When Will You Start

This is a guest post on GameChangers, a Toronto game development project I'm an advisor with.

People get their ideas in different places: the shower, driving, running, riding. Mine seem to come eating noodles.

In August 2009 my friend Jaime and I sat in a pho restaurant deep in discussion about video games. We reminisced about glorious Saturday mornings parked in front of the TV, disputed the merits of our favourite titles and sequels and developers, and lamented not having a group to play with anymore.

We both found our playing dropped dramatically around university. With our days full of engineering studies, travel, and becoming “grown-ups” there was little room for play. We’re not sure if it was the noodles or a flash of intuition but at that moment we decided to start the Gamercamp Festival which has grown from a one-day, fingers-crossed attendance of 50 people to three days, 1000+, and the biggest indie games event in Canada. More importantly, it introduced us to the vibrant game design community.

The Toronto games community is home to some of the kindest, most creative, and interesting people I’ve ever met and in the last two years running Gamercamp I’ve developed many lifetime friendships.

When asked to help with the Game Changers project, it was in the interest of further growing the diversity of this community that I agreed.

Despite the ongoing debates, games are a medium for artistic expression and as the pundits sling tweets and blog posts at one other, the makers have their heads down creating beautiful, exciting, and inspired play experiences. In my opinion, a game, a book, or photograph are equals in terms of artistic potential.

Game making tools are as accessible as pens and paper, cameras, and paint brushes – everyone can make games – but it can still be intimidating. This is where Game Changers comes in. It gathers the tools, knowledge and (most importantly) mentorship and guides people through the process.

More creators means more voices means a richer space. If you’ve ever thought about making a game, I’d like to encourage you to sign up  for the Game Changers info session on February 4 at 4pm (no experience necessary). Take a friend out for some noodles and come down – it could be the start of something great.