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IGDA DC February Meeting: Global Game Jam Demo Night

Have a Global Game Jam game to show off? (Or just want to play?) Head to American University's McKinley Building on Wednesday, February 19, 6:15 p.m. for IGDA DC's February Meetup.

If you or your team is unable to make the meeting, then let IGDA know is happy to help out by setting up a console for players. Give them a shout via Facebook or Twitter.

As this was the first year this chapter supported not one, but TWO Global Game Jam sites, we figured a meeting reserved specifically for showing off our projects would be particularly important this year. Our combined sites posted 33 games, which is kind of awesome, and suggests that there will be plenty to demo and learn from at the meeting.

[Source: IGDA newsletter]

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Global Game Jam Recap: Washington DC Sites

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Take Two Minutes to Help iCivics

iCivics has published a short community survey to gather feedback on their work over the past five years.

The feedback will help inform how they design new games, develop new lessons, or redesign the website, and let the civics game maker know what they're doing right (or not).

Take the survey here.

[Source: iCivics e-newsletter]

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SHAME. ON. US.

Not posting all week?! After GGJ14?! Madness. Working on getting some posts going~. Maybe you want to share your own DC game dev story in the meantime?

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AAARGH! WAAUG January Meeting Postponed to Jan. 28

(We're not really that upset — we just think it's funny to put interjections before WAUUG, the abbreviation for the Washington DC Area Unity Users Group.) An email from the organizers:

Due to unforeseen weather conditions we are going to have to push the meeting back one week to January 28th. We will still be meeting at Brightline Interactive.

[Source: WAUUG Meetup email]

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GMU's Global Game Jam Site Announces Pre-Jam

Shame on us for missing this earlier! The best GGJ site in all of DC George Mason University's Global Game Jam site is hosting a series of pre-jam speakers. Best of all, attendees will be able to meet speakers between their talks and the GGJ opening keynote and theme reveal.

Lectures begin at 3:30 in Research Hall on [GMU's] Fairfax Campus and feature local game professionals discussing skills that will “level up” our Game Jammers’ skills. The schedule for lectures is:

3:30 - 4:10: Jennifer Frazier - ThinkGeek co-founder and and user-experience guru

4:10 - 4:50: Byron Morgan - CEO of Vinylmint

4:50 - 5:30: Dan Silber - Pixel artist for several Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games

[Source: IGDA DC]

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Global Game Jam: Not participating? Then volunteer!

Your local Global Game Jam sites could probably still use your help. Get in touch with site organizers to pitch in and see what they need:

George Mason University (IGDA DC’s official site. Highly recommended!) - #GMUGGJ

Washington DC GGJ at American University (Has room for up to 50 participants; register before Jan. 22) - #AUGGJ

University of Maryland, Baltimore County - #UMBCGGJ

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Brief write-up on Quad Interactive's upcoming schmup, Offensive Rising.

Game article

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Although the registration page says sign-ups are open until January 22. Anyway, don't delay if you'd like to join. And don't forget about the other sites in the DC metro area!

[Source: American University]

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I stopped reading at "fart propulsion," but here's a gif-filled update on Nuke Nine Games's upcoming game, Vagante.

fart propulsion - there are times when you fall from a great height and become unconscious while in a nest of monster. Fart propulsion comes in handy buying you time as you recover.

We’re making progress on the affinity system, WIPing a nice menu screen atm. Affinities act as Vagante’s...

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Otaku journalist Lauren Orsini recently shared her latest free guide on covering geek events and conventions professionally. Hit the link for the free PDF download!

It's always been my dream to report on geek topics, and never is living the dream more real to me than when I'm at an event, surrounded by the energy of other fans. That's why I wrote "Covering live events." At 25 pages it's my longest guide yet, but there's no bloat here. From planning story ideas to figuring out what to pack, I've taken everything I know about live coverage and written it down here. 

[Source: the Otaku Journalist mailing list]

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Immune Defense, a follow-up to cellular biology game Immune Attack, debuts March 6. A press conference will be held at 6:30 p.m. at McKinley High School (151 T St. NE) with NIH scientists, the ESA, and Immune Defense creator Melanie Stegman, of the Federation of American Scientists.

Students will also show their own works at the event. The Federation of American Scientists has been beta-testing the game in the classroom with teachers and students aged 14 to 16 years old.

[Source: IGDA DC]

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Well, technically the Washington Area Unity3D User's Group was back in October/November with drink-up events after its hiatus that started April 2013, but, eh, details.

Its time for the January meeting of WAUUG. This month we will be focusing on prep for the Global Game Jam. Tentative Schedule

6:30 - 6:45 Networking

6:45 - 7:00 Introduction / Design

7:00 - 7:15 Production

7:15 - 7:30 Art

7:30 - 7:45 Q&A

7:45 -8:00 Brightline Presentation

8:30 - 9:00 Head out to the bar!

[Source: Meetup]

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Board games and drinks! Reminisce about MAGFest; prepare for world domination the Global Game Jam later this month.

Apologies for the short notice, but given the calendar's saturation with MAGFest and GGJ, let's do a quick drinkup this month at The Board Room DC!

We've managed to rent out the top floor for Tuesday, so we should have enough space to demo on laptops as usual. We'll also continue to organize for GGJ and enjoy the Board Room's copious supply of games and beers.

[Source: IGDA DC]

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IGDA DC is organizing a trip to Unpub 4, a game playtesting and promotion event that's a two-hour car ride away in Delaware. Carpool with them here.

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Drunken Indie Showcase Now Taking Submissions for it's PAX East Party

Gaming in Public is trying some thing new for its PAX East party, and the price is definitely right: it's free to submit and showcase your game(s).

Skim through the rules below and if all sounds good, send an email to gaminginpublic@yahoo.com:

1. To start, anyone can submit a game, but you must send us a playable demo or copy of the game. We are not accepting games that only have trailers. 2. Last day for submission is February 14th once it is the 15th we will no longer be accepting games.  3. On March 30th we announce three games that will be showing at Indies Need Booze in our Drunken Indie Show case. (Chosen by us of course.) 4. Once accepted, you show your game for free at our party! All we ask is that you bring a laptop and any other equipment you will need to show your games. We will provide you a table space to show your game.  

Gaming in Public also shared some of its judging guidelines. TLDR version: social party games with multiplayer have priority, and brevity is appreciated.

1. We are picking games that can be played well in a social environment. This is a party, so games that have long tutorials we most likely wont accept. (This doesn't mean your game is bad —just a little too complex for this event)

2. Anything sent to will be played and considered, but we only have so much time to play each game. We will do our best to judge each game fairly and with the similar time restraints. 3. Most likely, we will be testing all these games out with a friend or two from Gaming in Public to get more opinions on the games. This being said, if your game is multiplayer even better! (You won't lose points for submitting single player games) 4. Keep your email short. Explain your game, but be concise! 

Don't have a game to show but still want to attend? Free tickets are still available, as are the Drunken Indie Passes that guarantee entrance with a swag bag and entry to the events' raffles (which the unwashed free-ticket masses won't have access to).

Are you going to PAX East? Do you plan on submitting? Let us know so we can share your news!

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This isn't just the niche cultural event one might think. The performance hall was packed full. Literally. They were at capacity even on a bitingly cold Saturday afternoon. The audience itself wasn't the resentful music majors I expected either. It was full of students and people who were obviously not students, with ages ranging from six to somewhere north of sixty. And best of all (from an old musician’s standpoint) – the audience was really PRESENT, were really engaged with the music. After all, most of us already had an emotional investment.

Head to  DC Geeks for their full review of Gamer Symphony Orchestra's December 7 performance at the University of Maryland.

(And don't forget that GSO often offers recordings of their performances to their website as free downloads. Seriously, listen to Kira Levitzky's gorgeous Shadow of the Colossus arrangement.)