Southwest Michigan Game Developers Association’s Post

🌍 Are you gearing up for Global Game Jam 2025? Whether you’re a first-time participant or looking to improve your game jam skills, this guide is here to help! Discover: ✅ Tips for beginners ✅ How to collaborate effectively ✅ The best tools for making games fast (including hyperPad—perfect for non-coders!) 48 hours, one theme—are you ready to create something amazing? Start preparing today! 📖 Read the guide https://lnkd.in/g7u5JhqB #gamedev #DevTools #iPad

Whether you're here to explore game creation as a fun hobby or to build your next big commercial success, our platform is built for you. It’s user-friendly enough for beginners to learn quickly, yet powerful enough to cater to the needs of professional developers. Start creating games now, prototype ideas easily, and take your creations to the marketplace. Pros: - Simple for beginners to start creating - Fast prototyping and iterations for experienced users - Opportunities to commercialize your work - All-in-one platform for all stages of game development Cons: - Learning curve for more complex tools - Less customizable than some professional engines Start your game creation journey today with a platform that grows with you! #GameDevelopmentMadeEasy #PrototypeAndCreate #GameDevCommunity #HobbyToCommercial #CreateGames

Our platform offers an inclusive environment for both amateurs and experienced developers. For newcomers, the intuitive tools help you get started quickly, while for seasoned game creators, the flexibility and advanced features provide endless possibilities for experimentation and prototyping. Whether you're making games as a hobby or to sell, you’ll find everything you need right here. Pros: - Ideal for beginners and experts - Quick start for hobbyists - Prototyping tools for more serious projects - Commercialize your games Cons: - Might need additional learning for advanced features - Community and support could be more robust Take the leap and bring your game ideas to life today! #GameCreation #AmateurToExpert #GameDevJourney #PrototypingTools #GameDevelopment #CommercializeYourGame

Here's how we're making Web3 game development accessible to everyone. The Web3 gaming ecosystem is evolving rapidly. That's why we've created multiple paths to help developers succeed. Our support system includes: ↳ Online Learning - E-learning platform with certification courses - Interactive developer workshops - Active Discord community with dedicated support team ↳ Personal Support - Physical presence in core markets - Direct developer relationship building - Hands-on technical guidance We believe in the power of both online and offline support. Our team is available 24/7 through Discord to answer your questions and guide your Web3 journey. Ready to build the future of gaming? Join our developer community at Elympics!

Engaging with your community can be one of the most powerful assets in game development. Community-driven development allows players to shape the game they love, fostering a sense of ownership and loyalty. There are several ways to involve your community: 📣 Gather Feedback: Regularly gather feedback during development stages through forums or social media. 🗳️ Use Polls and Surveys: Let players vote on features or content, giving them a direct say in the game's development. 🎮 Early Access Releases: Release early versions of the game to allow players to test and provide insights. 💬 Community Channels: Create dedicated channels (like Discord) where players can interact and feel like they’re part of the journey. Tips and Tricks for Effective Community Engagement: 🤗 Acknowledge Contributions: Publicly acknowledge and thank community members for their contributions, such as feedback, artwork, or bug reports. This fosters a sense of appreciation and loyalty. 🎁 Exclusive Rewards: Offer exclusive in-game items, early previews, or community badges to engaged members as a way to reward them for their participation. 📅 Regular Updates: Keep your community in the loop by providing regular development updates. Whether it’s weekly or monthly, staying transparent builds trust and keeps excitement alive. 📺 Live Streams and Q&A Sessions: Host live streams where developers answer community questions or showcase the development process. This personal connection can significantly boost community morale. This approach doesn’t just build a fanbase—it creates advocates who will promote your game and stick with you long-term. Some of the most successful games, such as Hades by Supergiant Games, benefited immensely from community involvement and feedback during development. #GameDev #CommunityDriven #PlayerFeedback #IndieGames #EarlyAccess #GameDesign #Engagement

Building a game on Discord? 🚀 Sounds unconventional, but for our collaborative city builder, it’s the perfect fit. This marks my debut as an #IndieDev! Mura, the NeighbourBuilder, a collaborative city builder... on Discord! 🏙️ After 3 months of works, you can add Mura to your Discord Server: - Build a cozy village on your Discord server 🏡✨💬 - Discuss your collaborative strategy with your friends! 🤝📈🏗️ - Cuddle your pet collection 🐾💞🫶 Curious? Try Mura now 👉 link in comments But WHY on discord? 🤨 I know, Discord might sound like an unusual platform for a game, but for something as collaborative as this, it makes perfect sense. The community-focused environment create the ideal setting to create together! Besides, what better way to introduce a game to your friends than by bringing it directly onto their daily discussion platform? #DiscordGames are like placing a game on your friends’ table—they can’t miss it. Now it’s up to us to make it something they are eager to try! More questions? I’m eager to know your interrogations in comments! 💭 So... WHAT does it look like? 🤨 It’s.. text? Sure, bots interact through messages, but you can also use pictures, GIFs, buttons, etc. You can create any game you want—it's all about designing the interface between the game and the players! What next? 🚀 This version is an alpha. We’re eager to test our core features and validate that we’re onto something great. Next, I’ll dig even deeper into how to foster positive social interactions through village construction. This is a fascinating area yet that’s still not enough explored, in my opinion. 💌 And #DiscordCommunity are perfect to experiment new things! Do you think this kind of game are bringing something different to gaming? 💭 Add Mura to your server now 👉 link in comments

A bit like the Elite Four, Games Research seems complex and intimidating… the first time you do it. When you eventually get to the Elite Four with your trusty Charizard you’re gonna meet the highest level trainers, there’s no getting out of there without fainting or winning and there’s also kinda 5 of them. Sounds a lot like Game Freak modeled this off of game development 😅 The first games came out over 20 years ago and things still feel the same. I’m a firm believer that research should be easy, quick and accessible enough that a game studio can do it frequently and throughout the entire game development process. Just like the folks at Valve corporation do. When you make it a repeatable process and build up inertia in your organization you’ll be fascinated with how fast you can get insights. But that's not how it goes, is it? The more “serious” things become, the more complicated they seem. And the more complicated they seem, the higher the barrier to entry, and the less likely it is to become a regular part of your workflow. You should never wait until things are "ready to test." You don't have to wait until you've made the decisions. (Heck, you don't even have to wait until you have a prototype). Myself and the team at PlaytestCloud work every day to make research easy, cost-efficient and scalable so your team gets the player insights they need to make games players love. We've just added a ton of new training and support for studios with research teams (and studios with no research teams, too) covering topics like: - better onboarding and FTUE - optimizing playtests for kids - monetization testing - advanced research methods & more You can DM me with questions or visit the our website for more 👀 #gamesuserresearch #gamesresearch #playtesting #GUR #gamedevelopment

🚀 To my fellow Linkediners, in a staggering feat of sheer genius and unrelenting determination, I have once again transcended the boundaries of human creativity. 🚀 In just a mere 24 hours—because why take longer, who needs the 96 hours they gave?—I single-handedly conceptualized, designed, and developed a game for the GMTK Game Jam 2024. Yes, you heard that right: 1 DAY. No sleep, just pure, unadulterated brilliance. 🎮 Behold, “Subjective Scaling,” a game so revolutionary, so paradigm-shifting, that it could very well redefine the way we perceive not just games, but the fabric of reality itself. 🌌 As someone who naturally excels in everything I touch—whether it’s web development, solving unsolvable problems, or, you know, just casually reinventing the concept of scale—I knew it was my duty to bring this vision to life. The world needed it, and I delivered. 💪 For those who dare to witness the pinnacle of human achievement, I graciously offer you a glimpse into my latest masterpiece: https://lnkd.in/g8taJ65C But let’s not kid ourselves—this is more than a game. It’s a movement. A testament to what can be achieved when one operates at the intersection of genius, creativity, and, quite frankly, superhuman work ethic. 💥 👑 Bow down to the future of gaming. Or don’t—after all, not everyone can handle this level of innovation. #NextLevelGenius #BowDown #GameDesignGod #BeyondHuman #InnovatorExtraordinaire #SubjectiveScaling #GMTKGameJam2024

The games industry's unique DNA (versus other consumer businesses): 1. Creative + Technical + Business - Most industries excel in 1-2, but gaming needs all three to succeed. 2. User engagement depth - 2-3hrs daily average in top games vs 15-30min in other consumer apps. Different level of commitment. 3. Live service complexity - Constant content creation - Real-time community management - Years of continuous development - Balancing retention/monetization daily 4. Massive hits constantly coming up - Each year, new studios create massive hits while many giants struggle to generate new success. - No matter the lack of new success, the incumbents can do well. A great game can last a decade+. Name another internet-age consumer product with that lifecycle.

🚀 How Early Access Drives Indie Game Success and Player Engagement 🎮 Early Access can be a game-changer for indie developers, offering a way to build community and gather valuable feedback. This article from Wardrome explores how launching in Early Access can not only drive player engagement but also lead to a more refined and successful final product. Discover the benefits of Early Access and how it can set your game up for long-term success. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eZw9txTJ #IndieGameDev #EarlyAccess #PlayerEngagement #GameDevelopment #IndieGames