You know what's cool? Ice...but other
than that? The IGDA – otherwise known as, the International Game
Developer Association. For the Initiated, it represents a bastion
against lack of imagination and creative stifling, against potential
oppressive forces in the workplace, and as a center for developer
minds and would-bes to come together to collaborate, and share. Of
course, for the layman, its pretty much...well, it's pretty much just
like the description above, actually.
There's a lot going on, and while a
lot of it is a behind the scenes sort of element, there exists worth
material at the forefront, ranging from social connections, forums
and advocacy's for quality of life, censorship rights, credit
standards, and academic help, as well as Special Interest Groups, or SIGs, and
the Foundation, which exists in the IGDA to promote charity and
enrich game developers through educational and scientific endeavors
(including scholarships). With that said, some of the particular
programs of interest, are the SIG's along with the forums/event
elements, The Foundation, and their Quality of Life advocacy, which
we'll go over.
Right off, the IGDA gives us access to
a listing of all the major events, particularly the technically direct
events covering game development, with professionals, around the
world, yearly. The calendar, if you will, allows us to quickly gauge
the different events, their time frames, what they're about, where
they're held, and how to find out more – with direct links . It's a
great way to find out about events you can attend. In addition, the
Social media center is a great way to get yourself in on what's going
on in the different chapters and arenas of the IGDA, and connect with
a wide array of professionals and amateurs from all around the globe.
Lastly, the Special Interest Groups section and forums give those looking for something
specific a place to share and connect, as well as a way to reach
groups and organizations apart of IGDA that are more directly related
to anyone's particular interest, or specialization, where you can
request memberships and become associated with any hundreds of
groups.
Of course, there's the Foundation, the
IGDA charity center, which sets up donations, events, and
fundraisers, as well as scholastic achievement awards/scholarships
for developers, and those looking to become the next big hit. In
fact, Just this month, the first recipient of their newly founded
Foundation/Full Sail University joint Scholarship was awarded to a James burns who starts his Game Design program in November.
Finally, and most profound to myself,
and many, is their advocacy and stance on Quality of life assessments
in the industry, as well as on "Crunch mode" – a term in
the industry for excessive work load through overtime. In addition to
their advocacy, they've a repository of knowledge, and some very well
written articles, specifically housed on their site on Why Crunch-Mode is unsafe and inefficient, as well as the Quality of
Life Committee's infamous "White Paper" catalogue and
presentation resource. This resource, has an incredible amount of
information regarding the effect of working conditions int he
industry, from a passionate, as well as reasonable standpoint. It
covers not only the turnover of personnel, but on the economic and
ergonomic effects inherent the potential issues of working conditions
across the gaming industry, as well as what that means for the
individual developer and how we all can establish better solutions in
the workplace, and out of it, to improve our overall well-being. One
of the most important areas of the IGDA, in my humble opinion, and
certainly an advocacy center to check out.
So, with that all taken in, it's fair
to say that, there's a lot to be had from the International Game
Developer's Association. Since it's inception in 1995, this
Non-Profit society has culminated itself with thousands of developers
around the world, providing career advancement, creative
proliferation, and improvement in the lives of game developers
through-and-through. Ultimately, it's a great investment of your time
and membership, as there's no barrier to entry against the wide array
of disciplines in the industry. Thus, it's a great way to connect,
socialize, and be recognized by members in your industry, and across
disciplines.
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