bitlink

ESS ID: 100568157

Gamesfest is an 8 week course (2 days a week) where you learn creative technology skills used by game designers.

During Gamesfest, we'll think about how games are made, how they're sold and some of the industries that are closely adjacent to games, but might not be obviously so.

Like many things, the value you get out of this program is going to mostly be determined by the effort you put into it.

Gamesfest Topic Examples

During Gamesfest, we will discuss many different subjects in relation to the gaming industry.

Here are some examples, to give you an idea of some of the topics we will be covering during the 8 weeks:

• What does a game designer do?
• What does a game artist do?
• What does an audio engineer do?
• What does a narrative designer do?
• Programming fundamentals.
• Posters and visual design.
• Game design, playtesting and iteration.
• Build your own arcade game.
• Pitching your game idea.
• Video production.
• Vlogging and streaming.
• Marketing and social media.
• Managing teams.
• Quality assurance.
• Community management.
• Games journalism and press kits.
• Crowdfunding.

Gamesfest - Game Engine Expectations

The program runs for a period of 16 days total (2 days p.w. for 8 weeks), which is not enough time to fully design, code, and playtest an ambitious 3D game.

During Gamesfest we will go through a Game Design Document, as well as various other processes used in the video game industry; and so to allow for this practice and learnings to be completed properly, participants will be challenged to create a 2D game and push themselves creatively within the parameters they are given.

Gamesfest participants will be using the Microsoft MakeCode Arcade engine, due to numerous beneficial factors that will be explained during the program, and so the Gamesfest program won't be a time to explore alternate game engines that potentially have steeper learning curves.

Gamesfest - Past Participant Examples (2022)

This video showcases some of the finished video games created by our 2022 Gamesfest participants, using the Microsoft MakeCode Arcade engine.

It is important to note that there were many different types of games completed during our last Gamesfest program; and that there is plenty of room to explore and be creative through the completion of your very own original video game.

Here are a few ideas that we'd love for you to think about if you're interested in attending:

Be open to doing new things.

• This is a program that tries to help you become more well-rounded, it's not a program for intensively building a new specialisation. We're going to explore a lot of topics along the way.
  
  We'll do some programming, we'll make art assets, we'll work with design and video production tools, and we'll spend a lot of time thinking about the games we play.
  
  Chances are, some sessions will be more aligned to your existing interests than others, but if you make an effort to genuinely engage with everything, you'll be grateful that you did.
  

'T-shaped People'

• In the Valve Software employee handbook, they make a point of saying they "value "T-shaped people". They're talking about people who are both generalists, who are skilled at a range of different things (that's the horizontal bar at the top of the T), and also experts, people who are among the best in their field at one particular thing (that's the vertical stem of the T).
  
  We'd like for you to think about Gamesfest as being an opportunity to become a more T-shaped person. We have a wide range of sessions and activities planned; the key will be to stay open to new ideas and experiences, even if they take you a bit outside of your normal comfort zone.
  

Try to work with everyone.

• There's going to be a lot of group work in this program. If group work, public speaking and being a part of a team is something that you've found challenging in the past, Gamesfest is going to be a safe place to get some practice.
  
  Being able to get to know other people and quickly build rapport is an invaluable skill for job interviews, and Gamesfest will be an opportunity to practice that as well.
  

This is an opportunity to practice.

• We're not going to be grading your work, so this is an opportunity to practice, try things that might not work and learn from failures in a low-risk environment.
  
  You won't become a high-end expert in anything by the end of this program, but you might discover new talents and interests that you want to explore further. Take the opportunity to give things a go.
  

Go deeper if you want to.

• Due to the nature of this program, we won't be able to go too deep into any of the topics that we cover, but if you want to explore something further in your own time, please do!
  
  Gamesfest is the tip of a very interesting iceberg that people spend their entire working lives traversing, if you want to explore further, please do and we'll support you as best we can.
  

Keep applying for jobs.

• Gamesfest is a long program and we don't want you to feel like you shouldn't be applying for jobs along the way. If you get a job and need to withdraw from the program, that's totally OK! If that bothers you, because you're enjoying the program and want to see it through, then let us know and we'll make sure you get access to all of our resources and some extra time from the Bitlink team when the program concludes.
  
  Also, if you see a job that you're excited about, please consider Bitlink to be additional members for your support team. We'll be happy to help you workshop your resume and cover letters and prepare for interviews, just let us know and we'll make some time available for you.
  

This is a starting point, not a destination.

• Please consider Gamesfest to be a launchpad. If we've done our job well, it will give you lots of ideas for things you can keep exploring and skills you can keep developing. It's a starting point, not a destination.
  
  
  ______________________________________________________

Online workshops will be held in this Zoom room: https://utas.zoom.us/j/87943589647

Face-to-face workshops will be held at:

Enterprize Hobart ( Lvl 5/24 Davey St, Hobart TAS 7000).

You will be able to register for Gamesfest in the coming weeks, by quoting the Activity ID of the program, to your local Workforce Australia provider.

In the meantime, if you have any further questions about the program, you can contact the event organisers at:
troy@bitlink.com.au

These programs have been made possible by the Workforce Australia Local Jobs Program (funding partner) and Workskills Tasmania (partnering provider).

Workforce Australia Local Jobs is funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.