From Players to Creators: Diving into the Video Game Industry

Digital Citizen

With Frank Lee, Shawn Pierre, and Jessica Creane, we discuss the future of the video game landscape and the transition from game player to game maker. We explore what draws people into the gaming space, what video games mean to the people who play and create them, and what gaming organizations are doing to push the narrative.

Episode Notes

Discover the real-world applications of gaming, how to get into the game making community, video game conferences that you need to know, events that test game makers’ skills, and suggestions from coaches in the video game world.

▶️ Guest Interview

• Learn more about Frank Lee and his work at Drexel.
• Read about Shawn Pierre’s work at New York University.
• Take a look at Jessica Creane’s work at iKantKoan Games.
• Check out the Independent Games Festival (IGF).
• Explore Games for Change and Everything Immersive.
• Learn more about TechGirlz and Philly Game Mechanics.

🗣️ Discussion Points

• Special guests Frank Lee, Shawn Pierre, and Jessica Creane are three video game makers and educators from the Philadelphia area.
• Generally, a video game is a game played on a computer device. Many people play video games to connect with others. Video games provide an outlet for creativity, power, and control in a very curated way that we often don’t get in daily life.
• The barriers to creating games have significantly decreased in the last five years. Sometimes, creators have an easier time getting their work out there and placing it into a storefront for free. However, this also means that there is more competition in the field than ever before.
• If you want to make games, try to mod games that already exist rather than creating something new from scratch. This will allow you to experiment without having to build tools yourself. If you enjoy that, then you may start creating entire levels. If you’re not comfortable with this creative software yet, start with board games and think about how systems are used to engage people.
• Shawn says by educating people on video games, you teach them to think critically and solve problems for themselves in a coaching role.
• In discussing coaching work, Jessica talks about how she supports people with the execution of becoming game makers. She helps them find buoyancy in transformation and reminds them that even in fictional games, everything is real– the team and the people who will play the game are real.
• Frank also suggests being proactive in the types of games that kids play and what can be a positive and negative experience for them.

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