Getting Started

Making a game is as fun as playing a game. It brings together design, iteration, silliness, frustration, and success. But how to make a game?

This seems daunting. We promise, it’s not! We all play games, from playgrounds and boardgames around a dining room table, to smartphone games and console games.

Under the Training menu, we gather up tools and resources to help you get started.  These trainings are aimed at beginners who have never tried to develop a game before.  They include free tools for art, sound, and game engines, along with concepts of game design and structure.

But where do you begin?

Recruit a team – Gather a team with diverse skills and interest.  A range of experience and backgrounds can help build a strong submission.  From those who can write a good story to someone who can program, they can all contribute to a great game!

Make a plan – Just like building a robot, you need to make a schedule, divide the labor, and decide on the tools you’ll use to achieve your goals.  In a virtual world, it’s even more challenging.  One really important area you might not think about is Version Control.

Complete the training – Use the resources we have provided here or others you might find around the web to learn what goes in to designing a game.

Practice! – Even without knowing the official prompt of the Game Jam, you could make up your own to practice brainstorming, divvying up tasks, and using the skills you learned in training.  Check out the example below of the WPI Game Develop club brainstorming for a Game Jam!