=============================== IGDA Newsletter - November 2006 =============================== ================= Table of Contents ================= 0: A Word From Brian Reynolds 1: Casual Games SIG Updates: Quarterly, Sales Reporting Standards 2: GDC07 Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications 3: Event Action: Game Connection, AGDS, GDC, OGDC, Jason trip summaries 4: Tools SIG Launch 5: Columns Update 6: Chapter Meetings/Reports x: Logistical Bits & Unsubscribe Info ================= ============================= 0: A Word From Brian Reynolds ============================= Greetings fellow developers! This month I'm pleased to announce that the IGDA has begun a relationship with the Talley Management Group, a company specialized in the complexities of running operations for membership associations. As our membership has been growing dramatically over the past years (over 2000% in 8 years!), the Board of Directors has realized that we need to significantly expand our ability to deliver concrete services to members. Although we come from a strong tradition of volunteerism, we've reached the point where we also need serious logistical and planning support in order to deliver what you've been asking for in terms of tangible benefits, chapter support, events, and other resources. We'll still want and need all of our great volunteers from the development community, we'll simply now have the ability to better support your efforts. Keep in mind that the IGDA remains a completely independent non-profit organization, governed by its elected Board and managed by our executive director, Jason Della Rocca. This new relationship will help us "improve our infrastructure" with results you can look forward to over the coming months. Game on! - Brian Reynolds Chairperson, IGDA President, Big Huge Games **************************************** **Ad: Game Developers Conference 2007 ** **************************************** In celebration of the PS3 and Wii launches, GDC is excited to provide a long list of sessions designed to address the most current issues in the industry today. GDC is ready to shed light on the impact of the new consoles, and offer you the information you need to adapt and create dynamic next-gen games. Register online by January 31 and save up to 35% on Conference Passes. IGDA members receive an additional $50 discount. http://www.gdconf.com/register/ **************************************** ================================================================= 1: Casual Games SIG Updates: Quarterly, Sales Reporting Standards ================================================================= The ever productive Casual Games SIG recently released their Fall 2006 edition of their quarterly newsletter. You'll find articles and interviews on DRM, game design, audio design and security, as well as some new regular features. The Casual Games Quarterly is online at: http://www.igda.org/casual/quarterly/2_1/ The Casual Games SIG has also been working on a standardized method for reports casual/web game sales data. Full details on the Data Reporting Standards Initiative are on the IGDA wiki: http://www.igda.org/wiki/index.php/Casual_Games_SIG/DataReportingInitiative ======================================================= 2: GDC07 Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications ======================================================= The IGDA has just launched the 7th annual Student Scholarship Program. Twenty-five college students will be awarded complimentary full access passes to the 2007 Game Developers Conference. The deadline to enter is Wednesday, January 10, 2007. Recipients will be announced late January. Applicants are required to be full-time college students (or equivalent) and IGDA student members for consideration. Scholarship applications will be judged by a panel of professional game developers. Students can now apply online: http://www.igda.org/scholarships/ ======================================================================= 3: Event Action: Game Connection, AGDS, GDC, OGDC, Jason trip summaries ======================================================================= Member discounts at upcoming events and related event action include: - 200 Euro discount for IGDA Studio Affiliates at Game Connection Lyon (December 5-7) - 35% member discount at the Asian Game Development Summit in Singapore (December 9-10) - $50 member discount at the 2007 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco (March 5-9) - $50 member discount at Online Game Developers Conference in Seattle (May 10-11) Full discount details and links available online: http://www.igda.org/events/ - Jason event summary: Liverpool Game Design and Technology Workshop and Conference: http://www.realitypanic.com/archives/264 - Jason event summary: Montreal International Game Summit: http://www.realitypanic.com/archives/262 - Jason trip summary: Uruguay: http://www.realitypanic.com/archives/260 - Jason event summary: GAMES2006 Portugal: http://www.realitypanic.com/archives/248 =================== 4: Tools SIG Launch =================== The IGDA has recently launched a new special interest group focused on tools development. Their new site/blog is at: http://www.igda.org/tools/ The SIG also has a new mailing list and an online discussion forum to dive into. The Tools SIG will work to raise awareness about what "tools" are, how they can be developed more productively, and how teams can get more out of them over time. By providing a community for tool developers, the SIG will encourage idea sharing between companies and reduce the amount of redundant work being done. ================= 5: Columns Update ================= Monthly columns have been updated: Famous Last Words ----------------- "Moonlighting Rights" - A look at rights and issues over material produced outside of work http://www.igda.org/columns/lastwords/lastwords_Nov06.php Culture Clash ------------- "Recovery Console - Social engineering in the next-gen war" - Exploring the console promotion strategies http://www.igda.org/columns/clash/clash_Nov06.php The Games Game -------------- "Genius Takes Time To Cook" - It takes time to get where you want to go, especially if you burn bridges http://www.igda.org/columns/gamesgame/gamesgame_Nov06.php =========================== 6: Chapter Meetings/Reports =========================== Complete list of chapter reports and upcoming meetings: http://www.igda.org/chapters/updates.php Denmark Friday, February 2 > Nordic Game Jam 2007 http://www.diginet.org/o.o.i.s?id=1040&news_item=488 Hyderabad Wednesday, January 10 > NASSCOM Animation & Gaming India 2007 Conference http://www.igda.org/hyderabad/nasscom.html Singapore Saturday, December 9 > Asian Game Developer Summit http://www.agdsummit.com/images/agds_flyer.jpg Denmark Thursday, December 7 > Titoonic talk about their christmas game + Social event http://www.igda.dk/ Hamburg Friday, December 1 > Hamburg Gamecity Campus 2006 - Conference & Workshop http://www.igda.org/hamburg/gamecampus2006 DC & Vicinity Thursday, November 30 > The "Next-Gen" Experience http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthread.php?threadid=9077 Montreal Wednesday, November 29 > "DemoNight" http://www.igda.org/montreal/archives/2006/11/november_29th_d.html Hamburg Report, November 16 > Chapter Meeting Report http://www.igda.org/hamburg/reports.htm Paris Report, November 8 > Serious Games Meeting Report http://igda.paris.free.fr/spip.php?article4 Colorado Report, November 6 > Socially Conscious Games at the University of Denver http://coloradogamedev.org/ Salt Lake City Report, October 26 > Inaugural Meeting Report http://igda.org/slc/oct06mr.htm Perth Report, October 23 > Tokyo Game Show Wrap-Up http://www.igda.org/perth/event_06_10/06_10_Report.htm Seattle Report, October 19 > IGDA Board of Director's Retreat Report http://www.igda.org/seattle/reports/10_2006r.htm Montreal Report, October 19 > The Long Tail World http://www.igda.org/montreal/archives/2006/10/the_long_tail_w.html ================== x: Logistical Bits ================== Unsubscribe/Subscribe to Newsletter ----------------------------------- You can unsubscribe or update your newsletter subscription details via your MyProfile page: http://www.igda.org/membership/myprofile.php If you need help, contact us. Thanks to our Partners ---------------------- The IGDA extends its sincerest thanks to all our Partners! Especially those who just joined us, or recently renewed their commitment to support the game development community: - ACG Event Management Sdn. Bhd - ATI Technologies - Autodesk Media and Entertainment - Cal Poly Pomona - CellPerformance.com - Charles River Media/Course PTR (Thomson Learning) - Columbia College Chicago - DePaul University - Savannah College of Art and Design - Suffolk College 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 Contact Information ------------------- Please contact us if you have questions, comments or input: http://www.igda.org/contact.php RSS Feeds for IGDA News and Chapter Updates ------------------------------------------- The IGDA web site has RSS feeds for IGDA news (eg, org announcements, committee work, etc) and chapter updates (eg, upcoming meetings, event reports). Those using RSS readers can point to: IGDA News: http://www.igda.org/igda_news_rss.php IGDA Chapter Updates: http://www.igda.org/igda_chapters_rss.php ------- - end - -------