GWSIG Monthly Meeting Minutes/Meeting17

International Game Developers Association

Chris: Hmmm... have I got the date and time wrong...?
James Swallow: ello?
Chris: Hello!
Chris: Ah, some signs of life.
Chris: I was concerned for a while there. :)
dansky: It's life, Captain, but not as we know it.
James Swallow: it's alive!!!!
Beth A. Dillon: Hey all.
Beth A. Dillon: I have to run pretty soon.
Beth A. Dillon: I'm in the middle of moving in Canada, woo.
Chris: Rich: </b>did you get my email about the payment issues with Thomson?
Chris: Oh, okay Beth! Good luck with that!
James Swallow: canada, eh?
Beth A. Dillon: Canada!!
Chris: It's looking like we won't make quorum, but we could still cover the agenda - if there is one! :)
Beth A. Dillon: Is there one?
Chris: I'll go take a look...
Chris: How's tricks Jim? Writing more novels than you're reading? :)
dansky: Chris: </b>I did, thank you.
Beth A. Dillon: Only thing from me is... The Surveys are sent off to Jason to turn into web forms. They should be done by AGC.
dansky: (and isn't Moving in Canada the latest knockoff Coldplay wannabe?)
Beth A. Dillon: The plan was to have someone with a laptop at the booth and have people fill it out on the spot. I can email out the links to the Game Writers mailing list.
Chris: OK Beth, cool. That's actually one of only three things on the agenda. :)
Beth A. Dillon: So in summary: </b>Surveys are on their way online.
Chris: We might as well start by picking the date for the next meeting so it doesn't get forgotten, and while Beth is still here.
Beth A. Dillon: Sure
Chris: (Assuming you can wait that long, Beth!)
Chris: When is AGC?
Beth A. Dillon: Yes
Beth A. Dillon: Sep. 7-9?
Chris: (And why isn't it in my book!)
Beth A. Dillon: Well the Game Writing conference anyway.
Beth A. Dillon: I believe the whole thing is Sep. 6-9 if I remember correctly (right during the first week of classes, can't make it).
Chris: Yeah, 6-8th.
Chris: So, next week. :)
James Swallow: lost it for a sec there
WendyDespain: hi
Chris: Tricky beast this internet. :)
Chris: Hi Wendy!
James Swallow: chris - yeah I'm finishing up a novel atm
dansky: Hi, Wendy
Chris: (What a surprise!)
Beth A. Dillon: Problem now is I am a TA for a class that happens Thursdays from 8:30am to 11:00am, so.
James Swallow: and hi to wendy
Beth A. Dillon: I hope I can get wifi during the class.
Beth A. Dillon: Ha ha ha ha
Chris: (Your output scares me sometimes!)
James Swallow: work = £££
Chris: Is Wednesday okay?
Beth A. Dillon: I don't want to change the meeting day on my behalf.
WendyDespain: today is Wednesday
Chris: It's better for me too, actually.
James Swallow: wed works fine for me
Beth A. Dillon: Woah it is Wednesday.
Chris: My wife's schedule has changed making Wednesday a much better option than Thursday.
Beth A. Dillon: lol
WendyDespain: i think we made it thursday for stephen
Chris: Let's say, Wednesday 27th September? (The day after Season 3 of Boston Legal airs in the US, for anyone so inclined).
Beth A. Dillon: Well I'm good with Wednesday.
Beth A. Dillon: Okay
dansky: Doesn't matter to me.
Chris: Easy come, easy go, eh Rich? :)
James Swallow: ok
Beth A. Dillon: Plan!
Chris: Alright, pencilled in.
dansky: I prefer to reserve my agita for highly specific issues :-)
Chris: Alright, let's take a look at the agenda... There's only Matters Arising.
Beth A. Dillon: Haha
Chris: A. Sandbox/Austin (Stephen Jacobs)
Chris: Anyone know what that's about?
Chris: I guess it will all be sorted by next week whatever it refers to!
Beth A. Dillon: Probably follow-up on booth details.
Beth A. Dillon: Would be my guess.
Beth A. Dillon: Okay I have to roll. Byyyye!
Chris: See ya Beth! Thanks for stopping in with the update!
Beth A. Dillon: Sure thing!
Chris: If it's important for us to cover and it's still not sorted, Stephen can bring it up over the list, I suppose. What else is there on the MA?
James Swallow: bye beth
Chris: B. Survey (Beth Dillon) - we've covered this already... Leaving...
Chris: C. New Initiatives Launch (Steve Jacobs/Rich Dansky)
dansky: Austin - I can provide some info
Chris: Rich - what you got on this one?
Chris: Oh, hold the phone - what you got on Austin?
dansky: The quarterlies have been approved, are being printed, and will be shipped to austin for insertion in the goodie bags. Banner issues I defer to Wendy. We have one possible tchotchke supplier.
Chris: I believe the banner stuff is sorted, but Wendy knows more than I.
dansky: We have two free badges, which I can set up at any time when I get the appropriate contact info for the badgeholders. We do not have anyone formally signed up for booth hours, but there are a few folks who've mentioned they'd like to help out. And Stephen has provided us with a student who will assist at the booth.
Chris: Sounds great. Suddenly we are an efficient organisation - how did that happen! :)
James Swallow: chaos theory??
Chris: Wendy - are you there, or are you cut off?
Chris: *sound of tumbleweeds*
Chris: Hmm... she'll be back, I'm sure.
Chris: Rich - do you have anything on the New Initiatives Launch? Or has this been put back until after AGC? (And if it hasn't, should it?)
Chris: Oh, I've just realised I have a message to relay re: </b>Austin:
Chris: Oh no, it's not Austin, it's FuturePlay. I'll relay it anyway.
dansky: New initiatives is back-burnered until we get Austin wrangled successfully, I'm afraid.
Chris: Hi Chris, It’s Kim Sparks here from Silicon Knights. I won’t be able to make the meeting today, but I wanted to update you on the Write Club that’s going on at FuturePlay this October. (www.futureplay.org). Beth A. Dillon is helping out with it, and Clint Hocking (from Ubisoft) has also agreed to be a judge. Also, I’m trying to secure a copy of Inspiration software (www.strategictransitions.com), which is a great mind-mapping and flow chart program as one of the prizes for Write Club. I’m also hoping to get a disc with a free 30-day trial for all the participants. I’ll catch up with everyone at next month’s meeting. Thanks. Cheers,Kim:)
Chris: Rich: </b>that makes a whole lot of sense to me. We can pick it up at the next committee meeting and make a solid plan because there will be nothing else to attend to. :)
WendyDespain: i emailed the files to the printers for the banner. i should be able to pick it up friday. hoping to follow up with them today to make sure there's no problem with the files.
Chris: Cool. Still time in hand in case there's a problem.
Chris: Who will look after them when the conference is over? Are you taking custody for the meantime?
WendyDespain: yes, unless you guys would prefer to have them go to one of the board
Chris: No, as long as someone knows to take them away afterwards I'm sure it's fine.
Chris: Well, I guess that covers the agenda.
Chris: AOB?
Chris: (Any Other Business?)
WendyDespain: i apologize for the mess the website has been
dansky: I have a couple of volunteers to help with the revised White Paper, and will be taking that on this fall.
James Swallow: i got a couple o' things
<b>Chris: Wendy: I haven't noticed a problem, but I use the wiki more than the main page.
Chris: Rich: that's cool! Good recruitin'!
Chris: James: </b>wade in whenever you like! We're used to multi-threaded nonsense here. :)
WendyDespain: moveable type hates me and wants to make me crazy
James Swallow: ok
Chris: Wendy: </b>what about your plans to take it to your own site?
James Swallow: mostly this is just FYI stuff...
Chris: Sure.
WendyDespain: they are in the works
WendyDespain: hopefully completed before the sig
WendyDespain: er
WendyDespain: before austin
Chris: Fair enough. It'll be fine. That's when the peak interest in the site will come about, no doubt.
WendyDespain: igda is actually having some bandwidth/disk space issues, so me taking it to my own site is actually a good thing
Chris: Excellent, makes us look resourceful instead of disloyal. :)
James Swallow: first, as I missed a couple of meets (sorry) just to say that the writer bit I did at Develop in Brighton last month was a bit of a bust
Chris: Yeah? Poor attendence?
James Swallow: low attendence due to 3 different versions of the event schedule
James Swallow: that did not help
James Swallow: plus the event itself was poorly attended
James Swallow: i suspect next year might work better
Chris: James: </b>I hadn't heard anything from the Develop event so I didn't know how it went, but it was always possible it would be poorly attended. As you say, next year may be better.
Chris: Thanks for doing it all the same - it's good we had a presence.
James Swallow: no problem
Chris: But having done poorly attended events in the past, I sympathise for the teeth grinding experience. :)
James Swallow: second: </b>the Writers Guild of GB/BAFTA event proceeds apace
Chris: Excellent!
James Swallow: things are looking good for that
James Swallow: Andy Walsh is hoping to have the WGGB Game Writers Guidelines booklet ready for the day
James Swallow: so kudos to him
James Swallow: he's worked very hard on that (round of applause!)
WendyDespain: woot
Chris: *applause*
Chris: Guess he couldn't make it today either.
James Swallow: he's snowed under
dansky: Yay andy
James Swallow: with work, that is. not snow
Coray Seifert: hi folks...catching up...
James Swallow: 'sup C-note
Chris: Hi Coray! Better late than never. :)
Chris: Jim: </b>Anything else?
James Swallow: yeah
James Swallow: i had a slight gripe with GamesTM magazine over coverage of my new game Maelstrom
James Swallow: and in an attempt to turn a problem into a opportunity, I think I may be able to bully them into doing something on the sig
James Swallow: more if it happens
S: Sorry, computer problems
dansky: That would be very cool
WendyDespain: rock on, James
Coray Seifert: yeah, i've been writing more than producing as of late and have lost all concept of time ;)
dansky: And I'm glad to see you got it straightened out with them, James.
James Swallow: they're already going to cover the BAFTA thing
Chris: Nice, indeed. Way to pull the political strings. :)
James Swallow: i know how to work it, baby
James Swallow: aww yeh
Chris: So, Any Other Any Other Business?
James Swallow: one last thing
James Swallow: the London Games Festival
Chris: Sure.
James Swallow: anyone have any idea about this? are we going to have a presence?
James Swallow: i'm having no luck finding any contacts for it
Chris: Well I'm not at all sure what's going on. I believe there is a GDC Europe, as I have received emails regarding it. But it's not at all clear what's going on.
James Swallow: that was my impression too
Chris: I think we could afford to let it slide this year, see how it goes - and if they announce another one next year, we can try and get in on it then.
Chris: It wouldn't hurt for someone to try and contact the conference organisers, ideally one of the people whose staying in the UK i.e. you or Andy.
James Swallow: i'll keep an eye on it.
WendyDespain: so is this it for the meeting? or did my connection cut out?
dansky: *crickets*
James Swallow: ¬¬
WendyDespain: is it just me? or does Austin seem to have a very small number of SIG members attending this year?
Chris: Lag...
Chris: But unless anyone has any other AOB, we're done. And quicker than usual, too. :)
James Swallow: As much as I wanted to come along to Austin, deadlines have tied me down. Again.
Chris: And I cannot legally enter the US!
Coray Seifert: we may be looking for additional or replacement editors for future editions of the quarterly...both ben and i are pretty swamped as of late
Coray Seifert: sorry, just thought i'd toss that out there
Chris: Sure!
Chris: There's a New Initiatives drive after Austin - we can fish for editors then potentially.
dansky: It looks as if a small number have signed up. Whether that correlates to actual attendance is a different matter.
Coray Seifert: excellent, thanks Chris
James Swallow: Great work on the last quarterly, by the way, guys. Some very interesting insights.
Chris: The work you've done getting the quarterly going has been outstanding... I hope we can find someone to replace you guys. Are you happy to supervise some newbies, show them the ropes?
Coray Seifert: Thanks fellas! :D
Coray Seifert: Yes, Ben or I will stay on for at least another edition
Chris: Great!
Coray Seifert: and we'll probably try to find a group to rotate with, so that we can maybe do 1 or 2 editions a year each
Chris: Always makes it easier to transition that way.
Coray Seifert: right
Chris: Well, I think we're done.
Chris: *bangs gavel*
Chris: Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Chris: And good luck with Austin those of you able to go! :)
Coray Seifert: indeed...a pleasure as always folks
dansky: Thanks - we'll try to do the SIG proud :-)
James Swallow: you guys watch out for them pirates
WendyDespain: i think we can take 'em