Free and casual: Pros and hobbyists gather in Kelowna to test new games

Hobbyists and professionals sat around a table at a cafe in downtown Kelowna deciphering the rules to a freshly minted card game, eagerly hoping a newcomer would arrive to help them test it.

The Okanagan Game Developers Association meets every other Thursday at Twice the Dice Board Game Cafe in Kelowna to test new games spawned by local creators.

One such creator is Shane Gearah, and he said that’s just the beginning of how the association fosters game development in the valley.

“People encourage you to bring your stuff in and show it off no matter what state it’s in. It could be hand drawn on pieces of paper that you cut up yourself, or it could be something that people have 3D printed,” Gearah said.

The association has about 300 people in its Discord channel from Vernon to Penticton. He said half of them are hobbyists and the other half work in the games industry.

Around 70 per cent of the members are into video game development and the other half focus on physical games like board and card games. They get into game design and theory as well as the technical aspect of making games like physical construction and coding.

“There are people who are in the industry giving you real business knowledge about how to make a game, how to network with people, how to get into the games industry,” he said. “There are also people who are just there to have fun and express their love of games as well.”

There are lectures from industry professionals on top of the play test events. The association also runs game jams where people get together and create a game from scratch in a day.

“One of my favourite ones was the Halloween game jam. We made a trick or treat card game. We were trying to make tricks and run from monsters while gathering candy,” he said.

Matthew Gagnon was showing off some of his creations at the play test, Feb. 26. Gagnon had two card games, one called Scribblesburg and one called Up at Dawn.

Both games are combative strategy card games, but Scribblesburg is about each player building a settlement and using magic cards to destroy each other’s buildings and Up at Dawn is about getting farm animals, giving them upgrades and fighting each other.

Gagnon created the games, designed the cards, did the art and produced the cards himself. Neither game is for sale, but he said that one day he hopes to put them on the market. For now, he works as an engineer.

“Just having fun when you get an idea and see how far it goes,” he said. “The dream would be one day to find a publisher or something.”

Gagnon said it’s easier to get some feedback on his games from people in the association rather than constantly getting friends and family to try them out.

Daniel Rozek is a video game developer who’s new to the Okanagan and using the association to get to know people in the industry.

“It’s helpful to get my stuff out there,” Rozek said.

Gearah said the association is always looking for new people to get into game design, and the events are typically free and casual.

“We have events running pretty much every week. Get involved. Come out to one of the events. Say hi to people,” he said.