Level Her Up is a community of women game developers from Western Australia looking to inspire more women to try out the awesome world of game development.
Join us for free, beginner-friendly in-person workshops and collaborative game jams in 2023 as part of WA Games Week, and maybe meet a few fellow geeks along the way!
Our events are friendly and low-pressure, catering towards inexperienced people new to the industry, with or without technical experience. Programming, art, design and more - we'll have workshops to teach a range of skill sets and collaborative game jams with experienced mentors where we bring them all together.
Building a solid and supportive community is a crucial aspect of our mission. In addition to workshops and game jams, we host regular social events to help local women game developers connect and build lasting friendships. We also have an active online Discord community where members can share their projects, ideas and interests.
Game development is a varied and interdisciplinary field that welcomes individuals from various backgrounds. We are committed to demonstrating that game development is not just for "computer geeks"! We believe diverse perspectives can enrich the field and lead to more innovative and creative games.
We want our events and community to be accessible to a wide range of women in WA, including removing financial barriers to entry. With the support of local organisations and our dedicated team, we can inspire women into the world of game development with no pressure and only unlimited possibilities!
Embark on an exciting journey into game development through our beginner-friendly workshops, followed by a collaborative game jam weekend where you can apply your newfound skills to create your own small game in a team.
From game design to narrative writing, programming, art, marketing, and beyond, our comprehensive range of workshops caters to diverse interests and skill sets.
We've gathered a fantastic lineup of experienced, skilled and friendly mentors who are here to help you on your game dev journey.
Every adventurer needs a good team to guide them!
Embark on an exciting journey into game development through our free beginner-friendly workshops, followed by a collaborative game jam weekend where you can apply your newfound skills to create your own small game in a team.
From game design to narrative writing, programming, art, marketing, and beyond, our comprehensive range of workshops caters to diverse interests and skill sets.
Feel free to choose the workshops that pique your curiosity - you're not required to attend the entire day's worth. Participation in the game jam is not contingent on attending the workshops, and vice versa. Please note that event timings are subject to change.
Morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea provided! Doors open at 8:30am.
Gain a high-level overview of the game development process, exploring key concepts, tools, roles, and stages involved in bringing a game from concept to completion.
Image by DCStudio on Freepik
Explore the fundamentals of game design, including gameplay mechanics, player experience, level design, and prototyping, to create engaging and immersive gaming experiences.
Delve into the art of storytelling in games, mastering the techniques of narrative design and writing to create captivating plots, compelling characters, and immersive worlds.
Morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea provided! Doors open at 8:30am.
Dive into game development using Unity and C#, learning the foundations of programming, scripting game mechanics, implementing player controls, and creating interactive experiences.
Unleash your creativity as you learn 3D modelling and texturing using Blender, a powerful free software, to craft your own game-ready assets.
Morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea provided! Doors open at 8:30am.
Master the art of retro graphics using Aseprite, a popular tool specialising in 2D pixel art, where you'll learn techniques for character design, sprite animation, and creating visually appealing game assets.
Please note that the Aseprite software costs $30 AUD; Level Her Up will confirm via email after registrations whether we are able to provide you with a license, or if you will need to purchase a license to do the hands-on components of the workshop.
Discover essential strategies for effectively marketing your games, from developing a compelling brand identity to creating promotional materials and reaching your target audience through various channels.
Navigate the landscape of game publishing, understanding the steps involved in bringing your game to market, including distribution platforms, marketing strategies, and building relationships with publishers and players.
Morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea provided! Doors open at 8:30am.
Ever wanted to make a game, but lacked the time and motivation, and didn't know all the skills? The Level Her Up - We Can Build It! game jam is for you! Form teams with other likeminded women on the day to collaboratively design and develop a small game based on a proposed theme, over the course of the weekend, ending in a small presentation to showcase what you've created!
Our 2023 Workshops and Game Jam are now over!
Follow us on our social media or Discord community to stay in the loop for our upcoming events!
Everything you might be wondering! Have a question that isn't answered here? Get in touch with us at hello@levelherup.com.au
A game jam is an event where participants form teams and collaborate over a short period of time (usually a weekend) to create a small game from scratch.
The Level Her Up - We Can Build It! game jam takes place over a full weekend, and will follow a theme which will be announced at the start of the event.
Game jams are a great opportunity to practise your technical, teamwork and management skills and end up with a functional game that you can be proud of, in a short time span. They are also a great opportunity to meet and network with likeminded women in a casual and fun setting. So sit back, put your creativity hats on, enjoy our catered food, and see what you can create!
Our workshops are beginner-friendly, catering to individuals with no prior experience (aside from basic computer skills).
Our goal is to first provide you with a solid theoretical foundation, helping you comprehend the "why" behind the topics. Following this, you'll have the opportunity to apply your knowledge in practical, interactive exercises.
Please note that some workshops may focus solely on theory, and others may involve engaging collaborative group activities.
Our focus is reaching out to women and underrepresented individuals aged 18 years and above, who might have been discouraged from pursuing their interests in gaming and game development due to societal stereotypes and cultural obstacles in previous generations.
We recognize the increasing popularity of gaming and game development, particularly among younger generations, and believe in ensuring equal opportunities for all women to get involved in these domains.
As such, our event attendance is open to women (cis and trans) and nonbinary people aged 18 years and above. In the future we may look at expanding this audience.
We welcome and appreciate the support of all people as mentors and allies on our online Discord community.
Most people attending will not know anyone! This is a great opportunity to make new friends and meet likeminded women in a casual, low-pressure environment.
We aim to foster a welcoming and supportive community, both online and at our events! If you feel nervous at any time, please don't hesitate to talk to one of our team.
Additionally, you can get to know us in advance by joining our online Discord community.
Not at all! Our workshops are aimed at beginners with no experience, and from all walks of life! The content is designed to give you enough basic skills to get started on your own projects and give you some confidence if you choose to participate in the following game jam.
We believe that game development can benefit greatly from people with different perspectives and backgrounds. All you need is creativity and determination (and basic computer skills)!
For the game jam itself, some foundational knowledge (which you can gain from the workshops) would definitely be handy, but we still welcome you along even if you don't know anything! There are always different ways to help out in a team.
Each workshop may different requirements for what to bring; please check your emails closer to the event date, after registering, for specific information.
In general, however, you must bring your own laptop and charger as we cannot provide these. You may also be asked to install certain software on your computer before arriving.
Please note that some of the software utilised in some workshops may have certain laptop requirements to run, however most modern laptops will suffice.
If attending the game jam, we recommend you bring your laptop and charger, with any software and assets you intend to use already downloaded and installed.
No, you are free to pick and choose which workshops you would like to attend! You do not need to attend the whole day, nor the whole series of workshops.
You do not have to attend the workshops to participate in the game jam, and vice versa.
We will be offering morning team, lunch, and afternoon tea for all our event days, in scheduled breaks.
During registration you will have the ability to mention any dietary requirements so that we may do our best to accommodate this.
Our event is for women 18+, and unfortunately we cannot allow children/babies onto the venue.
In our future events we may look at providing childcare options for our participants.
Level Her Up does not own any rights to the games you create as a team during the game jam.
However, to participate you must acknowledge that we may show games created during the game jam for our future marketing and promotional materials.
For the game jam, our primary aim is for our participants to experience a (small) game project in a team, and have something to show and be proud of at the end of the event.
As such, we allow our participants to utilise free assets and tools as required to make their game, however wherever possible it is encouraged to make things within your groups, to practise your skills.
We understand that things happen, and you might not be able to make it on the day. Please let us know by emailing hello@levelherup.com.au as soon as you can.
As places are limited, and we are organising catering for the day, we would appreciate if you only register if you are intending to come to the events.
Our event registration is for in-person attendance. Our events may be recorded for future use online, however we cannot guarantee this.
Join us in the heart of Perth, right next to the Elizabeth Quay train station, with the beautiful Elizabeth Quay at our doorstep.
Level 1/30 The Esplanade Perth, WA, 6000
Access to the venue during the event is secured - contact details for access will be emailed prior to the event.
Our events would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors.
If you're interested in empowering the next generation of women game developers in Western Australia, please email hello@levelherup.com.au to find out more.
PART OF THE OFFICIAL LINEUP FOR WA GAMES WEEK
.
.
EVENT FINANCED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF
.
.
GOLD SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSOR
We do more than just host events! Level Her Up is founded with the goal of fostering a welcoming and supportive community of women game developers in WA.
Join our online Discord community to get to know likeminded women, and support each other's game development journeys!
JOIN OUR DISCORD