Next meeting - Nov. 16

The next meeting of the Game Designers' Guild will be Nov. 16th in 347 Hinds Hall.  Socialization will begin at 5:30, and the formal meeting will be from 6-7.  Afterwards will be work and playgroups.

Oct. 12 Meeting of Game Designers' Guild

The next meeting of the Game Designers' Guild is coming right up!

We will be meeting Friday evening, Oct. 12th, in Hinds Hall, 347.  The meeting is open to the community.

Our pitch for the month is coming from the MOST Science museum.

Here's the schedule for the meeting:

5:30-6pm  Social time

6:00-7:00  Formal meeting, including an update on the Stanwix game design and the pitch by the MOST.

7:00-9:00  Informal meeting.  Participants may

 - Join in the brainstorm for the MOST

 - Playtest elements of the Stanwix game

 - Bring their own prototypes to get playtesters

 - Play games, as the best way to learn game design is to play lots of games!

For more information, contact Scott Nicholson at srnichol@syr.edu . 

First GDG meeting a success

On a stormy Friday night - Sept. 14, 2012 - 36 people came together to help launch the Game Designers' Guild.  From Syracuse University, we had students and faculty from the iSchool, English, Computer Engineering, Architecture, Computer Art and Animalion, and Newhouse.  We also had people come from Utica College, Onondaga Community College, ESF, and Mohawk Valley Community College, as well as some members of the Syracuse community join us.

We started with a social time from 5:30-6pm, where we were playing Johann Sebastian Joust, a screenless video game.

After some socializing and snacks, we settled down to business. 

Scott Nicholson gave an introduction to the guild and laid out the goals, and then there were game pitches by Fort Stanwix National Park and the iSchool.  Fort Stanwix is looking for a game that will allow players to get an understanding of the importance of the Fort and what might have happened if the Fort had been lost.  The iSchool is wanting a game to help iSchool faculty and staff engage with each other more effectively.

The formal part of the meeting ended at 7pm, and then several groups were formed.   One group helped Fort Stanwix brainstorm game ideas, while another worked with the iSchool.  An instructor brought an educational game that she wanted some people to playtest, and others played games like Forbidden Island and Paint the Line.

Working teams were formed for each of the game projects, and then informal play went on into the night.

The next meeting of the Game Designers' Guild will be October 12th from 5:30-10 in 347 Hinds Hall.  The pitch at this meeting will come from the MOST Science museum, and we will hear reports from our two game design teams.

Meeting - September 14

Our first meeting will be September 14 in the Katzer Room in 347 Hinds Hall at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University.  (After 5pm, visitors can park in Q4, Marion, Ostrom, Q5, or Q2 as space permits - map )

The room will be open at 5:30 for socializing and setup.

Starting at 6 PM, we will have a formal program.  This month will be a discussion of the Guild and an exploration of topics of interest, and then a demonstration of Johann Sebatian Joust.

We will also have a pitch by representatives from Fort Stanwix National Monument.  They are looking to create a Web-based game that would allow players to explore the Fort and understand the key role it played in 1877.

From 7-10 PM, we will PLAY!  If you have games you have been working on, please bring prototypes to share.  You can also bring any game to play with others.   The best way to learn about game design is to play lots of different games, so come ready to play.

There is no charge for this, and it is open to not only Syracuse University students, faculty, and staff, but to the greater community as well.

Other meetings for Fall 2012 are:

October 12
November 16
December 14