Get Into Game Dev & 1GAM

Editor's Notes

• #2: Introduce myself. Software engineer & web developer for over 10 years. Comp Sci in TCD Senior UI engineer for Swrve now. Passion making games. Making games as a hobby for the last 5 years - I’m going to talk about making games, how you can get started, what I did (wrong!), and about the One Game A Month initiative
• #3: It has never before been this easy to make and publish your own game. Even entirely by yourself! You don’t need $3 million dollars anymore (Tim Shafer) Easier to create; easier to collaborate; easier to reach players; easier to sell Game making frameworks & engines: flixel, unity, game maker & many more Free game art! If you aren’t that artistic (like me), that’s no big deal! There’s lots of resources out there Full sets of sprites for games, available to use completely for free (see my links at the end of presentation) Or try collaborating! This is something I’ve just started exploring. [NEXT: boardgames]
• #4: Lets not forget board games and card games! These are the easiest of games to prototype – you actually just need a pen and paper Quick to prototype, easy to change the rules (no need to code anything – just say it and retry) Easy to self-publish to fancy prototype stage (print-on-demand) So making games has never been easier, but..
• #5: But don’t do what I did It’s very easy to get caught up with grand ideas. After all you want to make something amazing! I had read this exact kind of advice when I started out.. And lets see how that worked out
• #6: Wanted to make a game like Shining Force or Fire Emblem Control a few characters in turn based battles, level them up, etc etc Built my own engine in Actionscript (no flixel yet!) Real problem was the SCOPE was too big. The more I got done the more I realised I still needed to do. End line kept getting further away Result: MOTIVATION DISAPPEARS
• #7: Wanted to make a game like Shining Force or Fire Emblem Control a few characters in turn based battles, level them up, etc etc Built my own engine in Actionscript (no flixel yet!) Real problem was the SCOPE was too big. The more I got done the more I realised I still needed to do. End line kept getting further away Result: MOTIVATION DISAPPEARS
• #8: Wanted to make a game like Risk, but with fantasy units and RPG elements (are we starting to see a theme? Build a game you would want to play!) Used flixel framework this time, better But the game was still too big in scope. Once again had built a playable prototype but.. Result: MOTIVATION DISAPPEARS
• #9: Wanted to make a game like Risk, but with fantasy units and RPG elements (are we starting to see a theme? Build a game you would want to play!) Used flixel framework this time, better But the game was still too big in scope. Once again had built a playable prototype but.. Result: MOTIVATION DISAPPEARS [NEXT: hardest part is finishing]
• #10: It’s great starting a game. You have an interesting & exciting idea. But if it’s too big you WILL get dragged down into the endless details The way to get over this is to PRACTICE finishing games So how can you do that?
• #11: What is a game jam? An organised event where you spend a day or a weekend creating a game from scratch. Usually with a THEME announced at the start. You can be in teams or solo. Loose sense of competition or prizes (the real prize is finishing) Why is this special? CONCENTRATED FOCUS and COMMUNITY and a DEADLINE Most importantly you finish something SMALL in that day. (get used to cutting scope!) Incredibly fun! Get addicted to finishing! Plenty on locally, or also great online ones like Ludum Dare 48h game jam (3-4 times a year) or the Global Game Jam (january)
• #12: Train Crasher in one day. Good lesson in reducing scope (initial idea: Burnout with trains) Drinking Rampage in 4 hours (!) Seabird Plunge in one day So I realised the most productive I am is when I’m at a game jam. I want more game jams! But how..
• #13: Train Crasher in one day. Good lesson in reducing scope (initial idea: Burnout with trains) Drinking Rampage in 4 hours (!) Seabird Plunge in one day So I realised the most productive I am is when I’m at a game jam. I want more game jams! But how..
• #14: Train Crasher in one day. Good lesson in reducing scope (initial idea: Burnout with trains) Drinking Rampage in 4 hours (!) Seabird Plunge in one day So I realised the most productive I am is when I’m at a game jam. I want more game jams! But how..
• #15: Enter 1GAM. Setup by Christer Kaitila, after doing it himself the previous 12 months A community challenge where you are asked to FINISH a game each month Sort of like a series of gamejams, on your own time (but you can also combine these with actual gamejams, flexible!)
• #16: Went one step further. Co-founded Dublin chapter with friend & colleague Stephen Roantree We have a mailing list to share ideas, plus a persistent chatroom online to keep in touch with other members Most importantly, we meet up at the end of every month in Dublin To share our creations, get feedback, or just be social 1st month was April 2013 – and we had over 10 games shown at that first meetup!! NEXT: some 1gam games I made
• #17: April: dungeon delver May: captains of industry June .. FAIL July: super happy pet August: Futility RPG September: … FAIL October: Guild of Dungeoneering
• #18: April: dungeon delver May: captains of industry June .. FAIL July: super happy pet August: Futility RPG September: … FAIL October: Guild of Dungeoneering
• #19: April: dungeon delver May: captains of industry June .. FAIL July: super happy pet August: Futility RPG September: … FAIL October: Guild of Dungeoneering
• #20: April: dungeon delver May: captains of industry June .. FAIL July: super happy pet August: Futility RPG September: … FAIL October: Guild of Dungeoneering
• #21: April: dungeon delver May: captains of industry June .. FAIL July: super happy pet August: Futility RPG September: … FAIL October: Guild of Dungeoneering
• #22: A bit more on this. October Challenge – make $1. Already got my first pre-order for $5!! Going to spend the next two months finishing this Collaborating with an art partner to make it look nice Becoming a ‘real’ game dev! NEXT: now it’s your turn
• #23: A bit more on this. October Challenge – make $1. Already got my first pre-order for $5!! Going to spend the next two months finishing this Collaborating with an art partner to make it look nice Becoming a ‘real’ game dev! NEXT: now it’s your turn
• #24: Why not try making something? Join: 1GAM dublin Go to a gamejam. Gamecraft Unplugged on Sun 10th in Science Gallery Or LD 48h in December Or come to dubLUDO on Fri 15th November (owen harris) Most of all, you can do it!!
• #25: Questions