Samuel Hollywood-Summers

I just finished Wanderstop. What a charming game. Loved it.

Spin test. Hard boiled eggs will spin easily, the liquid in a raw egg means you can't make it spin as easily.

Amazing

Sam is sat on a train, in a window seat. Through the window, the exterior is blurred due to the train's motion. It is a sunny day, and the sunny disposition that Sam thought he was displaying in his smile when taking this photo, is more of a subtle, Mona Lisa lazy smile.

I'm on my way to Brighton for Develop. I'll be at the Metal Meet and the VGM Game Audio drinks today, and all of the Audio track talks tomorrow. Please say hello if you see me!

I'm really enjoying listening to the Justice Cow 'Live at Big, Nice Studio' performances.

The cover art for Teri Gender Bender's album 'TGB'. It is a collage freaturing newspaper lettering spelling out the album title, a photograph of a foot in a high heel shoe, a pencil sketch of a foot, some crayon scribbles in red and black, and some black tape.

New Teri Gender Bender album out today. I'm enjoying it! 🦶

A portrait photo of Sam taken at the BAFTA event by a professional photographer. Sam is wearing a Karl Kopinski t-shirt showing an astronaut in zero gravity eating pizza and surrounded by floating pizza slices and drinks cans. Sam is smiling. The photo has a border featuring the logos of BAFTA, and the event sponsors PlayStation and Epic Games.

I enjoyed heading over to BAFTA for the Connect Games Forum today. Some interesting panels, roundtable discussions and sweet, sweet air conditioning. Lovely to meet some new people and catch up with familiar faces. I'm now enjoying the air con of my train home.

🚲

I'm happy to have started my Limit Break mentoring journey with my first session as a mentor today. It's a great feeling to be of help to those earlier in their game audio career. Let's go!

A photo of Sam on his train home, wearing his Game Audio Symposium lanyard, a Dead Island 2: Neighborhood Watch t-shirt, and a smile.

That's a wrap on @gameaudiosymposium.bsky.social and time to reflect on all the brilliant talks. It was a pleasure meeting so many fellow game audio professionals and catching up with some familiar faces, too. Feeling energised and inspired.

Pleasure to meet you Corey

Any chance of a physical release at some point? I've had this on repeat.

I've signed up as a mentor. Perhaps you could also help?

I'm enjoying listening to the new Black Country, New Road album before work.

Today was the day! Slabby yellow send at Depot Nottingham! I guess the new goal is to tick one off at Birmingham and Manchester, and to try to climb more of them in Nottingham! Buzzing!

A photo of Sam sat in his seat on the train home from London Euston. He has what could possibly be descibed as a relieved, somewhat exasperated, but ultimately happy expression, having only minutes earlier been unsure whether the train would be cancelled or delayed even more than it was. He is wearing a bright orange raincoat. This is not a photo from the actual BAFTA event, because Sam had too much of a good time being deep in conversation with a range of games industry professionals.

I'm very happy to be on my (rather delayed) train home from the BAFTA Games social this evening, which was my first in-person BAFTA event. Lovely to meet some new people and to see some familiar faces too.

Pistol Shrimp 64: Marine Life logo over a blurred screenshot of ganeplay.

Screenshot of Pistol Shrimp 64: Marine Life. A pistol shrinp in a mech suit is surrounded by crabs and an octopus, in an underwater environment with metallic flooring.

Screenshot of Pistol Shrimp 64: Marine Life. A pistol shrinp in a mech suit is surrounded by crabs and an octopus, in an underwater environment with metallic flooring. A hexagonal spawnpoint has a floating 'increase player speed' power-up on it.

Screenshot of Pistol Shrimp 64: Marine Life. A pistol shrinp in a mech suit is surrounded by crabs, in an underwater environment with metallic flooring. Two crab enemies are floating away in low-poly bubbles. A hexagonal spawn-point has an armour power-up floating above it.

I took part in Global Game Jam over the weekend and made Pistol Shrimp 64: Marine Life with two friends, Glen Fox and Joe Hamilton. It is a twin-stick shooter where you are a Pistol Shrimp and a Marine. hammy1202.itch.io/pistol-shrim...

Good bouldering session today. 2 new purple sends (V5-V7) and working some moves on a couple of yellows too (V7-V8).

You changed engine? ;)

This is especially relevant at the top of routes. I know I can fall without hurting myself, and I should avoid hesitating unnecessarily. (I'm on the train home after climbing, and feeling hyped on making big progress this year.)

My strategy, in addition to climbing more and potentially getting formal training, is to target my fear of falling. I know I sometimes hold back if I'm not sure I can make a move, which feels like a hangover from my ankle recovery that is no longer helpful. I want to climb more boldly and fall more.

Climbing goal for 2025: climb a boulder problem in the V7-V8 circuit at Depot (Nottingham, Birmingham or Manchester). This feels achievable this year, which is awesome considering I was trying this same feat when I broke my ankle.

Some highlights of 2024 as we head into a new year: First major game release with Dead Island 2: SoLA; learned to sail; made an effort to read more and got through 29 books; returned to cycletouring for a trip round Ireland. Let's see what 2025 brings.

Screw it

Excited for the new film announcement from Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Shame that I might be moving house at the same time as the international premiere, but hoping it will tour more festivals later in 2025 that I can make it to.

Today was my one year anniversary of starting work at Dambuster as an Audio Designer. Still loving it :)

Highly recommend this one. In addition to being a great game overall, it is interesting from an audio perspective, as every sound in the game is synthesised.

Looks gorgeous Martynas!

Have you heard the acoustic version of Switching Off that was a b-side on (one of the versions of) the CD single for Fugitive Motel? Beautiful stuff.

I use Kilohearts plug-ins regularly at work, and I've been considering purchasing Ultimate for personal use. This discount is very timely! Sharing in case anyone else is considering a purchase.