Igda’s Global Games Jam

Well the weekend’s IGDA Global Games Jam has come to an end and over 48 hours, teams all over the world worked to create games based on a common theme. This year the theme was ‘extinction’.

In Ireland there were two venues for jams, the Tipperary Institute and Griffith College Dublin.

In Tipperary the weekend was organised by Philip Bourke, Course Coordinator for Tipperary Institute’s Games Design and Development course who said “this is as real as it gets, the sandbox nature of these projects allow students to experiment with games design, development and game-play in collaboration with their peers”.

In all Tipperary saw twenty two concepts pitched and these were eventually narrowed down to just four, Petals, What We Do Now, Human Kind and Petri Paridice. Teams were formed with games programmers, artists, musicians and audio technicians, all of whom are essential in any games development team.

Photographs of the weekend in Tipperary can be obtained from http://tinyurl.com/GGJ2011Photos

All Games produced in Tipperary will be showcased during the annual computer and console game programming festival Games Fleadh next March 9th & 10th at Tipperary Institute. For more information see www.gamesfleadh.ie

All games produced during Global Game Jam are available from the www.globalgamejam.org website.

And I have just noticed that they have a video from Tipperary on the Global Games Jam frontpage!

Well done to all.

Indie Games Jam

Gd.ie members and Filmbase are coming together to organise three days where indie developers and enthusiasts can come together and work on projects. The events will take place on the 19th of February, the 26th of March and the 30th of April.

The event is amed at full-time or part-time indie developers, artists interested in making games, professionals happy to make stuff for the fun of it and creatives from other media interested in games.

The main thing is to provide a regular location where you know you will find similar minded people making games. Overall it will be a relaxed atmosphere where people will have plenty of chances to interact.

The idea is that on the day participants will work on a collective topic and try to design game ideas around that topic. You can also choose to demo a project you are working on or act as an expert for the day on some tool or process.

People could work solo or in groups and we will make some effort to try team people up should they wish, particularly any lone wolves or creatives from other fields feeling a bit lost. There won’t be any formal training, lectures or workshops going on – so some degree of self-sufficiency is expected. Participants should bring their own laptop and digital tools. Tables, chairs and internet connection will be provided.

FilmBase in TempleBar, Dublin, have generously sponsored a room for the first three indie developer days, starting on the 19th Feb (also 26th March, 30th of April). FilmBase are tasked with supporting indigenous film makers and they are interested in the cross-over of films into games culture, process and concepting; and vice versa. We will be based in one of their training rooms, with access to the cafe (coffee, tea, brownies, crisps and what not).

There will be limited spaces, approximately 20, with priority for people who will volunteer their time on the day. Tickets will be free and a ticketing systme for this will be announced soon.

At this stage please spread the word and volunteer your ideas and time on the forums.

see http://www.gamedevelopers.ie/forums/viewtopic.php?p=44635#44635

Wordsnap Iphone Game Out

Wordsnap Contraption, a new iPhone game from Irish, and Limerick based, video game company Digital Sideburns, goes on sale on the 14th January, 2011.

The game costs just 79¢ (Europe), 99¢ (North America) and 59p (UK) through your iPhone, iPod Touch or iTunes.

Wordsnap Contraption is a fast-paced, addictive word game that’s perfect for a quick play. You have two minutes to make as many words as possible and set a new high score. Online leader boards allow you to compete with other Wordsnap Contraption players from all around the world.

Visit www.digitalsideburns.com to find out more or follow Digital Sideburns on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DigitalSideburns

About Digital Sideburns:

Digital Sideburns Ltd., based in Limerick, Ireland, was formed by Alan Taylor and David Sims in early 2009. They are currently working on a number of original titles, which will see release in 2011.

Their current focus includes the iPhone and traditional online gaming, but they will be expanding to more platforms in the near future. They’re just two guys who love playing and making games and occasionally growing beards.

Alan and David met in college studying Software Development in Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland and since then they have been working together on various projects. They both graduated with first class honors, Alan in 2007, Dave in 2008 and were both awarded Project of the Year.

Alan has also completed the masters in Interactive Entertainment Technology at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, which included PC and XBox 360 game development.

Social Games Weekend

We have just received this press release about a social games weekend in Limerick aimed at 15-21 year olds.

Takes place on the 15th of January, 12-5pm and 16th of January, 1-4pm at the Belltable Arts Centre, 69, O Connell Street, Limerick. Entry is free. Read on.

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To launch it’s new gaming platform, Make and Do will host PlayFair ≠1, Back to the Future, as part of the Youth Arts Festival, at the Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick.

For their maiden voyage, PlayFair ≠1, goes back to the future presenting a suite of old school analogue social games in a futuristic context. For two days the Belltable Arts Centre will be a playground of games, challenges, tomfoolery, creativity and interaction!!!

Social games? What? We define social/pervasive games as those which involve bodies, minds and souls all at once. Games like Stag Hunt, Trap Street and Double Agent ask the players to interact with their city using real people, real places, and in real time. We will also have Limerick based artists and theatremakers showcasing and testing brand new games.

So, if you want to have some fun, meet new people, play some games you’ve never played before and maybe even come up with ideas for your own game, PlayFair ≠1 is for you!!

Who are Make and Do?

Make and Do are a collective of artists, technologists, and designers who work in the intersection between art, technology, and games. We curate games events like PlayFair and design interactive theatre experiences like Emil and the Detectives. We are developing interesting cross platform and transmedia projects using the urban landscape as our playground.

Please contact hilaryos@aol.com for more details about how you can get involved on the day.

Read their blog here – www.weliketomakeanddo.com