Join us via Discord to socialize with fellow game developers from the Capital Region and beyond! Our social gatherings are a great opportunity for local game makers to interact, meet new friends, and stay connected. We’ll be chatting, playing games together, and engaging in other fun-filled social activities.

Social Night is hosted as a weekly online gathering on the TVGS Discord every Wednesday from 6:30pm-9pm (except for the third Wednesday of each month, when it is replaced by Community Night). Feel free to pop in at any time during the event, and participate for whatever length of time you prefer.

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

Join the party! It’s time for our monthly Community Night, a chance for local game makers to connect and have fun together.

Working on a game project? You’re invited to share it during our community show and tell segment! Come along to find out what your fellow creators are cooking up, and exchange some constructive feedback.

We will also be sharing the latest TVGS community updates, and hosting some interactive social activities to help community members get to know each other better.

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

Join us via Discord to socialize with fellow game developers from the Capital Region and beyond! Our social gatherings are a great opportunity for local game makers to interact, meet new friends, and stay connected. We’ll be chatting, playing games together, and engaging in other fun-filled social activities.

Social Night is hosted as a weekly online gathering on the TVGS Discord every Wednesday from 6:30pm-9pm (except for the third Wednesday of each month, when it is replaced by Community Night). Feel free to pop in at any time during the event, and participate for whatever length of time you prefer.

—

NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

Join us for this month’s edition of Beginner Game Design, our monthly series of free online mentorship sessions in game making that are open to all participants (ages 9+). This is the perfect group for beginners who want to learn the basics of game creation.

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

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ABOUT ORBIT: BEGINNER GAME DESIGN

If you’re interested in learning to make your own digital games using simple and intuitive creative tools that don’t require any prior experience with computer programming, this is the group for you!

The Beginner Game Design Orbit group meets at 11am every second Saturday of the month in the #general-voice channel of the Tech Valley Game Space Discord, and provides a place for first-time game creators to get feedback and advice on their game projects.

Never made a game before? No problem! Join us and learn about how to create 2D games using easy-to-learn tools such as Construct.

After learning the basics, you’ll apply your knowledge by working on your own game project alongside peers, with ongoing support from experienced mentors. Participants of all skill levels are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun!

ABOUT ORBIT

Orbit is a community-driven mentorship program designed to provide greater opportunities for learning and collaboration at Tech Valley Game Space than ever before! The goal of Orbit is to bring local game makers (and aspiring game makers!) together based around mutual interests, and provide a consistent environment for sustained skill development, personal growth, and community building.

For more information about Orbit, including a list of all the currently active groups, please visit http://www.techvalleygamespace.com/orbit/

This month’s Digital Storytelling meetup will feature a demonstration of how to incorporate Ink story scripts within a Construct game project. By combining these tools, you can create a hybrid setup that merges the storytelling power of a narrative-focused tool like Ren’Py with the flexibility of a general purpose game engine.

Although we will be using Construct as an example, many of the techniques we’ll be discussing are equally relevant for integrating Ink with other games making tools like Unity and Godot.

Read on for more details about the tutorial:

There are a number of great standalone tools for creating text-based story games and visual novels (e.g. Twine, Ren’Py), but most of the popular options lack flexibility when it comes to combining narrative with more involved forms of gameplay. What if you want to create a game that merges branching narrative and menu-based dialogue trees with a wider variety of realtime gameplay and dynamic player interactions?

This is precisely the scenario that Ink was created to handle. Ink is the technology behind some of the most successful narrative games ever made, including Heaven’s Vault, 80 Days, and Sorcery. Unlike standalone tools like Ren’Py, Ink is designed to connect with popular game engines such as Unity, Godot, and Construct. The end result is a versatile and intuitive tool that is ideal for creating branching narrative, character dialogue, and in-game cutscenes.

For more info about Ink, visit https://www.inklestudios.com/ink/

We will also be using the Ink plugin for Constuct 3 as part of this session: https://www.construct.net/en/make-games/addons/518/ink

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event hosted on the TVGS Discord server. For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit https://techvalleygamespace.com/discord

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ABOUT ORBIT: DIGITAL STORYTELLING

Do you like to write? Do you like story based games?

If you are new to game development you can learn how to create interactive stories using Ren’py, Twine, or other game engines! We will also discuss other aspects of writing, game design, and interactive fiction.

The Digital Storytelling Orbit group meets at 1pm every first Saturday of the month in the #general-voice channel of the Tech Valley Game Space Discord. These group meetups provide opportunities for participants to share information, discuss projects, ask questions, and obtain guidance from experienced mentors.

ABOUT ORBIT

Orbit is a community-driven mentorship program designed to provide greater opportunities for learning and collaboration at Tech Valley Game Space than ever before!

The goal of Orbit is to bring current and aspiring game makers together based around mutual interests, and provide a consistent environment for sustained skill development, personal growth, and community building.

Orbit groups are run as informal, drop-in sessions. However, we do ask that you sign up in advance and read the age guidelines for each group before participating. To sign up, visit https://techvalleygamespace.com/orbit.

Since this month’s 3D Game Design meetup coincides with the first day of the Ludum Dare game jam, this gathering will serve as an informal coworking session for jam participants.

Even if you aren’t participating in Ludum Dare, you are still welcome to join us and bask in the glory of the jam. For anyone who missed our LD jam kickoff event on Friday evening, this will also serve as a second chance to connect with potential collaborators and see what other participants are creating.

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

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ABOUT ORBIT: 3D GAME DESIGN

Looking to expand your 3D game development skills? This group is for you!

The 3D Game Design Orbit group is intended to help local game makers connect, and to provide a forum for mutual support and peer-based mentorship. This group focuses on topics related to popular 3D game engines such as Unity, Unreal, Godot, and more.

The 3D Game Design Orbit group meets at 1pm every fourth Saturday of the month in the #general-voice channel of the Tech Valley Game Space Discord. These group meetups provide opportunities for participants to share information, discuss projects, ask questions, and obtain guidance from experienced mentors.

ABOUT ORBIT

Orbit is a community-driven mentorship program designed to provide greater opportunities for learning and collaboration at Tech Valley Game Space than ever before!

The goal of Orbit is to bring current and aspiring game makers together based around mutual interests, and provide a consistent environment for sustained skill development, personal growth, and community building.

Orbit groups are run as informal, drop-in sessions. However, we do ask that you sign up in advance and read the age guidelines for each group before participating. To sign up, visit techvalleygamespace.com/orbit.

The time has come to make games for the 48th biannual online game jam, Ludum Dare!

Ludum Dare is a fun community event where participants create games over a weekend based on a shared theme. The theme will be revealed during our kickoff party on Friday evening, so be sure to join us then if you’re interested in learning more.

No prior experience in making games is needed! This event is purely intended as a fun challenge. It’s a great way to connect with fellow creators, and an opportunity for all of us to collectively hone our skills.

You can create a game solo, or team up with other people and work together. We will be hosting social activities during the kickoff party to help you connect with potential collaborators, and to give newcomers a chance to ask questions before the jam gets underway.

For additional details, visit https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/48

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

Join us for our yearly TVGS gathering, and learn more about the flourishing game development community in the Capital Region. This event is open to everyone – yes, that means you!

If you are a paying TVGS member, your attendance at this meeting is particularly vital. This is your opportunity to vote on important matters that impact the entire TVGS community, and we need a quorum of members in attendance for the vote. So please save the date, and be sure to join us.

Over the past six years, TVGS has created a community and coworking space that functions as a central hub for independent and aspiring game makers from across our region. We have organized more than a thousand free community events and classes. We have opened up game development and made it more accessible via mentorship programs designed to support underrepresented groups. We have provided early stage funding support for local indie teams, to help them launch their creative projects and companies.

We’re incredibly proud of everything that we have accomplished together. So, let’s celebrate! We’ll be sharing some community highlights from the past year, looking ahead at what’s in store for the year ahead, and celebrating the sixth anniversary of TVGS together with a virtual party on Discord.

This is a great opportunity to connect with all the volunteers and community members that make TVGS such a vital part of our local creative ecosystem. See you there, Space Cadets!

With the Ludum Dare game jam coming up on April 23rd, now seems like an ideal time for a group discussion about the event! We will also be talking more generally about the art creation process for game jams, and sharing our favorite techniques for rapid production of art assets.

If you’re considering participating in Ludum Dare, this is a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the event. If you’re an experienced game jammer, come along and drop some knowledge about useful resources, tools, and techniques for creating/finding quality artwork on a tight deadline.

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NOTE: Due to the current circumstances, this is an online-only event. We are hosting it on our Discord server, which you can join using this link: discordapp.com/invite/mrTDyau

For more information about how to join the TVGS Discord, visit techvalleygamespace.com/discord.

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ABOUT ORBIT: GAME ART

Want to improve your digital art skills? This group is for you!

The Game Art Orbit group is intended to help local artists and game makers connect, and to provide a forum for mutual support and peer-based mentorship. The group focuses on topics related to 2D and 3D art creation for games and interactive digital media.

The Game Art Orbit group meets at 1pm every third Saturday of each month in the #general-voice channel of the Tech Valley Game Space Discord. These group meetups provide opportunities for participants to share information, discuss projects, ask questions, and obtain guidance from experienced mentors.

ABOUT ORBIT

Orbit is a community-driven mentorship program designed to provide greater opportunities for learning and collaboration at Tech Valley Game Space than ever before!

The goal of Orbit is to bring current and aspiring game makers together based around mutual interests, and provide a consistent environment for sustained skill development, personal growth, and community building.

Orbit groups are run as informal, drop-in sessions. However, we do ask that you sign up in advance and read the age guidelines for each group before participating. To sign up, visit techvalleygamespace.com/orbit.