You want to make your own game, but you’re unsure of the risks. What if your game falls flat on its face?
In this two-part session, James will share what he’s learned from 5 years of being an indie game developer, covering topics such as concept development and choosing the right game to make, to getting support for your game, tips on self publishing and guerrilla marketing!
Part 1 – The Essence Of An Awesome Game
Having scored a cult hit with Coconut Dodge and soon to do it again with Velocity, James will share a formula he believes is at the heart of all awesome games. Using Coconut Dodge and Velocity as examples, he will reveal what makes them tick, and how their essence can be understood and applied to make more awesome games. Is this talk free?! Yes.
Part 2 – Getting Support For Your Game
As a complete unknown to the games industry, and with a game that wasn’t particularly groundbreaking or noteworthy, FuturLab managed to get support for Coconut Dodge from a global publisher and a leading platform holder; editorial coverage from some of the world’s most influential gaming sites and built a loyal fan base along the way.
With Velocity, FuturLab secured private investor funding, a PlayStation Plus deal and further games-press support before launch.
James will share exactly how this was done supported by anecdotal evidence, and will provide tips on how other indie teams can do the same!
At the end of this marathon games session, anyone with a burning passion to create their own indie success story will have a significant head start!
Biography
James Marsden has been following a path of most resistance since graduating from a Fine Art degree in 2001. Starting FuturLab in 2003 as a vehicle to realise ideas, James has jumped across a series of ladders from high street ecommerce websites, through e-learning and Flash games, via an international marketing campaign for Sony Computer Entertainment, and is now happy directing and publishing indie games for PlayStation and iOS. Along the way he’s had a hand in every aspect of digital media production including motion graphics, programming, sound design and music. He co-wrote and co-produced the soundtrack for Velocity with award winning Killzone composer Joris de Man, and is also writing a science fiction novel - which he believes will make him rich…
Twitter: @FuturLab
Tickets available from: http://dotbrighton14mar2012.