“Developing Indie Games” took place Saturday at 1PM in Augusta E-H (Westin) began with explosive energy. The devs were excited to share their knowledge and the crowd reciprocated the feelings, excited to soak up as much knowledge as possible. Moderated by Andrew Greenberg and including panelists Alexander Taylor, Jesse Jacobson, Tim Lindsey, and Harrison Giles Pink, the indie devs began with talking about how someone interested in game development should get started. Several recommendations were provided, which boiled down to a few things:

• Networking: Get to know people in the industry.
• Develop the skills needed to do what you want to do, whether that be programming, writing, design, art, quality assurance, or one of the many other facets involved in game development.
• Just do the thing! Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to make a game. Make what you want to play.

The next topic of conversation was forming a team. While some game devs go into it solo, the general consensus was that teams are better than solo for several reasons. A summarized breakdown of the information provided follows:

• Enthusiasm, excitement, and knowledge of what is expected (i.e. you will be a piece of the puzzle and need to collaborate with many others to bring this project to life.)
• A willingness to learn.
• Providing a strength to fill in weaknesses of others on the team. (Everyone cannot be good at everything, so it is important to find balance with skill sets.)
• Flexibility in collaboration is important, as is diversity in backgrounds and skill-sets.

The next topic was how to get the game done. It was a good question, and as such difficult to answer. Sometimes, the most complex questions have simple answers. 

• It doesn’t end, not really. There is always something to do.
• PLAY YOUR GAME! Every weekend. Make time to play the game you are making.
• Understanding players don’t know what you don’t show them. Knowing when the game is tight and bundled for delivery.
• You will never be able to do everything you want to do in a game. Distill the experience and do one thing well.

The next topic of discussion was launching your indie game: how and where to do it? Their responses are summarized below:

• Get reviews and wish lists on Steam for the algorithm.
• Look at other people’s games to see what they are doing and support their game. If enough people do this, games get the reviews they need to reach that 500 milestone that brings a game to “Overwhelmingly Positive.”
• Build a community! You want to convert people to be fans of your company, not necessarily your game.

The panel concluded with a Q&A and a meet and greet, where aspiring game developers were able to introduce themselves to like-minded individuals. It was an educational and entertaining experience. Each presenter was passionate about their line of work, and that passion shone through with their presentation. For anyone who missed it and is interested in indie game development, I would highly recommend you make time for it in your schedule next year! (Easier said than done, trust me, I know!)