An address I gave during the commencement of the Global Game Jam 2012, highlighting the benefits of the IGDA and advertising for IGDA Scotland

1. The International Game
Developers Association
Luke Dicken
IGDA Scotland

2. What is the IGDA?

3. • “The IGDA is dedicated to improving developers'
careers and lives through: Community, Professional
Development, Advocacy”
- World-wide association of people involved in game
development.
- Broken into Chapters, Special Interest Groups and
Committees
• Analogous to UK’s The Independent Game
Developer Association (TIGA) in some respects.
- But TIGA emphasises business, commerce and
political lobbying, IGDA is about individuals, personal
development and community

4. IGDA and the Global
Game Jam

5. • GGJ is an IGDA initiative started in 2009
• World-wide success
- 1,500 games last year
- 247 locations this year, larger than ever before
- >10,000 jammers expected, 6* larger than 2009
• In Scotland, lucky to have great people who have
organised Scottish Game Jam since 2009
- Despite no local IGDA chapter!
• One of the larger sites, 1 of ~20 with over 100
participants!

6. The IGDA is for
Professionals

7. • Advocacy and best-practices for industry issues
- Terms of Amazon app store revenue sharing
- Inquiry into working conditions at Team Bondi
- Lobbying and raising awareness of SOPA / PIPA
• Special Interest Groups for specific areas
- Women in Games, AI, Business and Legal issues - and
many more
• Support from other developers who have
experienced similar situations and environments

8. The IGDA is for
Hobbyists and Indies

9. • No requirement on size of company, released
titles etc
• If you make games, you’re a game developer
• Benefits apply regardless of your status

10. The IGDA is for
Students

11. • Resources to help students learn more about
development
• Student SIG to tackle student issues
• Education SIG to look at what is being taught to
students coming through at many institutions
• Scholarships for “best and brightest”

12. The IGDA is in
Scotland

13. • Informally created in May 2011.
• Monthly meetups rotating Dundee, Glasgow,
Edinburgh
• Currently going through process of formal
founding of the chapter
• Expect more to come in 2012!

14. The IGDA is
waiting for you

15. • Range of membership options
- “Core”
- Unemployed discount
- Student
- Lifetime
• Benefits : Discount on conferences, airlines, Dell
purchases, Scholarships
• Access to SIGs, IGDA GDC party

16. • Next Meeting
- Game Jam Play Party
- 8th February
- Venue TBA (Glasgow)
• Contact
- Web : http://IGDAScotland.wordpress.com
- Twitter : @IGDAScotland
- Facebook : facebook.com/IGDAScotland
ENJOY THE GAME JAM!