Oklahoma Game Developers Group Cultivates Local Talent
Now entering its fifth year, the official meetup of Oklahoma Game Developers continues to grow. With a total membership of more than 400 local gaming enthusiasts, the impact from this series of monthly meetings has been significant. Open to hobbyists, independent artists, as well as established professionals within the industry, this community of game lovers sees no signs of slowing down.
About Oklahoma Game Developers
Each month, the Oklahoma Game Developers, or OKGD, brings together the best talent available for presentations designed to appeal to individuals at all skill levels. Attendees with any degree of interest in video game development are welcome, and even newcomers are invited to collaborate and share ideas. The topic for each meetup is always something new, designed to offer a wide variety of learning opportunities to regular attendees. Workshops and important guest speakers are often on the agenda, along with demonstrations of new software. Past events have included learning sessions related to art creation, game engine usage, sound design, programming, and even writing. Any game enthusiast in the OKC area with even a slight level of interest in development will find something to love about the Oklahoma Game Developers group.
A member of the Techlahoma professional network, events are regularly held throughout the OKC metro, with StarSpace46 serving as the home base. Organized by James Simpson, CEO, and Founder of GoldFire Studios, and Benji Kay, a musician and JavaScript developer, the team behind the group brings a diverse assortment of experience to the project. “I've been building games since I was in middle school and I continued that all the way through college until starting my own game studio,” says Simpson. “However, all through this time, I didn't know anyone else local that was also making games. The reason I started the meetup was to try and grow a vibrant game development community in Oklahoma. There's still a long way to go, but I think we've made great strides towards that and this is what keeps me excited about the group.”
Learn Game Development Skills in OKC
Simpson says that he learns something new at every single event because attendees come from every corner of the video game development ecosystem. “I've probably learned the most from our playtest and demo days by just getting to play other local games and talk to the creators,” he affirmed. “This has allowed me to get much deeper insights into the thought process that goes into different types of games and has helped to inform aspects of our own game development at GoldFire Studios.”
Those interested in learning more about the Oklahoma Game Developers group should visit their official MeetUp page, which includes a list of upcoming events and workshops. An OKGD Facebook Group is also active, and joining gives you access to post-event discussions and updates about other related events in the area. Be sure to visit the StarSpace46 Event Calendar for regular updates about this meetup, as well as other upcoming presentations geared at enhancing the Oklahoma tech community.