SHOW & TELL

Last weekend's 24 Hour Game Making Competition went very well! I hope those who came out had a good time.

The judging will commence soon, with the three judges ranking games based on the following categories:

• Technical Difficulty
  While being technically advanced won't win the competition alone, we wanted a category to recognize the effort in making something that's a bit more tricky (this was a programming competition after all).
• Creative Use of Theme
  How close did the entry stick to the theme? Did it do anything with it that wasn't necessarily obvious? This category recognizes thinking outside the box.
• How Fun is It?
  In the end, this is a game competition, so how fun is the game to play, really?
  

Our last event of the year, the end-of-term Show & Tell, will be held on November 28th at 7:00pm in MC 2065. At this event, we'll show this year's 24-Hour entries, and in the end, unveil the Top 3 Winners, who will each walk home with a prize from Electronic Arts [EDIT: As seen on the front page].

The Show & Tell is also a great place to show off things you've been working on throughout the semester. Have a polished game? How about just a work-in-progress? Come on out and let the UW Community see it in action!

Cheers,
Sherban Gaciu
UW-GDC President

24 Hour Game Making Competition

After taking a small a break from club events due to midterms, November 13th marks the return of the 24 Hour Game Making Competition!

The rules are simple:

1. Based on a theme given at the start of the competition, make a game from scratch, using any programming language and/or API (excluding 'game maker' software programs) within 24 hours.
2. Games must be submitted to the club mailing address (uw.gamedevclub[AT]gmail[DOT]com) before the 24 hour deadline. Judges will attempt to run any games, but please provide instructions if the method isn't obvious.

At first, those were the only rules. However, the "from scratch" part of the first rule is a bit hazy, as, unless one were to actually mine for minerals, process those minerals, build a working computer, define a programming language, and then make a game, it technically wouldn't be "from scratch" (and even then, you took those materials from the Earth, cheater!). So, because various programming languages and APIs start at different levels of "scratch", competitors are allowed to use existing code, with two conditions:

1. If a competitor chooses to use pre-existing code, it must not be game-specific. For example, a sound-engine is a valid piece of pre-existing code to use; however, a piece of code that performs a jump action is not. (If you're unsure, send an email).
   
2. All pre-existing code must be emailed to the club mailing address (uw.gamedevclub[AT]gmail[DOT]com) at least 24 hours before the start of the competition, for approval. Approved code will be made freely available to any one on the club mailing list, and must be made freely available to anyone who requests it during the competition.

There is actually no way of us realistically restricting the use of the internet, so we're really relying on the honour system for people not to cheat. Please, don't do it. It's in the competition's, the club's, and ultimately your best interest to play it straight. Thanks in advance.

The festivities begin with the announcement of the theme, on Friday November 13th at 8:00pm in MC 2061. Prizes (in the form of video games) will be given to the competitors with the top games, kindly donated by Electronic Arts.

MC 2061, a computer lab with Linux machines, will be made available for the duration of the competition for competitors wanting to "geek-it-up" with fellow developers for 24 hours (a helluva good time!). However, since we're relying on the honour system anyway, competitors aren't required to stay in MC 2061 for the duration of the competition. Simply submit a game before November 14th at 8:00pm.

In previous years, there were actually people who had never written a game prior to entering, but who did very well in this competition, so even if you feel under-experienced, come on out. It's a great opportunity to get a completed game in your portfolio, and a wonderful chance to hang out with other game developers from all over campus.

So, to recap, the dates:

November 12th - 8:00pm - Deadline for emailing any pre-existing code
November 13th - 8:00pm - Start of the competition; be in MC 2061 to hear the theme
November 14th - 8:00pm - Deadline for competition; make sure to submit before this deadline!

Please note, if your completed game will not fit inside an email attachment (wow, big game!) there will be some form of external storage in MC 2061, where you may copy your game and it will count as submitted.

If you have any questions, please comment, or email the club address. Good luck, and may the best game pwn!

Cheers,
Sherban Gaciu
UW-GDC President

RECENT HAPPENINGS

The first Event Day of the UW-GDC-reset has come and gone, and overall was a success. Stephen Whitmore introduced his entire audience to a new API during his tutorials, Roman generated a heated discussion over stories in various game genres, and almost everyone chimed in with an opinion on how to make games with meaning. I'm hoping those who went realized the breadth of the presentations and discussions, and actually got something out of it. If you did go, please comment on this news entry in regards to what you liked and didn't like, as there's always room for improvement. As always, if you have any ideas for future presentations, discussions, or anything else, you can email them to the club email address: uw.gamedevclub[AT]gmail[DOT]com

If you missed the first Event Day, not to worry, there are more coming. We also have a couple of smaller events coming up:

Firstly, Electronic Arts has asked us to reach out to the UW development community and advertise their presentation The Secrets Behind the Ball. It will be a technical talk by physics expert Asim Shahjahan on FIFA's complex ball simulation. EA will of course bring their customary shwag, including hats, shirts, and some recent games (Beatles anyone?). Even though this is mostly a physics-based talk, EA will also be advertising their co-op positions, so anyone interested should definitely check it out. It will be on Wednesday October 14th from 7:00pm-8:30pm in the DC Colloquium.

We will also be hosting a Game Jam Night on Friday. Game Jam Nights are when us developers can get together and just get cracking on our current projects, or start new projects out of the blue. There have been quite a few people, both at our Event Day and through email, who have asked if there is anyone interested in making a group game. If that sounds like you, come out and get something done. It's all going down on Friday October 16th at 7:00pm in the Math Comfy Lounge inside MC (third floor, right beside the coffee shop).

Also, our first Developer Podcast is up! Developer Podcasts are recorded discussions by developers, both professional and indie, about relevant topics in our industry. The first podcast features two pros from EA Mobile. Go check it out! If you want to be on a future podcast, drop us a line at uw.gamedevclub[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

We have plans for more events and site features for the rest of this semester and beyond, to try and get the UW development community together to Learn, Create, and Explore. Drop us a line if you have any ideas, and keep an eye out on the site. And, if you aren't yet on our mailing list, get on it by sending us an email with the subject MAILING LIST.

See you all out there, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Cheers,
Sherban Gaciu
UW-GDC President

EVENT DAY NUMBER ONE

The UW-GDC is proud to announce that our first event of Fall 2009 will take place on October 3rd in MC 4059. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Introduction
  1:00pm-1:15pm
  A short introduction to the club and what we’re about, presented by Sherban Gaciu, club President.
  

• Java & Slick Programming Tutorial
  1:15pm-2:30pm
  Club member Stephen Whitmore’s first of four beginner tutorials, using the Java programming language and Slick API. If you want to know how to program a game, come to these to find out. As always, everything used by Stephen’s tutorials is freely available on the web. Please note that at least a basic knowledge of programming is assumed.
  

• Roman’s Story
  2:30pm-3:15pm
  A discussion on interactive storytelling: what have games done, what have other media done, and where are we headed? Presented by Roman ZImine.
  

• Can Art Be Fun?
  3:15pm-4:00pm
  A discussion about the maturing games industry, where we can go in the future, and why we would want to get there. Presented by Sherban Gaciu.
  

• Show & Tell
  4:00pm-
  Show off your stuff! Don’t have anything? Comment (constructively!) on the work of others.
  

Not all of these topics will appeal to everyone, so you don’t have to come to everything – just pick whatever interests you (and if it happens to be everything, all the better!). See you out there!

Cheers,
Sherban Gaciu
UW-GDC President

Want to host your own discussion at a future UW-GDC event? Drop us a line at uw.gamedevclub[AT]gmail[DOT]com

UWGDC Relaunch

Since the Game Development Club launched in 2005, we've been committed to being the hub of game development at the University of Waterloo. As we've grown, we've seen more and more UW members - undergrads, graduates, and yes, even one professor - learn the basics of making video games. The unfortunate side-effect of being solely learning based was that, once our members (maybe even you!) learned those basics, we had nothing left to offer. What's the point of being in this "club" if all I do is sit around listening to the same tutorials over and over again?

For the past two years we've dipped our toes in some new waters, hosting a few 24-hour Game Creation Competitions and a couple of Professional Developer Talks, to what turned out to be a very positive response. Based on that feedback, we took a break this summer to reboot the entire club. Now we're back, and as the main page says, more badass than ever!

We're focusing on getting the developers of UW to know one another, and give feedback on ideas and entire games. We're hoping we can teach the basics to newbies, and expand the minds of the more experienced. So what can you expect from our club in the months to come?

• Open Discussions
  Present your idea or opinion in 30 minutes or less, and then hear the rebuttal from the UW community
• Show and Tell
  Made a game? How 'bout just a prototype? Come share it with us, and hear suggestions from other developers like yourself
• Game Jam Nights
  Sometimes, working on a game feels like... work! Come jam with us for a few hours. Work on your game, eat some pizza, and relax with fellow devs
• 24-Hour Game Creation Competition
  Make a game in 24 hours! Top 3 entries get special prizes
• Professional Developer Talk
  Being indie is cool n' all, but the pros have a lot of experience we don't. Come bask in their light of knowledge and awesomeness
• Developer Podcast
  That's right, everybody and their grandmother has a podcast now! Ours will be about getting developers to talk about relevant topics in the games industry today. We'll have guests from companies like EA and Ubisoft, as well as club members. If you're active, we'll have you on!

We're hoping to do all of this in the next semester (holy crap, that's a lot!). But what about further down the line, you ask?

• Online Video Tutorials
  We're sick of presenting the same tutorials, so when we do them once, we'll record them and stick 'em up
• More Tutorials
  Well, if we don't present the same ones, we have to present something right?
• Online Game Hosting
  We actually don't know how much hosting space we have, but if you're a member and have a decent game up and running, we want to house it!
• Online Featured Members
  Shown us a few cool demos? Presented some really cool ideas? Been around for a few Game Jams? Then maybe you'll be featured in a special place in our hearts, and one day, on our website

As you can see, we've got a lot lined up, and our executive team has been working extra hard to make sure it all goes smoothly. Drop us a line at uw.gamedevclub[AT]gmail[DOT]com and we'll add you to the mailing list, or keep an eye on this website and around campus for club news and event details.

Personally, I hope to see everyone who has any interest in game development at the University of Waterloo join us. A strong community of young, smart people can create a compost of ideas where I know something special will blossom. Always Learn, Create, and Explore.

Sincerely,

Sherban Gaciu

UWGDC President