Ever since I was a kid, IΓÇÖve always wanted to create games. I spent a lot of time playing video games growing up, but there was always a part of me that wanted to go beyond just playingΓÇöI wanted to make my own. My first experience with game development came when I was in Grade 5. I started making text-based games using Windows Batch (.bat) files and experimented with Scratch as well. It was simple, but it felt like the beginning of something exciting.

As I grew older, I became more ambitious. I dove into more advanced programming languages like C++ and JavaΓÇöprobably more advanced than what I could handle at the time! But despite my eagerness, I never really learned them properly. Without a clear guide or pathway, I would pick up a short course on YouTube, get excited, and then lose momentum halfway through. I struggled with commitmentΓÇöstarting was always easy, but continuing was the hard part.

During this time, I continued making small games in Batch and Scratch just as a hobby. Then, the COVID lockdown hit in Grade 10, and with all that extra time, I decided to learn Python. This led to my first real breakthrough: I created a Super Mario clone, a 2D platformer. That was a huge step for me.

Later, a friend and I decided to take our passion for games further. We wanted to make a game together, but we were just kids. Publishing on platforms like Steam or Google Play cost money, which we didnΓÇÖt have. ThatΓÇÖs when we discovered web gamesΓÇöa free way to publish games, earn revenue through ads and in-app purchases, and even sell licenses to web game portals.

With this in mind, we started working on KnightΓÇÖs Blade, a 1-bit action-adventure RPG. My friend took the lead, designing the turn-based combat and guiding the overall direction of the game. I followed through, focusing on the gameplay, story, dialogue systems, and actually finishing the game. It wasnΓÇÖt easy, and it took us over six months to complete. Unfortunately, the game wasnΓÇÖt received very well, scoring only 51/100, likely due to some poor design choices.

But despite that, it was a huge learning experience for me. I didnΓÇÖt even fully know how to use Unity and C# at the time, but I pushed through. By the end of Grade 11 and into the middle of Grade 12, my first web game had finally come to life. The launch was roughΓÇöthere were plenty of bugsΓÇöbut I worked hard to improve it over time, even after my friend moved on to his own personal projects.

In the end, KnightΓÇÖs Blade may not have been a huge success, but it marked the beginning of my journey as a game developer. It taught me the importance of commitment, perseverance, and constant learning.