The lights flicker, laptop fans roar and the Game Basement buzzes with nervous energy. It is time for the GDS Playtest again! A crucial moment for our students: for the first time, the public gets its hands on their Godot creations. And as every developer knows, the first playtest is always an adventure in itself.
The harsh reality
Let's be honest: the first playtest is always secretly a little disappointing. You have spent weeks perfecting one particular mechanic, but as soon as a "real" player picks up the controller, precisely the thing you never anticipated happens. Characters fall through the floor, menus refuse to work and the difficulty turns out to be just a little too high, or too low.
But that is exactly why we do this. The Game Basement is where games are allowed to fail so that they can then fly. The students are still searching hard for the 'fun factor', but among the bugs and placeholder art, we once again saw several diamonds in the rough shine through.
Godot takes centre stage
The Hague University of Applied Sciences has been using the Godot engine for 2 years. It is wonderful to see how students make use of its versatility. From rapid iterations to surprising visual styles, Godot seems the perfect playground for our creative minds. Previously, Unity was used and there were many 3D games. Students now predominantly choose 2D experiences.
Highlights: ants and jumps
Although many projects are still in their infancy, a few concepts immediately stood out:
- The ant city builder: Perhaps the most promising project of the day. Instead of a dull city, you build and manage a complex anthill. Its scale and micromanagement potential immediately attracted attention. A fresh twist on a classic genre!
- 2D platformers galore: The 2D platformer genre is alive and kicking. We saw countless variations. Some focus on demanding precision, others on atmosphere. It is a crowded genre, naturally inspired by Silk Song and the engine's possibilities.
- Friendslop: GameLab's two teams joined this playtest with .synth_protocol and TaskFall. These games are further along in development and rather stole the show. Even so, plenty of bugs and areas for improvement were found.
On to the next round
The first hurdle has been cleared, the feedback noted and the bugs logged. The process of trial and error has now truly begun. Despite the initial teething problems, experience tells us that wonderful games will emerge.
Keep an eye on our channels for further updates, because the journey from the Game Basement to a polished final product on Gamelab.tech is always shorter than you think!
Will you be at the next playtest? Come to the Game Basement and help the next generation of game developers find their way!