Q&A with Rick
What is the best part about your current position?
ArenaNet: Working in an employee-first studio where I'm encouraged to be creative. Rogue Element: Having the freedom to embrace whatever design challenges I choose.
What is the most interesting or enjoyable thing that you have gotten to do in your career?
Starting my own company, Rogue Element Games. There is nothing more exciting, educational, and scary in games than the trip down that path, and so far we are early in our journey.
Why did you choose to get your education from the Guildhall?
I was looking for a way to get into the industry at a time when gaming education wasn't really even a thing. When I heard of a new school forming with actual industry involvement I knew it was the right place to be. To this day the Guildhall's relationship and continuous interaction with industry vets is what makes it the greatest game development education in the world. I say that as both a graduate and, now, a vet.
How did the Guildhall prepare you for your career in gaming, and what impact has it had on your life?
The Guildhall provided guidance and experience. And they challenged me to work and create. Game development is an art of execution. It's not about what you dream, it's about what you make. The Guildhall made me realize this, gave me the basic skills I needed to execute on those dreams, and helped me get my foot in the door of the industry after several years of failing to do so on my own. To that end I may never have achieved the career I have now without The Guildhall. And while rarely glamorous I can't imagine doing anything else.
What is your favorite Guildhall memory?
"You're either hardcore or you're not." This was one of the tribal sayings that grew up with us in C2. Being one of the the pioneering cohorts our demographics were all over the place. Lawyers, bankers, high school graduates, scientists, struggling writers and more. We couldn't have been more different in background. But I will never forget the shared desire and drive to embrace something new. It was something you can't create. Just serendipity. And in the end, simply, you're either hardcore or you're not.
What advice would you offer for students looking to get into gaming?
First, make stuff. There's nothing more important than just "doing". Secondly, make sure you finish some of the things you create. The hardest part of game development is reaching the finish line.