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Kensei
21-05-2009, 09:40 PM
Ok, so like, I have been sitting on my butt for a while in London and it is time to get back into gear with my game development stuff - even if it is just being a fan girl.

Anyways, I joined the London chapter of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) and have started to receive emails from them about some of their events.

I am putting this here, on, er, the SA, site because I know that there are a few NAGlings in London... or at least the UK. Please note, I am not putting this here to rub it in the SA peoples faces, I am not here to gloat, I just felt it would be nice for y'all to know what is going on in London and perhaps keep me motivated to actually attend these events

So, without further ado I give you the upcoming events:

Games Industry Networking Night (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=89951471282)
An informal networking evening for anyone who works - or has an
interest in - the games industry. Enjoy the chance to drink, socialise
and play favourites old and new, as nature intended, on the 10-foot
screen of the Run Run Shaw room.
Date: 29 May 2009
Time: 18:30 - 22:30
Location: Run Run Shaw Theatre, BAFTA

Game 09 Games and Media Event (http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/game/)
Imperial College's Games and Media Event aims to bring together people
from industry and academia in order to discuss some of the technical
problems and solutions within the entertainment industry.
Free, but registration required.
Date: 1st June 2009
Location: Huxley Building, Imperial College London

AI & Games Network Event (http://www.aigamesnetwork.org/main:events:2ndnetworkevent)
Date: 2 June 2009
Location: Dana Centre, Science Museum

Under the Mask: Perspectives on the Gamer 2009 (http://underthemask.wikidot.com/)
All the world's a game, And all the men and women merely players;
They have their power ups and endless grind, And one gamer in his time
plays many parts,
Hosted by: University of Bedfordshire
Type: Education - Lecture
Where: Luton Campus
When: Friday, June 5 at 9:30 am until Saturday, June 6 at 5:30 pm

Edit: I am planning to attend the Games Networking Event next week :)

dislekcia
21-05-2009, 11:08 PM
Sweet, I'd go to every single one of those events if I was in the area... That's a lot of networking opportunities!

AndrewJ
22-05-2009, 01:43 PM
Thanks Kensei. You almost made me cry because we don't have an IDGA chapter in SA... Ooooo, there's an idea. What is needed to start a chapter?

Cloud_Ratha
22-05-2009, 09:24 PM
Sweet, I'd go to every single one of those events if I was in the area... That's a lot of networking opportunities!

Agreed. Not just learning about the industry but also being able to meet involved people. Sounds like a get together that is unmissable, especially if your based in little britain. Id go to all of these just to rub shoulders. Good luck Kensei, hope you can impress, like you have in game.dev. Spread the word!

dislekcia
23-05-2009, 02:34 AM
Thanks Kensei. You almost made me cry because we don't have an IDGA chapter in SA... Ooooo, there's an idea. What is needed to start a chapter?

More professional developers. Coolhand and I have been talking about setting up a chapter for ages, remember that IGDA membership is not free and that a chapter would require a committee prepared to work. The people that are busy making Dev.Mag a success don't need the extra headaches just yet ;)

AndrewJ
26-05-2009, 03:51 PM
Ah. Thanks dis.

dislekcia
26-05-2009, 05:21 PM
Ah. Thanks dis.

The idea is to set up an IGDA chapter in the future though. I'm hoping that we'll reach a sustainable point where things like that will simply make sense and everyone will wonder how we managed without it before ;)

AndrewJ
27-05-2009, 01:42 PM
and everyone will wonder how we managed without it before ;)

:-)

Kensei
01-06-2009, 08:20 PM
Ok, just got back from Game '09 and am utterly exhausted (mentally)

In short, OMFG I had no idea how many awesome things people are doing behind the scenes in the games and media industry, as well as the cool stuff that the Imperial College does as academics. I'll have to post my summarized notes on each speech likely tomorrow or sometime (there is, I am not joking, 9 pages of notes I took from the talks)

Highlight for me was definately, without a doubt, chatting to Mark Morris, the MD of Introversion Software - very friendly and moderately surprised that I did not have a job in the gaming industry considering female game developers are a novelty still :P

One common theme I picked up on is that the rise of the indie developer as well as the basement game developer is upon us. As well as a fascinating ideas of how AI as (at least me) we know it is evolving beyond just the usual heuristics and neural networks.

Fruzz
02-06-2009, 01:55 PM
Awesome!
I'm sad I couldn't make it :(

Looking forward to the notes on it though :)

Kensei
02-06-2009, 05:07 PM
Expect them likely tomorrow - I will transcribe them tonight and then upload a summary of those here

Chippit
05-06-2009, 01:41 PM
Write it up nicely and it can go on Dev.Mag instead.

AndrewJ
05-06-2009, 01:57 PM
Ok, just got back from Game '09 and am utterly exhausted (mentally)Maybe I should move to the UK, despite my <strike>hatred</strike> dislike of cold weather...


moderately surprised that I did not have a job in the gaming industry considering female game developers are a novelty still :PYou just reminded me of some engineering jokes I read back at varsity (circa 1700AD) Rough quote: "Female engineers are immediately desirable and eligible for marriage from age of consent until death." Yes, "age of consent" is in there. This was before 4chan, remember?


One common theme I picked up on is that the rise of the indie developer as well as the basement game developer is upon us.Erm, rise of the *basement* developer? I though that we were all but dead, that supposedly profitable and brilliant programs are "beyond the reach of a one man team"? (quote = mass media since, say, about eight or nine years ago)


As well as a fascinating ideas of how AI as (at least me) we know it is evolving beyond just the usual heuristics and neural networks.Such as? Hive intelligence maybe?

Kan j00 anserzor th33z in j0r Dev.Mag notez/art-ikell plez?

Chippit
05-06-2009, 02:42 PM
Maybe I should move to the UK, despite my <strike>hatred</strike> dislike of cold weather...
Psst. The forum software offers this useless handy [s] tag that does exactly what you want! :P

Kensei
05-06-2009, 06:52 PM
Write it up nicely and it can go on Dev.Mag instead.

Oh lol, yes, that is a better idea :)

I'll see what I can do Chippit.

And yes, Andrew, it is kinda useful being in the UK, especially with all these talks going on. But it would equally awesome to have something like Game 09 in SA, think about it, it is already starting with Game.Dev talks at rAge