Thanks to the following folk for these most excellent trivia night prizes
Big Ant Studios
A PS3!!!!
Wacom
A Wacom
The Mana Bar
$100 drink card ripe and ready for GCAP or before
Ballistic Media
A book (?) – We’ll let you know when we know more on that one, and it comes with a year’s membership to the CGSociety
BLVD Bar
Drinks – details yet to be negotiated.. you’ll know when we do!
Jenn S
3 GDC Tee’s 
As taught by Freeplay Co-director and IGDA bloke, Paul Callaghan
INTRO TO WRITING FOR GAMES
Monday May 3
9.30-5pm
The games market is growing and stories are getting more sophisticated. This games workshop will cover the fundamentals of story and structure and how they apply to games. It will explore the key interactive strengths of the games medium, and present the avenues and technology available for working in the form. This workshop is for all those interested in writing for games but not sure how to get started.
By the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
Outline stories for games using traditional storytelling and structural techniques
Understand how games integrate mechanics, rewards, and non-linear elements
Write game-specific scenes, including conversations and characters
Deconstruct existing games to better understand their storytelling techniques, including plot, character, dialogue, and theme
Use available technology to write for specific game engines
Further information is available here (http://www NULL.aftrs NULL.edu NULL.au/courses/course-search/open-course-detail NULL.aspx?id=4084)
Thanks to Big Ant Studios (http://www NULL.bigant NULL.com/), we have a PS3 for the grand prize at Trivia Night on Tuesday 4th May at 7pm for an 8pm kick-off!
While games, rather than Star Wars questions, are on the cards, don’t miss out on a fun filled night at the BLVD Bar in Southbank (just around the corner from our old haunt which is sadly closing down). Get a team together and catch up with fellow games mates.
We encourage co-worker teams and hope to see turnouts from studios big and small, students and indies. Help us by signing up using the form below.
Whether you want to form a team, meet a new crew on the night, or just come along for a bit of a chin wag we look forward to the next catch up. Registration details are available further down the page.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for IGDA nights( or prizes to donate for the triv night!) email info@igdamelbourne.org or contact your friendly local committee member.
Stay tuned for more prize details….
You make them, you live them, you breath them, but do you really know them?
Tuesday May the fourth 7pm for an 8pm kickoff
Where: BLVD Bar 6 Queensbridge St, Southbank
The Embassy looks like it’s being sold so sadly can’t accommodate us any more – we’ll let you know when they’re having last drinks!
On the upside they’ve recommended us to the BLVD Bar (http://www NULL.blvd NULL.com NULL.au/main NULL.html) which is just around the corner from the usual spot with a great trivia night space, better AV and a private deck overlooking the river.
Come along to the IGDA Melbourne trivia night and find out!
Grab a team or join one on the night.
Free entry
Great Prizes
Register yourself or your team here:
April’s monthly meet-up has come and gone, and it proved to be one of our most successful events to date. A large portion of the thanks goes to our fantastic speakers.
First up, we heard from Simon Joslin of The Voxel Agents (http://www NULL.thevoxelagents NULL.com/), creators of Train Conductor. In what was an extremely informative and interesting thirty minute presentation. Voxel walked us through the debut year of one of Melbourne’s up and coming independent studios. Many thanks to Simon, Matt and Tom (aka The Voxel Agents) for sharing their experiences with the IGDA.
Following The Voxel Agents was news from a magical event held on distant shores; the 2010 Game Developers’ Conference (http://www NULL.gdconf NULL.com/) (GDC), occurring annually in San Francisco.
Jenn Sandercock gave us insight into the mayhem, mischief and magic of volunteering for GDC as she recounted her unique perspective of the bohemoth conference.
Mark Flanagan brought back some knowledge from the various presentations he made it to at the conference. His talk touched on some peculiar and brilliant ideologies shared by Naughty Dog, the team behind Uncharted 2. Mark has copies of the GDC presentations he covered for anyone who may be interested.
Then last up to give us their GDC perspective was Alexander Bruce (http://demruth NULL.com/), creator of award winning PC title, Hazard. Bruce spoke of his successes and experiences travelling to GDC as an indie and (along with some interesting stories) had some great tips for travelling indie developers. Most memorable were some exceptionally good examples on the importance of capitalising on your successes.
Then, of course, the ever-impassioned Stephan Schutze was up to tell us all about his new endeavour – an online free-to-download sound library. Definitely something all developers should be checking out. You can find out more at www.stephanschutze.com
Until our next meeting (4th of May), keep up the great work guys.
Thanks to all our speakers and those who came along on the night and made it the fantastic event it was.
Film Victoria’s Digital Media Prototyping and Downloadable Games Initiative funding rounds close Tuesday 27 April 2010. This funding offers Victorian producers, publishers and developers financial assistance in the development of locally owned intellectual property.
Film Victoria’s new Downloadable Games Initiative seeks to empower local producers looking to target digital distribution projects toward Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network, Nintendo Wiiware, iTunes, Steam and other relevant digital distribution networks. Funding is limited and investment of up to $75,000 is available. Producers should contact Film Victoria prior to submitting.
Film Victorias longstanding Digital Media Prototyping funds enable local producers to create product prototypes with up to $500,000 Sony PlayStation® 3 / Microsoft Xbox® 360 / Nintendo Wii® game projects; $150,000 for online, handheld and PC projects and $50,000 for mobile phone projects. Funding is limited and producers should contact Film Victoria prior to submitting.
And what better a place to do it than over a cold one at The Embassy tomorrow night???
When: Tuesday 13 April 7pm
Where: The Embassy, 1 Queensbridge St, Southbank
What: 8pm The Voxel Agents: One year into indie
The creators of iPhone App ‘Train Conductor’ give a rundown of the highs and lows, challenges and successes of life as an Indie Developer Start-up.
8.30 GDC Goss
A selection of people who went to GDC – including Jenn Sandercock – who was there as a volunteer and Mark Flanagan – who went to look from an education and IGDA perspective, will spend a few minutes sharing their experiences and answering questions…. details of other speakers will be listed once they are confirmed.
9.00 Big Ant sound guy, Stephan Schutze
Stephan will give you a quick rundown on his awesome FREE sound library (http://www NULL.stephanschutze NULL.com/).
If you’re a FBer please RSVP here (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/event NULL.php?eid=334288174057&ref=mf) so we can make sure staffing is alright on the night
Any questions, feel free to email info@igdamelbourne.org, and we hope to see you there