Melbourne International Game Developers Meetup Day

Submitted by BinhNguyen on
Forum
Industry and Education

I've just come back from a pretty good night at the first Melbourne International Game Developers Meetup Day.

I was worried that I'd meet a lot of scary psycho people...and I did but they were great to talk to :). There were people from many different backgrounds and experiences. Eight people attended and we all learnt a little about each other and traded horror stories from the development trenches. We also discussed favourite games, pet projects and just generally just babbled on until late into the night. One of the guys brought his art folio with a lot of kickass pieces of work.

We had a couple of professional guys who worked in the gaming industry and others who worked in general IT. We also had guys who have just started university (me included) and others who are close to finished or have finished.

I'm still not really sure what people expect from these informal meetings but for me it was great to meet other people who share my passion for computer game development. It's nice to know that other people also spend inordinate amounts of time working on their projects too.

One of the things that I picked up was that the gaming industry can be a scary place and that you have to be sensible in your dealings. On the other hand it is not impossible to get in and that generally there are a lot of people who love creating games and they come from all different backgrounds.

Other fun things I learnt
? Network agents are not just people who chase Neo around the Matrix
? Maya is evil
? Renderware can be evil
? Feature creep is evil
? Bankruptcy is common
? Canada is funny
? There are really smart people in this industry
? There are really silly people in this industry
? Python can be cool
? Scorched earth has impacted us all
? Pet projects are a must
? AIE programming students are lucky
? AIE art students are not so lucky

I'm looking forward to shooting the breeze again next month with all of you. New members are welcome at all times. If anybody has any suggestions for new directions the meeting should take please speak up.

Thanks to all who came

Binh

PS. As of now we are the thirteenth largest meet up group in the world with 35 members.

Submitted by Blitz on Wed, 18/02/04 - 12:31 PMPermalink

Unfortunately of those 35 we only had 8 show up!
We had:
2 ps2 hackers
2 slackers
1 professional game developer (well, employed by a game dev company at least :))
1 web developer guy who makes python games
2 uni students (1 undergrad, 1 masters)
At least thats what i gathered from peoples stated occupations :)
Most of the people there had not met each other before, so most of the discussion revolved around finding out what everyone did, what their interests were, what they had and were currently working on etc.
Hopefully we'll see more people at next months meetup.
CYer, Blitz
PS. Vote for Blue Train for the next venue so we have wheelchair access.

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Wed, 18/02/04 - 6:38 PMPermalink

Sounds like fun, I'm moving to Melbourne before the next one so I might see you there.

Submitted by Wizenedoldman on Wed, 18/02/04 - 10:16 PMPermalink

It does sound like fun, is there any Sydneyites looking to get involved in a similar thing?

Submitted by Kuldaen on Wed, 18/02/04 - 10:44 PMPermalink

I'll be interested in something in Sydney if someone else organises it.

Vinh

Submitted by Wizenedoldman on Wed, 18/02/04 - 10:51 PMPermalink

Message to Binh, how did you go about setting this meeting of yours up? Just wanting to get some pointers.

Submitted by Blitz on Thu, 19/02/04 - 8:55 AMPermalink

gamedev.meetup.com
Then spread the word!
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Fri, 20/02/04 - 9:08 AMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by Wizenedoldman

Message to Binh, how did you go about setting this meeting of yours up? Just wanting to get some pointers.

Hi! Yep, head over to gamedev.meetup.com

Make sure you post around to raise awareness of the event too. Most of the people who came saw the post that souri placed on the main sumea news page.

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Mon, 15/03/04 - 9:15 PMPermalink

Hi everyone!

The second Melbourne Game Developers Meeting is on tomorrow night at

Tue 8PM
Blue Train Cafe
Southgate Landing, South Melbourne

For more details please visit gamedev.meetup.com.

Everyone is welcome to come. I think it is also a good idea to bring along some of your work to share and discuss. I'll be bringing along some my project.

I'll also bring the events schedule for Free Play - The Australian Independent Game Developer's Conference to get some feedback.

Catch you all there!

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Mon, 15/03/04 - 11:23 PMPermalink

The map link doesn't seem to be working, can anyone provide more details as to where it actually is for a newbie to Melbourne?

How late does the transport system run around here? Or would anyone be willing to help me out with a ride from West Richmond, it would be greatly appreciated?

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Tue, 16/03/04 - 1:40 AMPermalink

Ah so it's actually in the Crown Entertainment complex then?

Thanks for the help!

:)

Submitted by Jacana on Tue, 16/03/04 - 2:25 AMPermalink

Its not at Crown its across the streen from crown :) Southbank is marked by that little Southbank->

The best way to get to Blue Train is from the Flinders Street Train Station (main enterance) - I think that's Elizabeth Street.

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Tue, 16/03/04 - 3:10 AMPermalink

Haha OK, I see now, thanks. Will there be an easy way to identify the group or shall I just look for the dark corner where everyone is hunched over a laptop screen? (I'm joking of course, I hope...)

[8)]

Submitted by CombatWombat on Tue, 16/03/04 - 5:47 AMPermalink

Well, I'll be coming along tomorrow night too, and I'm easy to spot... I won't link to the piccies from the agdc sumea meetup, for fear of making people bring up any food they've just eaten [:D], but look for the computer geek driving the wheelchair around the Blue Train at high speed [:)] I promise not to run _too_ many people over anyways [;)]

Cheers,

Mark/CW

Submitted by CombatWombat on Tue, 16/03/04 - 6:00 AMPermalink

Oh, and there's two ways from Flinders St Station to Southgate - either across the Swanston St bridge, or there's a pedestrian bridge at the western end of the station. Southgate is right between the bridges (well, between the southern ends of the bridges anyway :) Blue Train is on the middle level.

Trains run till about midnight, www.victrip.com.au links to timetables, and has a nifty search thing at http://www.victrip.com.au/timetables/train_trip_planner.php

Submitted by davidcoen on Tue, 16/03/04 - 6:05 AMPermalink

thanks for the warning (i had forgoten about this)

decisions, go to salsa class or go to geek meet.... marrgh >:(

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Wed, 27/07/05 - 8:44 PMPermalink

(This is open to suggestion)

The next game developer's meetup is

6PM August 16th
La Porchetta
308 Victoria Street
NORTH MELBOURNE 3051

I suggest we grab a chat/drink/dinner there and then pop next door where there is a game lan centre.

Please rsvp here or on the meetup site so I can book numbers.

There's no organiser and I can't be one since I don't have a credit card so if you can please pass the word on. For more details visit gamedev.meetup.com

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Tue, 09/08/05 - 11:00 PMPermalink

Time Change

Meetup on 16th is at 8PM, not 6PM

Forum
Industry and Education

I've just come back from a pretty good night at the first Melbourne International Game Developers Meetup Day.

I was worried that I'd meet a lot of scary psycho people...and I did but they were great to talk to :). There were people from many different backgrounds and experiences. Eight people attended and we all learnt a little about each other and traded horror stories from the development trenches. We also discussed favourite games, pet projects and just generally just babbled on until late into the night. One of the guys brought his art folio with a lot of kickass pieces of work.

We had a couple of professional guys who worked in the gaming industry and others who worked in general IT. We also had guys who have just started university (me included) and others who are close to finished or have finished.

I'm still not really sure what people expect from these informal meetings but for me it was great to meet other people who share my passion for computer game development. It's nice to know that other people also spend inordinate amounts of time working on their projects too.

One of the things that I picked up was that the gaming industry can be a scary place and that you have to be sensible in your dealings. On the other hand it is not impossible to get in and that generally there are a lot of people who love creating games and they come from all different backgrounds.

Other fun things I learnt
? Network agents are not just people who chase Neo around the Matrix
? Maya is evil
? Renderware can be evil
? Feature creep is evil
? Bankruptcy is common
? Canada is funny
? There are really smart people in this industry
? There are really silly people in this industry
? Python can be cool
? Scorched earth has impacted us all
? Pet projects are a must
? AIE programming students are lucky
? AIE art students are not so lucky

I'm looking forward to shooting the breeze again next month with all of you. New members are welcome at all times. If anybody has any suggestions for new directions the meeting should take please speak up.

Thanks to all who came

Binh

PS. As of now we are the thirteenth largest meet up group in the world with 35 members.

Submitted by Blitz on Wed, 18/02/04 - 12:31 PMPermalink

Unfortunately of those 35 we only had 8 show up!
We had:
2 ps2 hackers
2 slackers
1 professional game developer (well, employed by a game dev company at least :))
1 web developer guy who makes python games
2 uni students (1 undergrad, 1 masters)
At least thats what i gathered from peoples stated occupations :)
Most of the people there had not met each other before, so most of the discussion revolved around finding out what everyone did, what their interests were, what they had and were currently working on etc.
Hopefully we'll see more people at next months meetup.
CYer, Blitz
PS. Vote for Blue Train for the next venue so we have wheelchair access.

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Wed, 18/02/04 - 6:38 PMPermalink

Sounds like fun, I'm moving to Melbourne before the next one so I might see you there.

Submitted by Wizenedoldman on Wed, 18/02/04 - 10:16 PMPermalink

It does sound like fun, is there any Sydneyites looking to get involved in a similar thing?

Submitted by Kuldaen on Wed, 18/02/04 - 10:44 PMPermalink

I'll be interested in something in Sydney if someone else organises it.

Vinh

Submitted by Wizenedoldman on Wed, 18/02/04 - 10:51 PMPermalink

Message to Binh, how did you go about setting this meeting of yours up? Just wanting to get some pointers.

Submitted by Blitz on Thu, 19/02/04 - 8:55 AMPermalink

gamedev.meetup.com
Then spread the word!
CYer, Blitz

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Fri, 20/02/04 - 9:08 AMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by Wizenedoldman

Message to Binh, how did you go about setting this meeting of yours up? Just wanting to get some pointers.

Hi! Yep, head over to gamedev.meetup.com

Make sure you post around to raise awareness of the event too. Most of the people who came saw the post that souri placed on the main sumea news page.

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Mon, 15/03/04 - 9:15 PMPermalink

Hi everyone!

The second Melbourne Game Developers Meeting is on tomorrow night at

Tue 8PM
Blue Train Cafe
Southgate Landing, South Melbourne

For more details please visit gamedev.meetup.com.

Everyone is welcome to come. I think it is also a good idea to bring along some of your work to share and discuss. I'll be bringing along some my project.

I'll also bring the events schedule for Free Play - The Australian Independent Game Developer's Conference to get some feedback.

Catch you all there!

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Mon, 15/03/04 - 11:23 PMPermalink

The map link doesn't seem to be working, can anyone provide more details as to where it actually is for a newbie to Melbourne?

How late does the transport system run around here? Or would anyone be willing to help me out with a ride from West Richmond, it would be greatly appreciated?

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Tue, 16/03/04 - 1:40 AMPermalink

Ah so it's actually in the Crown Entertainment complex then?

Thanks for the help!

:)

Submitted by Jacana on Tue, 16/03/04 - 2:25 AMPermalink

Its not at Crown its across the streen from crown :) Southbank is marked by that little Southbank->

The best way to get to Blue Train is from the Flinders Street Train Station (main enterance) - I think that's Elizabeth Street.

Submitted by Barry Dahlberg on Tue, 16/03/04 - 3:10 AMPermalink

Haha OK, I see now, thanks. Will there be an easy way to identify the group or shall I just look for the dark corner where everyone is hunched over a laptop screen? (I'm joking of course, I hope...)

[8)]

Submitted by CombatWombat on Tue, 16/03/04 - 5:47 AMPermalink

Well, I'll be coming along tomorrow night too, and I'm easy to spot... I won't link to the piccies from the agdc sumea meetup, for fear of making people bring up any food they've just eaten [:D], but look for the computer geek driving the wheelchair around the Blue Train at high speed [:)] I promise not to run _too_ many people over anyways [;)]

Cheers,

Mark/CW

Submitted by CombatWombat on Tue, 16/03/04 - 6:00 AMPermalink

Oh, and there's two ways from Flinders St Station to Southgate - either across the Swanston St bridge, or there's a pedestrian bridge at the western end of the station. Southgate is right between the bridges (well, between the southern ends of the bridges anyway :) Blue Train is on the middle level.

Trains run till about midnight, www.victrip.com.au links to timetables, and has a nifty search thing at http://www.victrip.com.au/timetables/train_trip_planner.php

Submitted by davidcoen on Tue, 16/03/04 - 6:05 AMPermalink

thanks for the warning (i had forgoten about this)

decisions, go to salsa class or go to geek meet.... marrgh >:(

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Wed, 27/07/05 - 8:44 PMPermalink

(This is open to suggestion)

The next game developer's meetup is

6PM August 16th
La Porchetta
308 Victoria Street
NORTH MELBOURNE 3051

I suggest we grab a chat/drink/dinner there and then pop next door where there is a game lan centre.

Please rsvp here or on the meetup site so I can book numbers.

There's no organiser and I can't be one since I don't have a credit card so if you can please pass the word on. For more details visit gamedev.meetup.com

Submitted by BinhNguyen on Tue, 09/08/05 - 11:00 PMPermalink

Time Change

Meetup on 16th is at 8PM, not 6PM