hamper! x
Iced winter Christmas cake....mmm-mmm.....
The Champagne and chocolate hamper, exciting!
champagne and chocolate
Champagne and chocolate hamper...... Sounds like a dream :) happy Xmas ❄️⛄️❄️
Champagne and chocolate - the makings of a great night in!
Was looking for something different but it's only the Champers and Choc hamper for me!
Champagne and Chocolate hamper - a rare treat!
these games are SO addictive ;) but fun too!
I do love sci fi too! I have managed not to have many games in the house but I think it's because I spent five years with an ex who was totally obsessed by them. It's great seeing more women in the industry though. x
mmm, let me think - Oh go on, the champagne and chocolate then.
Champagne and chocolate hamper
I'd love to be able to treat my Mum and Dad to a champagne and chocolate hamper!
Champagne and cocolate box!
The Port and Stilton would go down a treat in our house.
The champagne and chocolate hamper... what more could a girl want??!!
Would have to be the family xmas hamper x
Christmas Glitter Shortbread x
The port and stilton hamper.
Champagne and chocolate sounds delicious
The Gingerbread London Town House :) x
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Fortnum's Gingerbread House Money Box
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper - such a decadent treat!
champagne and chocolate of course
Oooh this is so interesting, great interview xx
The Champagne and Chocolates Box
Champagne and chocolate hamper
The Champagne and chocolate hamper, obviously!!
The Champagne and Chocolates Box
The family Christmas hamper would be just Perfect.....!
The Champagne and the chocolate hamper would be a real treat
Oh well how can I possibly decide lol! I think I'd have to say Their candles look amazing but I'd truly love a Chocolate hamper lol x
Champagne and chocolate box!
The champagne and chocolate hamper!!!
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Gingerbread london town house x
Champagne and chocolate hamper for me too
Champagne and Chocolate Hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper!!
Hmmm hard to choose but I love the The family Christmas hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper.
Champagne and chocolate hamper
The champagne and chocolate hamper:)
The champagne and chocolate hamper
the champers and chocolate box
The Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper it has to be
Champagne and chocolate box
hamper
Port & Stilton Hamper
Champagne & Chocolate
The Fortmason Hamper
The Champagne and Chocolate Hamper
The Champagne and Chocolate hamper as it's decadent, a treat :)
The port and stilton hamper looks very impressive
Merry go round Musical biscuit tin
Champagne and chocolate hamper Yummy Yummy :)
Champagne and chocolate hamper looks great ;-)
Like the Port and Stilton hamper
champagne & chocolate hamper :)
The Champagne and chocolate hamper sure sounds yummy!
the champ and chocolate hamper
Candles and champagne
The Champagne and chocolate hamper
Champagne and chocolate hamper sounds amazing! Such lovely items
The Family Christmas Hamper. x
The Children's Christmas Hamper
Any hamper with the iconic F&M would make me smile
Port and Stilton hamper
champagne and chocolate
The Children's Christmas Hamper :-)
The Windsor Hamper looks fabulous
The Windsor Hamper looks lovely!
So much choice. Chocolate, no family, no candles...
I would choose the champagne hamper - i also love the skate charm as a keepsake of christmas
The Children's Christmas Hamper : Everyone would love it
family Christmas hamper
The Children's Christmas Hamper :D
Champagne & Chocolate Hamper
family christmas hamper
the family Christmas hamper looks great, but there mince pies would be perfect also
family Christmas hamper
The Children's Christmas Hamper
The Champagne and salter caramels box looks lovely
I love the family Christmas Hamper!
Clementines
I love the Christmas Hamper for Children :)
family Christmas hamper - I also followed on you tube but could not get the entry to accept
The Champagne and chocolate hamper
Oh, fingers crossed! I really like the family Christmas hamper
the champagne and chocolate hamper
followed on youtube but the rafflecopter won't accept it
champagne and chocolate hamper
I love the Children's Christmas Hamper.
The chocolate and champagne hamper is my favourite! What's not to like?!
The New World Explorer Hamper looks lush!
champagne and chocolate hamper
Family Christmas Hamper!
The Champagne and chocolate hamper or the Family Christmas Hamper, it's hard to pick a fave one as they all look so good :)
Family Christmas Hamper.
Couldn't link twitter tweet so here is it: https://twitter.com/She_Hearts/status/544844516042493952
The childrens Christmas hamper
The Family Christmas Hamper
i love the Family Christmas Hamper
The family Christmas hamper looks fab
I love the look of the Family Hamper
I love a bit of Star Trek too especially 'vintage' episodes with young William Shatner! How old do I sound?
The family xmas hamper looks amazing!!
I love the basket hamper on its own. The contents would be fabulous added bonus :-)
The family xmas hamper looks great
The family Christmas hamper
The family Christmas hamper
The family Christmas hamper looks fab
The champagne and salted caramels box looks yummy
my favourite thing about F&M is the tea section - all that lovely smelling loose tea. Heaven!
Champagne and Chocolate sounds good!
The Children's christmas hamper looks so cute, my little one would love it! :) x
I love their musical biscuit tins, they are so fun! My favourite is the Merry Go Round one
the family christmas hamper
Champagne and Chocolate
champagne and chocolate, could you want for a nicer combo at christmas time......bliss!!!
One of the hampers
The family Christmas hamper looks lovely
The champagne and chocolate box
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