The GameCafé concept is a discussion format with an emphasis on intimate interactions in a casual setting. For our next GameCafé we will focus on the intersection of games and social media. Social media isn’t just limited to Facebook and iPhone. It’s actually a lot broader: Xbox Live, Home, achievement systems, sharing videos the Spore way, creating game modules and rating them, promoting your game via Twitter and recruiting via LinkedIn, etc… All of that is part of using social media and networks within the games world.

When: Thursday, October 15th, 6:00pm dinner / 7:30pm discussion
What: IGDA Montreal Chapter "GameCafé"
Where: Hurley’s Irish Pub (upstairs room), 1225 Crescent Street
Why: Lively discussion with your peers
Who: All IGDA members
Entry: free for members, must RSVP

From igda.org/montreal:

When: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:00pm dinner / 7:30pm discussion
What: IGDA Montreal Chapter "GameCafé"
Where: Santo Bar Lounge, 191 St-Paul Ouest (acessible via metro Square Victoria or Place d’Armes)
Why: Lively discussion with your peers
Who: All IGDA members
Entry: free for members, must RSVP

The GameCafé concept is a fresh spin on the old roundtable discussion format, with a greater emphasis on intimate interactions in a more casual setting. For our next GameCafé we will focus on the emergence and evolution of indie/alternate/art games from three different perspectives:

1. Game design, aesthetics and culture
2. Business models and funding challenges
3. Production/platform tips and tricks

Each participant will have the opportunity to explore and discuss all three topics, as well as participate in a group-wide "debrief" at the end.

When: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:00pm dinner / 7:30pm discussion
What: IGDA Montreal Chapter “GameCafé”
Where: Santo Bar Lounge, 191 St-Paul Ouest (acessible via metro Square Victoria or Place d’Armes)
Why: Lively discussion with your peers
Who: All IGDA members
Entry: free for members, must RSVP

The GameCafé concept is a fresh spin on the old roundtable discussion format, with a greater emphasis on intimate interactions in a more casual setting. For our next GameCafé we will focus on the emergence and evolution of indie/alternate/art games from three different perspectives:

1. Game design, aesthetics and culture
2. Business models and funding challenges
3. Production/platform tips and tricks

Each participant will have the opportunity to explore and discuss all three topics, as well as participate in a group-wide “debrief” at the end.

See you there!

When: Wednesday, January 28th @ 7:00pm
What: IGDA-Montreal "GameNight"
Where: The SAT, 1195 St.Laurent
Why: Jamming with LittleBigPlanet!
Who: All game developers, and those related to the game industry
Entry: free for IGDA members; $5 for non-members

Released to critical acclaim and hailed as ushering in a new level of innovation, IGDA-Montreal is delighted to welcome Siobhan and Kareem of Media Molecule, the indie developers behind LittleBigPlanet, to jam with us. Siobhan and Kareem are going to talk through the different methods they used to foster the idea of "jamming" in the creation of LittleBigPlanet. And, along the way, discuss how this helps deliver true innovation to the player – even in the context of a small start-up studio.

Source

Mark your calendar, here are the details of the next IGDA Montreal meeting. See you there!

When: Wednesday, January 28th @ 7:00pm
What: IGDA-Montreal "GameNight"
Where: The SAT, 1195 St.Laurent
Why: Jamming with LittleBigPlanet!
Who: All game developers, and those related to the game industry
Entry: free for IGDA members; $5 for non-members

Released to critical acclaim and hailed as ushering in a new level of innovation, IGDA-Montreal is delighted to welcome Siobhan and Kareem of Media Molecule, the indie developers behind LittleBigPlanet, to jam with us. Siobhan and Kareem are going to talk through the different methods they used to foster the idea of "jamming" in the creation of LittleBigPlanet. And, along the way, discuss how this helps deliver true innovation to the player – even in the context of a small start-up studio.

Source

The SAT was ripe with fertile minds as the Montreal IGDA held its final autumnal gathering for 2008. The big draw this evening was a public post-mortem on EA’s Spore, delivered by Lead Designer, Alex Hutchison.

Although Hutchison is a relative newcomer to Montreal, he is nevertheless a seasoned gippy(game industry professional). He got his start in game journalism for magazines such as Edge, Games™, Official PS2 Mag and PC Zone. Alex worked his way up, level by level, to game design and into the Sims family.

As Lead Designer on The Sims 2 and later Spore, Alex learned that in order to look beyond design, one had to first look to the designer. How can designers create something truly original when drawing from all the same sources? A new model was needed and Hutchison found it in the Sim Daddy himself, Will Wright. Working with Wright, Alex came to expect the unexpected. Yet for all his quirks, WW was clear in his vision, laying it out in no uncertain terms in his original title: SimEverything.

Source