Celebrating National Video Games Day with FIEA Students
September 12 marks National Video Games Day. A lot more goes into designing video games than people think. We spoke with students from the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) to hear what inspired them to pursue a career in gaming.
FIEA offers UCF’s nationally ranked Master of Science in Interactive Entertainment. Students can select from a variety of specializations including level design, tech design, project management, modeling, tech art, animation and programming. Learn more about the program here.
Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
Brandon Brennen
Cohort 19, Production Intern at Ubisoft Red Storm
- What video game made you fall in love with gaming?
This is hard. It’s a group of franchises, but my top pick goes to Forza Horizon. Both the Need for Speed franchise and Forza franchise fueled my interests in cars, but Forza Horizon really opened my eyes to the idea of “smiles per gallon.” Every time my mates and I go out for a group drive in real life, the memories of cruising around digital Colorado come right back and something like that is priceless.
- What’s one of your favorite things you’ve learned from studying at FIEA?
What life is like at a game studio and the many different ways I, as a producer, can help empower not only a project, but a team.
- What video game made you rage quit AND/OR cry?
Overwatch 2. Many victories but also a handful of salty moments.
Oliver Thomas
Cohort 19, General Engineering Intern at Undead Labs
- What video game made you fall in love with gaming?
My first ever video game: Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. I have really fantastic memories of playing it when it first came out with my dad, and I’ve loved video games ever since!
- What’s one of your favorite things you’ve learned from studying at FIEA?
I think the favorite thing I’ve learned is seeing how a proper team works. Learning about the pipelines for art and design has been a lot of fun!
- What video game made you rage quit AND/OR cry?
I’ve never rage-quitted a game before, but I cried more than I’d like to admit at the end of The Evil Within 2.
John Robinson
Cohort 19, Technical Designer at EA Orlando
- What video game made you fall in love with gaming?
I fell in love with playing games because of Halo 3. However, it wasn’t until Fallout: New Vegas that I really knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I was so enamored with the world-building and charm of the game. It made me realize that games can be so much more than I originally thought. They could take you to whole new worlds with actual people to talk to. That is the game that made me fall in love with games.
- What’s one of your favorite things you’ve learned from studying at FIEA?
Working in a group/team is infinitely more rewarding than working solo. I was so used to making games all by myself; I did not realize the joy of having an idea and growing that idea into something more with the help of others. It is truly magical what you can do with a simple idea and a few creative people.
- What video game made you rage quit AND/OR cry?
Despite it being a little embarrassing, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild made me cry. The story, although subtle, is very impactful and beautiful. The game came out during a hard time in my life, and so it holds a very special place in my heart, and I encourage anyone to play it if you can.
Hannah Martinez
Cohort 19, 3D Art Intern at Undead Labs
- What video game made you fall in love with gaming?
Age of Empires III. I played it all the time on my dad’s computer when I was a kid, and I still love it to this day! Truly the first game that made me think and strategize.
- What’s one of your favorite things you’ve learned from studying at FIEA?
I’m so glad I learned how to work with people within other (discipline) tracks; learning where I fit in as an artist in the overall scope of a project is invaluable. Knowing who and where to go to for direction and help is important when working on a large project.
- What video game made you rage quit AND/OR cry?
The first game that ever got me to rage quit was Assassin’s Creed I. The final battle was so hard! I had been coasting until they threw 15 enemies at me at once in the end! I was also a small kid, about 10 years old, so that contributed to the tears.