A lifestyle property near Haumoana is the unexpected global headquarters of developer David Frampton’s Majic Jungle Software.
Through Majic Jungle, David built The Blockheads simulation app that has been downloaded and played by millions of mobile gamers around the world.
A game developer since 2003, David moved from Wellington to Hawke’s Bay in 2012 after a search for the perfect place to relocate his home-based business. It needed to be somewhere he could spend time with his young family and indulge his other passion: surfing.
“Because I work from home, I could be based anywhere, so we drove around the country and checked out a bunch of possible spots before deciding to settle here,” he says.
“Surfing definitely influenced things. I had to find somewhere with some decent surf. It’s surpassed all expectations, I’ve found it really good.”
The location also allows him to indulge another hobby: building and flying quadcopters.
David’s broadband link to the rest of the world is a standard ADSL copper line connection that he says meets his working needs.
“The only downside to living in Hawke’s Bay is there aren’t the numbers of people here who are doing game development. There were more in Wellington whom I could network with, so I’m missing that a little,” he says.
One way he keeps connected is through attending industry conferences.
“It’s just as easy to jump on a plane from Hawke’s Bay and get over to San Francisco or wherever for a conference as it was from Wellington.”
As well as maintaining The Blockheads, David is currently ramping up work on a new PC game with a virtual reality component, which he’s given the working title of ‘Ambience’. He hopes to have it out for testing by late this year.
Another major development is brewing at Majic Jungle HQ. After several years of having three young kids at home, David is building an office on the property so he can “get out of the house”.
At least the commute to work won’t take too long. David’s broadband link to the rest of the world is a standard ADSL copper line
