open day
I'm helping out at some cs open days at my university. Should I be pointing them towards this chapter? They're <18 so would it make sense for them to come to any of the meetings? Should I just point them to the website/forum for passive information? Or is there some way the igda can engage them more actively?
ps. Out of the ones interested in computer science and making games I haven't come across a single A2 level student who has heard of the igda.
Your post is kinda what I was feeling. Or maybe that it's just 50% of the meets are networking sessions, which leaves 2 meets a year with substance.
The way I'm helping is to to talk about my research, (computer graphics). I normally end up talking about the practical relevance of what I do at some point, so the topic of games crops up. Plus I'm feeling interest out there for games and I think it's nice to see that making games can be a very exact science. Which is why I probably wouldn't preach about the bcs, just because it's too far out of anything I look into. Plus they'll get loads of join-bcs-days when they join next year.
I don't know about the chapter meeting substances in London, I've only been able to visit on chapter meeting so far (yesterday evening; Midlands chapter).
I'd also disagree that games isn't an *exact* science 
there is no formula for "fun" after all. 
I guess the BCS is something to preach later, but it was only a suggestion.
So I'd say continue doing it, nothing wrong, but again only my opinion. Since these forums are low-activity I'll likely be the only responder due to me reading everything here
Also; out of interest why are you preaching about the IGDA without being a member yourself :p (I know forum access is free and all of course ).
Given that the information that they require could be queried from a wider audience, I would try the main forums.
People do look here also, but likely only those belonging to the chapter.
Hey, come now, I asked in the main forums and only J replied 
Maybe I should put a follow up "Anyone reading this?" in it, haha!
Sorry I said what I didn't mean. Of course the creation side is art. :P
I've signed up for the forum, but I don't think I need the other benefits. I can write directly to my local mp rather than voting on a matter through the igda. She even has a cheesy website. Interestingly students don't have voting rights so this is even further out of reach. I have facebook as does this chapter, so the need for access to other members information is overvalued. The website, forum and newsletter are all free. Which leaves product discounts and the gdc discount. I don't buy enough of the products for the deal to make sense, and the £25 (allowed to be used with early registration deal) still leaves the cost above what I can afford. I spread good will about the igda because it's a good source of information. I've found a lot of answers here which my careers service dept. couldn't answer. And to answer your question finally, I managed to get all this without being a member.
The comment about substance was trollish. What I was referring to was how great the night with the 2 lawyers was. (I better not get quoted on that later in life..:P). I just wish we could have more meetings like that.
Fair enough, if you don't get involved with any of the SIG's or get involved more formally with chapters or organising anything IGDA related, you don't need membership for the freer stuff when a student
Sounds like you want to promote the IGDA to students but don't know if it is worth it - same here!
I'd personally see no reason why they can't know about the IGDA and its chapter meetings, certainly when they are 18 they can apply for the scholarship and would likely be more interested in possibly creating IGDA student groups.
Just my opinion - I'm at University myself. Also; since it is a general CS course it might be more worth putting time into getting them into the British Computing Society (BCS) where student membership for the entire course is dead cheap, and there is things like active job sites and it's possibly more helpful to general candidates.
Andrew Armstrong
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