“A compelling story of two University students giving back to the hospital that has nurtured one of them all their life.”
Archie Crampton, a 19-year-old gaming entrepreneur at Falmouth University, created a first-person narrative and promoted the product at the WASD 2024 convention.
As co-director of Ink-Forge Studios, his right-hand man, Tom Hunt, has been a patient at the hospital since he was three months old. This game is not just a project, but a heartfelt dedication born out of gratitude. The 20-year-old is still being treated at the hospital every three months.
As a second-year Games development student, Archie was privileged enough to receive financial funding from the University. However, he made clear that this funding was not linked to his course.
Over £5000 has been raised for the charity so far.
The Great Ormond Street Hospital raises money to support seriously ill children from across the UK who are treated at this hospital.
Every day, around 750 seriously ill children and young people are treated at GOSH for the rarest and most complex conditions.
When describing the game, Archie said: “We’re trying to target people who love narrative games and trying to make you cry at the end.”
‘I’ll Be Brave Tomorrow’ is named after the captivating novel Tomorrow, Tomorrow. Archie and Tom read the book last summer and fell in love with its heart-warming storytelling.
The game is a beacon of hope. It focuses on a sick child named Robyn, who lives in a hospital bed and finds solace and escape through a retro 2D platformer.
Archie further addressed that he is bringing a ‘sense of nostalgia’ to fans of snare-type platforms.
“This would mainly be parents of kids who understand the trauma their child would go through in a hospital.”
Robyn has his own personal issues. He is an overthinker and has to overcome these boundaries.
In the platformer, you play as a Robin facing his fear of flying, a unique concept in the two parallels.
There are also a variety of minigames to playthrough at your fingertips.
“We have an RC DeLorean, a reference to a certain film that you can race around the hospital room, and a paper aeroplane and spot the difference in games.”
Additionally, Archie mentions the priority of video games for everyone.
“For us, it’s just the start to make games that are available for anyone who has a disability to make sure that it is assessable to all players.
As a second-year Games development student, Archie was privileged enough to receive financial funding from the University. However, he made clear that this funding was not linked to his course.
“it’s been quite preselling; we started in October 2023 and have had a great Kickstarter, and everything is going well.”
I’ll Be Brave Tomorrow will release on Steam in August 2024
You can go and Wishlist it right now.