This year Griffith College Dublin are holding a Global Game Jam ( http://www.globalgamejam.org/) event and they are extending invitations to students from other Dublin institutes.

See the event site at ( http://www.gcd.ie/JAM/index.html) where entrants can get information on the event and what is required of them.

Entry is free, but the student must bring a machine to work on. The event is also open to the less experienced programmers who may use programs such as GameMaker and GameSalad.

The number of entrants is limited to 25, which is on a “first
come, first served” basis.

If you have any queries, contact Eoin Carroll, Course Director, Computing Faculty, Griffith College Dublin, South Circular Road, Dublin 8 or eoin [dot] carroll [at] gcd.ie

Gamedevelopers.ie is happy to support the second Irish School of Animation (ISA) Convention, an animation and games event for students and industry professionals.

This year it will take place at the Anna Brett Hall, Media Building, in Ballyfermot College of Further Education on Thurs the 6th and 7th of January, 2010 with an evening event on the 6th of January in the Sugar Club, 8 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin.

Here is your chance to improve your animation skills by listening to talks by industry experts and participating in workshops.

Speakers this year include Adam Burke from Pixar Studios, Marec Fritzinger previously of Disney and now Universal Studios and of interest to gd.ie readers Graham Gallagher, previously of Disney but now working in the games industry and our own Thom Moore from Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny.

Workshops include 3D animation, storytelling and the business of animation.

Tickets costs €25 for the day and evening event combined, €20 for the day events and €15 for the evening event.

However, gd.ie has a few tickets available, for free, to the evening event. See Aphra at the Christmas drinks event on Thurs the 16th of Dec. if you are interested.

For more contact Gareth Lee at glee at bcfe.net

For posters and more info on speakers see

High Resolution PDF
http://www.isa-bcfe.ie/isacon2011highres.pdf

Low Resolution PDF
http://www.isa-bcfe.ie/isacon2011lowres.pdf

High Resolution JPG
http://www.isa-bcfe.ie/isacon2011highres.jpg

Spread the word.

As noted on the forums Enterprise Ireland, the industrial development agency has launched a new Internet and Games Competitive Start-up Fund, with an initial pot of €500,000 to invest in 10 internet and games start-ups.

In particular it is noted that companies can apply for funding to ‘Build a prototype, gain market traction and retain a significant number of users.’

There is however a tight deadline and applicants must have their proposals in by Thursday 16th December 2010.

Contact the igcsf@enterprise-ireland.com mailbox for more information.

An Enterprise Ireland telephone support line will be open from 1st December until 16th December. The dedicated telephone number for the Internet & Games Fund is: + 353 1 727 2244

If you are not a client of Enterprise Ireland and want to learn more about qualifying and applying for Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Start-Up supports, go to our Start a Business Section.

See http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/Company/HPSU-Funding/Internet-Games-Competitive-Start-Fund.html for details on qualifying and evaluation criteria.