Game Slice is a game developers conference that allows developers to connect and playtest each other’s upcoming titles.
The event, which is hosted by London based studio Joydrop, was held at Centennial Hall this year. One of the organizers of the event, Jacob Van Rooyen, says the event has nearly doubled since last year’s event with 45 exhibitors in attendance.
Some of the developers in attendance include Devils Cider Games, Idiom Loop, Falling Squirrel and many others. Playtesting allows developers to make sure their games are ready for sale, but also allows them to showcase new developments and use of technologies.
One game featured at the event, made by the London based studio Big Blue Bubble, was Foregone. While the game may look classic, it’s making use of new technologies to create a completely new experience. The game is similar in mechanics to Diablo or Dark Souls with the visuals of games like Super Metroid and Castlevania.
Solo-developer Dorian Benninger, who goes by Grogdev online, was showcasing his latest project Brew Breaker Agnes. At first glance, the game appears to be your traditional Breakout-style arcade game, but as you dig further in it adds elements like potion brewing, health and mana management, spell casting, and boss battles. Beyond being a fresh take on a classic genre, the gameplay is intuitive and the pixel art offers a spooky charm.
Dorian Benninger, creator of Brew Breaker Agnes.
Another solo development project, Long Live the Mice looks to create more than just a game. The developer, Aaron Legault of Targon Studios, says that he is building a platform that will allow content creators to implement their own unique gameplay elements and create new experiences within the engine.
Aaron Legault of Targon Studios sits in front of his latest project, Long Live The Mice.
The playtesting is also not limited to videogames. Game designer and Fanshawe professor Sen-Foong Lin is showcasing his latest board game Mind MGMT based on the graphic novel of the same name. He says that there are more than 4000 new tabletop experiences being released each year and people are buying them in droves.
Sen-Foong Lim had a prototype of upcoming board game Mind MGMT on display
He went on to say that events that bring developers of both mediums together are highly beneficial for everyone and that these conferences allow everyone to share concepts and ideas with one another that they may not have thought of otherwise.
