Ben de Vries - Portfolio

Projects

Project HoneyBee (2024)

Project HoneyBee is a drone simulator developed for the Dutch Ministry of Defense. This simulator enables military drone pilots to train their skills in drone operation at any time. The project ultimately won the SPARC Award for Most Innovative Solution.

Keywords: Unity, C#, Research, User Testing, Realism

Learn Language in VR (2022)

This group project involved creating a game for the Practoraat Interactieve Technologie at ROC Tilburg. The game's goal is to teach Dutch to immigrant students at Schakelcollege.


Keywords: Unity, C#, Blender, Research, User Testing, VR, Meta Quest 2

Shizen (2023)

This game was created as part of the YOG (Your Own Game) project during the Game Design & Technology program (Semester 4) at Fontys University of Applied Sciences. It was developed in collaboration with another student.


Keywords: Unity, C#, Blender, Game Design, Adobe Substance 3D Painter

Soul Griever: The Wicked Banshee (2020)

A 2D platformer developed by OBM Studio, consisting of five students, including myself. The game follows the journey of a little ghost who aims to save his friend by collecting soul shards.

Keywords: Unity, C#, Aseprite

Enversed Studios - VR Multiplayer Parkour Game (2023)

During the first six weeks of my internship at Enversed Studios, I had to create a VR multiplayer parkour game. The purpose of this project was to familiarize myself with the company's workflow.

Keywords: Unreal Engine, Blueprints, Enversed Framework, Multiplayer/Network Replication, User Testing, Design, VR

Enversed Studios - VR Tutorial (2023)

During my internship at Enversed Studios, my main assignment was to create a VR tutorial that teaches inexperienced users the basic and most important VR interactions available in the Enversed Framework.

Keywords: Unreal Engine, Blueprints, Enversed Framework, Research, User Testing, Design, VR

MORE PROJECTS

About Me


Hi, my name is Ben. I was born on November 12, 1999, in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
I am passionate about games, music, movies, Japanese language & culture, and the idea of achieving one's dreams. I firmly believe that anyone can reach their goals as long as they put in the time and effort!

One of my biggest passions right now is Japan. The country has had a huge influence on me, thanks to my family, who have always been fans of Japanese culture. They introduced me to Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Pokémon at a young age. Interestingly, I watched Ultraman and Kamen Rider in Thai because my mom is from Thailand.
Visiting Japan in 2013 and 2016 changed everything for me. I fell in love not only with Japanese media but also with the country and its culture. Since then, I've made it my goal to move to Japan in the future.

In 2017, I briefly studied Oriental Languages and Communication (Japanese) at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. However, I left after 3-4 months because the subjects didn't pique my interest. Still, my passion for the Japanese language and culture never faded. I kept studying Japanese on my own and eventually realized that textbooks weren't my thing. Instead, I adopted a more practical and consistent approach to learning.

Over the last 10 years, I've had multiple side jobs in different industries. I've worked as a stock clerk, newspaper deliverer, food deliverer, and even as a voluntary animal caretaker. Beyond work, I've been involved in personal creative projects. I play guitar, bass, and drums, and I enjoy singing (even if I'm not that good). I also produce music and used to be my brother's cameraman for his guitar cover videos. On top of that, I have some experience with video editing. editing.

In 2018, I started studying Application & Media Development at ROC Ter AA in Helmond, The Netherlands. There, I learned several coding languages, mainly focusing on web, software, and hardware (Arduino) development. During my studies, I completed two internships: IBT Software Developer at DAF Trucks N.V. and Software Developer at Smartgoals / Spinnov. My graduation assignment was graded Outstanding (10/10), with most subjects receiving a score above 8 (except Dutch).

Currently, I'm studying HBO-ICT at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, specializing in Game Development and Design. I've worked on multiple impactful projects, including: Learn Language in VR, which was a well-received project that was referenced in later semesters, and Project HoneyBee, which was a military drone simulator that won the SPARC Award for Most Innovative Solution.
During my studies, I also completed an internship at Enversed Studios, a VR game development company. Initially, some coaches doubted whether I would be accepted, but I was determined to prove myself. In the end, I secured the internship and gained valuable experience working in the VR industry. This experience reinforced my belief that perseverance and dedication can open doors, even when others have doubts.

During my sixth semester at Fontys, I achieved part of my dream by being selected for an exchange program at Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan. I took courses in literature, trying a different academic direction. Those five months were among the best of my life and strengthened my determination to move to Japan. It also reinforced my belief that with enough effort, I can achieve anything.
Currently, I'm in my graduation semester, working on a project for my internship company while applying to master's programs in Japan. Moving back to Japan to earn my master's degree is my main goal right now.

To see more of my programming skills, take a look at my resume, projects and LinkedIn!

Strengths

Reliable
Ben is a reliable person because he feels the responsibility of his work. He will try his best not to let people down!

Passionate and Ambitious
Ben is a very passionate and ambitious person. He will not give up on the things he wants. Ben has many ambitions and will work extra hard to achieve these.

Curious
Ben is very curious and is always willing to learn new skills.

Inspiring
Ben knows the importance of ambitions and will always tell family, friends and teammates to work hard to achieve their own goals in life.

Weaknesses

Self-Critical
Ben always has the feeling that he can do more and better. It's very hard to satisfy himself. This can also be a positive side, because sometimes this creates a feeling of guilt to work harder.

Awkward
Ben is very awkward when starting out somewhere. He will need some time to get comfortable. But when he's eventually comfortable, he's a very supportive teammate.

Direct
When Ben is comfortable, he can get very direct with his opinion. This is not meant to offend the other party, it's usually constructive criticism. But people might see it as a personal attack.