Adam Kandil
Specializing in Writing & Design
“Making games that are class, not ass.”
About Me
I’m Adam Kandil.
I’m currently a student at the University of California, Irvine, majoring in Game Design & Interactive Media.
My aim is to enter the games industry as a Narrative Designer, blending my passion for excellent design and thoughtful storytelling into a specialized role that I can excel at.
I’ll never forget how formative games were to my early years, and how they continue to impact me today. I feel a sense of obligation to build games that can do the same for others; to pass those same feelings I got to experience forward.
Works
Written Works
Ironside Correctional Penitentiary
The first of two novels I’ve written, self-published on Amazon Kindle.
Ironside Correctional Penitentiary follows Oswald Winter, convicted for a crime he never committed. Imprisoned with the very man who framed him, Oswald resolves to break the both of them out so he can enact his revenge without restraint.
Being the first large-scale storytelling project I ever took on, writing this novel taught me the fundamental skills necessary for presenting a consistent and interesting fictional world.
Game Projects
The Tims Line
A turn-based JRPG in development using RPG Maker MV.
This JRPG will see players journeying through a variety of environments along a legendary train known as the Tims. Focusing on resource management and pre-planning more than other JRPGs, the goal is provide a more tactile JRPG experience.
Working on a narrative-heavy game has forced me to be more considerate of weaving a story around gameplay events, building understanding of the bond between game making and storytelling.
Ocelot Kong
A blog I’ve kept running for a number of years, where I openly discuss a variety of game-centric topics.
This blog has been my outlet to express my thoughts on intriguing elements of games, pertinent topics in the games industry, or even personal takes on the games I’ve been playing. The blog has 60+ pieces, ranging from 500 to 35000 words in length.
Through articulating my viewpoints on gaming topics, this blog served to form my perspective as a designer and critic.
Bound for Clouds
A custom multiplayer level created as part of a game dev club, built in UEFN.
Creating this level was my first experience developing as part of a larger game dev environment, working alongside artists and playtesters to create a polished gameplay experience.
While the level remains unreleased, working on it was an invaluable experience in understanding how to collaborate on a larger development team.
For A New Sword
The second of two novels I’ve written, self-published on Amazon Kindle.
For a New Sword revolves around Fukurui Nobuhiko, a samurai wandering 19th-century Japan, searching for a purpose. Upon arriving at the quiet city, he stumbles into a conspiracy that beckons his sense of responsibility.
Since this story was historical fiction, I had to take extra care to accurately represent feudal Japan. I researched and referenced dozens of works in the final piece.
Experimental Projects
No project utilizing pre-established IP is affiliated with or endorsed by the respective rights holders. All rights remain strictly with the appropriate companies; these projects were created purely for demonstration purposes.
Cranky Kong Caper was an attempt to replicate the behavior of playable character Cranky Kong and other elements from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. This project opened my eyes to the hidden details in game dev, as well as serving as valuable learning experience for Godot.
G-Bike in Godot was an attempt to recreate the general properties of the G-Bike minigame from Final Fantasy VII. This project furthered my understanding of Godot, and allowed me to get used to working in 3D.