Vicki Smith
Level Designer
Vicarious Visions
Menands, NY USA
“It's not just playing the game, it's learning that your limits aren't what you think they are.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationVicki Smith
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
She was always a gamer; originally, she wanted to design comic books.
As encouraging as her parents were, they put their foot down and said they would not pay for her to get a humanities degree.
Instead, she got her degree in mechanical engineering, and she took a job in the field after college.
Although she realized she was going down a great career path, she was incredibly bored, and it wasn't feeding her creative side.
She quit and went back to school; got her master's degree in interactive technology.
In hindsight, her engineering degree gave her a leg up over designers who didn't know how to code.
Says that in American culture, there's an idea that you should hone in on your dream and pour your soul into that one thing.
Instead, she advocates for a more broad field of studies and interests; says reading Shakespeare might influence your scientific breakthrough.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Graduate
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects
Southern Methodist University
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects
Southern Methodist University
Career
Level Designer
I'm a level designer, creating stories through interactive video games.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Design
Science
Being Creative
Interviewed By
Be Well-Rounded
In New York City, the Roadtrippers interview Mariette DiChristina, Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American. Later, the team meets Vicki Smith, a game designer at Vicarious Visions who forged a path in video games after feeling unfulfilled as an engineer.
