IGDA Melbourne

It’s been an amazing week for local and visiting game developers, and I’d like to thank Antony Reed, Mike McNabb and the GDAA (http://gdaa NULL.com NULL.au/)for hosting a truly inspirational GCAP.  Personal highlights were the keynotes by the very charming and creatively inspiring Robin Hunicke and Sheri Graner Ray’s no nonsense discussion about what to do to grow inclusiveness in game development.

Next up we have a play date on Tuesday 13 November (https://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/events/374854389258380/?context=create) and then it’s onwards to the Christmas party on Saturday 8 December – it’s not too late to pledge at Pozible (http://www NULL.pozible NULL.com/index NULL.php/archive/index/10150/description/0/0), the only way to get a ticket this year – the campaign closes in less than a week. Thanks to all the generous supporters, it’s going to be a corker. More details will be available once the crowdfunding campaign closes. Thanks to all of you who have already supported ZOMGWTFIGDAMBBQ – make sure your friends don’t miss out but spreading the word.

Thanks to Timothy Zeven for the following pictures of some of the wonderful visitors (oh and Brad, but he’s lovely too) we met at GCAP who stayed for IGDAM.

GCAP 2012: Inspire is less than two weeks away. The Game Developers’ Association of Australia have put together a fantastic program, which can now be accessed via their handy dandy GCAP app/mobile platform (http://eventmobi NULL.com/gcap2012/), including information on speakers, schedules, attendees and more. It’s well worth checking out.

Don’t forget to register this week for the best prices, and kudos to the organisers for keeping the price down whilst not skimping on the catering. For a great place to meet attendees and find out what’s on the menu before the event join up to the GCAP12 Facebook event (https://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/events/342374022523140/350583398368869/?notif_t=event_mall_reply) and get the latest news as all the planning comes together.

If you’re an IGDAM regular, you can also email giselle@igdamelbourne.org for an extra 10% discount.

Early bird + IGDAM discount = $261 for a full conference pass or $136.80 for a student. You can register at the GCAP site (http://gcap NULL.com NULL.au/wp/registration-2/). Early bird registration closes 14 October!

We’ll also be holding our October meet as the unofficial after party and invite regulars and visitors along – for more information see the previous post. Although it’s going to be hard to follow up from the aptly named EPIC Party (http://gcap NULL.com NULL.au/wp/social-events-2/) on the first night being held at Game Masters!

GCAP (Game Connect Asia Pacific) (http://gcap NULL.com NULL.au/wp/) the preeminent game developers’ conference in Australasia, the is returning to Melbourne next month. With announcements coming out via the GCAP12 Facebook event (https://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/events/342374022523140/), it’s truly looking inspiring.

Speakers and, excitingly, workshop leaders announced so far include Robin Hunicke and Chris Avellone. Robin is a Game Designer, Producer and passionate advocate of Experimental Gameplay. Her work includes the bestselling downloadable PSN title Journey, as well as family-friendly franchises like MySims and Steven Spielberg’s BOOM BLOX for Nintendo Wii. Chris Creative Director and co-owner of Obsidian Chis as worked on Entertainment,Planescape: Torment (Lead Designer), Fallout 2, the whole Icewind Dale series, and Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, and a number of canceled titles that still make him weep, including Baldur’s Gate 3 and Fallout 3.

For full speaker announcements, join the GCAP Facebook event (https://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/events/342374022523140/), check out the GCAP website (http://gcap NULL.com NULL.au/wp/) or follow @gdaa_oz on twitter (https://twitter NULL.com/gdaa_oz).

You’ll also get a chance to pitch your game to Tapjoy (https://www NULL.tapjoy NULL.com/)  (https://www NULL.tapjoy NULL.com/)- more information on that soon.ta

Tickets are on sale now, and if you’re an iGDAM regular you can email Giselle (giselle null@null igdamelbourne NULL.org) for a further 10% discount off the early bird prices $260 ($152 student) that’s a lot of bang for your buck and get in early for the best prices.

Dear members of the Australian game development industry,

(http://gcap NULL.com NULL.au/)Thanks to  the Games Developers’ Association, we can offer a 10% discount on all tickets to GCAP, 14-16 November 2011 (http://gcap NULL.com NULL.au/) to all IGDA Melbourne regulars.

To make sure you are actually involved in IGDAM you need to contact Giselle directly, giselle@igdamelbourne.org for a unique code, which can be entered at the time of booking your conference ticket.

This is the biggest local developer conference in the Australian calendar and it’s highly recommended that you don’t miss out.

GDAA members receive a 20% discount, so if you’re a studio or indie it would be worth checking out membership options too.  For further information email info@gdaa.com.au

The Game Developers’ Association of Australia is now soliciting session proposals for speakers from all disciplines to address our core theme of ‘The Journey’ for Game Connect Asia Pacific 2011.

The 2011 conference aims to establish the foundations on which the Australian industry will grow to become a major international game development territory in the future by exploring the lessons learned in the past 30 years of Australian development, how they have led to the current development landscape, and how those lessons can influence the future of studios, projects, and the creation of intellectual property.

The event also seeks to identify and understand the resources, tools, production processes, platforms and new business structures that exist for the industry, and how the implementation will assist the creative development and competitiveness of the Australian industry.

GCAP Event Information

Date: 14 – 16 November 2011

Venue: Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia

GCAP Structure

GCAP consists of a number of tracks:

Programming | Art | Design | Production | Business Development

and has multiple presentation formats:

Panel/Roundtable discussions | Lectures | Workshops | Masterclasses

For more details head over to your friendly, neighbourhood GDAA website (http://gdaa NULL.com NULL.au/gcap-2011-call-for-submissions)

MELBOURNE – 19 July 2011 – The Game Developers’ Association of Australia today announced that the industry conference Game Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) is returning to Melbourne in November 2011.

With it’s theme of ‘The Journey’, GCAP 2011 will deliver a series of lectures, master classes and discussions, designed to identify the processes, resources and opportunities that will grow the Australian industry over the next few years.

“’The Journey’ is a liberating theme for the conference as it not only allows us to look forward and plot the path of the Australian game development industry over the next few years, but also lets us look back at our evolution, dissecting what has been learned over 31 years of creating games in Australia,” said Antony Reed, CEO of the Game Developers’ Association of Australia.

“GCAP 2010 was a community driven event and in many ways defined the capabilities of the Australian industry. For 2011, participation from every discipline in the game making process ensures we establish the right foundations for the industry’s future growth.”

GCAP 2011 ‘The Journey’ will consist of a number of tracks – programming, art, design, audio, business development and marketing – addressing the needs of the whole industry. The conference will also include multiple presentation formats, including panels, round table discussions, lectures and master classes.

GCAP 2011 will be held at the new Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre from Monday 14 November to Wednesday 16 November 2011.

The GCAP 2011 website will go live on August 1, 2011 – www.gcap.com.au (http://www NULL.gcap NULL.com NULL.au/)

About Game Connect Asia Pacific:
Game Connect: Asia Pacific (GCAP) is Australia’s premier annual game development conference, exhibition and networking event for the Asia Pacific Games Industry and is administered by the Game Developers’ Association of Australia. GCAP 2011 will be held at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre from Monday 14 November to Wednesday 16 November, 2011.

For event and media information, contact:

Alison Barnes

Director

Alpha Event Management

Ph: + 61 2 9126 9412

E: alison@alphaevents.com.au (alison null@null alphaevents NULL.com NULL.au)

Hey devs

Come along next week and hear about some exciting new game projects and initiatives at our Open Mic Night!

When: From 6.00pm, mic’s turn on at 7.00* (give or take, but earlier than usual to fit it all in!)

Where: 1000 Pound Bend, Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne (http://maps NULL.google NULL.com NULL.au/maps/place?q=thousand+pound+bend+melbourne+vic&hl=en&cid=7164293019652141101)

We’ve received a huge response to our call-out, so much that we unfortunately can’t fit everyone into the one night. Don’t worry though, you can expect more Open-Mic events to come. In particular, we’re looking at hosting a presentation evening later this year specific to student groups, to give them a chance to publicly show off their hard work for the year.

but without further ado, the running sheet for next week is as follows:

• QBOY – Student Project (Student Presentation)
• Swing Interactive – Student Project (Student Presentation)
• Harry Lee – Current and future projects and Harry’s Jam (Student Presentation)
• Wicked Awesome Pty Ltd – “The Adventures of James Chimp”
• Anomolous Interactive – “Homemade Shooter” to “Slingshot Justice”
• Chris Mackenzie – AdHatchers Advertising Agency
• Trent Kusters – Introduction to  “League of Geeks”
• David Thompson -  GameLoft Auckland update
• Casper Pieters – 3 Part TV Series with a related Gaming Platform (He wants to pick your brains!)
• Raptus Games – Starting a new Indie Studio, preview of first release ‘Draw’
• Walk Through The Clock – First year as an Indie startup
• PlayBit Entertainment – “Puzzle Treasure”……phew!

It’s ok, we’ll go all old fashioned and have an intermission on this one, and it’s micro-talks or midnight.  If there’s a particular project or topic you’d like to discuss futher just catch up with the presenter later in the night.

We’ll also hear  from Paul Callaghan about  Freeplay (http://www NULL.freeplay NULL.net NULL.au/), which is just around the corner, and Tony Reed from the GDAA (http://gdaa NULL.com NULL.au/) will explain who can take advantage of the new R&D Tax Credits and how.

Finally, although not chronologically, there will be a sneak preview for an exciting event that IGDA is helping to bring to Melbourne next year…any guesses?

Come along to hear all about it all!

I tried for pretty pictures, but they got all squashed, so here’s the invite in black and white:

RMIT University Research & Innovation presents:

THE FUTURE OF GAMES & ENTERTAINMENT:
GEELAB LAUNCH & SYMPOSIUM

The GEElab is a new initiative from RMIT University destined to contribute design research
and innovation to the academic community and to the development of the games, entertainment
and media industry both in Melbourne and internationally.

Tuesday 15 March 2011, 5pm – 8pm

Venue:
RMIT University, City Campus
Storey Hall, Level 7 conference rooms
336 – 348 Swanston Street
Melbourne

To be launched by:
* Professor Daine Alcorn, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation and
Vice President, RMIT University
* Professor Stephanie Hemelryk-Donald, Dean, School of Media and Communication,
RMIT University

Speakers:
* Dr Steffen P Walz, Director, GEELab, How the Geelab May Help to Invent the Future
* Gabe Zichermann, Gamification Expert and Author, Chair of the Gamification Summit,
San Francisco, Mastering Gamification: The Future is Fun
* Professor Zhao Chen Ding, Director of New Media Research Centre, Beijing Institute
for Fashion Technology & Founder of the Milan/Beijing Digital Entertainment Jam,
Jamming Digital Entertainment
* Panel discussion—To Boldly Play, featuring Antony Reed (Game Developers’ Association
of Australia), Brad Giblin (Film Victoria), Dr Christy Dena (Cross/Transmedia Designer),
Giselle Rosman (IGDA Melbourne) and surprise guests.

RSVP:
By Thursday 10 March to
mediacommunication@rmit.edu.au (mediacommunication null@null rmit NULL.edu NULL.au)
Limited seating available

Further information:
info@geelab.rmit.edu.au (info null@null geelab NULL.rmit NULL.edu NULL.au)

In partnership with:
* Game Developers’ Association of Australia
* Film Victoria
* IGDA Melbourne (That’s us!)

The plans for the party are underway – and numbers are filling fast.

We’ve got the location – Big Ant Studios right in the middle of town – thanks! *waves* – and this also means we’ve got the list at the door, and if you’ve not on it with invite in hand then you miss out. And that would make us sad. So please make sure you register

We’ve got the food – HUUUUUGE shoutout to AUTODESK for sponsoring the tucker and who also have some super-amazing deals for ‘lil ‘ole IGDA Melbourne folk – so get in touch with Paul Hellyer if you’re looking to upgrade by Jan 18

We’ve got hmmm, a few drinks I guess – so if you feel like sponsoring the bar of what is sure to be a memorable party, please , contact giselle@igdamelbourne.org – I’d love to hear from you and make it that a top arvo is had by all.

Have no fear, it’ll all happen – but any and all support is welcome.

If you work for any of the tagged companies which we do our best to support we’d love your involvement – and it seems from the rsvp’s we’ll see some of most of you there.

Bring on the rooftop!!