While on travel last week I had the pleasure of visiting one of the bastions of independent game development, Seattle Washington. It was amazing to share experiences with the diverse and driven community of developers, artist, and producers who help make the gaming community remarkable.
I had intended on making progress on Particle Shield during my trip but changed all my plans to experience the unique culture and learn from industry professionals. I was fortunate enough to meet some of the developers featured in the film when I attended a showing for Game Loading: Rise of the Indies at the EMP museum in downtown Seattle. This coupled with the amazing exhibit dedicated to independent game development made for quite the spectacle. Of course the displays were shadowed by the experience of actually playing the games only to turn around and find the individual who created it standing behind you! To meet other like-minded gamers who are all striving to create unique experiences was really special. Considering I develop in Memphis TN, opportunities to network are few and far between. I would highly recommend that aspiring developers take the time to visit the EMP museum and experience the Indie Game Revolution exhibit if you ever find yourself near the Seattle area. With the intentions of updating the titles which are featured, it is the perfect place to see what others in the community are creating for the Gamers.
Feeling motivated by the sense of community in the area I met several other game enthusiast and developers for an event which focuses again on independent creativity using another tool I am familiar with, the Unreal Engine. This too was a great experience as developers, artist, and gamers brought in their creations to share in the comforts of a great atmosphere. Again, I would highly recommend that others who aspire to join the industry take full advantage of events such as these. The community and available networking opportunities are absolutely worth it. Thanks again to those who provided insight and advice and I can't emphasize enough the importance of community!
What does this mean for Particle Shield? It means I am back on the grind and ready to wrap this game up!
