Jade Ostle's Industry Insights

After graduating from the Game Development course, Jade Ostle has secured a position as a Graduate Level Designer at the prominent game development company King, known for the mobile bestseller Candy Crush.

We caught up with Jade to find out more about her first step into the game industry since leaving Falmouth.

Can you describe what it's like to be a Graduate Level Designer at King?

My role is to create levels day-to-day for our games, balance them and use data to improve the game as a whole and provide positive experiences for our players. We were taught how to use software developing methodologies called Agile and Scrum at Falmouth, and it came in handy when I started working at King. Every morning we have stand-up meetings, and every other week we talk about our sprint goals and where we are with work.

How does it feel to be working for such a prestigious company?

I think the greatest thing about working for King is that the atmosphere within the studio is fairly relaxed. Many large game companies are known for their extreme crunch when it comes to work conditions due to game deadlines.

We are highly trusted to manage our own time and do our jobs. It's very humbling being able to look forward to going to work, knowing that what I am doing on a daily basis is being enjoyed by millions of people around the world.

What advice would you give to a student game developer looking to enter the game industry?

Ask questions to those who may be more experienced than you, be that students in the years above you, alumni, your lecturers, or anyone you can reach out to in the industry. Work on personal projects in your spare time to show your passion for what you do, even if it's just writing a blog about the level design in your favourite game.

What made my portfolio appealing to King is the fact that I streamed in my spare time and had formed an online community around games I love.

How did studying at Falmouth prepare you for a graduate role in the industry?

The most valuable thing the Game Development course provides to its students is teaching them how to work with different types of people. Working in a team helped me understand how to communicate with people effectively. I also love the games I made at the Games Academy and having them in my portfolio certainly helped to grab the attention of recruiters.

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