March Gathering - After Action Report

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The March gathering started slowly but surely. At the end we had 92 people who attended the March gathering. That's below our season average, but better than last time! Jyri had brought the award from GDC'07 IGDA Luncheon for everyone to see and touch. Many people seemed to still be in a slight jetlag state. GDC highlights were a common discussion topic, many seemed worried about the size of GDC growing and how hard it was to hook up with contacts now that Fairmont was no more. Good replacement didn't seem to surface this year yet. But every one seemed to agree that there was loads of good lectures again.

For more photos click HERE

This time there was quite a lot people from Digital Chocolate who came to offer farewell drinks to a developer moving abroad. Bugbear boys also made it despite their end crunch on Flatout Ultimate Carnage, they seemed to be in need of beer and stayed late.

In handheld gaming side, there was quick and brutal DS match in Advance Wars: Dual strike between Helsinki and Tampere. (Tampere won)

-Miikka Luotio

IGDA Finland Receives MVP Award '07

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IGDA honors one of it's most active & succesful chapters during GDC 2007. Pictured: Liz Lehtonen, Lasse Seppänen & Jyri Ranki only moments after receiving the award

IGDA holds a VIP Luncheon every year at GDC. At the luncheon, IGDA recognises outstanding contributions to the betterment of the game development community by giving out MVP awards. The term MVP comes from a well known sports term Most Valuable Player. This year, IGDA Finland had the honor of being one of 3 recipients!

The MVP award has my name written on it, but IGDA Executive Director Jason Della Rocca asked me to convey to all of you that it really is to all those who volunteer their time and energy for the IGDA Finland chapter.

And I couldn't agree more! Without all the volunteers, my fellow coordinators and advisory board members, we wouldn't have such a successful chapter. So thank you all for your great work! It has been recognized on a global scale (see about us for full listing of people behind the chapter).

I also want to thank all of our c.200 members and the hundreds of others who regularly attend our gatherings. Without you, there would be no reason to have them. Your presence is what makes them valuable.

I will be bringing the award to the next gathering for all of you to see.

Go Finland!

- Jyri Ranki, Lead Coordinator

TODAY in G&S "Not game to gaming: Cybercultures and the Indian State"

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TODAY in Games & Storytelling lecture:Nishant Shah, Expert of Asian cybercultures "Not game to gaming: Cybercultures and the Indian State"

Tuesday, 13th March 2007 17:15-19:00 University of Tampere, lecture hall 1096, PinniB Video venue: University of Art and Design Helsinki, Media Centre Lume, Sampo Auditorium

A particular form of state support and marketing of digital technologies in India renders the otherwise accepted Western ideas of cybercultures as encouraging new public spheres and subcultures like gaming or open source movements, obsolete. This lecture looks at the historico-political ideologies that shape the emergence of cybercultures in India and look at the few sites of gaming which are slowly growing in unexpected areas. In the process we also look at how technologies get integrated into existing social paradigms to create certain patterns of continuities and interruptions.

Free admittance.

All welcome!

-Posted by Miikka Luotio

IGDA Finland March Gathering - 20th March 2007

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Greetings fellow developers! It's time for another IGDA Finland Gathering at System Rock. Winter is starting to slowly lose it's grip and spring is starting to show it's first signs. With the first signs of spring came also the time for GDC 2007 (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco. So come now and join us in System Rock, 20th March to hear the latest updates from people who went to GDC or come to share your GDC experiences with people who did not make it to GDC this year. Be the case anything, you can always just drop in to share couple refreshing drinks with your friends!

IGDA FINLAND MARCH GATHERING

Place: System Rock, Keskuskatu 4, 00100 Helsinki (map: http://igda.fi/?page_id=5) Time: Tuesday 20th March, doors open at 19.00

PS. Don’t forget to bring your handheld consoles! ;) -Miikka Luotio