Summary
Highlights
The session kicks off with an introduction to previous Gaming Academy participants, Leen and Ahmed, who share their personal paths from casual gamers to developers, highlighting the importance of the academy for networking and starting projects.
Leen and Ahmed offer actionable advice, including managing project scope, being curious about all aspects of development, and the importance of asking for help regardless of technical skill level.
Emphasis is placed on leadership roles within a team, the necessity of clear communication during the design process, and leveraging the Gaming Academy for professional networking and career growth.
The panel answers community questions regarding engine selection (Unity vs. Godot vs. Unreal), how to source assets, validating game mechanics through prototyping, and managing project data configurations.
The discussion concludes with advice on utilizing free resources over paid courses, the value of building genuine friendships over networking for show, and the importance of just starting the development process.