Meet the Team #2

Villette

1: What is your name and role with 2ndcity Studios?

So I am Villette Kolose, my ‘official title’ is PA to the CEO and Admin Manager, but depending on who I am talking to – I would refer to myself as ‘Team Support’ or in a business capacity ‘Office Manager’. As is typical in not-for-profits, I cover a number of roles –some are the usual office HR & accounts and in our situation ‘Brunch for Lunch’ caterer and Bible Discovery Lesson lay-up/desk top publishing person.

2: If you could sum up a typical work-week in your role, what would it look like?

I’m a part timer – so I only work 20 hrs a week.  As Carl’s PA – I try to shadow his work week and my first priority is to assist him, keep accounts & HR running smoothly and do the usual job of keeping good records & taking minutes at the many meetings we have! I am also the PSSM Bible Discovery Trust Secretary & Treasurer so keep the Trust side of the Ministry running, with communications to the Trustees etc. My most important jobs though (as voted by the team) are paying wages & (assisted by Elizabeth) preparing brunch for lunch on Mondays J

3: What makes you excited about the game project?

That my 3 boys will have a good quality browser game to play that has their favourite elements of role playing, safe virtual world for chatting online and that mum will let them play it often because she knows it will be teaching them the Biblical Narrative and their role in Jesus’ story!!

4: If you could tell all the world about the BEST part of the project, what would it be?

That Jesus is relevant to our lives yesterday, today & forever and we can successfully communicate that to young people through an online game (no less)!!!

Carl

1: What is your name and role with 2ndcity Studios?

My name is Carl Becker and the board call me their CEO and the staff have other titles! I see my role at 2ndcity  as enabling the staff to realise the vision the board has given the team to pull off. As my role is part time my main focus is the strategic development of 2^nd City Studios. This involves exploring opportunities, anticipating future needs and challenges whilst always ensuring that our work is consistent with the board’s biblical values and their mission in the Gospel which is to connect 21st century  children to hope of the Gospel in culturally relevant ways.

2: If you could sum up a typical work-week in your role, what would it look like?

My week tends to revolve around meetings with staff, our partner studio and strategic partners ensuring that we are making informed decisions, building credibility  and following through on what we say we will do.

My work is some what like the conductor of an orchestra. I maintain a broad view across all sectors (and stakeholders) of the business making sure each area is connecting well with the other so we tell a Great alternative story.

3: What makes you excited about the game project?

Its “Edgy.” What do I mean by this? No one has done such a wholistic biblical game before ( that i am aware of) therefore there is a lot of freedom and responsibility! The project requirers a great deal of creative thinking self belief, trust in others and in God. What really encourages me is the sense that we are part of something God is bringing together and we are participating  in His work. The reason I say this is largely due to the way the right people keep coming into our network just at the right time either as a staff member, as an advisor or supporter. It happens just a little too often to be a coincidence!

4: If you could tell all the world about the BEST part of the project, what would it be?

God’s continued provision of the right people at the right time.

Andrew

1: What is your name and role with 2ndcity Studios?

Andrew Hill, Game Development Writer. Most of my work involves ideas. I get to open up a blank sheet of paper in front of me with a bible and different commentaries in one hand, whilst having a keyboard and a mouse connected to numerous different computer games in the other hand and think, then write. My role is to translate the biblical meta-narrative into a virtual worlds’ meta-narrative. I design game quests, innovate new game mechanics, decipher what implicit learning takes place, etc. so that we can tell the Christian story of existence around us through the allegorical story of a computer game.

2: If you could sum up a typical work-week in your role, what would it look like?

For me, a typical day is like wearing a jump suit. My day consists of jumping between many different projects that are going on around the place. I am in meetings with Tim and Brook where we collaborate our designs and thoughts. I am sitting in my own little cave typing up new stories, characters and processes to place inside our virtual world. I am attending story writing workshops. I am attending game design workshops. I am meeting with our programmers to discuss fine, intricate, little details so that we can turn our whiteboard scribbles into playable content. Otherwise I am at the coffee machine in the kitchen still trying to perfect my daily mocha. Mmmmmm.

3: What makes you excited about the game project?

We get the privilege of giving our best to write the biblical story into a new medium that young people live and breathe. That is exciting. The world is on the move and people are plugging into the gaming world faster than we realise. The computer gaming virtual reality has become a part of the hegemonic culture around us. The saving story of Yahweh needs to be in this world too. We get to attempt to present the best story ever told through an exhilarating, challenging and sensational medium, both of which I am particularly passionate about.

4: If you could tell all the world about the BEST part of the project, what would it be?

The best part of the project is that when we engage in vigorous game development “research” what that really means is that we are having to spend hours playing many many games XD

Al

1: What is your name and role with 2ndcity Studios?