About
Childhood
I hail from Macau, China, and my fascination with technology began during my time at an all-boys high school. It was there that I received my first computer as a reward for excelling academically, and I swiftly became proficient in DOS and Windows. I delved into self-help books to teach myself the basics of web page design and programming, even experimenting with creating simple games in Adobe Flash.
My early childhood was shaped by my deaf grandmother, who raised me in the absence of my late grandfather. Despite numerous challenges, she always strived to bring joy into my life. Her unwavering positivity inspired me to leverage technology as a means to help and bring happiness to those who are vulnerable.
University
In 2004, I embarked on a journey to Australia, driven by my father’s hard work and the thriving casino industry in Macau, in pursuit of superior educational and career prospects. Upon completing my foundation year, I realized that my true passion lay in computing. To my delight, I discovered that UNSW offered a dual degree in Computer and Biomedical Engineering, which aligned perfectly with my aspirations. Throughout my university years, computing and programming became the focal point of my academic journey.
Although university presented its share of challenges, I managed to achieve gratifying results, earning the distinction of Honours Class 2 Division 1. Moreover, I had the privilege of being the second author of two academic journal papers, thanks to the encouragement and guidance of my thesis supervisor.
In 2009, I embarked on a four-month internship as a web developer at Rockable Apps. During this period, I contributed to the development of the company’s second-hand exchange platform, both on the standalone website and the Facebook app. This experience proved invaluable, equipping me with essential skills in web development and an in-depth understanding of the Facebook Graph API, ultimately motivating me to pursue a career as a web developer.
Web Developer
As a fresh graduate from abroad, my journey to secure my first job was not without setbacks. After overcoming a series of challenges, I landed a position as a web developer at an e-commerce company. In this role, I took individual responsibility for a website that received thousands of daily visitors and orders. I was entrusted with maintaining and enhancing both the frontend and backend of the website, as well as creating internal tools to streamline order management and optimize processes. I even contributed some of our systems to the open-source community. This role broadened my knowledge of website development, including search engine optimization (SEO) and Google Tag Manager. Thanks to these efforts, our website achieved top-tier status in our industry.
Game Developer
My passion for video games from childhood led me to dream of becoming a game developer. Fate intervened when my university friend, Brian, proposed the idea of collaborating on a game for fun. Despite my lack of prior game development experience, I eagerly embraced the challenge, and together we embarked on the creation of our first game, Go2School, during our free time. This game seamlessly combined two popular gameplay mechanics—endless running and card collection.
Following months of relentless effort, we completed the game’s prototype and ventured into a Kickstarter campaign to secure funding. While we didn’t reach our fundraising goal, the project generated considerable interest, with people appreciating the game’s concept. We made a bold decision to quit our full-time jobs and founded Sweaty Chair Studio in 2013.
The decision was not without risks, requiring a substantial investment of personal savings and freelance work to make ends meet. Fortunately, we persevered and successfully completed the game. With angel investment and publishing partnerships, our second game, “No Humanity,” amassed over 5 million downloads through organic means. “Rainmaker – The Beautiful Flood” received multiple features from Apple and ranked among the top 50 paid games. “Projection – First Light” was selected as one of the first 100 games to launch on Apple Arcade. Our creativity became the cornerstone of our success, drawing Apple’s continued interest.
Founding a startup posed its share of challenges, leading to valuable lessons and the correction of mistakes along the way. Our initial game suffered from various bugs that occasionally hindered players’ experiences. This spurred us to focus on developing a robust and stable code architecture, reducing dependencies, minimizing errors, and facilitating code reuse across projects, along with expediting prototyping.
We are not content with merely a few successful games; we remain eager to explore new gaming technologies such as AR/VR and multiplayer, as well as diverse gameplay experiences. We believe that innovation and creativity are the keys to long-term success.
Blockchain and Education
In 2018, as the popularity of cryptocurrencies surged, we recognized the immense potential in the burgeoning realm of blockchain gaming. After several months of intensive learning and exploration, we successfully launched our own coin, a dApp prototype, and a standalone application. Our dApp introduced a compelling land-bidding game, allowing players to purchase and trade virtual lands with exciting rewards. The standalone application, inspired by the immersive movie “Ready Player One,” aimed to be a comprehensive 3D asset creation platform.
Our progress was promising, even securing a crypto investor for our project. However, by the end of 2018, the market experienced a significant downturn, compelling us to put our ICO and game development on hold. Despite this setback, we were determined to leverage the knowledge and expertise gained during our blockchain gaming endeavors.
After enduring months of adversity, we decided to pivot our product into the education sector, giving rise to Block42. This innovative application proved to be a success, offering an easy-to-use 3D animation tool suitable for children and amateurs alike. Remarkably, many of the 3D creation tools developed for the blockchain game found new purpose within Block42. This transition led to our inclusion in the UNSW 10X program in 2020, with ten schools subscribing to our workshops. While the education industry may traditionally be slow to adopt new technologies, we believe that Block42 has a promising future.
VR Developer
In 2020, after seven years of running startups, I embarked on a new adventure by returning to the industry. My decision to move away from making games within our small team was motivated by my eagerness to gain insights and skills from working with other companies in the industry. Consequently, I assumed the role of a VR developer at LAI Games, contributing to their first VR title, “Arcade Legend.” I strongly believed in the potential of VR as the future of gaming, and this experience deepened my understanding of the medium’s possibilities.
Frontend Game Developer
In 2021, I commenced a new chapter of my career at Big Time Gaming, pivoting to become a web/game developer with a focus on TypeScript and PixiJS. This transition offered a fresh perspective and an excellent opportunity to explore web gaming platforms, diverging from the versatile Unity engine. I am dedicated to enhancing the quality and experience of gaming on the web, a platform that traditionally lags behind in graphics and animation effects.
Early in 2023, I relocated to Melbourne and embraced a new journey at Twist Gaming, Easygo. As a web front-end developer, I’ve applied my expertise in PixiJS and Spine, while also gaining proficiency in Svelte, a cutting-edge web development framework. Twist Gaming, being a young and dynamic studio, offers immense potential for growth and innovation. I contributed to the release of our first games and continue to develop groundbreaking titles that aim to make a lasting impact on the industry.
Future?
My journey is just beginning, and I’m excited to continue it in the coming years. There’s so much more to explore, learn, and create, and I’m eager to confront the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Driven by my passion for technology and innovation, I’m committed to pushing the boundaries and making a positive impact in the industry. I’m open to fresh challenges and experiences that will fuel my growth, both professionally and personally. The future brims with possibilities, and I can’t wait to see what it has in store.
More
For more comprehensive details about my professional journey, please visit my LinkedIn profile.
You can also connect with me on the following platforms:
Contributions
Feel free to explore my GitHub for open-source projects and packages I’ve developed. I also contribute to various other projects, including: