This is the second part of the interview with Guillaume Danel. To read the first part, click here.
What advice would you give to students who want to enter the industry?
I would tell them that if a thirtysomething starting from scratch could join the industry then everyone can!
Today the two most used software in the creation of video games namely Unity and Unreal are free for independent developers and there are literally thousands of free resources online to learn on official sites, YouTube, blogs, etc. It is therefore possible to become very competent without spending any money and otherwise there are also excellent low-cost training courses on Udemy and other similar learning sites.
Having programming experience is a plus but it’s not a prerequisite because you can learn it as you go, so you just have to get started! It’s never too early or too late!
What advice would you give to parents who want their children to play in moderation?
Having no children I cannot give advice on education. Having said that, I do not think that the fact that children play a lot is a problem as long as the results at school do not suffer. On the other hand especially at a young age I think it is still important that children spend time outdoors playing / playing sports.
Do you have any other tips for parents who don’t know a video game?
If parents want to better understand what it is about, there is your site of course, and if not maybe ask their children if they can watch them play and let them explain what they are doing, the purpose of the game etc. It will certainly please their children that they are interested in it.
What are you playing at the moment? And do you recommend the titles in question?
I just finishedFinal Fantasy 7 Remake on PS4, having played the original when I was young it reminded me of old memories! The game is well suited for teenagers I think and parents might be interested in the story and characters.
Do you have any games to recommend for the kids? and for teenagers?
Specifically for kids I would say “Link’s Awakening” on Switch which I had loved a lot when I was little on GameBoy. It’s a game that requires reflection in addition to being fun which is always a good mix for children.
For teens… Fortnite? Joking aside, the video game market being very focused on this age group I think they are spoilt for choice. To get teenagers 15 and older to think about games like The Witness and The Talos Principle that I’ve personally loved in recent years. Otherwise the remaster of Day of the tentacle is also worth a visit and can be played with parents and children/teens together to solve the puzzles.
Guillaume, on what social networks can we find you? Do you have any creations, sites to promote?
I’m not really active on social media. On the game side if you want to develop your logic and/or that of your children I can offer you my game Frog Puzzle available on Android and iOS. Your children will even be able to create their own puzzles to challenge you (and vice versa).
Guillaume, thank you very much for your time and advice.
Thank you!
