Resident Vincent Baidoo has been exploring the expanding universe of software & apps, asking the question - can games creation become more like AV, where tools for production & design are in the hands of the many, not the few?

Five Things I Learned:

1. Vincent’s favourite companies are manga magazine Shonen Jump and games company Nintendo, but his main inspiration that got him into games design was the Sega Mega Drive console. Vincent starting creating game platform levels at a young age on paper and at 15 he started his first trans media company with two friends called VPG Entertainments, which included animation, comics and games. 

2. Years later Vincent went on to create South Blessed, a factual orientated outlet that included coverage of the 2011 riots, interviews with the mayor and studio based residents Calvium. Vincent worked on 30-month project with Creative Citizen Unbound which took place over Bristol, Cardiff and London working with young people. Vincent created a comic capturing what he saw from the riots.

3. Vincent uses software called RPG Maker, which is a platform for games creation that helps people with limited knowledge of gaming coding languages to create their own content. RPG maker 2000 is still the most popular version of the software, despite it being an older version. The later iterations were getting more and more advanced, which took some of the accessibility away for those wanting to create games quickly and easily. Digital distribution platform Steam then announced that it would allow games created with RPG Maker to be sold through its store, which created a huge influx of games being created using the software.

4. Vincent originally proposed a VR tool for trans medial content when starting his micro-residency.  However, Vincent inadvertently ended up learning how to code for his Zelda influenced RPG game Kachina’s Legacy. Vincent created his own real-time battle system for the game as well as developing a freeze mechanic that can freeze water surfaces allowing the player to cross it. Vince is also working on creating follower AI, similar to how Pikachu follows the player in the Gameboy Colour game Pokémon Yellow.

5. During his residency, Vincent has been teaching RPG Maker at The Station, giving young people the chance to interface with game creation platforms. Vincent believes that once you break through the coding barrier you can then focus on imagination and narrative skills. At the end of the course two young people bought RPG Maker, meaning they will be able to create games themselves beyond the course, which felt like a huge success for Vincent.

In the coming months Vincent will be launching his new venture First Synapse. Keep an eye on his website for future news.