Since before I could walk, I have been fascinated by the inner workings of video games - not only to play and enjoy them, but seeing them through the lens of someone who dissects systems, uncovers exploits, and analyzes mechanics. By the age of nine, I was modding games and discovering exploits and bugs to aid speedruns, unknowingly developing skills that now drive my passion for quality assurance.

While working independantly, I conducted structured and exploratory testing, compiled detailed bug reports, and categorized issues into glitches, gameplay bugs, and UX/UI flaws. Though I have yet to work with industry-standard bug-tracking software, my keen attention to detail, understanding of player psychology, and ability to break games in unexpected ways would likely make me a strong asset to any QA team.

Even in casual play, my obsessive attention to detail ensures no flaw goes unnoticed. While other players move through game environments without much thought, I instinctively test physics interactions, scrutinize collision boundaries, analyze how light refracts through wine glasses on a table, or if dust particles behave believably. This analytical mindset, combined with my efficiency and adaptability, allows me to identify and document issues with precision, even if I often get teased for taking 35 hours to finish an 8 hour game sometimes.

As an indie developer, I have experienced firsthand the importance of QA at every stage of development, from early prototyping to post-launch updates. I built and shipped a 15-hour action-adventure game, which reached 26,000+ players and 5,000+ positive reviews. Despite no external deadlines, I often worked 18-hour days, driven purely by my commitment to polished, high-quality gameplay. This ability to thrive under pressure makes me well-suited for fast-paced QA workflows.

Studying abroad in Japan, I collaborated on game jams with students who went on to work at SEGA, adapting to a high-expectation Japanese work culture with tight deadlines. My work in immersive theatre experiences showcase a strength for problem-solving and adaptability. Being able to anticipate even the most unexpected player choices, crafting branching narratives and environments to account for them, and understand the psychology of what people might do in a sandbox of systems is key to being an excellent QA tester!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working as Level Designer and Narrative Designer on a multiplayer horror prototype built in Roblox Studio — an engine that was completely new to me at the start of the project.

The game is called ‘Boomers VS Zoomers’: an asymmetric multiplayer horror experience, inspired by titles like Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th. One player takes on the role of a boomer, while the other zoomers must steal as many items from the Boomer’s house as possible before time runs out, and without getting caught. Our primary narrative setting is a decaying mansion owned by a corrupt boomer mayor, with themes of hoarded wealth, generational divide, and misuse of public resources.

Designing Story Without Dialogue

Because the game is fast-paced and multiplayer-focused, all narrative is delivered through environmental storytelling rather than dialogue or cutscenes. This was one of the biggest challenges of the project.

Roblox players rarely stop to read — they move quickly, react under pressure, and play socially. As a result, narrative elements had to be:

• Instantly readable

• Visually exaggerated

• Embedded directly into the level layout

Each room in the mansion was designed to tell a clear micro-story through props, layout, and contrast — for example, luxury spaces paired with neglect, or public infrastructure repurposed for private use.

My Role

My focus was on aligning narrative intent with spatial design. Rather than writing traditional story beats, I designed player flow through the mansion so that story information is revealed naturally as players move through the space.

This involved:

• Structuring the mansion layout to guide players through escalating narrative beats

• Using environmental clues that remain readable even during active gameplay

• Iterating on room sequencing and prop placement based on playtesting feedback

Learning Roblox as a New Engine

Working in Roblox Studio required a shift in mindset. The platform prioritises:

• Rapid iteration

• Modular, reusable assets

• Multiplayer-first environments

• Performance-conscious design

These constraints encouraged clearer visual storytelling and more deliberate use of space — especially important when designing for multiple players simultaneously.

Process & Takeaways

We worked using an Agile workflow, with regular check-ins and iterative playtesting. Reflecting on our first prototype helped us scope this project more effectively, focusing on one strong, readable narrative environment rather than spreading ideas too thin.

Key takeaways for me:

• Environmental storytelling must respect player behaviour

• Constraints can sharpen narrative clarity

• Level design is a powerful narrative tool — even without words

This project pushed me to think more critically about how story, space, and systems interact, particularly within unfamiliar tools and platforms.

Over the past few months, I’ve been deep in development on MeltDown!, a browser-based stealth-survival prototype created as part of my game writing and development work. What started as a small experiment in emotional storytelling soon evolved into a full exploration of what modern web technologies and Construct 3 can achieve together.

Why a Web Game?

One of my goals was to challenge the perception that browser games are “lesser” than their console or PC counterparts. With the growth of WebGL, WebAudio, and WebAssembly, the modern browser is now a powerful platform capable of dynamic lighting, responsive controls, and rich soundscapes. I wanted to push those capabilities while still delivering something heartfelt and character-driven.

MeltDown! became the perfect concept for this: a small, expressive snowman navigating patches of shadow to avoid melting, wrapped inside a narrative about impermanence, resilience, and child-like wonder.

Working in Construct 3

Construct 3 ended up being the ideal engine for a project like this. Its clean event-sheet system allowed me to focus on gameplay logic without sacrificing complexity. Throughout development I relied on several core systems:

• Stealth & Visibility Logic:
  I built light-detection mechanics that let the snowman “melt” faster under direct sunlight. This required careful tuning of triggers, timers, and collision masks to keep everything responsive in the browser.

• Environmental Systems:
  Shade patches, dynamic obstacles, and heat hazards were all modular pieces I could iterate on quickly. Construct’s visual debugger became invaluable during this phase.

• Character Animation & Emotional Expression:
  Since MeltDown! delivers most of its narrative visually, I prototyped expressive animations that could convey vulnerability and determination without a single spoken word. Detailed sprite sheets and timing adjustments helped ground the emotional tone.

• Optimisation for Web Performance:
  Browser games require lightweight collision management and memory-efficient assets, so I refined my runtime behaviours, sprite sizes, and tilemap layouts early on. This ensured reliable performance across devices.

Designing the Experience

Narratively, I wanted the game to feel warm, nostalgic, and quietly emotional. Games like WALL-E and Thomas Was Alone inspired me to communicate character through movement, environment, and pacing rather than dialogue.

Mechanically, the aim was to keep the gameplay accessible and relaxing, while still offering enough depth for puzzle-oriented players. Features like collectibles, optional routes, and light resource management gave the experience replay value without overwhelming the player.

What I Learned

Developing MeltDown! taught me:

• how powerful modern web platforms truly are

• how emotional storytelling can thrive through animation and environment alone

• the importance of iterative prototyping when building stealth or survival systems

• how Construct 3 can be used not just for small hobby projects, but for polished, expressive, web-native experiences

Most importantly, the project reminded me how satisfying it is to merge narrative intention with technical execution — especially when both evolve together.

What’s Next

I’m continuing to refine the prototype, exploring opportunities to expand the world, polish systems, and deepen the emotional arc. As I progress in my Game Development course, I’m excited to bring narratives like this to larger projects — whether in web, mobile, or traditional game development pipelines.

If you’d like to follow the project’s progress or discuss anything from Construct 3 to narrative-driven design, I’d love to connect.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of representing Bath Spa University at the Bath Digital Festival - leading a showcase of student's work in the Games Development course. Although it was supposed to be for third year students, I achieved a grade 90 for my narrative game assignment, which was so unprecedented that they asked me to join!

It was an honor to be able to talk about my game 'Before I Was A Wrinkly Kid' (playable here: https://calistusjay.itch.io/before-i-was-a-wrinkly-kid) as well as meet tons of talented people in the tech industry who had heard the positive word of mouth at the event and wanted to try my game too! I was surprised that even when the event came to a close, all the other booths were taken down, and the after party began - the event organizers asked me to keep my booth up since it was such a hit! I had so many people wandering off the dance floor just to try "this game we keep hearing about". Truly, no greater feeling as a developer than that!

Overall, it was an excellent opportunity to meet other like-minded creatives and explore what various tech entrepreneurs were accomplishing in the Bath/Bristol area. Specifically, I wanted to shout out the following people for their fascinating lines of work, as well as thank them for the enjoyable conversations we had!

Ben Mellor, thanks for making the whole event possible and keeping everything going smoothly! Darren Baldwin, getting to see some of your work was a treat - your coding skills are impressive. Rafael Roberto, your research work sounded very exciting, I can't wait to see more someday. Juan Dalmau, thanks for checking my game out and letting me know your experience interning - it really helped me figure out what to look for in my own pursuit!

Looking forward to the next Bath Digital Fest. I will have a brand new game to show off next time, which will hopefully be even more popular than the last. Stay tuned!

Had an excellent time hosting this showcase video of LondonGamesFest. I spoke to so many talented developers, and even got a few business cards! I was glad to highlight some particular favourites of mine, like Button Man by Styrax Studios Inc.

Some amazing games not featured in the video: Fireside Fables by InkForge Studios, SoundCaster by SoundCasterStudios, and NINE ROUNDS RAPID by South Westerly Games Ltd.

I was grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many industry professionals and support some truly incredible games that have inspired me to continue working hard. One day, I look forward to attending LGF as a creator, proudly showcasing my own work!

Writing TV is my favourite thing. Movies are great to practice structure and focussing on one theme, but they lack the time that allows for truly moving character arcs or world building. Video games are liberating to write, but the story always has to keep mechanics in mind and has to have an element of interactivity that stops every detail being perfect. TV though? TV is the best.

Every episode can have its own self-contained story, like a mini-movie, but combined with the others can tell an even grander story. Every character can start the series one way and become completely unrecognizable by the end of it. Every season can have new villains and threats or expand the world of the story further and further. I love writing TV.

I’m writing a TV show at the moment and it’s the most fun I’ve had in a while. The characters are all so distinct and interact so well. The plot’s central theme is one that is near and dear to my own heart, but lends itself to allegory enough to create a fun concept. And the episodic plots keep me guessing what happens next in my own freakin’ story!

It can be hard trying to make each episode have its own unique moral, or motif - sometimes you just gotta advance all the plots you got going on without trying to tie them all together under some profound parable. And sometimes you just wanna have an episode where things go boom and bullets go dudududududud. Action is a genre, don’t be afraid of it.

I feel like comparing my stuff to popular TV at the moment, every now and then. I look at shows and I’m like - ooh, clever dialogue - my characters just make puns. Or, wow those shots are so artsy and metaphorical - whilst my show’s tone isn’t really taking itself so seriously. Or the worst one is when you’re watching something with a thousand characters all with their own plot twist or a complex world full of rules and you’re sitting there like… my imagination could never.

But comparisons are dumb. Especially if you’re comparing to the wrong things. My story isn’t trying to be this tightly plotted mystery novel with red herrings and revelations. It’s not a sitcom designed to be sidesplittingly funnier than anything I could ever write. It’s most definitely not a fantasy story with 16,342 protagonists and a million locations. I know what my story is, and what it’s inspirations are - and when I look at those inspirations I see the truth: my story is just as good - and will be loved just as much.

To all my fellow writers out there, if you’re a fan of character arcs, dialogue-heavy scripts and exploring varying plots with your characters - try writing TV. I highly recommend.

2019 has been a year of transition. 2018 was the year of new experiences that changed who I was: I studied abroad for the first time; I drank for the first time; I fell in love for the first time. And let me tell you, as fun as the year was, it was also a whole lot for my brain to deal with. I started this year kind of depressed, extremely anxious, and dealing with the aftermath of 2018. 2019 was the transition between the aftermath and recovery for me.

Reeling from a bad breakup, I had to remember what it was like to be happy without somebody else’s affirmation. So I threw myself into work - luckily it happened to coincide with my final year of university where work is pretty important. I stayed up until 6 am every night working on this animated trailer, I agonized over every line of my final movie script. You know, healthy stuff.

But it worked, because that wasn’t all I did. I also acknowledged that this is my last chance to hang out with these people I’ve known for the last 4 years… so hang out I did. Even people I’d never really spoke to became like family in the weeks leading up to the end. And teachers and students hung out like friends, since come graduation we’re all really in the same boat. Screenwriters just trying to make our mark.

I worked so hard, and graduated with great results from Regent’s University. This milestone I had been working towards for 4 years finally happened! I was sad that it was over, but so proud of myself for doing it - 2 years younger than most people do. Being surrounded by loving friends, proud of the hard work I had achieved, and being praised by my family - it all reminded me of who the fuck I am. It undid all the identity crisising of 2018 just like that.

So if 2018 was a year of change, 2019 was a year of transitioning back to who I was before that - just with a bit more wisdom this time.

Today is a day of firsts. First blog post, first day of my 20's and first award!

Regent’s University had an end of semester film screening that just so happened to be on the same day as my 20th birthday. I had kind of hijacked the event as a birthday party of my own, which my friends were all lovely enough to agree to. However, days before the event my teacher texted me that they would also be having a competition where the winner would earn the title of Rob McKee’s Best Film 2019. I loved my film, but due to some footage loss that had to be covered in editing, and the fact that I hadn’t yet gone back to it to polish - I declined his invitation to submit my film, believing that there’s no way it would win…

Finally arriving at the event, I find my friends and family, enjoy some conversations and beverages, sit down to start the viewing. Some of my classmates films were awesome, some were clearly low effort. But the audience is mostly pretty dead. I wait excitedly for mine… It comes on.

Everyone loves it. They laughed at the right moments, they “aww”d at the right moments, they even cried when I wanted them to! It was the first time in my life I’d seen a live reaction to my work and it warmed my heart more than words could ever say.

Then, time for the Rob McKee award to be handed out. The runner-ups get their awards, all well deserved. I cheer. And then my teacher starts giving a speech about how the winner of the award is special, and his film was the only one that truly tried to tell a story with heart and emotion and who’s screenplay was the most impressive… Something in my heart makes me suspicious. But then it’s confirmed.

He calls out my name. WHAT? I DIDN’T EVEN SUBMIT MY FILM FOR THE AWARD. Turns out my teacher did it for me, because he believed in me that much. When I say I cried… I really mean it. I go on stage and accept my award. But that’s not all. This sly bastard also gives me a chocolate cake in front of everyone. IS HE TRYING TO KILL ME WITH GRATITUDE? I accept, tears staining my cheeks, and a smile on my face.

This whole experience taught me to never doubt myself ever again. My work is not only adequate, but great - and beloved. Hopefully, I can have the opportunity to make stuff one day that the whole world loves too!