Cyprus-based studio Owlcat Games, which is currently working on a sci-fi RPG set in the world of The Expanse, has partnered with other game studios and publishers to launch GameDev Learning Drop, a free directory of resources for game developers.
The initial collection of software recommendations, tutorials, online courses, and other resources was put together by Owlcat along with Midwest Games, Fireshine Games, War Thunder developer Gaijin Entertainment, and 11 Bit Studios, maker of Frostpunk and The Alters.
"We're extremely proud to launch this endeavor," says Owlcat head of publishing Andrey Tsvetkov. "A rising tide truly lifts all ships. We firmly believe that showing support for open knowledge fosters collaboration and connection, which we feel is something the industry could use more of right now."
The directory can be found on a dedicated webpage hosted by Owlcat, and the current offering includes "over 350 learning resources" which cover "game design, programming, narrative design, project management, and more," says the studio.
The idea originated in an internal practice at Owlcat in which team leads shared useful resources they encountered over the year with junior team members.
"There are a lot of materials out there, and to be honest, not every one of them deserves attention," Tsvetkov told PC Gamer. "So it's good when you have an actual human review things and say, 'OK, this is really useful material for juniors to pick up.'"
According to Tsvetkov, the studio's motivation is simply to do something good for devs who could use a leg up in these tough times for the industry. "We see ourselves and our fellows in the other studios as partners, not competitors," he said, adding that Owlcat itself received help from industry vets when it started work on its first RPG, Pathfinder: Kingmaker, which released in 2018.
The plan is to continuously expand and update the database with help from other game developers and publishers, who can submit new resources to be vetted by the list's overseers on the website, or by getting in touch with Owlcat at contact@owlcat.games.
"Any developer or publisher can submit material to the database, where it's then reviewed, categorized, and curated to ensure the quality of the contributions," says the studio. "After the submissions are vetted, they’re formatted into a structured, user-friendly resource available to the entire game dev community."
