Hello people! My name is Sandra and I work here at GamePlan as Operations Manager =) My journey on this very crazy ship called GamePlan started in 2015 and back then I confess that I was more of a gamer than anything else. I have a Languages and Bachelor’s Degree in Translation and in my early days at GamePlan, I did some pretty good translations of MMOs. As the company grew I got closer and closer to the game development process, from conception to store sales. Also, going to gaming events brought me a lot of knowledge and networking as well, both nationally and internationally.
Before I knew it, I was already accessing André Faure’s (aka my husband) library of books about games and that’s when I decided to do a Postgraduate course in Digital Games. As I entered the course, I wondered how I would be able to deal with the subjects, tests, and exercises. But to my surprise, each time I advanced in the different subjects, all the theoretical parts started to make a lot of sense because of the exchange of knowledge I have with my dear GamePlanners.
The universe of games is very vast and there are many things “behind the scenes” before the game becomes beautiful and on sale in the stores. Following the work of the GamePlanners, I discovered and learned the importance of well-done documentation of the game to be developed. The elaboration of a GDD – Game Design Document, is the basis of everything! So, I strongly recommend to those who are reading and thinking about making a game, to start with the GDD. A good read on how to design a good GDD can be found in this link.
Another issue that should be said and worked on in every game, from its inception, is the issue of accessibility and inclusion. In our last developed game “Meu Dinheiro, Meu Negócio”, you can find these two things. It was designed from the start so that character customization would be gender-neutral, and has its own color palette so that colorblind players, for example, can better enjoy their gaming experience.
Another important factor within a game studio, as obvious as it may seem and that cannot be missed, is communication. Use a messaging tool, do brainstorms, schedule project follow-up calls (both scheduled and completed tasks), use a project management tool, commit to deadlines, and ask for help if needed!
And yes, it’s not all flowers! Having a game studio, collaborators, clients, etc. is not a simple task but it is very rewarding when things start to fall into place and game projects come to life.
This is my first text in this new phase of Compass. It was more of an introduction of myself and a brushstroke of the topics that attracted me the most in the universe of games. I hope in the next texts to be able to share with you subjects related to this glorious industry: how to open your own company, team management, and project management, among many others. See you soon!
