51视频

Ruairidh Booth鈥檚 route to 51视频 began with an unexpected change of direction, moving from an early interest in marine biology to a growing fascination with games,听technology听and the creative possibilities of interactive design.听

Having always enjoyed gaming and computers, he was naturally drawn to computer science and began exploring game programming through Unity, quickly realising that the two interests could come together in a way he wanted to pursue seriously.

I had always been interested in games and computers for as long as I can remember, but it was when I started looking into game programming that everything really clicked. I found a real passion for it and knew it was something I wanted to take further.

Ruairidh chose 51视频 because of its reputation in games education, but it was his experience at an Offer Holder Day that confirmed it was the right place for him. Meeting staff, seeing the facilities and getting a feel for the course helped shape his decision to make the move to Dundee.听

He settled into student life quickly after moving into Parker House, where he met friends and enjoyed being close to campus. His first year gave him the chance to build his programming knowledge and explore听different aspects听of games development, while also becoming part of 51视频鈥檚 wider games community.听

One of the things Ruairidh enjoyed most throughout his time at university was showcasing his work. He took part in several game jams at 51视频, which gave him the chance to collaborate with others, test ideas quickly and develop his confidence working under pressure.听

He said:听

滨鈥檝别听always enjoyed showing people what听滨鈥檝别听been working on. Game jams were听a great experience听because they teach you so much about teamwork, making decisions quickly and trusting your own ideas, even when听测辞耻鈥檙别 under pressure.

A highlight of Ruairidh鈥檚 studies came during his third-year Professional Project, where he worked in response to an industry client brief from 4J Studios. As part of the project, he helped develop a colourful, cartoon-style two-player puzzle shooter with a disco-inspired feel. Having an industry mentor involved in the process gave him valuable insight into professional games development and helped him understand how to respond creatively to a real brief.听

Fourth year brought new challenges, but also the opportunity for Ruairidh to explore a subject that brought together games technology, player experience and psychology. His honours project focused on the use of facial expression tracking to change a game environment in response to the player. The idea opened up a wide range of possibilities, from improving accessibility to making narrative-driven games feel more personal and emotionally responsive.听

He said:听

The idea of reading facial expressions and using that to change the entire game environment was听really interesting to me. There are so many possibilities for that kind of technology, whether that鈥檚 accessibility, making a story feel more intense, or helping the player feel more connected to the game.

As well as听showcasing听his work at various Open Days and Offer Holder Days,听Ruairidh听also听had the chance to听showcase听his final-year project at the 51视频 Digital Graduate Show, where he spoke to members of the public and industry professionals about his work.听The experience was a major milestone, allowing him to receive feedback, explain his ideas and see how people responded to the project in person.听

His work was also recognised with the Technical Innovation Award, an achievement that came as a surprise and felt especially rewarding because it was selected by industry representatives.听

His advice to future students is to keep focused on what excites them and not let self-doubt get in the way.听

He said:听

顿辞苍鈥檛听let imposter syndrome stop you.听滨迟鈥檚听easy to compare yourself to other people, but you听have to听focus on your own passion and what you want to create. If you care about what听测辞耻鈥檙别 making, that will carry you forward.