About Eftsith Software
"Eftsith" is a word used by J.R.R. Tolkien in his earliest drafts of what would eventually become The Silmarillion. It is the modern anglicized form of an Old English term "eft-síþ", roughly translating to a "journey home". Tolkien's usage of the word evokes a sense of sorrowful nostalgia, and that's something we all find relatable as we grow older. This phrase inspired me to found Eftsith Software in 2019, an independent, one-man, game studio operating out of Portland, Oregon. As a lifelong game enthusiast, I've sought to create games with modern quality-of-life features and UI/UX, but with old-school sensibilities; no predatory systems, no micro-transactions, and no loot boxes. This site consists primarily of portfolio work, but will expand to cover user facing projects as they reach maturity. Stay tuned!
I operate a number of community sites separate from Eftsith Software, which you can find on the Links page. These sites are dedicated to other, similar, interests of mine, so you may also find them interesting!
My Story
For as long as I can remember, I have been a world builder, a creator, and a fan of games. In 2001 I played Firefly Studio's Stronghold at the ripe age of 6 and fell in love with Medieval history, fantasy, andstrategy and simulation games. A few months later, Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy debuted with The Fellowship of the Ring and so my fate was sealed. I fanatically consumed Tolkien's books as the films released, and around the same time, began experimenting with programming via custom powerpoint and Excel based "websites". For a few years I continued to expand my gaming horizons with the newly released Xbox, PS2, and later, Xbox 360. Many long nights of Halo 3, Civlization IV, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion later, I picked up Garry's Mod and began learning Lua scripting. Minecraft released a short time later, and the jump from Lua scripting to Java was made!
A few years of Java and Lua experience later, I graduated high school, began university, and picked up the (then, subscription based) Unreal Engine 4, and I have continued to hone my skills in that engine ever since. As of 2019, I began game development as a full time job, primarily consulting, and in 2023, began developing an in-house project to be released by my own studio.
