It has been a bit over a month since we announced the IGDA Finland Grant. Lots of questions have been asked and a lot of them have been answered, we have also clarified some things.
If you have been unsure if you are eligible for the grant, then have a second look at it or ask us directly.
Thank you to everyone who sent us questions, we want to make this something that can help you in the last steps before release.
Retro Game Jam 2024
Dates: May 17-19th, 2024
Location: Espoo Game LAB (A Grid, Otakaari 5, Espoo, Finland)
Retro Game Jam is for everyone interested in developing new games for older hardware. No prior experience on retro development is required, but we encourage to do some research of the platform of your choice before the jam.
There will be a selection of retro consoles with development tools available and of course you are welcome to bring your own. Mentoring help for getting started is available.
The jam will have a theme revealed on the spot. You can come alone or as a team. There will be short brainstorming and team forming session at the beginning. Espoo Game Hub is open for jamming around the clock. You are welcome to sleep on premises, but note that there are no sofas or anything provided by the location.
Please tell us if you have any special needs regarding movability, allergies etc. Please do not hesitate to ask anything from us! Everyone has access to the following:
Working space (table, chair, internet etc.)
Selection of retro consoles & televisions
Workshop / introduction to development hardware
Mentoring help for getting started
Discord server: https://discord.gg/FEgkQUJ8kV
List of hardware available for jammers by organizers:
Nintendo Game Boy / Game Boy Color with SD card reader
Nintendo Entertainment System with Mapper30 flash cart (NesMaker)
Nintendo Famicom with SD card reader
Nintendo Super Famicom with SD card reader
Nintendo 64 with SD card reader
Sega Mega Drive / Master System with SD card reader
Sega Saturn with SD card reader
Sega Dreamcast with SSD
Sony Playstation 1 with SD card reader
Sony PocketStation
NEC PC-Engine with SD card reader
Neo Geo Pocket with SD card reader
WonderSwan with SD card reader
Vectrex with SD card reader
MSX with CF card reader
Oscilloscope with PC connectors
CRT televisions
This is primarily on-site game jam. You are welcome to jam via Discord too, but we do not stream opening ceremony or organize team building in Discord. Submissions are open for everyone in Itch.io page. Register to the jam below!
Save the date for Leadership Day by IGDA Finland: September 30, 2024! This international event explores the company structures, team dynamics, and working cultures that make the best games, offering insights to vital but often overlook aspects of game development.
The call for speakers is open. Share your expertise on leadership topics such as team building, change management, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), accessibility, corporate culture, mentoring, CSR (corporate social responsibility), stakeholder management, remote team/company management, community management, conflict resolution, investor/publisher relations, outsourcing, or any leadership topic that you are passionate about. The deadline for applications is June 7, 2024.
Got an idea for a talk, a series of lightning talks, or a panel discussion that needs some fleshing out? Contact us at leadership (at) igda (dot) fi for support.
For more information visit: https://www.igda.fi/leadership-day
In this first part of our hub highlight we dive into IGDA Kajaani, to find out who are they and why you should definitely visit their hub. We asked Kajaanis hub lead Tuomas Vartiainen to tell us a bit about their hub.
How did your hub get started and how old is it?
The IGDA Kajaani hub was founded in 2015, and it originally replaced an event called Industry Beer, where locals from the gamedev community gathered in Rock House Kulma, but now has grown into a much larger portion of the Kajaani gamedev culture.
What makes your hub special?
Our location comes with a fairly unique ecosystem with game companies and study opportunities. Kajaani is also just located very out of the way, despite that numerous people gather here to develop games within a healthy and good community. We always come up with new things to make our events more interesting and allow everyone to get involved.
What are some of the events, achievements, or other causes your hub is proud of?
For one of our more recent game jams, we collaborated with our local library to hold a game jam where children can take part in the development process by drawing in-game characters for the jammers to use. Yle News also ended up writing a couple of articles about the game jam.
What have been some of the struggles your hub has faced? Or anything you would wish to have?
Covid was the toughest struggle. Our hub was among the first to move online only, and we offered online seminars and meet-ups but of course people missed face-to-face meet-ups.
Our team of volunteers started out very small (3-4 people), so when people could not volunteer it had a large impact. Thankfully our volunteer team has grown a lot after Covid.
It has also been difficult to create a permanent feeling culture as students often have to move away after graduation due to the limited work market.
Where can people follow or find your hub?
You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Discord, they are all updated actively with our upcoming events!
Currently, Kajaani has 19 volunteers, and game companies such as Critical Force & Black Smoke Studios are located in Kajaani.
The IGDA Game Accessibility Special Interest Group volunteers have worked since 2003 to aid the game industry in making games accessible for all, regardless of impairments or other limitations. The European conference is a hybrid event taking place in London and online April 22-23. Tickets for the streamed content and networking in Discord are free, but you must register in order to get the link for the remote networking.
For more information visit the IGDA Game Accessibility SIG webpage or the conference registration page.
The Finnish chapter of International Game Developers Association.
IGDA Finland Linktree
IGDA Finland Billing Information: billing@igda.fi, Turku
Created with love and understanding by IGDA Finland volunteers.
