Game Developers Conference 2008 - (Page 47) Independent Games Summit From contra to shantaE: a study in contrasts John beck (WayForward technologies), Matt bozon (WayForward technologies) 4:15-5pm unique Knobs for indie games raigan burns (Metanet software) 11:15am-12pm With so many options for middleware and freeware, isn’t writing your own physics or graphics engine just technological masturbation? Raigin Burns of Metanet Software makes the case that creating your own unique technologies from scratch allows freedom of expression impossible with middleware and canned solutions. If Metanet’s hit game N is “just a regular platformer with novel collision detection,” could creating unique technology lead to innovation? independent start-up Torpex, schizoiD interesting from a multitude of perspectives. But what went right and wrong during the console downloadable title’s development? Torpex’s Dugan presents plenty of practical tips and specifics on the creation of the title. How do you make the game great, especially when working on a licensed game, while also keeping the lights on? What are the realities of working as a long-time independent developer? WayForward (contra 4, shantaE) has weathered the storm for longer than many, making acclaimed licensed and original games alike, and the business and creative minds behind the cult favorite company explain how to juggle priorities smartly. innovating in the casual Market Arthur Humphrey (Last Day of Work) 3:15-4pm Independent Games Summit postmortem: PixEljunk series Dylan cuthbert (Q games) 5-5:45pm Kyoto’s Q Games was founded in 2001 by Dylan Cuthbert, a veteran developer who worked with Nintendo on the original version of starfox. The company is now self-funding and creating PlayStation 3 titles in the PixELjunK series, with PixELjunK racErs completed and PixELjunK monstErs due out soon. Cuthbert will discuss the process and reality of creating this ‘small game’ series, inspired by classic ‘80s Commodore 64 and Spectrum games. students to professionals: the indies of tomorrow tracy Fullerton (usc interactive Media) 12-12:30pm Game studies programs are rapidly becoming hotbeds of indie game development, a place for both students and researchers to innovate and take risks in low budget, high impact projects that explore strange new worlds of game design. The director of the USC Game Innovation Lab, the research unit behind projects like cLouD, fLow and thE night journEy, talks about how to create a culture of rampant experimentation and innovation, and make the games you can’t make anywhere else. To some independent developers, “casual” can be a bad word – connoting gameplay roteness, perhaps. But why does financial success, being on a certain portal, or the arbitrarily assigned label “casual” make you a sellout? Humphrey (VirtuaL ViLLagErs) has created sophisticated independently-developed titles that are hits in the casual market, and explains his views on the surprisingly large indie/casual intersection. coffee break 4-4:15pm contracting vs. indie: the showdown brent Fox (ninjabee/Wahoo), steve taylor (ninjabee/Wahoo) 4:15-5pm Brent ‘Indie Core’ Fox and Steve ‘We Need Money to Eat’ Taylor square off in a battle of wits and whimsy over a question facing many indies: to contract or not to contract? If your company can’t survive, you can’t make the games you want. If you can’t make the games you want, why make games at all? Find out how Wahoo/Ninja Bee strike a balance between outPost KaLoKi, BanD of Bugs, and Disney’s triVia timE in this battle of contracting vs. indie. tuesDAY, FebruArY 19 Kyle gabler (2D boy), Kyle gray (electronic Arts) 10am-11am Ever wanted to quit your corporate gig and make your own game? What about pitch your game to the head of the company and have it made? Two alumni from the Experimental Gameplay Project compare their experiences in the indie and corporate scene. Kyle Gabler left EA in May 2006 to start his own company (currently creating worLD of goo), while Kyle Gray stayed behind to pitch his own title. Both made their own game. It’s unlimited resources vs. unlimited freedom in this, ‘A Tale of Two Kyles.’ A tale of two Kyles Lunch 12:30-2pm An indie reality check n’gai croal (newsweek), stephen totilo (MtV news) 2-2:30pm How does the world at large really sees indies? Prominent game critics Stephen Totilo of MTV and N’Gai Croal of Newsweek take an objective look at the current state of indie games from the perspective of news, media, and entertainment in general. How are independent games doing in terms of mindshare relative to games as a whole, how could we be doing better, and what can we do today to make indie games more prominent? N’Gai and Stephen debate the answers. Matt bozon (Wayforward technologies), Jamie cheng (Klei entertainment), ryan clark (grubby games), noel Llopis (powerof2games), Jon Mak (Queasy games), Jacob Van Wingen (gastronaut studios) 5-6pm Hear from full-time indies. How do they manage their time, their projects, and their lives? This in-depth panel presents practical tips on working from home, with teams of friends, remote teams, motivation, and everything else indies typically have to face. the state of indie games coffee break 11-11:15am torpex’s schizoiD bill Dugan (torpex) 2:30-3:15pm As the first XBLA game to use Microsoft’s XNA framework, and the first title from Visit www.gdconf.com for daily coverage of GDC 2008 47 http://www.gdconf.com/?cid=GDC08_showguide http://www.gdconf.com/?cid=GDC08_showguide
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