Four weeks sometimes feel like a long time but I am sure it just felt like it went passed so quickly in the mind of all the students involved in the making of Bears of War, Asylum Runner, Montezumania and Audio Grav.
Over a month ago, we introduced the four teams about to embark on their first game development production time since they started on the Graduate Diploma of Game Development in March 2009. For some (mainly the programmers), this wasn't the first game that they had ever produced, but for others it was an important first time, that was as exciting as it was scary.
- Ghost bear from Asylum Runner (work by Chevy McGoram)
In hindsight, I don't think they really realised what it meant to most of them - making their first ever game. But students can now consider themselves as game developers. Sure, they are still students and learning the trade, but I personally look at them as developers now more that even before. And they truly are.
Why? Well, because they actually have produced a game. And that's one game more I have ever produced. But also because their games are actually great. When you take into consideration that it was their first game, they only had four weeks of actual production and they all built their own game engine (programmers) from scratch, this is an achievement.
Mike Porter, Game Art tutor on the course says, "I told my students that they should all be very proud of themselves. They accomplished something extremely challenging in a very short period and did so with remarkable results. There were many inter-personal and technical challenges, but they overcame these quite well. I am extremely proud of each of them."
- Montezumania by team RedLight
Tomorrow, all four titles will be showcased at Media Design School in Auckland (NZ) to the public, and later to some industry guests. It is an informal feedback session and a great opportunity to hear what "consumers" out there have to say. And soon, those games will be available for download so you too, at home, can have a go at playing them. So stay tuned for more information about where and when. And until then, if you are walking around our neighbourhood, come up to Media Design School tomorrow Friday (11 December 2009) for a play.
