============================== IGDA Newsletter - October 2003 ============================== ============================= 0: A Word From Kathy Schoback 1: IGDA News - IGDA Sessions at 2004 GDC - IP Rights Committee Releases Comprehensive White Paper - GDC Europe Scholar Reports - Contract Walk-Through - 2nd Release - Columns Update 2: Chapter Updates... 3: From the Wires - 2003 Game Development Salary Survey - Games Go to Work - Hidden Agenda: Help us Pull a Fast One - FTC: Results of Nationwide Undercover Survey Released - Which Games are OK to Play? - Poll of Teens' Habits Presents Murky Image - Mass Media Coverage of Computer Gaming - It's Time Games Said Something More - Does Virtual Crime Need Real Justice? - Video Gamers Provide Insight into How the Brain Navigates - Tokyo Museum Plans Famicom Exhibition - ELSPA Brings Gaming to Government - Gamers vs Lawyers: The Latest Fight Over Video Game Violence - Lies, Damned Lies, & Statistics - Games Censors 'Too Uptight' - Game Plays Politics with Your PC 4: Logistical Bits ============================= ============================= 0: A Word From Kathy Schoback ============================= Dear Members and friends, Amidst the holiday mayhem, and with your feedback, we have made strides toward establishing a concrete focus for the IGDA. The two main areas should come as no surprise; they are "community" and "advocacy." In addressing these areas, the IGDA provides essential services to game developers that aren't available elsewhere, and better works to fulfill its original mandate. We're still working through definitions of each focus and how they apply to current activities. When this is done, we'll review in-depth with committee heads, contributors and key volunteers. Our objective is to leave no loyal members behind in this process! A word on "craft": though it was difficult to give this up as a focus, it became clear that the organization doesn't have the resources to elevate "craft" to its natural pinnacle: promoting technical standards, acting as a governing/certifying body, "teaching" game development, etc. Such functions are either currently or traditionally provided through events like the Game Developers Conference, book publishers, academia, and the like. Finally, taking a position on one methodology vs. another threatens to alienate segments of a community that is already fractured enough. As always, debate welcome in the forums: http://www.igda.org/Forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=166 Warm regards - Kathy Schoback Chairperson, IGDA Director of Product Operations, Eidos ============ 1: IGDA News ============ IGDA Sessions at 2004 GDC ------------------------- Once again, the IGDA has a full line up of sessions and activities set for the Game Developers Conference. As a reflection of the IGDA's mission to build community and address issues, the sessions in the IGDA's track address the most relevant topics affecting developers today: publisher relations; quality of life; censorship and regulation; etc. The IGDA track offers a means by which you can get involved. Nearly all sessions are directly linked to committee work and outreach efforts. Attendees will come away from the IGDA sessions empowered to make a difference within the game development community. Here are some relevant links: IGDA Track http://www.igda.org/events/gdc_sessions.htm Developer Business Summit: An IGDA Think-Tank http://www.gdconf.com/conference/thinktank.htm Serious Games Summit http://www.gdconf.com/conference/seriousgames.htm Game Developers Choice Awards http://www.igda.org/awards IGDA Annual Meeting http://www.gdconf.com/events/#igda IP Rights Committee Releases Comprehensive White Paper ------------------------------------------------------ The IP Rights White Paper is a comprehensive analysis of key forms of IPR, legal definitions, with information on how global intellectual property rights relate to games and the game development community. Topics covered in the White Paper include the history of IP Rights; forms of IP protection; overview of IP in video games; practical applications; and three opinion essays from leading game industry thinkers. Written by the IP Rights Committee, consisting of forty members including game developers, musicians, journalists, CTOs, CEOs, open-source evangelists, students, academics and lawyers from North America, Europe and Asia. http://www.igda.org/biz/ipr_paper.php http://www.igda.org/newsroom/press_101503.php GDC Europe Scholar Reports -------------------------- Each year, the IGDA sends 25 lucky students to GDC and GDC Europe. Scholarship recipients are asked to report on their GDCE adventure upon their return. The reports describe favorite sessions and offer advice to conference first-timers and students in general. Here are the reports from GDC Europe 2003: http://www.igda.org/students/scholarship_reports_gdce2003.php Contract Walk-Through - 2nd Release ----------------------------------- The Contract Walk-Through educates developers on game contract issues, so you will be able to better understand and discuss such matters with lawyers and publishers. Game industry lawyers compiled essays on important contract issues and each essay includes annotations from industry experts. Sample topics in this second release include breach, brands, termination clauses, moral rights, and warranties. All IGDA members and registered users can download the Contract Walk-Through at no charge: http://www.igda.org/biz/contract_walkthrough.php Columns Update -------------- Monthly columns updated for October: - The Ivory Tower: To Inform AND Entertain http://www.igda.org/columns/ivorytower/ - Famous Last Words: Settle a Bet http://www.igda.org/columns/lastwords/ - Culture Clash: Professor Warcraft - Games are better educators than we think http://www.igda.org/columns/clash/ - The Games Game: Writing's on the Wall http://www.igda.org/columns/gamesgame/ ================== 2: Chapter Updates ================== Complete list of chapter reports and upcoming meetings: http://www.igda.org/chapters/updates.php San Francisco Meeting, November > Online Games Panel http://www.igda.org/sanfran Houston Meeting, November > An Evening with Timegate http://www.igda.org/houston Dallas Meeting, November > Iterative Game Design - Ian Fisher, Ensemble Studios http://www.dallasigda.org/ Amsterdam Meeting, November > FLUX - Game Industry in Transition (by HKU & IGDA) http://www.igda.org/amsterdam/ San Jose Meeting, November > A Night of relaxed food, fun, and gaming at Dave and Buster's! http://www.igda.org/sanjose/ DC & Vicinity Meeting, October > Next Meeting: October 30 - LANferno, Centerville, Virginia http://www.igda.org/dc/meetings.htm Paris Report, October > October 2003 : Post-Mortem Rayman III http://igda.paris.free.fr/paris/chapter_report_oct03.htm Phoenix Report, October > Meeting Report for 2003 October http://igda-phx.org/resources.php?id=11 Seattle Report, October > .NET and Gaming http://www.igda.org/seattle/reports/10_2003r.htm Orange County Report, October > Orange County meeting report http://www.igda.org/oc/Sep2003.htm Southern Michigan Report, October > Professional Game Developer series at NextGen Education http://www.igda.org/smichigan/Oct03/report.htm Colorado Report, October > October Meeting Report: Adventures In Modding! http://www.coloradogamedev.org/20031006.html North Carolina Triangle Report, September > Mixing and Mingling at Five Star http://www.igda.org/nctriangle/meeting_sept03.html Ottawa Report, September > September at Fuel, w/ photos.., http://www.igda.org/ottawa/index.htm Montreal Report, September > Ernest Adams Calls Out Design Faux Pas... http://www.igda.org/montreal/reports/summary_Sep03.htm Denmark Report, September > Pictures from bar meeting http://www.igda.org/denmark/250903/index.htm ================= 3: From the Wires ================= 2003 Game Development Salary Survey http://www.gamanetwork.com/salarysurvey.htm Games Go to Work http://business.mainetoday.com/news/030914seriousgames.shtml Hidden Agenda: Help us Pull a Fast One http://www.hiddenagenda.com/ FTC: Results of Nationwide Undercover Survey Released http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/10/shopper.htm Which Games are OK to Play? http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6076465.html Poll of Teens' Habits Presents Murky Image http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/6814691.htm Mass Media Coverage of Computer Gaming http://www.avault.com/articles/getarticle.asp?name=massmedia It's Time Games Said Something More http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/gameswatch/story/0,12453,1055582,00.html Does Virtual Crime Need Real Justice? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3138456.stm Video Gamers Provide Insight into How the Brain Navigates http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-09-10-2 Tokyo Museum Plans Famicom Exhibition http://www.gamers.com/news/1456229 ELSPA Brings Gaming to Government http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?section_name=pub&aid=2266 Gamers vs Lawyers: The Latest Fight Over Video Game Violence http://gamingtarget.com/features/index.cgi?id=68 Lies, Damned Lies, & Statistics http://www.erasmatazz.com/library/Game%20Design/GameStatistics.html Games Censors 'Too Uptight' http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7340635^15306,00.html Game Plays Politics with your PC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3201221.stm ================== 4: Logistical Bits ================== Thanks to our Partners! ----------------------- The IGDA extends its sincerest thanks to all our Partners! Especially those who of just joined up, or recently renewed their commitment to support the game development community: - Art Institute of California - San Francisco - Shorecliff Communications LLC - Spartan Shops, Inc. - VxO Networks Inc. Without their support the IGDA simply would not survive - let alone thrive. Further details and a complete list of Partners are available online: http://www.igda.org/partners Newsletter Subscription ----------------------- You can update your subscription details via your MyProfile page: http://www.igda.org/membership/myprofile.php If you get need help, contact us at info@igda.org. IGDA Registration ----------------- Your support is critical to the success of the IGDA, and our industry. 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/join Contact Information ------------------- Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions, comments or input. http://www.igda.org/contact.php