=============================== IGDA Newsletter - November 2004 =============================== =========================== Table of Contents =========================== 0: A Word From Jesse Schell 1: IGDA News - Open Letter: Quality of Life Issues are Holding Back the Game Industry - IGDA's GDC Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications - Online Games Quarterly - Diversity - The Invisible Hurdle - Columns Update 2: Chapter Meetings/Reports 3: From the Wires - Child's Play Charity - D&AD Awards 2005 launch their new category for Console Games - Game developers, governments in love/hate relationships - Irish games industry shoots for success - Chinese Government To Fund 'Healthy' Videogames - Doug Lowenstein, ESA President, Addresses Audience at ChinaJoy Game Show - The growing divide between game publishers and developers - Startups experiment with online distribution - The New Studio Model - They thought of stars - Game Republic launches unique new prototype production model - Developing for a Mature Audience - Carding Programs Get Pro-Active - Game mocks real tragedy, gang experts say - Controversial Game Recreates Kennedy Assassination - Heavy Price for Free Speech - Online Feuds a Big Headache - Marvel Battles Role Players - Getting a Degree in EA - Gaming with a disability 4: Logistical Bits =========================== =========================== 0: A Word From Jesse Schell =========================== Dear Members and friends, I keep a little sign in my office that says "MAKING GAMES IS FUN". I use it as an emotional barometer. If the sign ever seems ironic or sarcastic, I know that something is wrong with the way I am making games, and I try to fix it immediately. Unfortunately, recent events (lawsuits, the spouse letter, etc) make clear that there are far too many people making games in an atmosphere that is anything but fun. Crunch time is a fact of life for game developers. Of course we are going to work late sometimes; we love what we do. Our work is challenging, rewarding, and just plain fun. That said, it is one thing to work extra hours on a project for the sheer joy of it, or to beat an occasional deadline, and quite another to have them mandated on an ongoing basis. Exploitative mandates take unfair advantage of our passion to do great work, and slowly choke that passion to death, leaving behind a burnt-out husk of disgust and regret. The game industry now has such a reputation for abusing its workers that as an educator, I frequently speak with talented students who have changed their career plans away from the game industry, because the idea of mandatory 60-80+ hour work weeks is repugnant to them. And of course, these are generally the wisest, most insightful students the ones that this industry really needs. We *must* find a way to reverse this self-destructive trend. As a start, I urge you all to read the IGDA Quality of Life Whitepaper (http://www.igda.org/qol/), and to share your thoughts about how we can work together to stop this plague of joyless overwork. You might start by hanging up a little sign. - Jesse Schell Chairperson, IGDA Professor of Entertainment Technology, Carnegie Mellon University CEO, Schell Games ============ 1: IGDA News ============ Open Letter: Quality of Life Issues are Holding Back the Game Industry ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Despite the continued success of the games industry, the immaturity of current business and production practices is severely crippling the industry . The recent frenzy of discussion over impassioned testimony about the horrible working conditions within much of the industry attests to the reality of this often unspoken disease. As the professional association that unites the game development community and serves as its voice, the International Game Developers Association is deeply disturbed by this vicious cycle and is working to better the situation. Improving the quality of life of game developers is an IGDA priority. Continue reading the open letter... http://www.igda.org/qol/open_letter.php IGDA's GDC Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications --------------------------------------------------------- The IGDA has just launched the 5th annual Student Scholarship Program. Twenty-five college students will be awarded complimentary full access passes to the Game Developers Conference. Students can now apply online. The deadline to enter is Tuesday, January 18, 2004. Recipients will be announced in early February. Applicants are required to be full-time college students (or equivalent) and IGDA student members for consideration. The IGDA's Education Committee and board members will judge scholarship applications. http://www.igda.org/scholarships/ Online Games Quarterly ---------------------- The IGDA's Online Games SIG is proud to announce that the inaugural issue of the Online Games Quarterly has been released. http://www.igda.org/online/quarterly/1_1/ The idea for this e-publication grew out of a discussion at the 2004 GDC among members of the SIG. The group felt that a smaller publication released at more regular intervals would compliment the annual papers and serve as a place to highlight industry peers throughout the year. In this first issue, you'll find interviews with developers and industry analysts. In the future, letters to the editor, opinion pieces, and feature articles will be added. Diversity - The Invisible Hurdle -------------------------------- The IGDA is ramping up efforts to increase diversity within the games industry. The "Invisible Hurdle" article hopes to kick-start further discussion. Here's an excerpt: "The video game community, with its international appeal and its proven track record as a successful entity in the financial arena, would benefit economically, educationally and ethically if it were to diversify (i.e. be culturally diverse) for maximum returns." Continue reading "The Invisible Hurdle"... http://www.igda.org/articles/jsaulter_diversity.php For more on the IGDA's initial efforts in this space, including sessions at GDC, please jump to: http://www.igda.org/diversity/ Columns Update -------------- Monthly columns updated for this month: - The Ivory Tower: What Mastery of Which Arts? http://www.igda.org/columns/ivorytower/ivory_Nov04.php - Famous Last Words: Timing is Everything http://www.igda.org/columns/lastwords/lastwords_Nov04.php - Culture Clash: Bride of IP - Rethinking creativity http://www.igda.org/columns/clash/clash_Nov04.php - The Games Game: A Serious Side to Games http://www.igda.org/columns/gamesgame/gamesgame_Nov04.php =========================== 2: Chapter Meetings/Reports =========================== Complete list of chapter reports and upcoming meetings: http://www.igda.org/chapters/updates.php Dallas Meeting, December > Dallas IGDA Christmas Party - sponsored by nVidia http://www.dallasigda.org/ Colorado Meeting, December > Special Holiday Meeting at GameScape PC Gaming Center http://coloradogamedev.org/ Dallas Meeting, December > Developer on the Job Training: Dallas IGDA goes to Tactical Tanks http://www.dallasigda.org/ Seattle Meeting, December > IGF Student Showcase Review 2004 http://www.igda.org/seattle/meet.htm Montreal Meeting, December > David Perry Tells All + Charity Raffle http://www.igda.org/montreal/index_e.htm#next Melbourne Report, November > Inaugural Meeting a Great Success http://igda.somee.com/meetings.aspx San Francisco Report, November > Kathy Schoback: Digital Distribution for Developers http://www.igda.org/sf/ Michigan South Report, November > Postmortem of The Political Machine by Brad Wardell of StarDock http://www.igda.org/smichigan/Nov04/report.html Montreal Report, November > Montreal Game Summit report and pictures http://www.igda.org/blogs/realitypanic/archives/000232.html New Jersey North Report, November > October Meeting http://blender.rutgers.edu/~njigda/meetings/200410.php Colorado Report, November > Serious Games Meeting http://www.coloradogamedev.org/20041101.html ================= 3: From the Wires ================= News stories and articles from around the Web... Child's Play Charity http://www.childsplaycharity.org/ D&AD Awards 2005 launch their new category for Console Games http://www.dandad.org/awards/ Game developers, governments in love/hate relationships http://tinyurl.com/5w638 Irish games industry shoots for success http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news4a.nv?storyid=single3975 Chinese Government To Fund 'Healthy' Videogames http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=4429 Doug Lowenstein, ESA President, Addresses Audience at ChinaJoy Game Show http://www.theesa.com/10_4_2004.html The growing divide between game publishers and developers http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/15/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm Startups experiment with online distribution http://tinyurl.com/5hjlo The New Studio Model http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20041029/roch_01.shtml They thought of stars http://tinyurl.com/5otcg Game Republic launches unique new prototype production model http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=5432 Developing for a Mature Audience http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=8179§ion=feature Carding Programs Get Pro-Active http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=8135§ion=feature Game mocks real tragedy, gang experts say http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6409148/ Controversial Game Recreates Kennedy Assassination http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=8400§ion=feature Heavy Price for Free Speech http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,65532,00.html Online Feuds a Big Headache http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,65562,00.html Marvel Battles Role Players http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,65722,00.html?tw=rss.TOP Getting a Degree in EA http://grandtextauto.gatech.edu/2004/11/14/getting-a-degree-in-ea/ Gaming with a disability http://tinyurl.com/7yw4a ================== 4: Logistical Bits ================== Thanks to our Partners! ----------------------- The IGDA extends its sincerest thanks to all our Partners! Especially those who just joined us, or recently renewed their commitment to support the game development community: - Institut National de l'Image et du Son - Microsoft Research - VxO Networks Without their support the IGDA simply would not survive - let alone thrive. Further details and a complete list of Partners are available online: http://www.igda.org/partners Newsletter Subscription ----------------------- You can update your subscription details via your MyProfile page: http://www.igda.org/membership/myprofile.php If you need help, contact us. IGDA Membership --------------- Your support is critical to the success of the IGDA and our industry. There are dozens of reasons to join the IGDA, ranging from personal career advancement to more lofty industry-wide goals. Join today: http://www.igda.org/join Contact Information ------------------- Please contact us if you have questions, comments or input. http://www.igda.org/contact.php ------- - end - -------