Joystiq

IGDA defines new rules for future industry parties after GDC 'mistake'

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:20:00 EST

During the week of GDC, the International Game Developers Association threw a party that featured underdressed, dancing women as part of the entertainment, prompting two IGDA members to resign and Executive Director Kate Edwards to issue a statement of regret.

Today, Edwards defined a new set of regulations for future IGDA gatherings, starting with the goal to cut back on "parties" and instead offer more "networking events."

"Building a community and providing networking opportunities are part of our core mission, and we want to create activities that provide that opportunity, and to do that in a way that will be appropriate and enjoyable for everyone," Edwards wrote.

If a specific IGDA chapter wishes to throw a party, it may, but the organization still expects "chapters to uphold the IGDA's values of inclusion and diversity, regardless of the type of event and locale." Edwards said the IGDA will be vigilant when dealing with partners in the future, to provide "comprehensive oversight" of the entire event: The dancing women at this year's GDC party were courtesy of party sponsor YetiZen, which said it hired "avid gamers, who happened to be models." YetiZen said the IGDA approved all aspects of the party, including the dancers.

Edwards outlined a set of actions for IGDA members to uphold while at other industry events, including a "walk out and talk out" policy for any party with content "contrary to the IGDA ideals, regardless of the potential value of being present."

"Our humanity makes us prone to mistakes, but that does not diminish our resolve to be a force of change," Edwards concludes. "I hope the IGDA membership will rise to the challenge, and keep working together to help our industry reflect the reality of our diversity, whether it's at events, in the workplace or in the games we create." Read her full missive here.

IGDA defines new rules for future industry parties after GDC 'mistake' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA party features dancers, prompts controversy, resignations

JC Fletcher — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:00:00 EST

The International Game Developers Association's GDC party resulted, rather than merriment for all, in the resignations of several IGDA leaders, after the appearance of underdressed dancers on stage at the event, reportedly hired by party sponsor YetiZen.

Student Alicia Avril first brought the appropriateness of the dancers into question in a Forbes report, noting that it doesn't square with the professionalism or advocacy the group espouses. "Knowing there are such concerned women as members of this group," she told Forbes, "you'd think that the IGDA would be more thoughtful in their own party and how they're portraying themselves."

Some members' concern led to the end of their membership, including game designer Brenda Romero, who publicly resigned from her position of co-chair of the IGDA Women in Games SIG, and developer Darius Kazemi, who "formally resigned" following the party.

The IGDA issued a statement in response to the controversy. "We recognize that some of the performers' costumes at the party were inappropriate, and also some of the activities they peformed were not what we expected or approved," the statement reads. "We regret that the IGDA was involved in this situation. We do not condone activities that objectify or demean women or any other group of people." The group pledged increased vigilance toward "encouraging inclusion and diversity."

During the IGDA meeting today at GDC, executive director Kate Edwards elaborated on the organization's position, Gamasutra reports. "We realize that we make mistakes sometimes, and we want to make sure that all of our programs and activities are considered inclusive and professional." She called for participation from all members, including those who left, in order to know "what we can do to do a better job in the future."

IGDA party features dancers, prompts controversy, resignations originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA increasing profile, plans on posting special interest group position papers

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:00:00 EST

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) will soon have its special interest groups post position papers on various topics impacting the industry, creating a more transparent sense of the organization. New IGDA Executive Director Kate Edwards told us today that she's aware of the organization's lack of profile outside of the development community, and would like to see it be an organization.

"We have our special interest groups in the IGDA who represent different topical areas like women in games, diversity, anti-censorship committee," said Edwards, listing several more groups. "For every one of these topics that makes sense to do so, we're going to have position statements on these issues. Basically, have something more overt out there, like: 'What does the IGDA think about sexism in the industry?'"

The IGDA will also have speakers on each of these topics. Edwards continued, "Every one of these major topics we will have position statements, we will have information on the website."

Asked if the IGDA was turning into a lobbying group for developers (like the ESA is for publishers), Edwards clarified it's not a lobbying group, but they see their "lobbying" as empowering individual members to speak up on the behalf of the development community. So when legislators try to enact unfair laws, the community reacts.

The IGDA won't get involved in the drama du jour, but according to Edwards, "Obviously, when big issues like SOPA come along, we'll be very vocal about it."

IGDA increasing profile, plans on posting special interest group position papers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Biden talks video game violence with industry representatives today

Sinan Kubba — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:35:00 EST

US vice-president Joe Biden is meeting with games industry representatives today to discuss the role of violent video games with regards to gun violence, as part of a response to last month's massacre at a Connecticut elementary school. As the Associated Press reports, today's meeting in Washington is the latest in a series of discussions Biden's task force is undertaking before presenting recommendations on how to suppress gun violence to President Barack Obama on Tuesday, January 15.

Meetings with film industry representatives and the National Rifle Association took place yesterday, with the NRA emerging "disappointed" from what it felt was an attack on the Second Amendment, objecting to a number of proposals including limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines and bans on assault weapons.

The Entertainment Software Association confirmed to Polygon that it's being represented at today's meeting by president Michael Gallagher. Sources involved with the meeting told Polygon other attendees include representatives for game publishers, research on the impact of video games on children, and the retail sector.

Several industry organizations, such as the International Game Developers Association and the Electronic Consumer Association, issued open letters to the vice president ahead of today's meeting. The IGDA calls on the government to consider the "totality" of research into video game violence, and to avoid causing the games industry similar damage to that suffered by the comic book industry because of the censorship laws of the 1950s. Similarly, the ECA notes a negative correlation between the growth of the games industry and the decrease in violent crime across the last decade.

As Polygon learned this week, there are plans to reintroduce a bill to Congress calling for a Federal Trade Commission study into connections between violent video games and harmful effects on children. The bill, originally brought to Congress last month following the Connecticut shooting, failed to make it through the 112th session on January 2. Its author, West Virginia senator Jay Rockefeller, is likely to reintroduce the bill before the end of the month. Previous FTC studies failed to establish any causal connections between violent video games and violent behavior.

Biden talks video game violence with industry representatives today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kate Edwards named IGDA's new executive director

Mike Schramm — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST

Gordon Bellamy stepped down as the director of the Interational Game Developers' Association last July, and the organization has finally named his successor. Kate Edwards will serve as the group's new executive director, after being an IGDA member for 16 years, and founding and chairing the IGDA's Localization Special Interest Group.

Global cultural strategy is Edwards' specialty: She worked for Microsoft as a geopolitical strategist in the '90s, and more recently worked at her own company, Englobe, since 2005. In addition to her other experience with the IGDA, Edwards also helped co-organize the Game Developers' Conference Localization Summit. The IGDA's chairman, Dustin Clingman, says he hopes Edwards will use her talents to help the group "lay a foundation for ongoing international growth."

Kate Edwards named IGDA's new executive director originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA executive director resigns, joins China's Tencent

Mike Schramm — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 02:30:00 EST

Gordon Bellamy, the (now former) executive director of the International Game Developers Association, has stepped away from the post to join Tencent, the popular Chinese online social service. Bellamy will remain on the IGDA's board (where he was before he took the executive director post), but will step away from day-to-day operations. Dustin Clingman, the current board chair, will take over in the interim until a new director can be found.

Tencent runs a number of popular online social and gaming services in China (including the world's largest online community, QQ), and has recently been putting together a collection of ties to major Western gaming companies. Bellamy's Twitter account now lists him as the Director of Business Development and Industry Relations at Tencent. According to his recent tweets, he's "excited for Tencent" and is "looking forward to working with the world."

IGDA executive director resigns, joins China's Tencent originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Riot Games' close calls with disaster

Mike Schramm — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST

Riot Games CEO Brandon Beck gave the closing keynote at last week's IGDA Leadership Forum in Los Angeles, California, and during the talk (in which he made the point that "Riot's secret weapon all along" has been its employees), he gave a few interesting examples of how Riot's staff had really gone the extra distance to turn League of Legends into the successful online phenomenon it is today.

His first example was about the matchmaking system -- originally, Riot struggled to make sure that players were matched up against each other in an interesting and effective way, and the company ended up bringing in not a game developer, but a programmer with a PhD in computational biology whose "thinking was radically different and compelling," according to Beck.

A month after this hire, the company had a whole new matchmaking system, and in the end, it turned out to be "too fair" -- the games were too close. Since "what players remember are the outliers," according to Beck, the team developed "snowball items," which were "risky purchases that rewarded flawless execution." That bit of gameplay mixed up the matches, and came to be the system the game uses today.

Continue reading Riot Games' close calls with disaster

Riot Games' close calls with disaster originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioWare plans to grow community with cross-platform offerings

Mike Schramm — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:30:00 EST

On stage at the 2011 International Game Developers Association Leadership Forum here in LA, BioWare's Senior Director of Business Planning Development Richard Iwaniuk took the stage to chat about how the company has built up its online community into the 3.2 million-strong registered users it is today, and what it plans to do next to keep that growth going. Iwaniuk's main point was taking BioWare's franchises, which of course include Dragon Age and Mass Effect, and spinning them out to cover as many platforms as possible -- not just the HD consoles, but mobile platforms, online social networks, and even into areas like films and television.

Iwaniuk said quality was a big part of that push, but "quality," according to Iwaniuk, "is becoming more relative as opposed to absolute." He added that "it's going to be defined as much by the consumer as it is by the product. It's relative to the genre or the platform that that product is being served on." Iwaniuk said that while sales or ratings might have been indicators of game quality in the past, these new platforms call for other "key performance indicators," like player engagement or just simple awareness. "If [players are] promoting your game," said Iwaniuk, "that's success in some of these genres."

Iwaniuk cited Felicia Day and her Dragon Age work as a great example of a cross-platform push on BioWare's end, and said that even BioWare was learning -- originally, the company was using social networks like Facebook simply to push out information and promote its products, but "in actuality, it should be more of a pull" in those places, where BioWare pulls in player feedback and making use of it rather than simply trying to raise social awareness.

And how soon will we see this player feedback put into practice, and all of these cross-platform offerings revealed? "Stay tuned," teased Iwaniuk. "I think that might be as short as three or four weeks, and you'll know more."

BioWare plans to grow community with cross-platform offerings originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA still unhappy with Amazon Appstore policies

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:55:00 EST

This past April, the International Game Developers Association published an open letter to its members, warning them of the Amazon Appstore's reportedly developer-unfriendly pricing and revenue splitting policies. Today, it reiterated its words of caution following the horror story of indie developer Bithack, which butted heads with Amazon over its latest piece of software, Apparatus.

Bithack's main point of contention with the retailer is its inability to filter Apps by which hardware they'll run on. After a number of shoppers using incompatible devices grabbed Apparatus, they trashed the game's reviews, to which Bithack was unable to respond to as Amazon had stripped the developer's contact info from the game's description. Amazon also made the decision to reduce the game's list price from $3.99 to $0.99 without first contacting Bithack.

The IGDA added to this Bithack report, saying, "We remain open to discussing these issues with Amazon and helping them create a developer friendly environment."

IGDA still unhappy with Amazon Appstore policies originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA looking for feedback on L.A. Noire development conditions

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:45:00 EST

The International Game Developers Association, a game industry non-profit organization, is responding to this past weekend's report of continuous "crunch" and dictatorial working conditions at LA Noire development studio Team Bondi by launching a full investigation. According to IGDA chair Brian Robbins, the organization will be soliciting reports, "positive or negative," from "any Team Bondi employee and/or family member."

Robbins told Develop, "Reports of 12-hour a day, lengthy crunch time, if true, are absolutely unacceptable and harmful to the individuals involved, the final product, and the industry as a whole," echoing sentiments made in the past by a variety of game industry leaders. He also encouraged the aforementioned folks tied to Team Bondi to shoot an email to "qol@igda.org," before he added, "But no lolcats please ... okay, maybe a few."

IGDA looking for feedback on L.A. Noire development conditions originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX East todo: The Digital Game Canon, a panel about video game preservation

Christopher Grant — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:01:00 EST

PAX East is underway and we're dedicated to making sure each one of you makes it to one very special panel. But first, we'll level with you: it requires some homework on your part. "Ten Games You Need to Play: The Digital Game Canon" borrows its name from the 2007 GDC session of the same name, in which an incredible group of panelists (including this writer) deigned to select ten video games that deserved to be preserved. We're revisiting that effort, and reconsidering it with a stellar group of panelists.

This year's panelists include:

Henry Lowood is a professor (and curator!) at Stanford University and chairman of the IGDA's preservation SIG. His academic work is focused on the preservation of video games.
Chris Melissinos was a longtime gaming evangelist at Sun, before founding Past Pixels, an organization dedicated to the preservation of video games. He's currently curating the Smithsonian's Art of Video Games exhibit, scheduled to open in 2012.
Jon Gibson has worn many hats (including games journo and screenwriter hats) but is currently busy with iam8bit, the LA-based outfit responsible for art exhibits, books, and excellent game marketing gigs (think: Capcom Fight Club).
David Gibson has been employed as a Processing Technician in the Library of Congress's Moving Image section since 2006. In that time, he has become a key player in the Library's initiative to collect, preserve, and provide access to America's gaming heritage.
Chris Grant is a writer who works from home in his pajamas.

And your homework:

Get a crash course in game preservation by listening to the entire hour-long "b-side" interview with Henry from Episode 2 of the excellent A Life Well Wasted podcast, which you can find here.
Read the excellent "Preserving Virtual Worlds" final report while waiting in PAX East lines (download it here!) and, when you finish that, move over to "Before It's Too Late: A Digital Game Preservation White Paper" (which you can download here).
VOTE! Head to www.artofvideogames.org and "vote for games that you think are visually spectacular or boast innovative design!" This is for the Smithsonian Institute, guys. Think about that!

And, one final bit of homework: Get in line early. The panel takes place at 2pm on Sunday, March 13, at the IGDA Dev Center (on the 2nd floor, right next to Manticore Theater).

PAX East todo: The Digital Game Canon, a panel about video game preservation originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bilson gets to the heart of the new THQ in IGDA Leadership keynote

David Hinkle — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:20:00 EST

Keynoting the IGDA Leadership Forum last week, THQ "core games" boss Danny Bilson not only reflected on the publisher's steady turnaround (despite a recent slump), but also focused on its goals for the future. Previously reported updates from Bilson on Homefront, Darksiders 2 and Guillermo Del Toro's project, however, were just mere nuggets from his near hour-long presentation, which kicked off with a retelling of his personal journey from non-interactive media to games.

Back in the late-90s, Bilson recalled, he was working in television in Vancouver -- specifically, on Viper and The Sentinel. During a business trip, a stranger sitting next to him on the plane asked about the scripts Bilson happened to be reviewing. That stranger was Don Mattrick, who was president of Electronic Arts at the time. Bilson would eventually join EA, launching his career in video games.

Continue reading Bilson gets to the heart of the new THQ in IGDA Leadership keynote

Bilson gets to the heart of the new THQ in IGDA Leadership keynote originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Josh Howard talks morale issues during APB development

David Hinkle — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:40:00 EST

Josh Howard spoke at the IGDA Leadership Forum last week, specifically about how to keep a team motivated throughout the dev cycle. However, on the minds of almost everyone attending was the closure of Realtime Worlds and APB: All Points Bulletin -- which has since apparently been purchased -- a game that the introduction to Howard's speech called an "ambitious" title.

"Ambitious is a polite way of putting it," said Howard, who served as executive producer on the ill-fated MMO. "If something fails, it's ambitious. If something succeeds, it's just a big hit." But, as he strayed away from APB: All Points Bulletin and got to the meat and potatoes of his chat -- a discussion on leadership solutions for development managers -- Howard did eventually come back to the MMO to talk a bit about how he felt the morale of the team was negatively affected over the course of development.

Continue reading Josh Howard talks morale issues during APB development

Josh Howard talks morale issues during APB development originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ details Homefront sequel, novel tie-in and potential miniseries

David Hinkle — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

An upcoming novel will follow a tabloid reporter in L.A. during the first moments of the North Korean attack on the US. It's the first salvo in THQ's "transmedia" strategy for Homefront, which is about "building worlds first," then having "different media access that world in interesting ways," Danny Bilson said during his keynote speech at IGDA Leadership Forum 2010. THQ is hoping also to do a miniseries for the game following the contents of the book -- it'd be on SyFy, we imagine -- but even more interesting are Bilson's comments regarding the next game.

"The sequel has new features and doesn't even deal with the same characters," Bilson revealed. "It takes place on the other side of the Mississippi -- nobody knows what's going on over there because the North Koreans have irradiated the Mississippi with radioactive iodine and nobody can cross it without a hazmat suit. It's very interesting stuff."

Bilson says the book will be available for purchase a month before the game launches. HomeFront is currently slated for March 2011.

THQ details Homefront sequel, novel tie-in and potential miniseries originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darksiders 2 will star new character, take place alongside events of first game

David Hinkle — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:20:00 EST

Cue that one sad song ...

During his keynote speech at the IGDA Leadership Forum, THQ wunderkind Danny Bilson revealed some info on Darksiders 2, the sequel to Joe Mad's inspired take on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Instead of taking up the mantle of War again, the sequel will offer a new playable character -- one of the other three horsemen of the apocalypse, perhaps?

"When we do the Darksiders sequel, it'll be a different character and take place simultaneously to the other story," Bilson said. "There's only one apocalypse -- I couldn't very well have four different apocalypses, one for each rider. It has some new mechanics and some very robust features that differentiate it a lot and grow it from the first game because you have to build on the first one, you can't repeat it. I think that's very important in franchise-building."

It tied into the rest of the keynote, which revolved around Bilson and THQ's take on sequels and how to approach them when trying to create franchises. Look for our full write-up of Bilson's candid keynote speech soon.

Darksiders 2 will star new character, take place alongside events of first game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guillermo Del Toro's THQ game to be revealed during VGAs

David Hinkle — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:43:00 EST

"You've heard rumors of us working with a big film director who is actually a big gamer," THQ core games EVP Danny Bilson said during his keynote at the IGDA Leadership Forum. Uh, dude, heads-up: those aren't rumors any more. As it turns out, we'll finally get an official announcement about Guillermo del Toro's THQ project during the Spike VGAs next month.

"He's a gamer who wants to make a great game," said Bilson about director Guillermo del Toro, "and has very interesting points of view and is partnered very closely with myself and my writing partner, Paul." Bilson revealed that THQ "will be announcing the game title and the studio and all of that on the VGA awards in about a month."

If you're late to the party, catch up on some of our previous coverage here. Del Toro's game will have Lovecraftian themes to it ---- which is great, because we've always felt there should be more awesome games about Cthulhu.

Guillermo Del Toro's THQ game to be revealed during VGAs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA executive editor resigns after first year

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

International Game Developers Association head Joshua Caulfield has resigned from his position after approximately one year and three months on the job, reports the organization's blog. This follows the recent departure of chairperson Brenda Brathwaite, and just before another rumored loss from the board of directors. For its part, the IGDA has said it's "not falling apart, though it may appear to be." According to the IGDA spokesperson, the resignations are reflective of changes at the organization on the whole. "The 'old' IGDA served a smaller industry in a different time, and some of the 'old' things have to fall away for real change and growth."

After leaving the organization, Caulfield will head up the executive editor position on an architectural board. He characterizes the split as mutual and amicable. "It's just time for the next step in my career. I think the IGDA is headed in a great direction, and I look forward to helping to make this a smooth transition." Caulfield's last day with the IGDA will be sometime in August, though the organization has already begun seeking a new leader.

IGDA executive editor resigns after first year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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California AG and developers sound off over bill facing Supreme Court

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:00:00 EST

In a statement released by the International Game Developer's Association recently, the group called California's controversial game bill "oppressive censorship, singling out one form of expression based only on popular myth and biased research." The response came just days after the US Supreme Court decided to allow California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's appeal to review the bill on a federal scale, though it's been ruled unconstitutional multiple times in his state (not to mention the similar bills in other states that have also been shot down repeatedly).

We reached out to the California Attorney General's office to find out why it's pursuing a bill that's been plagued by overrulings, and were told, "All of those courts held that it is up to the US Supreme Court to decide whether extremely violent material can be treated the same as sexually explicit material under the First Amendment when it comes to minors. This means that we had to ask the Supreme Court to extend the law, something the lower courts were not willing to do." We further pressed for why it's targeting video games over films, television, and other entertainment mediums. A representative responded, "There is a growing body of social science that has identified violent video games as being especially harmful to children given the interactive nature of video games, and the FTC conducted investigations that showed it was easier for minors to buy Mature-rated video games than it was to get into R-rated movies."

However, the IGDA's statement contends "Violence is conveyed in explicit ways on television, in print media, via the Internet, and in film. All of these platforms constitute speech protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution." The piece also states the association's position that it remains staunchly against "censorship of expressive media in all forms" but points out that it's especially against politicians using that censorship "for political gain." The appeal could see its first hearing as early as this October, when the Supreme Court begins its next term.

[Via GamePolitics]

California AG and developers sound off over bill facing Supreme Court originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game developers speak with FCC about bandwidth concerns

Mike Schramm — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST

Last month, a group of online game developers (from companies like Turbine and Vivox, and even a board candidate for the Independent Game Developers Association) met with the FCC to argue for Internet neutrality, and against Internet Service Providers offering premium access and bandwidth to paying game publishers (here's the PDF of the meeting notes). The argument here, brought up again by a think tank called Digital Society, is about differentiating certain network connections from others -- if you allow ISPs to charge for accounts with better quality of service (QoS), then it's possible, argue these game developers, that companies or customers who don't pay will end up suffering from lag and other game-breaking problems.

It's a tough issue. As the game devs told the FCC, bandwidth is already tough to program around (especially in games like FPSes where nanoseconds count), and with the advent of bandwidth-intensive services like OnLive and "peering" rather than dedicated servers, these developers argue that ISPs charging companies for QoS would edge out entrepreneurs and actually discourage innovation in gaming. ISPs answer that a premium service doesn't mean the non-premium service is bad, just that they want to offer premium products to customers (and of course rake in the ensuing fees). Unfortunately, it's going to take more than just an FCC workshop to solve this ongoing concern.

Game developers speak with FCC about bandwidth concerns originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lid comes off Global Game Jam 2010 on Jan. 29

Randy Nelson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:15:00 EST

Grab your mason jars and pectin, because it's time to make another batch of "Mario Mulberry." Oh, right, this is about the IGDA's Global Game Jam. Specifically that the annual event -- during which individuals and teams jam for 48 hours to make a game from scratch -- is right around the corner. In fact, it was announced today that all jamming will be performed between January 29 and 31 at locations in 36 countries.

You can check out last year's creations at the Global Game Jam 2010 site, or, should you want to join a jam session, there's a location finder there, too. We know it's not mentioned in the official rules, but we figured you should know that bringing your own vacuum sealing gear is generally frowned upon.

Lid comes off Global Game Jam 2010 on Jan. 29 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA issues statement regarding 'Rockstar spouse' accusations

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST

While we've yet to hear anything from Rockstar Games surrounding the repeated allegations of mismanagement and overwork of employees at its San Diego, Vancouver, and New York City studios, the International Game Developers Association has issued a statement denouncing the claimed actions by Rockstar. "In any studio, the IGDA finds the practice of undisclosed and constant overtime to be deceptive, exploitative, and ultimately harmful not only to developers but to their final product and the industry as a whole," it reads.

Moreover, it highlights the importance of "events like these" for raising visibility of "quality of life issues in the industry and among the public." It goes on to point out the December 2009 "IGDA Quality of Life survey" that found "over half of the developers surveyed felt that they needed more time for themselves and their families." Perhaps unsurprisingly, nearly every email we've received from Rockstar employees regarding the recent claims has mentioned this exact problem.

IGDA issues statement regarding 'Rockstar spouse' accusations originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq interview: Epic's Mike Capps responds to accusations of 'exploitative' working conditions

Christopher Grant — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:02:00 EST

Several weeks back, independent game designer, Manifesto Games co-founder, and outspoken industry critic Greg Costikyan took Epic Games President Michael Capps to task for comments made during an IGDA [International Game Developers Association] panel in 2008. The debate over Capps' comments has raged on in IGDA forums and blogs, with Costikyan framing it writing, "The notion that a fucking board member of the IGDA should defend (and indeed, within his own studio, foster) such exploitative practices is offensive on the face of it, and has caused a considerable kerfluffle within the organization." Exploitative practices? At Epic Games? We spoke with Mr. Capps to get his perspective:

Joystiq: There's a - I believe the industry term is - a "kerfuffle" over comments that you made at a panel back in 2008 when you were still an active IGDA board member. So just for the sake of setting the record straight, could you contextualize those comments for us from your point of view?

Michael Capps: "Contextualize." That's interesting.

Well, in reference to your comments, Greg Costikyan said, I think his exact quote was, that you were "a management dickhead." So I would ask you to perhaps put a different angle on that.

Well, he really invites a reasoned debate on the issue.

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Epic's Mike Capps responds to accusations of 'exploitative' working conditions

Joystiq interview: Epic's Mike Capps responds to accusations of 'exploitative' working conditions originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaming industry advocates form Entertainment Media Council

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:00:00 EST

There are plenty of organizations representing all aspects of the gaming universe. Professionals have the Entertainment Software Association, regular Joes have the Entertainment Consumers Association, and lonely, lonely gamers have NerdPassions.com. However, who's tending to the needs of the industry itself? Yes, even nonliving business sectors need tender loving care -- a need the recently formed Entertainment Media Council intends to fill in the coming years.

The EMC is a California-based non-profit with a relatively simple objective: "advancing the interactive entertainment business in the United States." Though the organization is young, it's already boasting an impressive roster consisting of gaming journalists, analysts, developers and other industry leaders. Morgan Ramsay, CEO for the group (and former IGDA chairman) explained that the role of the group will be that of a "navigator" for the gaming industry.

In a Gamasutra interview, Ramsay went on to explain that, though their responsibilities may overlap somewhat, he doesn't see the newly formed group as being in combat with the already established ESA, ECA or IGDA. He explained, "I think we have a better chance of making real our visions of transformation and enlightenment when we work together, not when we compete." We think he probably said this because he just knows Hal Halpin could take him in a fair fight.

Gaming industry advocates form Entertainment Media Council originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA breaks ties with China GDC amid trademark flap

Randy Nelson — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:00:00 EST

There's new corporate-level drama in the ongoing tale of the two upcoming Chinese Game Developers Conferences. The International Game Developers Association has removed any mention of China GDC from its website and canceled plans for members to receive a ten percent discount on admission to the event, reports GI.biz.

The trouble stems from the continuing row between Think Services, owner of the "GDC" trademark and organizer of Game Developers Conference, and Howell Expo, which is allegedly using the GDC trademark illegally for its China GDC event. You see, Think Services is also planning an "official" Game Developers Conference for China to take place in October. Howell's China GDC event is scheduled for July.

Think Services has been placing legal pressure on its GDC partner companies, discouraging them from attending or otherwise promoting what it sees as a fraudulent and competing China GDC. We'd suggest that our readers, at least for the time being, refrain from organizing any sort of summit, conference or gathering that could be shortened to "GDC," such as the "Gnome Dating Conference," "Gnu Dance Competition" or "Greatest Dumpling Challenge." Trust us, it's for your own good.

IGDA breaks ties with China GDC amid trademark flap originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Preserving Games, day 2

JC Fletcher — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Retro

Today's session of the Preserving Games panel dealt mostly with the issue of preserving not-games. More specifically, game-related material in the possession of developers -- design documents, contracts, notes, emails, and any minutiae that they may not even realize is worth keeping. This also went along with yesterday's talk of gathering oral histories. Warren Spector led the discussion for the most part, bringing up his work for a game design class at the University of Texas, during which time he brought in developers to tell their stories. His contention, and one that was shared by most of the group, is that the playable games themselves are trivial to preserve compared to the rarer materials, which also provide a historical record of the development process.

Developers from Midway Games, Maxis, Obsidian, and Vicarious Visions mentioned their collections and their efforts to keep both a stock of games and of their own design materials. Former Maxis programmer Don Hopkins talked about the recent open-source release of Sim City and challenged other developers to do the same as a way of preserving the code. The group decided that a white paper should be produced, to describe to developers and publishers the reasoning behind collecting and preserving the game-design resources.

The IGDA Game Preservation SIG isn't just for Warren Spector! It's for anyone with an interest in maintaining the history of video games. Do you want to help with the white paper, or the wiki? Check out the wiki or contact the SIG via email. And have a look at the University of Texas Center for American History's Video Game Archive to see game preservation in action.

GDC08: Preserving Games, day 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seen@GDC: The IGDA Katamari ball of junk

Justin McElroy — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, GDC

Why did the International Game Developers Association need to make a Katamari-style ball of junk? We have absolutely no idea. We'd imagine the answer is, as George Mallory said of Everest, "because it is there." ... Or maybe, more accurately "because a bunch of junk was there ... and glue was there ... and so was free time," even though we can admit that answer leaves one wanting in the panache department.

What did we leave on the ball? Why, our plane tickets, of course. Charity doesn't count if it doesn't hurt.

Seen@GDC: The IGDA Katamari ball of junk originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Preserving Games panel

JC Fletcher — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

The first day of the Preserving Games: Saving the Past and Present Now panel was focused on identifying problems in game preservation. First, panel leader Henry Lowood outlined some of the existing work from the IGDA Game Preservation SIG, including the Digital Game Canon, whose first year included Joystiq's own Chris Grant on the panel, and a new project on the SIG's wiki devoted to memorials of game developers who have passed. About this, Lowood said "The game industry needs to recognize the past more."

Lowood suggested some future possibilities for gathering not only game code, but metadata as well, for permanent preservation, driving home the idea that we should at least intend for things to be available in 100 years. He suggested finding a way to capture data from existing game-data aggregators like Mobygames to associate with a library record.

Issues that were discussed in this panel, to be continued at tomorrow's part 2, included bringing information professionals and knowledgeable gamers, collectors, and developers together. Lowood likened gamers to destroyers -- fast, small ships -- and the colleges getting involved with the Library of Congress-funded Virtual Worlds Project (the overarching initiative to preserve games) to battleships who happen to know more about "industrial-strength preservation."

The attendees, a group consisting of developers, writers, academics, and collectors, discussed the issue of what constitutes a library, and what constitutes a "preserved" game. Is emulation preservation? Is the experience captured? Is it in a library's purview to attempt to capture an experience? Issues like these are what make the game preservation project difficult, and warrant further discussion.

GDC08: Preserving Games panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heads up: Game writing panel in NYC tonight

Christopher Grant — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Business

If you've got a serious interest in video game writing and live in or around New York City, we strongly encourage you to attend tonight's panel -- presented by the IGDA NYC Chapter and Writers Cabal -- titled Writing for Fantasy Game Worlds. Why do we care if you go? Because every time we play a video game, we're embarassed when loved ones ask what it's about. Panelists include Daniel Greenberg (Lord of the Rings Online), John Boomershine (Warhammer Online), Jeff Gomez (Magic: The Gathering), and Steve Balzac (Founder, Society for Interactive Literature, MIT Assassin's Guild).

But that's not all! If you act now (ie: show up tonight), the panel will be followed by a networking meeting so you can add a bunch of prestigous business cards to your collection. The panel is being held from 6:30 to 8:30 on the 5th floor of New School University's Wollman Hall, at 65 West 11th St. in NYC (map). You can RSVP here. Enjoy ... and take notes.

[Thanks, Sande]

Heads up: Game writing panel in NYC tonight originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game developers debate Xbox achievements

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

Love them or hate them, those Xbox 360 achievements have become a staple of the system. The little blips of joy are so annoying and addicting for some that we're shocked the PS3 and/or Wii didn't implement them. There's an interesting thread going on over at the International Game Developers Association forums started by Raphael Van Lierop (Relic, 3D Realms) where he believes the achievements have taken gamers off course.

Lierop writes, "I have many friends who LOVE achievements. They love the bragging rights, they love being able to compare achievements they obtained to other people ... Personally, I dislike them...a lot. I find they are changing the way we play games, and the focus of the games we play, and make. I feel that games should be crafted to have enough intrinsic reward, that a secondary external reward system should not be required... was it really necessary for us to go back to the old 'High Score' system from the days of arcade games? I would have hoped that the gameplay and immersiveness of the 'next gen' gaming experience would have been enough reward, and that we wouldn't have had to fall back on cheap gimmicks."

Now before y'all go flippin' out, go and check out the thread first. Remember, it's an IGDA thread, so for the most part these are the guys who make the games the rest of us play. And please try to keep the comments on the topic of thoughts related to achievements. Have you found "achievements" to be actual achievements as part of regular gameplay or have you found them to be asinine randomness? Should you only hit the 20% mark in achievements for a game after you've beaten it? Should you get the easy level achievements automatically if you beat a higher level (that one's annoying as anything)? The achievement system is here to stay, what can developers do to tweak it so that there's some uniformity to the system and only a minor amount of absurdity?

[Via GameSetWatch]

Game developers debate Xbox achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese devs hop off the PS3 boat into the Wii wagon

Nick Doerr — Tue, 15 May 2007 14:30:00 EST

The Los Angeles Times has posted a quote from Kyoshi Shin of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) regarding developer interest in the PlayStation 3. It isn't good. While it isn't good, that doesn't mean it isn't true. In fact, the quote pretty much explains exactly what I'm thinking in food terms. Shin said: "When people talk about the PS3 on chat forums they say it's like going to a very expensive restaurant and not getting anything to eat." This is an obvious play on Kutaragi's previous quote about the PlayStation 3 being a fine restaurant.

The context of Shin's quote relates to developer interest -- namely, they're leaving the Sony restaurant and taking some drive-thru from Nintendo's Wii window (so to speak). If devs focus on the Wii, we've got a problem. Games will reverse engineer themselves to lesser graphics and scale. More minigames isn't the only issue to arise -- porting from the Wii would be nearly impossible due to the control scheme.

It's a waste of the PS3's power, too, as Kojima's quote from a long time ago will explain: "The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family." We need games that will take advantage of the PS3's power and Wii titles simply may not do that. If devs leave, there's no reason to buy a $600 console when most games are on a $250 one.

[via Gamasutra]

Japanese devs hop off the PS3 boat into the Wii wagon originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Developers are flocking to the Wii

David Hinkle — Mon, 14 May 2007 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: News, Interviews

During a review of where the PS3 is at and Sony's goals, rep Jack Tretton spoke about the market impact of the PS3 and its long-term plan compared to the immediate market affects the Wii and Xbox 360 have had. Not something we care that much about, but during the piece, Kyoshi Shin of Japan's IGDA (International Game Developer's Association), commented that even with a long-term plan in mind, many developers are ditching the PS3 for the Wii. Adding insult to injury, Shin stated that "When people talk about the PS3 on chat forums, they say it's like going to a very expensive restaurant and not getting anything to eat," he added."

With the Wii doing so well month after month, we're sure this is going to continue to be the case.

Developers are flocking to the Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2007 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thompson balks at free game violence debate

Kyle Orland — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Hacks, Competitive Gaming

We know it's been a Jack-Thompson-filled couple of weeks here on Joystiq, but we can't help it if the guy keeps doing newsworthy stuff (or can we?). Anyway, we were kind of surprised to hear today that the latest bit of hate-filled invective Thompson hurled at IGDA president Jason Della Rocca actually came close to developing into something more than name calling. Apparently, Della Rocca tried to accept Thompson's challenge "to one or more college debates, anywhere anytime, to discuss whether violent video games in any fashion caused school killings..."

A series of e-mails, reprinted on Della Rocca's blog, details the back and forth between the pair on the debate's location and particulars. When the subject of money comes up, Thompson reveals that they can "expect to net approximately $3000 or more per event" though he's quick to add that he's "not in this issue for the money." When Della Rocca balks at being paid to talk, Thompson puts it bluntly: "That isn't how it works and I can't justify leaving my family to go to Montreal on a freebie. Sorry. Have to pay the bills."

Now we can understand the need to make ends meet as much as anybody, but when you make a boast to publicly debate someone "anywhere anytime," the cost of a plane ticket shouldn't really be a deal breaker. That is, unless Thompson can't live up to his own taunt to "put your mouth where your money is." As Della Rocca puts it, it seems that sometimes "the critics of media violence are in fact the ones profiting most from real-world violence and fears of virtual violence."

Thompson balks at free game violence debate originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 21:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Off the Grid: I was a student scholar

Scott Jon Siegel — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Features, GDC

Every other week Scott Jon Siegel contributes Off the Grid, a column on gaming away from the television screen or monitor.

Since I couldn't find anyone to play Robo Rally with me this week, I thought I'd take this opportunity to instead discuss my experience as one of the IGDA's Student Scholars at this year's Game Developers Conference.

For the past seven years, the International Game Developers Association has been sending students interested in a future career in video games to GDC. A panel of professional game developers judges all the submitted applications, and each year 25 students are selected to receive free passes to the event. Each student is also paired with an industry mentor, and all the scholars are given an orientation session for the conference, and a tour of a local studio. I was honored to have been chosen as one of this year's student scholars, and found my first GDC experience to be all the more worthwhile as a result.

The three-day conference started on Wednesday, so Tuesday morning we met as a group for a special orientation session. A few of the scholars had already met up the previous night, as part of an unofficial pre-GDC get-together. Some of the student scholars were undergrads, but others were graduate students, and the group ranged widely in age. The disciplines and interests of the students varied widely as well, with artists, designers, coders, and audiophiles all equally represented. Part of our orientation had to do with simply meeting each other, exchanging business cards and conversing with peers who might very well be industry bigwigs in a few years; some of them just give off that vibe.

Continue reading Off the Grid: I was a student scholar

Off the Grid: I was a student scholar originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGDA to honor Miyamoto's lifetime achievements

Alisha Karabinus — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: News

Next month's Game Developers Choice Awards are set to feature someone very close to our hearts. Shigeru Miyamoto, the daddy of all good things Nintendo, is going to receive this year's Lifetime Achievement award. The official announcement lauds Miyamoto's two decades of contributions to Nintendo, highlighting his involvement in all the best games ever. Previous recipients include Yuji Naka and Will Wright, and while they're great and all, frankly we're surprised they don't hook Miyamoto up with this award every year.

IGDA to honor Miyamoto's lifetime achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oblivion, Okami top GDC Awards Nominations

Ross Miller — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

The 7th annual Game Developers Choice Awards nominations were announced today, with Okami and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion taking the most number of nods at four each. Wii Sports and Gears of War also earned high honors with three nominations apiece.

With Capcom's recent bitterness over the AIAS "snubbing," four Okami nominations and a Technology nod for Dead Rising should satiate their ego. We're also glad that Rayman Raving Rabbids, Dreamfall, and Sam & Max: Episode One are getting some much-deserved kudos.

The awards ceremony will occur Wednesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. and is being hosted by Tim "Psychonauts owns your soul" Schafer (also known for Monkey Island and Grim Fandango). The nominations are listed after the break.

Continue reading Oblivion, Okami top GDC Awards Nominations

Oblivion, Okami top GDC Awards Nominations originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Getting a game idea published

Jennie Lees — Tue, 23 May 2006 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Business

Over at the IGDA, there's some advice for a hobbyist game developer looking to pitch (and protect) a game design. Pitching a random idea for a game to a developer or publisher isn't easy, but there are some solid hints on how to get an idea towards reality:

Come up with a demo
Attend game industry events to make contacts
Read up on the pitching process
Pay attention to NDAs

Indie game development competitions and pitching opportunities offer a lot of scope for an idea to become an actual game; accessible platforms like Flash and the Xbox Live Arcade add further ways it can happen. One thing's for sure, though -- you have to be serious and committed to make this process work.

See also:
Advice for wannabe game developers
The life of a lapsed game developer

Getting a game idea published originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 May 2006 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Defining academic scholarship in games [Update 1]

Jennie Lees — Fri, 05 May 2006 20:59:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

The International Game Developers Association's "Culture Clash" column this month takes a look at the boundary between games and scholarship. Academia, and games academia in particular, can be the victim of a lot of stereotyping, but if developers look beyond the tweed-clad perceptions they may find a valuable resource:

"One application of game studies is to help make better games by better understanding the medium. We've already seen it in a few places - think about Microsoft's HCI and usability labcoats working with Bungie on Halo, or behavioral scientists colluding with developers to make next-gen MMOs even more engaging."

Of course, persuading your college professor that studying World of Warcraft is really going to help your tribal ethnography project is a different problem, but we've heard of several college papers that studied games.

[Via Acid for Blood]

[Update 1 - fixed IGDA typo]

Defining academic scholarship in games [Update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 May 2006 20:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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