A GD Gathering group is a group of people that share a common interest, game development. Unlike our online community, they have the added convenience of actually living near each other! GD Gathering groups are founded and organized by a member of our community and are associated with a particular city. It is the members that live near or within that city that typically opt to join up with that group. From there it is possible to chat with those individuals through a special group forum as well as schedule special live and in-person meetings we refer to as gatherings.

As a regular GDNet member you can: Search through a list of existing GD Gathering groups based on some city View a listing of groups associated with a particular city View GD Gathering group homepages (including member lists, news, and scheduled gatherings) Join up with a group and potentially attend gatherings that are scheduled either in-person or virtually through IRC Receive invitations from groups that are established local to you View a zoomable member map that displays locations of other users throughout the world Participate in a special group forum set aside particularly for your own group

As a GDNet+ member you can additionally: Search for groups around a city based on some search radius See a html-based list of people who live near you. Includes their city, a profile link, and a private message link! Create groups for others to join Administer groups and even host gathering events Create custom group avatars to uniquely identify your group Gain host status in groups you aren't currently the leader of! Post news within a gathering group Invite new members to your group

How many people from our online community live near you? The answer might surprise you. Our forums have demonstrated the long-standing importance of the community aspect of game development. We all rely on each other for support, and ultimately we understand each other better than people in the non-development community. If you have ever wondered if there was anybody else out there who shared your same interest in game development that doesn't live a world apart from you, you are the reason GD Gathering was created. The GD Gathering allows you to find groups located near where you live and actually meet up with people who share your passion.

The GD Gathering does not have an affiliation with the IGDA, though it does make it easier for organizations like the IGDA to locate and contact individuals living near a particular city. It also makes it easier to coordinate meetings and provides a platform for exchanging ideas and knowledge between developers. The entire purpose of this software is to continue to foster the game developer spirit and bring together people from all walks of life.