Simen Barstad Skjevdal
Programmer / Game Designer
(I also go by rainbowshyy some places)
I'm currently employed at Filiokus Game Studio on the final year of my Game Design Bachelor at Westerdals Institute for Films and Media (Kristiania). Though I've been making games on the side for a while, ever since I discovered hyperlinks in PowerPoint 2007 or something.
I enjoy programming, system design, shaders, music, pixel art and planning. Over the years I have been on several (relatively small) solo and collaborative projects, which has let me explore many different parts of game development.
Oct 2023 - Present
I joined Filiokus as a programmer to add some more features to their existing game Cal and Bomba. Through this I worked with GA4 Analytics, I2 Localization and Unity in general.
Currently I am their sole programmer.
Other roles/tasks include data analysis, project management, social media and marketing.
while(Game)
I started thinking about this game during my 1st year at Kristiania, initially creating a prototype for a course in January. I "Finished" the game/prototype/demo/whatever in March.
The game is inspired by the visual programming language Scratch, and plays sort of like a deckbuilder where you collect code blocks.
The development, design, art and music was done entirely by me. Some of the features designed/implemented are:
At NGA 2023 it won Best Audio Design and Most Innovative Game!
Angel Fire
This game was made with 3 other students in our first year at Kristiania, spanning for most of our second semester (about half a year).
The game is inspired by retro aracade games, and blends the genres "Tower Defense" and "Shoot 'em up" into an asymmetric couch 1v1 experience.
I did a lot of the programming, some of the music and a lot of the balancing.
At the first annual "Kristiania Awards", it won Game of the Year!
Washbear
This was my first real solo project made in Unity.
It's a roguelike with a weapon system where any combination of weapons can be duct-taped together for unique interactions. All programming, design, music and art was made by me.
At NGA 2022, it was nominated for Gamer's Choice.
Taverna
This game was made with 8 other students at Namdals Folkehøgskole. Everyone on the team, including me, had never made a "full" game before.
The game wanted to explore a fantasy setting through an unlikely perspective. Where you don't play as the adventurers, but as the innkeeper that hosts them and listens to their stories inbetween their journeys.
I did a most of the programming, a lot of the art and most of the balancing. I was also project lead.
At NGA 2021, it was nominated for 5 whole categories including Game of the Year!
My javascript phase was when I began making 'complete' games.
From my first real-ish game, made fully in javascript from the ground up with vector graphics.
I kept making games in javascript, eventually implementing sprite animations ( which was a hassle to do without an engine).
By the end of my javascript phase I had built games with sprite implementation, procedural generation, physics, collision all built from scratch.
In late 2019 or so, I finally picked up a game engine (Unity)
Molegame (A mole with a digging problem)
Taverna gameplay
Washbear gameplay - and how the levels are generated along with how the tail effect was done.
Small snippet of an exam from my first semester (Favortown)
while(Game) development gifs
Some gifs from the prototyping, initially for a school assignment.
I then began turning the prototype into something more playable. This was an early idea for the UI.
A lot of the design and development revolved around streamlining UI and UX, since the concept could easily be lost on people.
In the end, the game landed on a shop system, with different drawers for each character and type of code-block.
Angel Fire progress gifs
This was my first project that utilized proper project management, which I think can be seen from how clear the progress is.
I started learning Godot to diversify my skillset, implementing bayer-dithering and palette limiting in 3D games, since I like the pixel aesthetic.
It's a secret shop!
I should find some Money!
It's a blob (while(Game))!
I can't get past it without a Weapon!
(Maybe there is a Shop somewhere..?)
