[Event] Johannesburg Community Evening - 11th November 2014
This event happens monthly, is free to attend and anyone may speak at the meetup - just comment in the thread below to let us know!
Test games! Talk games! Make games!
When: 18:30 until around 21:30, Tuesday 11th November
Where: Microsoft Campus Bryanston, 3012 William Nicol Drive, Bryanston, Johannesburg. In Auditorium 2
Content
- Introductions
- Community News (5 min)
- Working in the UK games industry - @electrov ~ 30 mins
- 7 Day FPS Works in progress - @everybody ~ 20 mins
- Your presentation/talk/game here
- 5 minute break.
- Focused Feedback (10 mins x 3 slots) [Games that will be shown on the big screen]
- Krigsskip - @Tuism
- Make This - @Tuism
- Puzzle game - @stellarra
- Open Demo Floor (Show your games in an informal manner with set up PC's/laptops).
Bring your games and set them up inside the auditorium before and after the meetup!
Beers/Drinks/Pizza afterwards at Col'Cacchio's down the road! Other nearby suggestions are welcome!
If you intend to attend, please indicate so on the FB event!
Board game prototypes can, will, and have been tested at the post-meetup beers and pizza, so bring along your prototypes!
If you get lost or don't know where in the Microsoft campus we are, call me on 083 397 8725
Test games! Talk games! Make games!
When: 18:30 until around 21:30, Tuesday 11th November
Where: Microsoft Campus Bryanston, 3012 William Nicol Drive, Bryanston, Johannesburg. In Auditorium 2
Content
- Introductions
- Community News (5 min)
- Working in the UK games industry - @electrov ~ 30 mins
- 7 Day FPS Works in progress - @everybody ~ 20 mins
- Your presentation/talk/game here
- 5 minute break.
- Focused Feedback (10 mins x 3 slots) [Games that will be shown on the big screen]
- Krigsskip - @Tuism
- Make This - @Tuism
- Puzzle game - @stellarra
- Open Demo Floor (Show your games in an informal manner with set up PC's/laptops).
Bring your games and set them up inside the auditorium before and after the meetup!
Beers/Drinks/Pizza afterwards at Col'Cacchio's down the road! Other nearby suggestions are welcome!
If you intend to attend, please indicate so on the FB event!
Board game prototypes can, will, and have been tested at the post-meetup beers and pizza, so bring along your prototypes!
If you get lost or don't know where in the Microsoft campus we are, call me on 083 397 8725
Comments
Tentitively re-titled: Krigsskib
and Make This
My name is Etienne, I've just returned to SA after having lived in the UK for 8 years. I used to work at I-Imagine with Matt Benic, Luke Lamothe, etc. and then went to go work in the UK games industry.
This would be my first time at one of these events but I thought I could give a talk on what it was like to move to the UK and work there, if anyone is interested?
I look forward to getting involved in the SA games community and meeting loads of you!
See you Tuesday :)
@Tuism Cool, I put you down :).
@electrov That would be awesome! :D
The Microsoft Campus Bryanston is quite large.... how do I find the room?
Or you can call the mobile number in the OP, and be guided by Ben's dulcet GPS tones. Skipping is still mandatory.
@stellarra I explained the idea of the focused feedback slots above, but basically, people respond best to having gameplay to comment on. Either way, the basic requirement is just to have something you want feedback on and we're happy to give you a slot :).
Cape Town's @TheFuntastic put across a neat collection of thoughts on how to use the focused feedback slots:
"Maximise the quality of the feedback by making sure you have a focused line of inquiry.
It's natural to feel proud of your creation and to want to show it off in front of captive audience - we're all prone to that, myself included. The following is inefficient use of the platform and everyones attention:
"I made a game, whatcha think?"
Rather strive for something like this:
"I made a game. I'm running into design/sound/art/performance problem x. I've tried to solve it in these ways, but no dice. Suggestions?"
Even if you're espousing the mantra of show early and often, this could be phrased as:
"I made a prototype, this is what playtesters find interesting about it, how can I maximise that?"
This not only means you'll get the most of out of the expert advice on offer in the room, but also provides the exposure of thinking like a game maker for those less experienced audience members. Win for everybody!"
Having said that, while his advice is sound, if you're new or inexperienced to game making, it's difficult to know what you need feedback on, so rather just show something than not :).
Opera Sentai, Krigsskibe and Make This will appear on the forums soon for your playing/tinkering pleasure as soon as I've time to get them to be ready :)
@electrov good luck with your adventures in George! Nice to meet ya and thanks for all the fish!