Discussion of games currently being created by game developers in the Knoxville and East Tennessee area, as well as an analysis of current topics in the gaming industry.

Meeting Links

• Glowing Gourds by Amos – https://agamerstudios.itch.io/glowing-gourds
• Dylan’s games – http://games.dylanwolf.com/
• Kitty’s Adventure by Levi on XBox One – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/kittys-adventure-for-xbox-one/9pcp6pvdf7qn
• Dual Eagles – https://gatechgrad.itch.io/dual-eagles
• Inkscape – https://inkscape.org/en/
• Spriter – https://brashmonkey.com/
• Dream Build Play 2017 dev log contest – https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2017/09/01/dream-build-play-2017-challenge-updates/#aIRYYhGuW9Y01It2.97
• Bosca Ceoil – http://www.boscaceoil.net/
• Bfxr – http://www.bfxr.net/
• Theme music – Ride by Pocketmaster

Hello Knoxville Game Designers!

Knoxville Game Design invites you to attend the online hangout for Sunday July 9, 2017 at 2pm Eastern Time.

Discussion topics:

• Show and tell
• Dylan’s talks at Devspace (Huntsville, Alabama)
• Dream.Build.Play 2017
• Upcoming game jams
  • GM48 23rd (July 14)
  • MiniLD #74 (ends July 24)
  • Ludum Dare 39 (July 28)
• Demo of the Godot Engine

We will be using Google Hangouts again, which can be accessed at the following URL:  https://hangouts.google.com/call/vhh46lj3tncbvinkrztkhw5mfme
Be sure your microphone or webcam is working prior to the meeting.

Hello Knoxville Game Designers!

This is Levi D. Smith inviting you to attend the online hangout for April 9, 2017 at 2pm Eastern Time.  We will be using Google Hangouts again, which can be accessed at the following URL:  https://hangouts.google.com/call/vhh46lj3tncbvinkrztkhw5mfme
Be sure your microphone or webcam is working prior to the meeting.

April 2017 Meeting Agenda – https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RUmSr7_38_18pOojAmp5Pk0GO8OKbceRkxwrWEhWbLeXNg8gbdjA_5gONWL5o8gHDEFHd301nJhzWW4r

Video for last month’s online hangout is now available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMvZcFUcr-4

The audio version is also available as a podcast on iTunes:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/game-design-chat/id1084873107

Please direct any questions to levidsmith@knoxgamedesign.org.

Hello Knoxville Game Designers!

This is Levi D. Smith inviting you to attend the online hangout for March 12, 2017 at 2pm Eastern Time.  We will be using Google Hangouts again, which can be accessed at the following URL:  https://hangouts.google.com/call/vhh46lj3tncbvinkrztkhw5mfme
Be sure your microphone or webcam is working prior to the meeting.

The agenda for the meeting is now available. I will be talking about adding Video Game metadata to your website, so that your game is indexed appropriately by search engines.

Just a reminder, Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday March 12, 2017, so please remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour prior to the meeting.

Be aware that we are no longer using Meetup for Knoxville Game Design events.  Please use http://www.knoxgamedesign.org/upcoming-events/ to keep track of the latest club events.

Video for last month’s online hangout is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osLAoHaxLKs
The audio version is also available as a podcast on iTunes:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/game-design-chat/id1084873107

Direct any questions to me at levidsmith@knoxgamedesign.org.

This is a reminder that there will not be an in-person meeting for February or March 2017.  We will be attempting to conduct the next two meetings online with Google Hangouts.  We will plan to meet again at the Technology Cooperative in April 2017 to coincide with Ludum Dare 38.  Be sure to check knoxgamedesign.org for the latest details.

Topics for the online Hangout on Sunday (February 12, 2017 at 2pm Eastern Time) are included in the meeting agenda.  There are two options for joining us.  Using Google Hangout will allow you to participate with a web camera or microphone.  Please verify that your web camera or microphone is working before the meeting.  There is also a view only option with YouTube, which also provides a chat room for leaving comments during the group meeting.

Thanks for everyone’s patience while we transition to this new format.  Please direct any questions to levidsmith@knoxgamedesign.org

Hello Knox Game Design members!

Normally I’d have the default template here, but I’m skipping all that in hopes you’ll take a moment to read this email closer and join us this Sunday.

This will be the last meetup of Knox Game Design that I will be organizing.  I’m stepping down Lead Organizer (that’s what I’ve called myself if you were curious) after this meeting.

The first meeting of the group, originally called KnoXNA, was February 2010.  The group was part XNA game development and part robotics, mostly Lego Mindstorm bots but with an eye on using Microsoft Robotics Studio and XNA for bigger things.   We met weekly, which was a crazy pace for a group, and held mini challenges for the robots while talk though the XNA examples provided by Microsoft.  Things slowed down, the robotics side tapered off, and we moved to holding the meetings monthly at the newly formed Technology Cooperative (yes, the group is older than the TechCo!).  As Microsoft began to sunset XNA we renamed the group Knox Game Design to match an existing Facebook of local ITT Tech game design graduates.

This is a long time to have run a community group, and though I love it, it is something that takes time.  I’ve been over stretching myself lately and it’s time to dial back.  I want to focus on some of the things I’ve put off because I haven’t had the time and energy to do them.

We seen a lot of game designers, artists, programmers, musicians, and more at the meetups over the years.  I hope that this continues, and so the topic at this meetup will be to discuss the group and where it goes in 2017 and beyond. 

The Podcast

I have to admit I failed this time to play the selected game, Dwarf Fortress.  I gave it several attempts but the legends were true and this is not an easy game to jump into.  I’d still love to record a podcast after the meetup, and open it up to games we played over the break. 

Location and Time

The meetup will be held at the Technology Cooperative located at 13 Emory Place, Knoxville TN.  Parking is available in front of the Technology Cooperative. 

Last weekend members of Knoxville Game Design came out to show off their games and spread the word about the group at Open Streets Knoxville.  It was our first time presenting as a group to the public and we learned a lot while having a lot of fun!  On hand at this event showing their games was:

Levi – http://levidsmith.com/
Dylan – http://www.dylanwolf.com/
Jacob – Jacob’s Latest Game
Mike – http://www.vinull.com/

Knoxville Game Design is looking forward to future events, and our next planned event is Makerpalooza held by Pellissippi State Community College.  Hope to see you there!

PS – Levi did an amazing job recording video of the group, check it out below: