Elaine Gómez - I Wanted to Be the Change I Wanted to See (Game Designer and Developer From Puerto Rico)

Elaine Gómez is a Puerto Rican game designer and developer with 5+ years experience in gameplay design, user experience, and accessibility. She is an active advocate in the games industry, regularly mentoring young developers and supporting Latinx in Gaming, a non-profit organization she helped co-found to uplift Latinx creatives.

 

1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

I was born and raised on the small but beautiful Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. My family moved to New Jersey, USA when I was 11 years old. We left behind our culture, our extended family and friends. I remember the first year or so being pretty hard. There was a lot of adjusting and learning. I remained in New Jersey through college. At first, I had my eyes set on pursuing a biomedical engineering degree and a pre-med track. 

 

I started taking general courses to get me there and to declare a major but I started to fail. I got frustrated with high level mathematics because no matter how much extra homework and tutoring I did, I always froze during exams. Failing really overwhelmed me and I had to have a difficult conversation with my parents about studying something else. I wanted to honor them by becoming a professional with a stable career in medicine but my mind and heart weren't aligned to it.

 

I was able to switch my major to Information Technology and Informatics and quickly excelled in all my courses. During that time, I took a course called 'Social Impacts of Video Games' by Dr. Joe Sanchez. The course opened up my eyes to see games in a way I never had before. Dr. Sanchez believed in my potential to do something great and he recommended me to a summer program for underrepresented students out of the University of Pittsburgh called i3 (iSchool Inclusion Institute). 

 

There, I learned about graduate programs that taught game design and development, information sciences, and so many other interesting fields I'd never been exposed to. Through that program and Dr. Sanchez's encouragement, I applied to a graduate program for interactive media and games. It was the foundation I needed to become the creative I am today. I've been in the world of making games ever since.

2.What is the one thing about your favourite game you would change to make it better?

My favorite game is Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I honestly don't think I have the heart to change anything about it! This game has been so influential to me as a designer. I know that there is no such thing as a perfect game. There's always room for improvement but I think OoT is a masterpiece just the way it is.

3.Where would you begin to come up with a new game plan?

As a creative, I always have a surplus of ideas. I can get inspired by a film, tv show, book, piece of artwork, etc. I think we all have the ability to come up with ideas. One of the things I like to do is to write these things down, even if they don't end up becoming anything. I have I've had many design notebooks throughout the years and it's always neat to go back and read something I wrote down years ago. It shows me how much I have learned and grown since. It's a very important part of my process. I've used this method for small game jam games I make over a course of a few days to projects I've been working on for years.

Once I focus on a particular idea, I like to flesh out design pillars that are most important to me: design goals, core mechanics, game-play loop and player objectives. Design goals are the goals I want to achieve or things I want to communicate to the player with the thing I'm designing. I design core mechanics by looking at game references that have similarities to what I want to create and by choosing action verbs that represent the way the player will engage with my design. Defining a game play loop is important because it is the glue that brings the experience together. Finally, setting player objectives gives a purpose and intention beyond my design goals to connect with the player.

The process of figuring out all these things is long and requires constant iteration, playtesting, discussions with people I'm working with, and of course, time. You can take all these things from pen and paper, to a document, all the way to a working example in a game engine, and finally to a polished complete version into a released product for the world to enjoy.

Linkedin - elaine-g

4.How do you stay updated and aware of new trends and developments in the industry?

I stay connected through social media. I'm constantly finding new book recommendations and links to articles, blogs, and videos to learn more. I play as many new and old games as I can in my free time to absorb what others are creating and add to my references library. This is especially important as a designer. The industry is pretty active on Twitter. 

 

I've gotten to read so many great threads on topics ranging from level design to using empathy as a design tool. I'm a member of the Independent Game Developers Association (IGDA) and I'm a co-founder of a non-profit, Latinx in Gaming, which has given me the opportunity to be a part of DEI advocacy in the industry. I also like to give back as much as I can by volunteering as a mentor with different organizations like Code Coven and Cal Women in Gaming. 

 

It gives me an opportunity to see what the next generation of game makers is creating while also helping them along the way.

5.How do you incorporate user feedback to improve the game design process?

Feedback is one of the most important elements of the game design and development process. It comes in multiple ways at different stages and it's always a constant. Some pieces of feedback are great because they push the design forward, creating an even better version of what it originally was. However, sometimes you do get some feedback notes that aren't very helpful or don't solve a problem. 

 

I've learned to discern when a piece of feedback is constructive versus when it's only an opinion that I can take with a grain of salt. As a designer, I'm always willing to listen and take in others' feedback but I have freedom to incorporate the feedback in collaboration with my lead (manager) and design team in ways that positively impact my work.

6.What inspired you to choose a career in game design?

It's ironic but what inspired me to be a game designer was all the negativity I researched for a paper that I wrote during my time at the i3 summer program. I collaborated with other students to analyze the representation of women in games, both as professionals in the industry and as characters in game products. It was sad and angering to read about harassment, sexism, and misogyny. 

 

I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be the change I wanted to see. I strive to change narratives and break negative cycles. So when I decided to apply to graduate school and pursue a degree in game design, I told myself that I was doing it to build my own path but also be a domino effect. As a woman and a Latina, I wanted to show others that if I could become a game designer and find a place in the industry, they could too.

7. Describe your training and experience in game development

Having an information technology background gave me a footing in technical abilities. I knew how to program before I started to learn how to design but it was still very challenging at first because I had to build up my zero knowledge of game programming. The majority of my 3 years in my graduate program was spent learning C# and understanding every type of error message you could ever get! The program also pushed me to design outside the box. There were times where we were making a small game every week. 

That really helped me understand my voice as a designer. Once I graduated, it took me some time to find a full time game design job but I was determined to keep creating even while waiting. I made my own small games, freelanced design and development, and also taught game design and development at a few college programs. 

Once I landed my first full time game design job, I really sharpened all those skillsets I had learned in school and on my own. Since 2017, I've been a part of 6 game projects, participated in a dozen game jams, released 3 games, and have had the honor of being part of many speaking engagements including panels, talks, lectures, podcasts, and keynote speaking opportunities. 

I've also been recognized with awards and nominations, including being part of The Game Awards Future Class of 2020 and GameIndustry. biz 100 Game Changers. Even with the experience and accolades I've been able to gain the last few years, I'm still learning something new every day and want to continue becoming a better designer and leader than I was yesterday. Growing is a lifelong journey and I'm happy to be able to do it doing something I love. 

Interviewed By - Mrunalini Karale