Getting to Knowmade: Maggie Mojsiejuk
Maggie Mojsiejuk
Level Designer
Maggie is our most infectious ball of energy in-studio, and (in Jonny’s own words) a real MVP. And VIP, and - going by biscuit choice - even a VIB enthusiast! Maggie puts her big and bold brain to building our awesome levels, always including something unexpected and outrageous (and we love her for it). She’s a real star, and we’re so very happy to have her! Now, onto the questions!
Maggie! What do you do at Glowmade?
My role is Level Designer and I, indeed, design levels! I build cool areas for players to have fun in, explore and generally have a good time.
Now how would your mum describe your job?
"She plays videogames all day." I guess not much changed since I was a kid!
How did you get to this point in your career?
I worked at Supermassive Games before and Media Molecule! Previously, I studied Games Technology and later Games Production at Nottingham Trent University. I was pretty lucky to see a Maggie-shaped-hole at Glowmade during my interviews and I decided it would be a good opportunity to come and really find my place in the team!
What made you want to pursue games?
I knew for a long time that I really want to work in games, that's why I left my tiny family town in Poland and came to the UK to study. I guess I am one of those lucky people who always knew what they want to do in life, and I was lucky enough still to put my hard work into right things and actually got to make games for living!
So it's hard to pinpoint the right moment. Since I was a kid I always liked to create things that could be experienced by other humans for entertainment. I tried a lot of different ways to express myself and in the end, I stuck with games. I guess the turning point was when I started playing more games as a teenager: I got to play Life is Strange and understood that games really could be so much more than just shooty-bang-bang (which I also enjoy) and actually tell stories via their design/narrative.
Share something you love doing outside of everything video games.
I absolutely love writing, but mainly for interactive purposes. All of my friends know that I am a Dungeon Master, which is probably my biggest hobby, and sometimes I'd even say it's my 5 - 9 after my 9 - 5. I love writing new campaigns, crafting props, researching different techniques used in writing and just coming up with different ways that stories can be "played" and experienced in different ways, besides just reading them from the paper.
Who or what inspires you?
If we're talking about a person, Anisa Sanusi really inspires me, as someone who is in games and progressively does a lot of stuff to make this place better for the others. When I was at uni, I was absolutely mortified about the idea of leaving and joining the industry - how will I find a job? Who would want to hire me? I needed a mentor and I was brave enough to ask people for that, without any mentorship programme and that massively helped me. So formalizing that and encouraging people to mentor, or be mentored, is, I think, absolutely amazing.
Mentoring and helping other people to get onto the same path as you is inspiring as heck for me in general, and I try to do the same by going to different unis and events to spread my knowledge about getting into the industry.
I get a lot of joy in life from my hobbies and making art, so this being my career makes me very very happy. I want to help others do the same and find that path.
What game do you wish you could’ve developed?
I'd have loved to work on games from Telltale Studios and Red Thread Games. Also I'd love to be involved with games such as Rimworld from Ludeon Studios!
Share something you appreciate about yourself. Give yaself a pat on the back, why don’t ya?
I think I am very good at communication and talking with people to solve conflicts!
Also, I think that sometimes I can be pretty funny, but never really trying too hard (also when you say you're funny you're not really funny, right?). I like to lighten up the mood if I can.
“Take it one day at a time.”
What's the best thing about working at Glowmade?
I really like that everyone actually plays this fantastic game that we're making, and can give feedback. I also love how everyone's feedback is equally appreciated and considered.
Anyone on the team who stands out as a role model, or source of inspiration, perhaps?
I really like working with our producer, Ahmed. He seems like a very down to earth kind of person, who you can chat to about anything really. But what inspires me about Ahmed is his honesty about his job and his role - if he doesn't know something, he'd admit it and find the best person to know. He is a very smooth communicator and his excitement about the team, the project and just his general mood really helps the team.
Also I really like working with Gavin - he is very diligent in his work and you can see that he has a lot of knowledge about what he is doing. I am very excited to learn from him in the future, he always puts so much attention to his own work, but also into everyone else's work and is very good at providing useful feedback.
What do you want from your career? What goals are you looking forward to vaulting past?
I really want to find a place for myself, where I can really add a lot to the team with my knowledge and experience and also my interests. I'd see myself as a senior or lead in the future, on a project that really inspires me and gives me a strong sense of "what exactly it should be."
What are your top tips for someone looking to get into games?
Find a mentor! Speak with people already in games, get advice on your portfolio and CV and apply apply apply!
In your opinion, who is the cutest Glowmade pet?
Well, I’ve met Max's cat Billie and she is pretty cool, but she preferred my partner over me when I was cat-sitting, so I'd vote for Ine's rabbits!
If you had to pick one game to play for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rimworld.
What's your guilty pleasure?
Listening to the robo-voice on TikTok reading Reddit threads and summarizing movie plots for me.
There's one biscuit left in the tin and it's your favourite... what is it?
These deluxe VIB Digestive biscuits with toffee in them that come in that distinctive golden wrapper!
