Interview with Sandrine Le Comte: Lead Designer of ‘Child of Lothian’

Can you tell us something about the game you worked on? 

Sandrine: ‘During my third year at BUas, I worked on “Child of Lothian”, a third-person, open-world stealth game set in Edinburgh. The game is historically accurate, with players assuming the role of a young girl who is robbed of her childhood and must disguise herself as a boy to escape witch hunters. We designed the game without combat and challenged ourselves to create a fun and engaging experience for players.’

What was your role in developing this game?

Sandrine: ‘As the lead designer, I worked with a team of about ten designers and other leads to create the vision for the game. We used milestones and sprints tracking to ensure the project progressed smoothly and communicated effectively with stakeholders. We also participated in awards and events such as Unreal Fest.’

‘My primary responsibility was to oversee the project's overall design and make sure everyone was doing good so they could make the best game they could. I really wanted to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone. To learn how to manage a group of designers and how to give presentations and such.’

What did the development process look like?

Sandrine: ‘The development process started with concepting and building and testing prototypes to make the necessary decisions. After the prototypes were created, we moved on to pre-production. During the production phase we built a stable game and continually tweaked and improved it. We would test the game, receive feedback from testers and lecturers, and make further changes accordingly. The project was quite extensive, with around 30 different students contributing to it.’

What are your future plans?

Sandrine: ‘Currently, I am doing an internship at Studio Gobo in the UK. After my internship, I will become an associate designer at Studio Gobo and continue working on exciting new projects. My plan is to focus more on my technical skills, working in game engines and making prototypes, and to assist others in the gaming industry.’

 

For those who would like to learn more about Sandrine's work, you can check out her LinkedIn profile or her personal website.