This week i'll be doing something for the first time in my life: teaching aspiring game developers through a course run by Every1Games. Here are some of the reasons that i'm so excited:
1) We're in a golden age of game development
Everyone on the planet will soon have access to an internet connected touch device. Everyone, that's right, everyone on the planet. It may take 4 years. It may take 6 years. Whatever the exact date, soon everyone will have a touch device.
If you can build something interesting the impact you can have is unparalleled. By getting young game developers excited about the opportunities in the field, I hope to excite them about the impact they can have in the world.
2) The best way to solidify understanding is to teach
If you want to truly understand something, try to teach it to others. Something I discovered in University was how much I learned when tutoring students. Over the past several years I've learnt a great deal about game design and development - by teaching I hope to solidify my understanding even more.
3) Building your own games is even more fun than playing games
As a kid I loved to play games. I'll never forget staying up all night playing my friend's commodore 64 River Raid. I'll never forget being introduced to Castle Wolfenstein on our Apple II by my oldest brother. The rush of playing a great game is amazing. It draws you in and holds you. But i've found something even more powerful - making the games yourself. I've played games on my phone that only i've played, in the whole world. Games i've made, games i've crafted, games i've polished. And guess what, that feeling is even better than playing the games made by others.
If nothing else, I hope to inspire these young game developers to find that feeling. To feel that rush. Make something no one else in the world has ever seen, and then share it with the world.
1) We're in a golden age of game development
Everyone on the planet will soon have access to an internet connected touch device. Everyone, that's right, everyone on the planet. It may take 4 years. It may take 6 years. Whatever the exact date, soon everyone will have a touch device.
If you can build something interesting the impact you can have is unparalleled. By getting young game developers excited about the opportunities in the field, I hope to excite them about the impact they can have in the world.
2) The best way to solidify understanding is to teach
If you want to truly understand something, try to teach it to others. Something I discovered in University was how much I learned when tutoring students. Over the past several years I've learnt a great deal about game design and development - by teaching I hope to solidify my understanding even more.
3) Building your own games is even more fun than playing games
As a kid I loved to play games. I'll never forget staying up all night playing my friend's commodore 64 River Raid. I'll never forget being introduced to Castle Wolfenstein on our Apple II by my oldest brother. The rush of playing a great game is amazing. It draws you in and holds you. But i've found something even more powerful - making the games yourself. I've played games on my phone that only i've played, in the whole world. Games i've made, games i've crafted, games i've polished. And guess what, that feeling is even better than playing the games made by others.
If nothing else, I hope to inspire these young game developers to find that feeling. To feel that rush. Make something no one else in the world has ever seen, and then share it with the world.
RSS Feed
