Game development in our region is still in its fetus state. Yet, no one can deny that it isn’t happening. Thanks to the internet many developers are creating content left and right while sitting in their own bedrooms. Tools such as Unity and Unreal aren't just simple “RPG Makers” but are actually game engines with multiple extensions and options that are capable of creating AAA titles."In Bahrain, life can get mundane (malal) pretty quickly and a lot of us end up spending our days in front of a monitor, so it was only a matter of time until locals jumped on the indie game dev wagon. Those people have now banded together the form the first official game dev group on the island.
The first meeting took place at BBIC institute in Muharraq. Ameen Altajer, who kicked off the meeting, wanted everyone to know what they’re getting involved in. Game development was new concept to many of us so that intro was probably the hardest part to pull off—which thankfully Ameen managed to do quite well. He further elaborated by describing his passion towards creating games in Unity while showing some of his work. He believes Untiy has a lot of potentials is a great way to start dipping your toes into game development scene without dealing with its overly complicated aspects.
Following Ameen was yours truly talking about what makes a game fun, unique, and valuable in the eyes of the consumer. In my segment I related a lot to my courses from Uni. One of my most memorable moments in class was learning the difference between a good game and a good game that sells. It’s a thin line but it makes a world of difference. The example I gave was relating killer 7 to Resident Evil 4.
While both games were amazing, one aimed for a niche market and sold poorly (Killer 7). The other was a well-established IP that attracted both new and old fans alike and sold millions of copies (Resident Evil 4). I also shared some Arabic influenced games and how we should always aim to be unique as opposed to following the mainstream.
Next was Hamad Al Hassan who had a very nice demo running making his presentation probably the most eye catching. His main focus was on the Unreal Engine. While it’s certainly looks more complicated he expressed that it’s a much more powerful engine than Unity and is built for big teams in mind.
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If you were wowed by that demo then you should know that wasn't his first attempt at game development. In fact, Hamad has worked for an official game company called Action Mobile Games where he developed the iOS title 2013 Infected Wars. It’s at this point I think everyone felt inspired. An “Arab game developer who actually worked on a game…and sold it?” it was interesting to utter these words and it definitely gave everyone hope. Currently though, Hamad is working as a freelancer with different groups & projects.
The last, but certainly not least, presenter was Nawaf Saeed who began by asking everyone what they do for a living and “If you were part of car, which part would you be?” (I choose wheel, because I like to roll). Honestly though, this had to be the most interesting part of the meeting as it involved everyone—including the listeners. One of them mentioned how they actually quit their job to focus on game development, which was then replied by a round of applause. It’s at that moment we realized the amount of risk it takes. Making games =\= salary of a decent job in the Arab world—at least none that I've heard of. Big risks are involved and if you expect to demo your game to a bunch of investors, well good luck. Nawaf shared his experience of demoing a game in front of investors. They were unimpressed because the graphics didn't look like Mass Effect. Well, that sucks. Of course this didn't discourage him as he is still perusing his dream.
I think that’s where it all comes down to—dreams. They can sometimes us possess to challenge the impossible, even if it comes at the risk of our own way of life. It’s kinda like a double edge sword or something. Certainly though there’s a lot of work to be done from all ends (programmers, investors, designs, etc.) and that’s probably what the group aims to do--to remove that doubt and make us believe that we are capable of creating videogames. As a person who still wishes to excel at Game Development, I am all in with these guys. And if you’re in Bahrain (or close) and want to make games as well then let me know, we’re just getting started.Click here to check out more pics at my Facebook album. "
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