Getting Girls in the Game

Formally launched at SIEGE 2009, Getting Girls in the Game is an initiative started by project directors Abigail Joslin and Andrew Greenberg to provide a mentorship program for females who are trying to break into the gaming industry. As statistics show, less than 10 percent of the gaming industry is comprised of females, and that is including administrative, human resources and marketing departments. Encouraging females to pursue technology careers is wonderful, but what happens when there is no one to help those young professional break into a male dominated field? Getting Girls in the Game is not only a mentorship program, but also the foundation to start a community for women in all positions. From professionals working in the industry, to students and young women stepping foot into a new career. Even though it is a two year mentoring and portfolio development program, the goal is that all participants in

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David Perry on Game Design

Game creator and legend David Perry, has a few ideas on how Games are made. Actually he has a ton of ideas. So he teamed up with Rusel DeMaria to write a book that provides tools to any level of creator whether you are a beginner or a veteran. The book will help you find new inspiration, resources, and new game mechanics. The book helps with many different areas of games, so don’t assume it’s just for casual. The book is also very interactive. The authors want the readers to participate in developing the next edition of David Perry on Game Design. Go to www.gamedesignbook.org to add your ideas for consideration. To purchase the book you can order it on amazon.com here:

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DigiPen adds two more degrees

DigiPen Institute of Technology announced that they have added two game design degrees to their Fall 2008 semester program. The four year programs are Bachelor of Arts in Game Design (BAGD) and a Bachelor of Science in Game Design (BSGD). “We worked very closely with current industry designers, discussing the needs of graduates and the hiring requirements they have,” added Jen Sward, current Chair of the Game Software Design and Production Department and lead developer of the programs. “We felt strongly that designers need to have additional skills beyond straight game mechanics or story telling. Designers need to be able to code or script events or artificial intelligence, place and tune enemies, tune weapons or other entities within the game. On the other hand, designers can also be more artistically inclined, in which case they need skills in texturing, creating urban, rural, fantastical or science fiction environments. To achieve this,

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