Jose Zambrano pulled me in across the expo hall on charisma alone. We’ve got another studio showcasing their first game and this time it’s… Stuido Studios. Come on guys, you gotta keep your SEO in mind! Let’s take a moment away from the do’s and don’ts of showcasing at PAX East. Let’s take a moment to dive into VR and how you can get your hands on a free headset(kind of).
The advice in this video I quickly took to heart and shared with Malcolm, proposing a VR title as a side project. That idea got scrapped, but we still intend to explore the medium, and with Jose’s shared experience you can too.
It’s time to hussle! If you’re like Stuido Studios in NYC and your desired convention is within driving distance then drive. If you gotta fly the team out, arrive early and purchase TV sets, tables, consoles, whatever you need and return or sell that equipment in Boston. Shipping costs can be detrimental and unpredictable. Sometimes two days into the con you realize you need a third TV, not everything can be planned for and you’ll end up purchasing new equipment anyway. Talking about VR, developers can go to Oculus’s website, the Vive, and PS VR and under hidden tabs you’ll find entry programs for making games. These platforms are barren and need to be filled with quality content so the environment can survive. Due to this demand studios like Stuido were able to apply for a headset and get a couple for free for development purposes(there’s a lot of steps) and in the meantime, while waiting for the papers to get approved, borrowed headsets from local friends who jumped on board early with VR.
As an indie dev you’ve always gotta hussle like Jose. Each member of a small team must wear many hats to get anything done. This is a small lesson outside of VR talk and convention shenanigans. A game studio is a business, there’s contracts, there’s money changing hands, there’s problems. Take the time to learn about your business, read up on legal jargon, or elect to use a professional in your stead. Look for other outlets to make money on the side and keep your doors open. Stuido teaches Unity class in NYC where they’re located and we here at Scarecrow Arts create After Effects tools and templates for consumers and other creators.
Go hussle.
