Beyond the Grind: Strategy, Systems, and the STEM Gamer

When you hear the phrase "transferable skills," your mind might jump to internships, cover letters, or spreadsheets. But for Miguel Pascoa Rodrigues, a 20-year-old Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Luxembourg, transferable skills come with pixelated graphics, boss fights, and a long-standing love of Nintendo's DS.

Miguel (holding the spinning mechanism) working on his group project

"I've always been fascinated by science, especially physics," Miguel tells me. "Being able to understand or even prove things that happen in games has always been one of my favourite things." His engineering path was shaped by that curiosity, but so was his passion for gaming, a hobby that began in 2009 with a trusty DS that he still owns.

Now studying one of the most rigorous degrees around, Miguel hasn't left gaming behind. Instead, it runs parallel to his studies, sometimes intersecting in ways that surprise even him. He used to spend hours in the worlds of Zelda and Pokémon. Still, since he doesn't currently own a Switch, his gaming focus has shifted to rhythm games like Friday Night Funkin' and Geometry Dash, first-person shooters like Valorant and Overwatch, and roguelikes like Risk of Rain 2 and Dead Cells.

Though he's quick to say that gaming hasn't directly handed him engineering skills on a plate, Miguel admits that it's helped him in smaller, unexpected ways.

"It doesn't really give me skills in the traditional sense, but understanding my PC better definitely helps when I'm using CAD or programming. And gaming itself has made me more interested in the degree, which helps with motivation."

That interest in mechanics and systems is something Miguel clearly thrives on. Ask him about logic in games, and he lights up. "Any game with choice, building, or combat makes me think a lot more strategically. I'd say Terraria really pushed my thinking, especially the boss fights. You can't just spam attacks. You have to plan. It's not as simple as it looks."

Miguel's gaming setup

He mentions Resident Evil's infamous puzzles, Stardew Valley's farming logistics, and the strategic turn-based combat of Pokémon. Though wildly different, these games all require planning, resource management, and flexible thinking, skills any engineer could use.

Miguel makes a distinction When we compare engineering problem-solving to in-game puzzles and challenges.

"With games, there's usually one or two ways forward. It's coded. There's a solution in there somewhere. But in engineering, there isn't always a clear path. You think you've solved one issue and suddenly you're dealing with ten more. But how you approach problems can be the same in both. You start by breaking it down." Miguel's growth in problem-solving is truly impressive and a testament to the power of gaming in developing such skills.

His attention to detail has improved, too. "Games definitely helped with that. I'm way more tuned into small things now, whether it's a background feature in a game or a small flaw in a design project."

Focus, however, is more complex. "I do struggle with focus sometimes, but if the game is immersive enough, I get completely pulled in. That helps. I'll notice the lore, the lighting, the worldbuilding. It's like the game becomes real."

It's not just gaming that's changed how Miguel sees the world; studying engineering has also changed how he plays.

"I take a more careful and slow approach now. I think more. Especially in games like Pokémon. I'll poison an enemy and use Protect to wait it out. That kind of patience didn't come naturally before."

Miguel also thinks more visually now. He doesn't just play a puzzle. He imagines it spatially.

"I like trying to break things apart in my mind. Take a Resident Evil shadow puzzle. I visualise the object and rotate it in my head to figure out what shape it will cast. That mental rotation is something we do in engineering too."

It's unsurprising then that games' systems make more sense to him these days. A little coding knowledge goes a long way, especially when it comes to understanding things like RNG mechanics or game logic. That deeper understanding makes gaming more satisfying, but it also enhances the way he thinks about challenges.

Gaming hasn't just helped Miguel on the solo front. Teamwork has been a big one, too. "With multiplayer games, you're always adapting. New teammates, new situations, different strategies. It forces you to learn fast. That's huge in engineering, where group projects are constant. Knowing how to work with different people is essential."

I ask if he's ever considered combining gaming and engineering in his future career.

"I've always wanted to make a game, but I'm not a fan of coding. If I ever work in game development, I'd love to focus on character design or asset creation instead."

Miguel has a ready answer for people who see gaming as a waste of time, especially for students.

"Calling gaming a waste of time is like telling someone who crochets that their hobby isn't valid. Just because it's digital doesn't make it pointless. It helps people decompress, focus, and sometimes even learn. And that whole 'you're not touching grass' argument is so tired. People can do both."

Our chat clearly shows that gaming isn't just an escape for Miguel. It's a space where he can apply his brain, unwind, and even strengthen some of the skills he needs to succeed in his degree.

When I ask whether gaming might help other students in STEM fields, Miguel is confident. "Absolutely. Whether it's helping someone get into coding, sparking interest in systems, or just being a way to relax after a day in the lab, it's valuable. And it can be just as beneficial as any other hobby."

So what kind of game would Miguel make if given the chance? He doesn't hesitate.

"A mix of a rhythm game and a roguelike dungeon crawler, set in a dark eldritch world. I'd love designing weird characters and silly weapons to make broken builds. There'd be subtle lore bizarre NPCs. It'd be chaotic but calculated." Miguel's vision for a game is not just a dream but a potential reality that could shake up the gaming industry.

Ultimately, that might sum up Miguel's take on engineering and gaming best. Both require patience. Both demand creative thinking and an ability to sit with failure. Both are trial-and-error worlds. But when they come together, when someone like Miguel navigates both, you get someone who sees games and design not as separate things but as overlapping systems that can inform and inspire each other.