When you compare early games like the original Prince of Persia, Aladdin or Mortal Kombat to modern classics such as Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed or World of Warcraft, it’s the proverbial chalk and cheese scenario. Modern games are more immersive and expansive, the gameplay is intuitive, and the visuals are just stunning.
I decided to work on a new game and give GameDev Challenge a shot
Then there are the budgets. Developing games has become as expensive as producing movies. Just consider that the budget for developing Halo 4 was close to €74 million, while Star Wars: The Old Republic cost €150 million to make. The returns for publishers and developers are equally lucrative.
Games have also become more accessible. Consoles and computers are not the only platforms – you can play casual games on your smartphone and tablet.
Accessibility isn’t just a bonus for players. The backstage to developing games has changed – nowadays, games are developed by teams working around the globe. The door to game development is open.
Locally, game development is also advancing to the next stage. International companies have set up base in Malta and are employing local developers. Moreover, educational institutions are helping young talent turn their passion for gaming into a career.
Apart from offering game development as part of its curriculum, St Martin’s Institute of IT also organises the annual GameDev Challenge. For this challenge, several students from St Martin’s, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, and the University of Malta team up to create a game from scratch over a five-month period. The students are guided by St Martin’s lecturers as well as by industry veteran Gareth Lewis.
Josef Farrugia, winner of the third edition of the GameDev Challenge, certainly didn’t have an easy time winning the GameDev Challenge. First of all, the competition was tough – all the six teams had great games. Then his other teammates from the Go Far team didn’t live up to the team’s name and gave up on the project. Still, Mr Farrugia decided to develop another game on his own. His hard work and late nights paid off and his game Fireworks was declared winner.
Mr Farrugia, 23, didn’t originally pursue his studies to develop games. Rather, his background is banking, finance and management, which he studied at university.
“After graduating, I started working at a local bank. However, I didn’t feel that it was my calling and so decided to read for a B.Sc. (Hons) in Creative Computing,” he says.
Mr Farrugia has always had a passion for gaming.
“I’ve been playing games since I was a child,” he says. “My favourite genre is role-playing. I’ve spent hours playing Call of Duty, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft II.”
Another factor which fuelled his decision to pursue gaming as a career is that the local market is developing fast.
“Gaming is a massive industry and locally, there are a number of gaming companies which are recruiting local talent. Another option for me is to eventually launch a start-up – the casual and indie gaming industry allows for small teams to develop and launch their own games.”
Mr Farrugia was going to participate in the GameDev Challenge when he was still in his first year at St Martin’s. However, he decided to wait and then give it a shot when he had progressed to his second year.
“I then joined a team and we started working on a puzzle game. The format of the GameDev Challenge gives you the chance to develop. For instance, every two weeks, we meet up with our mentor to give a progress report and discuss technical issues.
“Following some misunderstandings in the team, I was left on my own. The original game we were developing was too complex for me to develop on my own. Still, I decided to work on a new game and give GameDev Challenge a shot.”
Mr Farrugia’s decision paid off.