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[DJD]

Hi Everyone,

First: I apologize if it isn't kosher to post this topic here! I just noticed that despite being an ultra artsy mega city there didn't appear to be any New York Indie Games collective so I'm not sure where else I can try to find people in the New York area who are into making games.

Second: I'm not from New York, but I leave for New York tomorrow (Thursday, the 15th) and I'm going to be in New York with virtually nothing to do (aside from make games) until at least the 22nd. I would LOVE to meet anyone and everyone who is from the area who would like to jam together, get drinks, get food, get a coffee, talk about game design, go do a cool thing in a big city - WHATEVER SUITS YOUR FANCY! I don't get to New York often and I'd love to take the opportunity to make more indie game friends!

I won't reiterate everything here, but you can read my "introduce yourself" post here to get a sense of who I am and my background with game design and stuff. Basically, I'm a 21 year old undergraduate at Northwestern University who's been working with Game Maker for like the last decade or so and has very little to show for it, other than an extreme passion for game design and the people that do it!

Once again, sorry if this isn't the place for this and if there's a more appropriate avenue please direct me there! Looking forward to meeting some awesome new people!!

Deej

[Ghidorah]

Maybe check out nycgameindustry.com they usually post about game related events going on around the city.
Also, Babycastles is pretty rad. I think they have a show going on tomorrow. Punk and chip stuff.
It's an art gallery /show space/indie arcade. You should definitely check it out.

[mankoon]

Theres Tim Schafer at the NYU Game center tomorrow:
http://gamecenter.nyu.edu/2012/03/game-center-lecture-series-tim-schafer
I'm sure that will be a great place to meet awesome people. I'm going too but I suspect it will be overflowing with people. Also on the next episode of game center lectures...  Anna Anthropy!

As for the NYC game scene... I haven't gone to the meet ups posted by nyc game industry. I suspect they are good but I wouldn't know.
But over all nycgameindustry.com is disappointing and boring to follow the forums are so dead it seems like nothing happens in nyc. I think the best stuff happens at the NYU Game Center Blog.

[Paul Eres]

i do know that dave gilbert arranges meetups for game developers in nyc; he's an indie game developer who made the blackwell legacy adventure game series. i haven't gone to one yet (even though i live about an hour away from NYC) but have been considering going eventually; it's just that i don't really know anyone there (i'm a fan of gilbert's games but i've never talked to him or anything)

[mankoon]

Ok I just want to say that Dave is a really cool guy. The only reason I haven't gone to them is it always ends up on some day where I'm busy. This month it's taking place on my road test date.   
I also live farther away from the city now because rent is crazy closer to the city.

[Noyb]

NYC is also home to the Babycastles exhibitions.

Parsons also has a pretty interesting game dev scene.

[DJD]

Hey everyone!

I just want to say thanks so much for all the responses! I had contacted nyugamecenter on twitter about getting on the wait list and they said they're packed, but I figure I might head over there now and see if I can at least meet some people (which is a lot more fun than sitting in this room programming!)

I appreciate the other recommendations too; I'm only in town until Sunday (April 1st) but hopefully I'll be back soon and get a chance to plan a little further ahead and incorporate some of these ideas.

Once again, thanks everyone for the tips; my adventures here are a hell of a lot less solitary because of them! 

[DaveGilbert]

Hey DJD. Only just noticed this but if you are in the NYC area and want to come to an indie event, we're having a drink meetup at No Idea Bar next week! Look for me (Dave). I'll have a "Wadjet Eye Games" hat on. Or just look for the drunk one.

[Elk]

Ohhh alcohol! Makes me want to go to NYC

[DJD]

Ah damn I would've been so down for some game meetup drinking! Unfortunately I leave Sunday to go back to Chicago. I'll definitely be hitting up a drink sesh if the stars ever align and I'm back in NY at the right time though, thanks Dave!

And thanks everyone else, because of you I was able to meet Tim Schafer tonight and have him sign a jenky game document I had in my back pocket! I also (foolishly? idunno!) asked him if he'd ever consider making Amnesia Fortnite a more open game jam thing that could include people outside of Double Fine, and he seemed to ruminate on the idea for a moment! So that's pretty cool and it's cause of all of you that I got to do that!

[SundownKid]

Just an update - the New York Gaming Meetup has been going strong recently and more indie developers should come to these meetings. That's not to mention the monthly bar-meeting held by the NYC Game Industry website.

[Strife]

Seeing how I've moved back to my hometown in the Finger Lakes, I just might be able to make it to one of those meetings in NYC. Of course, the main issue I face is that my parents are uncomfortable with me driving into the city with one of their cars, so unless I eventually get my own vehicle, I'll need to park well outside the city and then use public transportation to get everywhere else. I've been to NYC twice before with friends, though, and I've lived in Copenhagen with is Denmark's biggest city, so I could probably handle it.

In any case, do any indies live in upstate NY?

[Paul Eres]

indies tend not to be wealthy enough to live in upstate NY, haha

[Strife]

Really? Places like Waterloo and Geneva are the armpit of the world. xD They don't even run cable internet where I live.

[DaveGilbert]

We're throwing a launch party at for our game Resonance on June 19th. Any NYC based indies are welcome to come! Details here.