Fraser Dow - BSc (Hons) Digital Media

Fraser Dow from Newburgh is exploring relatively new waters by building his very own Virtual Reality game using the skills he acquired during his course at Robert Gordon University.

Fraser like others from his course will attend a virtual graduation ceremony on August 7 to celebrate his hard work and achievements after having completed a Bachelor’s degree in Digital Media (Design, Production and Development).

“Virtual Reality (VR) is a relatively new trend in the gaming industry. I wanted to push myself by creating my own complete VR game,” Fraser said, “Thanks to my part-time job, I managed to save up enough money to purchase the necessary parts to build the PC I wanted and used this to run some of the most powerful game engines out there. But it was not without challenges as I grappled with learning about new hardware and software to ensure I could produce a polished project. I also couldn’t test my game with the public during the lockdown period. Thankfully, it was a huge success and all of my efforts gave me the best grade I could hope for.”

Fraser was in his final year at Secondary School when he already knew what he wanted to study at university. He knew this course was right for him as it appealed to his keen interest in art, modelling, animation and game design.

Fraser said, “Both the third and fourth years of this course were the most engaging and challenging years of my time at university.”

“I was so committed to excelling during this period that I would practice the techniques I learnt in 3D modelling and game development, every chance I got – whether that was just free time between classes or summer break.”

Like Fraser’s peers, the pandemic and ensuing lockdown was challenging for him. “Being trapped in a room all day for a month or two at home was very distracting and making it hard for me to focus.” But he enlisted members of his household and other students to overcome some of his obstacles when completing his Honours project.

Having completed his course, Fraser aspires to gain employment in either the gaming or the animation industry. “I know it is a tough market, so I am planning to start out small and work my way up.”

“RGU has provided me with a broad range of skills that I can use to find employment in many different industries, not just the animation and gaming industry,” said Fraser. “The constant deadlines that had to be met throughout my time at university will prepare me for my first job, as this is a huge factor that all designers must consider if they want to become successful.”