PolarOrbit is the personal web page of Andrew Crystall, Game Designer.
On this site can be found my personal portfolio, work and contact details. My formal degrees are;
- BSc(Hons) Computer and Video Games; 2-1 (Salford University)
- MA Game Design; Merit (UCLan)
I have had a longstanding interest in games from the time I was introduced to computers as a child, which lead to my doing a degree in the subject and working in the industry. I came into games to build words and experiences and in finding ways to reach an audience, to variously inspire, amuse and educate players. I enjoy working on challenging projects and have strong interests in storytelling/world building and HCI.
I have also worked in varied roles in the games industry for over a decade, as both an employee and a freelancer and on a wide variety of projects in different genres and with a wide variety of team sizes. I have worked on six published games including those from such major franchises as James Bond and The Simpsons and also have experience in allied fields – I have taught game design and production at University level, worked on pen and paper games – both RPG and 4X – and in media and as a documentary researcher.