IGDA Melbourne

It’s been a busy month for many, not least of all Rob Caporetto – with the release of Pocket Dogfights on iOS and Android (http://www NULL.pocketdogfights NULL.com/), and yours truly travelling to San Francisco for GDC and too meet IGDA and Global Game Jam folk, along with a host of developers and games folk (and Felicia Day!!)

Travels have meant I’ve been a bit slack here, but we will be holding our regular second Tuesday of the month meeting at 1000 Pound Bend on Tuesday 9 April from 6.30pm (https://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/events/288914667908735/).

My adventures, experiences and lessons are thanks to the amazing Melbourne game development community. A few things cropped up during my time at GDC that I’d like to share and discuss with you all, as this is your community group and I want to make it the best thing possible for all. I hope you can make it along, it’d be great to have your input.

So, in a nutshell, here’s the plan:

6.30pm: rock up, grab a burger and a drink and catch up with game developer friends old and new.

7.30 – 8pm: Pocket Dogfights Post Mortem

8.15-9pm: Post GDC discussion (I’m yet to rope more GDC attendees into the discussion, but it shouldn’t be too difficult)

9-10pm: more community catch up time.

If you have any queries regarding this or any other IGDAM stuff, feel free to email giselle@igdamelbourne.org.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all and being surrounded by dev chat in Aussie accents!

Cheers,

Giselle.

(http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com/watch?v=aNWPaHQ6U-U)

Thanks to Ben for filming  and letting use share our Melbourne meets further afield.

After much ado, GDC’s delayed Australian release will be in Melbourne.

When: Tuesday 10 April 6:00pm onwards

Where: The Workers Club (http://maps NULL.google NULL.com NULL.au/maps?q=The+Workers+Club,+Brunswick+Street,+Fitzroy,+Victoria&hl=en&sll=-25 NULL.335448,135 NULL.745076&sspn=61 NULL.878284,79 NULL.013672&oq=the+workers+club&hq=The+Workers+Club,+Brunswick+Street,+Fitzroy,+Victoria&t=m&z=15), cnr Brunswick and Gertrude Streets, Fitzroy

Harry Lee: While I’m sure meta-games will rate a mention, Harry will give the CA (Conference Associate) perspective, staying at indie hostels, and what happens when you try to illegally sneak into parties.

No doubt they’ll all be showing off the wonderful thing that is party networking, and hope you can make it along to live (or relive, if you made it this year) vicariously through their experiences.

Let us know if you’re coming along via the usual facebook event (https://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/events/365672066806786/).

It’s Open Mic time again at IGDAM and if you want a spot at the mic, please get in quick, because the line-up is already looking schweet, so this is the place to be on Tuesday (assuming you’re not at GDC).

When: Tuesday 1 March – presentations start at 7.30, so any time from 6pm is good.

Where: Cho Gao – Level 3 Melbourne Central

Who & What:

Christian McCrea – GEELab (Games & Experimental Entertainment Laboratory)

This as an exciting initiative by RMIT that’s gearing up this month and right up our alley.

At the GEElab, games will be understood as a cross-disciplinary function as well as the engine of entertainment media and Internet innovation. Practice oriented game and entertainment media research will be carried out by the way of cross-medial experimentation and an understanding of science as fiction, in the sense of not being afraid to think and design differently as welll as think and design speculatively. For example, GEElab members will investigate how to “gameify“ traditionally non-linear media such as TV, film, or radio, developing design strategies, narratives and service prototypes.

Next to these tasks, one of the major goals of the GEElab will be to inquire the potential of games and entertainment to positively influence and change behavior, seeking to suggest solutions for a more peaceful, sustainable, healthy and egalitarian – that is: playful – world. The GEElab will be working closely with people from across RMIT, as well as with international game research institutions and sponsors from the game and entertainment industry.

Peter Halasz – Because of Games (http://www NULL.becauseofgames NULL.com/) Subversive education through games.

Peter  started the indie studio “Because of Games” to subversively educate
the masses. That is, to create games where your brains benefits from
the seemingly mindless gaming activity we all love.

He’ll be talking about creating game-play mechanics which hinge on real-world skills
and knowledge and illustrating with some prototypes, ideas and

iterations, including a physics engine he “should never have made from
scratch.” Time permitting, he’ll demo the yet-to-be-released “Bubble
Physics” (previously named Magnoa), his current project, and give a
status update.

Caz Parker & Andrew Lamb – Automation (http://automationgame NULL.com/)update

Automation the Tycoon game is for people who live and breathe cars.  The lads will give us a quick show and tell of where they’re at and their upcoming small closed beta.

David Coen – Growing an iPhone app

David will be sharing his experiences in iPhone dev and is happy to receive feedback on it all

Aaron Charcoal Styles

Charcoal’s requested a few minutes at the mic to show off a project he’s been working on.

It’s a tool set that allows Flash developers to make stand-alone Windows versions of their games; allowing them to potentially make versions that can be sold through places like Steam.
It also has the ability to read Xbox 360 controllers and pass the information back to the flash game.

WinnitronAU

John Sietsma or James Rhodes (I’m sure one of them will let me know which) will give an update on their Winnitron plans.

Wishing the GDC pilgrims fruitful, fun and safe travels and the rest of us, well, we’ll have to manage the best we can at a licenced venue with our own talks!

Wireless and tech issues permitting (I like to think of it as delicious irony the troubles we have with tech!) the Level 3 (http://www NULL.level3 NULL.org NULL.au/) lads will be live-streaming the talks.

I think that’s everyone accounted for at this stage – if you’ve been in touch and aren’t included just email me a gentle reminder   If you are yet to put your hand up but want to, get in quick by email giselle@igdamelbourne.org

PS – but wait, there’s more, and it’s not steak knives it’s HEEEAAAPS better

Ryan Keable – Anomalous

48 hour gamemaking challenges
Ryan and Ryan from Anomalous will be talking about their 48 hour project again, where they are up to and what will be next.

They will also be talking about their first release for the iPhone, Homemade Shooter!

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.

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

Things are ticking along, and the next meeting in April is just choc-full of gamery goodness. This is thanks to eveyone who’s come along and the lovely committee folk who’ve been getting it all together in between their other commitments:

Alexander Bruce
Trent Kusters
Mark Flanagan
Dominic McDonnell
Giselle Rosman
Tarwin Stroh-Spijer

Feel free to catch up with committee folk the at the next meet up with any ideas and suggestions about future meetings, speakers, events etc.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Sharing knowledge from distant lands and local shores

WHEN: 7pm Tuesday 13 April (talks start at 8pm)
WHERE: The Embassy, 1 Queensbridge St Southbank

It’s a double header this month, covering near and far, and once again the numbers are looking good on the facebook event (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/event NULL.php?eid=334288174057&ref=mf)

First up is The Voxel Agents, creators of Train Conductor, reviewing their first year as local indie developers.

Then we will be hearing from some folk who went to San Fran to GDC to get the goss! So far we have Jenn Sandercock will be giving a volunteers-eye-view recount of GDC, Mark Flanagan went to represent both AIE and IGDA, Alexander Bruce will have the indie perspective. If you or someone you know would like to give a studio perspective contact a committee member near you!

Don’t forget, you can sign up for Club Embassy Membership at their website and get 20% off food and bar prices.

GAMES TRIVIA NIGHT in May

Details are being finalised, and will be announced at the April meeting, but the May meet up will be a Games Trivia Night.

There’s a PS3 in the prize pool thanks to Big Ant Studios (http://www NULL.bigant NULL.com) so don’t miss it!

Registration will open at the next gathering and you will be able to sign up as a team or individual.

If there’s any more you’d like to share with IGDA Melbourne mailing list and website let us know!

Such as:

App My State (http://www NULL.premier NULL.vic NULL.gov NULL.au/app-my-state NULL.html) – entry deadline 23 April

Andrew Golding, from Brawsome would “like to put out the call to local iPhone developers to see what they can do with the Jolly Rover assets on iPhone, to cross promote Jolly Rover. I would be looking at arranging a revenue split with the developer as I can’t afford to pay anyone at the moment” feel free to email andrew@brawsome.com.au (andrew null@null brawsome NULL.com NULL.au)

and Giselle is looking for someone to develop a flash game for the La Trobe Uni website – email giselle.rosman@gmail.com (giselle NULL.rosman null@null gmail NULL.com) if you are interested and want more details.

It’s a double header for the April meet up, covering near and far.

First up is The Voxel Agents, creators of Train Conductor, reviewing their first year as local indie developers.

Then we will be hearing from those who went to GDC to get the goss

If you have any questions feel free to email info@igdamelbourne.org (info null@null igdamelbourne NULL.org)

And then there’s the customary facebook event (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/event NULL.php?eid=334288174057&ref=nf)

Tuesday 13 April, 7pm

The Embassy
1 Queensbridge St, Southbank