Mckenzie Lippa

My face and a Rosebug Some basic info
my ugly mug Mckenzie Lippa, 2024, CS major

Short Bio

I began college at Marist with an interest in biomedical sciences but soon discovered a passion for creative problem-solving across disciplines, from creative writing and media design to computer science. My interest in computer science grew as I realized the potential to combine my creativity with technical skill, leading me to transfer to Boston University for a more challenging program. At BU, I thrived in systems programming and software development, finding particular enjoyment in multi-threading and efficient system design. During COVID, I used my time in isolation to dive into new skills, develop projects, and hone my passion for game development. This experience deepened my drive to create, and I’ve since been dedicated to building my coding skills to bring my game ideas to life. Learning to code wasn’t easy, but my persistence has helped me grow, and I’m eager to bring that same commitment to my career in software engineering and game design. I wanted to learn to code because that was my biggest weakness with the game creation and now here I am.

Activities and Interests

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Picture of ActivityTitle Description Useful Links

Digital Art and Cartoons

I enjoy creating character art on Procreate, focusing mainly on chibi characters and, more recently, realistic portraits to develop my shading techniques and portrayal of lifelike expressions. This practice supports my work on character portraits for my game, which I share selectively on my Instagram to engage with a wider audience and receive feedback on my art.

Instagram Page

Game Design on Godot

I’ve explored several game engines, but Godot has been my favorite so far. I’ve created the game’s art, animations, character portraits, and a cooking UI, which has been a rewarding way to combine my coding and art skills. I keep up with Godot’s updates and appreciate the community of creators who inspire me, especially my favorite YouTube channel: HeartBeast, who has been an invaluable resource as I refine my skills.

My favorite godot youtuber

Animating characters

Animation has been a rewarding challenge; recently, I worked on an animation in Procreate Dreams, where I completed a 7-second dance sequence with 168 frames. Although time-intensive, these projects have taught me a lot about timing and sequence. While I’m considering techniques like rotoscoping to streamline future work, my animation experience has been essential to developing my creative ideas and visual storytelling skills.

Elton John cover animation