Hullo there!
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I'm Daniel Saunders, and I've found myself in the fortunate position of being a full-time game designer; with a passion for discovering what truly makes games fun and engaging to play.
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I’ve met many folks who have inspired my way of working, from industry newcomers to veterans alike. I’m keen to stay involved by attending games industry events and participating in educational talks and events.
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When I’m not dedicating time to the playing and making of video games, I spend time keeping fit and healthy at the gym. As an avid fan of powerlifting and strongman, I’m inspired to stay strong and to take care of my health.
Alongside this, I also like to spend time with friends playing tabletop RPGs and board games, when I can find the time!
Education
Experience
Staffordshire University
2016-2019
BSc (Hons) Computer Game Design | First Class
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Studied at the university for three years here, learning about multiple industry disciplines and in that time; I found my passion for game design.
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I volunteered as a student representative for the University for two of the three years I studied there, giving student feedback to lecturers and helping to improve the overall student experience.
Playground Games
01/09/24 - Present
Senior Quest Designer - Grade 1
04/06/24 - 01/09/2025
Quest Designer - Grade 2
Northbrook College Sussex
2015-2016
UAL Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology | Merit
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Studied at the college for two years under two different qualification providers; the latter of which was the UAL Extended Diploma
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My time here built a confidence that I took forward into Staffordshire University and still carry with me today
2014-2015
BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology | Distinction
Frontier Developments
01/06/21 - 19/04/24
Game Designer
Once promoted to Game Designer, my responsibilities within the teams I worked with had increased; and I was working at a Senior level at the recommendation of both of my Leads and the Head of Design.
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On both Elite Dangerous and Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, I was a driving force in the creation of content and the development of tools and systems used to create said content.
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During the last four months of my time at Frontier, I worked on the sequel to Planet Zoo. I was given ownership of a major area of the game and worked primarily on high-level designs, working with the Lead Game Designer, Lead UI Designer and the Game Director.
02/09/19 - 01/06/21
Graduate Designer
As a fresh Graduate at Frontier, I took on a large amount of responsibility during the development of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey after the departure of a key figure in the development of missions for the game.
With his help and training beforehand, I became the core mission designer for over two years, creating a suite of missions for launch and supporting the game after with additional live-ops updates.
Media Experience
Gamescom 2023
I was fortunate enough to be able to travel with the Lead Designer on Realms of Ruin, Sandro Sammarco, to Gamescom in Cologne.
Here we presented various Behind Closed Doors presentations to press and influencers showcasing some of the campaign for the game.
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This was a highly successful event, with a lot of positive feedback both about the game and about my own presentation skills.
Press Interviews for Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin
On Tuesday 7th of November 2023, I travelled with Frontier's PR representatives for Realms of Ruin to Nottingham to visit Warhammer World. Here, we met with various games journalists to discuss Realms of Ruin before launch.
You can find these interviews featured below:
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Develop | Brighton 2023
I travelled with a team from Frontier to Develop to represent the company, aiding with recruitment of designers, giving advice to students, meeting with various industry professionals and attending various talks to help hone my craft.