GWSIG Monthly Meeting Minutes/Meeting15

International Game Developers Association

June 22, 2006

Steve Jacobs: boo
Chris Bateman: Greetings and salutations!
Steve Jacobs: hmmm
Steve Jacobs: try again :-)
Steve Jacobs: I MODIFIED MY AGENDA ITEM CHRIS
Steve Jacobs: eeek
Steve Jacobs: Keyboard and I not working well today
Steve Jacobs: :-(
Steve Jacobs: anyone else actually here??
Steve Jacobs: I see names
Steve Jacobs: but no responses
Chris Bateman: I see names but who knows if that means anything...
Chris Bateman: Anyway, I make it 5 pm, so I'm going to launch in.
Steve Jacobs: shoot
Chris Bateman: First up, apologies for absence:
Chris Bateman: Sande, Coray (who is probably a shadow) and Andy Walsh.
Chris Bateman: And now, before we get to Matters Arising, I have to sort out this New Initiatives Launch because it's now three months after GDC and it's scandalous that we haven't done it yet...
Steve Jacobs: ok
Chris Bateman: Hi Wendy!
Chris Bateman: Steve: can you make more room so we can see everyone in the meeting? The note box is obscuring the bottom of the attendee list...
WendyDespain: hi everybody
Steve Jacobs: I got da powah
Chris Bateman: Here are the new initiatives:
Chris Bateman: # A Survey Task Force has been formed at Surveys.# A team for the White Paper Update must be identified.# Copy for the Self-Promotion Guide must be created.# Discussion regarding Outreach is required, probably after the book is published.# Wiki pages need to be created for the construction of Resource Articles
Chris Bateman: The Survey initiative is underway, with Beth at the helm (I think).
Beth A. Dillon: Yup!
dansky: Whaddayknow? It worked.
Chris Bateman: We need a team for the White Paper update. A committe member should take ownership of this and take it to the list to recruit volunteers.
Chris Bateman: Hi Rich! You still in the Middle Kingdom?
dansky: I'm in the Central Carolinas for the next few days :-)
dansky: And I'll take the White Paper update.
Chris Bateman: Neat! Thanks!
dansky: Sure thing.
Chris Bateman: Next is 'Copy for hte self-Promotion Guide'. Once again, we need a committee member to take ownership of this and take it to the list for volunteers.
WendyDespain: Chris, could you send out one message the general list as sort of a rallying cry to get people working on initiatives again?
Chris Bateman: Wendy: I could - but there's a problem with me doing that.
Chris Bateman: Firstly, I don't read the regular list - only the committee list. Anyone who attempted to reply to me, I would not see it.
Chris Bateman: Secondly, we still should have a committee member assigned to each initiative, shouldn't we?
Chris Bateman: Or do you think we should go to an open call first?
dansky: Open call.
WendyDespain: well, honestly, I was just looking around here seeing we don't have very many people
Chris Bateman: *nods*
dansky: That way, if someone really wants to take ownership, they can grab it, instead of waiting from guidance from on high.
Chris Bateman: Yes, it is a bit ridiculous to force the people good enough to attend to take ownership. :)
Chris Bateman: Alright, well Steve or Rich - do you read the regular writers list?
dansky: I do.
Steve Jacobs: yup
Chris Bateman: Can one of you issue a call for volunteers to the list, detailing the new initiatives?
dansky: OK, Steve. Let's do rock-paper-scissors for it.
Chris Bateman: (I apologise for not reading the general list - my time got tight and I had to cut something)
Steve Jacobs: Will send out e-mail
Steve Jacobs: but to busy to field responses as I gotta focus on the confs
dansky: Ahem. I'll field the responses.
Beth A. Dillon: Go RICH GO!
Chris Bateman: Cool. Great!
Chris Bateman: The source material for this is on the Wiki (thanks Wendy!)
WendyDespain: thanks guys, i think people are getting tired of hearing from me
Chris Bateman: You can find it here:
Chris Bateman: http://www.igda.org/wiki/index.php/Game_Writers_SIG/Initiatives06
Chris Bateman: And a special thanks for Wendy for cracking the whip on this one, as we have been unforgivably rubbish in overlooking this. *blush*#
Chris Bateman: OK. Matters Arising.
Beth A. Dillon: Heh heh
Chris Bateman: A. Writer's Book. The situation is - it's at the printers.
Chris Bateman: That's all I have to say, really.
Chris Bateman: B. Austin (Steve). Take it away Stevy!
WendyDespain: yay for printers
dansky: Wait a minute - we have to ask the all-important writer question about the book :-)
Chris Bateman: ...
Steve Jacobs: ???
dansky: "When do we get paid?" :-)
Steve Jacobs: Ah yes I can get rid of that pesky mortgage now!!!!
dansky: I mean, sheesh, we're a professional writing organization here, people. We keep up some standards.
Chris Bateman: I assume we get our paltry payments when it hits the "shops", but I haven't checked.
dansky: Err, we've got to keep up some standards :-)
Chris Bateman: I'll nudge Jenifer.
Steve Jacobs: "On Publication" I believe
WendyDespain: which really means "whenever we feel like it"
Steve Jacobs: So is there an anticipated on the shelves date???
Steve Jacobs: or month?
dansky: According to Amazon, June 15th :-)
Chris Bateman: Ha ha!
Steve Jacobs: I'm hoping to use it in my classes this fall
Beth A. Dillon: Ha yeah I announced it awhile back because of that earlier date.
Chris Bateman: Anyay, Steve, do you want to launch into your Austin bits?
Steve Jacobs: SUre, though it really starts with Sandbox 7/29 and 7/30
Steve Jacobs: The Quarterly Crew believe they will have the next issue ready for me to distribute in Boston
WendyDespain: yay for quarterly editors
Steve Jacobs: RIT is a sponsor of the show and gets a booth outta the deal so we can put them in a big pile in the RIT booth cuz It's on of my professional activities
Steve Jacobs: Ditto for a copy of the book if one exists in time
Chris Bateman: I think we should have it by then.
Steve Jacobs: I've gotten a panel accepted
Steve Jacobs: Geoof Long is on it
Chris Bateman: Good work!
Steve Jacobs: Katherine Isbister (who will join the SIG in the next couple of days) will be on it
Steve Jacobs: So I'm gonna promote it as a "Writing Sig" Panel if I can get away with it
Beth A. Dillon: Nice
Steve Jacobs: I've had brief e-mail exchanges with the write club folks
Steve Jacobs: to see if any were going to go
Steve Jacobs: so I could hand them a function room to do write club in both night
Chris Bateman: Katherine's joining the SIG? How strange!
Steve Jacobs: Heard from all involved so far, except Ed, with a resounding "I'm not going"
Steve Jacobs: I've suggested she join the sig as her book (just out) is on creating characters for games from a psych pov
Steve Jacobs: think it makes sense for her to start talking to writers  :-)
Steve Jacobs: anyhow
WendyDespain: am i stupid not knowing who Katherine is?
Chris Bateman: No, she's just a regular face at GDC is all. She's a psychology professor somewhere.
Steve Jacobs: If Ed says no as well, I may try to get them to create a "How to throw a write club handbook" and try to find some other volunteers to do it
Steve Jacobs: Katherines about 5 hours down state from me at RPI
Steve Jacobs: Rensalear Polytechnic Instittue
WendyDespain: ah, ok, thanks
Steve Jacobs: Anyhow, if anyone knows anyone going to Sandbox, I'd like to try toget anothe Write Club running there as well
Chris Bateman: Sorry, I won't be in the US in time. My visa application is dragging.
Steve Jacobs: I'm lso involved in setting up the birds of a feather sessions so there'll be a writing one
Steve Jacobs: Those are my thoughts for Sandbox first
Steve Jacobs: Any comments, suggestions for additions, etc before I move on to Austin???
Beth A. Dillon: None here!
Chris Bateman: I have nothing to add, except it sounds like you're very much on top of things with this.
Chris Bateman: (As an aside, for a committee of 12 with 3 AFA, and 5 attendees, where are the remaining 4 committee members?)
Steve Jacobs: Chris if you can prod Charles River on getting me some copies asap so I can plug the book at the conf I'd appreciate igt
Steve Jacobs: best thing might be to have them coordinate with me directly so we can look at timing and decide if we're shipping to me or to the Boston venue
Chris Bateman: Sure. Steve - send me an email naming the conference and giving me the date, and I'll forward it to Jenifer. I'm afraid I'll get my facts wrong otherwise.
dansky: Isn't CRM in Boston?
Chris Bateman: They're Thompson now#
Steve Jacobs: Good point Richard
Chris Bateman: Albany, NY.
Steve Jacobs: ALbany's not far :-)
WendyDespain: (I think we should ask some pointed questions of those 4 remaining members)
Steve Jacobs: We should also find out if they're planning to be at SIGGRAPH
Steve Jacobs: I (and any other authors who'll be there) could help them promote our book there as well if they want
Chris Bateman: Steve - I'm happy to introduce you to Jenifer; send me an email to forward that will work as an introduction, and then we can close the gap. It's all in the best interests of the book, so there should be no issues.
dansky: This leads to a side issue I've been pondering - we should get some kind of calendar/attendance thing going.
Steve Jacobs: for committee or for sig members/conferences
Steve Jacobs: or both?
dansky: Both
dansky: Seeing familiar folks at a conference is often good encouragement for others to go.
Steve Jacobs: Yah
Beth A. Dillon: Very trye
Steve Jacobs: now that program for Sandbox is selected, I'll send out another e-mail to the main list pointing to what's writing related there
Beth A. Dillon: True!
dansky: And the more networking and shared conference attendance we do, the stronger the SIG gets. Plus, it will make it easier for people to tell their bosses, "I have to go to this conference. X, Y, and Z will all be there."
Steve Jacobs: agreed
Chris Bateman: *nods*
Chris Bateman: Do you have more to discuss on Austin as well, Steve?
Coray Seifert: *back, catching up*
Steve Jacobs: Ready to swing into Austin now
Steve Jacobs: Similar stuff
WendyDespain: are you volunteering to take charge of this calendar dansky?
Chris Bateman: Hi Coray! Congratulations! You make up the quorum. :)
Coray Seifert: huzzah!
WendyDespain: or maybe Steve should get it, since he's our outreach guy - or sande
Steve Jacobs: First some questions for those august members of our group who are advisors to Susan on Austin...
Steve Jacobs: Give Sande something to do, I'm swamped :-)
Steve Jacobs: Are there any evening events planned for Austin?
WendyDespain: i'm not above assigning things to absent committee members
dansky: I can't take the calendar on. I'm overloaded as is. But I'm happy to instigate workload for someone else :-)
Steve Jacobs: Should we offer write club (or something else) one evening during Austin?
dansky: Will there be space available for something like that?
Steve Jacobs: Dunno
WendyDespain: the official schedule as it stands right now lists a pub crawl on wednesday
dansky: I will mention it to Susan.
WendyDespain: and a party on thursday
Steve Jacobs: If they're not doing anything else in the evenings, they still have the rooms :-)
Steve Jacobs: IS there a final official schedule?
WendyDespain: http://www.gamewritersconference.com/schedule/index.html
Steve Jacobs: Last one I saw still had a bunch a TBA's
Beth A. Dillon: I'll just sit here and pout about not being able to go to AGC at all.
WendyDespain: is more updated than it used to be
Steve Jacobs: So, one thing we should look at is offering something in the evening
WendyDespain: write club is kind of a pub game, maybe we could have it at one of the pubs
Steve Jacobs: Thats an option too
Steve Jacobs: Since Wendy and Richard have an inside track with Susan that I lack, I'll leave it to you guys to see what's possible there and get back to us
Steve Jacobs: If it comes from me, its likely to be rejected, so better from y'all.
WendyDespain: looks like dansky will bring it up to her
Steve Jacobs: 2. Another thing I'd like to get from Richard and/or Wendy is a list of SIG members who are presenting at Austin for that "Congratulation to our members for presenting at Austin" kinda thing
WendyDespain: yay Ben!
BenServiss: Evenin folks, sorry for the delay
dansky: Hi, Ben
Steve Jacobs: They've already seen the mini plug from Beth's edition of the quarterly
Coray Seifert: Greetings from cross the river
Steve Jacobs: Comgin down the road, stuff we need to get a handle on is the following...
WendyDespain: now we only have 3 people to shame
Steve Jacobs: Printed version of the quarterly for bag stuffing
Steve Jacobs: Since we should have it ready end of July, no problems there
Steve Jacobs: Swag
Steve Jacobs: What can we get to hand out at the booth
Steve Jacobs: ???
Steve Jacobs: 3. Manning the booth
Steve Jacobs: I'll send out a call for that as we get closed
Steve Jacobs: SIG handouts
Steve Jacobs: Do we wanna use the same top 10 thing as last time or go for something new
Steve Jacobs: Book
WendyDespain: hmm. like a "why join the writers sig" hand out?
Chris Bateman: I didn't see the old handout to know if it was solid enough to reuse. If we think everyone has seen it, a new one would be indicated.
Steve Jacobs: Copies to display in the booth and a promotional cupon from CRM for a price reduction if they use the paper form or a web code to on-line order between dates x and y
dansky: I'd think a new one would be good, though hopefully with less on-list wrangling.
WendyDespain: a committee member could take charge of it
Chris Bateman: Yes, we made a mountain out of composing the last one...
Steve Jacobs: Sub Committee to be sure :-)
Chris Bateman: Are we nearly at the end of the Austin issues? I'm keeping an eye on the time, and I'd like to tie up today's meeting on time if possible. (Can always continue these discussions after the gavel if necessary)
Steve Jacobs: other ideas from y'all?
dansky: Some sort of identifier for badges.
Steve Jacobs: Yah I'm done
dansky: Sticker/ribbon/something
Chris Bateman: OKay, thanks Steve. Everyone else: feel free to parallel thread the conversation if you have other things to say.
Chris Bateman: C. Survey (Beth)
Steve Jacobs: WIll send out general e-mail to you lot first and then a call for volunteers after we've done our bit
WendyDespain: a sticker/ribbon/something is a good idea
Beth A. Dillon: Aaaaalright.
Steve Jacobs: agreed wendy
Beth A. Dillon: Survey time?
WendyDespain: yes, go
Chris Bateman: Sorry, yes, Beth - launch into it! :)
Beth A. Dillon: So at this point we need to just agree on the questions, get final edits, and launch.
Chris Bateman: Do we have a draft set of quesitons?
Beth A. Dillon: Yes.
Beth A. Dillon: http://www.igda.org/wiki/index.php/Game_Writers_SIG/Initiatives/Surveys
Beth A. Dillon: Specifically, here: http://www.igda.org/wiki/index.php/Game_Writers_SIG/Initiatives/Surveys/Game_Writers
Beth A. Dillon: And here: http://www.igda.org/wiki/index.php/Game_Writers_SIG/Initiatives/Surveys/Employers
Beth A. Dillon: What we need at this point is probably to break out of our small committee and have everyone on the Game Writers committee make edits to the Wiki drafts.
Beth A. Dillon: If the committee decides against changes, fine, we can go back in history. But as it is now, we've pretty much done a bit of editing but I don't see us progressing any further without more input.
WendyDespain: i haven't seen your edits, girl :-)
WendyDespain: just mine
Chris Bateman: OK. I suggest: set a deadline for feedback, then email the committe with the links and the date, asking for all feedback by that date. If we don't have a cut off, nothing will happen.
Beth A. Dillon: Uhh I put the thing up.
Beth A. Dillon: I edited quite a bit there.
Chris Bateman: (Even with a cut off, getting the committee onto the wiki is a struggle!)
Beth A. Dillon: So if you go back twenty times in the history... Ha ha ha.
WendyDespain: okay, i didn't compare what the old one looked like vs. what got put up
Chris Bateman: I suggest also that you accept feedback by email or by wiki, so those with the wikifear can still participate.
Beth A. Dillon: One big thing:</b> Should we cut out the "fill in your thoughts" questions? Because there are a lot of them.
Beth A. Dillon: Yes good plan.
Chris Bateman: I would have one box for 'additional thoughts' at the end.
Beth A. Dillon: I may even open this up to the whole list just to get some responses.
Chris Bateman: Sure, if you're comfortable with that, go for it!
Steve Jacobs: the horror, the horror
WendyDespain: i'm not sure people will be interested in filling out a survey they helped write
Chris Bateman: Ha ha! That may be a fair point. :)
Beth A. Dillon: Okay. So. I'll make my additional edits (the thought boxes), pass things by the internal committee, then ask the overall SIG committee for thoughts.
Beth A. Dillon: Then call it done and launch.
Steve Jacobs: Do we want folks at austin to fill out electronic or paoer survey? include paper survey in bag?
Chris Bateman: Sounds perfect.
Beth A. Dillon: Because otherwise it's just going to sit there.
Beth A. Dillon: I think the goal is to have this on the web by AGC.
Chris Bateman: So we could give a link to it.
Beth A. Dillon: And no paper. Please.
WendyDespain: i thought the goal was to have some results by AGC
Chris Bateman: Yeah, no-one wants to process paper forms.
Steve Jacobs: laptop in booth?
Beth A. Dillon: You can even have a laptop at the SIG Booth.
Beth A. Dillon: Not that I knew of, Wendy.
Beth A. Dillon: Unless there is going to be a quarterly piece for AGC that reflects the results.
Chris Bateman: Getting the survey ready for AGC allows us to gather data from conference attendees; that has to be more useful than having the results by then, it seems to me at least.
Coray Seifert: that could be an interesting addition
Beth A. Dillon: Yes.
WendyDespain: i'm not in charge. i must have been mistaken. i just thought someone wanted to use the results in a panel or something there.
Chris Bateman: Anyway, this seems to be more or less sorted for now. Feel free to continue discussing this; I'm going to move on...
Beth A. Dillon: That was my thought on it.
Beth A. Dillon: No no no
Chris Bateman: D. Vote to Ratify Constitutional Amendments.
Chris Bateman: The ammendments can be found here at the bottom of the page:
Chris Bateman: http://www.igda.org/wiki/index.php/GWSIG_Constitution
Steve Jacobs: Collect data at agc, run session at GDC discussing results
Beth A. Dillon: It's sort of something to do at the booth too. Ha ha.
Chris Bateman: But I'll reproduce them here too:
Chris Bateman: 1. Exec elections to be held within one month of GDC each year. Each committee member recieves three discretionary votes; votes will be tallied (anonymously) by Jason Della Rocca or another IGDA appointee; the three candidates with the most votes are elected.
Beth A. Dillon: Yes, there ya go, like Steve said.
Chris Bateman: 2. Committee size is capped at 12 members, including exec.
Chris Bateman: 3. # The committee will endeavour at all times to contain at least 7 members.
Chris Bateman: 4. Quorum is at least half the committee, which must include at least one member of the exec.
Chris Bateman: 5. Committee members who have not been involved with an initiative for a period of more than sixth months, or who choose to step down, will be thanked for their contribution and become Associates i.e. ex-committee members, thus making room for new members.
Steve Jacobs: gold watch?
Beth A. Dillon: Schweet
Chris Bateman: If there are any objections, raise them now and we'll delay ratifying them and discuss the issues later... Otherwise, please show your approval by either typing Aye (or Abstain, if you wish).
WendyDespain: Aye
Chris Bateman: I for one am happy to vote Aye, although I wonder about the 50% quorum after this meeting almost didn't make it !
Coray Seifert: Aye
Beth A. Dillon: Aye
Steve Jacobs: aye yi yi yi
WendyDespain: we scraped by with a quorum
Chris Bateman: Ben, Rich?
dansky: Aye gevalt.
WendyDespain: if we don't push for a 50% quorum we end up with just 2 or 3 people running things - or doing all the work, depending on your perspective
BenServiss: aye sir!
Chris Bateman: Magnificent! Thank you all for humouring me with this! :)
Chris Bateman: E. GDC Session Proposals (Me). There isn't time for this now, so I'm going to bounce this to the next committee meeting. It's not urgent yet anyway as th call for proposals hasn't gone out.
Chris Bateman: That brings us to the Agenda, which we did first - which, frankly, might be a good plan for every meeting. :)
Chris Bateman: So, Any Other Business?
Steve Jacobs: A note of import is that, in theory, everything we listed is listed in the call
WendyDespain: i thought we always used an agenda
Steve Jacobs: I will be sending GDC a ping In August asking what's next
Steve Jacobs: re the GDC 07 "Writing Focus"
Chris Bateman: (Wendy: I normally do Matters Arising, the Agenda, like a normal committee meeting. But MA usually takes 5 times as long as the agenda, so there may be logic in doing the Agenda first, as we did this time)
WendyDespain: ah, i see!
WendyDespain: yes, it worked well this time
Chris Bateman: We seem to be concluded, unless there's Any Other AOB?
WendyDespain: oh
WendyDespain: i think i'm going to launch the new website design
Steve Jacobs: nope, not here
Beth A. Dillon: Yay
Steve Jacobs: yaaay wendy
WendyDespain: even though I'm still working some of the kinks out
Coray Seifert: woohoo!
WendyDespain: if anyone objects, let me know
WendyDespain: or if anyone happens to be a Moveable Type expert, let me know :-)
Chris Bateman: Sounds good to me!
WendyDespain: ok, that's the end of my any other business
Chris Bateman: Ok. In which case...
Chris Bateman: *bang*
BenServiss: new website, niice
Chris Bateman: Meeting adjourned! Thanks for coming! Smoke 'em if you got 'em and so forth. :)
dansky: Catch you later, folks
Chris Bateman: *waves*
WendyDespain: nice to see you dansky
BenServiss: Later Rich
dansky: Nice to see everyone here. Catch you next month.
Chris Bateman: I must run too... the usual wife rescuing shenanegans. Toodles!
WendyDespain: bye
Chris Bateman: Oh bugger - we forgot to set a date for the next meeting!
Steve Jacobs: oh yea...
Steve Jacobs: looking
Steve Jacobs: July 20th???
Chris Bateman: Works for me.
Steve Jacobs: Same Bat Time and Channel :-)
Chris Bateman: Aye.
Steve Jacobs: Will create another conference room
WendyDespain: should be fine
Chris Bateman: Thanks.
Chris Bateman: Must dash! *sound of door slamming*
Steve Jacobs: Ciao all
Beth A. Dillon: Bye
BenServiss: ooh, bat channels!
WendyDespain: delayed reaction man :-)
BenServiss: just a bit
BenServiss: crazy day
BenServiss: aaand back to the insanity
BenServiss: see you next time!
WendyDespain: seeya
WendyDespain: and something tells me Coray isn't really here either
WendyDespain: hi Coray!