Chekov's Shotgun
Angus Wemyss Syme
2020-2023
Vikings: Valhalla
-
Creative Director
-
Lead Writer
-
Designed Map Flow and Themes
A base builder tie-in to the Netflix Show. With a bit more magic and paganism.
I got to write a story that was part Beowulf, part John Wick. About a hero betrayed by a friend of their father's struggling to get home across the North Sea and seek revenge.
Which all seemed very Viking-ish (and made my Medieval Degree suddenly more useful than it had been for years.)
2019-2022
Star Trek: Legends
-
Creative Director
-
Narrative Director
-
Lead Writer
The second major IP I'd worked on (after a stint writing for a GI Joe game) and an education in both working with studio publishers and channeling the voice of very specific well known characters.
A story based multiverse epic set in the Star Trek Universe with characters from every show and iteration of the franchise.
I came out of it loving Dr McCoy of all people - there's nothing like a surly but good-hearted protagonist to sink your writing teeth into.
2014-2016
Dark Moon
-
Creative Director
-
Narrative Director
-
Lead Writer
-
Worldbuilder
The second mobile game I developed for Emerald City Games. I created the world, the backstory, plot, dialogue and developed all the characters.
There were battles, town building and a chance to see hundreds of creatures I created get turned into artwork and 3d by a group of talented artists. And then kill each other for the entertainment of mobile game players.
2010-2012
Fable: Journey
-
Senior Environmental Artist
-
Creature Artist
​
A spin off from the Fable Trilogy aimed at the X-Box Kinect.
This was an unusual game for an unusual device. At the time, the Wii was riding high and Microsoft were gambling that motion capture devices were the future of gaming. Which... they weren't.
But the game did make for an interesting side-quest for the franchise. I focused on modelling the core vehicle (the Caravan) and various environmental objects it drove through.
2001-2010
Fable Franchise
-
Senior Artist
-
Illustrator
-
Lore Guy
Still proud of this one, even after all these years. It was the first big game I'd ever worked on, and from the beginning I knew I was involved in something very special.
I worked on all of the original trilogy, first at Big Blue Box then, later, at Lionhead and Microsoft. I did a lot of character work and developed most of the major NPCs in the first game, including the final villain. If you didn't like him? Blame me.
​
Angus is one the most creative individuals I have worked with in the last 35 years in the games industry. He has the ability to come up with inventive and original ideas that is rare to find so consistently.
Ian Faichnie,
Senior Artist, Fable
Testimonials
I've worked with Angus for many years. He is, without exception, the most creative person I've ever known and a constant inspiration for our team. A talented writer, artist and unrivalled world-builder.
Derek Day - CEO, Emerald City Games
I've been fortunate enough to work with designers who are a bottomless well of creativity.
What's rarer is something Angus has, creativity that's reliable and infectious.
Patrick Heagany,
Lead QA Riot Games
About Angus
Angus has been working in the games industry since before the Matrix came out. Which is either dedication to this wonderful art form, or a strange form of masochism (depending on whether or not he's mid-crunch).
​
Over those years he's worked as a creative lead, a narrative director, a designer, a writer, a 3d artist and an illustrator. And before that as a restaurant chef and editor of a roleplaying magazine. Because your 20s can be odd.
​
He's a dual-national American/Brit, currently residing in Canada with a wonderful wife and three temperamental cats. In his spare time he enjoys playing games but fears what his 'total hours played' stat would reveal about his life.