February Gathering - After Action Report

February gathering was held during the skiing-holidays, which ensured that System Rock was not too crowded this time and free seats were readily available, another factor probably was the cold weather outside (-17C). All in all, we had 86 people in attendance, some of them all the way from Oulu -region and even from Luxembourg.

For more photos click HERE

One of the main topics of the evening was GDC'07. Most were excited about the program this year. The plentitude of Finnish speakers this year was something everybody seemed really happy about (Lasse Seppänen/Remedy, Jeff Valadares/Sumea, Petri Ikonen/Sumea, Jani Kajala/Rovio, ...).

Another happy GDC-related news was that Liz, one of our chapter coordinators, won the IGDA student scholarship, so she'll be able to attend also - congrats to Liz! But the most talked about topic seemed to be the fact that people from at least 6 or 7 game companies flying over on the same flight to GDC'07 - should be an interesting flight. :)

One new volunteer joined the volunteers; Vesa-Matti Raudasoja, who is an ARTO student at Pelikoulutus 2006-2008. Welcome aboard Vesa-Matti!

-Miikka Luotio

Finnish Game Developers Association has been founded

The Finnish Game Developers Association/Suomen Pelinkehittäjät ry (English name tentative) has been founded in Pasila, Helsinki on February 5th 2007.The purpose of the association is to provide means for cooperation and progress for Finnish game companies, and act as a representative body for them.

Six members were selected into the board of directors to represent various sectors of game development: PC and console games, mobile games, web games, handheld games and TV-mobile games. Ilari Kuittinen from Housemarque was selected as the chairman of the board, and Neogames' KooPee Hiltunen as the representative of the association.

Companies in the games industry that focus on the creation of digital games will be able to join once the registration of the association is complete.

The creation of this type of association is warranted by the strong growth of the game development field and it becoming one of the leading creative industries. The FGDA will be working closely together with other games industry organizations. The FGDA is unambiguously the representative body for game development companies.

More information concerning the operation of the FGDA will be provided during the spring.

Additional information from: KooPee Hiltunen koopee@neogames.fi

-Miikka Luotio

IGDA Finland February Gathering - 20th February 2007

Dear developer colleagues! Next IGDA Finland Gathering is again fast approaching! The heart of winter is upon us - at least it has been this week. But come rain or snow, sunshine or storm, you can rely on the IGDA Gathering bringing you joy. So come join us at the IGDA Finland Gathering in two weeks! There's no special programming this month, just good company, great conversations and cool beer.

IGDA FINLAND FEBRUARY GATHERING

Place: System Rock, Keskuskatu 4, 00100 Helsinki (map) Time: Tuesday 20th February, doors open at 19.00

Don't forget to bring your handheld consoles!

Come one, come all! Jyri - IGDA Finland Chapter Coordinator

G&S lecture Tue 6.2.07 Eric Zimmerman

In next Games and Storytelling lecture 6th Feb at 5:15-7 pm. we'll have Eric Zimmerman talking about“Gaming Literacy: Game Design as Model for Literacy in the 21st Century”

Venue: University of Art and Design Helsinki, Media Centre Lume, Sampo auditorium, Hämeentie 135 C. Videoconference venue in Tampere: University of Tampere, lecture hall 1096, PinniB, Kanslerinrinne 1.

In his lecture Eric Zimmerman will talk about how game design can be seen as a model for an emerging set of literacies that are centered on systems, play, and design.

Eric Zimmerman has been working in the game industry for more than twelve years. He is the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a game development company based in New York City that focuses on experimental and innovative games. Gamelab creates and self-publishes award-winning singleplayer and multiplayer games that are distributed online, on mobile phones, and through retail, including the hit downloadable game Diner Dash. Pre-Gamelab titles include SiSSYFiGHT 2000 and the PC title Gearheads. Eric has taught courses at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, and Parsons School of Design. He has lectured and published extensively about game design and game culture and is the co-author with Katie Salen of Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals (MIT Press, 2004) and The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology (MIT Press, 2006), as well as the co-editor with Amy Scholder of RE:PLAY: Game Design and Game Culture (Peter Lang Press, 2004).

The lecture is in English.

Free admittance.

Welcome!

More information:

Web pages: http://www.gamesandstorytelling.net/

January Gathering - After Action Report

The January Gathering was a success keeping in mind we did not have any sponsors this time. We had a nice 107 total attendees. The mood was relaxed and filled with chatter about the coming GDC'07 and FGDA. FGDA being a working name for Finnish Game Developers Association that is being formed as we speak. KP Hiltunen from Neogames was present and spreading flyer's and word about FDGA. For more photos click HERE

There was a lot of younger folk in the Gathering and that kept the evening exceptionally energetic. Some handheld console gaming was present and people kept steadily flowing in. People stayed in pretty late and the lack of sponsors did not dampen the mood at all, neither did the small ongoing snowstorm outside later that evening.