CYBER SEC OPS
TERMINAL
Brief
TERMINAL is an immersive game designed to simulate a realistic cyberattack, teaching cybersecurity professionals and IT leaders the importance of teamwork, robust security technology, and practiced incident response plans.
In three acts, players assume the roles of an Analyst, Manager, and finally Executive, each facing unique challenges as they strive to protect airport systems from escalating cyber threats and ransomware.
IBM CYBER SEC OPS
Game Experience // 2020
CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN THREE ACTS
I led an awesome team at North Kingdom to create an engaging game that lets players around the world experience the intensity and complexity of a live cyber threat.
Acting as both Creative Director and Game Director, I oversaw every narrative and emotional beat—developing story arcs, chat dialogues, and in-game cinematics. I also produced the trailer, contributed to gameplay design for mission tasks, and directed music, voice performances, and sound design to ensure a cohesive and high-impact experience.
DISCIPLINES
- Creative direction
- Visual development
- Narrative + Game design
- Cinematic direction
AWARDS
- We were awarded Covid in the middle of the production which really made things so much more fun as we had to cancel shoots and client trips.
PLAYTHROUGH
CHALLENGE
Quite the undertaking, this one. Just getting into all the details of cyber security and turning that into exciting narrative-, game design, cinematics, sound design and music was a ride. The challenge was like playing a game of its own, but the blend of storytelling and tech made it a surprisingly enjoyable rollercoaster.
SOLUTION
We designed an interactive simulation inspired by decades of computer games and cinematic experiences, basing it all on a core game loop the player could learn and get better at as the game got progressively more challenging.
On top of that we added cinematic cutscenes, in-game characters, an adaptive musical score, and side stories to drive the core narrative and add atmosphere and extra tension to the experience.
RESULTS
TERMINAL became an intense and challenging game experience leaving players with elevated heartbeats, sweaty palms, and a much better understanding of the nuances and consequences of a cybersecurity breach. Players learn that every action, or lack of, has consequences, and that even when you’re doing what’s right it may still onlv be a case of what’s “most right”.
