I also use my knowledge of oceans and coasts to create video games. I believe very strongly that games should be created with an eye to real world knowledge and experience, intertwining fictional stories with factual information or settings.

After decades of playing games created by others, I decided in 2017 to start creating my own. Since then, I have completed two projects, a vertical slice demo on modern day piracy and a visual novel on Antarctic tourism.

Pirates of the Wild Sea follows fictional pirate Bora as she takes to the high seas to make her fortune. Bora faces many of the same issues that plague modern day pirates – poverty, habitat destruction, and the high risk/high reward nature of attacking ships. I served as Creative Director on this project, funded by a seed grant from Texas A&M University, and supervised a staff of 3 artists, 3 programmers, a level designer, a sound engineer, and a composer. I am currently seeking funding to create a full version of the game. Created in Unity.

Heading South is a visual novel about being an Antarctic tourist. It is an example of what is called “Second Chance Tourism,” a digital way of capturing places that are vulnerable and at risk of destruction. Playing Heading South gives you the opportunity to “visit” Antarctica without increasing your carbon footprint (or spending several thousand dollars!). Written in the spirit of the best Choose Your Own Adventure books, you can have a wonderful visit to Antarctica – or not come home at all. I served as a solo developer, doing the writing, coding, and providing photography. Available on itch.io. Created in Ren’py.