Their story begins in 2015, when they decided to put their passion for computer games into practice. Students from the Gamedev Students Association have been making their mark on the Polish gaming scene for years, showing how games are created from a technical and scientific perspective. We had the opportunity to meet members of this organization at Poznań Game Arena, where we talked about their daily activities and their upcoming event: the Małopolska Game Production Conference.
The Gamedev Students Association Research Club is based at the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. Their goal is to develop all skills related to video games, including IT, humanities, and mathematics. We asked Kiryl, Marek, and Jakub to reveal the secrets of their work to us.
Kiryl: At the moment, we’re promoting our game SuperPosition, which we released in February, as well as the title Gun in a Well, which is coming out in mid-November. We are also preparing for the Małopolska Game Production Conference, to which we have invited, among others, Bloober Team, One More Level, and many independent creators. We’re planning to host both lectures on game design and practical workshops under the supervision of professionals. I can reveal that there will be things like creating game mechanics, 3D sculpting, and even some interesting behind-the-scenes facts about the production of Silent Hill.
Marek: It’s also worth mentioning that our former members are finding jobs in the industry – for example, our former president is promoting the game Wandering Monolith: Rogue TD, which she took part in creating. You have to start somewhere, and events like the conference help to polish your skills and make connections.
Kiryl: From what I know, we’ve been operating for about 8–9 years. Our association was inactive during the pandemic, but we managed to revive it and expand our activity.
Marek: Basically, you could say that we came back to life again last year. Right now, there are so many members that sometimes it’s hard to fit in one room. It’s also worth noting that any university student from anywhere in Poland can join us.
Jakub: Yes, GSA is open to projects from outside the university. I used to study at Jagiellonian University, and now I’m at a different school, but I can still be active in the Research Club and continue developing my skills.
Kiryl: The game is being developed by our colleague Michał Gniadek, who has been working on it for a year. In Gun in a Well, you fall downward and have to avoid enemies and obstacles. You can also choose and develop your abilities in a roguelike style.
Jakub: From my perspective, university gamedev is another step in gaining experience. I started relatively young – even in primary school I was already making things in simple programs. It’s similar to having a hobby alongside your studies – it takes time and dedication, but it’s extremely satisfying.
Jakub: When it comes to the Polish industry, luckily a lot of developers support each other: there are exchanges, conversations, and meetups where you can share new ideas. That doesn’t change the fact that the entry barrier to game development is high — you need programming skills, graphics creation, etc. A lot also depends on the scale of the project and the team, but overall, the Polish industry is doing quite well. There’s plenty of support from different sides, and I think it’s really solid.
