IGDA Advocacy Training at GDC, Part 1

February 26, 2015 | Author: HDIAndrew

A week from today I have the privilege of running the IGDA Advocacy session at GDC. Officially titled “IGDA Anti-Censorship & Social Issues Committee Presents Advocacy Training: The Spotlight is On!”, this is part roundtable, part workshop. In the decades I have been part of the game industry, I have seen innumerable needless controversies pop up – and sometimes been part of them. However, this session is not just about reacting to other peoples’ complaints. It also focuses on how we present ourselves and what we do in the most realistic way, without having to go through the traditional “Games are bad, m’kay?” filter. We are all advocate-developers, whether we want to be or not.

Our industry has numerous reasons and opportunities to present itself as the beneficial part of society that it is. We have a great impact on the national economy (not to mention the balance of trade), get young people interested in studying subjects like coding and art, play roles in health and education, and are on the cutting edge of some of the most interesting tech developments out there.

In the past year I have spoken about games and game development to groups as diverse as the CDC, legislators, elementary school students, teachers, business leaders and more. All of them are very receptive to what our industry offers, but all have also heard many of the same unsubstantiated and unverifiable negatives about games that you have. It benefits all of us to address all these issues, highlighting the positive and refuting the false.

Right now the plan for the GDC session is to focus both on reactive and proactive advocacy.  The reactive side deals with such concerns as games being a cause of violence, harassment of game developers, and the like. The proactive side focuses on highlighting our strengths and benefits, to individuals and society. Some examples of the proactive side are promoting good studies demonstrating the value of gaming, working with public officials in improving education related to game development, and even making sure to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of our peers (BLATANT PLUG FOR THE TONY TSENG MEMORIAL).

While the strategies and tactics for reactive and proactive advocacy are similar, there are some distinct differences. For proactive advocacy:

1. Identify specific (and achievable) results;

2. Ensure industry support;

3. Enlist allies;

4. Determine best platforms for advocacy;

5. Promote your core positions;

6. Recognize any opposition and reasons for such;

7. Attempt to assuage such opposition, or if not, then ensure that any opposition stemming from false beliefs about the industry is noted;

8. Celebrate any successes;

9. Identify next steps.

In my next blog post, I will give some examples of how the game industry has engaged in such advocacy. Any comments are welcome.

Link to the IGDA Anti-Censorship and Social Issues SIG

For more information about the GDC session, here is the official link. See you there!IGDAlogo

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What You Should Know to Make Games, Part 2

February 25, 2015 | Author: HDIAndrew

Our last article discussed the basic skills you should develop. This week we discuss the more specific tasks game developers do on a regular basis. The earlier you try these, the better.

  • Playtest something. There are lots of open beta tests going on these days, and many companies provide special testing opportunities to fans who have proven themselves. Check out betawatcher.com for opportunities.
  • Post to forums – intelligently and politely. Companies read their forums and may respond to thoughtful, informed commentary. It’s never too early to start networking, and you can learn from others as well as share your own insights. Avoid the trolls and flamers and never become one of them yourself. That’s one of the easiest ways to ensure you won’t work in games.
  • Make a game. This does not have to be a commercial quality video game. After all, if you could do that, you can probably handle most of what the industry would throw at you. Create your own card game, board game, etc., and get some friends to play it. Nothing teaches game production like doing it. Construct2, RPGMaker and GameStudio all have free, easy to use tools. Unity is a bit harder, but allows you to do much more.

These last two require a higher level of commitment, but can be invaluable if you try them.

  • Code something. Even if you do not want to be a programmer, you should understand how software works. There are plenty of free programming tutorials on-line, books at the public library and so on. I don’t care if you program in C++, Java or FORTRAN (good luck with that last one), just give it a try and see what the computer does in response. Codeacademy, Coursera and even Harvard all offer free, on-line computer classes.
  • Make a mod. Lots of games offer ways to create mods, scenarios and the like. Do it. Pick a game you like that gives you access to its building tools and dive in. Not only will you have gained invaluable experience on making games, but I guarantee you will leave the experience with lots of ideas on what games should NOT do. The Unreal engine is one of the best ways to do this.

Finally, figure out what kind of college degree you want to get. No, not everyone in the game industry has a college degree, but if you look at the job postings in the industry, you’ll see that the vast majority ask for a degree. While programming positions often require a CS degree, other positions tend to be less specific. Game companies don’t just want you to have a degree to prove that you can drain a keg and still show up for 8 am classes.

Getting a degree is excellent proof that you can take a long-term project to completion – a critical skill in the industry that far too many people fail to develop. I don’t care if it’s a game design degree or a journalism degree. Go for the one that will keep you going to 8 am classes even after you finished that keg.

 

Cover of HDI's 'Lords & Priests' for Fading Suns RPG. Art by John Bridges.

Cover of HDI’s ‘Lords & Priests’ for the Fading Suns RPG. Art by John Bridges, www.redcrowstudio.net.

 

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What You Should Know to Make Games, Part 1

February 25, 2015 | Author: HDIAndrew

It looks like all those college game degrees are starting to gain some respect from the industry. Students are now graduating from some of these programs and making immediate marks on the industry, with Portal being only the most obvious example.

With that many students in these programs, you need to stand out from the rest. The best way to do that is to enter college already knowing the basic skills. That way you can get the most out of college, honing your skills rather than learning them new. You can also start making games even before your classmates. The best students understand that they need to do far more than the basics, and they work like mad in their spare time perfecting their portfolios, making mods, meeting pros and more.

Having your teachers work on an existing foundation instead of having to build even that makes a dramatic difference. Students who begin with a decent skill set are not bored. Instead they get to dig deeper into the subject matter than do their peers. The following list shows some of the main skills and accomplishments students should have before they hit college. I recommend that you try your hands at all of these and focus on the ones that most click with you.

  • Build a web site. This is such a basic skill right now that I don’t think anyone should be allowed to graduate high school without having built a web site. Of course, in ten years it will probably be a completely outmoded skill only used by weirdoes and dinosaurs, but right now it is an integral part of society. Free software: CoffeeCup, PageBreeze, Bluefish.
  • Play a wide variety of games. Most of the students I met had a favorite game that served as the catalyst for them wanting to make their own. However, far too often that game, and ones quite like it, were the only ones they really knew. This really handicaps developers later, as they miss valuable lessons other types teach. Free game sources: Kongregate, ArmorGames, Portal.wecreatestuff.com
  • Learn teamwork. The lone coder working in the basement is much less common now than in the 1980s, and even most of those have someone else supplying art, testing and so on. Learning how to work with other people is one of the key skills good game developers have, and no time is too early to start. By the way, having tried both team sports and roleplaying games, I prefer D&D and Fading Suns (blatant plug) for developing my teamwork skills.
  • Put together a computer. Well, at least swap out a video card or something. I am still amazed at the number of students I saw who had never opened their computer and really had no idea how it functioned. Yes, I once set fire to a modem card this way, but it was a learning experience.
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