Of course, the team at Beyond Play isn’t just Mike & Vera but a multi-talented troupe of creators, all with a passion for stories, game design and immersion!
Most of us have an extensive larping background, and all of us share the same goal: To provide safe, immersive experiences that are unique, leave an impression and where your actions truly matter. Although the pandemic threw a big wrench in the works, the will to make this product the best it can be has remained strong.
Our lead game designer Ama Laine’s responsibility is to make sure the game experience is as good as it can be and to focus on every aspect of the project that will affect the player’s experience.
“I think about dramaturgy, worldbuilding, interaction, level design, audiovisual and spatial design and try to keep up with the awesome team working on this thing with me. The work is amazingly versatile and fabulously challenging and I am so excited to be working on this project with these people right now. “
Laura Kröger is our experienced project manager and a true overachiever in so many ways
“I am a multitasker who keeps things rolling. I’ve created larps for twenty years and creating compelling stories as well as running smooth productions are my two great passions. I work as a project manager and make sure that our project gets ready on time, on budget and that everyone knows what to do.”
Jessica Pitherin is our amazing software expert.
“For the first phase of this game project, I have been programming the scenarios for our game. In the second phase, I will be shifting into setting up how our software interfaces with the physical aspects of the room. In between everything else I am building out our general IT infrastructure.“
Our producers are Sirian Holappa and Miikka Virtanen.
These two masters of multitasking are making sure that the engine that is Beyond Play runs as smoothly as possible. They’re also the ones responsible for our social media channels, so hello!
Sirian:
“Work at the moment is challenging and forces our whole team to look at things in a new, creative way. Happy that we have a team of awesome creators and a good spirit, so even at a time like this we manage to solve problems together.”
Miikka:
“Luckily these tasks are something we can manage working from home, and it gives us time to focus on getting things right. I’m really hoping we can gather a following of enthusiastic creators, artists and just some very nice people with a little play at heart.”
Lotta Laukkanen is our resident prop wizard!
Lotta is currently a student in Metropolia University of Applied Science and majoring in media technology. She’s also a prop maker by previous profession and loves arts and crafts besides coding.
“I larp, code and make crafts and volunteer as a youth camp counselor and a tutor/trainer for those counselors. At Beyond Play I am dual wielding both of my professions, programming and prop making. Currently more on the programming side because of the internship requirements for my studies.”
Finally, introducing our lighting designer Essi Santala and interior designer Kiia Kataja!
Essi:
“I’m the lighting designer for the upcoming game room. At the moment I’m working with Kiia on structures and design so that we get to make the most of the set. I feel it is my task to plunge the participants deep into a sensory world they have never experienced. So I’m like a diving teacher of sorts.”
Kiia:
“My job is to design the interior of the game space. By working in close cooperation with everyone I ensure that the interior makes a suitable platform for the future game. At the moment, besides balancing between maternity and work, I’m sketching the main elements of the room and gathering final guidelines of the style together.“
So, here is our team, currently working from home. Once this epidemic passes, we hope to bring you something special. Stay safe everyone!
