Category Archives: Community

Film Student looking for game devs and academics to interview

Posted on 11/01/2017 by | Comments Off on Film Student looking for game devs and academics to interview

Jack Hunter, a student at Glasgow University, is looking for Scottish game developers and academics to interview as part of his final Masters project.

He is producing a documentary on the question of “Are Games Art?”, and seeking input from:

  • Gamers
  • Developers
  • Academics; specialists in Video Game studies and History of Art

He is currently in the research stage and looking for input from developers at this time, specifically regarding:

  • what do video games mean to you personally?
  • what do they mean to you as a creator?
  • what are your opinions on the ongoing debate as to whether or not video games should be considered an art form?

If you are interested in taking part, and comfortable being on film, please contact Jack at: [email protected]

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Call for Action: Team Rock Job Losses

Posted on 20/12/2016 by | Comments Off on Call for Action: Team Rock Job Losses

Rock and metal music media publisher Team Rock recently went into administration, causing immediate layoffs across its departments just before Christmas. Team Rock also branched into Games with Team Rock Games, which was based in Scotland, all of whom have been hit by this sudden development.

We are issuing a call out for support to help those at Team Rock Games in finding new employment. If any games companies have any vacancies they are looking to fill, or are taking in prospective applications, please reach out to Brian Baglow at: [email protected]

Additionally, if you are looking for additional staff with expertise in publishing, journalism, broadcasting, social media or any other number of fields please contact Brian who will pass those details along to the relevant people.

Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by these job losses, especially at this time of year.

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Glasgow Caledonian University hosting Antura Jam to aid Syrian children

Posted on 30/09/2016 by | Comments Off on Glasgow Caledonian University hosting Antura Jam to aid Syrian children

Glasgow Caledonian University is hosting a game jam to make games that can help Syrian refugee children. You can register here: http://bit.ly/anturajam

Over 2.8 million children are out of school due to the five year conflict. These children receive no education and a wealth of potential human capital, creativity, and achievement is being lost.

In the light of this horrible tragedy, Cologne Game Lab, Wixel Studios and Video Games Without Borders teamed up to form a partnership and find a way to limit the consequences of the situation. Antura and the Letters is a game project being led by Emmanuel Guadiola from the Cologne Game Lab. The game will be released on iOS and Android so that Syrian children can receive an education and learn how to read.

We are hoping to prototype a few different game ideas over this jam weekend and we need your help!

The jam will take place in rooms C116 and C117 in Charles Oakley building at GCU, from Friday 7th through Sunday 9th

We will have access: • from 5pm-8pm on Friday 7th • from 10am-4pm on Saturday 8th • from 10am-3pm on Sunday 9th.

About Emmanuel

Emmanuel is a Game Director and expert in game design methodology, Emmanuel Guardiola contributes to more than 30 major titles in the game industry, for independent studios (Life is Strange, Frank Herbert’s Dune…) and publishers (Ghost Recon, Prince of Persia…). PhD in computer science, he also drives research on player psychological profiling through gameplay at the CNAM computer science laboratory (Paris). He was one of the key creators of the game design training at the French Graduate School on Games and Interactive Media (ENJMIN) If you want to learn more about Emmanuel’s work, you can check out his LinkedIn, or his MobyGames profile

http://bit.ly/anturajam

 

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Posted in Community, Glasgow

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Introducing our new Board of Directors

Posted on 01/12/2015 by | Comments Off on Introducing our new Board of Directors

A big thank you to everyone who was able to join us at our Annual General Meeting last Wednesday and we hope you enjoyed taking part in our pub quiz! We had a great time and congratulations to the winning team! We also had a raffle, so congrats to the two lucky winners who received a Steam voucher each.

And of course we announced the winning candidates in this years elections, so in case you missed it we’re very excited to introduce our new Board of Directors!

Board of Directors

After receiving 14 ballots, we had a three-way tie and so in order to resolve it, we decided to use all seats allowed on the Board (our Bylaws outline a maximum board size of 9) and welcome 5 candidates: Andrew Macdonald, who was re-elected to remain on the Board this year, Mal Abbas, Tony Gowland, Jaime Cross and Jon McKellan! They’re joining the existing board of 4, Mark Hastings, Bert McDowell, Alice Rendell and Timea Tabori.
Congratulations to you all and welcome on board!

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We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Brian McDonald for all his work during his time on the board.

Thank you, Brian! :)

 

We’re all excited to work together and start planning our schedule for the coming year. We hope to see you then!

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Posted in Community, IGDA Scotland, Special Events

Board of Directors – Call for Nominations

Posted on 03/11/2015 by | Comments Off on Board of Directors – Call for Nominations

2015_board_nominations

We are delighted to announce that IGDA Scotland’s 2015 Board of Directors Nominations are now open!

This process is an important way for the members of the organisation to have their say in who is going to run things. It’s also an opportunity to make changes to the chapter’s leadership in ways that represent your interests as a game developer; and finally, they’re also an excellent way to get more involved with the chapter yourself, and help shape our future.

We have 4 seats available on the board and successful candidates will join our current board members; Mark Hastings, Bert McDowell, Alice Rendell and Timea Tabori.

The key dates for the election process are as follows:

  • Wednesday 4th November
    • Call for nominations opens.
  • Friday 13th November
    • Nominations close. 
    • Must be an IGDA member by this date to participate in the vote.
  • Monday 16th November
    • Distribution of Election Materials to members.
  • Monday 23rd November
    • Deadline for votes.
  • Last Week of November
    • New board members to be announced at Annual General Meeting.
    • Date and details to follow soon!

Nominations
In order to nominate yourself as a candidate for election, you must be an IGDA member in good standing with voting rights (i.e. a professional member, not a student member), must agree to be bound by the IGDA Scotland Bylaws, and also have read the 2015 Election Procedures Policy.

To nominate yourself, email [email protected] with your candidate statement (of up to 400 words) and a profile picture, before 23:59 on 13th November to let us know you wish to stand.

Voting
To vote for board members you must have a current IGDA membership which does not expire after the 13th November 2015. If you are not already a IGDA member you can become one here.

To keep up-to-date with all the latest from IGDA Scotland, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Posted in Community, IGDA Scotland, Uncategorized

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Remembering Stew Hogarth

Posted on 22/09/2015 by | Comments Off on Remembering Stew Hogarth

Remembering Stew Hogarth banner

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of local game designer Stew Hogarth at age 34 on the morning of the 15th September 2015 after a lifelong battle with congenital heart disease. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and his wife Inez at this difficult time.

You are invited to join us for a celebration of his life at 13:15 on Wednesday 23rd September 2015 at St. Columba’s Roman Catholic Church, Derwent Avenue, Dundee, DD3 0BE followed by a reception at the Invercarse Hotel.

Smiling Bag Games

Stew was widely known and much loved within the Scottish game development community. After graduating from Abertay University in 2004, he worked for local studios Denki and Chunk before founding his own studio Smiling Bag Games to work on independent projects and game jams. However you knew Stew, we thoroughly encourage you to seek out and play his games or read his blog.

Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association

His family have requested that any donations in Stew’s name be made to The Freeman Heart & Lung Transplant Association (Registered Charity 1157894) during the memorial service, or online via JustGiving; in recognition for all the help and hope they have given Stew over the last few years. As of writing, the campaign has already raised over £2,000 to support transplant patients in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

You can find more news coverage of Stew’s passing online on Gamasutra and Develop.

On a final and personal note, I’d like to thank Stew for repeatedly reminding me that your health need not get in the way of being creative or making games. It doesn’t have to take over your life and “it doesn’t control you”. I only wish I could have told him the difference he has made myself.

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Posted in Community, Dundee, Obituaries, Special Events

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