Charles Batho: Creative Producer
I produce and direct digital content and games for websites and mobile applications.
Examples of some of my work from the last few years can be viewed below.
If you'd like to get in touch you can email me on charles [at] inter-weave.co.uk.
01. Science Museum, Transmission (2014) Creative Services Producer, Project Management, User Testing
Created for the Science Musuem’s latest gallery, Transmission is a puzzle game themed around the key communication networks of our time for web, iOS and Android. I wrote the brief, shortlisted the responses from agencies and managed the conception, development and delivery of the final 3 applications with Loju, the appointed agency.
Stats:
Over six million plays across all platforms from 1.4 million unique users
A Google Play top ten UK game with over 1 million downloads.
02. Channel 4 Education, The End (2011) Producer, Project Management, User Testing
The End is a game of self-discovery for 14-19 year olds which integrates strategy, puzzles and philosophical questions into a world which explores a range of commonly (or less commonly) held views about death, belief and science. The End has been played well over over 3 million times, with an average saved game time of over 2 hours.
Awards:
BIMA - Best Game 2011, Flash In The Can - Best Game 2011
Nominations:
Webby - Game 2012, Games for Change - Most Significant Impact 2012, Games for Change - Best Gameplay 2012,
Design Week - Interactive Design 2012, BIMA - Educational and Outreach 2011
03. Wellcome Collection, Axon (2012) Producer, Project Management
A casual game developed for a mainstream audience to help tie in with and promote, Wellcome Collection's "Brains" exhibition, using games portals to seed and encourage distribution. The game is set inside a foetal brain, modelling real biological phenomena found in neural development. In the first week of launch AXON was played over 1 million times. Within the first month AXON had been played over 3.5 million times making it one of Preloaded's most successful ever online games.
04. Adult Swim, zOMT (2011) Producer, Project Management
zOMT is a strategy game where you play God, protecting your passive 'believers' from the onslaught of a variety of menacing and marauding foes that attack from both sides! Commissioned from an original idea from Preloaded to reinforce the irreverent and entertaining brand values of Adult Swim and position them as a quality online gaming provider.
05. Channel 4 Education, Linkem (2011) Producer, Project Management
Winner of The Guardian's MEGA Award, Linkem is a challenging and mentally stimulating mobile game developed for use on both iPhone and Android. Its open ended gameplay and deliberately relaxed feel make it a great time killer, perfectly suited for mobile gaming. In accordance with Channel 4’s public service remit, the game is available for free in the UK and for sale abroad.
06. Science Museum, Futurecade (2012) Producer, Project Management
A suite of 4 mini games to communicate specific areas of future science content. The games exist both contextually on the main Science Museum website as well as being seeded on games portals for maximum reach. Almost half a million players have enjoyed Futurecade since launch, with 1 in 5 exploring the further educational content on the website.
07. CBBC, Gamebuilder (2009) Concept, Creative Direction, Project Management, IA, UX, User Testing
Commissioned from an original idea I helped pitch to CBBC. Gamebuilder lets users create, play and share their own games. Using the Box2D physics engine, users can create complex games with a simple to use contextual toolset. An additional content management system was also built for BBC staff so they could manage and update all the proprietary CBBC assets and talent featured within the game, as well as manage users, games and the post moderation of all content.
Awards:
BIMA - Best Game 2014
08. Learndirect, The Legula Adventure (2008) Concept, Creative Direction, Project Management, IA, UX, User Testing
BAFTA nominated, The Legula Adventure is an immersive, educational game set within a 3D, virtual world. Designed to be played by both parent and child, users are able to advance the narrative of the story by solving simple literacy and numeracy puzzles and games.
Nominations:
BAFTA Children's Interactive
> Keith Stuart, The Guardian Review
09. Visa, Play your Pre-Pay card right (2008) Concept, Creative Direction, Project Management, IA, UX
An educational game to promote the responsible use of a pre-pay credit card to teenagers. The user must complete three tasks without going into the red. The choices the user makes directly affects the clothes, locations and actions of the teenagers in the video.
10. BBC Jam, French KS2 (2007) Concept, Script, Creative Direction, Project Management, IA, UX, User Testing
A huge, immersive 3D experience. Users join the French band Superstar on their tour around France. Each location gives the user the chance to practice their French, as well as teaching an inter-cultural understanding of the places and people of France.
11. Channel 4, Social networking ideas / pilot (2008) Ideas & concepts, Research, User Testing, Documentation
A research/pilot project commissioned to investigate using social networking applications to educate 14-19 year olds about sexual health. I concieved 5 different ideas, user tested them in London and Norwich, then documented and presented the results to C4.
12. BBC Jam, Music KS2 (2006) Concept, Script, Creative Direction, Project Management, IA, UX, User Testing
Set within a stylised, 3D environment. Users enter the magical Musical Circus, meeting various characters along the way, while engaging in musical games and learning tasks involving rhythm, composition, timbre, musical genres and more.
13. Kraft, Dairylea Robots Microsite (2005) Concepts, Project Management, IA
A competition microsite created by Dairylea to promote the animated film Robots. Codes on packs of Dairylea gave the user the chance to enter a prize draw to LA to build they own robot. The flash site let the user build their own robot and rate others, play 4 different online games and watch the film trailer.
> Click to see more examples of Kraft, Dairylea Robots Microsite (2005)
14. Citizenship Foundation, Who Wants To Be A Student Anyway? (2005) Concepts, Project Management, IA
A fun, educational, 'branching narrative' style game aimed at university students to promote a sense of financial responsibility and awareness. The choices made by the user within the game, feedback to, and promote, the financial information contained within the html site.
> Launch site of Citizenship Foundation, Who Wants To Be A Student Anyway? (2005)