With awards season kicking off and recent developments in Unreal Engine, it’s been a busy period for the Games industry, and none more so than in Hyderabad, where the annual India Game Developer Conference took place.
This year was all the more special, as our Associate Technical Art Director, Nicholas Orchard, was invited to participate in a panel discussion, “Upskilling Unreal Engine Talent in India“, with Epic Games on Unreal Developer Day. Nick wasn’t alone though, he was in good company with Associate Art Director and industry veteran, Suresh Padala, who was on the floor gathering fresh insights and talking Technicolor Games.
We caught up with Nick and Suresh to share their insights from the jam-packed week:
Q. What were your highlights?
Suresh: Where do I even begin? I found the keynote sessions to be incredibly insightful, especially the “Future Features in Unreal Engine 5.5 and Beyond” by Arvind Neelakantan and Gaurav Mathur. This was particularly engaging given that Unreal Engine 5.5 had just launched, and we were all keen to learn more to feedback to our teams. The session on virtual production, which unleashed real-time rendering and game engine capabilitie, was also fantastic. Then of course, I can’t forget the panel discussion on “Upskilling Unreal Engine Talent in India” with our Nick. All bias aside, it was a very thought-provoking session and Nick nailed it!
Nick: For me, the highlights came from the interactions with Unreal enthusiasts at all levels, there were so many students interested in using Unreal and so many professionals wanting to learn more. It was inspiring to see! It was also great to see what other studios were up to and how much fantastic work is being created that we could collaborate on.
Q. There was a big focus on the future generation, can you share any insights?
Suresh: It was just great to be out and about networking with peers and senior experts, discussing the latest innovations in game development, while also feeling so inspired seeing so many young developers and small studios showcasing their games. Nick and I spent time talking to young talent, discussing their game ideas, pipelines and workflows. The sessions on “Building Success with UGC” and “Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN)” were particularly noteworthy, highlighting how young talent is utilizing UEFN to create small worlds.
Q. In your opinion, how important is IGDC for the Indian Games Industry?
Suresh: IGDC is important for the growth of the Indian gaming industry. It gives developers a chance to learn from each other, share ideas, and connect with potential partners on an international stage. The event also helps put Indian games on the global map and attracts new opportunities to the market. It showcases the talent and creativity of Indian developers on a global stage.
Q. Nick, can you share an overview of your panel discussion, “Upskilling Unreal Engine Talent in India”?
Nick: During the panel we discussed how using Unreal in India is becoming more and more important. I talked about how we’ve been upskilling industry professionals at our Technicolor Games Bangalore studio, while my fellow panelist, Ganesh, spoke about how he aims to promote Unreal in Indian tech colleges. The room was full! Afterwards, I was instantly approached by a number of students asking, “What software do I need to learn to work for you?” – It was lovely!
Q. What are your key learnings from the event?
Suresh: There were a few, like the importance of staying updated with the latest technology trends and tools in game development. I gained some essential insights into effective game design and user engagement strategies. I also, developed a greater understanding of the growing market trends and consumer preferences in the Games industry, and the growing focus on mobile gaming, which is crucial for the Indian market.
Nick: It’s clear that Unreal is still a very new market in India, but we are starting to see widespread adoption of clients wanting to use it in their projects and shows, so the potential is endless.
Q. How would you sum up your time over IGDC?
Suresh: Overall, IGDC was a great experience and I’m excited to see how it continues to grow in the future. It’s clear that the community here is supportive and eager to collaborate, which is great for the industry. I was particularly impressed by the diversity of topics covered and the inclusivity of the event.
Nick: I’m so in awe of how much great work is being created, but from a personal level, while I was in India, I enjoyed the opportunity to spend some time with our Technicolor Games Art Directors and Studio Heads – many of whom I hadn’t met in person before. I also went to visit Mikros, MPC and The Mill brands to further our collaboration when using Unreal across the Group.
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