M+DEV Recap

We at Human Head Studios were excited to attend and help sponsor M+DEV, a brand-new midwest game developers conference put on by the Wisconsin Games Alliance. Several members of the studio, including lead artist Brian Pelletier and former Business Director Tim Gerritsen, are active members of WGA. Their mission at WGA is to “promote Wisconsin as a premier site for game development and design,” and we couldn’t agree more. We’re proud of our midwest heritage, and enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other local developers at the Filament Games pre-party and on the show floor.

The conference hosted a wide variety of speakers, exhibitors, and interactive displays. There was also student work from two Wisconsin game development programs, a professional showcase, and an art exhibition. We loved having the chance to explore what the convention had to offer, coming together in celebration of our shared passion for games.

Warren Spector delivers the keynote presentation to a packed audience. Photo used with permission by WGA.

One of the emergent themes of the conference was the value of community-focused development, both in free-to-play games and paid experiences. At Human Head Studios, we are believers in this consumer-first approach. It’s important to give your audience a voice, and a way to communicate their thoughts and ideas with the developers from early on in the development process.

This “games as a service” model is especially evident in the development of Survived By, our free-to-play MMORPG. Listening to community feedback plays a major role in the updates and changes we make from week to week. Understanding the needs of our audience from early on allows us to make decisions that improve the quality of the game and while letting our players know that we care.

We approach Rune: Ragnarok in a similar way; allowing the community to get involved in contests and learn about the project through development blogs and videos. Winning contest submissions from the community will be implemented in the game, which allows long-time Rune fans the opportunity to contribute directly.

We had a great time at M+DEV 2017, and are excited for next year’s conference! If you weren’t able to attend this year, M+DEV 2018 has been already been scheduled. You can save the date here!