Fair Play: 10 Ways to Contribute to the Game Development Community

Five years ago, I published an article detailing how budding game developers could leverage their talents to break into the industry and/or produce noteworthy virtual experiences. Such advice remains true to this day, but it’s also true that I barely scratched the surface of what goes into game development–particularly when other people are involved.

Whereas the 2017 post focused on personal and hard skills, my goal with this write-up is to explore soft skills and the interpersonal side of things. While the following advice mostly pertains to interactions with other developers outside game production (i.e., at physical events or via social media), the overarching theme of being a good sport can also be applied to the context of developing a title with a team.

This article is geared for all skill levels and development backgrounds, but it can be especially useful for those looking for more ways and opportunities to interact more frequently with fellow developers outside studio environments.

---

1 – Join Groups. Of course, one’s less likely to become a team player if they don’t take the chance to partake in group activities–hence the importance of seeking out collectives. Whether it’s an established organization like the International Game Developers Association or an online community such as Work with Indies, a game developer should muster the courage and humility to bond with fellow talents and, in turn, build and polish the interpersonal skills they need to promote a healthy learning environment within the context of game production. The good news is that such communities tend to have few if any barriers to entry–the only condition being thorough adherence to community guidelines–so there’s hardly anything to lose from merely joining a group.

2 – Offer Feedback. As mentioned in my 2017 article, receiving and respecting feedback forms a crucial part of being a great game developer. What’s just as important, however, is offering said feedback to others–especially when you find yourself in a position of authority and/or with lots of experience under your belt that can prove useful to those who need creative guidance. From commenting on a piece of work that someone shares online to handing out tips at the end of a mock interview session, there are several opportunities for you to help others self-actualize. The only thing to be mindful of while giving feedback is to exercise tact. For a better understanding of how that can be achieved, feel free to review the Critical Response Process by Liz Lerman.

3 – Review Resumes, Portfolios, and Cover Letters. While technically part of the previous piece of advice, the tangibility of job hunting in the game development scene means that one should shine a spotlight on the three works that can make or break the profile of a game developer and job candidate. Be it through line-editing, margin comments, or URLs pointing to quality examples of applicant submissions, lending a second pair of eyes to others’ resumes, portfolios, and cover letters can help foster an atmosphere of encouragement and make the path to excellence less hazy for the one soliciting feedback. It can double as a learning experience for the reviewer since they may identify qualities and room for improvement in others’ works that they may keep in mind while polishing their own applications.

4 – Share Resources. Just because we can’t always be there for others and readily come up with the perfect answer to their requests for feedback and advice doesn’t mean we are unable to offer them anything of help. That’s where sharing game development resources comes in. Templates, exercises, articles, job boards… Whether prepared by you or someone else, online resources can be easy to dredge up and provide to those looking for guidance on their creative journey. The one thing to keep in mind when offering such information is to keep the roster as lean and pertinent as feasible. The last thing you want to do besides offering few to no resources is to overwhelm those you wish to help with resources that don’t address their needs.

5 – Make Yourself Open to Being Reached Out. While it’s true that we can’t always be there for others, that’s not to say that you can’t keep in touch with them outside of forums, physical events, and the like. Whether it involves sharing your contact information online or opening your DMs on Twitter, one should at least signal to others that they’re up for grabs in case they feel like they can make room on their schedule for handing out advice to fellow developers or having a simple chat with them. Making yourself available is especially important for those with lots of experience and/or in a position of authority since their insight can be of immense help to budding developers. I personally recommend checking out Joe Hobbs’s game developer contact list.

6 – Start Constructive, Fun Conversations on Game Development Facets and Events. When one’s not making stuff, they can oftentimes find themselves talking about it–especially with those who share their (understanding of the) craft. Game development’s no different, with talks about things like difficulty in From Software titles and studio acquisitions making the rounds on the Internet or at physical gatherings. The key to making such discussions productive and not just a timesink is to invite everyone to offer their detailed takes on the topic while respecting the others’ opinions and time. As with classrooms, you can’t have folks learn and understand if they’re disrupting the atmosphere by vying for superiority. Besides, exposing yourself to alternate ideas that challenge your thinking and make you grow is one of the ways a creative talent matures into a seasoned, open-minded professional.

7 – Organize Workshops and Game Jams. Of course, getting folks together for a chat isn’t the only way they can actively engage outside of their jobs or studies. Another way to have folks bond with one another in real-time is by organizing group work endeavors such as game jams and workshops that can bear unique themes for keeping things fresh in the long term and challenging developers to put their creativity to the test. Whether it’s crafting an experimental game with fellow developers or coming up with memorable NPC barks that others may review and provide feedback on, workshops and game jams help build community through labor–which can be a big incentive for those more eager to hone their chops outside of work.

8 – Promote Yourself to Inspire Others to Share Themselves. Given the interpersonal nature of this article, one might think that self-promotion goes against the idea of reaching out to and bonding with others. But remember that, like in all other industries, game development is a learning environment–a classroom, even. Whenever you speak up within a group–and provided you’re mindful of how much time you take and space you use on an online group’s timeline–you can use the opportunity to share your work and character with others, who in turn may be compelled to do the same and encourage more folks to follow suit. Ergo, self-promotion can translate into selflessness if one makes it their goal to have others shine by opening themselves up.

9 – Celebrate Others’ Achievements. When your fellow game developers do get to shine–say, by landing a job or whipping up an impressive piece they’re proud of–be sure to do to them as you would have others do to you: Sing their praises. On top of being the polite thing to do, celebrating another’s achievements can also tell the recipient that they’re on the right track with their creative growth–further encouraging them to keep the ball rolling while remaining open to making mistakes and learning from them to get progressively better at their craft. People will remember the support they got and be willing to return the favor later by offering advice, praise, and the like.

10 – Forge Genuine Relationships, not (Merely) Transactional Ones. True, we do need to reach out to others to get things (more easily) done. That said, other folks aren’t mere springboards for reaching and achieving lofty goals. That up-and-coming developer or high-profile industry professional you meet online or physically could turn out to be your next best chum for whom you cheer and from whom you learn–like any friend you make at school or work. Instead of setting your sights on successful outcomes (e.g., getting the job you want at your favorite company), focus on the here-and-now, on the process of befriending and understanding other community members without explicitly asking for anything in return. Should you play your cards right, your next best friends could hand you the information you want without being prompted!

---

The game development scene is a funny thing. On one hand, it’s a global endeavor that can be made less overwhelming to one’s mind by bearing a thorough understanding of how different people in different places work together to create different games. On the other, the game industry can feel small where word-of-mouth spreads fast thanks to the Internet. (So be careful not to be rude toward folks!)

With the advice I’ve provided in this article, you can feel more confident in your ability to embrace the unknown and treat the gaming community like a classroom in which you participate and share your most creative and inviting self. Besides, the worst that can happen from reaching out to others and seeking/giving feedback only comes to pass should you never take the first step.

It’s a big world out there, and we’ve got legs for a reason. ??

---

Let me know what you think of my post in the comments section, and feel free to ask me questions and share the article.

Twitter:?https://twitter.com/Watfen64

Facebook:?https://www.facebook.com/Michformer

Email:[email protected]