Make Games goes to GDC

Comments

  • @LexAquillia - All documents sent, and I have hard copies :) Let me know when/where to drop them off with you.
  • What is everyone using as the HS Code for digitally distributed games?

    991699 Prepackaged Software
    950410 Video Games of a Kind Used With a Television Receiver

    These don't seem right. Though I suppose you could argue that an app store ipa is prepackaging of a sort.

    Next question:

    "What is the current annual turnover for the last two years and the projected turnover." Presuming my financial year end is Feb conclude the following:

    Previous Financial year Feb 2012 (before I was trading, therefore 0)
    Current Financial year Feb 2013 (Whoo money!)
    Projection Financial year Feb 2014 (How much I have now plus what I think I'll still get by then)

    Is that right?
  • Also can get consensus on the meaning of turnover?
    Is it total sales, gross profit or net profit? (aka Total sales, sales minus cost of sales, or final income at the end of the day).
  • edited
    I've been equally confounded by this stuff, but google says:
    turnover
    ˈtəːnəʊvə/Submit
    noun
    1.
    the amount of money taken by a business in a particular period.
    "a turnover approaching £4 million"
    So I'm guessing total before tax, the big amount.
  • Turnover = how much money came in to your business that financial year.

    So your estimate for next year shouldn't contain your turnover from this year.
  • So I guess the question should be is the current financial year Feb 2013 or Feb 2014? Maybe I'm getting confused because I just completed my tax return for 2013, but suppose what you're saying makes sense and 2013 should actually be considered last year?
  • So I guess the question should be is the current financial year Feb 2013 or Feb 2014? Maybe I'm getting confused because I just completed my tax return for 2013, but suppose what you're saying makes sense and 2013 should actually be considered last year?
    Yes. The current year ends Feb 2014. I filled in our turnover and marked it YTD (Year To Date), I have no idea if that's correct or not, but it made sense to me.

  • How do we actually submit the docs?
  • Nick, my pack's been mailed directly to your email, hope that you get it alright, please let us know if anything is amiss/bad/terrible/etc!

    Thanks again for the opportunity!
  • @colinGravity I think just email nickhallsa at gmail dot com, that's how I did mine. Hope it's right.
  • Hi guys, sorry for not responding to everyones mails, pm's tweets and such. I've been ambushed by a litigation case thats chewing up all my time.

    If you've sent me your docs via email, thank you I have recieved them! I'm going to need to some help getting some of the last things done for the mission, if you'd like to help by doing some admin work, pm me and I'll give you something to do :)
  • I can probably help with admin - I've leveled that skill up this week. About to scan in the last of our docs and send those off to you too, will give you the hardcopies tonight, hope you like dead trees :)
  • PM sent, I've yet to level up but you have my sword :)
  • @LexAquillia : No need to apologise, right now you can do no wrong :p you should be promoted to rank of "never has to buy a beer in the presence of MGSA members" or something
  • edited
    What's happening from here with the applications? @LexAquillia? I still have all my hard-copies and am ready to admin for the cause!
  • Hey guys, @LexAquillia's week's (in his own words) gone to shit, so we need to courier the documents down to him (if not in CT etc).

    The address: 26 Wesley Street, Claremont, Cape Town 7708

    Before Tuesday please! I'm going to send mine off ASAP. I'd love to collate the Joburg docs and send together but I doubt there's enough time.
    Thanked by 1raxter
  • Thanks @Tuism! Going to drop mine off at that address asap
  • docs dropped. Now we wait...
  • Ruan is already going on behalf of Free Lives, but if Make Games has an extra ticket and needs someone to document the journey I'd be willing to take one for the team :D
  • Any updates/news? *holding thumbs, regardless*
  • Any idea where you state funded people will be staying?
  • Don't think I'll make it. SARS only told me tax clearance certificate is ready to collect today. :(
  • Don't think I'll make it. SARS only told me tax clearance certificate is ready to collect today. :(
    I submitted without one... I'm hoping it's ready soon.
  • I also submitted without one also
  • Hi Guys!

    So update time: I submitted all the docs on the 15th of December, but what with the Mandela services and the Holidays I've had no responses to date. I'm starting to hassle my contact at the DTI to see what is up, and I'll let you all know as soon as I've got something

    Nick
  • Hi guys,

    I've just been told that our application has been rejected. Not sure why, but I'll get more details. People wanting to go to GDC don't despair, you can still do the EMIA application (you can use all the docs you sent me to apply, but it'll need to be in this month!).

    People who applied thanks for all your help, I reckon we give this another go for another event once I find out what went wrong

    Nick
  • edited
    Even though this didn't work out, HUGE thanks to Nick for stieking uit and getting this all rolling. NEXT TIME!

    Time for the EMIA two-step. Going to have to book everything ASAP, hope there's still conference tickets available! Who's still going? I'm pretty sure QCF will be sending at least 2 of us.

    Anyone who wants help organising their GDC trip, feel free to post questions here and I'll help as much as possible. Also, anyone keen on sharing accommodation, let us know here and we'll organise group bookings.

    General advice:
    -Budget around R35K per person.
    -Fly Emirates, it might take longer, but it's just better all around. Get the layover hotel if you can, use the showers.
    -Get a sim card for your phone that gives you data ASAP in the US and be on twitter.
    -Accommodation in SF doesn't have to be expensive, be okay with walking.
    -Google maps is not like you know it, use it and ride the buses.
    -Have a laptop and be willing to show stuff to anyone at the drop of a hat. You never know who might turn out to be super helpful.
    Thanked by 2Bensonance Karuji
  • I believe that IGS tickets are sold out :<

    And very much what dis said. If you need accommodation the GDC housing site tends to be quite good, and runs a fair bit cheaper than what you would normally pay. Otherwise getting into a hostel with a bunch of game devs is utter win! But you'll need to move fast things will be mostly full by now.

    A lot of indies just to IGS so you can have Wednesday-Thursday-Friday hanging out with some really great devs (Lost Levels last year was easily one of the top GDC events!)

    If you get a US phone number: just post it on twitter, makes life a lot easier. (You need to use T-Mobile or AT&T with SA cells, I normally use T-Mobile)
  • Yeah, many thanks anyway Nick!

    I'll be way more prepared for next year, especially now that I know how long it takes to apply for the various docs. (I'm looking at you, Tax Clearance certificate!)
  • Big thanks Nick! Lots of lessons learnt - and even more so when we get some feedback! Onwards!
  • edited
    @LexAquillia what is the likelyhood of the EMIA being successful? I can go under this but only if I know I'm going to get reimbursed. Is it for people who are going anyway and then you can hope that you get some money back?

    [edit] and again, thanks for everything!
  • We cannot thank @LexAquillia enough for his efforts in this endeavor!
  • Thanks @LexAquillia for the effort and hard work! Holding thumbs that this is all just a speed bump and things just keep getting bigger and better :)
  • edited
    Apologies for necro-posting, but here's a quick update on QCF's EMIA application for this trip...

    The application couldn't be processed due to all the funds in the program being spent for 2013/2014. Sounds like when they said there was still money for individual EMIA applications they weren't being honest. It took much longer than 48 hours to get said feedback, so yeah, not sure how I feel about spending the time I did on this :(
  • The application couldn't be processed due to all the funds in the program being spent for 2013/2014.
    Does that mean... they've already spent the money allocated to us, or there've already allocated all the money and there's none for us, or... Or what? I don't understand it, is it just me?
  • @dislekcia That sucks :( My understanding was that there was money for EMIA but none for SSAS. I'd feel (and do feel) pissed.

    @Tuism it means they've allocated all the money to other projects and there is none left for applications. Basically there is only government funding for next year now, so we'll need to get in early if we hope to be successful.
  • The letter they sent me said that new applications will be considered from 1 April 2014 for events no earlier than 1 May 2014. Also that the limit on grants per business was going to be dropped to 3, so it seems like a regular core of companies is using up the money fast.

    That might mean that there's an event "dead zone" from whenever their funding runs out until 1 May. If Kelly hadn't managed to get funding for GDC 2012 I'd assume we'd never get funding for GDC given the time of year it happens. The signed letter I got was dated 15 January 2014, so maybe that's when they ran out of funds...

    @LexAquillia: I'm mostly annoyed that I didn't get to receive any feedback on the application itself, I'd have appreciated the opportunity to make a better application next time. Because I'm going to apply for PAX and maybe IndieCade too.
  • edited
    Sorry to necro necro post... but is there another trade mission planned? And if so, which event is it planned for?

    (I don't know what the likelihood of receiving trade mission funding is for SA game developers in 2014, sorry if this is a stupid question)
  • @BlackShipsFilltheSky Yes there is the idea of maybe doing PAX Prime or GDC Europe, it's just a matter of getting in our docs and stuff well in on time. The reason we didn't get the funding last time (apart from the non SSAS thing) is that there was no money. Funds become available again in April I think so we should definitely try again. Once I've got some time and my head is in the right place I'll post another call and give a bit more details on what's happening
    Thanked by 2raxter EvanGreenwood
  • edited
    @LexAquillia Sweet! I'm keen to go to PAX Prime (at least one person from Free Lives is likely to be going whether or not the trade mission happens)
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