So folks my name is Ben Skiba, I prefer They/Them pronouns, but will accept any/all. I am an IMGD major and plan on specializing in game design, like making rules, plot lines, all the narrative jargon. I have always loved art though and want to put my own style into anything I make. Thus this class and the many prior and to follow this one. I originally came to WPI for biology, but after 3 terms of dragging along realized that it just wasn’t for me and switched to IMGD. I couldn’t be happier that I switched, I no longer dread going to classes and I am thriving. In high school I did almost all of the traditional art forms, from print making to sculpture. I really just enjoy making things and to have other people enjoy it, especially my plots in my D&D campaigns. Speaking of D&D my friends and I have a podcast called “Roleplay Renegades” on Spotify, so if you want something to listen to in the background its there. It is a blast to run with my chaotic mess of friends and hopefully it is to you all as well as listeners.

Apologies for getting off track there, back to me I guess. Well before I get my inspirations and favorite games I need to explain the mental health hurdles I’ve had to jump through (Kind of a joke to myself since I used to hurdle). I have for as long as I can remember have struggled with anxiety and depression, which was a result of being ostracized by my grade right from the beginning. My home life has always been a bit cold and shutdown as my parents have their own issues that make it hard sometimes for them to connect. The biggest bomb on my mental well-being was my ex, she tore me down and disregarded me as nothing more than arm candy for the most part. She was extremely emotionally and even physically abusive with me, which lead to some ever present PTSD. A cumulation of all of these traumas and locked out emotions resulted in the development of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). This was formally called Multiple Personality disorder. I have 6 other personalities other than my own in my mind, I know the stigma behind this but please don’t be scared. Each has their own independent trains of thought and mannerisms, some being more detrimental than others. At times it would be extremely overwhelming and debilitating, but luckily in the recent year or so they have gone into hibernation and I have been whole.

Thanks for reading that blurb on my mental health, now for the more exciting part my inspirations. I heavily take ideas from nature and the world around me, as I find the world to be full of wonders. There are so many small and fun things to be learned if you just sit and absorb the world long enough. We truly live in a fairytale in some places, especially in nature. I also have loved the Destiny series, Teardown, Minecraft, Terraria, TABS, Superliminal, and Super Hot. I love to read comics and books in general, taking ideas from all that I absorb in my art and in my D&D campaigns. I just love to play games and be one with the world around me, there is nothing more special than getting the opportunity to live in this world. So I plan to take in as much as I can and share it with the world. 😀