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So, you want to make games for a living.
Maybe you grew up playing games, video or analog, and now you want to share the same joy with a younger generation. Or perhaps you love programming and find the aspects of game design to be challenging and fun. Or maybe you just really emulate Gabe Newell and want to be the next big thing in online gaming. Whatever your reason, careers in game development can be extremely rewarding, as the industry continues to grow and branch out into areas like education, social good, and even the health industry.
Here are some tips to help you with a career in game development from some of the wonderful speakers at the 10th annual Games for Change Festival:
1. Learn the different ways to get a career in game developmentCreating a career for yourself in game development doesn’t necessarily mean you need to go work for one of the big companies. In their panel “Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget” Clay Ewig and Lien Tran talked about four other modes of development: indie (definitely the most popular), student/class creation (mostly MFA/Grad student thesis work, but could be started earlier), small grant projects, and large grant projects. There are definite upsides to working on each type of project, the obvious ones being some money to help with the production (the grants), complete control over projects (indie), and access to play-testers and a support system (student). There are downsides too, like a lack of money for indie developers (unless you have a successful Kickstarter campaign), or a lack of time for students, or lack of control for grant workers; however, the pros far outweigh the cons in terms of getting your foot in the door with side projects that you can put into a portfolio.
2. Remember the elements of a good gameAs with any type of product development, you have to know the types of things that will make that product great. For games, it’s all about the way the game is presented. In Lindsay Grace‘s panel “Game Verbs for Change,” he outlined the three things every good game must have:
1. A Goal
2. An obstruction to that goal
3. A means to that goal
For example, the goal in Super Mario Bros. is to rescue Princess Peach. The obstruction, of course, is Bowser and the perils of the Mushroom Kingdom. But, you have a means to rescuing the princess by running through the levels, gathering power ups, and defeating the creatures that stand in your way.
1. A Goal
2. An obstruction to that goal
3. A means to that goal
For example, the goal in Super Mario Bros. is to rescue Princess Peach. The obstruction, of course, is Bowser and the perils of the Mushroom Kingdom. But, you have a means to rescuing the princess by running through the levels, gathering power ups, and defeating the creatures that stand in your way.
If you can find unique ways to utilize those three things, then you’ve got the start of a great game. You can find more of Lindsay’s advice at learnvideogames.com.
3. Impact is keyAll games (and books, TV shows, and movies) have to have some sort of impact, whether it’s teaching the player some useful skill, giving players ample amount of entertainment, or even just making the player aware of a certain cause or bit of information. “It’s never too early to start thinking about impact,” says Harmony Institute‘s Debika Shome. Her panel “Impact: Using Data, Interactivity, and Storytelling to Make Meaningful Games” emphasized how important it is to clearly outline how your game will impact your players. For more information on how to develop your game’s impact and how impact affects good storytelling, read the Harmony Institute’s ImpactPlaybook (it’s free.)
I hope those tips help you in your game development career. If you have any questions about any of the Games for Change tips or panels, please post them in the comments.
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This post is sponsored by Eventbrite NYC.
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