Every October, the buzz of PAX Aus takes over Melbourne: the cosplays, the queues, the indie booths brimming with passionate game developers. But for JMC Academy, PAX Aus also marks something extra special: the unveiling of one student-made game, chosen through our annual competition, and launched onto the PAX show floor!
This year’s winner is ‘Far Outback’, a quirky, co-op adventure that turns invasive species into unlikely heroes and gameplay into a conversation about our environment.
Two Unlikely Heroes
In ‘Far Outback’, players slip into the pixelated skin of a cane toad and a house gecko (lovingly named Toad and Gecko, of course!). These aren’t your average amphibian and reptile — they’re non-endemic Australian animals lost in strange new lands, forced to battle other invasive species as they try to make their way home.
At first glance, the setup feels light-hearted and fun. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find the game is quietly posing bigger questions about belonging, ecosystems, and environmental impact.
Game director and JMC graduate Toney Evans explains “The original pitch was centred around colonialism, but as the team developed the idea, we pivoted towards environmental impact. You play as two invasive Australian animals in strange lands, fighting off other invasive species and learning about their impact.”
The result is a co-op game that feels both tongue-in-cheek and surprisingly timely.
A Developmental Rollercoaster Ride
Every game design student knows that development is rarely smooth sailing, and ‘Far Outback’ was no exception. The development team of 13 JMC students quickly discovered that some big ideas sometimes need sharp cuts. “Very early on, there was originally a boss fight planned” says Toney. “But making a boss model, rigging and animating it, and coming up with unique mechanical sets is a whole extra little game in itself, so unfortunately that was the first thing we had to trim.”
Another challenge was finding the sweet spot between co-op collaboration and solo satisfaction. Toney explains “One of our goals was to make teamwork fun, but we didn’t want to punish players who just wanted to beat stuff up and have a good time. We went through a lot of iterations to encourage collaboration without ruining solo play.”
Late nights, trial-and-error mechanics, and a few problem-child characters later (Toad, we’re looking at you), the team pulled together something special: a game that balances depth with accessibility and humour with weight.
Playing The Game With JMC
For Toney, JMC wasn’t just where the game was built, but also where they discovered what kind of designer they wanted to be. “I came to JMC with a strong programming background, but the real gift was being able to focus on design. Lecturers were extraordinarily supportive, and having the space to make projects (some great, some terrible) really shaped me as a designer. JMC helped me move from a purely technical mindset to someone who thinks about the player’s experience.”
It’s this combination of technical grounding plus a chance to experiment that turned ‘Far Outback’ from a classroom idea into a PAX-ready reality.
Eyes on PAX and Beyond
As the team gears up to exhibit ‘Far Outback’ at PAX Aus 2025, excitement is mixed with a dose of realism. “Far Outback was made by 13 people, which is huge for a student project” says Toney. “If people love it at PAX, I’d love to take it further, but realistically, it might evolve into something new with the same soul, just in a different body.”
For now, it’s about soaking up the experience. Showcasing the game to thousands of players, networking with industry, and enjoying the thrill of having an idea that once lived in a JMC classroom now existing on the biggest stage in Australian gaming.
As Toney puts it, “showcasing at PAX is spooky, but it’ll be a good experience no matter what. We’re hoping people connect with the game, and for me personally, it’s about taking the lessons learned during its creation into whatever comes next.”
We wish a huge congratulations to Toney and the whole ‘Far Outback’ team on securing their spot as JMC’s 2025 PAX Aus reps! If you’re heading to Melbourne for PAX Aus this year, make sure to swing by the ‘Far Outback’ game pod and see why Toad and Gecko might just be the most compelling duo of the year.
‘Far Outback’ full credits:
Alden D'Almeida - Level Designer, CG Artist
Blaire Mullen - Narrative Designer
Ava Panopoulos - 2D Artist, CG Artist
Bianca Sawangsri - 2D Artist, UI Designer
Charlotte Silva - CG Artist
Eden Hopkins - Art Director, 2D Artist (team lead), CG Character Artist
Jacob Morales - Composer
Jalen Brown - UI Designer, Level Designer
Kavisha Mutucumarana - CG Artist (Team lead)
Keithan newton - Programmer, Game Design, CG Artist
Laura Rodriguez - Level Designer
Malachi Morton - Animator
Toney Evans - Director, producer, Programmer (team lead), Game/Systems designer, Rigging Artist
