Game design is ingrained in the way I think. Since I was a child, the family past time has always been sitting down and pulling out a new board game, or getting out the Magic cards to duke it out. Before I was old enough to play with the rest of the family, I remember using their extra cards to create my own games. My younger brother and I would play, and as we went along, we would try different rules.

 

When my mom would go to her friend's house to roleplay, I would come along and play too. My favorite part was looking through the massive rulebooks and building new characters. I loved exploring the different mechanics of the games. As I got older, I got really into video games and modding, but I never left those roots.

 

Warcraft III (and Starcraft for that matter) was a breeding ground for creativity in design and game modes. While largely amateur, the engine allowed for a lot of variety, and designers really pushed the engines limits. Though I may not have made, say DotA, the format introduced me to many different concepts.

 

This constant exposure to game mechanics and rules in a more raw form, along with my education, have shaped my design ethos and the way I think about games. I want to create games that provoke thought in the player, that allow them to approach the game in a creative, individual way, and I want to make games to bring people together. Now that I've graduated I will continue learning the art of design everywhere I can.