About

It’s the best way for me to improve, and you always answer me the same thing: “Yes, but I’ve never developed video games, I’m not up to it! ยป. Believe me, you’re wrong! You don’t need to have already developed a video game to participate in a games. Stress takes care of everything and will put you in a situation where you will feel compelled to produce a game.

Since 2013, I regularly participate in games. It has become my biggest source of motivation to continue developing video games. Indeed, I have observed that gamess make it possible to learn much faster. That’s why I built Informalecco website for gamers to learn more about gaming design.

To give you an example, I am currently developing a video game in my free time called “Super Francis World” and I have made a list of tasks. In this list, I wrote: “Create UMG Menu interface”. Since I had a lot to do next door and this task was not my priority, I kept pushing it back. I didn’t really want to learn how to use UMG (this “EU4 tool” that allows you to create interfaces and menus). However, during a games, I observed that I could not ignore UMG and that I absolutely had to learn how to use it. And since then, Super Francis World has also received its super interface from UMG;)

With this example, what I want you to understand is that games imposes beneficial constraints on us that force us to learn things and improve.

I guess most of you have never developed video games before. I stand by my comments about the games. You must all try to participate. Don’t see this as a confrontation with other developers but rather as an enriching experience. You will learn new techniques, discover technologies and software to make your life easier, meet other developers who have encountered the same difficulties in the past, etc.

To give you an example, during my first games with Unreal Engine 4, I thought to myself, “I’m going to make a game without coding in C++ to prove that you can only make a game with Blueprint”. Try to set yourself challenges like this. Even if at the end of the time limit you have not succeeded in achieving all the objectives you had set for yourself, you will be surprised by everything you have learned in such a short time!

All these people I encouraged to participate in a games managed to create a video game. Since then, they have continued on the path of video game development and do not expect to abandon it any time soon.

How does a games work?
To begin with, there are two types of games: those you need to visit IRL (on-site, In Real Life) and those that are accessible from the Internet. For the first category, the “Global games” is the best known. The atmosphere is excellent and you will meet great people with great talent. Every year we find heads known there as Doc Geraud or G-E2. Check out the official website for more information.

If you have never developed video games before, I recommend that you start doing so on the Internet. The games that I particularly like is called “Ludum Dare”. It takes place 3 times a year and offers two types of competitions: one 48-hour competition for people working alone, and the other 72-hour competition for those who prefer to work in a team. You must respect each time an imposed theme (the same for all). There is nothing to gain except the recognition of other gamesers and the personal satisfaction of having gained in skills while pushing your limits.

When you participate in your first games, try to get in the mood. Check the site from time to time for the progress of other developers and above all, try to do everything you can to finish a game. Of course, in the end, your first game will probably be bad, extremely buggy and maybe even unplayable. And that’s perfectly normal! You only had 48 hours to realize it. Shame: The goal of a first games is to prove to yourself that you can achieve something in such a short time. However, nothing will stop you from continuing the development of this game once the games is over. By the end of this one, you will have proven to yourself that you are capable of making a video game. And that is undoubtedly the most important thing!