Bree Cooke

Kia Ora, my name is

(She/They)

Production / Game Designer

I am a game design student with a desire to shape creative, innovative, and immersive experiences. Currently I am studying Applied Immersive Game Design (AIGD) at University of Canterbury (UC).

After completing university in 2023 I am aiming to launch my career into production and XR game development.

LinkedIn

GitLab

Github

Itch.io

Résumé

E-Mail

PROJECTS

Real-Time Motion Capture

VR Tech-Demo of a gesture-controlled motion-capture game.

Team (5) Design Project

This project researched the real-time applications for enabling full-body-tracking during virtual reality experiences. Our team created a small real-time MOCAP magical firing range where you must shield yourself from oncoming fireballs, and shoot your own in return through hand gesture controls.

I took the role of Production, Designer, and Programmer. I was co-developing the gesture system, troubleshooting Optitrack, and organizing the team to be able work effectively.

Solo Design Project

Gallery Escape

Virtual Reality Escape Room

Gallery Escape places the player in an art gallery hosted by a strange little robot with a story to tell. Explore the gallery and discover what secrets the host is hiding.

As the solo developer, I built the project using UnityXR, premade models, and custom scripting over the 5 weeks of development. This project solidified my foundational knowledge of VR interaction such as grabbing, throwing, pressing, socketing, and more. As an escape room, puzzles were the foundation of narrative flow, and some went through many iterations to create a cohesive experience.

Solo Design Project

Corn Saber

Virtual reality rhythm game

Corn Saber introduces complex VR interactions like slicing, coupled with music beat generation to the Viral Song “It’s Corn” by Tariq, The Gregory Brothers. The concept is similar to Beat Saber, and the player must hit approaching cubes for score and dodge incoming bars by squatting. This game engages both upper and lower body muscles during play, and displays health and safety conscious design.

This project taught me more complexity and comfort with UnityXR as the following project to the MOCAP Tech Demo. The aim of this project was primarily mechanics, and visuals were less prioritized. As I had minimal musical experience, this project taught me a basic foundation of music theory and how players interact with such systems.

GAME JAMS

  • Setting The Stage

    Ludum Dare 54

    “Limited Space”

  • Downsizing

    Brackeys Game Jam 2023.2

    ”Diving Deeper”

  • Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

    Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

    Kiwijam 2023

  • Snuckups & Vendo

    Snuckups & Vendo

    GMTK Jam 2023

  • Styx & Stones

    Styx & Stones

    Styx & Stones was created for Ludum Dare 53 - "Delivery". This cozy game features a simple game loop, but with complex dialogue created from scratch. With a team of 10 people, we had to focus heavily on delegation and inclusion to ensure all parts of the game came together in 72 hours.

  • Soy Good Adventures

    Soy Good Adventures

    Ludum Dare 52

  • Field O' Fiends

    Field O' Fiends

    Field 'o Fiends - A team of 5 created this Hack 'n Slash for Ludum Dare 51. The gameplay is fast and plays on day/night cycles to the jams theme, every 10 seconds.

  • Put Yourself Together

    Put Yourself Together

    Kiwijam 2022

  • Collapse!

    Collapse!

    Game Dev Society Jam 2022

  • Die Hard

    Die Hard

    Die Hard - I solo developed this arcade-action title for the GMTK Jam 2022.. The theme was "Roll of the Dice", and you clear levels by defeating all enemies with your deadly rolls.

  • Don't Die Dodo

    Don't Die Dodo

    Don't Die, Dodo - This endless runner was created for Ludum Dare 50 with a team of 8 people. You must clear the path for the last Dodo bird to escape extinction as long as possible.

  • Ebb & Feel

    Ebb & Feel

    Ludum Dare 49

VALUES

  • Communication leads to a more productive, healthier culture that enables my teams. I’ve found that creating open and safe communication channels encourages team problem solving and strengthens relationships.

  • Empathy is incredibly important with our globalized diverse culture. Prioritizing empathy has helped me to create lasting relationships and understand varying perspectives to solve not only design problems, but also issues with team coordination.

  • Agile has been a learning pillar during my time at university which has been used throughout every project. The agile manifesto has helped to guide my projects to success by helping build a priority of design goals.

  • I’ve become passionate about XR and immersive interactions in game development, and I’ve found encouraging my teams to think about new ways users can interact with our products is incredibly rewarding. Immersive entertainment brings unique challenges which can lead to unique experiences and learning.

  • There are always opportunities to learn more.

    Knowledge is the key component of any designer’s toolbox, and I always strive to learn more and challenge my views to gain a wider perspective.

  • Ensuring my team has the resources they need and creating an environment where they can deliver without unnecessary stress has enabled me to create efficient teams while still balancing well-being.

COMMUNITY

Peer Assisted Learning Sessions Leader

The Peer Assisted Learning Sessions (PALS) is a university led student success program which pairs successful students with classes of new students to provide peer-driven study sessions and support.

Game Developers Society

Game Dev Society Logo

I have been a part of Game Dev Society since its inception in late 2021. For 2022 I was one of two Media Coordinators, and in 2023 I have been elected as Vice-President. This university club has helped provide a social hub for game developers through many social and professional events..

Being able to help young developers outlet their passion has been incredibly rewarding, and has built a community from which further relationships have been able to foster. We’ve run regular social meetups, industry events, game jams, playtesting, and more to help pioneer Ōtautahi as a creative game development haven.

School of Product Design Ambassador

I was a School of Product Design Ambassador at UC during 2022 which entailed helping teaching staff with a variety of public facing roles, such as High School presentations, social media presence, or just being a friendly face around campus.

Game design is under-educated and under-recommended to high school students and prospective academics, this role aimed to develop these channels. This role requires high levels of communication and organization, but is incredibly rewarding in positive interactions with prospective game developers.

ABOUT ME

Gibraltar Rock, Christchurch, New Zealand.

I was born, raised, and reside in my home of Ōtautahi, New Zealand and am also a member of the LGTBQIA+ community. Outside of my professional life, you’ll often find me tending to my pet reptile Banana, hiking in our beautiful country, playing videogames, or snowboarding at Mt Hutt.

Throughout my life I’ve faced many challenges, each has taught me lessons as to the importance of soft skills, hence my desire to develop them. The people I’ve worked with have helped shape me to prioritize my relationships and build a healthy, diverse, and inclusive culture.

I hope you’ve learnt a little about me, thanks for stopping by!

Don’t forget to check out my other projects!