Missed any big game conferences lately? This month we’re bringing the conference experience to you, with three different talks by local game developers!

• Rogue Legacy Design Post Mortem: Budget Development – Teddy Lee, Cellar Door Games
• What Modern Interior Design Teaches Us About Environment Art – Dan Cox, Ubisoft
• Super Spy Crash Course: Teaching Players in Splinter Cell Blacklist – Laurent Malville, Ubisoft

We’ll have a social to follow, which may be your last and best shot at getting together with your jam team before we Party Like It’s 19TOJam9!

When: Tuesday April 22nd 7pm
Where: Metro Hall 55 John Street Toronto Room 308

Join the event on Facebook and follow @IGDAToronto on Twitter. All are welcome – an IGDA membership is not required to attend.

 Ryan Creighton from the IGDA writes:

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our fall kick-off event with Neil Druckmann. The IGDA Toronto 2014 season is in full swing with October’s event on choosing the funding source that’s right for you (if any!)

Where: Metro Hall 55 John Street Room 308
When: Tuesday October 15th 7:30 PM
Speaker: Jason Della Rocca
Cost: Zero coins
Just a few years ago, the only source of funding for game development was a publisher. Now that other sources of finance are entering the industry (e.g., venture capital, crowdfunding, grants, incubators), there are many more options and approaches available for indies to fund their projects and studios.

Former IGDA Excutive Director and current Execution Labs co-founder Jason Della Rocca will cover these options in detail, along with the best approach to raise funds given your current state. Pros and cons will be covered to ensure a much needed dose of reality.

Social to follow nearby at ~9pm.

RSVP at our Facebook event page!

Ryan Creighton from IGDA Toronto writes:

A Free-Wheeling Grab-bag of Microtalks Starring YOU!

Join us Tuesday June 25th at 7pm, in room 190 at OCADU for a reprisal of our Open Mic Night sessions.  Hosted by the indomitable Andy Smith, this year’s Rant and Rave Night will feature members of the Toronto game development community delivering exuberant 5-minute microtalks on a variety of topics of interest to the Toronto game dev community.

As always, this event is free of charge and all are welcome. Join the event on our Facebook page!

Got Something On Your Mind?

We are still accepting speaker submissions for this event.  We welcome submissions for 5-minute microtalks that are either constructively nitpicky or passionately positive. Submit your rant OR rave proposal to igdatoronto@gmail.com by Sunday June 16th. Submissions should be 500 words or less.

Keep tabs on events like this via the Toronto Gaming Calendar. (If you use Google, click here to add TGC to your Calendars.)

We are now taking submissions for IGDA Toronto’s Rant and Rave night! This year we are welcoming submissions for 5-minute microtalks that are either constructively nitpicky or passionately positive. Submit your rant OR rave proposal to igdatoronto@gmail.com by Sunday June 16th.  Submissions should be 500 words or less. We’ll select the best Rants and Raves, and you’ll have your chance to deliver them on stage as part of the next IGDA event during the last week of June.

WHEN: Thursday April 2th at 7PM

WHERE: The Bahen Center for Information Tech – 40 St. George Street Toronto, Room 1190

We don’t need no education — or do we? IGDA Toronto’s latest panel discussion, Class Warfare, attempts to answer the question.

Join us on April 25 as a range of indie game makers (Michael Todd of Michael Todd Games and Ryan Creighton of Untold Entertainment), industry (Dan Cox of Ubisoft Toronto & Seneca College) and academics (Steve Engels of the University of Toronto and Emma Westecott of OCAD U) delve into the pros and cons of formal training.

Our panelists, (moderated by Avrim Katzman of Sheridan College) will address the current state of post-secondary game design programs and their value in equipping the next generation with the right tools to succeed in the industry. Join us after at 9 p.m. for our monthly social at Molly Blooms, 191 College Street Toronto.

We’ve lined up three video game studio heads as panelists to discuss the trials and tribulations of starting, running, and in some cases ending their own businesses. Noreen Rana, a game artist who straddles both the triple-A and indie worlds, moderates.

There will be a social to follow – location TBD.  All are welcome. See you there!

Last year, Cassie and i made a game together at TOJam called Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure. This year, we were invited to give a talk at TEDx Toronto about the experience, and about the importance of involving kids in creative use of technology at an early age. Enjoy!

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 25
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Metro Hall, 55 John St., Toronto, Room 308

Are you for or against the freemium model? Join the discussion on our Facebook event page!

Confused about what freemium even is? Wikipedia to the rescue!

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Comedy Bar – 945 Bloor Street W Toronto
Thursday July 19th at 6:30 PM
FREE! (A $5 donation for the performers in encouraged)
Social and Prize Giveaway to Follow

See who’s coming on Facebook!

What is Project Overboard? Watch the video!

TOJam veterans and newcomers alike are teaming up for (probably) the biggest game jam team ever assembled – Project Overboard!

We’re making a game in one weekend with over 30 people involved: developers, artists, musicians, engineers, marketers, producers and more. Project Overboard will become a one-weekend games studio during TOJam, which takes place May 11-13, with much of the process documented by a camera crew. Most importantly, all game sales will go to a special cause – because this is a project about giving people better opportunities, no matter what position they have in life.

Project Overboard is being led by Ryan Henson Creighton of Untold Entertainment, who co-created the award-nominated Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure with his 5-year-old daughter Cassandra at the last TOJam. What award-winning game will Ryan and his team create this year? Stay on our ship to find out!

Project Details

– Project Overboard is the largest game jam team ever assembled (if we say it enough times, it’s true!)
– The Project provides opportunities for people to practice new roles, and to participate when they otherwise wouldn’t have the chance.
– The game will be sold online, and all proceeds will help send at-risk Toronto youth to technology summer camps, where kids get to build robots and program video games. Pretty awesome.

Our cause is inspired by the efforts of Dr. Nichole Pinkard and her team in South Chicago. Dr. Pinkard recently spoke here in Toronto at the TIFF Nexus New Media Literacies conference.

So join us as we give everyone a turn: letting game fanatics create something special, allowing kids a chance to discover their passions.

Show your support!

1. Follow @overboardJam on Twitter and “Like” our Facebook page.
2. Watch and comment on our video.
3. Buy the game when it hits ProjectOverboard.com – all proceeds send kids to technology summer camps!