October - November 2025
ELEVATE: Eye
Make your first game. Tell your story.
In our hands-on workshops, participants will craft digital stories, gain game development skills, and connect with games industry professionals. Regional participants will receive a full scholarship to join free of charge.
20
Total participants
20%
of past participants secured employment in the games industry
20%
of participants started higher education in game development
Make Your First Game.
We are looking for people in Eye (Suffolk, UK) who want to start their games career by creating a variety of narrative games.
The 5-day intensive programme is free of charge to all attendees. Prioritising people who live in or around the parishes of Eye, Yaxley, Mellis, Thrandeston, and Brome & Oakley if events get sold out, we welcome anyone aged 14 and over (with no upper age limit) who wants to learn how to tell their story and learn more about making a narrative interactive game!
Game developers from throughout the region and beyond will be holding workshops helping the participants learn how to tell their stories, connect with the wider games industry of the UK and make their first game.
No previous game development experience is necessary!
Game Anglia and their industry partners will be teaching everybody how to make a narrative game using bespoke kits which have been developed specifically for the ELEVATE programme. Participants can join for one or more sessions, as each workshop will have its own take-aways
The programme is free-of-charge, taking place throughout October and November.
Lunch will be provided to everyone attending. A travel bursary of up to £25 per participant from the five target parishes is available.
Elevate: Eye Workshops
📅 Saturday, October 11
⏰10:30 AM- 12 PM
Games 101 - What You Need To Know Before You Get Started with Katherine Welsford
Thinking about making games but don’t know where to start? Join Katherine, (Growth Manager at Splash Damage) for a beginner-friendly introduction.
Together, you will explore:
- What is a game?
- What is the games industry?
- What you should think of before starting to make a game
- Audiences and fans
- Three of four P's of Marketing (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion)
- Future, funding and finishing
- A preview of what you’ll learn in the other workshops
⏰1 PM - 2:30 PM
Narrative Design 101
with George Lockett
Curious about telling stories through an interactive medium like games? During this session, you will learn about Narrative Design Basics with George Lockett, Senior Writer at Failbetter Games
Together, you will explore:
- Wait, what is Narrative Design, actually?
- Common narrative structures in games
- The trap of branching narrative
- Choice and consequence
- An introduction to narrative systems
- Putting it all together – designing the narrative experience of your game
📅 Saturday, October 18
⏰ 10:30 AM- 12 PM & 1 PM - 2:30 PM
Making a Narrative Game Using Twine
with Stacey Rezvan
About the Workshop
Got ideas for an interactive story, but no programming knowledge? Join Stacey Rezvan (Independent Game Design Tutor) for a beginner-friendly introduction to a game engine called Twine. This is a two-part workshop, with a one hour lunch break in between.
Together, you will explore:
- Creating your own story-based game using Twine
- Creating multiple endings or a single dramatic end!
- Tools to add your own flair and style - from horror, to comedy, to adventure and more!
- Uploading your game so anyone can play it.
- Twine, a tool that is free to use and doesn't require downloading, which means you can take these skills home and keep going!
📅 Saturday, November 8
⏰10:30 AM- 12 PM
Making a Narrative Game Using Construct
with Daniel Kershaw
Ever wondered how a paper idea turns into a playable game? Want to try visual programming without coding? Join Daniel Kershaw (Game Developer and Co-Owner of Rubber Ducky Snacks) for a free, hands-on Construct workshop.
Together, you will explore:
- Fundamentals of Game Design
- Creating goals and obstacles for the player
- Exploring the planning process of making games with a paper plan
- Converting your plans into a small game using easy node-based programming using the Construct Game Engine
- Testing each other’s games
⏰1 PM - 2:30 PM
Worldbuilding using World Anvil
with Stacey Rezvan
Want to create immersive worlds for your games? Curious how to keep characters, settings, and stories organised? Join Stacey Rezvan's World Anvil workshop to build your own lore hub, develop characters and settings, and learn to bring your game world to life.
Together, you will:
- Create your very own ‘lore hub’ for your games
- Store character, setting, stat block information in one place for easy reference
- Use World Anvil to engage with communities and promote your game
- Develop your skills in creative writing, character design and plot building
- Gain useful feedback on your ideas
📅 Saturday, November 15
⏰10:30 AM- 12 PM
No Rage Quit: Feedback Done Right
with Melissa Phillips
Want to give feedback without the stress? Curious how feedback really works in game studios? Join Melissa Phillips (Director at Games Leadership®) for a practical, free session on giving and receiving feedback in creative teams. Learn strategies that build trust, collaboration, and better games.
Together, you will explore:
- Understanding the role of Context, Consent, and Empathy in effective feedback
- Navigating feedback across power dynamics - whether giving feedback upwards, downwards, or peer-to-peer
- Practical strategies for receiving feedback constructively and without defensiveness
- Real-world scenarios from the Games Industry: what works, what doesn’t, and why
- Approaches to building a feedback culture that supports growth rather than fear
⏰1 PM - 2:30 PM
Writing Dialogue That Feels Real
with Samantha Webb
Want your game characters to sound believable? Curious how dialogue affects player experience? Join Samantha Webb (Senior Narrative Designer at Frontier Developments) for a hands-on session on dialogue writing. Learn techniques, explore character interactions, and start writing your own lines.
Together, you will explore:
- What is dialogue?
- What is dialogue in games?
- What makes good dialogue or character interaction in games (with examples)
- How to improve your own dialogue writing skills
- Start Writing Your Own Dialogue (with practical exercises)
📅 Saturday, November 22
⏰10:30 AM- 12 PM & 1 PM - 2:30 PM
Explore Your Heroic Journey - Using Narrative Design & Mental Health Tools with Susi Bauer
Want to design your own hero’s journey and make games inspired by it? Curious how narrative design can boost creativity and wellbeing? Join Susi Bauer (Training Designer & ADHD Coach) for a hands-on session exploring your own values, mapping your hero’s journey, and generating game ideas inspired by self-reflection.
This session is focused on exploring both narrative design tools and your own life and mental health.
About the Workshop
This is a two-part workshop, with a one hour lunch break in between.
In the morning, you'll explore:
- What makes a compelling hero?
- What makes you you - and what keeps you happy?
- Discover your valiant values and what matters to you
- Create your personal Health, Mana bar, and special abilities - what recharges & drains you?
In the afternoon, you'll explore:
- Build your adventurer’s backpack - create & exchange tips and tools for well-being
- The Hero’s Journey as a storytelling framework for games (and other media)
- Mapping your own hero’s journey - generating game ideas based on self-reflection
Since Completing ELEVATE...
Our Programmes
At Game Anglia, we take a hands-on approach to education. Through our range of events, workshops, and initiatives, we empower individuals to learn, create, discover, and promote. Whether you're a budding game designer looking to gain essential industry skills, or an independent studio seeking expert guidance, our programmes are designed to foster talent and propel you towards your game development aspirations.