On February 23, local indie game developers displayed their games for playtesting at Dawson College. I was really excited to attend as I felt it would let me get a feel for the indie game scene and teach me what I should aim for if I want to make my own games. When I arrived I wasn’t disappointed. I play-tested about a dozen games in my time there, and what was especially interesting is that none of them were even remotely similar. I’d be playing a 2D underground survival game one minute, and then I’d move on to the next game, in which I was given no instructions and had to find out what I needed to do myself. It was a great example of showing how people in this field have so many different ideas and directions to take them in. Attending this event gave me a look at what’s emerging out of the game industry: Smaller teams and studios that have creativity to make up for their smaller budget, and they prove that you don’t need to be too flashy with your money or name-recognition in order to make something memorable.
While the games I play-tested were great by themselves, I also had the chance to talk to their developers. This was great because we talked about the development of their games and what could be done to improve them rather than just taking a survey of what I thought. I knew that these games were made by small teams yet it was still impressive to learn that some of the games I tested were made with only two, or even just one person. It was great to know because not only does it show the creativity someone can have, but it also offers encouragement to me about the games I can make by myself. I hope to attend more of these events in the future, as it will give me the chance to meet more people, and learn more about what’s possible for me.
