CanDo interactive are running a training course on game design this coming summer. It is part of a range of short courses in different digital media and other activities.

Students will learn the Blender package (www.blender.org) which will be used to create a complex 3D environment, and an interactive game within that environment.

– Basic level design skills
– Level design and factors affecting it (time limits, pickups, obstacles)
– Higher level concepts such as theming and storylines
– How to get into the industry

Students will team up and create a fully working game prototype by the end of the week.

Tickets for the 2008 Urban Arts Academy go on sale at 9am on Mon 18th February.

All courses will take place at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast between the 14th July and 8th August.

The cost of courses will be £50. However there will be a price freeze for early birds. From now until 31st March the cost of all 2008 courses have been held at £40.

For more see http://www.transbelfast.com/

Dave Perry, formerly of Shiny Entertainment, will be awarded a DSc, (Eng) for distinction in computer game development and design by Queens University Belfast (QUB) next summer.

David is originally from Belfast, although he resides on the West coast in the US now. He is probably best know for his ‘Earthworm Jim’ and ‘Enter the Matrix’ games. He has been back to Belfast on a number of occasions recently to give talks and workshops on games.

Dave will be in good company at the ceremony with Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair as well as a long list of other people from across various fields receiving a range of honours. See http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/TheUniversity/GeneralServices/News/PressReleases/#d.en.90949

QUB established a course in computer game design and development in 2007. See http://www.gamedevelopers.ie/courses/viewcourse.php?article=28

Steve Collins was interviewed on the Sunday Business Show last Sunday the 10th of Feb.

To hear the clip see the Today FM site: http://www.radioireland.ie/lastword/business.html

Go to the second link on the page: Business Show Part 2 Sunday: 10/2/2008 and the interview is at about 20 minutes in.

thanks to Paul C for pointing it out.

For those interested in games and education these two events in the UK may be of interest.

This year GAMES:EDU: is running on two days, in two separate locations.

Tuesday 29th April in Manchester alongside GamesGrads and Tuesday 21st July in Brighton preceding the Develop Conference.

The content of the two days will be distinct, and there are discounts to attend both days.

See http://www.gamesedu.co.uk

The Third I/ITSEC Serious Games Showcase & Challenge

Call for Serious Games Entries

December 1-4, 2008, Orlando, Florida, USA

Serious Game developers are invited to submit their original serious game to the Third Annual I/ITSEC Serious Games Showcase & Challenge. Thegoal of the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge is to identify innovative game-based solutions to training problems that could affect personnel and
systems today and in the future.

Finalists in the Serious Game Showcase & Challenge will be selected by a panel of leaders in the gaming, industry and
academic fields, and will be invited to showcase their serious game at I/ITSEC 2008, where over 16,000 attendees will view and vote on each of the finalists. Awards will be presented to the top finishers.

The Challenge is open to a wide range of contestants, potential categories include student, government, individual / small business, and businesses larger than 500 employees.

Check www.sgschallenge.com for important details and information about last years outstanding contest.

http://www.iitsec.org/; http://www.sgschallenge.com

CALL FOR PAPERS – Deadline for submissions: 25 February 2008

IADIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE GAMING 2008: DESIGN FOR ENGAGING EXPERIENCE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 25 to 27 July 2008
(http://www.gaming-conf.org/) part of the IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems
(MCCSIS 2008) Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 22 to 27 July 2008 (http://www.mccsis.org)

* Keynote Speaker
Constance Steinkuehler, University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA

* Conference background and goals
As gaming becomes more pervasive we are challenged in our job, learning and personal life by the growing access to virtual spaces and communities that offer opportunities for everyday needs and aesthetic experiences. ‘Creative Industries’ have a need for design measures that reveal new interaction methods, scenario metaphors and in-depth co-creation. This conference bring together research and best practices in creative
media design for this new challenging field.

* Format of the Conference
The conference will comprise of invited talks and oral presentations. The proceedings of the conference will be published in the form of a book and CD-ROM
with ISBN, and will be available also in the IADIS Digital Library (accessible on-line). The best paper authors will be invited to publish extended versions of their papers in the IADIS Journal on Computer Science and Information Systems.

* Types of submissions
Full and Short Papers, Reflection Papers, Posters/Demonstrations, Tutorials, Panels
and Doctoral Consortium. All submissions are subject to a blind refereeing process.

* Topics related to Gaming: Design for Engaging Experience and Social Interaction are of interest. These include, but are not limited to the following areas and topics:

– Creativity and Resonant Interaction
– Multi-modal communication
– Immersiveness
– Experience design
– Perception and performance metaphors
– Alternate and mixed realities
– Creative industries
– Research methodologies in creative practice
– Assessment of exploratory technologies
– (Social and Audiovisual) Usability and playability
– Adaptivity
– Cognition, representation, communication
– User/player centered design
– Game interpretation for design
– Psychological, social, and cultural differences in perception and participation
– Communities, networks, social interaction and social capital
– Cross-cultural and intercultural approaches
– Mechanisms of exclusion
– Game criticism
– Applications in Serious Gaming
– Assessment of exploratory learning approaches
– Emerging practices

* Important Dates:
– Submission Deadline: 25 February 2008
– Notification to Authors: Until 31 March 2008
– Final Camera-Ready Submission and Early Registration: Until 21 April 2008
– Late Registration: After 21 April 2008
– Conference: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 25 to 27 July 2008

* Conference Location
The conference will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

* Secretariat
IADIS Secretariat – IADIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE GAMING 2008 : DESIGN FOR ENGAGING EXPERIENCE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

Rua Sao Sebastiao da Pedreira, 100, 3
1050-209 Lisbon, Portugal

E-mail: secretariat@gaming-conf.org
Web site: http://www.gaming-conf.org/

Following on from the current feature on gd.ie we have found out that Barry O’Neill has become President / COO at Namco Bandai Networks Europe. He will be based in London. More details on this move soon.

Barry O’Neill has previously worked as COO at Sun 3C Media, CEO at Upstart Games (Dublin) and head of New Media at Eircom.

see http://www.namcomobile.com/

Deadlines for entry

If you haven’t done so already please ensure your college or university has registered for the XNA Ireland Challenge 2008 by Monday 4th February. This years event honours the 30th Anniversary of SPACE INVADERS (c) Taito Corporation. Visiting games studio judges will be scouting for students interested in work placement positions.

To register for the XNA Ireland Challenge 2008 send an email to xna@tippsoc.ie with a stipulation in the subject line; “[institution name] would like to register for XNA Ireland Challenge 2008”

Please see http://xnaireland.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!F98783C054F60D82!142.entry
for details OR http://www.xna.ie

Registration for Robocode will also close on Monday 4th February. To register for Robocode Ireland 2008 send an email to robocode@tippsoc.ie with a stipulation in
the subject line; “[institution name] would like to register for Robocode Ireland 2008”

Please see http://www.robocode.ie