My Game Dev Path

I’ve always had a desire to create my own games. However, I’m not a “one man studio”. While I’m a writer/designer, I’m a pseudo-programmer, and a novice (at best) artist. This has always bothered me, because I was unable to make the games as polished-looking as I’d like. Plus, when you come home from a full-time job to chores, errands, exercise, spouse, and relaxation, it’s really hard to make the time to continue working!

I started by using Macromedia Director (a relative of Adobe Flash) back in the mid-90s, making menu systems and the like. It was, however, never a web-platform, because the file sizes often got too large (especially for back then!). I made the jump to Adobe (then Macromedia) Flash around 2003, and had a good experience with it. Like Director, it was not dominated by programming – you could design assets in the paint-like interface, and then assign code to each. This ease of use encouraged me to make it the defacto language in my high school programming courses. Students were able to get results quickly, and were able to make much more advanced programs quickly than if they were locked into something like Java. While these courses encouraged me to brush up on my Flash skills, I never advanced beyond what was required of the courses I taught (which, generally, was not incredibly advanced). I was also discouraged by my lacking art skills, and the common problem of losing interest in the design.

(Unity3d)

Jumping to 2011, I’ve made it a mission to make some games this year. I’ve come across a new game engine that has been interesting to learn so far, called Unity3d. While complex, it is much easier to produce games with minimal code than the pure programming method. It is easier to create complex games than anything else I’ve seen, including 2d Flash. Conveniently, the common code for Unity3d is Javascript, which is very similar to Actionscript. Thus, the programming concepts and style I learned in Flash translate well to Unity3d. The biggest problem with Unity3d is that it is a 3d engine, and thus requires 3d models to look proper. This requires me to learn something like 3d Studio Max, which is easily as big and complex a program as Unity! The only benefit is that educational users can get Autodesk programs for free with a legitimate educational email address. Time to examine the tutorials.

So where does that leave me? I’ve decided to pursue another form of motivation and training: a Master of Fine Arts in Game Design. As I already have the Educational background (B.Ed + M.Ed), it would be nice to get the other side of the coin – the development skills. I’m also able to take it fully online with SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), so it’s as portable as I am. Plus, the degree would provide deadlines and an active process of building a portfolio, both of which I sorely need. I’m just hoping they don’t hate on me too much with my poor traditional art skills. I need the training, which is why I’m applying!

- Al

Going over SDK training, trying out Unity

So I have been going back over my Source Development Kit training videos, both because I can’t remember how to do a couple things I need to do for some games I am working on, but also because I am also checking out Unity.  Unity is another development engine and as part of the collection we are looking at getting authoring software.  In other parts of the library we have productivity software to help people use our collections to their fullest.  We will do the same with the games collection.  Students and faculty author in gamic environments for various reasons, focusing on different areas of simulation and game design.  Many of them are already designing games or working in 3D environments like Second Life.  I don’t know if we will have Second Life, I am also going to be looking at Hero Engine, but in the end whatever we license I will also have to support it.  Hero Engine, only gives one development space per license, sort of like buying space in Second Life.  Unity has an asset store which makes it attractive as we also want to purchase the assets that are needed in to build 3D environments.  We will have Valve’s SDK, possibly Unity, maybe even Unreal.  Still testing, and as a result open to suggestions.   (Jerremie)