An introduction
Hello and welcome to the blog! Before I start talking about games production properly, I want to discuss my reasons for creating this blog and sharing my experience in the first place.
I am a game design student based in Dublin, Ireland, at a time when the Games industry in this country is predicted to generate an insane $804 MILLION USD in revenue in 2025.Despite these nearly incomprehensible figures, the games industry in Ireland often feels impenetrable to aspiring developers, designers and producers who don't wish to take the indie route.
But how come? Well, Many medium and large game development studios with a presence here in Dublin have lofty requirements for entry level careers; A quick google search while writing revealed an entry level producer role with a minimum requirement of 3 years prior experience, preferably on a Triple-A title.(Triple-A or AAA is defined as "video games produced or distributed by a mid-sized or major publisher"). This, coupled with the additional requirement of a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study means we're talking 6-7 years work for a decent shot at an interview!
But what about a small studio? Smaller studios here don't often have the resources to hire additional staff, and very few are in a position to take on interns, even in unpaid roles. In fact, many games industry workers that I've spoken to have had to move abroad in order to secure the necessary work experience to qualify for a role here in Ireland.
So what can I do? As I write this, I'm 3 years into a 4 year Bachelor's Degree in Game Design from a relatively well respected college. I've also previously completed a diploma in "Professional" Game Design, whatever that means. So far so good, but I'm missing a vital component. A portfolio of completed work. Something that changes me from an "aspiring" producer into...a producer! So I got together with some friends from college and we've been making a game.
I created this blog so that I can document this experience, as well as any useful production knowledge I pick up along the way. You can check out some of my previous prototypes and notable work on itch.io, or take a look at the game at the center of this blog on Steam.
Statistics on Game Industry revenue here: https://www.statista.com/outlook/amo/media/games/ireland
Itch page here: https://damegev.itch.io/
BattleClaws on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2835960/BattleClaws/