chapter news
Our Google Group
Last month I started a Google Group to help facilitate mass communication for the chapter. Of the 50 or so names I have on our mailing list, only half of you accepted the invitation to be in the group. If you did not get an email about the Group please let me know so that I can fix that. If you did get the invitation, but just haven't acted on it yet, please do so. The Group is how I will blast email messages to the chapter from now on.
You can always reach me at kevin (dot) ogorman (at) igda-nola (dot) org
Post to TwitterNew Chapter Google Group
In celebration of our 6-month anniversary, the chapter launched an IGDA-NOLA Google Group. I sent out invitations today using the functional emails on our mailing list. So if you did not get an invite to join the Group (or any other email I have ever sent out) you need to get me a good email for you. The other option is to go to groups.google.com/group/igda-nola and apply to join the Group manually. You have to include an email address to register.
My hope is that the Group will make communications easier in both directions. This method is apparently very popular among other IGDA Chapters. I had a few chances to meet with other chapter leaders and GDC and still have a few more tricks to dish out.
Global Game Jam Success
Well, that's a wrap on another successful game jam. This year we had the first Global Game Jam site in Louisiana at UNO's main campus. We had ten participants combine efforts over the weekend to complete one board game: Monkeys Eat Bananas. You can try your hand at guiding your monkey clan to survival by downloading the game from the GGJ site.
http://globalgamejam.org/2011/monkeys-eat-bananas
Just download the PDF files and print everything out. You'll need a regular 6-sided die to play. And some scissors to cut out the cards and playing pieces. The board is one big file that can be printed on a big plotter at a print shop or in tiles off a laser printer.
Heading to GDC? Seems likely.
Seriously? 45 people have chimed in on the poll and said they are going to GDC? Well, that's just awesome. Keep your eyes peeled for any Louisiana-sponsored events. In the meantime, checkout the Forum post I made regarding NOLA Night Out. Anyone interested in meeting up one night at GDC should post to the thread so we can keep track of everyone and agree on a time and place to meet-up and show everyone how it's done Crescent City-style. We need to make sure Louisiana is showing up on people's radars.
Global Game Jam Comes to New Orleans
This is it -- we have an official site to hold a Global Game Jam session. Anyone interested in participating in a 48-hour creative frenzy is invited to participate -- you don't have to be a professional game dev. There are currently 136 sites across 39 counties participating.
The University of New Orleans has been kind enough to open their facilities to us for the weekend (January 28-30). Jam Central will be in Milneburg Hall on the main campus. Depending on the crowd and skillset that arrives, we will be trying to do both digital and analog game projects during the jam -- so feel free to bring supplies if you can.
December Event Postponed
It's not the best way to crank up a new chapter, but for reasons beyond our control the LDGI event that was scheduled for this Friday has just been pushed off until 2011. Sorry for the last-minute change. This does not really leave much time to plan something else for our December meeting, so my suggestion is for folks to hang in Capdeville (the bar next to Launch Pad) Thursday night and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow gamers.
On a happier note, we are very close to locking in a site for the Global Game Jam at the end of January. Keep and eye on this site and Twitter (IGDA_NOLA) for updates.
Everybody have a happy holiday season and don't forget to put the controller down once in a while and talk to your family.
Chapter Shirts Available
Just in time for Holiday Shopping:
Basic chapter t-shirts are now available for sale. Show your support, look cool, and help raise money for the chapter. We make $6 on each shirt.
Down the road we can have design contests and add to the selection, but for now let's let people know we exist.
December Meeting Reminder
Remember that this month's meeting is on a different day. Instead of the Third Thursday, we are meeting on Friday, Dec. 17. Why the change? . . . .
The Louisiana Digital Game Initiative (ldgi.biz) is officially launching its New Orleans efforts with a social gathering at the new George Rodrigue Studio (think Blue Dog) at 730 Royal Street, at 7pm. So think of it as IGDA-NOLA's Holiday Party, networking meeting, culture night, and free stuff in The Quarter -- all rolled into one.
Here's a chance to hear about what the LDGI has been doing, wants to do, and suggest what it can do. After all, we all what to make digital games in Louisiana, right?
Hey, you! Yeah, you!
The IGDA membership drive context ends on Friday. Join for pete's sake!
$48 for core membership
$30 for students
We are pooling our new member count with Baton Rouge's, so if we win Warren Specter will be speaking to a joint session of our chapters. Show everybody that Louisiana is serious about stepping up in the game industry.
Click here and do a quick online transaction to be an official member of a very cool group of people. How often do you get an invitation like that?
Chapter Meeting This Week
Meeting Update: Fancy Pants Adventures creator Brad Borne will be our guest speaker this week -- talking about indy game development and whatever else we can weasel out of him.
6pm -- LaunchPad
We'll also be talking about chapter organization and the upcoming Global Game Jam.
Next group event
Group poll
Anybody attending the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco at the end of February?
| Yes -- I know that it is the quickest way to the heart of the industry | 235 |
| No -- Even though it is the quickest way to the heart of the industry | 110 |
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