This Podcast Extra features an interview with Rina Purdy, a game developer willing to hitchhike from Canada to Texas to show off her game, Floating Wonderland.

Listen to the interview by using the player below. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of trauma, abuse, and mental health.

The Good Ship IGPC hasn’t quite fully returned from hiatus, but we’ve got some special bonus episodes for you in the meantime! These upcoming Intelligame Podcast extras vary in format, but tell important stories. Hope they get you excited for the return of the IGPC!

Welcome to PAX South

This was my first year attending PAX South. Hosted in San Antonio, Texas, South is the kid-sibling to the larger, flashier shows in Seattle and Boston. Anecdotally, people told me that South was a much more chill show: smaller crowds, open walkways. It’s also less flooded by the larger gaming companies, making space for indies to really show off. A friend introduced me to someone they met during the show, a developer showing off a game inspired by Sonic 3 and Freedom Planet. I agreed to stop by for a bit to check out the game and the booth she’d put together.

After playing the game, I asked the developer some questions about her game like I usually do. “What inspired you, where are you from,” etc. She gave different answers than I’ve received in the past.

Meet Rina Purdy

A nomad partially by necessity, Rina hitchhiked her way to San Antonio, then flew to Spain almost directly after. Bubbly and pragmatic, she’s kept working on her game even while dealing with homelessness and more. She’s often relied on the help of friends and strangers, and learned plenty of skills along the way. A developer, plush toy maker, and former 3DS repair person, I wanted to hear more of her story, so we agreed to interview after the show. We connected while she was staying with a friend in Spain.

During the interview, we talk about her life, her game, and her dream of making a dev studio out of a double-decker bus in London. We also talk about some of the resiliency she’s cultivated over the years, and the ways her struggles help her overcome adversity…including some that come up directly during our talk.

Learn more about Rina Purdy and give her support at her website, Rinabow. Her game, Floating Wonderland, is in its final days of its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

You can also find past episodes of the Intelligame Podcast here on Intelligame, and you can subscribe on Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts.