Event: BMUG July Meeting – CG Film Techniques with Jayme Wilkinson of Blue Sky Studios
Date: 07/29/2011
Time: 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Mount Ida College, Carlson Auditorium, downstairs in Carlson Hall
Address: 777 Dedham St, Newton, MA

Description: Jayme Wilkinson of Blue Sky will be giving a presentation and there will be a panel of people representing various companies discussing what they look for in a portfolio from junior applicants. Students, this one’s for you especially! If there is time, they will review portfolio’s on the big screen for any brave souls who want to stand up and have everyone see their work.

Agenda: CG Film Techniques, Presenter: Jayme Wilkinson, Stereoscopic Supervisor at Blue Sky Studios

Portfolios Panel: What do lead and senior artists look for in a junior level portfolio?
Panelists: Jayme Wilkinson, Stereoscopic Supervisor at Blue Sky Studios
Daniel Salsberg, Lead Artist at DoubleTap Games
Moderator: Chad Moore, Technical Art Director at Turbine and Co-founder of Rigging Dojo

The event is free of charge.

RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/Boston-Maya-Users-Group/

Just a note: there’s been a change in Post Mortem leadership. Scott Macmillan has left the IGDA Boston committee after three(ish?) years of service. He’s leaving so he can focus on his new job and also on being a dad — can’t say I fault him! We wish him well, and he’s assured us he’ll continue to be a fixture at Boston Post Mortem.

On a related note: stay tuned for our first-ever officer elections!

We’ve been informed that the ZORK playthrough we posted a few days ago has changed its room. It is still at MIT, but is now in Building 1 Room 135 (original post has been updated to reflect this as well).

Who Plays Games and Why: Evolutionary Biology Looks at Videogames

A discussion with Harvard Human Evolutionary Biology Professor Richard Wrangham, Emmanuel College Psychology Professor Joyce Benenson, and game developers Noah Falstein and Kent Quirk.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
5:30 -7:30 p.m. (registration begins at 5:00 p.m.)
Location: Harvard Science Center, One Oxford Street, Cambridge

Electronic games are competing with television for that essential resource: consumer attention.  But exactly who is playing these games? And what is their appeal? Indeed, why do people find games “fun” at all, from simple board games to immersive 3D fantasy worlds? Is there a biological reason that males and females play dramatically different kinds of games?

The many genres and formats of games will be surveyed in a brief multimedia overview, with a look at the different populations that play these different games. Then, human-behavioral scientists will collaborate with game-design professionals to explore the biological roots of our attraction to these experiences.

Please join this discussion, with:

• Richard Wrangham, Harvard College Professor, Ruth B. Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, Director of Graduate Studies of Harvard’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, author of Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence, and of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human.
• Joyce Benenson, Associate Professor of Psychology at Emmanuel College, and Associate Member of Harvard’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology.
• Kent Quirk, Director of Engineering for Client Software, Linden Lab (creators of the virtual world Second Life).
• Noah Falstein, President, The Inspiracy (design and production of entertainment and serious games).
• Dan Scherlis (moderator), Principal, Scherlis.com (executive production and market strategy for online games and social media).

To attend:

• Alumni and friends of the Harvard community: $10
• Undergraduate Students: complimentary
• To register, Non-Harvard attendees should call the main Harvard Alumni Association number, at 617-495-1093, or mailto:haa_alumnieducation@harvard.edu

On Tuesday May 25, The Games for Health Conference and Games Beyond Entertainment Week invite all Boston & New England based game developers to a reception and networking event to have fun, show off work, and meet some of our speakers and attendees.

This is our second annual industry networking night after a successful event last year.

Appetizers, complimentary drink tickets, and a cash bar will be made available.

Hotel parking for the evening will be reduced to a flat rate of $10.00.

Share Your Work
Developers with games they’d like to share with the audience are invited to bring a laptop to display their work.  We will have tables and power strips available.

RSVP to Attend
We ask that all attendees, if possible, RSVP before attending to:

rsvp2010@dmill.com

If you plan to bring a demo please indicate that and we will provide a table spot and power for you.

When and Where

Tuesday May 25
7pm-10pm

Hyatt Harborside Hotel
101 Harborside Drive
Boston, MA 02128

How to Get There
There are many options per the following instructions:

Boston T Subway - The T subway system is comprised of the Blue, Orange, Green, Red, and Silver Line. To get to hotel from subway system, take Blue or Silver line to Airport stops. If you take the Blue Line you may wait for the Water Transportation Bus (#66) which stops at the hotel or for complimentary shuttle phone hotel at 617-568-1234 to request shuttle pick-up.

Taxi - From downtown Boston/Cambridge a cab fare will be roughly $20-$35 depending on your distance, surcharges, and tip.

Water Taxi - Water Taxi is a wonderful way to come to the hotel. The Water Taxi services drop off directly at a dock behind the hotel. NOTE: Water Taxis have checkered roofs. Call to schedule pick-up at 617-422-0392 or from the Call Box at the waiting area. The fare is $10.00 each way or $17.00 round trip. Children under 12 are free.

The Water Taxi service runs all year long Monday through Saturday: 7am-10pm. Specific pick-up times might be delayed by weather and demand.

Traveling By Cah

From North of Boston

• I-93 South into Boston to Exit 24 (Callahan Tunnel/Logan Airport).
• Follow signs to Logan Airport via the Callahan Tunnel.
• Upon exiting the tunnel, stay to the right, continuing to follow airport signs. Bear right onto Harborside Drive exit.
• At the first set of lights take a left onto Harborside drive.
• Go through two (2) sets of lights and the Hyatt Harborside will be about ¼ mile up on your right.

OR

• Route 1 and Route 1A.
• Follow signs to Logan Airport and take first right onto Harborside Drive (at car rental area) upon entering the Airport.
• Go through three (3) sets of lights and the Hyatt Harborside will be about ¼ mile up on your right.

From South of Boston

• I-93 North into Boston to Exit 20 (Mass Pike/Route 90 East).
• Follow signs to Logan Airport via the Ted Williams Tunnel.
• When you start to see terminal signs, stay in the right hand lane.
• Get off at the exit that reads Hotel Drive/Harborside Drive/Car Rental Agencies.
• Take a right at lights onto Hotel drive.
• Go through blinking light.
• At traffic light take a left onto Harborside drive.
• The hotel will be ¼ of a mile on your right.

From West of Boston

• Mass Pike (Route 90 East) to the Airport/Ted Williams Tunnel.
• Follow signs to Logan Airport via the Ted Williams Tunnel.
• When you start to see terminal signs, stay in the right hand lane.
• Get off at the exit that reads Hotel Drive/Harborside Drive/Car Rental Agencies.
• Take a right at lights onto Hotel drive. Go through blinking light.
• At traffic light take a left onto Harborside drive.
• The hotel will be ¼ of a mile on your right.

From East of Boston

• Unless you’re driving in from the Cape…hopefully you’re wearing a swimsuit…

Hey everyone, We wanted to make sure everyone knew two things in relation to your IGDA membership and E3:

1. Your IGDA membership can act as one of the two forms of identification you need for free E3 attendance. If you are registering for a free pass, you must do so by this coming Monday, May 3rd.
2. If you end up buying a pass, as of May 4th your IGDA identification gets you a 20% discount to an Exhibit Floor Pass.

Details on both things below:

The IGDA is proud to announce that IGDA membership will once again be an accepted form of Industry Identification for this year’s E3 Expo to be held June 15-17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  Being an IGDA member together with another form of Industry Identification will allow complimentary access to the event. Please note complimentary registration ends May 3.   Accepted forms of ID can be viewed by visiting the E3 website.

Beginning on May 4 IGDA members will have access to a special 20% discount on the E3 Expo Exhibit Floor Pass. Details on this discount will be available within the Member’s Only area of the IGDA website. The code for the 20% discount is E3IGDA. It will be posted within the members only area as well for future reference.

If you are experiencing difficulties submitting your Industry Identification, please call the E3 Expo Registration Customer Service team at 877.216.6263. For questions regarding your IGDAMembeship please visit www.igda.org/contact.

The Boston Post Mortem is organizing a group trip for game developers to see Sleep No More. Sleep No More is a somewhat-interactive theater experience — essentially a theater company took over an abandoned elementary school in Brookline and did a total conversion on it, turning it into a set where a cast performs something inspired heavily by dance, "Macbeth," and Hitchcock. When I attended in October I was blown away by the experience and I came away from it thinking, "Every game developer should see this." I couldn’t articulate why, which is why I asked Alexx Kay, a designer at 2K Boston and another Sleep No More fan, to explain below in a spoiler-free way why the show is so important for game developers.

If you would like to attend the field trip, please fill out this form to help us figure out what day works for everyone. Sadly, group rates are not available for the show, but I still think it would be a fun trip to take as a group.

Here’s Alexx Kay’s take on Sleep No More:

Sleep No More is like nothing you have seen before.  All the reviews I’ve read completely fail to convey the experience of the show, because, while it has aspects of things you may be familiar with (including video games), it brings those elements together in a truly unique and exciting way, creating a genuine new art form.  It has some roots in Shakespeare’s "Macbeth", but is simultaneously less, and much, much more than that. Since no one (including me) seems to be able to explain it properly, I’m not particularly going to try; it is far better experienced than explained, with as few preconceptions as possible.

This is a show that all game developers should see.  It’s immersive, interactive, and immensely inspiring.  The space is like something out of Myst, or BioShock, only real, physical, and touchable.  Your other senses will also be exercised, and sound designers will find much of note. Anyone in the business of bringing players into an emotional space via interactive entertainment will find much of interest here.  One of my colleagues described it as "The best level I’ve ever played."

Some caveats:

1) Don’t expect a linear story — or much ‘story’ at all.  A lot happens, but none of it comes with easy explanations, and you can’t see more than a fraction of it on any one visit, anyways.  I have been three times now, and think I’ve seen perhaps 50% of what there is to be seen.  There are puzzles, and some have solutions, but you may find those solutions not worth the effort you put into finding them.  This is about the questions, not the answers; the journey, not the destination.

2) This show takes a lot of energy.  If you stay for the whole thing, it’s three hours long.  You won’t be sitting for much of that time, if any. And it’s not just standing in place, you’ll be moving around a lot also. You may find yourself running down halls and up and down stairs.  Wear comfortable shoes!

3) If you are disabled in any way, you won’t get the full effect of the show.  As I said, it’s a feast for all the senses, and if you’re missing any, you’ll miss that aspect of the experience.  If you have any mobility issues, then you won’t be able to chase after actors when they flee…  If you happen to own two styles of corrective lenses, contacts may be a better idea than glasses for this show, given its… unusual seeing conditions.  Glasses are far from a dealbreaker, but some people do experience issues.

Other logistical details:

* The space is pretty warm, especially considering the exercise you get moving around.  Coat Check is $1 per item.  Be aware that at the beginning and end of the night, the coat check line can get long.

* The bar stays open for a while after the show.  Though loud, it can be fun to hang out in with your friends, and sometimes the actors come out and chat.  If you wait a while, the mob at the coat check goes away

* Dress… to be comfortable, with the knowledge that you’ll be on your feet for most of three hours, and moving around a lot. Some of the audience were wearing fancy-night-out clothes, but most weren’t. I wouldn’t wear anything with frills that might get caught on random objects.  The decor is dense, and sometimes so are the crowds.

* It is possible to stay with your friends during the show — but *not* recommended.  The experience works best alone.  Split up, cover more ground, and compare notes afterwards.

Last, but far from least: Enjoy yourself.  The show rewards many different approaches.  If what you’re doing isn’t exciting you, try something else.

Again, if you’re interested in going, please:

fill out this form!

The Interactive Media & Game Development (IMGD) program at WPI has been running a weekly speaker series for the past few years, open to the public.

Recently, they began to video record the talks, and they post them online.

And if you have something interesting to talk about, they are always looking for speakers. You can get an idea of what types of talks have been given by looking at the site. Links to talks from previous semesters are near the bottom.

The flurry of press today indicates that someone has decided to push this bill hard, and it’s become necessary to ask you all to step up.

There is a hearing Tuesday before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

The hearing will be held in room A1 of the State House in Boston (Beacon Hill, Park Street stop on the Red Line). The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM.

If all goes as planned, I will be one of several speakers at the hearing, and I will do my best to represent the Massachusetts game industry’s point of view. But I will have only a couple of minutes to make my point.

Our elected representatives listen to the public. I have become convinced that it’s important for game developers to be there as constituents. If there’s any way you can take the afternoon to attend the hearing, please do come. This is a dangerous and counterproductive bill in so many ways, and it could do significant damage to the perception of Massachusetts as one of the best places in America to make games.

To VERY quickly find your State Senator and Rep and their vitals, just enter your address here.

Then click on the names of your Senator and especially your Rep (“in general court”). If your rep is one of those on the committee, please be sure to contact him or her. Even if you can’t do it before the hearing, do it anyway.

Once again, here’s what you should emphasize (please, be as positive and polite as you can):

• Please oppose House Bill 1423.
• This bill would violate the First Amendment rights of video game
  developers and the public for whom we make video games. In particular,
  on Monday a federal appeals court confirmed a ban on a similar law in
  Minnesota. The bill is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
• The video game industry has an effective rating system in place
  to distinguish which games are not appropriate for minors. In particular,
  it’s more effective and provides far more information than the ratings
  system in place for movies.
• Mention the fact that some of the best and most innovative games
  on the market lately have come from Massachusetts companies. The
  Massachusetts game industry is booming, employs thousands of people
  and provides many hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the
  Massachusetts economy. H. 1423 sends the wrong message, that
  Massachusetts does not welcome the video game development industry.

There appear to be some powerful forces lined up behind this bill. Boston Post Mortem has never asked you for money or dues — but now we’re asking for your support in the form of action. Please contact your state reps. And if at all possible, come to the hearing.

Autodesk is sponsoring their “3D Launch Tour” next week in Boston, with a games session from 5:30 – 7:00.

Featuring a Guest Speaker from Midway Games, Scott Englett

Westin Copley Place Hotel
Staffordshire Room 10 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116

For registration info, see:

http://www.autodesk.com/mini-sites/melaunchtour2007/index.html