=============================== IGDA Newsletter - December 2007 =============================== ================= Table of Contents ================= 0: A Word From Mitzi McGilvray 1: IGDA Action at GDC 2008 2: Call for Nominees: 2008 Board of Director Elections 3: EdSIG Curriculum Framework Review 4: Event Action: GameON:Finance, i3D, GDC, Oz, MIGS 5: Columns Update 6: Chapter Meetings/Reports x: Logistical Bits & Unsubscribe Info ================= ============================== 0: A Word From Mitzi McGilvray ============================== Dear Members and friends, The holidays are the perfect time for giving thanks, sharing, and spending time with family and friends. One of my fondest memories as a child was waking up one Christmas morning to find a gift that changed my life: one of the earliest home video game systems, Super PONG. We instantly became a video game family, with mother, father and two kids, enjoying fierce family-friendly battles for high-score domination. The best part was not the actual fun playing Pong, or being one of the first kids in my little town to have such a cool device, but of the quality time I enjoyed playing with my family. My passion for video games - which later became my life's work - began on that Christmas morning. As this is the season of giving, I urge everyone to please give to one or more of the numerous charities that are working to support those in need. There are many ways you can give. In addition to monetary donations, many charities would be delighted to have additional hard working volunteers. Or if you are short on time _and_ money, you can drop new, unused toys that you have scattered around your office into a toy drive bin (example, Toys for Tots in the US). You could even sell those treasures on eBay and designate a charity to receive some or all of the proceeds. You will not only feel better, but your office will be tidier for the New Year. Here are some game industry charities that you may consider donating to: - Child's Play - http://www.childsplaycharity.org/ Donate gifts of video games and toys through Amazon to childrens' hospitals around the world. - Get Well Gamers - http://www.get-well-gamers.org/ Provides toys and games to hospitals. They accept donations of games and game hardware (as well as cash). The IGDA has also recently set up a charitable sister organization, the IGDA Foundation ( http://foundation.igda.org/ ). Initial work of the IGDA Foundation will be focused on providing SIG scholarships and doing rigorous industry/workforce research. We're only just getting the IGDA Foundation rolling, so expect to hear lots about it in the near future. The IGDA Foundation can currently accept donations via PayPal. Happy Holidays! - Mitzi McGilvray Chairperson, IGDA VP Casual Games, TikGames ***************************************** ** Ad: Game Developers Conference 2008 ** ***************************************** February 18-22, San Francisco The core objective of this year's conference is to promote learning, networking, and inspiration. The GDC team has been working hard to create the most exciting and compelling conference yet. If you're going to attend one industry event in 2008, this is the one! New on the GDC website: - Conference Track Highlights and Advisory Board Picks - GDC Summits Session Announcements - GDC Mobile Keynote and Sessions Announced - myGDC Professional Networking System Register by January 16 to secure up to 30% savings. IGDA members receive an automatic $50 discount! http://www.gdconf.com/?cid=GDC08_QUENX3 **************************************** ========================== 1: IGDA Action at GDC 2008 ========================== Each year the IGDA works hard to maximize the GDC experience for our members and the game development community. Here's an outline of all the stuff the IGDA has cooking at this year's GDC. - Members-Only Party on Tuesday night from 8pm to midnight at the Westin on Market - IGDA Annual General Meeting on Thursday at 1:15pm in room 3020 WH - IGDA Education Summit - IGDA Government and Associations Summit - 14 roundtables ranging from QoL, to credits to censorship - 12 group gatherings - Student Scholarship Program - IGDA booth and members' lounge - Members-Only t-shirt give-away - Membership ribbons - VIP Luncheon on Wednesday (by invite only) - Chapter Coordinators Workshop on Monday (by invite only) - SIG Leaders Workshop on Monday (by invite only) - Student Scholarship Program For details and updates on the above IGDA activities, please jump to the dedicated IGDA at GDC info page: http://www.igda.org/gdc08/ ====================================================== 2: Call for Nominees: 2008 Board of Director Elections ====================================================== We would like to invite you to submit nominations for the IGDA Board of Directors. The 2008 election process has officially started, with voting set to take place in February. We are filling four open board seats. Nominations are due by Thursday, January 24th. The game industry is still developing both as a business and an art form. Influencing the industry's growth in positive directions requires leadership. If you care about making games and feel you could serve the IGDA, we strongly encourage you to contact us about your candidacy. If you know someone you feel would contribute well, please contact that person now and encourage him or her to run for an IGDA board seat. Please review the complete details on the election and submission process: http://www.igda.org/board/elections.php http://www.igda.org/board/IGDA_Election_Manual.pdf ==================================== 3: EdSIG Curriculum Framework Review ==================================== Over the past year a very hard working team of IGDA Education SIG volunteers - headed by Tracy Fullerton, Yusuf Pisan and Magy Seif El-Nasr - have made amendments to the 2003 v2.3 IGDA Curriculum Framework. The Framework was a seminal reference document that has been leveraged by countless schools to set game development related curriculum. It is now time for a broader audience to view and review the current version of the Framework, to make suggestions for changes and any recommendations on improvement. The EdSIG is looking for volunteers to go through and review the revised document through the winter break. The deadline for feedback is January 6th. The EdSIG will then take those collected notes, make the appropriate edits and present it at the upcoming IGDA Education Summit at GDC in February. If you are interested in viewing/reviewing the current draft of the Curriculum Framework, please contact Susan Gold, EdSIG chairperson, directly via education_sig@igda.org. More general info on the Curriculum Framework can be found via: http://igda.org/wiki/index.php/Game_Education_SIG/Curriculum =================================================== 4: Event Action: GameON:Finance, i3D, GDC, Oz, MIGS =================================================== Member discounts at upcoming events and related event action include: - 20% member discount for GameON:Finance in Toronto (January 17-18) - $50 member discount for i3D: Symposium on Interactive 3D & Games in Redwood City, CA (February 15-17) - $50 member discount for Game Developers Conference in San Francisco (February 18-22) Full discount details and links available online: http://www.igda.org/events/ Also, check out the trip "reports" from the executive director's recent visit to Australia and Montreal: - Game Connect: Asia Pacific, IGDA-Perth: http://www.realitypanic.com/archives/341 - Montreal International Game Summit: http://www.realitypanic.com/archives/342 ================= 5: Columns Update ================= Monthly columns have been updated: Famous Last Words ----------------- "Time is of the Essence ­ Part II" - Timing and effect on contract obligations http://www.igda.org/columns/lastwords/lastwords_Dec07.php Culture Clash ------------- "Ogres are Like Onions - Layers of meaning in game literature" - Can games mean more than their surface detail http://www.igda.org/columns/clash/clash_Dec07.php The Games Game -------------- "Options Analysis" - At a look at options for those ready to take the plunge http://www.igda.org/columns/gamesgame/gamesgame_Dec07.php =========================== 6: Chapter Meetings/Reports =========================== Complete list of chapter reports and upcoming meetings: http://www.igda.org/chapters/updates.php Denmark February 1-3 > Nordic Game Jam! http://www.diginet.org/o.o.i.s?id=1040&news_item=775 Perth Tuesday, January 29 > Tony Oakden set to discuss his experiences producing BioShock PC http://www.igda.org/perth/ Hamburg Thursday, December 20 > Xmas Meeting http://www.igda.org/hamburg Albuquerque Report, December 16 > December Meet-up Recap http://www.igda.org/albuquerque/history.html Malaysia Report, November 30 > Informal Meeting report http://www.igda.org.my/?p=95 Montreal Report, November 27 > Reconstructing Columbine http://www.igda.org/montreal/archives/2007/12/reconstructing.html Philadelphia Report, November 28 > Meeting Recap - AI and Game Design Challenges http://www.igda.org/philly/archives/2007/11/meeting_recap_n.html ================== x: Logistical Bits ================== Unsubscribe/Subscribe to Newsletter ----------------------------------- To unsubscribe simply send an email with the subject "unsubscribe" to igda@igda.org. Or, you can update your newsletter subscription details via your MyProfile page: http://www.igda.org/membership/myprofile.php 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: - Cal State Fullerton Extension - Cogswell Polytechnical College - Houston Community College - IGN Entertainment - ModCenter.com - Interactive Studio Management - Madison Media Institute - New Horizons CLC - Savannah College of Art and Design 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 19 Mantua Road Mount Royal, New Jersey USA 08061 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 - ------m