Who I am

Hi, my names David James McCann. I’m in my early 30’s, and I design and develop video games. I focus primarily on Mechanic and Narrative design but have experience working in effects deployment, UX and Game Feel. I can also pull double duty as a producer and a project manager specialising in Scrum and Agile development strategies.

I dabble and stretch my boundaries as often as I can. If I’m not studying or working, I’m probably at a Game Jam. I was born in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia and have lived around Adelaide all my life. I would love to travel but need to find the right project to chase first.

Where I came from

In 2007 I collected my South Australian Certificate of Education and graduated from Eynesbury Seniors college. The following year I began a degree at the University of South Australia in Information Technology, focused on Communications technology. At that time, it was the closest local certification I could find that would allow me to get into Game Development. Adelaide wasn’t known for its thriving industry at the time, and I was unable to find better advice regarding my studies. Funnily enough, I would find out later that both Ratbag and Krome had literally just come into financially difficult times as I started looking into the local industry. In my third year at university, I transferred to a Media Arts degree. It was a new degree specifically created to cater towards people that wanted to work in more interactive media spaces than networking and coding. My transfer involved crediting much of my previous work in JavaScript coding and networks and allowed me to focus on a Major in Interactive Media with a Sub Major in Animation. I graduated from the University of South Australia in 2011.

My Professional Experience

Since finishing my degree, I worked to create a small studio for the development of video games. This studio was known as Hidden Productions and run by myself and another member of my development team, James Firkins. My time at Hidden Productions was an interesting and challenging experience. Our focus was creating prototypes of various systems and working on the skills to refine our craft. Unfortunately, while we had a few major projects over the years, we were unable to find funding and eventually with mounting personal obligations, we had to cease working together as a studio.

I was 28 when we stopped work as Hidden Productions and it was at that point that I made choices that took me away from game development for just shy of six months. In that time, I undertook some of the hardest personal challenges of my life through my training with the Australian Army Reserves. However, I could never get away from the urge to make new systems and mechanics. I spent many nights cold in the bush thinking of ways I could use the skills I was learning in game design. When I came back from my training, I decided I needed a new approach to my professional development.

Where I am going

At the beginning of 2018, I began a course to acquire an Advanced Diploma in Game Design and Productions with the Academy of Interactive Entertainment. My time with AIE was incredibly enriching. It allowed me to vastly expand my experience by working with industry veterans from the local game development scene. As well as giving me time to work on learning how to create professionally polished work. While I was studying with the Academy, I met many fellow professionals from my field and I began working in multiple teams to help them create new products for both the mobile market and the fast-growing VR Market.

Upon completion of my Advanced Diploma, i enrolled in a Graduate Diploma of Management(Learning). The course focused on creating a business and teaching students the skills they needed to facilliate this. It was all game development focused, which is why i took the course. I entered with seven other students, and we took the course quite literally. Within three months we had founded Mini Mammoth Games. A small independent studio(you can learn more about it here) where we focused on creating great mobile games. Thats where I am at right now. Its an exciting time, and I’m really enjoying my work.

Oh yeah. I did end up completing my studies. It was a phenomenal amount of work to focus on that and game development but we made it work. Thats just who we are.