================================ IGDA Newsletter - September 2002 ================================ ============================= 0.0 A Word From Graeme Devine 1 IGDA News 1.1 Volunteer Writers Wanted for Online Games Whitepaper 1.2 GDC Europe & ECTS 2002 Summary 1.3 Charne on Protecting your IP 1.4 Chapter Updates & News 2 From the Wire - Videogame Industry is Booming - No Causality in Shootings - Henry Jenkins Talks Back - Consoles, Games Donated To US Submariners - Greek Parliament Outlaws Games - New Association for the Research of Games - Games as Political Commentary - Electronic Multimedia Awards up for Grabs - Greek Court Throws Out Videogame Cases - US Violent Crime Rate Lowest in Three Decades - Game Rooms Under Fire 3 Events, Benefits & Services Update 3.1 Updated Member Benefits 3.2 Upcoming Events 4 Logistical Bits 4.1 Thanks to our Sponsors and Partners! 4.2 IGDA Registration 4.3 Contact Information ======================================== ============================= 0.0 A Word From Graeme Devine ============================= Dear IGDA Members and friends, Well, the season of gaming is upon us, with major releases from most publishers this last month with plenty more to come! I just know all of you are either busy finishing a game for release, or finishing a game that has been released! And just to prove that wackiness can still be part of this world, look at the events happening in Greece this last month (see below). This goes to show why being organized is a "good thing" -- it's only through a strong community and unified voice that we can represent ourselves. Well, it's back to Super Monkey Ball 2 for me.... I mean working on DOOM 3. Graeme Devine Chairperson, IGDA =========== 1 IGDA News =========== 1.1 Volunteer Writers Wanted for Online Games Whitepaper -------------------------------------------------------- Last year's Online Games Whitepaper was a tremendous success, with more than 5000 readers globally. Work on the 2003 edition is underway, and the Online Games Committee is looking for volunteer writers to help prepare the report. If you are active (or very interested) in online games and would like to get more information about volunteering for the IGDA Online Games Committee Whitepaper Project, please email Alex Jarett, the Committee chairperson, for more information. http://www.igda.org/online_report.htm 1.2 GDC Europe & ECTS 2002 Summary ---------------------------------- A summary report covering the IGDA's recent trip to GDC Europe and ECTS has been posted along with several pictures. Part of GDCE, the IGDA's Academic Day was successful in building bridges with the European academic community. http://www.igda.org/Endeavors/Events/events_gdce-ects_2002.htm 1.3 Charne on Protecting your IP -------------------------------- Jim Charne has updated his "Famous Last Words" column with advice on how to protect your early game designs and concepts via copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets and self help. http://www.igda.org/Services/Legal/lastwords/lastwords.htm 1.4 Chapter Updates & News -------------------------- Many IGDA chapters held meetings recently, and several provided great summary reports: - Austin held their inaugural (a.k.a. revival) meeting with Warren Spector speaking: http://www.austingamedevelopers.org/2002-8-20/index.html - Colorado hosted a panel to discuss IP law: http://www.coloradogamedev.org/20020909.html - Chicago heard all about Alchemy: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/chicago/chicago_summary_Aug02.htm - A new chapter started in Detroit: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/detroit.htm - Houston hosted another great gathering: http://www.polygonists.org/igda8/ - A new chapter recently started in Orange County, California: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/orangecounty.htm - San Diego discussed royalties and breaking into the biz: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/sandiego/sandiego_summary_Jul02.htm - San Francisco held a casual gathering: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/bayarea/bayarea_summary_Aug02.htm - Lithuania held a "GameJam" session: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/lithuania/report02.htm - Tokyo will be holding a seminar and party during the Tokyo Game Show: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/tokyo.htm Many chapters (Los Angeles, Amsterdam, New York City, San Diego and others) will meet in coming weeks. Check the Chapter Calendar for dates and details: http://www.igda.org/Chapters/chapters_calendar.htm ========================================== A word from our sponsor: Mary-Margaret.com ========================================== Think nobody's hiring? Think again! Game companies are actively recruiting! Our clients are building new teams right now. Engineers and Designers with current, relevant game industry experience: we want to talk to you. Mary-Margaret.com provides professional recruiting services in entertainment software, performing Retainer and Contingency searches for the game industry elite. Find out more at http://www.mary-margaret.com/ ======================================== =============== 2 From the Wire =============== Videogame Industry is Booming http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=422 No Causality in Shootings http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=423 Henry Jenkins Talks Back http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=424 Consoles, Games Donated To US Submariners http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=425 Greek Parliament Outlaws Games http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=426 New Association for the Research of Games http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=427 Games as Political Commentary http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=428 Electronic Multimedia Awards up for Grabs http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=431 Greek Court Throws Out Videogame Cases http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=432 US Violent Crime Rate Lowest in Three Decades http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=434 Game Rooms Under Fire http://www.igda.org/About/Press/news_item.php?nid=435 ==================================== 3 Events, Benefits & Services Update ==================================== 3.1 Updated Member Benefits --------------------------- - IGDA Membership Card All new and renewing IGDA members will now receive a membership card. Expect to receive your membership card within a month after joining or renewing. The card represents your involvement in the community, and will be put to use at events like GDC and local chapter meetings. View a sample online: http://www.igda.org/images/card.jpg 3.2 Upcoming Events ------------------- Tokyo Game Show http://www.cesa.or.jp/english/index.html 20-22 September, Tokyo, Japan Mobile Commerce World Europe http://www.mobilecommerceworld.com/mcw_euro2002/ 24-26 September, London, UK International Conference on Virtual Systems & Multimedia http://www.vsmm.org/2002/ 25-27 September, Gyeongju, Korea Lulu Tech Circus http://www.techcircus.com/ 27-29 September, Raleigh, NC ACM Collaborative Virtual Environments http://www.cve2002.org/Intro.html 30 Sep - 2 Oct, Bonn, Germany IMIGRA http://www.vdl.ufc.br/imigra2002/index.shtml 7-10 October, Fortaleza, Brazil Digital Arts World http://www.digitalartsworld.co.uk/ 9-11 October, London, UK Interactive Entertainment Forum http://www.marcusevans.com/events/CFEventinfo.asp?EventID=6665 14-15 October, Copenhagen, Denmark Project Bar-B-Q http://www.projectbarbq.com/ 17-20 October, Boerne, TX Pop!Tech: Artificial Worlds http://www.poptech.org/ 18-20 October, Camden, Maine Mobile Entertainment & Gaming Expo http://www.megexpo.com/ 21-24 October, Hollywood, CA Mobile Games Convention http://www.ef-telecoms.co.uk/mgames/igda 21-23 October, Barcelona, Spain Challenge of Computer Games http://free.art.pl/ktltf/Gry-info.html 25-27 October, Lodz, Poland ================= 4 Logistical Bits ================= 4.1 Thanks to our Sponsors and Partners! ---------------------------------------- The IGDA extends its sincerest thanks to all our sponsors and partners! Without their support, and the continued backing from the developer community, the IGDA simply would not survive - let alone thrive. Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP Alias|Wavefront Gamasutra.com Gama Network GameDev.Net Game Developer magazine Game Developers Conference GIGnews.com Intrinsic Graphics Jostick101.org Mary-Margaret.com Microsoft Research Get more info online: http://www.igda.org/About/Sponsors/sponsors.htm http://www.igda.org/About/Alliances/alliances.htm 4.2 IGDA Registration --------------------- Your support is critical to the success of the IGDA, and our industry. Our membership is made up of programmers, designers, artists, producers and many other development professionals who see the importance of working together to advance games and game development as a craft. There are dozens of reasons to join the IGDA, ranging from personal career advancement to more lofty industry-wide goals. What are you waiting for? Join today! http://www.igda.org/Membership/membership.htm Or refer a friend to win prizes: http://www.igda.org/Membership/Referrals/referrals.htm 4.3 Contact Information ----------------------- Contact our membership coordinator if you have questions, comments or input. Liz Wakefield IGDA membership coordinator liz@igda.org