A TEENAGER from Chepstow has been selected as a finalist in the Young Game Designers awards run by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

David McIntosh, 16, is one of the 53 finalists from across the UK for his creation, called 'SnakeLaw Island'.

The game is Mr McIntosh's first attempt at a large-scale game, and features 27 levels, four original music compositions, and was completed in just six months - at the same time he was finishing his GCSEs.

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"I'm really happy to be a finalist. It's a huge confidence boost," he said.

"I've spent about 80 hours working on it. It was quite stressful as it was at the same time I was finishing my GCSEs."

Mr McIntosh taught himself the coding system 'Unity' using YouTube tutorials three years ago.

"I like coding, maths and using computers and wanted to make games. I thought it would be good fun and it grew from there.

"For the first three months, progress was really slow. I couldn't even make a character move. After about a year, I started growing in confidence. I made a few demo games and slowly went on from there.

"Most of the time I'm making 2D games. I play games like Portal, Warhammer and Minecraft, I'd like to work on 3D games like them.

(David McIntosh's game 'SnakeLaw Island'. Credit: BAFTA)

"For anyone looking to get into games design, as long as you have access to the internet and a computer you can do it with enough dedication."

The BAFTA Young Game Designers awards showcase and supports Britain’s young games talent by providing access to some of the most creative minds in the industry.

Winners will have the chance to build on their games ideas through a mentorship scheme with leading figures in games, as well as an insight into a career in games, and the industry as a whole.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year's ceremony will be streamed online at youtube.com/BAFTA on Thursday, June 18 at 5pm.

"I think I'll be watching it with my family, it should be really good," said Mr McIntosh.