GWSIG Monthly Meeting Minutes/Meeting34

International Game Developers Association

[edit] August 27, 2008 Meeting

[ron_toland]: hey, corvus, wendy

[Corvus]: Ron!

[Mykas0]: hi everyone

[Corvus]: How are you?

[Corvus]: Hello Mykas0

[ron_toland]: a little shaky at the moment...but okay :)

[ron_toland]: how're you doing?

[Corvus]: low blood sugar, Ron?

[Corvus]: I'm going quite well, thanks.

[Corvus]: Busy

[Mykas0]: I'm coming back in a just a few minutes, 'k? I need to go eat something, just got home 3 minutes ago

[Corvus]: kk Myk

[ron_toland]: corvus: sounds like the good kind of busy

[ron_toland]: any projects you can talk about?

[Corvus]: Indeed. I've got a lot of awesome things keeping me hopping

[Corvus]: Heyo Joe!

[Corvus]: Well, I'm starting a cross media gender portrayal discussion project

[Corvus]: I just signed a contract on a game I feel I'm going to be very proud of

[Corvus]: I'm moving to Portland, OR next month

[ron_toland]: cool, congrats!

[Corvus]: planning a return to school

[Corvus]: hey Lauren!

[Lauren]: Good morning!

[Lauren]: At least it's morning here for me... sort of.

[Corvus]: thanks, Ron.

[Corvus]: Heh. Wendy said we should start without her, but if Drew or Chris don't show up, that rather trashes the entire first block of the agenda. ;)

[Corvus]: Chris!

[Mykas0]: lol

[ron_toland]: heya, chris

[Mykas0]: Speaking of the devil...

[Mykas0]: I'm back, people :)

[Chris]: Ummm... hello!

[Mykas0]: hey there, Chris

[Chris]: What'd I do now? :P

[Corvus]: me /wonders if Chris is wearing a blue dress...

[Mykas0]: we were talking about the agenda

[Mykas0]: we, as in... them, I wasn't here

[Corvus]: Hello Kim

[Kim_sparks]: Hi Corvus. :)

[Chris]: Red dress actually Corvus

[ron_toland]: with sequins?

[Corvus]: WB Wendy. We're just discussing Chris's cross dressing tendencies

[Chris]: We were?

[Chris]: "tendencies"?

[Chris]: LOL

[Corvus]: Now who's the devil?

[Chris]: No idea - I just got here, and I have obviously forgotten my blue dress

[Corvus]: Hola Richard!

[Chris]: Also, I am in another online meeting (work), eating my lunch, and preparing for an interview, so I might not be all here

[Mykas0]: That's just an idiomatic expression, used in Portuguese - we say "speaking of the devil" when we're talking about someone, and they suddenly show up

[ron_toland]: *checks to see if dansky brought any beer*

[Chris]: Hi Richard!

[Corvus]: Yeah Mykas, we have that expression as well

[Chris]: Mykas0, we say the same here - Corvus is making a pun based on a song about the devil wearing a blue dress and I am playing along  ;)

[Mykas0]: oh, ok

[Mykas0]: I didn't know about that one, though

[Corvus]: my desire for word play has no propriety

[Corvus]: Wendy's computer doesn't seem to like this chat software

[Chris]: None needed

[Dansky]: Howdy, folks

[Corvus]: Isn't it actually 4:20 GMT now?

[Lauren]: Oh no :(

[Corvus]: If people East of GMT aren't paying attention, they're going to be an hour late

[Corvus]: GMT doesn't observe daylight saving, I think

[Mykas0]: well, I'm GMT

[Corvus]: and what time is it, Mykas?

[Mykas0]: 5:23 PM

[Corvus]: ah, okay

[Corvus]: no worries then.

[Corvus]: We need an immutable basline for comparison of time zones

[Corvus]: or a baseline even

[Corvus]: I'm going to stop typing now

[Dansky]: No, no, keep going. I want to see where you're headed with this :-)

[Corvus]: Well. shall we get this party started?

[Mykas0]: yep, I wanna dance with Lauren

[Corvus]: If we skip down past the people who aren't here, that puts us at item #3: The Austin Card Game

[Corvus]: Chris? Where are we at with that?

[Chris]: It's not going to happen - what we came up with was too little, too late and there has been some confusion as to the resources required (and, frankly, there aren't any). :(

[Mykas0]: Chris, I was surprised not to receive anything about it... :\\ Do you need my help, or something?

[Chris]: Hmmm... it's possible we could recover and make something new, but I'd worry that it was going to be only half-done with no time for testing

[Corvus]: Okay. Well, there's always next year.

[Mykas0]: hum, isn't it the same game as before?

[Chris]: No, this was going to be something different, runfrom the booth

[Chris]: There's no social mixer for something like we did before

[Mykas0]: oh, strange... believe it or not, I never received anything on it :\\

[joe_chan]: If you'd like my assistance for the next time, let me know. I have some experience designing card games. :)

[Chris]: I hadn't posted it to the list, pending approval (and therein lay some of the confusion)

[Corvus]: Okay, moving on to the next available agenda item...

[Corvus]: Have anything to say on the Style Guide, Chris?

[Chris]: Definitely for GDC :)

[Chris]: Sure, I'd love to get more volunteers and put together a team to develop it. I think that would be great! :D

[Corvus]: _eltrohc_

[Corvus]: Any volunteers here today?

[ron_toland]: what's the style guide, again?

[joe_chan]: What would be involved? I wouldn't want to volunteer for something that I wouldn't be able to contribute to.

[Chris]: http://www.igda.org/wiki/Game_Writers_SIG/Initiatives/Style_guide

[Mykas0]: hum, I already told you (perhaps in the last meeting?) that I could write about FAQs/Guides

[Chris]: Yes Mykas0, thank you! :)

[Corvus]: Mykas, do you have an accounton the Wiki?

[ron_toland]: i'll help with the chapters on technical writing and editing

[Chris]: It would be a guide for writing for games - technical writing, journalism, dialogue, etc. More specific information for aspiring writers on developing content that is solidly written and accepted practices and so forth.

[Chris]: Thanks Ron! :)

[Mykas0]: hum, I think I even already wrote something like that, for Guides... anyway, if anyone can put me up in the listing, that would be just great

[Corvus]: Okay, anyone else have anything to add/suggest/ask about the style guide?

[Chris]: I'm adding our two new volunteers - I'll send out a meeting invite later :D

[joe_chan]: I can help with journalism and/or technical writing. :)

[Mykas0]: ok, thanks

[ron_toland]: cool

[Corvus]: Excellent Joe! Thanks.

[Chris]: Great Joe!

[Corvus]: Are we ready to move on? I want to wrap up what we can so when Wendy shows up, she has the floor

[Chris]: I updated the volunteer list - now that there are more than two of us, we might be able to get something done!  ;)

[Chris]: Yes, let's keep going

[Corvus]: That's great, Chris. Thank you.

[Corvus]: Okay--Game Journalism Initiative. That's me.

[Corvus]: Only, I don't do that anymore (no time--woohoo!) and haven't got much in the way of bites on the hooks I've thrown out.

[Corvus]: Kelly expressed interest and then dropped off the radar for a time

[Corvus]: I think it would be great to get more game journalism and bloggers involved.

[joe_chan]: I think I sent you some feedback on that as well, though it's been a while.

[Corvus]: You did, Joe

[Corvus]: I'm not saying I got nothing--just not enough to really move forward with, I think

[Corvus]: Particularly given the explosion in my schedule and drastic shift of focus when I broke ties with the Escapist

[Dansky]: So what else do we need to get/do?

[Corvus]: I think, perhaps, the best means of starting this would be to talk to a lot of journalists and get their insight into what they might need from us

[Corvus]: We'll see

[Corvus]: Okay, moving on

[Corvus]: Ron has some awesome news on the writing tools front

[Corvus]: Ron?

[Chris]: Yay Celtx!  :D

[ron_toland]: lol...thanks chris

[ron_toland]: our talks with celtx have borne fruit: they've agreed to integrate game writing tools into their development plans

[ron_toland]: so, they'll be looking to the SIG for feedback on initial designs, and testing on each iteration they do

[ron_toland]: right now, their schedule is to start serious coding in the fall, with a preliminary release ready Q1 2009

[ron_toland]: they're also considering coming down to the AGDC to meet the group and talk more in person

[ron_toland]: they're not looking for money on our end, just use of our expertise and guidance toward an industry-standard open source writing tool (!)

[ron_toland]: many thanks to corvus for suggesting celtx, and stephen dinehart for initiating contact with them

[Corvus]: Ron and Stephen have really done an excellent job with Celtx

[Dansky]: That's fantastic. Nice work, folks.

[joe_chan]: I agree. Good job!

[Dansky]: Anything else?

[Mykas0]: zzzzzzzzzzz

[Corvus]: Yep. Richard-- whitepaper update

[Dansky]: I've discussed handing that one off with Wendy, I'm afraid. Austin GDC has pretty much devoured the bandwidth I had for that.

[Mykas0]: what is that all about, may I ask?

[Dansky]: Essentially, the idea is to produce a whitepaper on the basics of game writing to serve as a one-stop primer on the subject.

[ron_toland]: http://www.igda.org/wiki/Game_Writers_SIG/Initiatives/Whitepaper_Revisions

[Mykas0]: ok, thank you

[Dansky]: Addendum: I suck for not getting it done.

[Corvus]: Meh. We all have things come up,Richard

[Corvus]: Okay, I'm checking in with Wendy

[Corvus]: Who appears to still be on her call

[Dansky]: I need to run, but I did want to wave the banner for Austin one more time.

[Corvus]: wave away

[Dansky]: And if we can set up meetpoints - "SIG dinner sunday is at X restaurant at 8!" and whatnot, I think it would be a good thing.

[Corvus]: yeah

[Corvus]: that's on the agenda

[Corvus]: perhaps that needs to be done via the list this week

[Dansky]: I've been talking with the board about linking in the SIG table with the social stuff that's going on at the show, and I think we can follow up on that with the SIG, make sure people have social contacts, etc. to make the show a better networking opportunity and more pleasant time.

[Dansky]: I can't volunteer to be our "Julie, your cruise director" because of my other responsibilities, but I can at least do Doc. or Isaac. Or maybe Gopher.

[ron_toland]: *watches pop culture reference fly over his head*

[Corvus]: heh

[Mykas0]: Gopher ruled

[Dansky]: Love Boat. Ancient history. This is what happens when gamedevs get old :-)

[Chris]: Maybe Captain Steuben would be better, heh

[Mykas0]: hey, at least you didn't quoted the A-team

[Dansky]: I pity the fool that quotes the A-Team.

[Chris]: I love it when a plan comes together! <cigar chomp>

[Corvus]: Although I have it on good authority he does love it when a plan comes togehter

[Corvus]: heh. Chris not only typed faster, but more accurately

[Chris]: lol

[Dansky]: But, that being said, I think it's going to be a great show. I'm very excited about the lineup of speakers we've got, the fact that we've got a centralized hangout place lined up is a win, and we've got more programming than ever.

[Mykas0]: You should make games based on those shows, one of these days ;)

[Dansky]: So, Yay Austin, and on that note, I'm gone :-)

[ron_toland]: hmmm....A-Team takes the Love Boat?

[ron_toland]: wait...that sounded dirtier than I intended

[Mykas0]: well, they could make a spin-off episode

[Kim_sparks]: Only if they were on Fantasy Island. ;)

[Chris]: A_Boat

[Chris]: Zee plane!

[Corvus]: Love Team

[Kim_sparks]: ;D

[Chris]: I guess that covers A to Zee, hehe  ;)

[Mykas0]: Terrorists capture the Love Boat, A-Team saves people

[ron_toland]: "The Love Team...here to set your romantic entanglements straight!"

[Corvus]: Does anyone else have any business to cover?

[Chris]: Not that I know of

[Kim_sparks]: I have to run. My little one just woke up from her nap.

[Corvus]: Bye Kim

[Mykas0]: none, I guess

[Kim_sparks]: But I wanted to let you know that I submitted a proposal to do Write Club at Future Play again

[Chris]: Ciao Kim

[Corvus]: Excellent, Kim

[Kim_sparks]: I'll make sure they put the correct write up about it in the program this year if we get accepted

[Corvus]: Keep the list posted with details, yes?

[Kim_sparks]: I'll let you know when I get a final decision.

[Kim_sparks]: Have fun in Austin. Bye. :)

[Chris]: So, finis?

[Corvus]: As far as I'm concerned, we are.

[Corvus]: Not that I'm in charge

[Mykas0]: people are sleeping :\\

[Corvus]: But we covered all the non-Wendy items

[Mykas0]: someone gotta use the hammer, now...

[stimarco]: Zzzzzz... whu-?

[joe_chan]: Not sleeping. Multi-tasking. :) I gotta go anyway. Need to grab lunch before my next meeting. x.x

[Corvus]: I'm sure I'll slip back to minion status 'Z' but go ahead and get on with your days! ;)

[Chris]: Thanks Corvus

[Corvus]: Thank you, Chris

[ron_toland]: thanks corvus

[ron_toland]: bye all

[Corvus]: Adios!

[Lauren]: Bye~

[stimarco]: Is this... the end?

[Mykas0]: seeya

[Chris]: Bye everyone!  :D

[stimarco]: Damn. Looks like I missed all the fun.

[Corvus]: I'll post the transcript tomorrow

[stimarco]: Cool.

[Corvus]: And now I must leave as well. Fun work awaits

[stimarco]: In that case, I shall exit stage right.

[Lauren]: Bye everybody - have a good day!

[Mykas0]: this was the strangest meeting ever

[Corvus]: heh

[Corvus]: pretty quiet

[Corvus]: lots of people missing

[Mykas0]: yeah, everyone was sleeping

[Corvus]: IT's a good sign, Ithink. We're all busy

[Corvus]: speaking of... I'll catch you later, Mykas

[Mykas0]: seeya, I'm going, too

[englishbloke]: Hey wendy :)

[englishbloke]: I'll be at Austin, but only for the Sunday evening then Monday, tuesday

[englishbloke]: I need to leave on Wednesday morning :(

[englishbloke]: Bueller, Bueller

[englishbloke]: Anyone

[englishbloke]: bueller