Video game

May Our Paths Cross

Ryan DeFilippo

Bedford, NY

Advisor: James Coltrain

Artist Bio

Ryan DeFilippo is a storyteller who utilizes digital media to create fantastic experiences. Originating from Bedford, NY, he pursues a B.F.A. degree in Digital Media & Design at the University of Connecticut with a concentration in digital game design. Ryan grew up creating stories with clay, action figures, and Lego, and as he grew older, he realized the possibility of turning this into a career path. He knows that good stories come from all facets of design, something learned through his years in theatrical lighting and looks to produce brand new stories in the digital space. Ryan seeks to paint new adventures using his skills in vector graphics and programming with Unreal blueprints, and inspire the next generation of storytellers through his presence in the industry.

Artist Statement

Over time, friendships evolve. Some remain infallible despite obstacles in their path, and others fade away, as if never meant to be. May Our Paths Cross is a game that invites players to explore the past, experiencing all the ups and downs, and look towards the future. Last summer, I had the opportunity to work at my middle/high school, and waves of memories flooded back to me, some full of joy, while others I’d tried to forget. I proceeded to go through my own “evidence” of these memories, pictures, and texts from across my life, and saw the way that my own relationships grew. The story I developed based on these memories combined different people from my life to fit a broader narrative that others could feel. The goal of this experience is to allow players to reflect on their own relationships and move forward, rather than living in an imagined future.

The gameplay reflects the difficulty of navigating relationships through choice, as each one has its own benefits and consequences. Trying to evaluate the effect of choosing what to have for lunch seems so minute in the grand scheme of life, but it could determine whether someone else chooses to talk with you, illustrating the snowball effect these have through our lives. This critical part of the human experience is something that I wanted to capture, as building relationships requires decisions that open one avenue and close another off completely, and we must come to terms with that.