Attempts of a College Graduate

You ever get bored? You ever just get an idea and you add it to a list of ideas you work on as the next idea comes along? You ever consistently try to make games, write screenplays, work a full-time job, and basically work on 1000 projects at once? You ever stop and think "Wait, there's potential in making a game taking inspiration from the jobs I've had"? Hi, I'm Nathan and currently, I'm making my own indie comedy horror game in Unreal 5 that takes place in a lab (I also work in a lab).

About a year ago, I graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Games and a minor in Creative Writing. Currently, I try to write and work on projects during my free time while also working full time in a lab. The people are nice, it pays the bills, and often, I even cover shifts to make extra money. On the side, I try to write screenplays, most recently, I've been writing and rewriting this pilot for a show I'd love to make, I've been writing concepts and story plots for other shows and movies I want to do, and I'm also trying to apply for jobs in the games industry. So, I do a lot. Or I try to do a lot and sometimes, it burns me out. I do too much, I get tired. I try to rest, play a video game, or watch something. Guess what? Guilt. I need to be working and applying if I'm gonna pay off those loans.

As you're reading this, you're probably thinking, I don't need a job, I need therapy. And you may be right. But, as I try to change my time up by relaxing and taking more time working on one project or one goal at a time, I've been getting better. I'm playing and beating video games on Sundays (when I don't cover someone's shift). I'm catching up on shows and films I've been looking forward to. Oh, and when I'm on breaks at work or also on my free time, I'm taking my time to look at individual projects and trying to get them achieved. So, here I am now. Today, I am writing this after making some pretty nice updates and achievements working on this little game I've been trying to make on the side (though I do have another game I'm attached to that I continue to work on as well, but that's another story).

So, here's a new screenshot of my lab game. Throughout the past couple months during the occasional break, I have been doing some level design and modeling to make a simple but fun lab setting. This included modeling some computers and desks, using free Unreal 5 chairs, building a simple lab area with walls and individual computer areas, and I even worked with some material instances to make some fun UI such as a matching minigame and a slightly working computer screen.

Most recently, I have been applying basic updates. I designed computers to have really cool glitchy screens. In addition, I updated the game slightly to use WASD rather than a click and move option which I did initially but I realized this works way better. I also updated camera movement to allow the player to properly look around the room and zoom functions to properly look at different details in the level area.

But there is still more than needs to be done and things that need to be fixed. I currently have a bug I need to fix involving the minigame's matching color set with one color supposedly matching but still providing a loss point to the player. I'm working on adding a proper ceiling and fun lighting to the room, more modeling of basic equipment of a keyboard and mouse, creating a proper screensaving function so each computer can be unique, and then there's the moving forward of the game. The story as my expertise is in Narrative Design. I have my ideas, but I need to implement the story and more level additions to move it and the game forward.

And the real question, why? Why am I writing about this random little game I'm working on? Well, I see it as a game dev blog but also as therapeutic. Truth be told, I just wanted to write. So, this is what I'm doing now. Writing my progress. Hope you like it. I'd like to write more as I move forward with this game and maybe it could be fun to do something similar with my screenwriting stuff. But who knows? Anyway, have a great day! Thanks for reading this.