Making the Jump from QA to Game Design - GameCareerGuide.com

Interesting read for me, although jumping from fashion to games is obviously a bigger jump, I am sure I can learn something here: Making the Jump from QA to Game Design - GameCareerGuide.com

Update

Read various pages online & in my notes today, & did tons of research for my Neg1 & prep work ready for my meet-up review next week. Jumped back over onto my presentation this evening, although I have to admit I tackled some bits & pieces throughout the day & had already planned to dedicate tomorrow through the weekend to work on my presentation. I will need more paper tomorrow, & so hope it is a dry walk into town, but the fresh air will  help clear & digest & winnow the thoughts in my full-of-information head; the coverage of women working in the games industry has amassed a great following of active women, & men, posting online & creating.

Just a few of the latest links I have looked at this evening - bookmarked a lot today:

• Developing a list of women running studios Gina Jackson of WIGJ
• After the Twitter discussion on 1ReasonWhy the 1ReasonMentors hashtag begun, with offers for mentoring. I've been compiling them on Storify via Person & Role hope this helps someone
• storify.com/pixelsprite/1reasonwhy-mentors-resource
• Fantastic idea, I made another comment here.
• LinkedIn.com GUESTBOOK / NEW MEMBERS This is a page to introduce ourself to the group, & interest in helping to recruit more women into the games industry; I added my comments/intro.
• LinkedIn Emma Bywaters is looking for women to help her with a London Indie Development project.
• Thewomensroom.org.uk A website for women experts to promote as such, however I could not see Gaming or Fashion!
• gamesindustry.biz I have registered.
• Gamesaid.org
• londongamesconference.com & their Facebook page. This was in Nov & I missed it, but had some well known companies there: 

  London Games Conference 2012 

  
  

  15:15 – 16:00 Registration and Tea/Coffee 

  16:00 – 16:05 Welcome – James Binns, Conference Chairman

  16:05 - 16:35 Keynote Address – Building the future of entertainment - 
  Phil Harrison, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft EMEA

  16:35 – 16:40 Yogscast: From playtime to primetime - 
  Mark Turpin, Business Development Manager at Yogscast  

  16:40 - 17:00 Sega: How to build a digital business with Steam - 
  John Clark, Vice President - Digital Distribution (PC) at Sega 

  17:00 - 17:20 Google: What gamers want to know - 
  Warren Mills, Industry Manager - Entertainment at Google UK

  17:20 – 17:25 Qinqo: Connecting clicks & bricks -
  Jeremy Wigmore, SVP Europe at Qinqo 

  17:25 - 17:45 Keynote Address - The good and bad sides of the F2P business model -
  Sean Decker, VP and Head of EA Play4Free at Electronic Arts   

  17:45 – 17:50 PlayMob: How to link your good game with a good cause – 
  Jude Ower, Founder & CEO at PlayMob 

  17:50 - 18:10 IGN: The expert within - Rich Keen, International Publishing Director at IGN Entertainment

  18:10 - 18:40 Coffee Break 

  18:40 – 19:00 Disney: Old tricks for new dogs - what can the "new" games economy take from the "old" publishing model - 
  Matt Carroll, Commercial Director - Digital Games at The Walt Disney Company EMEA  

  19:00 – 19:05 Microsoft: Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 game apps: how can Microsoft help you with development, publication and discovery? 

  Andrew Webber, UK Marketing Lead for Indy Game App Builders, Microsoft

  19:05 - 19:25 Digital Transition: The Heroes and Zeroes - 
  Nicholas Lovell, Founder, GamesBrief 

  19.25 – 19:30 6Waves: Global Opportunities for Social & Mobiles Games - 
  Rex Ng, CEO at 6waves 

  19:30 - 19:50 Twitter: What gamers are talking about - 
  Bruce Daisley, UKSales Director at Twitter

  19:50 – 19:55 Heaven Media: How eSports is changing your market – 
  Mark Reed, Chairman at Heaven Media  

  19:55 – 20:05 IHS Screen Digest: Key metrics from the games market - 
  Piers Harding-Rolls, Senior Principal Analyst, Head of Games Research at IHS Screen Digest 

  20:05 – 20:25 Panel: The future of the games machine
  Moderator: Dr Jo Twist, CEO, UKIE

  Simon Little, Managing Director, ISFE / PEGI SA 
  Roger Walkden, Senior Director, Business Development, EA Origin
  Nick Button-Brown, General Manager Games, Crytek 
  Barclay Deeming, VP of Games, NaturalMotion 
  Rex Ng, CEO, 6waves 

  20:25 – 20:40 Keynote Address – Hawken and Transmedia - 
  Mark Long, CEO at Meteor Entertainment

  20:40 – 20:45 Closing Remarks – James Binns, Conference Chairman 

• Webinar on social media Freemium Games

I communicated via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc, adding new contacts & following others.

I also sent my link to my questionnaire to more industry people.....tomorrow is here already, & so I retire ready for my mammoth printing, filing & writing day tomorrow, pulling all my research together, & selecting the most pertinent points to use, & hopefully gleaning some more stats from my survey.

Bon nuit from me :)

LGC: Did you miss anything? | Games industry news | MCV

London Games Conference was on in November, 2012, & here is a synopsis they kindly put up for those who were not 1 of the 300 who made it: LGC: Did you miss anything? | Games industry news | MCV

Questionnaire

My questionnaire is at last published online. Extensive research into using Google, & researching the help pages on SurveyMonkey; I chose the latter. This is my first survey, it took longer than anticipated, & once uploaded I promoted it on LinkedIn, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook contacts, etc & had a very prompt response. This prevented me from being able to amend questions; invariably I wanted to add & amend some but was unable to as people were already completing it. My list of questions is longer than I originally planned, but having to work to SurveyMonkey guides, & not wanting to pay to Upgrade, I have had to spread them but cannot add a couple of other questions I wanted to....I have been creative & have input them!

You can follow the link to complete via my Blog Questionnaire Page.

LinkedIn & Twittered Out

Day of research yesterday, reading, & following up, & also filing info & pics. So much new & current opinions on the topic of lack of women working in the gaming industry; I have added/followed a number of  people on Twitter & LinkedIn, introduced myself to a couple of forums & e-mailed some follow-ups.......a lot to digest!

Women in Games Jobs (WIGJ) for more women in gaming.

Women in Games Jobs (WIGJ) for more women in gaming.

From a Label to a Game!

It has taken me some time to get my head around being back in study after previously running a fashion label, seeking employment & choosing a new path; far longer than I anticipated. Fortunately for me, an invaluable friend had forewarned me that it might, from her own recent experience doing her Masters, & so I was prepared - a little!

One of my Graphics from my Fashion Label

However, last week I was doubting myself, questioning  if I can really do this, or even if I am on the right path with so much to learn & show. Common sense should have prevailed at this time, & realisation that I was coming down with flu under a full moon, & thus to STOP fretting!! The positive result though is that it made me divulge my worries to Simon & Ian whilst we were looking at Maya & my projects, & this helped me to analyse & put some things back into perspective; see what I had already achieved, & brought me back to fashion & simplifying projects.

Copyright Frocked - My Frock Sketches

Copyright Frocked - Changing the Original to see the Other Side!

I have a myriad of ideas for games, concept etc & amass inspiring things daily, taking notes upon notes to refer to & follow up.....but suddenly reminded myself that this is an ‘Art’ degree & I need to do more sketching, more 'visual's' as Marisse kindly pointed out to me, & do it daily. This concerned me initially but I understand that some days I CAN sketch & be happy with my drawings yet other days - well those sketches get hidden!

My Lovi-Bug Doodles: Kids Games

I was also trying to bring everything I thought about, every game or character idea into an original fashion context, & basically some of those ideas do not fit fashion, & being original can be tougher on oneself! I was simply trying to build on what I already have, to help create that niche, & produce an amazing portfolio building on, without losing, the fashion & design I already possess! This created another mammoth task, & I struggled thus making it harder for myself but now have a clearer head & am looking at all my research I have done/doing to submit for Neg 1, which will invariably lead me to produce a reel on Maya ‘ncloth’ to show cloth dynamics for my Neg2...I have a feeling the sea will have some part in it.

Shared on Pinterest via FB, & quite apt wording!

This may not be as exciting as all my other ideas, but is more concise, building a niche skill & portfolio, & also more do-able in my time frame...