Insights from student Jamie ten Hove on the creation of 'Child of Lothian'

Insights from student Jamie ten Hove on the creation of 'Child of Lothian'

03/21/2023 - 16:31

We interviewed Jamie ten Hove, a fourth-year student studying Creative Media and Game Technologies at BUas, to gain insight into his work on the game 'Child of Lothian'.
Games
  • Stories
  • Student work

Can you describe the game you worked on? 

Jamie: ‘"Child of Lothian" is a third-person stealth game that was created as part of a project that required it to be an adventure game without including combat. The game is set in Edinburgh during the witch hunt trials of the 18th century and follows the story of a girl named Katheryn, whose mother has been taken from her. As an orphan, she is being pursued by those searching for her.’ 

‘The game features a semi-open world where the player can move through various parts of the city. The main character can use a sling shot to distract enemies and solve puzzles.’  

What was your role in the game's development, and how did you collaborate with your team? 

Jamie: ‘I am a Design & Production track student, and I worked on the game in my third year of the CMGT programme. I specialise in level design and was involved in prototyping concepts in the beginning. Later on in the project, I was the level design lead for a while. I worked with other level designers to make decisions and ensure cohesion.’ 

‘In the later stage of the project, I focused solely on level design, and the design and implementation of quests.’ 

Can you tell us about the development process? 

Jamie: ‘A group of more than 30 people worked on the game for the entire year. In the first block, we worked on prototypes, followed by a demo at the end of block B, that we also put on Steam. In block C, we refined the game and made choices about what to include. By the end of block C, almost the entire game was on Steam, and in block D, we polished it.’ 

‘I faced challenges in learning how to collaborate in a large group. That was really useful because it prepared me for my work at a real game studio.’ 

Play the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1761260/Child_of_Lothian/

What are your plans for the future? 

Jamie: ‘I’m doing a work placement as a level designer at Studio Gobo in Brighton (UK). The team of Studio Gobo previously worked on "Hogwarts Legacy" as a co-development studio. I've been here for the last seven months and I'm very happy to share that Studio Gobo has offered me a job after my work placement!’